contrast reflects given to have reading

Ezmerelda d'Avenir

Monsters Curse of Strahd

they had given him. Ezmerelda witnessed van Richten’s act of mercy and was deeply moved by it. Van Richten’s Tragic Tale. At the age of fifteen, Ezmerelda, still troubled by what her

herself. Tarokka Deck. Ezmerelda keeps a deck of tarokka cards in her wagon (chapter 11, area V1). Although the cards aren’t magical, Ezmerelda can use them to perform a card reading for the

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

, while those of air or fire tend to be lighter. A given genasi might have some features reminiscent of the mortal parent (pointed ears from an elf, a stockier frame and thick hair from a dwarf, small

, or a member of a desert tribe, is an auspicious event. Most Athasians believe a given genasi is destined for greatness—or infamy. Those living on the frontier, though, have a much harder

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

known that reading her father’s face was a skill she’d been fortunate to learn. A human who couldn’t spot the shift of her eyes or Havilar’s would certainly see only the

than life itself. Dragonborn owe their devotion and respect to their clan above all else, even the gods. Each dragonborn’s conduct reflects on the honor of his or her clan, and bringing dishonor

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. Half-Elf Names Half-elves use either human or elven

naming conventions. As if to emphasize that they don’t really fit in to either society, half-elves raised among humans are often given elven names, and those raised among elves often take human names

Card Reading

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

Card Reading When you perform a card reading before running the adventure, write down the results for reference later. If the characters have their fortunes read in the adventures, do the card

reading again, out loud for the players’ benefit. Substitute the new results for the old ones. When you’re ready to begin the card reading, remove the fourteen cards with the crown icon (the high deck) and

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines. Druid spells are oriented toward nature and

of Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms, druidic circles are not usually connected to the faith of a single nature deity. Any given circle in the Forgotten Realms, for example, might include druids who

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

notable deeds or actions. For example, Garurt translates as “axe,” a name given to a lizardfolk warrior who defeated an orc and claimed his foe’s weapon. A lizardfolk who likes to

Location Overview

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

bandits. Others have given up relatively quickly, when the dangers become apparent. The current owner of the Wayside Inn is Martisha Vinetalker, a striking half-elf whose pleasing features contrast with

Skeletons

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

guardians, soldiers, or laborers. In rare cases, skeletons are reanimated but given no particular direction. Roll on or choose a result from the Skeleton Pantomimes table to inspire how undirected

with other skeletons, despite being hacked to animate splinters. 3 Mimics ways it entertained itself in life, such as acting, dancing, or reading. 4 Performs a familiar task, such as cleaning, cooking, mining, or praying. 5 Repeats its final moments of life. 6 Stands guard at the post it protected in life.

Drazhomir Yarnask

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

spending his time in the Biblioplex, where he works as a book clerk, assisting students in finding required texts and shelving returns. He moves silently through the stacks, and he has given more

for stirring poems written in old tongues, reading them to the rest of the group in a soft, resonant voice that comes directly from his soul. Extracurriculars: Dead Languages Society Job

Preparing for Battle

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

spectators finally reaches High Hill. The grassy slope is spotted with trees and crumbled stone fencing. Near the base, several dozen soldiers in matching armor stand in even formation. The contrast

are given wooden spears with padded tips to prevent them from dealing damage. The mayor reminds everyone not to use real weapons during the reenactment so nobody gets hurt. Mercenaries of the Ironclad

Intrigue

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

Intrigue Stories in the noir tradition tend to start slowly and build gradually as the mystery gets deeper and more convoluted, until the situation erupts in a climactic confrontation. In contrast to

characters into the mystery. Story Opening d6 Event 1 The party receives a detailed reading from a street fortune-teller that lays out the start of the adventure. 2 A courier escorts the party to an

Draw Players' Attention

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

draws the players’ attention. Give them just enough to invite further exploration, but don’t create the equivalent of a flashing neon sign reading “This way to adventure!” When using narration to guide

telling them where to go. Don’t Limit Options. In general, let the players use the information they’re given to decide what they want to do. Don’t put unnecessary limitations on the characters’ actions

Para-elemental Planes

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

fundamentally similar to places found on the Material Plane—the place where all four elements mingle freely. At a symbolic level, the Para-elemental Planes represent the interaction and sometimes the contrast

between the forces and ideals embodied by their constituent elements. The Plane of Ash, for example, highlights the commonality between air and fire—the tendency to movement and change, given a

Creature Size

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

wide. If a Medium hobgoblin stands in a 5‐foot-wide doorway, other creatures can't get through unless the hobgoblin lets them. A creature's space also reflects the area it needs to fight effectively. For

. Because larger creatures take up more space, fewer of them can surround a creature. If four Large creatures crowd around a Medium or smaller one, there's little room for anyone else. In contrast, as many as

Folk Horror

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

adventures, particularly as they contrast with what majorities consider the status quo. In folk horror tales, characters often discover that their beliefs aren’t as universally held as they assumed, and

stories are rarely tolerant of nonbelievers. Outsiders might be given a chance to adopt the community’s ways, but otherwise are considered heretics or corrupting elements. Assuredly, their ancient

11. King's Walk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

the gifts given to the newly acclaimed king by various dwarf families in attendance. The duergar smashed the glass cases atop the pedestals and stole all the items on display. The items here were gifts

given to King Melair during his coronation — the same gifts represented in the frescoes. Characters who examine the frescoes can ascertain what was stolen: a gem-studded cloak, an onyx smoking pipe, a

Character Creation

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

Iroas, children of devout parents to whom the God of Victory has given the strength to serve and protect the people. Everyone always said I was born a hero. —Matt Knicl, “The Hero of Iroas” What

hero’s life from miraculous birth to glorious end? If you’re reading this, the answer is that you make a hero, of course. In Theros, player characters and heroes are synonymous, being rare

Moving Around Other Creatures

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

Moving Around Other Creatures You can move through a nonhostile creature’s space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature’s space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or

space also reflects the area it needs to fight effectively. For that reason, there’s a limit to the number of creatures that can surround another creature in combat. Assuming Medium combatants, eight

Hobgoblin Warlord

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

causing it to miss. Taras Susak Homunculi are as varied as the magic-users who create them Homunculus Winged Servant Given Magical Life Habitat: Any; Treasure: None A mage can create

homunculus is reduced to inert material if its creator dies. A homunculus’s appearance reflects its creator’s tastes. Roll on or choose a result from the Homunculus Features table to inspire a

Childhood

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

is an elf of their own kind, for when the primal elves went against Corellon and took permanent shapes, they chose this fate for themselves. How many elves are born to which parents or in any given

numbers of elves will be needed to withstand. In contrast, if an elven community goes a century or longer without a new birth, members take this as a sign that the community has stagnated and must disband

Upper Level

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

Upper Level The rooms on this level are decorated for comfort. The artwork and other decor reflects the taste of the merchant prince to whom the villa belongs. 10. Library Chultans are fans of

and richly rewarded for their devotion. 14. Laundry Room Chultans are as scrupulous about their clothing as about their bodies — a fastidiousness that’s almost essential, given how much everyone sweats

Life in Tletepec

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

eagle effigy whose burning signifies the offerings given and whose light represents the blessings from the gods. Watchers of the Ashes The Watchers of the Ashes are a religious coalition dedicated to

meanings drawn from words in the Tletlahtolli language related to nature. Many Tletepecs change their name on reaching adulthood, choosing a new name that reflects their accomplishments or

10. Noble Quarters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

(Melissara Shadowdusk) sits in an easy chair in the northeast corner, reading and muttering to herself. Other Furnishings. A canopied bed and an armoire stand against the south wall, and a silk curtain

death knights that dwell on the lower tiers of Shadowdusk Hold. Contact with the Far Realm has given Dezmyr the ability to warp reality to a limited extent. Zalthar has no such ability but wields a

4. Myconid Colony

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

offers the characters a potion of mind reading and a potion of superior healing. Each potion is held in a clay gourd and hidden inside a hollowed-out trillimac (see “Fungi”). 4c. Quaggoth Spore Servants

Guards. Five quaggoth spore servant gather here. Fungi. The walls are lined with ripplebark (see “Fungi”). The animating spores of the myconid sovereign have given the dead quaggoths a semblance of

Occultant

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

enemy of every enterprise. Ways to Read the Kill d6 Reading 1 Using a tiny bellows to pump one last breath into a corpse. 2 Reading the entrails with special reading-the-entrails

somehow. 5 You’ve always owned a stuffed cat. You’re not sure where it came from, but it’s given you great career advice so far. 6 You’ve always worn a lot of black. 7 You really

Hags

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

actions invoke. Dark Sorority. Hags maintain contact with each other and share knowledge. Through such contacts, it is likely that any given hag knows of every other hag in existence. Hags don’t like each

given to other hags — as long as the oath isn’t given with the fingers crossed. Some humanoids make the mistake of thinking that the hags’ rules of conduct apply to all creatures. When confronted by such

Character Levels

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

Ravenloft without first increasing their power will likely die. You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, use milestone awards, or a mixture of both. Given the fact that much of the

way of example. Be prepared for the fact that the adventure is exceedingly open-ended—one of the hallmarks of the original Ravenloft. The card reading in chapter 1 and the adventurers’ choices can lead

Step 3: Determine Numbers and Challenge Ratings

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

each expression is the number of characters of the given level. The second number tells how many monsters of the listed challenge rating those characters are equivalent to. For example, reading the row

of a given level is equivalent to in terms of challenge rating — a value represented by a ratio that compares numbers of characters to a single monster ranked by challenge rating. The first number in

Genies

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

gender, as well as one or two key personality traits. Although they resemble humanoid beings, genies are elemental spirits given physical form. They don’t mate with other genies or produce genie

their thralls, but never to the extent that they can no longer work. In contrast to their love of servants, most genies loathe being bound to service themselves. A genie obeys the will of another only

Rewarded

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

, Magic Initiate, or Skilled feat (your choice). Your choice of feat reflects the transformation that changed your life. An encounter with a genie who gave you three wishes might have resulted in

characters have varied histories, but they have one thing in common: they were down on their luck before their lives abruptly turned around. They might have given up all hope of a happier life, only

Social Interaction Example

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

perceptiveness and intuition. Insight reflects a character’s skill at reading other people’s moods and intentions. The DM set the DC at 15, which Gareth beats. With a successful Wisdom (Insight) check

Feywild

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

. Domains of Delight Much of the Feywild is governed by powerful Fey called archfey. The area under a particular archfey’s command—called a Domain of Delight—reflects the character and desires of its

rambling thicket of twisted roots, thorny vines, and sinuous creepers. This vegetation weaves together to form long tunnels, grand hallways, and enormous domes. Yarnspinner loves reading stories to

Haayon the Punisher

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

cultists. Given time, Haayon might very well rebuild the Cult of the Howling Hatred. He knows little of what’s happening underground, though he’s extensively questioning each cultist he encounters

robes and black-feathered cowls of air cultists, while others are dressed in the green of the water cultists. Each person bears a placard around his or her neck, reading “I am punished.” The refugees

12. Red Wizards' Room

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

lectern, reading a book (see “Treasure”). If Azbara is absent, Rath Modar might mistake the characters for cultists. If the characters play along and attempt to gather information from the Red Wizard

that this is something that requires enormous preparation and expense — but the actual magical formulae and chants are not given in this volume. Neither the book nor the other papers here, however

D&D Beyond

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