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Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 2: Dragonlance Creatures
monstrous creatures that live in the frozen wastes, thanoi are adept hunters. In addition to their tusks, they use harpoons on long ropes that they can quickly reel back. Groups of thanoi hunters work
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
collect along the Tartyx River and reclaiming wayward souls that try to slip back to the mortal world. This means lampads are most often spotted in graveyards, crumbling crypts, and tunnels that bore
mind the cycles of nature, the daily interplay of wild animals, or other cosmic forces. Occasionally, though, groups of the same kind of nymphs congregate in a place of natural power or beauty. In times
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
volcanoes, where they caper among the forces of dissolution and rebirth. During avalanches and volcanic eruptions, groups of oreads might race ahead of the destruction, dancing, singing, and doing what
they can to maximize the impending devastation.
Honor Among Fey. Hearkening back to some ages-old conflict, oreads refuse to knowingly destroy any land inhabited by another nymph. While they won't work
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
wereraven polymorphs into a raven–humanoid hybrid or into a raven, or back into its humanoid form. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing
refer to their tightly knit groups as kindnesses. A kindness of wereravens usually numbers between seven and twelve individuals. Not surprisingly, wereravens get along well with ravens and often hide
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
tirelessness, which makes them exceptional guards. In the necropoleis, this sees many Returned employed as sentries, though they might also be messengers or laborers. If threatened, groups of these Returned
work well together, sharing the unified goals of overcoming their foes and getting back to the task at hand.
Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their
Gith
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
servitude. But after they won their freedom, two factions among the gith disagreed on what kind of civilization they would forge. That disagreement quickly flared into open hostility, and the two groups
to plunder the Material Plane and other worlds, bringing treasures and slaves back to their ageless realm. At the same time, they hunt down and kill mind flayers whenever possible, as recompense for
Kenku
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within
groups called flocks. A flock is led by the oldest and most experienced kenku with the widest store of knowledge to draw on, often called Master.
Although kenku can’t create new things, they have
Bugbear
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
.
Gang Mentality
Since bugbears aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The
in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back.
Blessings of the Bugbear Gods
Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
path. As the DM, you can decide where the characters encounter each of these groups. These encounters are meant to be run separately, although running two encounters back-to-back with no chance for the
Cathedral Assault Four groups of devils and their allies are moving through the cathedral. These groups are spread out to cause as much havoc as possible, and have orders to kill everyone in their
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
government. The true rulers of the nation conduct business in the offices of faceless mercantile ventures and the back rooms of avant-garde clubs. The commoners of Levkarest glimpse this world of toxic
souls before it comes to fruition. Yet despite its ties to heroes and vast lore, the society finds its numbers dwindling. (See “Other Groups” later in this chapter for details.)
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen
encircling groups of guards, but they haven’t organized an attack. Nighthill thinks the raiders don’t intend to attack the keep; they seem interested only in loot. The real danger is to the town and to those
people who didn’t make it into the keep before it was cut off. Nighthill wants the characters to slip back into the town and help people who are cut off or harass the raiders. A stealthy group can make it out of the keep and back in again without drawing the raiders’ attention.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
encircling groups of guards, but they haven’t organized an attack. Nighthill thinks the raiders don’t intend to attack the keep; they seem interested only in loot. The real danger is to the town and to those
people who didn’t make it into the keep before it was cut off. Nighthill wants the characters to slip back into the town and help people who are cut off or harass the raiders. A stealthy group can make it out of the keep and back in again without drawing the raiders’ attention.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen
’ best shot at rescuing the townsfolk is to overpower Group C and take control of the back door. In the temple, they can arrange a distraction to keep Groups A and B occupied at the front while the
, with other worship areas arranged around it. Foes The force outside the temple is split into three groups. One (A) is battering at the front doors, another (B) is circling the temple in a screeching
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
’ best shot at rescuing the townsfolk is to overpower Group C and take control of the back door. In the temple, they can arrange a distraction to keep Groups A and B occupied at the front while the
, with other worship areas arranged around it. Foes The force outside the temple is split into three groups. One (A) is battering at the front doors, another (B) is circling the temple in a screeching
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Other Groups Representatives of various organizations have their own reasons for exploring the Mists and might be encountered in multiple domains. Church of Ezra Pious souls in various domains pray
knights venture back to the Shadowlands with evidence of their victories, often carrying evil back to their homeland. The knights of the Circle regularly provide bold—and ill-fated—assistance to other
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy
means of providing hints and guidance. If the characters get over their heads in a fight, Petty Officer Ryeback can back them up at range, using his musket. He uses the giff stat block (see “Creature
four basic food groups: beans, bacon, whiskey, and lard. He’s raucous and brash and gives bear hugs so good you think he might break a rib (but in a good way). His gray skin is usually coated with
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
Back in Waterdeep The most powerful factions of the Sword Coast all recognize the significance of Tiamat’s possible return, and they are willing to cooperate with each other to prevent it. Trust
doesn’t come easily for these disparate groups. But even for orders and organizations that have been in conflict in the past, the “enemy of my enemy” is easily understood. To coordinate their efforts
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
for the Ring of Winter. If the characters make their way back to civilization with Artus in tow, they should encounter one or more of these groups along the way. Valindra Shadowmantle and the Red
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands
City of Doors. Some sages track the existence and spread of humans back to Sigil itself, rather than to a deity or its creations. Various factions handle the day-to-day governance of Sigil, enforcement
of laws, and maintenance of civic infrastructure. These groups each follow a philosophy inspired by a cosmic aspect of the multiverse, and they actively recruit visitors and citizens into their ranks
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal
combination of a few drinks and the crowd’s encouragement induces some folk to pay for a brief trip down into Undermountain. Most folk pay in advance for a ride down and immediately back up, though a few
ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the dungeon. Few such ill-prepared parties ever return. Groups seeking to enter Undermountain for a specific reason generally come to the tavern
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat
Back in Waterdeep The most powerful factions of the Sword Coast all recognize the significance of Tiamat’s possible return, and they are willing to cooperate with each other to prevent it. Trust
doesn’t come easily for these disparate groups. But even for orders and organizations that have been in conflict in the past, the “enemy of my enemy” is easily understood. To coordinate their efforts
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
. Each group has its own front, middle, and back ranks.
The drawback to this approach is that the party will be split into several smaller groups in the event of an attack. The advantage is that a small
are the closest to those enemies when a fight breaks out. A character might occupy the front rank, one or more middle ranks, or the back rank. Characters in the front and back ranks need enough room
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
. Each group has its own front, middle, and back ranks.
The drawback to this approach is that the party will be split into several smaller groups in the event of an attack. The advantage is that a small
are the closest to those enemies when a fight breaks out. A character might occupy the front rank, one or more middle ranks, or the back rank. Characters in the front and back ranks need enough room
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons
the characters for that job. To secure the sally port, characters must battle through two groups of foes. The first fight occurs against three acolytes, three kobolds, and one ambush drake (see
infiltrators trying to fight its way back outside. If characters barricade the door with barrels or other heavy objects while awaiting repairs, they might hold off attackers until the repairs are finished and avoid this fight entirely. Rewards Award standard XP for defeated foes.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
reporting back to the party’s patron. Substitute Player. With the absent player’s consent, have another player run the missing player’s character, or run the character yourself if you feel you can do so
same XP that the other characters earned each session, keeping the group at the same level. Some groups like to work out a policy regarding how many missing players is too many to proceed. For example
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen
the characters for that job. To secure the sally port, characters must battle through two groups of foes. The first fight occurs against three acolytes, three kobolds, and one ambush drake (see
infiltrators trying to fight its way back outside. If characters barricade the door with barrels or other heavy objects while awaiting repairs, they might hold off attackers until the repairs are finished and avoid this fight entirely. Rewards Award standard XP for defeated foes.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
Maerin The characters can use the hand-drawn sketch in the back on the book to determine their starting point. The town of Maerin is the most likely stopover before attempting the trip into the
-thinking groups. Either Lukas or Astra in Maerin mentions this possibility in passing, if needed, though neither claims any knowledge of where to find the rightful owners.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
hostility, and the two groups distanced themselves from one another to pursue their separate agendas. They remain bitter enemies today, each side willing to fight to the death whenever they cross
Plane, they send raiders out to plunder the Material Plane and other worlds, bringing treasures and slaves back to their ageless realm. At the same time, they hunt down and kill mind flayers whenever
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monstrous Compendium Volume Two
reel back. Groups of thanoi hunters work together to take down monsters far larger than themselves, including remorhazes and white dragons.
Thanoi Hunter
Medium Monstrosity, Any Alignment
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Investigative Services in Warden Towers, and Globe Information Agency in Dragon Towers. Your party might be associated with any of these groups, or you might operate your own affiliated agency. In any
, who has confessed.
Allies. While the Finders’ Guild’s greatest strength is its internal connections, it lacks many strong allies beyond House Tharashk’s holdings. That said, the following groups
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Wizardly Groups Many wizardly groups exist in the Forgotten Realms, but two, in particular, stand out. The Red Wizards The most infamous group of wizards in the Realms are the Red Wizards of Thay
wealth that can flow back to Thay. The power the Red Wizards hold in Thay gives them a measure of diplomatic legitimacy in the lands of the Sword Coast and the North, but their presence is rarely welcome
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
retroactively spend it or are quick enough to award it before any rolls. This approach works best for groups that want to focus on immersion and player agency, where the DM steps back and gives the players
inspiration. Roleplaying. Using inspiration to reward roleplaying is a good place to start for most groups. Reward a player with inspiration when that player causes his or her character to do something that
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
: Common Foes. The Heralds of the Comet (see chapter 12) identify both the characters and the Solar Bastion as threats and begin stirring up public sentiment against both groups. A knight of the Solar
characters to help protect the local populace from these haunted riders and follow the riders back to their lair. Sleeping Village. The characters come to a village where everyone is asleep—except Theira
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
one of the most powerful monsters, and you can include multiple copies of weaker monsters so they’re more likely to be encountered. Groups. A group is a collection of creatures that might be
encountered together. Identical creatures always form a group, but you can also form groups using other criteria. A group might be based on a shared creature type, such as Undead or Fiend, or might consist of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a1
of kobolds has recently moved in to challenge the goblins’ ownership of the fortress. Both groups are skirmishing as they vie for control, and they’re not overly concerned about the possibility of
fall back to take a long rest before dealing with the leaders of an attacked community allow the creatures time to make preparations. Alerted monsters reinforce cleared rooms with forces previously






