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Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

speak of a seelie fey who betrayed the Summer Queen. His true name has been stricken from history, but the stories call him Dubh Catha ("Dark Crow" in Common). So great was the Summer Queen's wrath

absorbs over the course of its lifetime explodes outward when the darkling dies, incinerating the creature and much of its possessions. Love of Art. Despite their curse, darklings retain a fondness

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

call him Dubh Catha ("Dark Crow" in Common). So great was the Summer Queen's wrath that she cursed every member of his house. Other fey refer to the descendants of Dubh Catha's house as the dubh sith-or

much of its possessions. Love of Art. Despite their curse, darklings retain a fondness for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to glimpse

Mist Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

embody their ancestors’ mixed elemental nature of Air and Water. After countless ages of isolation—often on one of the Elemental Planes or some hidden demiplane—they retain the barest

hint of their ancestors’ physical form, and even less of the giants’ culture. A mist hulk resembles a bipedal figure made of dark rain clouds. Parts of its body seem more solid than others

Crown of Lies

Magic Items Vecna: Eve of Ruin

, the Dark Powers of the Domain of Dread lured Kas to a hidden forge, where he found the Crown of Lies. Once Kas vowed to deliver Vecna into the Dark Powers’ clutches and donned the crown, the

Dark Powers released Kas. From there, Kas set out to ruin his former master. Should Kas fail, the Dark Powers will reclaim him. The crown is made of burnished and entwined metal rods. To attune to it

Drowned Master

Monsters Ghosts of Saltmarsh

head retain their former shapes, but its legs have split into shadowy tentacles. The drowned master is tethered to a source of powerful magic that prevents it from traveling far. It commands other drowned ones, compelling them to serve as agents in its dark plots.Poison

Tiefling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

. 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

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

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

reflect their fiendish heritage. And some younger tieflings, striving to find a place in the world, adopt a name that signifies a virtue or other concept and then try to embody that concept. For some

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version. Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin

(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

The Returned

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

separated from their memories, which become wandering eidolons (see chapter 6). They retain their personalities and skills, but each Returned tends to be a very different being from who they once were

. Their second life is theirs to do with as they please, but it’s typically a confused, cursed life, plagued by frustration, bitterness, loneliness, and melancholy. Such leads many Returned along dark paths

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Elminster The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix their flesh

primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by

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

the moss-covered building where I took part in my first reclamation mission. 5 I found something in the sewer that must never come to light. 6 I am forever grateful to the reclaimer who

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

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

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

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

Background A large section of a fey-infused woodland has fallen under the control of a coven of green hags. Using dark gardening techniques, the hags have grafted myconids into the trees of the wood

rock. This pinnacle stands among the ruins of an ancient city that once housed the Infernal Machine, until Baron Lum the Mad discovered and claimed it for himself. A fallen clock tower still holds some of the machine’s components, which retain enough power to manipulate time.

Player's Handbook Credits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

Weston, Campbell White, Richard Whitters, Daneen Wilkerson, Zuzanna Wuzyk, Lixin Yin Concept Art Director: Josh Herman Concept Artists: Even Amundsen, Carlo Arellano, Michael Broussard, John Grello

. Schwalb, Rodney Thompson, James Wyatt Building on the original game created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and then developed by many others over the past 50 years

Dungeon Master's Guide Credits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules

Whitters, Kieran Yanner, Zuzanna Wuzyk Cartographers: Francesca Baerald, Dyson Logos, Mike Schley Concept Art Director: Josh Herman Concept Artists: Even Amundsen, Carlo Arellano, Michael Broussard

Crawford (co-lead), Christopher Perkins (co-lead), James Wyatt (co-lead), Peter Lee, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Rodney Thompson Building on the original game created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and then developed by many others over the past 50 years

Dark Fantasy

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

Dark Fantasy Vampires brood on the battlements of their accursed castles. Necromancers toil in dark dungeons to create horrid servants made of dead flesh. Devils corrupt the innocent, and werewolves

full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an

The Soul's Shape

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

The Soul’s Shape Before tasking characters with retrieving it, determine what form the pharaoh’s ka takes. It might be a physical object, a living creature, or a spiritual concept that needs to be

6 The manifestation of a joyous song sung by Muhar’s people 7 The soul of an innocent healer who resembles the pharaoh as he was in life 8 The soul of a character, perhaps one with an Echoing Soul (a Dark Gift detailed in chapter 1)

Gothic Horror Villains

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

Gothic Horror Villains Villains in gothic horror tales are subtle or unassuming until they reveal their true nature. Any intriguing figure with a dark secret can serve as a gothic horror villain, and

isn’t a vampire, but uses his reputation as one to terrorize his vassals 2 An indulgent socialite who made a terrible bargain with a fell power to retain her youth 3 A scientist obsessed with

Darklords

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

concept of how long they’ve lived, how many times they’ve died, or why they returned to life. Should a Darklord fall, the temporary defeat lasts until they’re restored by the Dark Powers. In their

. Darklords Are Prisoners. Darklords cannot leave their domains. If a Darklord enters the Mists or uses another method to attempt an escape, the Dark Powers return them to their domain. Even death rarely

Credits

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

Quandt, Morrigan Robbins, Ashley Warren Rules Development: Jeremy Crawford, Dan Dillon, Ben Petrisor, Taymoor Rehman World Building: John Francis Daley, Crystal Frasier, Jonathan Goldstein, Ed

, David Sladek, Craig J Spearing, Brian Valeza, Svetlin Velinov, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, Zuzanna Wuzyk Cartographers: Stacey Allan, Will Doyle, Mike Schley Concept Art Director: Shawn Wood

Secret

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Secret No mortal soul is entirely free of second thoughts or doubt. Even a cleric must grapple with dark desires or the forbidden attraction of turning against the teachings of one’s deity. If you

haven’t considered this aspect of your character yet, see the table entries for some possibilities, or use them for inspiration. Your deep, dark secret might involve something you did (or are doing), or

The Twilight Rose

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

exterior of this two-story circular theater. People pass along the street, but all is dark behind the boards that cover the structure’s windows. A tattered awning shades the theater’s stout wooden

theater’s front entrance or investigates the windows can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a successful check, the character hears a muffled voice within. Characters who spend time surveilling the building see figures furtively open the front door and slip inside once every 10 minutes or so.

Approaching the Vineyard

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

through the woods, descending gradually until the trees part, revealing a mist-shrouded meadow. The trail splits. One branch heads west into the valley, and the other leads south into dark woods. A wooden

trail, which skirts north of a sprawling vineyard before bending south toward a stately building. The fog takes on ghostly forms as it swirls between the neatly tended rows of grapevines. Here and

Cities and Sites

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

Cities and Sites The Talenta Plains have been described as an ocean of grasslands. The nomadic halflings have little interest in building towns; most shelter in the Talenta Plains is temporary

fortunate enough to cross its path. When times are dark and travelers are weary, one can always hope that the Wandering Inn is just beyond the horizon.

History

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

and again—by its own will or that of Strahd. Locals give the building a wide berth for fear of antagonizing the evil spirits believed to haunt it. The wealthy family that built the house practiced the

dark arts. Through seduction and indoctrination, they expanded their cult to include a small yet nefarious circle of friends. When word got out, the rest of the village turned a blind eye to the

Shadow Dragon Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Shadow Dragon Treasures Shadow dragons retain the preferences of their original form when it comes to treasure. With each passing year, though, the more lustrous objects in their hoards begin to

. Ebony, onyx, and similar dark-hued valuables bring shadow dragons no particular joy, but they aren’t as inherently repellent as silver, platinum, and diamonds. Beauty fills shadow dragons with contempt

Other Domains of Dread

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

chapter 2. Not all domains need to be elaborately detailed settings. As the domains in this section demonstrate, creating a simple concept for a Darklord and the horrors surrounding them can be a

Ravenloft table to randomly determine where the Dark Powers have guided the party. Domains marked with an asterisk are described earlier in this chapter. Domains of Ravenloft d100 Domain 01–04

Casing the Joint

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

vault is an unmarked building on the city outskirts in an area with moderate foot traffic. The neighboring buildings stand at least 20 feet from the vault and don’t share walls with it. Nearby

, they learn the general exterior layout, including the locations of the main door, balcony door, and windows. They also get a good look at the guard uniforms—dark blue with gold stitching—which can

Domain of Dread Parolee

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

nearly destroying the lich Vecna, the warrior Kas found himself trapped in the Shadowfell, imprisoned in a Domain of Dread called Tovag. There, he languished as a vampire. In time, the Dark Powers of the

Shadowfell lured Kas to a hidden forge, where he found the Crown of Lies. Once Kas vowed to deliver Vecna into the Dark Powers’ clutches and donned the crown, the Dark Powers released Kas. From there

It's Your World

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

, but they’re not the only set of assumptions that can do so. You can build an interesting campaign concept by altering one or more of those core assumptions, just as well-established D&D worlds have done

remote, and even angels never make contact with mortals? In the Dark Sun setting, the gods are extremely distant — perhaps nonexistent — and clerics rely instead on elemental power for their magic.

Plan of Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

and surrounded. The dragon is unlikely to enter the inn building, opting to use its breath weapon through the windows or attacking any characters or bystanders who step outside. Option 2: Attack on the

stop to rest for the night. A surprise attack in the dark or at dawn is particularly dangerous, granting the dragon complete freedom of movement and creating the possibility that some party members will be asleep or unarmored.

Plan of Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

and surrounded. The dragon is unlikely to enter the inn building, opting to use its breath weapon through the windows or attacking any characters or bystanders who step outside. Option 2: Attack on the

stop to rest for the night. A surprise attack in the dark or at dawn is particularly dangerous, granting the dragon complete freedom of movement and creating the possibility that some party members will be asleep or unarmored.

Gith Tables

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

a spice that makes life worth living. 4 Old age is a concept that I find fascinating. Maybe someday I too will be aged. Githyanki Ideals d4 Trait 1 Fidelity. Warriors are only as good as the vows

has no purpose. 4 Life is but a spark in the dark. We all go dark, but those who dare can burn bright. Githyanki Flaws d4 Flaw 1 Hunger and thirst are unbearable pains to me. 2 I can’t see a non

Credits

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Boo’s Astral Menagerie

Nordsol, Claudio Pozas, April Prime, Julio Reyna, Craig J Spearing, Matt Stewart, Cory Trego-Erdner, Brian Valeza, Randy Vargas, Svetlin Velinov, Shawn Wood, Zuzanna Wuzyk Concept Illustrator: Shawn

, Lawrence and David Cook. Star Frontiers: Alpha Dawn. 1982. TSR, Inc. Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix. 1992. ———. Dark Sun Monstrous Compendium Appendix II: Terrors Beyond Tyr. 1993

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