compound rather groups to her remained

Mercion

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

natural leader and a protective caregiver. She has a direct manner that reassures and inspires those around her. Mercion does not worship a deity, but rather an ideal: that truth gives life to artistry

administers healing. She uses Radiant Fire against groups of foes when there’s no chance of harming allies or innocent lives, otherwise resorting to hold person spells and Divine Radiance attacks

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

their creator's madness. Pidlwick II knew that it had no purpose as long as Pidlwick remained in Castle Ravenloft, so it pushed Pidlwick down a long flight of stairs, killing him. Everyone else

, instead assuming that the guests had died in their sleep. But Strahd was not fooled. He came to realize fairly quickly that the clockwork effigy had begun to display a murderous nature. Rather than have

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

, and their members operate anywhere the organization deems necessary. These groups employ listeners, rumormongers, smugglers, sellswords, cache-holders (people who guard caches of wealth or magic for

knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and

Kalashtar

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

-Lashtavar. —Lakashtai, servant of the light The kalashtar are a compound race created from the union of humanity and renegade spirits from the plane of dreams — spirits called quori

with their quori spirits. Rather, they might experience this relationship as a sense of instinct and inspiration, drawing on the memories of the spirit when they dream. This connection grants kalashtar

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

few organizations operating in the North are described below. The Chill. The cold and mysterious Lurkwood serves as the home of numerous groups of goblinoids that have banded together into one tribe

enemies is blind and unreasoning. 5 I obey the law, even if the law causes misery. 6 I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.

Dwarves

races

Empire. The dwarven kingdom of Stehlenwald endured. Rather than share the fate of their northern cousins, the Stehlenwald dwarves dug deeper into the heart of the mountain. There, miners laid eyes upon

great cost. The population of Stehlenwald was decimated by war and famine. Isolation within the mountains was the only option for survival for those who remained. By the time of the rise of human

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. Human Names and Ethnicities Having so much more variety than other cultures, humans as a whole have no typical names. Some human parents

. In the Forgotten Realms, nine human ethnic groups are widely recognized, though over a dozen others are found in more localized areas of Faerûn. These groups, and the typical names of their

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

. Gang Mentality Since bugbears aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

remained ensconced in their hidden strongholds, biding their time until they were ready to strike again. Today, with their numbers greatly depleted and their enemies much stronger than in ages past, the

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

groups called flocks. A flock is led by the oldest and most experienced kenku with the widest store of knowledge to draw on, often called Master. Although kenku can’t create new things, they have

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Loyalty

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

can track the loyalty scores of groups of NPCs, such as those belonging to each faction, rather than having to track NPCs individually. The characters must balance the goals and bonds of their followers in order to maintain and improve their loyalty.

Patriar Manors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

Wall was raised, and that its line has remained prosperous and unbroken since. Even on the rare occasion that a patriar manor changes hands entirely, the new owner generally goes to great lengths to

prove — or fabricate — some connection, however tenuous, to the previous holder’s line. Most patriar manors are townhomes rather than free-standing mansions, for the Upper City has always been constrained

Patriar Manors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

Wall was raised, and that its line has remained prosperous and unbroken since. Even on the rare occasion that a patriar manor changes hands entirely, the new owner generally goes to great lengths to

prove — or fabricate — some connection, however tenuous, to the previous holder’s line. Most patriar manors are townhomes rather than free-standing mansions, for the Upper City has always been constrained

Shared World

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

Shared World Some groups take a large, established campaign setting and divide it up geographically so different DMs can run separate campaigns in the same setting. In theory, characters can travel

from one DM’s region of the world to another’s, creating continuity in the campaign even as characters might be involved in several plotlines. Rather than dividing a campaign geographically, you and

How It Started

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

How It Started Acquisitions Incorporated began as most adventuring groups do, with the wholesale removal of irksome kobolds, scouting ruined towers, delving into dwarven necropolis-cities, and

successful that he remained the company’s flagship intern for nearly a decade. He first joined Acquisitions Incorporated during an expedition into the Undermountain dungeons of Halaster Blackcloak (who, due

Bronze Dragon Treasures

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

weapons, armor, and magic items built for the battlefield—the more unique, the better. Stories matter to a bronze dragon, who would rather have the humble spear that felled a tyrant than a jeweled

compound eyes 10 An elaborate clockwork zoetrope that, when activated, displays a moving picture of a bronze dragon fighting a red dragon over a burning city

Exemplars of Ambition

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

, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. EVERYONE’S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members

Exemplars of Ambition

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

, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups. EVERYONE'S SECOND-BEST FRIENDS Just as readily as they mix with each other, humans mingle with members

Appendix B: Character Names

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

character race in the Player’s Handbook or a real-world ethnic or language group, with a focus on groups from antiquity and the Middle Ages. You can select from the possibilities here, or use dice to

have a dwarven name. Or, as DM, you might decide that dragonborn in your campaign have a culture reminiscent of ancient Rome and therefore use Roman names, rather than the dragonborn names suggested here.

Espionage Agency Contacts

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

Espionage Agency Contacts Your assignments come from a superior in the agency who typically works at a desk rather than in the field—compiling intelligence into reports for their superiors and

coordinating the activities of multiple groups. Use the Agency Contacts table to determine the character of your superior, which can shape the kinds of missions you undertake and the degree of support you

Travel in Anauroch

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

roads and paths that crisscross Anauroch. Some of these paths are invisible on the ground, and the Bedine navigate by using the stars at night. Groups of Bedine might be traders carrying goods

, scouts looking for food, or bandits hoping to raid merchant caravans that try to shortcut their way across the desert rather than circumnavigate it. The Bedine nomads can act as guides for lost characters, offer clues for stuck players, and provide food and water for adventurers in desperate need.

Inhabitants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands

City of Doors. Some sages track the existence and spread of humans back to Sigil itself, rather than to a deity or its creations. Various factions handle the day-to-day governance of Sigil, enforcement

of laws, and maintenance of civic infrastructure. These groups each follow a philosophy inspired by a cosmic aspect of the multiverse, and they actively recruit visitors and citizens into their ranks

Golgari Creatures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

Golgari Creatures The Devkarin elves (drow), deadly medusas, and insectile kraul are the three most important power groups among the Golgari Swarm, vying for control over a teeming horde of lesser

(or at least less ambitious) creatures. Erstwhile A significant shift in the Golgari balance of power began when the kraul death priest Mazirek discovered an ancient mausoleum compound. Deep in the

Attack on Goldenfields

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

goblins that are still inside the compound, and they flee back toward the wall. During this time, inexplicably, Lob and Ogg decide to climb over the wall and enter the compound rather than flee, while the

, ogres, bugbears, and goblins died that day. The survivors fled, only to stumble into an Uthgardt ambush. At that point, it became clear to those who remained alive that Lob and Ogg were poor guides and

Tsien Chiang

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

home had been destroyed again, but a single golden scale remained. Using the scale, Chiang constructed the Nightingale Bell and dragged it into her occupied city. Tolling it, she wished for a city

dreams, and struck the Nightingale Bell. Rather than granting her vengeful wish, the bell cracked and spilled a golden mist across the land. When the mist cleared, Tsien Chiang’s perfect city was gone, replaced by the unreal prison-city of I’Cath.

Right and Wrong

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

to do, do poorly, or do wrongly can be just as important as what they accomplish. Don’t let failure and setbacks derail an adventure or a campaign. Rather, look for ways that failure or partial

larger or smaller groups, you can adjust the encounters using the guidelines given in chapter 3, “Creating Adventures,” in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Or maybe you’ll adjust them anyway to keep things

Life in the Tayyib Empire

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

Life in the Tayyib Empire The Tayyib Empire is a cosmopolitan mix of the native peoples of Suristhanam, immigrants, and various invading groups. Nearly half the population are brown-skinned humans

worshiping the source of divinity rather than its fallible manifestations. Its adherents are called Muwahhid. Some erudite worshipers join the Imperial Ulema, an order of Muwahhid scholars sponsored by

The Sally Port

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

immediate threat from raiders loose in the keep, since it’s more a probe that got out of hand rather than a full-scale assault. Escobert is most concerned about resealing the sally port, and he seeks out

the characters for that job. To secure the sally port, characters must battle through two groups of foes. The first fight occurs against three acolytes, three kobolds, and one ambush drake (see

Conflict without End

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

fight a persistent guerrilla war of sudden raids and brutal attacks against isolated groups of dwarves. Duergar often begin an attack by burrowing into a dwarf settlement from below, then bursting out

in a vicious assault that leaves few survivors. If robbery rather than murder is the goal, a duergar war party might surreptitiously dig for weeks to penetrate a dwarf treasure vault, hoping to seize

The Sally Port

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

immediate threat from raiders loose in the keep, since it’s more a probe that got out of hand rather than a full-scale assault. Escobert is most concerned about resealing the sally port, and he seeks out

the characters for that job. To secure the sally port, characters must battle through two groups of foes. The first fight occurs against three acolytes, three kobolds, and one ambush drake (see

Origin of the Ordning

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

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

Preparing to Use the Deck

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

perish. While some groups embrace such surprising twists, others prefer to avoid major campaign upsets. This book provides tools to help you use the deck on your own terms. The following sections

your group. Meanwhile, “The Deck as Narrative” discusses having cards foreshadow future events, rather than triggering instantaneous effects, so you can incorporate the effects into your campaign when

Tale of Tragedy and Terror

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

villagers tried to protect themselves by sleeping with weapons and taking shifts on watch, but nothing changed. Traveling in groups didn’t help, since a companion might vanish while even briefly out of

populace eventually fled. Those who remained behind were taken, one by one, and transformed into meenlocks. A bard who heard about the catastrophe decided to chronicle the stories of the survivors. He

The Attack

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

sidekicks, approach from the other direction. Velleen is a female Damaran master thief (see appendix A). As the combat begins, the two evil groups recognize each other, and also attack one another when

recover and regroup. Encourage tactical thinking. If one of the sides of the battle consists of savage monsters or mindless undead, give clues that they attack the nearest enemy rather than thinking

The Emerald Enclave

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

in small communities, and the order has almost no representatives in towns and cities. They are not opposed to civilization, however. Rather, they seek to prevent civilization and wilderness from

groups. Their primary focus is places where the natural world and civilization intersect, because that’s where the natural order is most easily upset. Humanoids and monsters alike can become a threat

D&D Beyond

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