great contrast land

Naxene Drathkala

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

magic.” Bond: “I have great respect for Lady Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep. She and the Lords’ Alliance are going to bring some much-needed order to this lawless land.” Flaw: “I’m too smart to be wrong about anything.”

Uthgardt Shaman

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

with one foot in the land of the living and the other in the land of the dead. Those who walk the shadowed path between two lands do so because the spirits of the dead compel them. Other Uthgardt fear

Wolf: beast sense (wolf or dire wolf only), moonbeam, speak with animals (wolf or dire wolf only) Great Worm: crusader's mantle, hypnotic pattern Griffon: beast sense (birds only), fly Red Tiger

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

Strahd's armies time and again as they swept across the land. When it became clear that Strahd couldn't be stopped, the knights of the order led hundreds of refugees to Argynvost's valley, but Strahd

battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end. Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those

Baphomet Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

minotaur—considered the greatest gift of the Prince of Beasts. Baphomet himself appears as a great, black-furred minotaur, 20 feet tall with six iron horns. An infernal light burns in his red eyes

. Although filled with bestial bloodlust, there lies within a cruel and cunning intellect devoted to subverting all of civilization. Baphomet wields a great glaive called Heartcleaver. He sometimes

Ki-rin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of evil. Having one horn is most common, but a particularly fierce ki-rin might have two horns or a set of antlers like those of a great stag. In many lands, common folk view ki-rins as heralds of

coronation, everyone present understands that the creature is telling them the person so honored could become a great force for good. Ki-rins have also been known to appear at the sites of great battles

Polukranos

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

world, and so great were its size and strength that the gods Nylea and Heliod combined their power to bind the monster deep within the Nessian Wood. That incarnation was slain, but the eternal ideal

gods, like the legendary hydra Polukranos. Territorial Terrors. During their early years, hydras feed their rapid growth by terrorizing the land. When they grow large enough, they look for a

Malaxxix

Monsters The Book of Many Things

Planes as a tyrannical marauder. Roleplaying Malaxxix Malaxxix is a being of great cunning, terrible rage, and insatiable bloodlust who regards any opportunity to inflict misery on others as

worthwhile. When Malaxxix deigns to speak with others, the fiend displays grandiloquent diction and a pompous demeanor—a stark contrast to the yugoloth’s usual fury. Curse of Malaxxix A creature

Baphomet

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

civilization. Baphomet wields a great glaive called Heartcleaver. He also charges his enemies and gores them with his horns, trampling his foes into the earth and rending them with his teeth like a

action to land on a ceiling to attack targets flying near it. Seal the Way. Baphomet seals one doorway or other entryway within the lair. The opening must be unoccupied. It is filled with solid stone

Adult Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

features: Lava Tubes. When the volcano is quiet, the dragon uses the lava tubes to come and go from the lair. Great Hall. The emerald dragon resides in a grand rectangular hall near the center of the

treasures in a smaller chamber just above the great hall on the map. Watery Caves. Near the bottom portion of the map, the vaults give way to natural stone caves; these caves slope down to a subterranean

Ancient Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

had subsided, the dragon moved in. The lair has the following features: Lava Tubes. When the volcano is quiet, the dragon uses the lava tubes to come and go from the lair. Great Hall. The emerald

find a way through. Treasury. The dragon stores the finest treasures in a smaller chamber just above the great hall on the map. Watery Caves. Near the bottom portion of the map, the vaults give way

Turtle Ship

Equipment

traders and others who need a lot of cargo space. The ship can land on the ground, and it floats on water. Sliding panels can be closed to make the hull airtight, enabling the ship to travel underwater

safely, even to great depths. If the ship takes damage while on or under the water, interior hatches can be sealed to prevent the ship from flooding completely. Standard weaponry on a turtle ship

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

spellcasters enter into bargains, and genasi can result from such pacts. Those genasi have been sources of great weal and woe in the history of that land. GENASI BACKGROUNDS Each genasi subrace has its own

of savage humanoids and weird cults in untamed lands. Others gain positions of great influence, especially where elemental beings are revered. A few genasi leave the Material Plane to find refuge in

Hermit Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have

contemplative sort of seclusion that allows room for study and prayer. If you want to play a rugged wilderness recluse who lives off the land while shunning the company of other people, look at the outlander

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. Half-Elf Names Half-elves use either human or elven

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually

, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions. ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE It’s rare for a gnome to be hostile or malicious unless he or she has suffered a grievous injury. Gnomes

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

you might or might not choose to share. Although you will undoubtedly find some of this land’s ways to be strange and discomfiting, you can also be sure that some things its people take for

society. Halruaa. Located on the southern edges of the Shining South, and hemmed in by mountains all around, the magocracy of Halruaa is a bizarre land to most in Faerûn who know about it. Many folk

Marine

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

home, the rain your shelter, and the crashing waves your battle cry. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water, land) Equipment: A dagger that

, you can automatically find a safe route to land a boat on shore, provided such a route exists. HARDSHIP ENDURED Hardship in your past has forged you into an unstoppable living weapon. This

Aereni High Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

’drik. Tens of thousands of years ago, the elves rose up against the giants who ruled that land. Ultimately, the elves fled from Xen’drik and settled the island nation of Aerenal. There

godlike power and has protected your island home for thousands of years. The greatest heroes of your people join the Undying Court after death; if you achieve great things in your life, you too could

Inheritor

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

You are the heir to something of great value — not mere coin or wealth, but an object that has been entrusted to you and you alone. Your inheritance might have come directly to you from a

them again. 2 I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land. 3 A proud noble once gave me a horrible beating, and I will take my revenge on any bully I encounter. 4

Aereni Wood Elf

Species Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

’drik. Tens of thousands of years ago, the elves rose up against the giants who ruled that land. Ultimately, the elves fled from Xen’drik and settled the island nation of Aerenal. There

godlike power and has protected your island home for thousands of years. The greatest heroes of your people join the Undying Court after death; if you achieve great things in your life, you too could

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land. — Elaine Cunningham, Daughter of the Drow In the

build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

elemental planes, and other dangerous spots far from the eyes of land-bound folk. Long-established guardians of the deep ocean floor, in recent years the noble tritons have become increasingly active in

to escape so easily. A great conclave of tritons chose volunteers skilled in weapons and magic as part of an expeditionary force to enter the Material Plane and seek out their enemies. Those tritons

Genasi Lands

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

the Sea of Fallen Stars. The distant land of Zakhara is known only in legends to most inhabitants of Faerûn. There, genies and spellcasters enter into bargains, and genasi can result from such pacts. Those genasi have been sources of great weal and woe in the history of that land.

Genasi Lands As rare beings, genasi might go their entire lives without encountering another one of their kind. There are no great genasi cities or empires. Genasi seldom have communities of their

Light

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

Light A tale that is perpetually dark in tone becomes tiresome very quickly. It needs to feature the occasional ray of light for contrast and to create a sense of hope. Monsters and other terrors

land as dreary as Barovia, take the time to describe the occasional scene of beauty, such as a pretty flower growing atop a grave. Make sure that the heroes have contact with NPCs who are honest, friendly, and helpful, such as the Martikovs in Vallaki or the Krezkovs in Krezk.

Continuing or Episodic Campaigns

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

adventure matter in the next. Plotting and running that kind of campaign can be demanding on the DM, but the payoff is a great and memorable story. An episodic campaign, in contrast, is like a

the campaign. A continuing campaign designed with a theme and a story arc in mind can feel like a great fantasy epic. The players derive the satisfaction of knowing the actions they take during one

Diplomats or Wanderers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to

Legends of Shankhabhumi

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

dangers—a land shaped by hundreds of riverines who were indifferent to the newcomers and their fates. Then the elven leader Kubjhatika killed a giant mollusk that attacked her people. After the battle

them for refuge amid the unforgiving land. The four greatest riverines—Adirohit, Iravati, Mehul, and Joltara—each wished to claim the Riverine’s Shankha as their own. Kubjhatika proposed the Shankha

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

lazy, but when Linene came around looking for a missing broach, she was out the door before I could blink an eye. — Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper Hailing from a strange and distant land

relics, magical items, and other rare objects. Aside from the power such items might confer, a tabaxi takes great joy in unraveling the stories behind their creation and the history of their use

Para-elemental Planes

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

Para-elemental Planes The regions where the Elemental Planes collide and their elemental substances overlap are called Paraelemental Planes. Plane of Ash On the Plane of Ash, also called the Great

Frostfell’s monsters and bitter cold make it a dangerous place to travel. Most planar voyagers keep to the air, braving the powerful winds and driving snow to avoid setting foot on the great glacier. Plane

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

hermitage gave you access to a unique and powerful discovery. The exact nature of this revelation depends on the nature of your seclusion. It might be a great truth about the cosmos, the deities, the

contemplative sort of seclusion that allows room for study and prayer. If you want to play a rugged wilderness recluse who lives off the land while shunning the company of other people, look at the outlander

Diplomats or Wanderers

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

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers. EXCELLENT AMBASSADORS Many half-elves learn at an early age to

Mapping a Wilderness

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

Mapping a Wilderness In contrast to a dungeon, an outdoor setting presents seemingly limitless options. The adventurers can move in any direction over a trackless desert or an open grassland, so how

about a dungeon. Even the most wide-open terrain presents clear pathways. Roads seldom run straight because they follow the contours of the land, finding the most level or otherwise easiest routes across

Falling

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Falling Falling from a great height is a significant risk for adventurers and their foes. The rule given in the Player’s Handbook is simple: at the end of a fall, you take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for

every 10 feet you fell, to a maximum of 20d6. You also land prone, unless you somehow avoid taking damage from the fall. Here are two optional rules that expand on that simple rule.

Ousa's Pyramid

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

. Akirrans whisper that the interior holds a door between this world and the land of the dead. In front of this wonder, a giant statue of Anu, the Great Jackal, overlooks parched riverbeds. A small order

The Wilds

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monstrous Compendium Volume Four

The Wilds Past the courts, across the stream, into the woods—there lie the wilds, the most magical, strange, and dangerous lands in all Eldraine. In contrast to the order and structure of the realm

invasion, the fauns have taken charge of the Tanglespan, a great chasm between the realm and the wilds. They map out the crisscrossing pathways spanning the chasm, fight off the trolls who lurk beneath the

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