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Returning 35 results for 'both before directly consult rival'.
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
draw the blood of your enemies, or even directly touch their souls.
Suggested Characteristics
Members of the Orzhov Syndicate range from the decadent nobility at the top of the oligarchy to the debt
activities in crime, banking, or debt collection could tie you to members of other guilds.
Roll twice on the Orzhov Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Orzhov Contacts table
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
encounters with members of other guilds are more often violent than friendly, but occasional bonds do form.
Roll twice on the Gruul Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Gruul
.
2
A Boros soldier gives me gifts in exchange for information about other clans’ movements.
3
I once caught and released a Dimir spy.
4
I consult with a Golgari shaman for
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
characters stand in the way, and how the conflict could be resolved. Ideally, a rival’s goal directly involves the characters or something they care about. Assets. Think about the resources the rival can
Creating a Rival In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
research grant or an academic award. Or they might be conspicuously spending ill-gotten wealth, boasting of their accomplishments, or directly taunting the characters. (A rival group at these levels might
Rival Explorers Morgrave University teems with unscrupulous adventurers and researchers driven by avarice. Additionally, the university itself has academic rivals—the University of Wynarn in Aundair
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Séances At certain times in the adventure, characters have the opportunity to commune with the House of Lament’s spirits, contacting them directly through a series of séances involving a spirit
them as a way to free her children. Consult the “Escaping the House” section at the end of the adventure for details on the specific climaxes each spirit drives the plot toward.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Immortal Contacts Immortal beings sometimes use mortal intermediaries to contact their agents, but most of them possess magic powerful enough to communicate with you directly, even over impossible
distances. Consult the Immortal Communication table to determine what mysterious method your patron uses to direct your party. Immortal Communication d10 Means of Contact 1 A party member speaks to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild
enhanced medusa for Lynx, or the brains in iron for Sir Ursas (see below for more information on both). Each expedition also has its own mechanical guide. You might use the members of the rival expedition
missing components, whether they steal them out from under the characters or take them directly in combat. Any stolen components will be delivered to their respective agents before the characters return from the past.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
characters recorded in their mimir during part 2 and whether their reports on the Outlands were accurate, inconsistent, or skewed. Consult the Mimir Restoration Tracker from chapter 4, and choose
eager to lead its followers directly to Mechanus, where they can make an unremarkable report. Inconsistent If the characters provided inconsistent details about the Outlands—several accurate and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
eternal honor directly caused the destruction of Manivarsha. Having lived a cursed life as a pride-obsessed fiend in the depths of the swamps for centuries, Jijibisha has recently heard of a rival that
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Rival Princes When the characters arrive at the square, read or paraphrase the following: Locals crowd a shaded square, listening to a fervent argument between two well-dressed human men wearing dark
come directly from King Diara. Personality Trait. “I’m happiest when I’m working with my hands.” Ideal. “Though I might have more responsibility, I’m no better than anyone else who works in the
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
convinced to defend the school in a contest against a rival college.
7
An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can watch how they respond
issues that isn’t directly harmful to the creature.
Distort Perceptions. The dragon attempts to alter the perceptions of one creature it can see within its lair. That creature must succeed on a DC
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
the school in a contest against a rival college.
7
An emerald dragon invisibly tails a party of adventurers, causing trouble for the heroes so the dragon can watch how they respond.
8
An
this way obeys to the best of its ability any command the dragon issues that isn’t directly harmful to the creature.
Distort Perceptions. The dragon attempts to alter the perceptions of one
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
+ 2d10; generate a separate DC for each one. Consult the Pit Fighting Results table to see how the character did. Pit Fighting Results Result Value 0 successes Lose your bouts, earning nothing. 1
You defeat a noble’s servant, drawing the wrath of the noble’s house.* 5 You are accused of cheating. Whether the allegation is true or not, your reputation is tarnished.* 6 You accidentally deliver a near-fatal wound to a foe. *Might involve a rival
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
each one. Consult the Gambling Results table to see how the character did. Gambling Results Result Value 0 successes Lose all the money you bet, and accrue a debt equal to that amount. 1 success
wants its money back. 5 A local crime boss insists you start frequenting the boss’s gambling parlor and no others. 6 A high-stakes gambler comes to town and insists that you take part in a game. *Might involve a rival
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
important common values and work toward the same end: the destruction of slavery. They fulfill something like the role of the Order of the Gauntlet in Athas. The Free are not directly concerned with
Alluvial Sand Wastes is Tyr, struggling to find its way after the death of King Kalak. The templars of Tyr can’t allow a new threat to grow on their doorstep — or allow the templars of a rival city such
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
of Spiders and her brood rarely take part directly in the Blood War; rather, her agents in the Abyss contrive to lure her enemies into throwing themselves into the struggle. Her servitors spy on both
sides, playing demon and devil against each other.
Lolth’s plan, as far as those who study the Abyss understand it, is to tempt her rival demon lords into venturing onto other planes or to send them
Orc
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can
rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims.
On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an orc horde — a sea of slavering
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
characters’ last visit. The mind flayer fanatics of the godlet Ilvaash have begun their ritual, and the open rifts to the Far Realm directly beneath the town have accelerated the townsfolk’s
this chapter, specific townspeople the characters might consult and locations they might visit experience the following changes: Gwyn. The changes Gwyn Oresong experiences terrify her. A double-irised
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
deceive since childhood. You’ve been involved in dozens of schemes and feuds, and you’re likely still tied up in a few of them (consult the Zil Schemes table). Even if you have a good heart and noble
. Family is very important to the Zil, and you could be pursuing the interests of your family… or seeking to interfere with the plans of a rival family. You could even be working for the mysterious Trust
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
adventures that overlap with their interests. For the more general kind of work you might carry out on behalf of any dragonmarked house, consult the General House Missions table. General House Missions
property. 3 Retrieve assets from a house enclave in the Mournland. 4 Protect a leader of your house from an anticipated assassination attempt. 5 Enforce your house’s territory by preventing a rival from
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
House Auvryndar House Auvryndar uses Muiral’s Gauntlet as a staging ground for raids into other levels and as a base from which to launch attacks against House Freth, a rival drow house that has a
characters first meet Vlonwelv and her retinue, roll a d20 and consult the following table: d20 Vlonwelv’s Location 1–5 Area 25b 6–15 Area 26 16–20 Area 27a Treasure. Vlonwelv wears two webbed
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
magical weapon.
4 Defeat a rival.
5 Open a planar portal.
6 Summon fiends or undead.
7 Overthrow a peer or superior.
8 Cause a riot in the Cogs.
9 Start a war
.
3 A third party shows up with their own agenda.
4 There’s a hostage, or an ally of the PCs is directly at risk.
5 A manifest zone or planar conjunction has an unexpected effect
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
(Medium Noble Prodigy) descends directly from Lareth ir’Morgrave, founder of the university, and serves as its current master. Though his job involves more administration than scholarship, he
nevertheless finds time to publish more papers on giant-made pottery than any other scholar, past or present. If you use rival explorers in your campaign who are connected to Morgrave University, they work
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
particularly sapphires. Green Dragons. Dwarves and green dragons don’t often interact, and when they do, the dragon doesn’t usually threaten them directly. A typical green dragon has no burning desire
by creatures it can catch in the open, including the travelers that enter and exit the place. On occasion, this state of (relatively) peaceful coexistence is shattered when a devious rival dragon with
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
their knowledge, they seem genuinely eager to shepherd your work. 3 Hidden Benefactor. Whoever your contact is, they don’t communicate directly. They send messages via couriers or letters. No one in
a professional who works directly toward the guild’s specialty or whose fortunes align with the guild’s interests. Alternatively, you could provide the guild with services to which their members
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
resources, goals, and leaders—directly sponsors and guides your adventures. Types of Religious Orders Not every religious order represents an alliance of worshipers devoted to godly ideals. Perhaps your
your group as the adventuring arm of the organization, or perhaps a legion of paladins who call on your group’s finesse where swords and shields fail. You might receive orders directly from the immortal
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
sovereign. Roll or pick from the Sovereign Contact table to determine who manages the relationship between you and the throne, if not the sovereign directly. Sovereign Contact d6 Contact 1 Intimate
embroil you directly in political intrigues, court maneuverings, or threats from national foes. It’s up to you and the sovereign to determine whether your work is publicly acknowledged or top secret
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
directly by House Medani.
Guild Affiliation Whether or not any of the characters possess dragonmarks, their agency can choose to affiliate with either House Tharashk’s Finders Guild or House
calls on these agencies to consult in difficult cases, members of the Watch tend to find Medani mind games infuriating and their idealism naive. Medani inquisitives also serve as bodyguards and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
that the characters will gain levels over the course of the adventure, as well as acquire allies and powerful magic items that can tip the scales in their favor. Characters who head directly to Castle
them all over the map, and a party can easily wander into an area well beyond their power. If you’d like to steer them toward places that correspond to their level, consult the Areas by Level table
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
directly for the them or pay tribute in exchange for independence. The Boromars control a vast network of extortion, blackmail, and graft that extends throughout the city, and their influence reaches
Council. Of the seventeen members of Sharn’s city council, four have close ties to the Boromar Clan—including one, Ilyra Boromar, who reports directly to the head of the syndicate. These four vote as
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
directly sharing what they want to see in a campaign. You can learn about your players’ preferences in two ways: Direct Input. Ask your players what they want to do in a campaign. Regularly inquire about how
rival midcampaign should be handled carefully to avoid straining credulity. Make sure a player is comfortable with new developments about their character before introducing them. Character-Focused
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
see its opponents before 60-foot darkvision sees it. A beholder always has several backup plans ready. When dealing with one, I have three plans of my own: run, hide, and distract. Rival adventurers
are always a good distraction. Rival beholders are the best one.
— Volo
Best of all, if ye can learn what schemes a beholder holds dearest, threaten those schemes. Its lured attention will at
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
1 Has a rival; wants one random ally to suffer 2 Is abused by others; hangs back, betrays at first opportunity 3 Is worshiped; allies will die for it 4 Is outcast by group; its allies ignore it 5 Is
outdoor encounters — especially the tables for obstacles, traps, and tricks. Finally, consult the random encounter tables in the next section of this book for inspiration.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
turn. At the end of that turn, the cultist teleports to an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet of it and returns to its normal form. The cultist can’t be targeted directly by any attack or other
martial weapon or a natural weapon, if it has one. The next creature hit by the touched weapon must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or experience short-term madness for 10 minutes. Consult the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
wisdom from him directly. Casting detect magic reveals an aura of divination magic in the room. The corpse belongs to a young cloud giant named Eigeron, whose father, Blagothkus, betrayed and
appears on few maps, and few folk know of it. Characters who consult with a member of the Surveyors’, Map & Chartmakers’ Guild in Waterdeep or any learned sage in Everlund or Silverymoon can procure a