contrast world retreat

Nosferatu

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

stables turned into slaughterhouses are typical first signs of a nosferatu’s predation. When the sun interrupts their hunts, nosferatu retreat to favored ruins, sewers, or caves, caring nothing for

capable of considering more than their next meal. In these instants, nosferatu recollect glimpses of what they once were, beings who knew pride, intention, and a world beyond the shadows. They might even

Storm Herald

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

: control water, control weather (as an action), sendingAncient and alien beings dwell or slumber in ocean depths, awaiting some cosmic circumstance that signals their time to rise. In their retreat

from the world, storm giants sometimes stray into the orbit of such creatures, perhaps while seeking insight into some omen, vision, or prophecy. Kraken;Krakens, aboleth;aboleths, and Great Old Ones

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Imagine a perfect world: one in which nature and civilization exist in harmony, adapted to each other; one in which life is shaped to match its environment and the environment is shaped to match life

. That’s the world you have been trying to grow in the laboratories of the Simic Combine. Nature is all about adaptation, evolution, and balance — but for it to keep up with the pace of

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

into the mortal world. They adapt well to the mingled elements of the Material Plane, and they sometimes visit—whether of their own volition or compelled by magic. Some genies can adopt mortal

Class Legacy

Rules

Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It's more than a profession; it's your character's calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your

relationship with other people and powers in the multiverse. A fighter, for example, might view the world in pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a pawn in a much

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

their quest for power beyond the mortal world. As their patron did, they secure their remains within well-guarded vaults, using soul gems to maintain their phylacteries and destroy the adventurers who

it to retreat into its ancient tomb and forget to feed on souls. The spells it once knew fade from its mind, and it no longer channels the arcane energy it wielded as a lich. However, even as a mere

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually

beauties of the world in their long years, but gnomes seem to worry that even with all that time, they can’t get in enough of the things they want to do and see. Gnomes speak as if they can’t

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

leather, carefully tooled in the intricate designs the elves loved. But no elf in the world of Krynn could grow a beard . . . no elf, but . . . “Tanis?” said Flint hesitantly as the man

between these two worlds. In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

. — Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of

magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world. Slender and Graceful With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

advancement and expanding their territory. They believed themselves to be the most enlightened mortals in the world, and in their hubris they sought to become ever greater. The serpent gods of the

primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

. Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature’s resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over

, 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

Departure of Dragons

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

Dragon Queen left the world, her wicked dragon servants went with her. To maintain the balance between good and evil, most of Krynn’s metallic dragons agreed among themselves to retreat to hidden reaches of the world.

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

into the future. This approach allows them to maintain their current level of influence in the world, but it limits their growth. Lizardfolk have no interest in developing writing, making long-term

Giants: World Shakers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

Giants: World Shakers If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that any empire that rises will fall. They all come crashing down. — Volo The saga of giantkind began in the dawn of the

world. Elves had yet to set dainty foot out of the fey realm when the thunder of the giants’ steps shook the world to its bones, and even the dragons were yet unaware of the power and glory they would

Elves

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

long, slow decline, and many of their kind took part in the great Retreat to their refuge on Evermeet. As the elves increasingly withdrew from the world, other races and civilizations rose to prominence

of the great elven nations are now long past, and many elves have withdrawn from the world into isolated sylvan realms, or set sail across the Trackless Sea to the isle of Evermeet. Unlike dwarves

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

between these two worlds. In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

Marcher Characters

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

Mysticism. Most Marchers have a mystical view of the world, beliefs shaped by the traditions of the Gatekeepers and the madness of the daelkyr. Marchers typically feel that the people of the treaty

contrast, the Marcher tribes maintain traditions that predate humanity. As nomadic hunter-gatherers, they don’t work metals; they make their tools from stone, hide, wood, and bone. If your character

Atmosphere

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

your players. Settle on a single defining factor that sums up a settlement’s personality and extrapolate from there. Maybe a city is built around canals, like real-world Venice. That key element

cities present a distinct aesthetic, clearly identifiable in contrast to human-built ones. Soldiers patrol the streets to quell any hint of dissent in a city ruled by a tyrant, while a city fostering

Chapter 3: Classes

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

world and take on the challenges that lesser women and men can’t stand against. Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your character’s

calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your relationship with other people and powers in the multiverse. A fighter, for example, might view the world in pragmatic

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

between these two worlds. In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

Describing Monsters

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

descriptions. Sometimes it’s a contrast between mundane and terrifying details that stands out, like a monster’s soulful eyes or pearly teeth set amid vicious features. Make it Personal. There’s a fine line

feelings. Your gut twists in revulsion. The acrid air stings your nostrils. You’re suddenly aware of how small and hollow your dreams are in a world that can spawn beings of pure evil.

Mapping a Wilderness

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

Mapping a Wilderness In contrast to a dungeon, an outdoor setting presents seemingly limitless options. The adventurers can move in any direction over a trackless desert or an open grassland, so how

different scales to help you design your world and the starting area of your campaign. Especially when you get down to province scale (1 hex = 1 mile), think about paths of travel — roads, passes, ridges and valleys, and so on — that can guide character movement across your map.

Childhood

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

to usher a child into the world. They cannot understand how a birth is both a joy and a sorrow, a reunion and a parting. Each birth represents an elf soul that has been to Arvandor and returned

. Mortal elves cannot know if it is the soul of someone recently dead or someone who died millennia ago. They cannot even be certain it is an elf of the same world. The only assurance they have is that it

Adult Kruthik

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

hives serve a purpose in the natural world. Bees pollinate flowers. Termites make earth out of wood. Kruthiks, by contrast, slay societies. Perhaps that function is just as necessary.

When Elves Attack

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

the crystalline vines that ravaged your world. You can just make out figures on the other vessel’s deck scrambling to arm the ship’s mangonel. “Astral elves,” curses Captain Sartell, “and they don’t

it looks like the characters are about to lose. The astral elves are confident they can conquer the Moondancer, but if two of the warriors fall, the third tries to retreat to the Dark Star. After

Setessa's Surroundings

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

Setessa’s Surroundings Beyond the city’s encircling trees, the territory of Setessa extends to cover about a third of the Nessian Wood and a wide swath of the open chaparral. In contrast to Meletis

Nessian Wood is considered Nylea’s domain. Its trees are as old as the world, twining together to form an impenetrable canopy shielding the wood from Heliod’s angry glare. Their roots stretch deep into

Heliod's Influence

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

respected, there would be peace and order in Nyx and the mortal world alike. Divine Relationships Heliod’s repeated attempts to establish himself as the ruler of the pantheon anger Erebos and Purphoros

, who both have a degree of the arrogance he demonstrates. Thassa and Nylea, by contrast, aren’t bothered by his efforts because they see themselves as being safely outside his reach. He could declare

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

those beliefs provide no defense against those who reject them. In such stories, characters discover their perception of the way the world works is in the minority as those around them practice

Summer Is Coming

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

retreat from the world and not allow herself to be imperiled by mortals once more. The characters won’t have to deal with her again in their lifetimes unless they continue meddling in her followers

Dragon Factions

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

to organizing dragon factions in your world. The Metallic Orders Perhaps the chromatic dragons in your world are a force of chaos, with five factions of metallic dragons shouldering the responsibility

for organizing Humanoid forces to battle their chromatic kin. These factions are devoted to common goals—constraining the rampages of the chromatic dragons and limiting Tiamat’s influence in the world

Myths and Deeds

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

. Others are monumental epics, most notably The Cosmogony, a poem by an unnamed Meletian sage that includes several (sometimes conflicting) tales of the creation of the world and beyond. The people of

, by contrast, is about the exploits of a single mortal hero, Callaphe the Mariner, who snuck into Mount Velus and stole Purphoros’s tears, hid behind Phenax and wrote down his secrets, and raced Thassa

Creating Factions

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

Creating Factions Factions and organizations that you create for your campaign should grow out of the stories that are important to the world. Create organizations that your players will want to

interact with, whether as allies, members, or enemies. As a starting point, decide what role you want an organization to play in the world. What is it all about? What are its goals? Who founded it and why

Adventure Summary

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

must destroy the kraken before it can escape into the world. PLACING THE ADVENTURE This adventure presents the Styes as an old district in a port city or large port town. Making the Styes part of a

district could be part of a free city that has fallen into despair and decay. In the world of Greyhawk, the city of Prymp in Ahlissa is an excellent choice. In the Forgotten Realms, the Styes fits

Orcs

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

ancient days, the gods gathered to divide the world among their followers. When Gruumsh claimed the mountains, he learned they had been taken by the dwarves. He laid claim to the forests, but those had

any humanoids that stand against them. After savaging a settlement, orcs pick it clean of wealth and items usable in their own lands. They set the remains of villages and camps ablaze, then retreat

Uthgardt Shaman (p. 243)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sage Advice & Errata

suspicious and resentful of most kinds of magic. Seldom do they choose to become shamans. Instead, the role is thrust upon those who are born with a strong connection to the spirit world. To be a

fall (Black Raven, Griffon, Sky Pony), expeditious retreat (Elk), divine favor (Great Worm, Sky Pony), beast sense (Red Tiger), stoneskin (Thunderbeast), druidcraft and plant growth (Tree Ghost). In the

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