cultures world ritual

Daemogoth

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Pact of Pain. Using a 10-minute ritual, the daemogoth can forge a magical bond with a willing creature it touches throughout the ritual. The creature becomes bound by the pact until it dies, the

heal.Slipping through the darkest corners of the world, daemogoths are powerful fiendish creatures that feed on misery and other negative emotions. Some sages refer to daemogoths as tear lickers, owing to

Deathwolf

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

necromancy are prevalent. To create a deathwolf, a necromancer reanimates the body of a powerful werewolf by conducting a profane ritual fueled by lunar magic. The result is an Undead abomination that

mind-bending phantoms the deathwolf can conjure. Deathwolves in Dragonlance On the world of Krynn, deathwolves are associated with Lunitari, Krynn’s red moon and the god of neutral magic. The

Uthgardt Shaman

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

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 shaman is to stand

require some sort of blood sacrifice, and their effects are usually transformative. For example, some Black Raven shamans know a ritual that allows them to hatch giant ravens from normal raven eggs, and

Path of the Ancestral Guardian

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a

barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid. Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect

Rot Troll

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

their bodies were damaged by elemental forces. These unusual forms can also be produced and shaped by the ritual magic of evil spellcasters or by trolls’ own practices, as is the case for dire

fears the plots and ambitions of other deities. Vaprak’s troll worshipers believe this god devours the souls of those who have been cooked or digested (slain by fire or acid). Otherwise, the god spits the soul back into the world to regenerate a new body.Necrotic

Lunar Sorcery (SotDQ)

Classes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

from your lineage has been exposed to the concentrated magic of the moon (or moons) of your world, imbuing you with lunar magic. Perhaps your ancestor was involved in a druidic ritual involving an

On many worlds, the moon is a revered celestial body with magical properties. On Krynn, the gods of magic are associated with the world’s three moons. On the world of Toril, the god Selû

Path of the Ancestral Guardian (XGtE)

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a

barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid. Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect

Aereni High Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

they split into two distinct cultures: the introspective Aereni and the warlike Tairnadal. While neither of these cultures have much interest in human activities, a small number of elves have immigrated

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

Lunar Sorcery

Classes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

from your lineage has been exposed to the concentrated magic of the moon (or moons) of your world, imbuing you with lunar magic. Perhaps your ancestor was involved in a druidic ritual involving an

On many worlds, the moon is a revered celestial body with magical properties. On Krynn, the gods of magic are associated with the world’s three moons. On the world of Toril, the god Selû

Nagpa

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, fly, hold person, suggestion, wall of fire 1/day each: dominate person, etherealness, feeblemindLong ago, the Raven Queen cursed a cabal of powerful wizards for meddling in a ritual that would have

. Hungry to claim more power despite the Raven Queen’s curse, nagpas strive to bring about world-shaking destruction. From the shadows, they manipulate events to bring about ruin. They can bring to

Deep Scion

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

by an undersea power: surrender, body and soul, or drown. Those who submit are subjected to an ancient ritual widespread among evil aquatic creatures. Its methods are painful and the result never

deep scion’s duty to infiltrate the air-breathing world and report back to their master. When set to this task, a deep scion worms their way into the life of an unsuspecting enemy as a new friend

Dire Troll

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

shaped by the ritual magic of evil spellcasters or by trolls’ own practices, as is the case for dire trolls. Vaprak the Destroyer Although trolls are rarely devout and seldom ponder spiritual

devours the souls of those who have been cooked or digested (slain by fire or acid). Otherwise, the god spits the soul back into the world to regenerate a new body.Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Venom Troll

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

vast scale, or if their bodies were damaged by elemental forces. These unusual forms can also be produced and shaped by the ritual magic of evil spellcasters or by trolls’ own practices, as is the

and uncontrollably fears the plots and ambitions of other deities. Vaprak’s troll worshipers believe this god devours the souls of those who have been cooked or digested (slain by fire or acid). Otherwise, the god spits the soul back into the world to regenerate a new body.Poison

Spirit Troll

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

and shaped by the ritual magic of evil spellcasters or by trolls’ own practices, as is the case for dire troll;dire trolls. Vaprak the Destroyer Although trolls are rarely devout and seldom

this god devours the souls of those who have been cooked or digested (slain by fire or acid). Otherwise, the god spits the soul back into the world to regenerate a new body.Acid, Cold, Fire; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Anthropologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

You have always been fascinated by other cultures, from the most ancient and primeval lost lands to the most modern civilizations. By studying other cultures’ customs, philosophies, laws

; Cultural Chameleon Before becoming an adventurer, you spent much of your adult life away from your homeland, living among people different from your kin. You came to understand these foreign cultures

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

then passing through the shadow of That-Which-Endures changed them forever. Now the newest race to call Faerûn home, the verdan do their best to find their way in an unfamiliar world

world. THAT-WHICH-ENDURES That-Which-Endures is a nameless, faceless, mysterious entity, something between a multiverse-spanning primordial spirit and an over-god. It represents the amoral and all

Aereni Wood Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

they split into two distinct cultures: the introspective Aereni and the warlike Tairnadal. While neither of these cultures have much interest in human activities, a small number of elves have immigrated

to Khorvaire over the years and have integrated with the cultures of the Five Nations. As a whole, elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where humans value innovation, elves strive

Vecna the Archlich

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

: Vecna, the Undying King. Vecna, the Whispered One. Vecna, the Lord of the Rotted Tower. But Vecna had humble beginnings on the world of Oerth, where an order of wizards used him as a bootblack and

master plan is almost complete. He has funneled a significant amount of his energy into weaving his ritual. Therefore, when the characters finally confront Vecna and try to save the multiverse, he is

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

Archaeologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

An archaeologist learns about the long-lost and fallen cultures of the past by studying their remains — their bones, their ruins, their surviving masterworks, and their tombs. Those who

practice archaeology travel to the far corners of the world to root through crumbled cities and lost dungeons, digging in search of artifacts that might tell the stories of monarchs and high priests, wars

Shifter Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

world around them. Do they embrace their primal instincts or the path of civilization? The Beast Within Early in childhood, a shifter forms a bond with a beast within, a totemic force that shapes their

in blended communities. Their names typically overlap with the names of other cultures in their region. Many shifters prefer to keep their personal names for their friends and use “wandering

Book of Vile Darkness (Variant)

Magic Items Keys from the Golden Vault

in the world. If you fail to perform at least one evil act within the span of 10 days, or if you willingly perform a good act, the book disappears. If you die while attuned to the book, an entity of

choose: Vile Apotheosis. The book could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight. True Names. The true names of any number of fiends might be in the book. Dark Magic

Yuan-ti Malison (Type 3) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

world. Their warriors were legendary, their empires always expanding. Yuan-ti temples stood at the centers of ancient metropolises, reaching ever higher in prayer to the gods they longed to emulate. In

emotions are foreign to most yuan-ti, which understand sentiment only as an exploitable weakness. A yuan-ti views the world and the events of its own life with such extreme pragmatism that it is nearly

Disembodied

races

walls. That golden age came crashing down in a single night, when the founding mages of Ulmyr’s Gate attempted an ambitious ritual intended to part the veil and create a permanent portal to the

the Material Plane. Those residents of lost Ulmyr’s Gate who have mustered the strength to return to the world have been named the disembodied by the sages who have studied them. These rare

Book of Vile Darkness Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

in the world. If you fail to perform at least one evil act within the span of 10 days, or if you willingly perform a good act, the book disappears. If you die while attuned to the book, an entity of

, plus whatever else you choose: Vile Apotheosis. The book could hold a ritual that allows a character to become a lich or death knight. True Names. The true names of any number of fiends might be in

Laneshi

races

common folk, these pale humanoids with manes of kelp-like hair are creatures of the sea, able to converse with the flora and fauna of the depths. Laneshi dwell within a culture that views the world in

. Using a powerful necromantic ritual, the second twin is sacrificed, its soul bound within the body of the other. Each member of the mystic caste is therefore possessed of two souls—one living

Moonblade Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

, some blades have faded from the world, their magic lost as family lines have become extinct. Other blades have vanished with their bearers during great quests. Thus, only a few of these weapons remain

special ritual in the throne room of an elven regent or in a temple dedicated to the elven gods. A moonblade won’t serve anyone it regards as craven, erratic, corrupt, or at odds with

Eye and Hand of Vecna Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

power, Vecna couldn’t escape his own mortality. He began to fear death and take steps to prevent his end from ever coming about. Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that

the world. The Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna might be found together or separately. The eye looks like a bloodshot organ torn free from the socket. The hand is a mummified and shriveled left

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

proudly through a world that greets them with fearful incomprehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the

DRACONIANS In the Dragonlance setting, the followers of the evil goddess Takhisis learned a vile ritual that let them corrupt the eggs of metallic dragons, producing evil dragonborn called draconians

Warlock Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

stars overhead, a wild-eyed tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world. Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through

, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a

The Cataclysm

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

struck the gleaming Temple of the Kingpriest. The gods also warned a few chosen mortals, reasoning that if any of them reached Istar and prevented the ritual, the world might not be beyond redemption

. But the messengers failed—the kingpriest and his followers dismissed the warnings as the work of evil and continued on their path. As the hour of the kingpriest’s ritual to attain godhood arrived

The Cataclysm

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

struck the gleaming Temple of the Kingpriest. The gods also warned a few chosen mortals, reasoning that if any of them reached Istar and prevented the ritual, the world might not be beyond redemption

. But the messengers failed—the kingpriest and his followers dismissed the warnings as the work of evil and continued on their path. As the hour of the kingpriest’s ritual to attain godhood arrived

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

Before the Cataclysm

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

Before the Cataclysm Krynn’s earliest centuries have passed into mythohistory. The story begins in the Age of Starbirth when the gods forged the world from primordial chaos. This period’s records are

mere legends and scriptures, and few credit their details as fact. Next came the Age of Dreams, a time when heroes battled the forces of evil. Many modern cultures and institutions saw their origins

Before the Cataclysm

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

Before the Cataclysm Krynn’s earliest centuries have passed into mythohistory. The story begins in the Age of Starbirth when the gods forged the world from primordial chaos. This period’s records are

mere legends and scriptures, and few credit their details as fact. Next came the Age of Dreams, a time when heroes battled the forces of evil. Many modern cultures and institutions saw their origins

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