It lists:
Names
CR
Status (Living, Dead, Undead, or Missing)
Gender
Color
Lair and Domain.
I was wondering if anyone had any sources of dragons in RL that they could post here in that format or even ones you have personally made.
As noted above, "real" dragons just don't seem to show up in the setting.
A few reasons why I can think of the rarity. It adds to the mythology and legends, which makes them more epic in scale. With RL I would think a race such as dragons would fit in well, they represent the absolute top of the food chain elemental wise since they are attuned to them by their color for the metalics and chromatics. The primal forces of the elements are huge and unpredictable, much like dragons, in RL. Not to say they should be everywhere, I just think it was an great over site in excluding dragons in the Lands of Dread. I do like the Mist type for dragons, I work on that a bit and post my results.
In fact, the most likely way a dragon would arrive in RL would be as Darklord, and then probably one that had its powers vastly curtailed as part of its curse.
Apparently he then traveled the breadth of Ravenloft for 20 years until he settled in Martira Bay and probably forgot who he was following and why due to Darkon's special power. He also apparently got level drained severely as he had 10 levels on the trading card and has only 8 levels in the latest 3E mention in Gazetteer2 (which also falsely lists him as Brd8, which was probably meant to be Brb8. I'd make him a middle aged Brb4/Ftr4 or Brb2/Ftr4/Frenzied Berserker2)
So assuming that the Youth was only a wyrmling when entering Ravenloft there's now a young gold dragon with a mission loose in semi-canon Ravenloft. (I'd make him a young gold dragon Avenger1) As gold dragons can shapechange into humans (and animals) the young dragon probably spent most of his time in human shape. Now when he enters Darkon in pursuit of Hoelgar, Darkon's memory modification power will set in. Would he then perhaps forget that he is a dragon ?
Now when he enters Darkon in pursuit of Hoelgar, Darkon's memory modification power will set in. Would he then perhaps forget that he is a dragon ?
Probably. Von Kharkov forgot he'd once been a panther when he lived in Darkon.
Good catch, Thanael!
Probably. Von Kharkov forgot he'd once been a panther when he lived in Darkon.
Von Kharkov forgot he was a panther when the magician first changed him from a great cat to a human. That's why he freaked out when he was changed back into a panther and slew his lover, then was changed into a human again. I think Azalin exempted Kharkov from the memory drain just to torture him with the truth.
IIRC, Azalin didn't gain conscious control over the memory-drain effect until recently, long after Von Kharkov had left for his own domain. Up until his post-Requiem return, Azalin would've had to tamper with Von Kharkov's biography in Castle Avernus to restore the panther-man's memories ... not to say the lich might not have done so (just to be a stinker), then let the guy's memories vanish yet again.
either they are at 1) the center of an entire plot, as in a campaign. 2)Hidden in background folklore (and the truth is decided by the DM) or 3) involved in their own plots from wich the pcs know nothing about. Or finally,4) they live in a special domain where their own power is either curtailed or left in check by another powerful force
That said to continue my opinion, I don't believe the darklord is the most powerful force in a given domain per say (to this case I point to Ivana Boritsi and Ivan Dylisnya, who in all respects are quite weak even for what lives in their domains, another example would be Dominic D'Honaire as an aristocrat).
To me the Darklord is rather the evil force by wich the domain was formed in this respect, the domain suits the darklord, wether or not other inhabitants have more personal power. Remember, a domain is a prison and in that respect, having a more powerful force present in the domain that the darklords has to contend with contributes to the Xenophobia of a darklord and the feeling of imprisonement.
That's not to say that darlords aren't powerful but that their influence over the domain is often very subtle and in this respect Ravenloft gives victory to cunning, guile and preparation rather the crushing everything by pure force.
To get back on topic. With that said, I think a few dragons in Ravenloft fits well with the horror gothic theme. Wether a knight sent by a mad king in a suicidal attempt to slay a dragon that might not even be real (Nidala anyone?), or as an agent of the power center of the domain (Ebb the shadow dragon). Dragons evoque awe, terror, dark majesty and more. with that remembered. Ebb fits well into Darkons more traditional DnD lanscape as a monster in the background that few have seen, even fewer known the truth but all hold in fear... and to Azalin, one of the few creatures he can relate to on a more equal level without being an enemy.
I think a few more dragons in Ravenloft (and when few, I mean few) could benefit Ravenloft. Perhaps Banemaw could exists as a dormant red dragon that rises every few centuries to feed/search for a mate/whatever. In this sense, he's real but nobody currently alive in the domain has ever seen him. Elena Faithold found proof he exists somewhere but even she has never seen the great wyrm. And worse she knows that when the wyrm rises from it's lair that she's goind to be faced not just with a force she can't possibly conquer but more importantly she will be faced with her own deluded faith, hypocrisy, etc.
Now she uses him as an excuse to her rule.
Think of a scene where Faith Hold dressed in battle armor faces Banemaw in gloomy forested vale
Elana: Prepare to feel the righteous light of Belenus foul wyrm!
Banemaw yawns with amusement an stretches his crimson wings to full majesty
Banemaw: Oh, I've been ready to face the justice of the Gods of light long before you damned this cursed land long long ago. Fortunetly, you aren't an agent of the god of light. You're nothing more then a deluded fanatic turned to wrath, violence and hate that is now sucking the very soul of the people you have deluded youself into believing you are protecting.
Elana: Liar!, Deceiver, you're twisted tongues mean nothing to me! I serve Belenus!
Elana charges the wyrm, who effortlessly bats her aside with his tail and and traps her under a massive paw
Banemaw: It's even worse, because, I'm the only one keeping the population from rebelling against you're corrupt rule. Funny thing too, till a few weeks ago, none of the peasants who feared me so had even seen me, and none before even their great-grand parents had even known a time when I flew across the land. Weep Elana, because, once the fear of me is gone, then you will die torn appart by the very peasants you pretend to protect. I'm going to fly back to my lair now, and you...Well you'll do as you've doing ever since Belenus turned his face from you. On my way I think I'll devour a village or two before boing back to sleep. Taataa Elana Stranglehold!
the wyrm flies of in search for food before going back to his lair to sleep away a few more centuries. Elana, alone, pathetic, weeps at the truth she tried to no success to supress for so long. The following day, the populace suffers even more under her anger in another deluded religgious edict...
See a dragon could offer a lot to a domain in used properly. In fact I think after that I'm feeling inspired enough to create a few dragons of my own for Ravenloft.
Keep you're hopes up I might post 1 or 2 in a couple of days:D
Did I mention that Hoelgar has a (Gold) Dragon Slayer greatsword on the '93 card. This is far more powerful than a simple 3E dragon bane weapon, doing (in 2E) double damage to dragons (which would translate to the 3E bane property), but triple damage to gold dragons. Hoelgar would of course have forgotten even that. Bleak House mentions that he has an extensive weapon collection but doesn't mention the sword specifically, which fits with that. Perhaps his collecting comes from a subconcious wish to regain his lost sword, or mayhap he's searching for the Silver Blade...
Now if one or both of these weapons were intelligent, that would add a whole new dimension to the story. This could also explain how a mere 10th level Berserk with his gang can kill a whole brood of gold dragons. This leads to an interesting question: Do intelligent weapons fall under Darkon's curse too?
Here's what I have so far:
1. a dragon vampire in Nova Vaasa.
2. a folkloric fey land linnorm trapped in an enchanted sleep in Tepest.
3. Hoelgar, his sword, and the young gold dragon in Darkon (the biggest problem is justifying Hoelgar's killing of an entire gold dragon family at his original level given the mechanical upgrade in power to dragons from 2nd to 3rd ed.)
4. A fossilized dracolich trapped in the rocks of Lamordia.
5. A white dragonbone knorr "ghost ship."
As far as epic dragons go (whether through age advancement or template additions), I try to find a way to make them an "impending threat" scenario where they're currently "harmless" but if conditions are met or not met, they will become very dangerous.
It should be noted that with beings like Strahd, Azalin, and Arijani, evil dragons entering RL would not automatically get their own pocket domain. Flavorwise, I've always felt that shadow dragons are the most appropriate species to be native to RL, hence I like the fact of Ebb, Gloom, and their clutch.
3. Hoelgar, his sword, and the young gold dragon in Darkon (the biggest problem is justifying Hoelgar's killing of an entire gold dragon family at his original level given the mechanical upgrade in power to dragons from 2nd to 3rd ed.)
Exactly. 3E Hoelgar is almost outmatched with a (very) young gold dragon already. Even in 2E, killing a bunch of gold dragons at level 10 with his cronies is a stretch. The Frenzied Berserker prestige class and his supposed level loss (he was CR 10 when he slew them) help little. I also imagine he had a rather large band of compatriots. But what would drive such people even attempt to kill a whole brood of dragons?
I think the key is his sword. A gold dragon slayer greatsword is a very powerful weapon in 2E. It's conversion to 3E is the key point in upping the power level. I say make it intelligent and with a purpose to kill (golden or good) dragons. This would be the motivating force and the real villain to be snatched up by the mists. The silver blade is then of course a counterpart to it and should probably also be intelligent but not as powerful.
Besides Banemaw, or any other dragons that have been called into being by darklords, I remember I have read bits and pieces about a dragon here and there.All that other stuff you mention seems to be fan-stuff.
I think there was a shadow dragon in Strahd's stable in one of the adventures.
ebb and Gloom were mentioned......and a few others might or might not really exist.
I'm for a dracolich, Shadow dragon darklord, ghost dragon being in ravenloft somewhere.......and I'm for some manifestation of Elena's dragon.
But i think the regular metalic/chromatic dragons don't really belong.
I think the key is his sword. A gold dragon slayer greatsword is a very powerful weapon in 2E. It's conversion to 3E is the key point in upping the power level. I say make it intelligent and with a purpose to kill (golden or good) dragons. This would be the motivating force and the real villain to be snatched up by the mists. The silver blade is then of course a counterpart to it and should probably also be intelligent but not as powerful.
Great minds think alike. I had already considered the sword (so far, a unholy dragonbane); I am currently looking at the intelligent weapons and special purpose tables, but the problem there is that the weapon will effectively be more appropriate for someone that's near level 20 than near level 10 (from what I've seen so far, as is, straight with no RL tweaks). Instead of the frenzied berserker PC, I chose the dragonslayer PC from Draconomicon. I haven't really detailed the young dragon yet beyond just some stats. The whole premise of my project is a series of letters to the Twins from an outlander covering the assorted dragons, dragon-like, or dragon-related things of RL and some possible limitations within RL, if any. Also included will be some design notes on what inspired the particular dragon.
I just finished a shadow fey arak that takes a dragon form and has failed one power check and I'm currently looking at the kobolds (specifically, the Basilisk) and wyverns of Falkovnia.