both both death constructed reason

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

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

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

Moloch

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

conspiracy nearly succeeded, but was ultimately thwarted. Moloch was stripped of his station and sentenced to death—only the timely use of a planar portal allowed him to escape. Moloch wasted no

and the other planes. Most of Moloch’s cultists have switched allegiance to one of the other archdevils, but idols constructed to honor him still stand in deep dungeons, their jeweled eyes and

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, 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

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

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

Palace of Spires

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

Palace of Spires Tooba Rezaei Tucked away in a demiplane of its own, the Palace of Spires shields inhabitants from the worries of the world Porphura constructed this magnificent palace to house

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

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

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

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

Setting

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

easily be set along Verbobonc’s river wharves. You can add Summit Hall and the Haunted Keeps as they stand to the area around Hommlet; there is no reason places such as these couldn’t be located in this

. Instead, the huge underground stronghold the player characters explore in chapter 4 is the subterranean fortress constructed by an older incarnation of the Cult of Elemental Evil, which has now been reoccupied by the current group of elemental prophets and their followers.

Boareskyr Bridge

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

time, with the soldiers of Elturgard making frequent patrols of the road and surrounding lands while Fort Tamal was being constructed. Today things are fairly quiet at the bridge. The tradition of

fire. Many of the veterans have been stationed at Fort Tamal since it was constructed, and they have families that live in the village outside its walls. Their more youthful counterparts come from all

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

Adventure Hooks

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

collection in the chaos. To complicate matters, rifflers (see chapter 21) have learned of the heist and are trying to beat the characters to the score. Extraplanar Eviction. The marids who constructed

diplomatically, but the marids are deceptive and proud, concealing the reason they left their estate and refusing to negotiate with Asteria or Euryale, who turn to the characters for help. Guest in Need

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

Helmed Horror

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

Helmed Horror This construct possesses intelligence, the ability to reason and adjust its tactics, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persists even after its maker’s demise. Resembling an

, or otherwise take active measures to improve its defensive position. Constructed Nature. A helmed horror doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Helmed Horror Medium construct, neutral Armor

Umber Hulk's Shell Inn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sleeping Dragon’s Wake

Umber Hulk’s Shell Inn Alion Malwyn, a kind-hearted, nonbinary Illuskan human, runs this newly constructed two-story inn. A bed for the night costs 5 sp, while a meal costs 1 sp. If the characters

. They couldn’t agree if what they saw was a boat or a beached whale, but they agreed it stank. (If the characters investigate the site, see “Death Knight-Dreadnaught” for more information.) 3 “A

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

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.

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

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.

Assassin

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

Assassin You focus your training on the grim art of death. Those who adhere to this archetype are diverse: hired killers, spies, bounty hunters, and even specially anointed priests trained to

reason not to. Impostor At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person’s speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the

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

Approaching the Cove

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

overconfident Corsairs fight to the death. Cobblehook Cove Features Unless otherwise specified, Cobblehook Cove has the following features. Acid Pools Since Sablewing made the cove his lair, it has filled

in the cove’s constructed buildings (areas B3 and B4) are 20 feet tall. Doors Doors in the cove are unlocked except for the door in area B5 and the door to the side room in area B6, which leads to the

The Dark Powers

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

The Dark Powers Unfathomable, hidden forces manipulate life, death, and reality within Ravenloft. These mysterious, deathless beings are the architects of the Domains of Dread, and have secreted

villains to add to their terrifying menagerie. To what end, no one knows. The Dark Powers don’t move in the shadows of Ravenloft; they are the shadows. They’re the Mists and the darkness. They’re the reason

Darklings

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover their entire bodies with clothing when exposure to light is a risk. The light darklings absorb over the course of their

, Stealth +7 Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Death Flash. When the darkling dies

Dran Enterprises

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

and efficiently than Acq Inc. Hostile takeovers, brutal rounds of downsizing, corporate espionage, and highly unethical behavior are just the most obvious of the company’s many tools. With the death of

like to know what the dental plans are like at Dran Enterprises, for a completely separate and unrelated reason. — Omin Dran

D&D Beyond

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