monsters starting with only admire family for led

Black Viper

Monsters Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

, Esvele gossips about the Black Viper's exploits to lend credence to the villain's mystique. The Rosznar family was convicted of slave trading — highly illegal in Waterdeep — and banished over a hundred

houses don't have skeletons in their closets. But just because of a little family squabble that went public, the Rosznar name has been said with a sneer for a century. As part of the family's constant

Rictavio

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, and van Richten has lived with the horror of his family’s destruction ever since. After destroying Baron Metus in turn, van Richten sought revenge against the Vistani and took up a life of

hunting evil monsters. The Waiting Game. Van Richten isn’t a young man anymore. He knows his road is coming to an end, but his work isn't done. He has come to Barovia to kill Strahd von Zarovich

Annis Hag

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

hag. Over time, “Granny” or “Grampy” convinces the child that it’s okay to do bad deeds—starting with breaking things or wandering without permission, then

graduating to pushing someone down the stairs or setting a house on fire. Eventually, the child’s terrified family and community face painful decisions of what to do about the seemingly remorseless

Girallon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of several individuals and their offspring, usually led by a dominant adult that also tends to be the oldest member of the group. When on the hunt away from their lair, girallons use roars and body

out across the world. Numerous creatures have tried to tame, subjugate, or cooperate with the monsters. For instance, some forest-dwelling peoples capture girallons and train them to serve as sentinels

Relentless Juggernaut

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Relentless killers come into being and undertake their terrifying sprees for a spectrum of reasons. When creating a relentless killer, consider what circumstances led to their transformation and

was left for dead and granted new life to seek revenge. 2 It was turned into a weapon of vengeance by a family member’s bargain with sinister forces. 3 It was marked by a fiend before

Relentless Slasher

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

relentless killer, consider what circumstances led to their transformation and signature methods. Roll or choose options from the Relentless Origins and Relentless Methods tables when creating your own

, unique monstrous slayers. Relentless Origins d6 Origin 1 It was left for dead and granted new life to seek revenge. 2 It was turned into a weapon of vengeance by a family member

Drow Matron Mother

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The drow uses Spellcasting.Among drow followers of Lolth, each noble house is led by a matron mother, an influential priestess of Lolth charged with carrying out the god

’s will while also advancing the interests of the family. Matron mothers embody the scheming and treachery associated with the Queen of Spiders. Each stands at the center of a vast conspiratorial web

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

marauding monsters and clashing armies; a blazing fire and a generous meal; fine drink and fine conversation. Though some halflings live out their days in remote agricultural communities, others form

Curious Halflings are an affable and cheerful people. They cherish the bonds of family and friendship as well as the comforts of hearth and home, harboring few dreams of gold or glory. Even adventurers

Folk Hero Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

tyrants and monsters that threaten the common folk everywhere. Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Survival Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools, vehicles (land

disaster. 3 I stood alone against a terrible monster. 4 I stole from a corrupt merchant to help the poor. 5 I led a militia to fight off an invading army. 6 I broke into a tyrant

Investigator

Backgrounds Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

d8 Case 1 A friend was wrongfully accused of murder. You tracked down the actual killer, proving your friend’s innocence and starting your career as a detective. 2 You’re

corpse. Ever since, other spectral clients have sought you out to help them find rest. 4 You revealed that the monsters terrorizing your home were illusions created by a cruel mage. The magic-user

Simic Scientist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

advancing civilization, nature needs some help from biomancers and terraformers. If, along the way, you happen to create super-soldiers and mutant monsters that can bolster the combine’s defenses

protection and durability 2 Fin Clade, focused on movement 3 Gyre Clade, focused on cyclical patterns and metamagic 4 Guardian Project, focused on creating guard monsters and super

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

standard circus-style acrobatics with fire, wrought-iron spikes and hooks, and monsters. You can roll a d8 or choose from the options in the Performance Options table to determine your preferred

. Flaws d6 Flaw 1 My family is prominent in another guild. I enjoy my wild life, but I don’t want to embarrass them. 2 I couldn’t hide my emotions and opinions

Fisher

Backgrounds Ghosts of Saltmarsh

You have spent your life aboard fishing vessels or combing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with your kin to feed your village

work ethic, and they admire others who earn their living honestly. Fishers tend to be superstitious, forming attachments to particular fishing lures or special fishing spots. They have a connection

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

number of personal choices or ill-fated circumstances might have led you to turn away from society. You may, if you wish, choose or roll an origin event from the Hermit Origins table. d8 Life

of Seclusion 1 You led an ill-fated expedition into the Riverveins. Your friends were swept away by flooding, and you’ve never been able to shake the guilt of causing their deaths over

Azorius Functionary

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

mage in service of the guild. 3 I joined the Azorius hoping to impress an arrester whom I admire. 4 My former mentor is now a warden at Udzec, the new Azorius prison. 5 I was second

see me slip up and break the law. 5 A lesser Gruul chieftain seems to think I could be useful. 6 The black sheep of my family is putting their maniacal genius to use in the Izzet. 7

Uthgardt Tribe Member

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

among the people as living embodiments of his power. Perhaps they needed a reminder of who they were and from whence they came. The Chosen of Uthgar led bands back to the old ways, and most of your people

Uthgardt stands for. Outlander d8 Personality Trait 1 I’m driven by a wanderlust that led me away from home. 2 I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of

Bugbear Legacy

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

commands to the severed heads to wake Hruggek if any danger threatens him. Bugbears admire the qualities of both brothers. Because of Hruggek, they consider bravery and physical superiority to be their

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

affairs of other guilds is a great way to get squashed like a bug. (Neutral) Bonds d6 Bond 1 I cherish the finger of a family member who was petrified by a

me for turning the tide. 6 An Izzet scientist resents that I sold a scrapped invention I found in the sewer. 7 My undercity explorations led me into an Orzhov vault, and a spirit thinks I

Hired by Markos's Family

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

concerned about Markos and fear his recent studies have led him down a troubled path. One of Markos’s family members hires the characters to travel to Delphi Mansion and stop Markos from doing anything that

Hired by Markos’s Family Shortly after Markos stole The Celestial Codex from the library of Vasil Talistrome, the incident was reported to Markos’s wealthy family. Several family members are

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

out while still getting decent performance out of the slaves. But humanoids and monsters that are especially capable or that provide unusual services find themselves treated like favored (though

with goblins for at least as long as humans have worked with dogs and horses, and in goblin society those two animals serve similar purposes. Family Matters A goblin tribe is organized in a four

Initiative Legacy

Rules

rolls for monsters.Surprise. If a combatant is surprised by combat starting, that combatant has Disadvantage on their Initiative roll. For example, if an ambusher starts combat while hidden from a

foe who is unaware that combat is starting, that foe is surprised.Initiative Order. A combatant's check total is called their Initiative count, or Initiative for short. The DM ranks the combatants, from

Cult of the Black Earth

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

from the earth — directly or indirectly. In areas where the influence of Elemental Evil takes hold, animals and monsters that live or burrow in the ground accept the cultists as allies. Creatures

such as ankhegs or bulettes, normally too stupid and ravenous to be trained, submit to the will of the Black Earth. The monsters allow themselves to be herded or ridden into battle against the enemies of

Starting Equipment

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

Starting Equipment When you create your character, you receive equipment based on a combination of your class and background. Alternatively, you can start with a number of gold pieces based on your

class and spend them on items from the lists in this chapter. See the Starting Wealth by Class table to determine how much gold you have to spend. You decide how your character came by this starting

Keranos's Villains

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

dangerous prophecies without regard for loss of life. If you want to pit the characters against a morally gray antagonist who might have some traits or qualities that they admire, Keranos and his

. Keranos’s Monsters Keranos is associated with creatures that act as extensions of his volatile temper or his sudden, blinding insights. Adventures that bring characters into conflict with Keranos’s

Chapter 4: Castle Ravenloft

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

Chapter 4: Castle Ravenloft Castle Ravenloft was built atop the ruin of an older fortress by artisans, wizards, and workers loyal to Strahd’s family. Strahd rewarded the castle’s genius architect

its entirety. Map 1 on the poster shows a diagram of the castle’s face, and the other maps show the castle’s interior and exterior areas. All those locations are described in this chapter, starting in

To the Goldwarren

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

venturing into the tunnels, but he truly wants to help those trapped within. He also hates the idea of Kirina starting the search effort without him. Unless the characters have other pressing business in

the city, Simbon calls for a coach to convey them there. He opposes any talk of breaking into Kedjou’s quarters or harming the high priest, both of which would be scandals for Simbon’s family.

Dead Adventurers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

Dead Adventurers If the characters recount the horrors of Delphi Mansion to Markos’s family, the family makes arrangements to rid the mansion of any remaining monsters. The bodies of adventurers who

Character Backgrounds

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Phylunds are a Tashlutar family that captures and sells monsters. Monsters that can’t be trained as pets or guard beasts are sold to arenas or harvested for their meat, bones, and skins. The Phylunds

background from the Player’s Handbook or the Waterdavian noble background from the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. House Amcathra. The Amcathras are a Tethyrian family that specializes in horse breeding

Cult of the Obelisk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Henlifel. Ontharyx abandoned his family to follow the malign whispers that led him to the obelisk. Ontharyx’s sons have come with a few retainers to see whether they can talk some sense into their father. These drow are in Talhundereth’s reading room (area T14) and might parlay with the characters.

individuals they find in Talhundereth and feed them to the encephalon cluster as sacrifices to their strange god—if the gemmules don’t eat the captives first. The Cult of the Obelisk is led by Ontharyx

Mercenary Veteran

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

operate up and down the Sword Coast and throughout the North. Most are small-scale operations that employ a dozen to a hundred folk who offer security services, hunt monsters and brigands, or go to war in

sort looking for a fresh start and a new family among the bold Bloodaxes. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, PersuasionTool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, vehicles (land

Introduction

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

Introduction It’s good to be the Dungeon Master! Not only do you get to tell fantastic stories about heroes, villains, monsters, and magic, but you also get to create the world in which these stories

&D tabletop roleplaying game. If you haven’t played before, the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set is a great starting point for new players and DMs. These rules have two important companions: the Player’s

Madame Samira Arah

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

Madame Samira Arah Madame Samira Arah (neutral, elf spy) joined the Kings of Coin within the last year. She was the chosen heir of the King of Coin she replaced but not part of their family (an

best.” Ideal. “Someone must always command. Why not the one with the most ambition?” Bond. “The common folk are sheep to be led, and I am the capable shepherd.” Flaw. “Why should I settle for less than everything?”

Tragedy

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

of the ghost’s crimes. 5 In life, the ghost was cut off by family members and denied a rightful inheritance. 6 The ghost refuses to acknowledge any living heirs as family members and tries

society. 9 In life, the ghost’s efforts to do good led them to be cursed by a hag, fiend, or powerful spirit. 10 The ghost foils their victim’s efforts to do good.

Frody Dartwild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

see, Frody died almost a month ago. Everyone in town attended his funeral. Now, he’s crawled from his grave and returned to the cabin where he was born and where he spent his childhood. The family that

owns the cabin now is out of sorts, to say the least. The family that lives there—a father, a mother, and their three daughters—is staying with neighbors until this grave matter is resolved. The

Knowledge of Kalaman

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

province of Nightlund. Ancient Bastion. Kalaman is a thriving trade city known for its strong walls, castle, and harbor beacons, all of which predate the Cataclysm. Rulers. The city is led by a

governor, a council of prominent guild leaders, and a military marshal. Military. Kalaman maintains a significant military force to deter raiders from Estwilde and monsters from the Dargaard Mountains. Vingaard Port. The city sits at the mouth of the Vingaard River, about thirty miles downriver from Vogler.

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