both best dark continued respond

Icewind Kobold

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

live in the mountains and hills of Icewind Dale are among the hardiest of their kind. Drawn to the north by a desire to find and serve white dragons, these kobolds adapted as best they can to the

hostile climate. Their sensitive eyes appreciate sunless days and long, dark nights. They use wooden javelins as tools to test the snow ahead of them. Kobolds native to Icewind Dale frequently wander

Dusk Hag

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

their dark magic allows them to influence the dreams of others, sending messages or inflicting nightmares with a touch. Tales talk of ambitious wizards, frantic monarchs, and desperate heroes

waits behind a silver skull.” 3 “Three days, three deaths, three eyes, three breaths.” 4 “Doom falls on the peacock and the sparrow alike. Best be a raven.” 5 “A white hand on a black field holds

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

. Their skin tones cover the full range of human coloration, but also include various shades of red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is usually dark, from black or brown to dark red

personality to any great degree. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype, but others

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics. EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS

; Elves. “It’s best not to wander into elven woods. They don’t like intruders, and you’ll as likely be bewitched as peppered with arrows. Still, if an elf can get past that damned

Strahd, Master of Death House

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Zarovich was a prince, a soldier, and a conqueror. His thirst for power never sated, Strahd made a pact with the Dark Powers to become immortal. Meanwhile, Strahd’s evil deepened, until in a jealous

. He had become a vampire, and Barovia became a Domain of Dread. Now the Dark Powers keep Strahd trapped in his realm, tormenting him with his inability to escape for all eternity. He spends his days

Emerald Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

is a magic in the retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on. (Any

they respond. 8 An emerald dragon has been spying for a villainous cabal, ensuring the villains remain one step ahead of the adventurers. Connected Creatures Emerald dragons generally

Tarandus

races

For millennia, the tarandus have been known as a society of explorers devoted to charting and understanding the world. Their culture prizes discovery, and they believe that their lives are best spent

travelling, observing and creating maps that guide others along safe paths. All tarandus possess antlers that rise roughly a foot above their heads. Their dark-red noses can emit a gentle glow

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the

weight that humans have in our world. If you’d like to determine your character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Soul Coin

Magic Items Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. Freeing a Soul. Casting a spell that removes a curse on a soul coin frees the soul

. These coins are then distributed throughout the Nine Hells to be used for goods and services, infernal deals, dark bargains, and bribes.

Eye and Hand of Vecna Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

Seldom is the name of Vecna spoken except in a hushed voice. Vecna was, in his time, one of the mightiest of all wizards. Through dark magic and conquest, he forged a terrible empire. For all his

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

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin Creating Your Character At

character’s height or weight randomly, consult the Random Height and Weight table in the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, thieves’ tools Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch

who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. 7 The best way to get me to do something is to tell me

Young Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. There is a magic in the retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on

watch how they respond. 8 An emerald dragon has been spying for a villainous cabal, ensuring the villains remain one step ahead of the adventurers. Connected Creatures Emerald dragons

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

honeycombs of hidden passages, deceptively thin walls, and secret chambers that allow them to traverse the entire lair without ever being seen by intruders. The best-defended sapphire dragon lairs have no

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

Fisher

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

’s discretion, a number of those listeners become friendly toward you; this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the following

table to help determine the theme of your tale or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively, work with your DM to create your own fishing tale. d8 Tale 1 Lobster

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.” Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and

(Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal) Subrace Ancient divides among the elven people resulted in three main subraces: high elves, wood elves, and dark elves, who are commonly called drow. Choose one of

Fey

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Morte’s Planar Parade

from the town’s associated Outer Plane. Outlands Fey d4 Encounter 1 Revelers joined a group of satyrs in their festivities. As the satyrs’ celebration has continued for over a year, the revelers

makes some of the best cookies in the Outlands. 3 A pack of blink dogs tracks a band of maelephants (presented later in this book) to prevent them from spoiling lands influenced by the Upper Planes. 4 A

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The common folk make every

unquestioned, and impress those on the lookout for wealthy patrons. You are welcome in the Upper City and may stay there after dark without being harassed or evicted. Your word is accepted over others&rsquo

Adult Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

in the retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on. (Any) 5

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

Ancient Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

retelling of stories. Each new teller adds a bit of themself to the spell. (Any) 4 Nurture. Rearing a child is our best chance to make sure our own stories are passed on. (Any) 5 Inquisitiveness

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

Cyric

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

Cyric The Prince of Lies, the Dark Sun The worship of Cyric derives directly from the story of his ascension to godhood. Cyric was a mortal during the Time of Troubles and the key to how that

chaotic period resolved, but he was also a selfish traitor and a murderer. When he became a god, Cyric continued to work various plots of deceit and murder — the most famous of which is that, according to

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

accustomed to a variety of different people. GENASI ON ATHAS Although any world that includes one or more elemental planes can feature genasi, on Athas, the world of the Dark Sun campaign setting

time. People there tend to be less accepting of differences. Sometimes a cold shoulder and a suspicious glare are the best genasi can hope for; in more backward places, they face ostracism and even

Draw In the Players

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide

things they care about, you can use other techniques to draw in the players. These are best tailored to the motivations of your players and their characters. For example, some adventuring groups are

noble heroes who respond without hesitation to the pleas of innocent villagers crying for help; other groups are hardened mercenaries who respond only to offers of payment. Some groups are devoted to

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

, rot, and rebirth. You have spent your life in the slow churn of that ecosystem, in the dark places of the city where the messy parts of existence are on display. There is little squeamishness among the

. 2 I like to remind people of their inevitable demise. 3 Sometimes I give voice to the whispers of the rot, which I hear but no one else does. 4 I do my best to discourage anyone from

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

type of gaming set, thieves’ tools Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 15 gp Criminal Origins Criminals are pervasive in Baldur

attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. 7 The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it. 8 I blow up at the slightest insult. d6

Testing Phase

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

-biologists believe they quell the creatures’ rumbling acid reflux. Owlbears respond best to training that mimics exactly what their trainer wishes them to do. Crawling on one’s hands and knees is

often the best way to teach an owlbear to be a mount, for example. An owlbear’s screech sounds vaguely similar to the cry of an enormous owl with terrible indigestion. Owls don’t suffer from indigestion, though, making this a sure sign that an owlbear is nearby.

Gromph's Grimoire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Gromph’s Grimoire After recovering Gromph Baenre’s grimoire from Sorcere in chapter 15, the characters might think about what to do with the dark tome once the threat of the demon lords is ended. The

willingly. Finding a means to get rid of Gromph’s grimoire once and for all could be the basis for continued adventures, perhaps even leading characters into the Abyss (see “Into the Demonweb Pits

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

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

. Goliaths see females and males as equal in all things, and they find societies with roles divided by gender to be puzzling or worthy of mockery. To a goliath, the person who is best at a job should be

Adult Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

, and secret chambers that allow them to traverse the entire lair without ever being seen by intruders. The best-defended sapphire dragon lairs have no easily accessible entrances or exits at all, and

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

The Hunters' Role

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

The Hunters’ Role Once you know the form of Pharaoh Ankhtepot’s ka, determine how the characters become involved with the hunt for it. Events might make finding the soul to be in the characters’ best

characters die, Pharaoh Ankhtepot resurrects them (perhaps as reborn; see chapter 1). Their continued existence is contingent on searching for and finding his ka.

Rundreth Manor

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

mysterious and terrifying figure known far and wide as “the Dark Lady.” Locals warn everyone to stay well away from the ruins. The truth of the tale is that the “Dark Lady” is a female adult black shadow

stalks them. She sometimes poses as a drow captive of a dragon, desperate to avoid being eaten and willing to pay with her treasure to be rescued. The Harpers have learned her secret, and do their best to

Domains of Dread

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

Domains of Dread In remote corners of the Shadowfell, it is easy to reach horrific demiplanes ruled over by accursed beings of terrible evil. The best known of these is the valley of Barovia

, overlooked by the towering spires of Castle Ravenloft and ruled by Count Strahd von Zarovich, the first vampire. Beings of the Shadowfell called the Dark Powers created these domains as prisons for these “darklords,” and through cruelty or carelessness trapped innocent mortals in these domains as well.

Skald

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

Skald The largest community in Kartakass, Skald presents itself as a bustling hub of commerce and creativity that boasts the best of everything in the land. The lure of overnight celebrity, glowing

and aging celebrities prey on youth and creativity, while critics and struggling performers create a culture of desperate deceptions. Vice, criminality, dark bargains, and supernatural predators flourish in Skald, like a pack of wolves hiding behind glamorous masks.

Describing Monsters

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

its description. You could tell the players that they see a merrow or hold up the creature’s picture from the Monster Manual. But that first moment of revelation is the best time to paint a

here: Don’t dictate a character’s actions in response to what they see. But you can touch on the feelings that the creature provokes, leaving it up to the players to describe how they respond to those

Shar

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

drawn to serve Shar often nurture their own deep wounds or dark secrets, which in their minds makes them best suited to console those who suffer from a similar ill. Throughout the world’s history, many

Shar The Mistress of the Night, the Dark Lady, Our Lady of Loss The dark twin of Selûne, Shar is the goddess of darkness, both in its physical form and as it exists in the minds and souls of mortals

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