concept runes great to her reason

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

You are a scion of one of the great noble families of Waterdeep. Human families who jealously guard their privilege and place in the City of Splendors, Waterdhavian nobles have a reputation across

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

Warforged Colossus

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

otherwise intact. “Karrnslayer” (Colossus WX-31) lost its legs but crawls through the Mournland, using its arms to drag its great bulk across the ground. It is always prone and can’t

is built to carry wizards, artificers, magewrights, and elite troops. For this reason, these constructs are largely hollow on the inside, with tunnels, ladders, storage areas, and observation decks

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

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

Halaster Blackcloak

Monsters Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

temporary hit points per level of the slot.Halaster, the Mad Mage of Undermountain, is the deranged individual behind most of the traps and horrors found in the great dungeon under Waterdeep

casting elder runes on them. Halaster’s gates connect the different levels of Undermountain, thus enabling him to bring new monsters into the dungeon to replenish those that die or escape. Even as

Feral Tiefling

Species Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

personality to any great degree. Years of dealing with mistrust does leave its mark on most tieflings, and they respond to it in different ways. Some choose to live up to the wicked stereotype, but others

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined

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

realm in the far north and, after a time, plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves 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’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

goliath, and fewer still can claim friendship with them. Goliaths wander a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and give them great

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

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Frostmaiden could not stay away for long. Auril returned to her icy realm in the far north and, after a time, plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic. Casting such great magic night after

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

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

hermitage gave you access to a unique and powerful discovery. The exact nature of this revelation depends on the nature of your seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the

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

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

. Great Purpose Aarakocra enjoy peace and solitude. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an

Norker

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

and his followers the initial, unwilling recruits into his crusade. Today, hobgoblins chafe at the suggestion that creatures as lazy and untamed as norkers could claim such an honor. For that reason

' strength and ferocity.. For this reason, norkers are likely encountered away from their brethren. Their natural armor and weapons make them dangerous foes even when relegated to menial labor. Only

Norker War Leader

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

norkers could claim such an honor. For that reason alone, hobgoblin warlords are loath to use these creatures, preferring to keep them around as disposable labor in mines and quarries. Nasty, Brutish

defeat goblinoids that underestimate the norkers' strength and ferocity.. For this reason, norkers are likely encountered away from their brethren. Their natural armor and weapons make them dangerous

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

, 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

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

. 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

Shub-Niggurath

monsters

expend a use to take one of the following actions. Shub-Niggurath regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns. If Shub-Niggurath is unable to use legendary actions for any reason, it

great numbers, tapping into the magic of this Mythos entity to multiply and thrive. Twisted Promises. Cults of Shub-Niggurath begin innocently enough. A village deep in a primal forest, or a group

Hermit Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp Life of Seclusion What was the reason for your isolation, and what

changed to allow you to end your solitude? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your

Elder Thing

monsters

elder things, not the gods, are the true architects of the universe. While no serious scholar takes such ramblings seriously, the concept of a species so ancient that it counts its origin to before the

, forbidding corners of the world. In their heyday, the elder things dug deep into the lore around the Cthulhu Mythos. They crafted the first shoggoths, and used them to erect great, cyclopean cities. They

Dimensional Shambler

monsters

survived these horrors. They are capable of walking between the realms of the universe, and they constantly move, spending little time at a location. These entities occasionally serve a god or a Great

quarry with its nominal allies, but, other times, it carries off its victim to an unknown destination for an unknown reason. Cosmic Detritus. Before her disappearance, the sage Lemetra of the

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

its existence. Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming undead. However, time can erode the lich’s reason and memory, causing

Nature. A demilich doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. So great is a demilich’s will to survive that it always has the maximum number of hit points for its Hit Dice, instead of average

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

Creating a Monster

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

new monsters and customizing existing ones, if for no other reason than to surprise and delight your players with something they’ve never faced before. The first step in the process is coming up with

the concept for your monster. What makes it unique? Where does it live? What role do you want it to serve in your adventure, your campaign, or your world? What does it look like? Does it have any

Evil Inchoate

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

absolute evil, demons have no concept of empathy. Each demon believes that only its needs and desires matter. This self-centeredness applies even with regard to other demons. These fiends have no

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

Creating a Monster

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

new monsters and customizing existing ones, if for no other reason than to surprise and delight your players with something they’ve never faced before. The first step in the process is coming up with

the concept for your monster. What makes it unique? Where does it live? What role do you want it to serve in your adventure, your campaign, or your world? What does it look like? Does it have any

Evil Inchoate

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

absolute evil, demons have no concept of empathy. Each demon believes that only its needs and desires matter. This self-centeredness applies even with regard to other demons. These fiends have no

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

Runic Circle

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

distant lands and other worlds. Those who stayed behind used the circle to maintain communication with explorers, helping them pilot their flying ships home. Standing stones form a great circle

inscribed into a flat stone hilltop. The stones bear Giant runes, carved constellations, and strange symbols. On the ground, an enormous circle of Giant runes of power links the monoliths and circumscribes smaller circles of runes. Carved lines throughout the circle link different strings of symbols.

Runic Circle

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

distant lands and other worlds. Those who stayed behind used the circle to maintain communication with explorers, helping them pilot their flying ships home. Standing stones form a great circle

inscribed into a flat stone hilltop. The stones bear Giant runes, carved constellations, and strange symbols. On the ground, an enormous circle of Giant runes of power links the monoliths and circumscribes smaller circles of runes. Carved lines throughout the circle link different strings of symbols.

Rune Carver

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

that legacy. 3 The old, traditional markings of runecraft look so boring. Why not give my runes some flair? 4 In my studies of runes, I strive to understand how great civilizations of the past fell

mystic shapes of our runes. —Diancastra You’ve dedicated your life to studying runecraft. Whether you were taught by a master rune carver or learned by poring over ancient engravings, you can tap into

Rune Carver

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

that legacy. 3 The old, traditional markings of runecraft look so boring. Why not give my runes some flair? 4 In my studies of runes, I strive to understand how great civilizations of the past fell

mystic shapes of our runes. —Diancastra You’ve dedicated your life to studying runecraft. Whether you were taught by a master rune carver or learned by poring over ancient engravings, you can tap into

Orog

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

destroy an opposing force, not realizing the orc is an orog. When encountered in great numbers, orogs form their own detachments within much larger orc hordes, and they are always at the forefront of

terrifying presence on the battlefield. They form no attachments, even to their parents and siblings, and have no concept of love or dedication. They worship the orc pantheon of gods — Gruumsh and Luthic

Orog

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

destroy an opposing force, not realizing the orc is an orog. When encountered in great numbers, orogs form their own detachments within much larger orc hordes, and they are always at the forefront of

terrifying presence on the battlefield. They form no attachments, even to their parents and siblings, and have no concept of love or dedication. They worship the orc pantheon of gods — Gruumsh and Luthic

Torm's Bridges

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

Torm’s Bridges Two bridges that once spanned a ravine in the city are now all that connect the east and west sections of Elturel over the great rift that has fallen away beneath them. The north

spans the chasm. Holy runes etched into the stonework of the bridge indicate that the structure has been consecrated in the name of Torm, god of courage and self-sacrifice. Six infernal creatures stand

Torm's Bridges

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

Torm’s Bridges Two bridges that once spanned a ravine in the city are now all that connect the east and west sections of Elturel over the great rift that has fallen away beneath them. The north

spans the chasm. Holy runes etched into the stonework of the bridge indicate that the structure has been consecrated in the name of Torm, god of courage and self-sacrifice. Six infernal creatures stand

Chapter 8: Fates

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

character. Finally, this chapter presents a collection of magic items and supernatural gifts: charms bestowed by the gods or other great powers, inspired by the Deck of Many Things and the concept of fate.

Gilean; and the elven deity Labelas Enorath. The chapter begins with two backgrounds representing adventurers whose lives have gone through sudden reversals of fortune—falling from a great height or rising

D&D Beyond

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