both before death continues reason

Wight Lifedrinker

Monsters Heroes of the Borderlands

Points equal to the Necrotic damage taken.Wights are the withered corpses of relentless warriors whose wickedness sustains them beyond death. After dying and returning from the grave, a wight

continues its villainous ways, but it is now driven by a hunger for life. A wight drains living essence through its attacks.PoisonNecrotic

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Burn. When the darkling elder dies, magical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Death Burn","rollDamageType":"radiant"} radiant damage and

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

strong that he adopted the name of the Vistana who welcomed him into his clan, a man named Velikov. Although Velikov passed away more than a century ago, Kasimir continues to live among Velikov's

, Kasimir and his fellow dusk elves stoned Patrina to death. As punishment for depriving him of his bride, Strahd butchered all the women in the dusk elf tribe, and Kasimir's ears were cut off to punish him

Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Flash. When the darkling dies, nonmagical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

, and doing so wizens the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover every part of their body with clothing when exposure to light is a risk. The light a darkling

Mark of Shadow Elf

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Thuranni, Regalport (Lhazaar Principalities) Elves have carried the Mark of Shadow for thousands of years. The mark’s bearers left Aerenal after the conflict that wiped out the Mark of Death

major families of the house. Known as the Shadow Schism, it resulted in a split withinin Phiarlan—and the foundation of House Thuranni. House Phiarlan continues to offer entertainment and

Eye and Hand of Vecna Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

power, Vecna couldn’t escape his own mortality. He began to fear death and take steps to prevent his end from ever coming about. Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that

would allow him to live on as a lich. Beyond death, he became the greatest of all liches. Even though his body gradually withered and decayed, Vecna continued to expand his evil dominion. So formidable

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

;The safest place to be is behind the toughest warrior in the room.” Bond. “In life and in death, I’m the only one who matters.” Flaw. “Who can resist a little drama

Khargra

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

metal with ease, organic matter and gems are repugnant to them. If a khargra eats such morsels for whatever reason, they remain lodged in its gullet for a few days of indigestion before the offending

tasty, refined metal their victim carries, they quickly flee—and will flee before that rather than risk death. Stealthy Couriers. A number of clans among the dwarves, duergar, and azers have trained

Hutijin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

figure, known only to the most learned infernal scholars. He has no cults of his own, and his servants are few in number. The reason is simple: Hutijin hates mortals. When summoned from the Hells, he

repays the instigator with a long and agonizing death. Mephistopheles forbids Hutijin from making too many forays into the Material Plane, since the duke’s absence leaves him vulnerable to his

Dullahan

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

a specific location their battlefield. This gives rise to stories of haunted battlegrounds, ruins, roads, river crossings and other strategic locations where a dullahan continues a terrifying

campaign against the living. In death, dullahans are often rejoined by those who followed them in life, either in the form of lesser undead, like skeleton;skeletons or wight;wights, or terrifying mounts

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

of giff society is organized along military lines. From birth until death, every giff has a military rank. It must follow orders from those of superior rank, and it can give orders to those of lower

brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

test, and make new acquaintances. Life of a Tortle A tortle hatches from a thick-shelled egg and spends the first few weeks of its life crawling on all fours. Its parents, old and near death, spend

prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

crawl to make progress. In places where a tunnel opens into a chasm and continues on the other side, the kobolds might connect the two passages with a rope bridge or some other rickety structure

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

creations are ultimately doomed to death and decomposition, and the dragons’ demeanor is typically morbid and curmudgeonly as a result. Gleaming Gold Upon hatching, topaz dragon wyrmlings&rsquo

Creatures 1 Moved by pity, a giant eagle continues bringing food to an abandoned topaz dragon wyrmling, despite the wyrmling’s attempts to eat the eagle. 2 A pseudodragon who is

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

her to explode and die. A mephit that dies in this way does not use its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the exploding mephit must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the area patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death. — Gimble, Notes from a

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

created the orcs and continues to direct their destiny. He is aided and abetted by the other warrior deities, Bahgtru and Ilneval, who bring strength and cunning to the battlefield. The followers of all

gather and celebrate, dwell the followers of Yurtrus, the god of disease and death, and Shargaas, the god of darkness and the unknown. Orcs too weak for battle (because of bodily weakness, malformation

Death Tyrant

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

be perfect beings. No matter how death tyrants come into being, bizarre impulses drive their deathless existences. Their motivations tend to be extreme or beyond the reason of living creatures.

Death Tyrant Beholder beyond Death Habitat: Underdark; Treasure: Any Simon Dominic A death tyrant is a beholder that pursues aberrant goals beyond its death. Ten magical singularities—all that

Druids of Khorvaire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

champions of the natural world. We defend it from anything and anyone who threatens it. We, the Children of Winter, preserve the natural cycle of life and death. Disease and decay cull the weak and

strengthen the whole. We must destroy undead and ensure that the cycle continues. We, the Gatekeepers, protect the natural world from the forces that come from outside it, from those beings that slither in

Mournland Villains

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Mournland Villains Few people have reason to spend time anywhere near the Mournland. Among the exceptions are those who seek to plunder the riches of lost Cyre, such as Ikar’s Salvage (described

undead army from the corpses in the Mournland. 5 A rakshasa works to free a fiendish overlord trapped in a whirlwind of stone and sand somewhere in the Mournland. 6 A servant of the Lords of Dust maintains an extensive collection of severed heads and continues to draw on the knowledge in their brains.

Rules of the Trial

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

. Later that day, at dusk, Chakuna pursues the contenders with hunting partners of her choice, attempting to slay anyone she encounters outside a shrine. Contenders may kill one another for any reason

—particularly to take a shrine. The trial does not stop for any reason until Chakuna arrives at both shrines and acknowledges the winners there. Winners are escorted to Shuaran, and from there, out of

Escape from Barovia

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

Escape from Barovia Strahd’s death grants Barovia a reprieve. The fog that surrounds the land thins, and it no longer harms those who pass through it. The dark clouds that have loomed over the valley

, most Barovians realize that they have nowhere to go and no reason to leave. A few depart, fearing the return of the darkness or longing to see their ancestral homelands. Those who have souls can leave

Bhaal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Bhaal The Lord of Murder The folk of Faerûn don’t normally pray to or acknowledge Bhaal. He is seen as a deeply evil and destructive deity who hungers for death — meaning the death of any sentient

beings through unlawful means. Some people pray to Bhaal when they want to commit murder. A person might have good reason to resort to murder, such as when one is unable to redress some injustice

Greyhawk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

and four maces radiating out from a central point Incabulos, god of plague and famine NE Death Reptilian eye with a horizontal diamond Istus, goddess of fate and destiny N Knowledge Weaver’s spindle

with three strands Iuz, god of pain and oppression CE Death Grinning human skull Nerull, god of death NE Death Skull with either a sickle or a scythe Obad-Hai, god of nature N Nature Oak leaf and acorn

Wight Lifedrinker

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes of the Borderlands

Wight Lifedrinker Life-Leeching Corpse Warrior Wights are the withered corpses of relentless warriors whose wickedness sustains them beyond death. After dying and returning from the grave, a wight

continues its villainous ways, but it is now driven by a hunger for life. A wight drains living essence through its attacks. Wight Lifedrinker Medium Undead, Neutral Evil AC 14 Initiative +4 (14) HP

The Houses of Shadow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

The Houses of Shadow The elves have carried the Mark of Shadow for thousands of years. The families that carry the mark left Aerenal after the conflict that wiped out the Mark of Death and

Thuranni. House Phiarlan continues to offer entertainment and espionage in the lands west of the Mournland, while Thuranni operates in Karrnath, the Lhazaar Principalities, and the eastern lands. As a

Kasimir Velikov

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

that he adopted the name of the Vistana who welcomed him into his clan, a man named Velikov. Although Velikov passed away more than a century ago, Kasimir continues to live among Velikov’s descendants

his fellow dusk elves stoned Patrina to death. As punishment for depriving him of his bride, Strahd butchered all the women in the dusk elf tribe, and Kasimir’s ears were cut off to punish him for

Scarecrow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

Scarecrow At harvest time, when death revisits the twilit world and summer’s blossoms bow their withered heads, eerie scarecrows loom in silent vigil over empty fields. With immortal patience, these

-Powered Constructs. A scarecrow is animated by the bound spirit of a slain evil creature, granting it purpose and mobility. It is this uncanny presence from beyond death that allows a scarecrow to

Holed Up

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

its side. The winter wolves, who served Garagai as faithful friends, look after the mammoth. Although Norsu feeds on plants, not meat, it delights in killing humanoids to avenge Garagai’s death

. Slaying the mammoth is a tall order, so characters would be wise to flee from Norsu or try to reason with it. Norsu and the winter wolves reside in an ice lodge built by Garagai. The wolves try to entice

Beginning the Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

foodstuffs to puddles of ooze. Humanoids infected with the plague drone the word “Xanthoria” over and over for no discernible reason before death finally claims them. You have determined that there’s a

Palace of Spires

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

comfortable domicile for those who find their way here now. After Caerwyn’s death, Porphura built a tomb for them both in the palace’s crystal dome. With the Gardener’s help, the grieving wizard performed

let the magic that preserved her own life beyond its natural span end. The Gardener said their final farewell to Caerwyn and Porphura, sealed the tomb, and left the palace forever. Out of respect for their late friends, the Gardener won’t enter the Palace of Spires for any reason.

Breaking the Law

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

, and murder are severe, regardless of the reason for the crime. If the characters express interest in knowing more about crimes and punishments in Waterdeep, give them the Code Legal handout in

could end with one or more of the characters being exiled, sentenced to several years of hard labor, imprisoned, or put to death. If that’s how their adventure ends, so be it. Hopefully, your next group will fare better.

Leaving the Chasm

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Leaving the Chasm Once the characters get what they came for, there’s little reason to stay. In fact, characters who stay too long run the risk of encountering six gnolls returning from a hunt

Nabira’s death has dampened the child’s mood. Ahmi would be delighted to receive the fishing hook as a gift, if the characters are willing to part with it. Ahmi’s family can scrape together 50 gp to buy it, if the characters insist on a monetary reward.

Principles and Polarities

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

unity of two polar principles: life and death, order and chaos, reason and emotion, and so on. The five Founder Dragons are thought to embody the coexistence of these principles, while the ten deans of

Evil Inchoate

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

particular affinity for their own kind, which is the biggest reason why they seldom cooperate with one another unless they are forced to submit to a demon lord or other leader. Going even farther, every

powerful demon usually has an intent that goes beyond merely causing carnage, and a plan to achieve it. DEMONIC AMULETS: BLESSING AND CURSE Some demon lords have a way of cheating death, but this great

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