Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Dragonhelm Jul 03, 2003 16:49:46	I thought I would start a new thread, as the thread on DL16 seems to be moving this direction. Kodragons are an interesting species of dragon, which are appealing to some and goofy to others. Certainly, their tie to the astral dragon does little to legitimize them. So, let's say we had the chance to redefine the kodragon to where it fit in Dragonlance better. What would you do? My initial thought is to have them be part of a group of dragonettes - miniature dragon-like creatures (i.e. fairy dragon, pseudo-dragon). I'm not quite sure what purpose they would serve, but that can be tackled later. From there, drop their connection with the astral dragons. They could be messengers of the gods instead, but I'd rather not go that direction. I could see taking an idea from the revised paladin, and allowing a kender PrC to summon one. Definitely, though, I can see a connection with kender and kodragons. So, what are your thoughts?
#2 ferratus Jul 03, 2003 17:36:57	Well, the first thing we would have to do is to define what exactly we want the kodragons to do. I myself like their abilities, because it makes them especially handy as wizard familiars, as I said. For a background, I would make them an extra-planar creature of some sort, able to summoned as an imp would be summoned. If that was the case, you'd think that they would serve much same roles in the celestial plane that the imps serve in the Abyssal realms. Messengers for powerful archangels, familiars for white robed mages, just a minor angel that does the little stuff. Which makes me wonder btw, about the connection between imps and Hiddukel. It is hinted that he is the master of them, yet we know that black robed mages use them as familiars. Did Nuitari and Hiddukel make a pact? What did Nuitari offer in return? Hmm... it is a terrible thing to contemplate. Which makes me wonder just how common interference on Krynn is with extra-planar creatures. We know the gods interfere with Krynn a lot, but in the novels they use humanoids and dragons. We know that they certainly exist. Takhisis favours Abashai in several sources, while we have the novel "Lord Toede" which features powerful demons such as Judith or Jugger. Raistlin fought against all manner of demons in the Abyss. Fistandantilus summoned one in his laboratory below Istar. However, what do they do all day in the Abyss? How free is their access to the material plane? Are sorcerers the only ones who can summon them, or do gods have angelic and fiendish agents hidden among the populace? Is it possible to have a creature with the half-fiend template? Which makes me wonder if we shouldn't have demons and angels custom made to the setting, in addition to the ones that we already have. Should we have "handmaidens of Takhisis" that look like Judith? What about drake archons resplendant with platinum scales? The Ghour Demon from Monsters of Faerun or that Bison-headed Demon from MM2 would be appropriate for Sargonnas' minions. Hmm... but back to Kodragons. If the problem with kodragons is that they are cute and cuddly but have the dragon name, then I guess we have to get rid of the name. I see them having much the same personalities as pseudodragons, so I don't really see how they are any more "cute and cuddly" than the other little dragon types are. However, what you rename them to? A derivative of Solinari's name like Solistel? If that's the case, maybe we need some tweaking of his breath weapon. What would an angelic servant, in the shape of a small dragon, be granted as a breath weapon or magical attack by Solinari? I'll have to think about that myself, but it definately interests me. For concept art, it would look much better with golden glowing eyes and frills (bone spurs, horns etc) and white scales.
#3 Granakrs Jul 06, 2003 2:08:03	Heh. well, I for one would keep the Astral dragon despite the fact a lot of people think them illegitimate. :-) High created Pherones, Ionthas created Dioneces. Paladine and Pherones created the metalic dragons. and dioneces created the chromatic dragons. Thereby every myth about dragons is true. the high god, chaos, paladine and takhisis all created draconians. :-) All clear, at least in my parallel dimension of Dragonlance. :-) Anyhoo, Why not keep kodragons as historians of the dragons. in over 9384 years, you'd bet there's been enough generations of dragons where even their oral history will be a bit skewed by personal preference and succeeding generations. Why not have Gilean (and thereby astinus) having his own set of dragons who are afterall, questing after knowledge and tend to stay out of the dragonwars between good and evil dragons. they only get involved when there's news to deliver to good, so that evil dragons may never truly gain the upper hand. We have an example where a green dragon is affected by exposure to gully dwarves and changes color from green to bronze(?) there might be the same concept where a dragon of true neutrality might be transformed into a kodragon from metallic or chromatic. Devoted to Gilean (and the neutral gods) they act as messengers for Them. kodragons are rarely seen because when it comes down to it, Neutral gods tend to stay out of meddling with the balance. how's that?