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Returning 35 results for 'example ruins'.
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Species
Player’s Handbook
shaped by it. Some drow individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. In the Eberron setting, for example, drow dwell in rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of
example, they call themselves sun or moon elves in the Forgotten Realms setting, Silvanesti and Qualinesti in the Dragonlance setting, and Aereni in the Eberron setting.
Wood Elves
Wood elves carry
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
example, one mongrelfolk might have the basic body shape of a dwarf with a head that combines the features of a cat and a lizard, one arm that ends in a crab’s pincer, and one leg that ends in
live on the fringes of civilization in ruins, deserted buildings, or other places that other humanoid races once lived in or built. They tend to be timid and skittish outside their homes and fiercely
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Idlethorp In the shadow of Punchinel Manor lie the ruins of a small, abandoned hamlet that once functioned as a crossroads trading post of minor importance in the western part of Mordent. The last
owner of Punchinel Manor was an artificer who crafted unique miniature flesh golems from stitched-together body parts—a pair of hands attached directly to a head, for example. He was murdered by his creations, and the manor has remained unoccupied for years.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Breland to Droaam with Alden’s help. Coal, a destitute warforged hired by Alden, witnessed her good friend Razor die, executed in the ruins of Old Sharn as an example to the other workers. Coal made
Story Overview Niho Koi, an imposing oni and Daask sub-boss in Sharn, ordered a half-ogre lieutenant named Garra to assemble a team and search the ruins of Old Sharn for arcane relics at the behest
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Using an Overarching Story This section presents a couple of examples of overarching stories which have, over the years, fueled many classic D&D campaigns. The adventurers’ goal in the first example
is to amass the power they need to defeat a powerful enemy that threatens the world. Their goal in the second example is to defend something they care about by destroying whatever threatens it. The
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Master's Guide) is worth 1,000 gp. Art Objects The art objects found in ancient giants' ruins reflect the societies and types of giants that once inhabited them. For example, ancient stone giant art is
Kinds of Treasure Use these guidelines in conjunction with the information in the Dungeon Master's Guide to detail treasures adventurers might find in ancient ruins built by giants. Coins Giants
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
to do so to reflect the poignant nature of this moment. For example, a character who wishes to have a final moment with a deeply romantic Beloved might sneak up onto the roof of the Biblioplex to have
. Time to Stop Murgaxor! Once the characters are ready to embark on their mission to stop Murgaxor once and for all, they can head through the badlands again and into the Ruins of Caerdoon.
Yuan-ti Pureblood
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
yuan-ti know they can’t resort to direct attacks in order to reclaim their rightful place in the world. Operating out of the subterranean ruins of their buildings in foreign lands, yuan-ti
. (Any)
5
Inspiration. My actions set an example for the lesser castes to emulate. (Any)
6
Power. Everything I choose to do is determined by whether it will make me smarter and stronger
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
the Triboar Trail. The site is relatively easy to find, and any NPC in Phandalin can provide directions to the ruins. Recently, prospectors in the area have noted that someone has set up a campsite at
Old Owl Well, and that undead guardians have been posted to keep intruders out. The ruins are currently occupied by a wizard who is exploring the site in the hope of gleaning arcane lore left by its
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
memorize, such as the following:
Owlbears are aggressive and often ill-tempered carnivores. They are known to attack without provocation.
Owlbears most often live in caves or ruins. The bones of their
often the best way to teach an owlbear to be a mount, for example.
An owlbear’s screech sounds vaguely similar to the cry of an enormous owl with terrible indigestion. Owls don’t suffer from indigestion, though, making this a sure sign that an owlbear is nearby.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
’ travel through the wilderness. One good example is the Great Alluvial Sand Wastes. The long-lost dwarven citadel of Tyar-Besil lies beneath the rocky badlands about 30 to 40 miles northwest of the village
Athas would have looked much like the Forgotten Realms. The four Haunted Keeps described in chapter 3 of this adventure are lonely outposts or ruins scattered throughout the badlands under which Tyar
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
Eberron, the continent of Xen’drik is the ancestral home of giants and the location of their ancient empire. The continent is littered with the cyclopean ruins of this forgotten civilization, and now
scholars and treasure hunters mount expeditions to plunder the ruins and unearth the secrets of the giants. On other worlds, the ruins of ancient giants’ civilizations might not be as numerous or well
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
drow individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. In the Eberron setting, for example, drow dwell in rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of Xen’drik
. High Elves High elves have been infused with the magic of crossings between the Feywild and the Material Plane. On some worlds, high elves refer to themselves by other names. For example, they call
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. In the Eberron setting, for example, drow dwell in rainforests and cyclopean ruins on the continent of Xen’drik. High Elves
High elves have been infused with the magic of crossings between the Feywild and the Material Plane. On some worlds, high elves refer to themselves by other names. For example, they call themselves sun
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
gives him about the island, its inhabitants, and its traps and monsters. For example, questions such as “How do we get through the tunnels underneath the ruins?” are inappropriate because the major
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Example Rival: Marina Rodemus The Rodemus clan was a small but powerful family of traders in the city, but years ago, they pulled up stakes and left town overnight. Marina Rodemus, the youngest child
— has returned to claim her place among the elite of her home city. She vows that if she doesn’t succeed, she’ll leave the city in ruins. Goals. Marina wants to become the most respected, most important
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
lives. It permeates the cosmos and moves through the ancient possessions of legendary heroes, the mysterious ruins of fallen empires, those touched by the gods, creatures born with supernatural power
magic and protect themselves from it? The answers to some questions suggest the answers to others. For example, if spellcasters of low-level spells are common, as in Eberron, then authorities and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
parts of the adventure (for example, if the characters plan on using the timepiece of travel to teleport everywhere and find every secret location in the scenario), feel free to have the power of
individual components mysteriously fail until they are all installed in the orrery housing once more.
The Ruins When the characters reach the top of the hill and get a closer look at the ruins of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
difficulty of easy encounters to keep them exciting. One way to make an encounter more challenging is to have it trigger a second random encounter. For example, a fight with goblins might attract a nearby
other creatures arrive and provide a distraction that the characters can use to make their escape. For example, if a character needs to make a crucial ability check or saving throw, you can have a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
way of example. Be prepared for the fact that the adventure is exceedingly open-ended—one of the hallmarks of the original Ravenloft. The card reading in chapter 1 and the adventurers’ choices can lead
–3rd Village of Barovia 3 4th Town of Vallaki 5 4th Old Bonegrinder 6 5th Village of Krezk 8 5th Wizard of Wines Winery 12 6th Van Richten’s Tower 11 6th Yester Hill 14 7th Argynvostholt 7 7th Werewolf Den 15 8th Tsolenka Pass 9 8th The Ruins of Berez 10 9th Castle Ravenloft 4 9th The Amber Temple 13
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory
might be unaware they’ve left one plane of existence and entered another. For example, if one stumbles upon a fey crossing in a cave, a similar cave might lie on the other side of that fey crossing, as
crossing requires that a particular act be performed inside it or a particular object or creature be present. 6 Ruined Tower. The ruins of an ancient elven tower house a fey crossing. For three nights
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
crumbling ruins, or the patterns of moons, stars, and the Ring of Siberys (best interpreted at an observatory). A dragonmarked character might gain insight into the Prophecy from the marks on their
course of centuries). For example, take a prophetic snippet like the one mentioned in the book’s introduction: “If the Bear King is slain by a sorrowful assassin in the Shadow of the Mourning, the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
characters embark on a journey to a location, go to the section of this book that describes that location in detail. For example, if the players choose to undertake the Umbrage Hill Quest, go to the “Umbrage
location’s inhabitants react to the characters’ arrival.
No encounter has a predetermined outcome. For example, characters who explore Umbrage Hill are likely to encounter a manticore. Although
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Build Your Group Religious orders attract people from all walks of life. It can be fun to play against type—to make a devout character with the criminal or charlatan background, for example
academic knowledge to bear in the religious order’s work, often in the form of proficiency in History and Religion. This character might be an expert on ancient ruins or know all the weaknesses of the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
wealth 3 Plunder ancient ruins 4 Steal land, goods, or money Villain’s Methods d20 Methods 1 Agricultural devastation (d4) 1 Blight 2 Crop failure 3 Drought 4 Famine 2 Assault or beatings 3
Terrorism Villain’s Secret Weakness Finding and exploiting a villain’s weakness can be very gratifying for players, although a smart villain tries to conceal its weakness. A lich, for example, has a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
several mountain goats in a pen near the ruins of an old mansion. (Muriel assumes that Baba Lysaga feeds on these animals.) Muriel avoids combat and flees if attacked. She conceals her lycanthropic nature
Shape feature within the circle gains the maximum number of hit points available to the new form. For example, a druid character using the Wild Shape feature to assume the form of a giant eagle would
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
. Their humanoid bodies incorporate the features of various beasts. For example, one mongrelfolk might have the basic body shape of a dwarf with a head that combines the features of a cat and a lizard, one
, or shunned. They typically live on the fringes of civilization in ruins, deserted buildings, or other places that other humanoid races once lived in or built. They tend to be timid and skittish
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
could discover an exotic Khyber crystal in the ruins of an artificer’s workshop. Time and study could yield suggestions as to what items could be made with the component; for example, that Khyber shard
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Building a Dungeon When you set out to create a dungeon, think about its distinctive qualities. For example, a dungeon that serves as a hobgoblin stronghold has a different quality from an ancient
demise for some nefarious purpose, such as to feed souls to a lich’s phylactery. Lair. A lair is a place where monsters live. Typical lairs include ruins and caves. Maze. A maze is intended to deceive
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
as a temporary campsite. The ruins of elven settlements are the exception to this rule. If orcs come across such a place, they desecrate it and leave it unfit for any sort of habitation. A tribe uses
of prey. The orc stronghold depicted and described here is an example of such a place, which could suit the needs of a tribe for several years or even decades. It has several subterranean chambers
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
Ruins Locations The following locations are keyed to map 3.2. Mike Schley Map 3.2: Ruins of Thundertree View Player Version U1: Westernmost Cottage Cowering in the shadow of an old tree is a
debris. Several young trees have grown within the ruins.
The overgrowth conceals a deadly threat: two twig blights lurking in the foliage. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
, possibly since childhood. The read-aloud text below describes such a vision. You can add details that correspond to each character’s deity. For example, a character who worships Sirrion might find the
surrounding vegetation, creating an unnatural clearing similar to the one in the characters’ visions. The cleared plants also reveal overgrown ruins nearby: A crumbling stone structure lies among the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
to a vast bog filled with eerie lights and sinister shapes twisting in the water. And moving to the Feywild from old ruins on the Material Plane might put a traveler at the door of an archfey’s castle
certain type of item. A fey crossing can be closed permanently if the land on either side is dramatically altered—for example, if a castle is built over the clearing on the Material Plane. Feywild
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
magic, and most people see evidence of it at some point in their lives. Magic permeates the cosmos and moves through the ancient possessions of legendary heroes, the mysterious ruins of fallen empires
report dense rainforests, severe tropical storms, steamy wetlands, and a fetid swamp (called the Pelisso Swamp). Adventurers are sometimes lured into Hepmonaland’s rainforests by ancient ruins, including
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
thirty sahuagin, a sahuagin priestess, and a sahuagin baron lair here. Seaton The folk of Saltmarsh point to Seaton as an example of the fate they want to avoid. For years, Seaton was about twice as
, the ruins have been largely forgotten. The exception is Keledek the Unspoken, the town wizard, who used magic to open the cellar door and found that the passages led to a hidden sea cave. He uses