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Returning 35 results for 'dark instances are building'.
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dark instincts are building
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Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
, rot, and rebirth. You have spent your life in the slow churn of that ecosystem, in the dark places of the city where the messy parts of existence are on display. There is little squeamishness among the
the moss-covered building where I took part in my first reclamation mission.
5
I found something in the sewer that must never come to light.
6
I am forever grateful to the reclaimer who
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
type of gaming set, thieves’ tools
Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 15 gp
Criminal Origins
Criminals are pervasive in Baldur
Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
experiencing random instances of good luck. Meanwhile, Far Realm energies manifest as eyes staring from the dark, insidious insects, or misshapen silhouettes looming in the distance. The land’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
prosperous and increasingly crowded, so buildings have been torn down and taller ones built — four stories high in some instances. A Waterbaron who rules for life leads Yartar. The current Waterbaron is
). Reason to Visit. The “Dark Dealings in Yartar” side trek (chapter 6) brings the characters here. More broadly, characters affiliated with the Lords’ Alliance can readily receive support in Yartar, and Harpers and Zhentarim can get aid, too, if they’re discreet and know how to contact an agent in town.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
in different instances of boxed text require separate checks to translate. A creature under the effect of a Comprehend Languages spell can read hieroglyphs instantly (no check required). Lighting. The
pyramid’s rooms are unlit. Area descriptions assume the characters have a light source or other means of seeing in the dark. Temperature. The pyramid’s interior is perpetually cool and dry, insulated
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Dark Fantasy Vampires brood on the battlements of their accursed castles. Necromancers toil in dark dungeons to create horrid servants made of dead flesh. Devils corrupt the innocent, and werewolves
full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Cities and Sites The Talenta Plains have been described as an ocean of grasslands. The nomadic halflings have little interest in building towns; most shelter in the Talenta Plains is temporary
fortunate enough to cross its path. When times are dark and travelers are weary, one can always hope that the Wandering Inn is just beyond the horizon.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
exterior of this two-story circular theater. People pass along the street, but all is dark behind the boards that cover the structure’s windows. A tattered awning shades the theater’s stout wooden
theater’s front entrance or investigates the windows can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a successful check, the character hears a muffled voice within. Characters who spend time surveilling the building see figures furtively open the front door and slip inside once every 10 minutes or so.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
through the woods, descending gradually until the trees part, revealing a mist-shrouded meadow. The trail splits. One branch heads west into the valley, and the other leads south into dark woods. A wooden
trail, which skirts north of a sprawling vineyard before bending south toward a stately building. The fog takes on ghostly forms as it swirls between the neatly tended rows of grapevines. Here and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
and again—by its own will or that of Strahd. Locals give the building a wide berth for fear of antagonizing the evil spirits believed to haunt it. The wealthy family that built the house practiced the
dark arts. Through seduction and indoctrination, they expanded their cult to include a small yet nefarious circle of friends. When word got out, the rest of the village turned a blind eye to the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
vault is an unmarked building on the city outskirts in an area with moderate foot traffic. The neighboring buildings stand at least 20 feet from the vault and don’t share walls with it. Nearby
, they learn the general exterior layout, including the locations of the main door, balcony door, and windows. They also get a good look at the guard uniforms—dark blue with gold stitching—which can
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat
and surrounded. The dragon is unlikely to enter the inn building, opting to use its breath weapon through the windows or attacking any characters or bystanders who step outside. Option 2: Attack on the
stop to rest for the night. A surprise attack in the dark or at dawn is particularly dangerous, granting the dragon complete freedom of movement and creating the possibility that some party members will be asleep or unarmored.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
and surrounded. The dragon is unlikely to enter the inn building, opting to use its breath weapon through the windows or attacking any characters or bystanders who step outside. Option 2: Attack on the
stop to rest for the night. A surprise attack in the dark or at dawn is particularly dangerous, granting the dragon complete freedom of movement and creating the possibility that some party members will be asleep or unarmored.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath
. At the center of the ruins, a tall tower, mostly collapsed, rests atop a bluff. The only intact stone building sits at the bottom of the bluff, its white façade bearing the mark of Lathander
.
There is an intact wooden building closer to the water marsh at the southwest side of town, smoke rising from two chimneys.
In front of this building stands a tiefling dressed in blue robes. She raises
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
for 1 minute. L4. Infirmary A stone sign depicting a crutch hangs above the entrance to this one-story building. The double door below the sign is ajar, revealing a hallway beyond.
Beyond the double
door is a long, dark hallway with three small examination rooms on one side of it and three small storage rooms on the opposite side (see “Treasure” below). At the far end of the hall, behind another
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves
toothpicks. A frantic man whose brown hair whips in an unfelt wind tries in vain to free his leg from a collapsed beam. A dark-haired woman slumps over the bar, unmoving, while panicked cries and
Commoner), lies limp across the bar. A Corsair smashed an empty bottle over Nelida’s head. She is uninjured but has the Unconscious condition. A character can carry Nelida out of the building; once
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
two stone walkways raised atop 20-foot-high marble columns.
Bridge. A stone bridge on the platform spans the river to the east. (See area 10 for more information on the bridge.)
Building. A mossy
staircase climbs the south wall to the top of the platform. There stands a 15-foot-high stone building with a commanding view of the river and stone doors set into its north, west, and south walls. A
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
thinner on the far side of the river, where a light flashes amid a dark ring of standing stones.
The river ranges in depth but is never more than 10 feet deep. Muriel Vinshaw, a wereraven in human
marsh, even if they barricade themselves in a ruined building, they are accosted by 1d4 swarms of hungry flies (use the swarm of insects (wasps) stat block in the Monster Manual). The swarms don’t trouble characters in areas U3 or U5.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Elves Skilled in both magic and warfare, the Tel’Quessir — “the People,” as they call themselves — came to Faerûn ages ago, building vast and powerful empires long before the rise of humans. The days
kingdoms lasting three thousand years. These battles devastated much of the world and resulted in the dark elves’ flight into the Underdark. Reeling from these calamities, the elven empires went into a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
battle, Kas transformed into a vampire. He became the ruler and prisoner of a Domain of Dread (a mist-bordered realm in the Shadowfell) called Tovag. Eventually, the Dark Powers whispered to Kas that Vecna
had risen again, becoming an evil god of secrets and magic on Oerth. Vecna’s defeat of Kas grates on the warlord’s ego. Kas aches to annihilate Vecna. Meanwhile, Vecna has been building his power, though the lich yearns to finally destroy his former lieutenant.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
L3. Hall of Knowledge This grand wooden building is constructed around ancient stone walls of a structure forgotten by time. Its red-lacquered double door, which is locked, bears a carving of a lotus
bonds. As you draw closer, you see dark, painful bruises on their body in a pattern that matches the grooves on the wooden dummies.
They look up at you with tears streaming from their eyes and rasp
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault
). Bridges connect Halfway Isle to the neighboring districts of Old Lockford and Turbine Heights. L3. Abbey of the Deep Brother Next to the road stands a squat stone building capped with a stone dome. The
this building. A character who examines the golden pick and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes it as the symbol of the Deep Brother, Callarduran Smoothhands, a god worshiped
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
lineages and backgrounds that provide ominous pasts for any character as well as Dark Gifts and subclasses to shape their fates. Chapter 2 explores how Dungeon Masters can create their own new
experiences to advice for building safe, suspenseful campaigns. It also includes an atmospheric adventure to draw characters into Ravenloft’s fearful grip. Chapter 5 details how to make any foe into a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
mortality, whether embodied in undead monsters or expressed through the death of loved ones. A campaign revolving around an insidious evil, whether dark gods, monstrous races such as the yuan-ti, or
an abandoned building or tower. If you run horror adventures week after week, try using a villain who turns out to be ordinary, perhaps even silly. Comic relief is a great variation on almost any D&D campaign, though players usually provide it themselves.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
to describe any sect devoted to the daelkyr or the overlords. Each cult pursues its own mad schemes, tied to its dark patron. Even cults associated with the same master might not recognize one
An arcane think tank has become a cult of Sul Khatesh; the members believe they can heal the damage of the Mourning, but the eldritch machine they are building will surely cause more horror. 8 A cult
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
carrying tomes or mysterious-looking magic devices, bustle about the immense compound. The largest building is patterned with inscribed eyes. A larger, more detailed eye is carved above the building’s
main doorway.
The large building is the compound’s main temple, home to the priests and oracles of Savras. Despite its elaborate exterior, the interior of the temple is simple, containing only an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
be empty rooms. The rest are described below. 20a. Kitchen Odor. The smell of meat stew wafts from this building.
Servants and Guards. Inside, a manacled bugbear and three goblins shackled together
Quarters Two male drow guards named Krivven and Yazdriirn stand outside the door. They deny entry to all but T’rissa and immediately attack intruders. The building holds the following features: Stuffed
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
Greenfast Locations The following locations are keyed to the map of Greenfast. Map 9.1: greenfast View Player Version G1. Mayor’s House The largest building in the village is the home of Mayor Kara
impress people. His son, Young Fargo, fell into Viallis’s circle of influence a month ago, and Old Fargo hasn’t seen him since. He knows that Viallis and his followers are said to be building an estate
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
forms the perimeter of a large hole, while east of the building is a larger wooden structure covered with creeping vines.
As you come a bit closer, the sound of voices suddenly emerges from the shack
the 2-foot-high wall into the hole, which is dark, but they don’t get an idea of how deep the hole is or what’s in it. If a character comes up to the stone wall and looks down inside the hole, this
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
, with a thick stalk and a wide cap that forms a dome, keeping the area underneath dry. The dark elves use the mushroom as a pavilion, and this is where Sirak Mazelor conducts business with visiting
building is protected by a glyph of warding (save DC 14) that triggers an explosive runes effect (5d8 thunder damage) when a creature other than a drow opens it. Treasure. Each storage building
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
captained by Ortimay Swift and Dark (CG female rock gnome bandit captain with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet), who is both clever and calm. The first mate is Grig Ruddell (N male Illuskan human
guides (see “Finding a Guide”). The harbormaster is a half-gold dragon named Zindar (see appendix D). He’s seldom in this sturdy, airy building, however; most of his time is spent dealing with the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
discovered a beating heart that filled an entire room, pumping blood through veins in the walls of the building. According to Allis, the staff claimed to be “creating the heart of Galifar,” apparently
of a greater whole. Cults of the Dragon Below are based on madness or power. A cult that seeks power chooses to serve a dark force because of the gifts they receive from it. A cabal of scholars might
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
building bristles with steaming pipes and whirring devices, and it is currently under siege.
Amid clanging metal contraptions, goblins try to breach the structure, impeded by gadgets that spin, snap
the gnome Tatina Rookledust is under attack by ten goblins and—standing well back from the chaos—their hobgoblin leader. The goblinoids wear dark armor with a spiral symbol—the same colors and symbol
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal
Features of the Yawning Portal The Yawning Portal’s taproom fills the first floor of the building. The 40-foot-diameter well that provides access to Undermountain dominates the space. The “well” is
, glowing crystal shard 16 A statuette of a panther, wooden and painted black 17 A piece of parchment, listing fourteen magical pools and their effects when touched 18 A vial filled with a dark, fizzy liquid
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
Brandath family is an old one. Lord Dagult Neverember married into it for its wealth, and Lady Brandath gave birth to his son, Renaer. It’s a dark irony that Neverember entrusted the location of his
level. This crypt contains the shattered bones of Uld Brandath, a Waterdavian magister who died in a freak accident decades ago. (A gargoyle broke off the corner of a government building and fell on