core returning groups to have reason

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

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

use by the faction’s operatives), haven keepers, and message drop minders, to name a few. At the core of every faction are those who don’t merely fulfill a small function for that

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

possibilities.) Now you’re looking for something else, perhaps greater reward for the risks you take, or the freedom to choose your own activities. For whatever reason, you’re leaving

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

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simple existence as hunters and gatherers. Hapless Soft Ones At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an indifference verging on

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

point, a tortle feels an almost overwhelming urge to venture far away from home and see more of the world. It gathers up its possessions and heads into the wilderness, returning months or years later

prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

. 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

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

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Returning War Band

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

Returning War Band You can add a complication in the form of a hobgoblin war band returning home, just as the characters are preparing to leave. This war band consists of three hobgoblins led by

heads are trophies from the hobgoblins’ recent victory over an elf hunting party. Clever characters might try to reason with Targor by urging him to think of himself as Grol’s successor rather than

Rules of the Trial

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

courtesy, and then sets out the rules of her test: Contenders may divide into small groups or choose to participate alone. Once groups are established at the trial’s start, alliances between contenders

. Later that day, at dusk, Chakuna pursues the contenders with hunting partners of her choice, attempting to slay anyone she encounters outside a shrine. Contenders may kill one another for any reason

Leaving the Chasm

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

Leaving the Chasm Once the characters get what they came for, there’s little reason to stay. In fact, characters who stay too long run the risk of encountering six gnolls returning from a hunt

they leave alive remain a potential threat to Ten-Towns. Real Adventure Hook If the characters retrieve the hook of fisher’s delight, they might decide to keep it, or they might try returning it to

Running the Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

Running the Adventures To run each of these adventures, you need the fifth edition core rulebooks: the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Spells and equipment mentioned in

adventures in this anthology. Each adventure is designed for four to six characters of a particular level, but you can adjust for larger or smaller groups by changing the number of foes in an encounter and

Faction Agent

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->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

use by the faction’s operatives), haven keepers, and message drop minders, to name a few. At the core of every faction are those who don’t merely fulfill a small function for that organization, but

Adventure Summary

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

rival groups. As the characters explore the ziggurat, they slowly uncover clues of the tragedy that befell Cynidicea and its people. While braving clever traps, evil cultists, and restless Undead, the

’ underground city (see the “Extending the Adventure” section at the end of this adventure). The adventure concludes when the characters escape the ziggurat, either by returning to the desert or finding a door to the Infinite Staircase placed in a location of your choice.

Missing Players

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

should strive to keep the character alive and use resources wisely. Run the character yourself. It’s an extra burden for you, but it can work. Decide the character isn’t there. Invent a good reason for

, but don’t try to come up with any in-game explanation for this absence. Monsters don’t attack the character, who returns the favor. On returning, the player resumes playing as if he or she was never gone.

Build Your Group

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

’ wealth and influence. Whose interest, then, does the Chronicle serve? All the more reason, loyal readers, to rely on the Voice of Breland for unbiased news you can use. Civilian. Some groups include

sensational story. High Intelligence and proficiency in Investigation often aids the core work of the Snoop, and knowledge of Arcana, History, or Religion can be helpful for background research. Divination

Ideal Minions

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

Ideal Minions Kenku gather in 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

. For this reason, many kenku make an easy living serving as messengers, spies, and lookouts for thieves’ guilds, bandits, and other criminal cartels. A network of kenku can relay a bird call or similar

The Rose Stage

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

Guild often uses the stage to rehearse and perform, and other amateur groups and courses with a performance component regularly do so as well. The Playactors Drama Guild is organizing the festival

, pledgemages, and professors from the different colleges. SETTING UP SEDGEMOOR The characters will have heard about Sedgemoor during their first year at Strixhaven, but they have likely had no reason

A Typical Evening

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal

ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the dungeon. Few such ill-prepared parties ever return. Groups seeking to enter Undermountain for a specific reason generally come to the tavern

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

or less intact, the orcs leave themselves the option of returning to raid the community over and over. When orcs fight elves, all of that changes. The enmity between the two races cuts to the core

Rival Outfit

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

Rival Outfit Some criminals believe you can’t do a job without betraying your partners. Perhaps you have your own share of adversaries you’ve angered. The Group Rivals table presents a host of groups

War. Some members of a rival syndicate (such as Daask, House Tarkanan, or the Tyrants) hate you, probably for good reason. 3 The Press. Your group’s adventures make for great headlines. Your every move

Absent Players

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

in-game explanation. Monsters don’t attack the character, who returns the favor. On returning, the player resumes playing as if the absence never happened. Narrative Contrivance. Decide the character

same XP that the other characters earned each session, keeping the group at the same level. Some groups like to work out a policy regarding how many missing players is too many to proceed. For example

Build Your Group

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

with the skills of a ranger or rogue. High Dexterity and Wisdom scores, combined with proficiency in the Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival skills, support this character’s core capabilities

. Scouts are often recruited from people who are more familiar with the wilds than with city streets, including folk heroes, hermits, and outlanders. Soldier. Soldiers make up the core of most military

Loviatar

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

because it best emulates the Scourge Mistress, and for the same reason her faithful appreciate beauty, cultural refinement, and a certain adeptness at manipulation. Though temples to Loviatar are rare

their victims. She is favored by sadists and masochists, and some of her followers form cultish cells of secret adherents. Each of these groups is led by someone who takes pleasure in administering pain

Preparing for Battle

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

, if for no other reason than to honor Ispin Greenshield’s last wishes. If a character refuses, Mayor Raven offers to pay them 5 gp to be a judge during the battle, making sure no one uses real weapons

and other participants charge down. The two groups will clash midway in a mock fight, with the mercenaries’ Istarian forces eventually retreating. Participants are encouraged to use their own armor but

Rumors of War

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

Rumors d10 Rumor 1 Warlords from Taman Busuk have united an army of mercenaries and warlike groups. (True) 2 Some claim to hear the whispers of the old gods and believe their miracles are returning to

Odunos

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

streets, quarreling for no apparent reason. Beyond the city’s walls, undead raiders strike out, menacing the lands of Akros, Meletis, and Phoberos. These raids are led by the city’s de facto ruler

, Tymaret the Murder King, a servant of Erebos tasked with returning Phenax to the Underworld. Knowing that Phenax could disguise himself as anyone, Tymaret slaughters all living souls, just to be thorough

Wilderness Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a1

of kobolds has recently moved in to challenge the goblins’ ownership of the fortress. Both groups are skirmishing as they vie for control, and they’re not overly concerned about the possibility of

stationed in other rooms. For example, three kobolds from one area 16 could be stationed in area 15 with orders to set an ambush for returning invaders. Or, four goblins from one area 36 could be

Greyhawk

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

Greyhawk The gods of Greyhawk come from at least four different pantheons, representing the faiths of the various ethnic groups that populated the continent of Oerik over the ages. As a result

crescent moon Ralishaz, god of ill luck and delusion CN Trickery Three bone fate-casting sticks Rao, god of peace and reason LG Knowledge White heart St. Cuthbert, god of common sense and zeal LN

Templars of the Silver Flame

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

regardless of order. You can count on these clergy to help you secure spellcasting services, and to offer you other material aid within reason. Enemies. Since the order of knights templar is sworn to

exterminate supernatural evil, such creatures are always hostile when they recognize a knight templar. The following groups and creatures viciously oppose the templars of the Silver Flame: Fiends and

Religious Institutions

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

both. Temples and Shrines The core religious institutions of Faerûn are temples and shrines. Whether a small, out-of-the-way building, or a complex made up of multiple structures and tracts of land

marriages and funerals. Temples are places where worshipers go either to spend personal or family time in a space consecrated to a deity or to seek the aid of the priests for some reason. Small

Travelers in the Mists

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

likewise be remarkable or have a desperate reason to have braved the Mists. Learning about such wanderers can drive the characters from a single adventure into a larger campaign that explores other

domains. The following sections present groups and individuals who routinely travel the Mists. The Strangers in the Mists table also suggests the kinds of people characters might encounter amid the Mists

Rage of Demons

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

, every nerve singing with the tension in the air all around you. Finally, a swirling light begins to flare in the darkness. A barely audible humming shakes you to the core, rising and falling like a

some help in overcoming the demon lords. At an opportune moment, Jimjar shows up (even returning from death if he appeared to perish earlier in the adventure) and gives the characters a vote of

Never Alone

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

opposite to the thessalhydra’s zone, and for good reason. The human heart that sits within the construct is magically connected to the thessalhydra, tapping into the power of the Infernal Machine components

as it roams, and feeding that power to the monster as restorative energy. Whenever the thessalhydra is taken to 0 hit points, it stays dead for 1 hour before returning to life with full hit points

Ritual of Returning

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

Ritual of Returning Upon returning to the High Hall cathedral with Ulder Ravengard, the characters are greeted by Pherria Jynks and the druid Seltern Obranch, who rush to aid them in getting the

military precision. In the next breath, the character sees massive groups of disfigured monsters loping across a blighted landscape, tearing at screaming enemies. The character wearing the helm can’t

Chapter 2: Raiders' Camp

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

midst of all this tragedy, there’s no reason you would have heard about the fate of my master, Leosin Erlanthar, but it’s important you know. He is a monk from Berdusk. He disappeared last night

monks were returning to Berdusk from the great library at Candlekeep, where Leosin was consulting the librarians and researching ancient writings on dragon folklore. Dragon cults are his special

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