conversely rather groups to have relies

Edgin Darvis

Monsters Thieves’ Gallery

relies on charisma first—rather than magic or muscle—to escape trouble. Once a member of the Harpers, a spy organization dedicated to protecting Faerûn’s common folk, Edgin has

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

Vedalken

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

with ideas than with people. They form close friendships based on mutual interests or compelling disagreements, and their interactions dwell on their thoughts about those issues rather than their

skilled at not displaying it. Cool rationality guides their actions, they make and follow careful plans, and they are patient enough to do nothing when the ideal outcome relies on such inaction

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

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Goliaths happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A goliath who relies too

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

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.

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

Actions

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

Actions This part of the stat block specifies what the ship can do on its turn, using its special actions rather than the actions used by creatures. It even relies on its actions to move; it doesn’t

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.

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

; animosity, gnomes tend to avoid or abandon settlements that have a severe infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population

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

Adjusting for Party Level

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

. Conversely, increase the challenge for groups with more than four characters, with characters higher than 8th level, or that revisit the keep over multiple sessions. Decreasing the Challenge If

Building a Party

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

. Conversely, your party can include members of different guilds united by alliances or common principles. Or they could be childhood friends who ended up in different guilds, or just a haphazard

of the action in a Ravnica campaign, it’s important not to let that tension cause too much friction in a party of adventurers. The D&D game relies on cooperation among the players, so it’s helpful

Able Scavengers

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

are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation where the townsfolk would try to

infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population. Second, kobolds are always on the lookout for magic that might help them free their

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

Meeting the Queen

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

knows about the outside world but feigns ignorance in an attempt to catch the characters in a lie. She respects those who show her respect and treat her people as their equals, rather than as primitive

unnecessarily. If hatchlings are among the characters’ victims, the queen is close to outrage and makes no secret of it. Conversely, if the characters arrive with hatchlings in tow, her estimation of them

Droaam

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

until medical attention can be obtained. Harpies in the taverns of Droaam use their hypnotic songs to entertain rather than to harm. When you bring creatures from Droaam into the campaign, consider how

continent’s cities. Gargoyle couriers are in high demand. Though monstrous workers of these sorts are still rare in many nations, their numbers are growing. Conversely, a visit to Droaam gives adventurers a

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

Tracking Time

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

relies on 6-second rounds. Minutes. In a dungeon or settlement, movement happens on a scale of minutes. In the Free City of Greyhawk, getting from the Silver Dragon Inn to the wharf takes about 10 minutes

that time rather than calculating it down to the minute. Exceptions include situations like these: Spell Timer. The characters might need to go somewhere or accomplish something before the duration of a

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

Edgin Darvis

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Thieves’ Gallery

Edgin Darvis Edgin Darvis has a talent for improvisation and strategy. He’s a musician and tale-teller who relies on charisma first—rather than magic or muscle—to escape trouble. Once a member of the

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

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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