group course living

Tanarukk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

unrestrained, a free tanarukk embarks on a rampage, attempting to take over by force. Most such coups fail but are costly nonetheless. If a tanarukk does seize the leadership of a group, reckless

raiding or even war is the course they inevitably choose.Fire, PoisonAggressive. The tanarukk moves up to its speed toward an enemy that it can see.

Saint Markovia's Thighbone

Magic Items Curse of Strahd

Saint Markovia’s thighbone has the properties of a mace of disruption. If it scores one or more hits against a vampire or a vampire spawn in the course of a single battle, the thighbone

she dare to challenge him. As she rallied her followers and prepared to march on Castle Ravenloft, Strahd sent a group of vampire spawn to her abbey. They confronted Markovia and were destroyed to a

Carrion Stalker

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

kills the larvae.A carrion stalker begins life as a pale larva that infests a corpse. Over the course of weeks, this grub burrows, feeds, and grows, ultimately developing into a chitinous mass of pincers

and tentacles. When an adult carrion stalker detects movement, it bursts from its corpse-cradle to attack, intent on implanting its young into the living and starting its species’ life cycle

Lightning Hulk

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

giants who retreated from the world in ages past. Over the course of centuries, the elemental nature of these giants—aided by infusions of energy from the Elemental Planes—grew to dominate

these giants, eventually freeing them from the limitations of flesh. A lightning hulk is essentially a living bolt of lightning, with the one lasting vestige of its former nature being a vague face

Runic Colossus

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

target must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or the spell fails and has no effect.According to The Saga of the Dragon Queller, told by giants on some worlds, a disparate group of giants

combined their efforts to protect their ancient empire from a particularly vicious dragon. Stone and hill giants hewed a mighty form from living stone. Cloud and frost giants gathered rare metals, and

Dzaan

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

. Dzaan’s Demise. Dzaan’s trouble started after he broke away from his fellow wizards and hired adventurers to scour Icewind Dale for Netherese ruins. One group of them uncovered a buried

. They generally favor undead servants and bodyguards, since they find that undead tend to be more obedient than the living. Dzaan’s bodyguard is a Thayan wight named Krintaas. When Dzaan

Vargouille

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

behind when one Fiend kills another. Because of their hunger for living prey, vargouilles are eager to escape the Lower Planes. On rare occasions, summoning a demon to another plane can bring a

’s curse. If the curse is allowed to run its course, an abyssal spirit invades the person’s body, causing a gruesome transformation. Over a period of hours, the victim’s head takes on

Bak Mei

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

death, Bak Mei became obsessed with living an unending life. He began collecting texts on the subject, consulting with practitioners of the necromantic arts, and seeking audiences with dark forces. The

in the excommunication of Bak Mei and his followers, who christened themselves the Order of the Immortal Lotus. The small group eventually settled in the forest near Baldur’s Gate, where they

Alhoon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

reality, a group of nine mind flayer arcanists used their arcane magic and psionics to weave a new truth. These nine called themselves the Alhoon, and those who follow in their footsteps are referred to by

amethyst. The process requires at least three mind flayer arcanists and the sacrifice of an equal number of souls from living victims in a three-day-long ritual of spellcasting and psionic communion. Upon

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

Prince of Undeath, known as the Blood Lord. He takes some pleasure in the sufferings of the living, but far prefers the company and service of the undead. His desire is to see all life quenched and the

. The least of these become ghoul;ghouls and zombie;zombies who serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate the dead

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

known as the Blood Lord. While he takes pleasure in the sufferings of the living, he far prefers the company and service of Undead. His desire is to see all life quenched and the multiverse transformed

become ghoul;ghouls and zombie;zombies (both appear in the Monster Manual) that serve in his legions, while his favored servants are the cultists and necromancers who murder the living and then manipulate

Adult Lunar Dragon

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

and heat vents, wild gardens, crystal formations, magical phenomena, or an ecosystem of lesser life forms that have adapted to living with the dragon. Regional Effects The region containing an

of bludgeoning damage. If the dragon dies, the moaning stops, the moon devils dissipate, and the black frost disappears over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll","rollAction

Ancient Lunar Dragon

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

contain natural springs and heat vents, wild gardens, crystal formations, magical phenomena, or an ecosystem of lesser life forms that have adapted to living with the dragon. Regional Effects The region

cold damage instead of bludgeoning damage. If the dragon dies, the moaning stops, the moon devils dissipate, and the black frost disappears over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType

Bavlorna Blightstraw

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

extraordinarily long, spindly limbs. She must submerge herself in a briny concoction for an hour each day, or her body will dry out until it locks up in a kind of living rictus, and she remains that way until

within 10 feet of Bavlorna cause her to lapse into a fit of sneezing. See the stat block for more details. Hourglass Coven The Hourglass Coven is a group of three hags, each one bound to an aspect of

Zuggtmoy Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

attack against a target that she designates.The Demon Queen of Fungi, Lady of Rot and Decay, Zuggtmoy is an alien creature whose only desire is to infect the living with spores, transforming them into her

that succeeds on this saving throw can’t be affected by this regional effect again for 24 hours. If Zuggtmoy dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType

Dyrrn

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

;s an illithid parasite living in my brain!” 2 “I can feel myself evolving into an aberration.” 3 “Aberrations are the only natural things.” 4 “A

part of me has become a conscious entity.” 5 “My opponents must bow down to a mind flayer!” 6 “Dyrrn and the mind flayers simply want to unite all sentient creatures in collective consciousness. And I receive messages from the group mind!” Poison, Psychic

Zuggtmoy

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Queen of Fungi, Lady of Rot and Decay, Zuggtmoy is an alien creature whose only desire is to infect the living with spores, transforming them into her mindless servants and, eventually, into

Vegetation. Vegetation within 1 mile of the lair becomes infested with parasitic fungi, slowly mutating as it is overwhelmed. If Zuggtmoy dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10

Valin Sarnaster

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

as the immortal heir of Savras’s realm. The Canopic Being came into her possession years ago, and an obsession with the dark rituals therein set the oracle on her present course. Valin has

effects; Valin can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row. Each undead creature in the lair can pinpoint the location of each living creature within 120 feet of it until initiative count 20

Juiblex

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

ooze, a noxious creature that doesn’t care about the plots and schemes of others of its kind. It exists only to consume, digesting and transforming living matter into more of itself. A true

, which is slick and sticks to anything that touches it. If Juiblex dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll"} days. Cultists of Juiblex The Faceless

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

them appear to be composed of living mist. Further details of a mist horror’s appearance are drawn from the fears of those within 100 feet of it. This might cause a mist horror to take on a form

that combines multiple fears when it encounters a group, like a wolf with snakes for eyes or a drowned giant that resembles an estranged parent. Mist horrors can’t persist for long outside the

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

given form by the fears of those they encounter. Mist horrors use the unspeakable horror stat block with the Malleable Mass body option, which makes them appear to be composed of living mist. Further

group, like a wolf with snakes for eyes or a drowned giant that resembles an estranged parent. Mist horrors can’t persist for long outside the Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType

Juiblex Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

others of its kind. It exists only to consume, digesting and transforming living matter into more of itself. A true horror, Juiblex is a mass of bubbling slime, swirling black and green, with glaring

regional effect again for 24 hours. If Juiblex dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll"} days. Madness of Juiblex If a creature goes mad in Juiblex

Zargon the Returner

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

, sacrificing their own to appease their so-called god. Appeased by these living offerings, Zargon returned to the tunnels beneath Cynidicea, where its cult grew.Zargon’s Lair Zargon’s lair

patterns that defy the region’s typical climate. If Zargon dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Regional Effect Fade Time"} days.Acid, PoisonCold, Fire; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Malleable Mass body option, which makes them appear to be composed of living mist. Further details of a mist horror’s appearance are drawn from the fears of those within 100 feet of it. This

might cause a mist horror to take on a form that combines multiple fears when it encounters a group, like a wolf with snakes for eyes or a drowned giant that resembles an estranged parent. Mist horrors

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

the fears of those they encounter. Mist horrors use the unspeakable horror stat block with the Malleable Mass body option, which makes them appear to be composed of living mist. Further details of a

mist horror’s appearance are drawn from the fears of those within 100 feet of it. This might cause a mist horror to take on a form that combines multiple fears when it encounters a group, like a

Nafas

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

circumstance, Nafas relies on adventurers—whom he considers the living manifestations of a wish granted—to respond to these calls. To friendly adventurers and weary travelers along the

destroy Nafas is to take his place. Nafas as a Patron In addition to linking the adventures in this book, you can use Nafas as a group patron (detailed in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything). In

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

fears of those they encounter. Mist horrors use the unspeakable horror stat block with the Malleable Mass body option, which makes them appear to be composed of living mist. Further details of a mist

horror’s appearance are drawn from the fears of those within 100 feet of it. This might cause a mist horror to take on a form that combines multiple fears when it encounters a group, like a wolf

Ancient Amethyst Dragon