burned beauty diffusing calling reason

Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

, 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

for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to glimpse the colors in a painting or a jewel. Elder Transformation. A wise and respected darkling can

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Knight of Solamnia, Caradoc burned when Dargaard Keep was consumed in the fires of the Cataclysm. As with many of Soth’s retainers, Caradoc was cursed with undeath. Being duplicitous and cowardly

’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

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

. The Killing Light. The Summer Queen's curse causes a darkling's body to absorb light, and doing so wizens the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover every

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

College of Whispers

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

against others through extortion and threats. Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason

, members of this college rarely reveal their true nature. They typically claim to follow some other college, or they keep their actual calling secret in order to infiltrate and exploit royal courts and

College of Whispers (XGtE)

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

against others through extortion and threats. Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason

, members of this college rarely reveal their true nature. They typically claim to follow some other college, or they keep their actual calling secret in order to infiltrate and exploit royal courts and

Half-Orc Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

shared elements among these folk. Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former prisoner or a disgraced

-orcs hear the whispers of Gruumsh in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel Gruumsh’s exultation when they join in melee combat — and either

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location. d6 Reason d6 Reason 1 Emissary 4 Pilgrim

hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing reason. You must fear something truly

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

feeling homesick. Tortles embrace a simple view of the world. It is a place of wonder, and tortles see beauty in the ordinary. They live for the chance to hear a soft wind blowing through palm trees, to

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

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

;Divine Rank” sidebar in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.) Auril’s beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in all forms, from art objects and flowers to skilled artisans and their wondrous works, freezing them in magical ice for her

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’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

beauty have little meaning for them. A sharp sword serves a useful and good purpose, while a dull sword is a dead weight without a whetstone. Lizardfolk see little need to plan more than a season or so

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

. They love the beauty and artistry of precious metals and fine jewelry, and in some dwarves this love festers into avarice. Whatever wealth they can’t find in their mountains, they gain through

command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A dwarf might seek to restore a clan

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

;s Guide.) Auril’s beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in all forms, from art objects and flowers to skilled

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

Sword of Zariel

Magic Items Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

are transformed into a heavenly, idealized version of yourself, blessed with otherworldly beauty and a touch of heaven in your heart. Neither magic nor divine intervention can reverse this

! 5 I allow nothing to stand in the way of my crusade to eradicate evil from the multiverse. 6 I ignore those who do not support my plans, for my calling is higher than all others

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes

your quests? Perhaps you stumbled into a sacred grove or a hidden elven enclave and found yourself called to protect all such refuges of goodness and beauty. Or you might have known from your

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

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. 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

The Celtic Pantheon

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

The Celtic Pantheon It’s said that something wild lurks in the heart of every soul, a space that thrills to the sound of geese calling at night, to the whispering wind through the pines, to the

unexpected red of mistletoe on an oak—and it is in this space that the Celtic gods dwell. They sprang from the brook and stream, their might heightened by the strength of the oak and the beauty of the

Auril's Everlasting Rime

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

nightly quest to hold the sun at bay stems from a need to preserve the beauty of things by freezing them. There is no way to reason with a being so bereft of compassion as Auril, but in her weakened

Temple of the Restful Lily

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

The Price of Beauty, Sylvarie Silversong, after visions bestowed by Sune led her to a hot spring infused with fey magic. Ten years ago, a coven of green hags calling themselves the Fetid Gaze tricked

Adventure Background

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

speculated to maintain covert ties with occult or nefarious organizations. Serious academics often write off the Cognoscenti Esoterica as charlatans or pranksters, and with good reason: the

cultural significance, the aesthetics of masculine beauty, and its influence on society. They also planned to research the portrait’s magical properties (see the end of this adventure for a description

Grasslands of Oreskos

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

Grasslands of Oreskos Unspoiled by roads or buildings, Oreskos is a land of striking natural beauty, where the plains and sky appear to go on forever. Craggy stone formations and ancient ruins dot

. At night, the movements of Nyx are striking, but images of the gods seem to keep their distance from this land where few pay them honor. Yet most non-leonin will never see this beauty. The leonin

The Celtic Pantheon

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

The Celtic Pantheon It’s said that something wild lurks in the heart of every soul, a space that thrills to the sound of geese calling at night, to the whispering wind through the pines, to the

unexpected red of mistletoe on an oak—and it is in this space that the Celtic gods dwell. They sprang from the brook and stream, their might heightened by the strength of the oak and the beauty of the

2. Walled Compound

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

stole their enemies’ weapons. Six wild dogs (use jackal statistics) feed on one of the Red Wizards. The dogs pose no threat if the characters keep their distance. Spirit Pole The yuan-ti burned their

dead comrades and arranged their bones into a spirit pole. Characters who explore the compound discover this effigy: A glaive has been thrust into remains of a burned-out pyre. Charred snake skulls

Travel-Montage Approach

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

trees, an area where the forest has burned or been cut down, and so on. Also describe notable smells and sounds, such as the roar of a faraway monster, the stench of burned wood, or the sweet aroma

different random encounter tables. Finally, a wilderness trek can be enhanced by calling attention to the weather. “You spend the next three days crossing the swamp” sounds less harrowing than, “You

Background

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

Background The time of dragons dawns. Calling upon ancient magic and a host of draconic allies, the Cult of the Dragon seeks to unleash Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. By bringing the Queen

cult, even as the situation in Faerûn grows more dire. Abductions and raids undertaken by the Cult of the Dragon increase daily, and refugees are fleeing from burned-out regions under cult attack to

Preparing for Battle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

, if for no other reason than to honor Ispin Greenshield’s last wishes. If a character refuses, Mayor Raven offers to pay them 5 gp to be a judge during the battle, making sure no one uses real weapons

and calling for aid if someone gets hurt. To prepare for the battle, Mayor Raven calls out to those assembled, explaining the mercenaries will charge up the west side of the hill while the militia

Loviatar

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

because it best emulates the Scourge Mistress, and for the same reason her faithful appreciate beauty, cultural refinement, and a certain adeptness at manipulation. Though temples to Loviatar are rare

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Background The time of dragons dawns. Calling upon ancient magic and a host of draconic allies, the Cult of the Dragon seeks to unleash Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. By bringing the Queen

cult, even as the situation in Faerûn grows more dire. Abductions and raids undertaken by the Cult of the Dragon increase daily, and refugees are fleeing from burned-out regions under cult attack to

Background

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

Background The time of dragons dawns. Calling upon ancient magic and a host of draconic allies, the Cult of the Dragon seeks to unleash Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. By bringing the Queen

cult, even as the situation in Faerûn grows more dire. Abductions and raids undertaken by the Cult of the Dragon increase daily, and refugees are fleeing from burned-out regions under cult attack to

Creating a Paladin

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

refuges of goodness and beauty. Or you might have known from your earliest memories that the paladin’s life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on

Aberrant Dragonmarks

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

dragonmarked families produce a child, and for this reason such unions are absolutely forbidden by the Twelve. But aberrant dragonmarks can appear on members of any race, at any age, regardless of bloodline

carries it might have severely burned or even killed a loved one. Imagine having the power to cast charm person but being unable to control it and having people you care about suddenly becoming slavishly

Elysium

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

Elysium Elysium is home to creatures of unfettered kindness and a refuge for planar travelers seeking a safe haven. The plane’s bucolic landscapes glimmer with life and beauty. The River Oceanus

contentment seep into the bones and souls of those who enter Elysium. The longer a visitor remains on the plane, the less reason they find to ever leave. An adventure in Elysium can challenge

Creating a Paladin

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

refuges of goodness and beauty. Or you might have known from your earliest memories that the paladin’s life was your calling, almost as if you had been sent into the world with that purpose stamped on

Assassin

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

assassins kill for a reason, perhaps hiring themselves out to wealthy patrons or slaying for an unscrupulous cause. They use poisons and other deadly tools, and they might carry equipment to help them

hollow furnishings. 3 Leaving behind a signature item, such as a calling card, flower, seashell, or tooth. 4 Posing as celebrities, holy people, or servants. 5 Taking trophies from their victims. 6 Using

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