clearly rulers get to have reason

Stone Giant Dreamwalker

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

themselves become lost in the dream. Other stone giants are banished to the surface as punishment. Regardless of the reason they ended up on the surface, if they don’t take shelter under stone

surroundings, and this delirium leaches out into the world around them, affecting other creatures that get too close. Believing that they’re living in a dream and that their actions have no real

Mahadi the Rakshasa

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

rank most highly in his esteem. Of course, guests leaving Infernal Rapture are expected to pay their bills in full prior to departure. If a guest cannot pay for whatever reason, the contract they

signed on entry clearly stipulates their soul is forfeit. They’re required to pay off their debt through service. All such individuals fall under the effect of a geas cast as a 9th-level spell, which

Ringlerun

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

noble ends.” Bond. “My staff of power dramatically enhances my magical abilities. I shudder to think how its power could be abused in the wrong hands.” Flaw. “I get prickly

when people who are clearly less intelligent want to tell me what to do.” Combat Notes Ringlerun can fend off melee attackers with wild swings of his staff, but he prefers to fly out of reach and

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

guildless masses of the city. Consider why you’re embedded in the secondary guild. Create a story with your DM, inspired by rolling on the following table or choosing a reason that suits you

. d8 Reason for Infiltration 1 My parents belong to this guild, and I let them think I’m following in their footsteps. 2 I’ve been assigned to track this guild&rsquo

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

clarity that bend and refract light, sometimes making them difficult to see clearly. The radiant energy of the Positive Plane shimmers in crystal dragons’ scales. It glows like starlight between

live by. 7 I am always the first to offer a compliment. 8 Get off my snowfield, you immature bipeds! When I was a wyrmling, people respected their elders! Crystal Dragon Ideals

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

self-assurance in one genasi and as arrogance in another. Such self- confidence can sometimes blind genasi to risk, and their great plans often get them and others into trouble. Too much failure can

genasi in the Realms are descendants of the djinn and efreet who once ruled Calimshan. When those rulers were overthrown, their planetouched children were scattered. Over thousands of years, the

Young Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

scales of perfect clarity that bend and refract light, sometimes making them difficult to see clearly. The radiant energy of the Positive Plane shimmers in crystal dragons’ scales. It glows like

the words I live by. 7 I am always the first to offer a compliment. 8 Get off my snowfield, you immature bipeds! When I was a wyrmling, people respected their elders! Crystal

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

Adult Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

crystal dragons have scales of perfect clarity that bend and refract light, sometimes making them difficult to see clearly. The radiant energy of the Positive Plane shimmers in crystal dragons&rsquo

work—those are the words I live by. 7 I am always the first to offer a compliment. 8 Get off my snowfield, you immature bipeds! When I was a wyrmling, people respected their elders

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

thin cloak of mist forms around her. Blades of ice grow out of her body at odd angles, breaking off before they get too long. When she moves, her body crackles. In this form, Auril creates weapons of

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

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Faerûn for being eccentric, spoiled, venal, and, above all else, rich. Whether you are a shining example of the reason for this reputation or one who proves the rule by being an exception, people

masses. 4 I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions. 5 I don’t like to get my hands dirty, and I won’t be caught dead in unsuitable accommodations

Ancient Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. The oldest crystal dragons have scales of perfect clarity that bend and refract light, sometimes making them difficult to see clearly. The radiant energy of the Positive Plane shimmers in crystal

All play and no work—those are the words I live by. 7 I am always the first to offer a compliment. 8 Get off my snowfield, you immature bipeds! When I was a wyrmling, people respected

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

possibilities.) Now you’re looking for something else, perhaps greater reward for the risks you take, or the freedom to choose your own activities. For whatever reason, you’re leaving

memories of war. I can’t get the images of violence out of my mind. 3 I’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones. 4 I’m full of inspiring and cautionary

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Everybody’s always trying to get a leg up on somebody in Baldur’s Gate. One group’s con artist might be another’s revolutionary. Or maybe you’re just in it for yourself

want. 4 I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society. Work with your DM to

homeless and unfortunate. You know where to go in the Lower City and Outer City for anonymity. In these slums and alley camps, you can get a damp bed and a bad meal, but also a degree of privacy and no

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

of friendship with them, as long as the outsiders vow to safeguard the forest. If the settlers clearly display evil intentions, however, the firbolgs martial their strength and magic for a single

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

have clearly been lost or thrown away, which is easy to do without attracting attention. At the same time, they don’t automatically shy away from trying to grab items that are the property of

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

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

— yuan-ti make perfect courtiers. And, worse for the rest of us, rulers. — Elminster The physical and magical prowess of the yuan-ti empire allowed the former humans to retain their

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

wilderness in which to hunt, catch fish, and get by. With each passing year, a tortle hones its survival skills. It forms friendships with its neighbors while also respecting their privacy. At some

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

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

wandering children unless they clearly have something to gain by doing so. From the viewpoint of the rest of the world, their aggression and savagery are thankfully offset by their rarity and lethargy

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

Chapter 1: Group Patrons

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

the great powers of the world. Mighty dragonmarked houses, small home-town newspapers, national rulers, powerful immortals, and various other organizations and individuals hold the reins of power in

adventuring group that has a powerful backer as a patron has a clear place in the world, access to additional resources, and a reason to work together in pursuit of a common cause.

Arrival

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

you get to the inn. Your vision is hampered to the point you can only see clearly within thirty feet. Lights coming from the inn reveal a strange scene. Six humanoid creatures stand at the main

Masquerade Festivities

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

being targeted by a Tasha’s hideous laughter spell. 3 A Friend of the character is clearly experiencing an altered state, perhaps due to magic, an intense calming method, or a more mundane reason. The

Bowl Bandits

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

to hear clearly and make out the words. But if you get too close without being quiet, they may also hear you. What do you do? Matias Tapia The two Bandits, Vonnet and Dilly (an orc woman and a

. The passageway continues, stone steps leading upward. Beyond the steps, the sound of hushed, whispered voices echoes off the stone, incomprehensible but audible. You can try to get closer if you want

Beginning

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

Beginning An adventure starts with a hook to get the players interested. A good adventure hook piques the interest of the players and provides a compelling reason for their characters to become

Roleplaying Phandalin NPCs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

and what they want. You don’t need to be an actor or stand-up comedian to get good drama or humor out of your NPCs, but if you want to ham it up, here’s some advice: Relax. Don’t worry about

impressing your players with your thespian skills (or lack thereof). Get inside the NPCs’ minds. Imagine how they might react to the characters, and strive to be realistic. Mug it up. Scowl, smile, snarl

Silent Witnesses

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

humanoid, and it might take subtle coaxing to get the raven to describe a scene that likely frightened it. The characters might also choose to watch and follow Galin on one of his late night excursions

. Neronvain does not show up that night, but the warden’s prearranged meeting place is a spot of flattened brush where a dragon has clearly landed more than once.

The Road to Phandalin

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

provisions from Neverwinter to Phandalin. They’re a half-day’s march from Phandalin when they run into trouble with goblin raiders from the Cragmaw band. Read the following text to get the adventure

. Gundren was clearly excited and more than a little secretive about his reasons for the trip, saying only that he and his brothers had found “something big,” and that he’d pay you ten gold pieces each for

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

cults sometimes operate secret slavery rings, which can draw the attention of the authorities. The open worship of Loviatar and temples clearly dedicated to her are rarely seen except in lands where slavery is an accepted practice.

Giants and Other Ancients

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the children of Tiamat. Similarly, many D&D worlds feature an ancient history of conflict between dwarves and giants. This enmity is visible most clearly in certain magic items originally made by

in the mountains, living peaceful and prosperous lives under beneficent storm giant rulers or toiling in poverty under fire giant tyrants. Most D&D worlds’ histories don’t include any particular

Getting the Quest

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

characters pay Speaker Huddle a visit, read: Nimsy Huddle, the town speaker, tempts you with freshly baked, halfling-shaped cookies. Her house was clearly built for humans, but most of the furniture is sized

it. We depend on the forest for our survival. I wouldn’t be a very good town speaker if I let a dumb moose get the better of us. Will you help?” If the characters demand more than tasty treats as an

Surveilling the Target

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

characters can get a good glimpse of Vidorant and several associates, which can aid the characters in creating disguises. Vidorant is a tall elf woman with sleek black hair. She usually wears black

clothes accented with tasteful but clearly valuable silver jewelry. She’s brusque, authoritative, and direct, though she listens with remarkable patience and intensity whenever anyone addresses her

The Dreaming Dark in the War

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

agents fanning the flames of fear and hate — often by invading the dreams of soldiers and rulers alike. The feelings of mistrust and festering animosity between the nations that linger after the Treaty

opportunity to call attention to a detail the characters overlooked. Clearly, this character’s subconscious registered the detail as important! Involve a current villain. This can help build the

It's Your World

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

the “Here there be dragons” notations? What if great empires cover huge stretches of countryside, with clearly defined borders between them? The Five Nations of the Eberron setting were once part of

by monstrous rulers. The populace lives in perpetual terror of these darklords and their evil minions, but other monsters rarely trouble people’s daily lives. Magic Is Everywhere. What if every town is

The Farmers' Story

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

clearly is preparing to return to Promise for the Awakening Festival. They also share that Kianna had been behaving strangely, growing increasingly convinced that her dead friend was speaking to her

soon as it is detected. If Proclaimer Ward is with the party, the Proclaimer stays with the farmers to help them either get back on their feet or join Uncle Polder’s community.

D&D Beyond

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