both before driven crushing rather

Bronzefume

Monsters Princes of the Apocalypse

Crushing Wave cult: a dragon turtle named Bronzefume. Young and impressionable, she was lured to the Temple of the Crushing Wave by Gar Shatterkeel's offer of riches. Bronzefume stays out of sight in the

dragon turtle attacks only if she's sure those she meets are intruders, such as if she sees water cultists fighting the characters. Bronzefume prefers to attack boats rather than people. Given a choice between attacking a character and damaging a boat that character is on, she opts for the boat. Fire

Kas the Betrayer

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

blood to sow terror rather than for sustenance. If destroyed, Kas revives in 1d100;{"diceNotation":"1d100", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Strength of the Night"} nights in an unoccupied space in

Tovag, his Domain of Dread. He can be permanently destroyed only by having a stake driven through his heart and then being beheaded. The stake must be cut from a tree growing in soil from Oerth, Kas&rsquo

Khargra

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

material is coughed up. Reluctant Predators. Khargras find living flesh disgusting, and they attack creatures only when driven by hunger and a lack of safer options. After securing a meal of whatever

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

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

easily pick out the dens of criminal activity in a community, although you’re more likely to be welcome in the former locations rather than the latter. Variant: Investigator Rarer

Investigation rather than Athletics. Suggested Characteristics Use the tables for the soldier background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better

;d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair. 5 It’s not stealing if I need it more than someone else. 6 People who can’t take care of themselves get what they deserve.

Hellfire Engine

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

effects. Unusual Nature. The hellfire engine doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Flesh-Crushing Stride. The hellfire engine moves up to its speed in a straight line. During this move, it

these magical-mechanical hybrids gets loose, driven berserk by its need to destroy. Hellfire engines take many forms, but all of them have one purpose: to mow down foes in waves. They are incapable of

Soldier Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. 6 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves

mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

demands of the Nine Hells and the impulsive hedonism of the Feywild. Driven by dramatic and unpredictable emotions, these feral creatures wreak havoc wherever they go. Corrupted Essence. The devils

bound to their fey lord and unable to bargain away their souls. So rather than claim them, Fierna warped and twisted them before returning them to the Feywild, content that the corruption of the satyrs

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying. Driven Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

Bavlorna Blightstraw

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Trait. “I detest chores and would rather have other creatures do them for me.” Ideal. “I don’t care about the past or the future. I live in the present. What I do now, this very

time: one reflects the past, another reflects the present, and the third reflects the future. These hags are utter wickedness distilled into corporeal forms, driven by a lust for secrets that can be

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take

; but what you learn you pass on to the Guild. 4 The inequality of Baldur’s Gate has driven you to take matters into your own hands. You steal from patriars and rich Lower City residents

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants kalashtar

are strongly influenced by the emotions of those around you. 8 You prefer to find nonviolent solutions to problems whenever possible. 9 You are driven by a warrior spirit and will fight

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. 5 Those who fight beside me are those

enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life &mdash

from a fight. 2 Gold seems like a lot of money to me, and I’ll do just about anything for more of it. 3 I will never fully trust anyone other than myself. 4 I’d rather

Anthropologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

survive—or why they did not. Some anthropologists are driven by intellectual curiosity, while others want the fame and recognition that comes with being the first to discover a new people, a

. 2 I’m a stickler when it comes to observing proper etiquette and local customs. 3 I would rather observe than meddle. 4 By living among violent people, I have become

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. 3 My honor is my life. 4 I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it

keep that mistake secret. 4 My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons. Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and

gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

: crushing earth, searing flames, boundless skies, and endless seas make visiting these places dangerous for even a short time. The powerful genies, however, don’t face such troubles when venturing

, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all. Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic, or assuming leadership

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, driving them into the Darkened Depths where they escaped into the crushing pressure and utter darkness. In time, the tritons noticed that their ancient elemental foes had grown quiet. Expeditions to

the depths revealed that krakens, sahuagin, and far worse foes had fled the Plane of Water for the Material Plane. The tritons, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, would not allow their foes

Elf Rangers

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

Elf Rangers Elf rangers are usually associated with a particular community such as Evereska or the tribes in the Misty Forest. Rather than being wandering explorers, elf rangers typically act as

scouts and guardians of elven realms. Such elves usually devote themselves to Rillifane Rallathil or Solonor Thelandria. Elf rangers driven to roam might instead favor Fenmarel Mestarine, god of lone wanderers, or Shevarash, elven god of vengeance.

Cult of the Crushing Wave

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

Cult of the Crushing Wave Cultists of the Crushing Wave worship the awesome power of water, from the surging tides and deadly maelstroms of the sea to the raging torrents of rivers in flood and the

rock crushing power of ice and glaciers. Crushing Wave cultists see all living creatures as nothing more than trapped water that could one day be free to return to the seas or skies in a new form. The

Tortured Earth

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

the area’s radius is 1,000 feet. The saving throw DC is 15. As the tremor ends, a young purple worm with 184 hit points (challenge rating 13) burrows out of the ground. Driven into a frenzy by the quake, it attacks other living creatures nearby. It retreats rather than perishing in combat.

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, wandering tabaxi are catlike humanoids driven by curiosity to collect interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay eyes on all the world’s wonders. Ultimate travelers, the inquisitive

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

Aquatic Crusaders

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

into the Darkened Depths where they escaped into the crushing pressure and utter darkness. In time, the tritons noticed that their ancient elemental foes had grown quiet. Expeditions to the depths

revealed that krakens, sahuagin, and far worse foes had fled the Plane of Water for the Material Plane. The tritons, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, would not allow their foes to escape so

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than among other creatures, including my own kind. 4 I sometimes become consumed by philosophy. 5 I believe I am superior to others of my caste. 6 I am driven by wanderlust

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of

pleasurable creatures and things are ones that allow lizardfolk to assess more situations as benign rather than fearsome. Cold and Calculating Most humanoids describe cold-blooded people as lacking in

Delvers into Secrets

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and

mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit

Chimera

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

fearsome claws, crushing horns, and fiery breath, chimeras are tempests of ferocity, driven by their three heads’ conflicting instincts. Their heads agree on little but their desires to feed and to drive

Gods, Celestials, and Fiends

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

outlook means that religion is driven by faith, as opposed to the concrete actions of deities. The faithful believe that their triumphs reflect the assistance of a divine influence. They don’t expect a god

such, player characters are more likely to encounter celestials and fiends that are native to Eberron, spawned by Khyber or Siberys, rather than extraplanar entities.

Delvers into Secrets

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

Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and

and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their

The Shape of the District

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

The Shape of the District The heart of Callestan is the plaza called the Bridge. This central square serves as an open market and speaker’s corner. It’s not on a bridge; rather, the center of the

driven here by war, even a small band of warforged. Westbridge is as safe as Callestan gets, while anything goes in Eastbridge. Westbridge has a significant halfling population. In Eastbridge, a group of

Cult of the Eternal Flame

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

reckless attacks with no regard for their own lives, seeking to cause as much damage as possible before falling. They are fearless and would rather die fighting among a mob of enemies than retreat a

themselves superior to her, and she stops at nothing to make them see her as a figure to be feared and respected. Vanifer was born and raised in the crushing poverty of Calimport’s poorest quarters, armed

Dragons

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

avoid contact with those they see as lesser creatures. They are obsessed with the Draconic Prophecy, which is a map of possible futures rather than a clear-cut prediction. Its paths are revealed in

Chamber. A dragon in Khorvaire that isn’t part of the Chamber could be an exile driven from Argonnessen for some crime or a scholar pursuing independent research. Some orphaned dragons grow up in

Bound to Spirits

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

communicate with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants

those around you. 8 You prefer to find nonviolent solutions to problems whenever possible. 9 You are driven by a warrior spirit and will fight for any noble cause. 10 You are obsessed with Dreaming Dark conspiracies.

Slaadi

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

. While slaadi aren’t inherently evil, their impulses are wild and often destructive. Many are driven to propagate through supernatural processes. Unfortunately, these processes typically are fatal for

other creatures. Slaadi have no formal society. Rather, strong slaadi dominate weaker ones. Blue and red slaadi rampage across Limbo and spill into other worlds at the direction of green slaadi. More

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