both beyond driven concerns ritual

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

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. If the gem is destroyed, Sammaster can create a new one by completing an 8-hour ritual using a gem worth 1,000+ GP, which the ritual consumes, and by expending 5,000 GP.Multiattack. Sammaster makes

bound dragons to his service, and learned how to drive dragons across Faerûn into a berserk rage. He considered his intellect beyond morality and became paranoid, resentful, and megalomaniacal

Vampire Infernalist

Monsters Astarion's Book of Hungers

. Running Water. The vampire takes 20 Acid damage if it ends its turn in running water. Stake to the Heart. If a weapon that deals Piercing damage is driven into the vampire’s heart while the

course it is. —Astarion on Vampire Infernalists Vampire Infernalist Lairs Vampire infernalists lurk in gloomy libraries or ritual chambers, far from the sun’s light. The region

Slithering Tracker

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

half.The quest for revenge sometimes leads those terribly aggrieved to undergo a ritual whereby they transform into bodies of semiliquid sentience known as slithering trackers. Innocuous and insidious at

the same time, a slithering tracker flows into places where a normal creature can’t go and brings its own brand of watery death down on its quarry. The ritual for creating a slithering tracker

Deathlock

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, it always reflects the patron’s interests, ranging from small-scale concerns to matters of cosmic scope. A deathlock in the thrall of a Fiend might work to destroy a specific temple dedicated to

, a foul Undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron. An powerful necromancer might also discover the wicked methods of creating a deathlock and then subjugate it, acting as the deathlock’s patron.PoisonNecrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered

Neothelid

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

external assault, and the elder brain is killed, the colony’s tadpoles are suddenly freed from their fate. They no longer serve as food—and are no longer fed by their caretakers. Driven by

hunger, they turn to devouring one another. Only one tadpole survives out of the thousands in the colony’s pool, and it emerges as a neothelid. Neothelids know nothing beyond their predatory

Crab Folk

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

can't make attacks with that claw against other targets. The crab folk has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target.The crab folk are the result of a magical ritual used long ago by a mighty

bad luck a gull might happen to land near a crab folk lair and utter the right combination of cries to summon up this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

stars overhead, a wild-eyed tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world. Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through

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

Arasta

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

; petty rivalries, Arasta was once one of Nylea’s most beloved dryad companions. Phenax’s bitterness saw her transformed into an arachnid monstrosity and driven into the darkest depths of the

it a risk, though, for those who Klothys finds unworthy might be driven mad. There, within Enorasi’s hollow trunk, Arasta awaits the next would-be prophet to make her meal. Her webs stretch

Star Spawn Hulk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

seer nearby. A hulk appears to have little will of its own and is driven to protect its master. Star Spawn The Material Plane represents only one small part of the multiverse. Beyond the best

Moonblade Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

special ritual in the throne room of an elven regent or in a temple dedicated to the elven gods. A moonblade won’t serve anyone it regards as craven, erratic, corrupt, or at odds with

first rune always grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Each rune beyond the first grants the moonblade an additional property. The DM chooses each property or

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

Aurnozci

Monsters The Book of Many Things

worshipers to enact its will beyond the Abyss. The exact nature of the curse that binds Aurnozci to Xulregg is its cult’s most closely guarded secret, fully known only to the faith’s enigmatic

down mortal souls for violent ritual sacrifice to their god. Roleplaying Aurnozci Aurnozci is a being of mindless destruction, and the Caged Worm has few dealings with mortals that don’t end

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Aereni Wood Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

achieve this immortality. The Aereni are isolationists who have little interest in the world beyond their island. The Five Nations are a place of chaos and war. With this in mind, what has caused you to

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

. The tritons’ limited view of the world leaves them ignorant of the kingdoms, wars, and other struggles of the surface world. Tritons readily see such concerns as minor events, a sideshow to

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice. Beyond the Mundane Life Almost by definition, the life of a paladin is an adventuring life. Unless a lasting injury

paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests

Strahd von Zarovich

Monsters Curse of Strahd

. Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into his heart while he is incapacitated in his coffin, he is paralyzed until the stake is removed. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While

(Costs 2 Actions). Strahd makes one bite attack.With his mind sharp and his heart dark, Strahd von Zarovich is a formidable foe. Courage and lives beyond measure have been lost to him. Reread chapter 1

Aereni High Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

achieve this immortality. The Aereni are isolationists who have little interest in the world beyond their island. The Five Nations are a place of chaos and war. With this in mind, what has caused you to

Topaz Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

protectors who don’t understand the dragons’ proclivity for destroying large swaths of countryside. Beyond that, topaz dragons dislike company and grow irritated when disturbed. But anyone who

dragon egg, and they care for it as if it were their own. 5 A sea hag is on the hunt for a topaz dragon wyrmling, to be used as a component in a fell ritual. 6 A pirate crew keeps a curmudgeonly topaz dragon wyrmling as a beloved mascot. Cold, Necrotic

Zargon the Returner

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

another plane—or another reality entirely. When Asmodeus ascended the infernal hierarchy, he and his legions wiped out most of the plane’s earlier inhabitants, but Zargon proved beyond even

Hells in disgust, banishing the elder evil to the Material Plane. The horn was driven deep into the earth where it fell, entombing Zargon below. Eventually a civilization arose above Zargon’s

Dracolich

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

ancient rituals into powerful undead dracoliches. Only the most narcissistic dragons choose this path, knowing that by doing so, they sever all ties to their kin and the dragon gods. Beyond Death. A

, driven to rule over all. A dracolich is a fiendishly intelligent tyrant that crafts complex webs of foul schemes, attracting servants motivated by greed and a lust for power. Acting from the shadows

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

cannibalizing their victims, and then performed a sorcerous ritual while writhing in pools filled with living snakes that enabled them to mix their flesh with that of serpents, becoming like the gods in

can transform an individual into a more powerful type. The cost and time required to perform the ritual is prohibitive, and as a result most yuan-ti never get the opportunity to undergo such a

Lizardfolk

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

primitive by the standards of the Five Nations and they’ve never sought to expand beyond Q’barra. Over the last thirty years humans have begun to settle Q’barra. Treaties have been established with the

these mysterious soft-skinned creatures. You might be driven by a mysterious dream. You could have been driven from your tribe for a crime; what was it, and are you actually guilty?

Ghost Trap

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Ghost Trap Gremorly’s ritual forces any Humanoid who dies within the keep to return as a ghost that’s unable to pass beyond the keep’s walls. The ritual can be broken by disassembling, moving, or

destroying all three ritual rods, which the necromancer placed in the armory (area 3), the kitchen (area 7), and the observatory (area 15). Each rod is protected by a Glyph of Warding. Once the ghost

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

Chapter 8: Beyond a Lightless Star

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Chapter 8: Beyond a Lightless Star The mind flayer fanatics have fled from the subterranean stronghold of Illithinoch to the Far Realm. There, the fanatics commune directly with their wicked deity

, Ilvaash, as they begin a sinister ritual that will transform Humanoids in and around Phandalin into mind flayers. In the heart of Ilvaash’s hidden domain, the fanatics use the Netherese obelisk’s

Yeenoghu

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

14: The ritual brought our minds together. I was assailed simultaneously by hunger and rage, as if some great force from beyond had reached out and commanded me only to kill and eat. Though it lasted

hands instead. The flesh was warm. I fed myself. I fed Yeenoghu. Day 16: Third use of ritual. As my connection to my lord deepens, I leave my old concerns behind. His hunger is all that matters. It is

Life in the Styes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

the councillors impose steep taxes on the faithful, to prevent religious leaders from becoming too popular and eroding the council’s authority. But beyond this, even the most dedicated members of the

clergy are eventually overwhelmed by the region’s emotionally fatiguing problems. Disease, famine, cruelty, and brutality weigh so heavily on the Styes that well-meaning clerics are driven to despair

Gnolls

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

pack. You might be driven by curiosity, eager to explore the world beyond Droaam. You could be driven by visions of a demonic power rising in the Five Nations or working on behalf of the Daughters of

Dragonmarked Houses

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

Khorvaire and beyond. Those interests often bring them into conflict with local rulers and national governments. Unified Galifar had the strength and influence to impose its will on the collected

dragonmarked houses, but in the wake of the war it remains to be seen if any single nation has the resources to challenge them. Although most houses have distinct spheres of interest, their concerns overlap

Vizeran's Secret Route

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

Vizeran’s Secret Route Grin Ousstyl shows the characters a secret door in the cavern wall outside of Vizeran’s tower. Beyond this door is a long and winding tunnel that took Vizeran centuries to

private thoughts and concerns. If the characters read Grin’s thoughts or compel him to speak using magic or torture, Grin reveals that he has misgivings about Vizeran’s plan. Though he has no

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

plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simple existence as hunters and gatherers. Hapless Soft Ones At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an indifference verging on

The Codicil and the Orb

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

, The Codicil of White is rumored to contain a spell or ritual that can carve a passage through the Reghed Glacier, under which the lost city Ythryn is buried. Divination magic has revealed that the book

concerns by pointing out the obvious: “Any god who chooses to live among mortals is hiding from something, and anyone who needs to hide can’t be all-powerful.” Professor Skant Vellynne’s family has a

Deathlock

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

warlock who fails to live up to a bargain with an evil patron runs the risk of rising from the dead as a deathlock, a foul undead driven to serve its otherworldly patron from beyond the grave. An

in gathering servants of its own. Whatever the goal, it always reflects the patron’s interests, ranging from small-scale concerns to matters of cosmic scope. A deathlock in the thrall of a fiend might

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