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Returning 35 results for 'both before dark cracking real'.
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Cloaker
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Monsters
Basic Rules (2014)
motionless without its underside exposed, it is indistinguishable from a dark leather cloak.
Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the cloaker has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom
itself if it isn't in bright light. The duplicates move with it and mimic its actions, shifting position so as to make it impossible to track which cloaker is the real one. If the cloaker is ever in
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
hint of their ancestors’ physical form, and even less of the giants’ culture.
A mist hulk resembles a bipedal figure made of dark rain clouds. Parts of its body seem more solid than others
at any time. When it is slain, its misty form condenses into a torrent of water.
A mist hulk’s mood is always gloomy, and when threatened, it often howls in infectious misery. All who hear this wail are magically reminded of past regrets, real or imagined.PoisonThunder
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
unexplained phenomenon.
In either case, deathless riders are undeniably real. They are undead knights, once human, who ride undead steeds through the remotest parts of the wilds. They are sometimes
called lich-knights or fell horsemen.
In stark contrast to the knights of Eldraine, the deathless riders are without virtue of any kind. They are few in number—unless many more lurk in the dark
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
in her seventies, but she is, in fact, much older.
Royal Blood. Madam Eva is Strahd’s half-sister, though Strahd is unaware of this fact. Her real name is Katarina, and she is the daughter of a
domain, in hopes that they will find a way to destroy the vampire or set Strahd free.
For the Love of Strahd. The Dark Powers of Ravenloft would consider Madam Eva a worthy choice to replace Strahd as
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
mythic trait by describing her skin cracking and turning pale as she suffers wounds. Read or paraphrase the following text when Hythonia finally uses her Shed Skin trait:
The medusa’s skin
worshipers dedicated to Pharika previously hoarded secrets and engaged in dark rituals.
Island of Potent Magic. Although Skathos’s location remains a mystery, stories tell of the island’s
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
tactics do. (Lawful)
6
Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good)
Sapphire Dragon Adventures
The Sapphire
the lair.
Cobweb-Choked Tunnels. Adventurers who manage to access the other side of the cave’s crystal walls discover a network of dark, cobweb-choked tunnels extending deep into the earth, set
Goblin
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
opportunity to supervise and dominate such creatures, which have no status at all.
WHO'S THE BOSS?
Goblins pattern the rule of their tribes after the whip-cracking rule of their god, Khurgorbaeyag
new leader can act as the real boss. If the creature brushes aside such manipulation, the tribe falls into line behind the new tyrant—better to abide the new rule than conspire against it and be
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
K43. Bath Chamber Red satin curtains hang in archways at both ends of the south wall in this dark room. Between them, in the center of the chamber, stands a large, ornate iron tub with clawed feet
him the chance to turn her into a vampire spawn. The blood in the tub isn’t real, but rather a manifestation of Varushka’s tormented spirit. If the blood is disturbed in any way, read: A blood
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
with them. Aside from the secretive dusk elves of Vallaki (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Barovians
thus react to nonhuman characters the same way most humans in the real world would react to elf, dwarf, or half-orc adventurers suddenly walking the streets. Most such outsiders are scorned, feared, or shunned.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Corrupt Beyond Redemption Darklords aren’t misunderstood souls condemned through no fault of their own. If a person’s potential for evil is particularly great, the Dark Powers might indirectly
nurture further transgression, but they don’t force individuals to undertake actions against their will. When an evildoer’s wickedness ripens, the Dark Powers engulf them forever. When creating your
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
confirmation that their torment is real. Body Horror Adventure Sites d8 Adventure Site
1 A derelict ship, buried for mysterious reasons
2 A vine-covered, ostensibly abandoned prison
3 The
cavernous gut of a dead, multi-eyed behemoth
4 An inn in the valley, its insides dark and smoke-drowned
5 An asylum, abandoned save for vermin
6 A cave system, slick and comprised
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
glade and its surrounding forest always thrive, offering shelter and bounty to the creatures who dwell there. But this verdant region hides a dark secret. A forgotten empire of giants used a network
landscape around them. Though the forest is real for all practical purposes, it is a magical illusion concealing a region of sinister corruption.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
experiencing random instances of good luck. Meanwhile, Far Realm energies manifest as eyes staring from the dark, insidious insects, or misshapen silhouettes looming in the distance. The land’s
fraying planar boundaries might also allow glimpses into other planes or ghostly appearances of strange figures. Let Atagua’s place between the real and surreal inspire your descriptions.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
behind no body, and if killed, dies for real. The Nightingale Bell is protected by the Dark Powers and can’t be destroyed. Dreaming the Dream. A character cannot remove levels of exhaustion by
exhausting labor. Those who rebel are either dragged off to lightless cells or slain outright, forcing them to awaken in the real world. Nature of the Dream. Creatures in the dream of I’Cath have the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
bell. The Dark Powers have created a false image of Strahd’s ancestral home within the fog, just beyond reach. Strahd comes to the hill on occasion to gaze upon the city, even though he knows it can’t
be real. The image tantalizes him. Any creature that enters the deadly fog is subject to its effects (see the “Mists of Ravenloft” section in chapter 2). If the characters ask an NPC spellcaster about
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
creation—a very real (if utterly bizarre) sanctuary brought into being by its dreaming mind. Renekor’s presence warps the demiplane, causing erratic weather and strange phenomena. Each time the characters
, roll twice and use the higher result. Wisteria Vale Events d8 Event 1–2 None. 3 Light rain falls from a clear sky. 4 The sky turns dark as thunderclouds roll in. Lightning flashes in the distance
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a3
actually yellow mold (see “Dungeon Hazards” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) covered by a permanent major image spell (save DC 15). The bones, spider, and sword hilt are real. Eastern Door
. Western Door. In front of the secret door is a dark stain on the floor, which makes the door as easy to find as the eastern one. This door swings on a horizontal pivot in the middle of the slab. Pushing
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Magic of Wyllowwood In addition to dark caverns, this level contains forests of trees like those that grow on the surface. These temperate forests were magically created by Halaster, and the sky high
denizens. The forests are real and nourished by magic, and Halaster regularly repopulates them with birds, insects, rodents, and larger mammals. The main caverns have 100-foot-high ceilings hidden by
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
consequential, and not just a waste of time. One of four basic approaches can help you do that: A real monster inhabits a character’s dreams and poses a real threat to that character’s mind or body. The
who ordinarily can’t dream (such as an elf, a warforged, or a kalashtar) to enter the dreamscape as well. Agents of the Dreaming Dark use their magic to bring the dreams of the characters together so
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
“Arveiaturace”, for more information). The dragon is out hunting when the characters first arrive at the Dark Duchess, but she checks on the ship regularly to make sure her hoard is undisturbed. At the end of
each hour the characters spend in the Dark Duchess, there is a 20 percent chance that Arveiaturace returns to the ship. Because she can see only out to a range of 60 feet, the dragon must get close to
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good)
Sapphire Dragon Adventures
The Sapphire Dragon Adventure Hooks table offers suggestions for
manage to access the other side of the cave’s crystal walls discover a network of dark, cobweb-choked tunnels extending deep into the earth, set with natural steps and shelves throughout. The
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
The Wizards Three When the Dark Powers divulged Vecna’s plan to Kas, the powers also whispered that Lady Alustriel Silverhand was marshaling allies to stop the lich. Kas didn’t relish the thought of
Mordenkainen using the Crown of Lies and received Alustriel’s summons to her sanctum in Sigil, the City of Doors. Throughout this adventure, the real Mordenkainen is traveling the multiverse, unaware
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
tearing of flesh, and the cracking of bones spur a minotaur’s lust for carnage, overwhelming all thought and reason. In a blood rage, a minotaur charges anything it sees, butting and goring like a
respect authority or hierarchy, and they are notoriously difficult to enslave, let alone control. Cults of the Horned King. Minotaurs are the dark descendants of humanoids transformed by the rituals of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Nocturnal Raiders If the drow kept to themselves in their subterranean cities and fortresses, few other creatures would care. The dark elves could indulge their evil practices until their caverns
, other elves. To the dark elves, raiding the surface for captives and treasure isn’t just a cultural and military tradition, but also an economic necessity. Some raids are major operations that involve
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Dementlieu Domain of Decadent Delusion Darklord: Saidra d’Honaire Genres: Dark fantasy and psychological horror Hallmarks: Masquerades, decadent aristocracy, social decay, illusions, impostor
decadent wealth. Everything appears more valuable, more solid, and more wholesome than the actuality, and everyone behaves as if the illusion of grandeur and prosperity were real. Everyone in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
alleys of the Styes that no one will miss. At the same time, the aboleth transformed the underwater pit where the kraken rests into a conduit for dark magic, fashioned to capture the plentiful negative
, but hasn’t connected the vague horrors of his sleep with the very real horror occurring in the shadowy, mist-drenched alleys of his home. Seven days ago, Jarme was captured by a nighttime patrol
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
real-life Pidlwick, who lies entombed in the catacombs. The dark paint on his face is soot. If the characters see Pidlwick II in bright light, read: It’s obvious that you’re looking not at a small
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
dark silken mats with a pale web-strand pattern woven through them in silvery thread. In the middle of the chamber (at the center of the web) stands a broad pedestal carved from zurkhwood, with a 10
it. On a failure, a character mistakes it for a real giant spider. This place is a shrine to Lolth, the drow’s spider goddess, and also serves as quarters for Asha, the junior priestess. She tends the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
has no purpose. 4 Life is but a spark in the dark. We all go dark, but those who dare can burn bright. Githyanki Flaws d4 Flaw 1 Hunger and thirst are unbearable pains to me. 2 I can’t see a non
-githyanki as a real threat. 3 I follow orders, regardless of their implications. 4 I start projects but never finish them. Githzerai Names, Male d10 Name d10 Name 1 Dak 6 Kalla 2 Duurth 7 Muurg 3
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
Oni In nursery rhymes, oni are fearsome bogeymen that haunt the nightmares of children and adults alike, yet they are very real and always hungry. They find human babies especially delicious. Oni
look like demonic ogres with blue or green skin, dark hair, and a pair of short ivory horns protruding from their foreheads. Their eyes are dark with strikingly white pupils, and their teeth and claws
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
appears real, the man is no more substantial than a phantom and does not respond to any interaction.
2 One party member (determined randomly) hears a stream of whispers. The character can’t make
or fearful event in their past. The scent does not have a source.
6 One party member (determined randomly) sees a dark, hulking shape moving through the wall, ceiling, or floor, as though it were swimming through the ice. The effect is illusory, harmless, and fleeting.
7–12 No haunting.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
Beliard is real. The cultists wait a couple of miles outside of town, staying out of sight until the specified time of the attack. If the characters search the outskirts of town, they can engage the
hippogriffs, one skyweaver, one hurricane, and five bugbears One Dark Tide knight mounted on a giant crocodile, one fathomer, one Crushing Wave priest, and six bandits One burrowshark mounted on a bulette
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
also return the child to its grieving parents, only to watch from the shadows as the child grows up to become a horror. Dark Bargains. Arrogant to a fault, hags believe themselves to be the most
accumulate much knowledge of local lore, dark creatures, and magic, which they are pleased to sell. Hags enjoy watching mortals bring about their own downfall, and a bargain with a hag is always dangerous
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
running perpendicular to this one. Where the two halls meet, words have been scrawled on the ceiling in dried blood.
A secret door in the west wall slides open to reveal a dark tunnel leading to areas 26
keyhole is real. The jade key found in area 53 can be used to unlock the relief and swing it open, revealing the crawlway. The lock can also be picked with a successful DC 21 Dexterity check made by a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
characters in fiction or film. Treat characters as real people with real motivations. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do? Show how multiple people from the same culture are different. Feature
real-world history, and character creation rules presuppose no standard bar for heroics. Encourage Space A typical D&D session is longer than a typical horror movie, and it can be hard to sustain the






