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Returning 35 results for 'setting of runes dread variant'.
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
Master will determine how long it takes to get where you need to go. In return for your free passage, you and your companions are expected to assist the crew during the voyage.
Variant Sailor: Pirate
You spent your youth under the sway of a dread pirate, a ruthless cutthroat who taught you how to survive in a world of sharks and savages. You’ve indulged in larceny on the high seas and sent
Monsters
Candlekeep Mysteries
with her.Three Green Hag (Coven Variant);green hags named Dread Morgan, Vile Sazha, and Auntie Greenbones were once rivals who dwelled in an area of the Feywild coterminous with the High Forest. A
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
the Gray Wavers—the Flaming Fist harbor guards—and have a sense of how to operate the city’s mechanized cranes.
Variant Sailor: Pirate
You spent your youth under the sway of a
dread pirate, a ruthless cutthroat who taught you how to survive in a world of sharks and savages. You’ve indulged in larceny on the high seas and sent more than one deserving soul to a briny grave
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Ravenloft Setting Models What domains compose the Ravenloft setting is up to you. The Domains of Dread have no definitive map or proscribed orientation for how they relate to one another. This allows
you to shape the setting however best serves your adventures. Consider the following setting models for how you might use the Domains of Dread or use your favorite elements from multiple domains
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
constructed on illusions and impossibilities. Should characters realize the surreality of the setting, those revelations only create a stronger sense of existential dread and suggest greater questions
setting. Most adventures won’t engage with these forces, but that doesn’t prevent characters and Darklords from seeking to learn about them, particularly as a means to escape the Domains of Dread
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Introduction Domains of Dread The Mists reach from the darkest shadows of the multiverse, condemning the wicked and the brave to endless nightmares as prisoners of the Domains of Dread. These grim
netherworlds compose the Ravenloft setting and are horrific backdrops for Dungeons & Dragons adventures steeped in fear. In these haunted realms, adventurers might oppose villainous Darklords, seek escape from the Mists, or experience any terrifying adventure you can imagine. Dustin Panzino
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Creating Domains of Dread Ravenloft is a place where your nightmares can run wild, where anything you can imagine in moments of dread or despair can come to frightful life among the Mists. The
setting as a whole is made up of countless isolated domains, each one a perfect expression of a particular flavor of the macabre. Creating your own domain allows you to blend legendary evils, unexpected
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
most wicked beings from across ages and worlds within inescapable, mist-shrouded domains. These are the Domains of Dread, the nightmare demiplanes that form the D&D setting of Ravenloft. Untold terrors
lurk within these lands, yet the collection of the Dark Powers is far from complete. This chapter provides information for the DM and explores the misty truths of the Domains of Dread, along with a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
The Doomed Domain Unlike domains that feature claustrophobic, tightly themed horror, Darkon provides a setting for a horror-tinged quest with the highest possible stakes. The specifics of such a
campaign involve the characters engaging with a handful of elements: fate, hope, allies, rivals, dread, and a campaign climax. Use this section to generate an outline for a campaign focused on the doom of an entire domain.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Secrets of Ravenloft Untold mysteries pervade the Domains of Dread, but these truths underpin the setting: 1: Ravenloft Is Malleable. The domains of Ravenloft are disconnected demiplanes. They don’t
the Dark Powers manipulate the Domains of Dread. Unknowable and omnipotent, the Dark Powers torment their captives for unfathomable reasons. 3: Domains Imprison Darklords. Each of Ravenloft’s
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Domain Details To reinforce the types of horror your adventures explore and give domains their own malicious personalities, consider these setting elements. Sylvain Sarrailh Those who enter the
and the personification of the domain’s terrors. Familiar Ground Every Domain of Dread takes inspiration from stories within its related genres. Embrace this. Including tropes from your favorite
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Setting the Adventure Use the following suggestions to help contextualize Shankhabhumi in a wider world: Through the Radiant Citadel. Characters traveling from the Radiant Citadel arrive just outside
between the continents of Khorvaire and Xen’drik. Alternatively, it could be a hidden nation in Xen’drik, east of Dread Lake. Forgotten Realms. Shankhabhumi might be found in the jungles south of the Shining Sea, near Chult, or as its own island west of Lantan.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Talismans: Effigy of Great Cthulhu, starmetal rod or amulet with eldritch runes, sahuagin-tooth fishing lure
Aligned Tarokka Card: Bishop
Opposed Tarokka Card: Donjon
Pam Wishbow Hidden amid
the Domains of Dread lies a hideous realm defiant of reason and smothered by the Mists. From a violent, murky sea rises a crescent of shattered peaks, mangled spires broken like the jaws of some slain
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Nightmare Logic By the standards of what other worlds’ inhabitants consider true and sane, the Domains of Dread don’t make sense. The setting’s domains don’t neatly flow into one another, histories
don’t record a collectively remembered past, fictions spawn terrible facts, and sheltered villagers remain stubbornly ignorant about the world beyond. Ravenloft is a setting designed to cultivate
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
. Behir The behir lies in wait in this 50-foot-high cavern, its muscled, serpentine body woven through the stalagmites. Scars are carved into its hide in the form of arcane runes, placed there by
Halaster. The runes grant the behir the ability to use the following legendary actions. Legendary Actions
The behir can take three legendary actions, choosing from the options below. It can take only one
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Setting the Adventure Enchanted farmers attack Aunt Dellie on the streets of Promise Use the following suggestions to help contextualize Godsbreath in a wider world: Through the Radiant Citadel
distinctive agricultural bent to this rural dale. Ravenloft. All of Godsbreath could be a Domain of Dread. The Darklord of this domain might be a member of the family lost at Cradlelace Lake or the vengeful spirit of Culley.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
full of creatures that perfectly suit a storyline of supernatural horror. The most important element of such a campaign, though, isn’t covered by the rules. A dark-fantasy setting requires an
atmosphere of building dread, created through careful pacing and evocative description. Your players contribute too; they have to be willing to embrace the mood you’re trying to evoke. Whether you want to run
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
. The group enjoys the patronage of Yolande, the queen of Celene, and carries out missions on her behalf both in the Greyhawk setting (see chapter 5) and in the Feywild (see chapter 6). Prominent
setting, where an order of Wizards used him as a bootblack and scribe. He studied magic in secret until he amassed enough power to slaughter the order, and then he turned his efforts toward scribing
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Seven Secrets of Ravenloft Countless mysteries pervade the Domains of Dread, but these strange truths underpin the setting: Ez d’Avenir braves the Mists,
her path haunted by past
and future terrors
1. Ravenloft Is Not a World. The lands and characters of Ravenloft don’t share a planet. Rather, the Domains of Dread consist of innumerable demiplanes hidden amid the Plane of Shadow. Mysterious
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
Regarding Dragons Even with the suggested changes to the factions and locations, a key component of the Dragonlance setting is still missing: dragons! If you want to add a draconic influence to the
campaign, consider the following changes and additions. Draconic Influence In this variant, the Dragon Highlords are also interested in the power that the elemental nodes represent. They dispatch
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Ravenloft in Barovia—home of the notorious Strahd von Zarovich. In this mysterious setting, the land, the passage of time, the tides, and every other reliable truth can shift unpredictably. Rather than
being bound by proximity or politics, the lands of Ravenloft—also known as the Domains of Dread—are mist-bound islands drifting through the boundless gloom of the Shadowfell. Innumerable domains lie
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
create a new Domain of Dread and Darklord following the methods in chapter 4? Setting Mysteries The Domains of Dread function in unique ways, but if and how that matters is up to you. “Ravenloft
Setting Models” later in this chapter details ways to shape the setting to suit your adventures. Review that section and the following questions as you consider how the nature of the Domains of Dread might
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
Campaign Setting Just like an adventure’s setting (as described in chapter 4), a campaign setting is an essential part of a campaign’s premise, shaping the kinds of stories that unfold there. As the
DM, you have two options when choosing a campaign setting: Use a published campaign setting. Create your own campaign setting. Whether you create your own campaign setting or use a published one, the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Mabaran Resonator Storm Spire
This dread device draws on the power of Mabar, infusing the dead with the malign energy of the Endless Night. While it is active, any humanoid that dies within 2
consumes the magical energy around it. Conversely, a spell sink created by a mad artificer might be a massive vessel composed of dragonshards and exotic metals.
A variant device called the spell siphon
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
atmosphere of the adventure. Don’t consider fear a tactical disadvantage or something to be avoided. As part of playing a frightening game, you’re a participant in building and reinforcing a sense of dread
rules every time something frightening occurs, but your group might use them as a way to highlight individual fears and build an adventure’s overarching sense of dread. FROM THE MISTS OR BEYOND
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
book. With the House on Gryphon Hill, Barovia and Mordent paved the way for Ravenloft to become a vast and varied setting encompassing dozens of Domains of Dread.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
be big or small, but each family is a gerontocracy, with the oldest member ruling the roost. This elder has most of the responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling disputes, setting the course
Domains of Dread, where creatures born in darkness dwell. This “gift” was thrust upon them by mysterious entities called the Dark Powers, as a boon for their kindness toward strangers. The Vistani
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Adventures in Darkon Darkon presents a dystopian fantasy setting perfect for exploring the darker sides of familiar magic and monsters. Creatures such as dragons and beholders that might be ill
night hag Styrix has created a device called the Rift Spanner that she plans to use to escape the Domains of Dread. She just needs to transform a few hundred innocents into larvae to power it.
3 A
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Featured Domains The following sections explore some of the most notorious Domains of Dread. Each of these realms is a setting unto itself and might host adventures of your design. These featured
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
Chapter 5: Adventure Environments Many D&D adventures revolve around a dungeon setting. Dungeons in D&D include great halls and tombs, subterranean monster lairs, labyrinths riddled with death traps
harrowing journey into the jungles of the Isle of Dread can be an exciting adventure in its own right. In the great outdoors, dragons wheel across the sky in search of prey, tribes of hobgoblins pour forth
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
rules from chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook, your Dungeon Master might allow you to take a feat as a variant supernatural gift. You gain one feat of your choice. This list suggests twelve feats from
language and trace the patterns of Nyx in the written word. (Linguist)
The gods smile on me, but I dread the day when they withdraw their favor and my luck runs out. (Lucky)
As a child, I used to run
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
went on to inspire the creation of a campaign setting of the same name in 1990: Ravenloft, home of the Domains of Dread.
Module I6: Ravenloft, written by Tracy and Laura Hickman, broke new ground by
adventure gives glimpses into that world. In time, cursed Barovia was torn from its home world by the Dark Powers and bound in mist as one of the Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell.
This book is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
of Borcan high society, each family is expected to host at least two formal balls, banquets, or other extravagances annually. These events provide the setting for intrigues, politics, business
, the Dark Powers gathered them both into the Domains of Dread. Generally, though, Ivana and Ivan have little to do with one another. Their homes occupy opposite ends of the domain, and their interests
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Cultural Specifics As you develop your domain, consider the culture and how it emerges from this tragic setting. What might be most unsettling for the Darklord: if the culture is one with familiar
out. These details can fade into the background as your adventures focus on more exciting threats, or you can highlight the cosmic dread that declares, yes, this place doesn’t make sense at all, yet it
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
of true faith. Ultimately, any deity from the Player’s Handbook or any other setting might find followers among the Domains of Dread. By the same token, the Dark Powers breathe life into the beliefs
Life in the Domains of Dread The realities of the Domains of Dread seem strange or impossible to individuals from other worlds, but for those who live among the Mists, they’re facts of life. With no