A few days ago SptJanly started a thread on "official" dragons in Ravenloft wich in the end amounted to nothing more then establishing that the only official dragons are Ebb and Gloom in Darkon...
Then I thought, how about if we worked together and created a few wyrms of our own to fit into Ravenloft, if only as a fun intellectual exercise on using dragons in Ravenloft.
That said, I'll start with a dragon of my own creation
All'razzar, the glacial terror
Type: Young Adult white dragon
Status: Mystery
Domain:: Barovia
The Legend: Few people in Barovia know this story and fewer know even an inkling of this fable outside of Barovia. Yet, to those who have heard it, the Balinoks appear even more terrible then ever. As the story goes from the words spoken around the fireplaces of Barovia. Travel around the Balinok's frozen peaks is most dangerous near late winter and early spring, apparently this is the time when terrible wyrm of ice and winter rises to hunt and feed on unwary travelers and whatever might be foolish enough to travel the lonely paths of the unforgiving mountains. Comforting however is the fact that according to the story, the wyrm never leaves the cold reaches of the mountains or attack in Barovia's warmer seasons. The story itself is actually a collection of other stories mostly surrounding travelers in the Balinoks and many quietly dismiss the story as superstition because no definite proof has ever been found of the dragon's existence.
The truth: Here is one occasion where folklore and truth are almost exactly the same. Al'razzar's story begins in Darkon when a his pregnant mother was brought by the mists in the wizard-king's domain. Al'razzar's mother had been a particularly agressive adult white dragon in her homeland who's lair had been destroyed by adventurers hired by the local lord to destroy her. She escaped if just long enough to find a younger mate (whom she promptly devoured after being impregnated in an act of playful cruelty). The wyrm's arrival in Ravenloft was barely noticed in that she wisely chose to wait till her brood was strong and fit before resuming her typical behavior.
The dragon had not escaped the notice of 3 of Darkon's darker denizens however: Azalin, Ebb and Gloom. The wizard-king had perceived enough of the pregnant's memories to anticipate the possibility that the white dragon mother might prove an indiscreet hinderance in the future. Cold and calculating as ever, the lich had also perceived that the 2 shadow dragons had also noticed an new draconic presence in the mountains of Madness where their own lair was hidden. To their credit, they would have destroyed the new rival had Azalin not ordered the dragons to stay their wrath till the white dragon had layed her eggs. Azalin saw the dragon's egg clutch as an opportunity for research and harvesting materials he had not had the chance to handle in centuries.
Shortly after the eggs were layed however, Ebb and Gloom attacked. Being more powerful, and more importanly more cunning, they slaughtered the dragon mother, disposited the dragons broken remains at Azalin's feet along with the dying egg clutch before returning to their own brood. Satisfied, Azalin returned to his own research,armed with the very rare components. And it seemed that the story would have ended there
One wyrmling had survived however, worse, Azalin had made sure of it, Al'razzar, the strongest of the females children who had hatched over a week before the rest. When the night dragons attacked, he wisely hid and fled as fast as his young body could muster. Hunting amongts the mountains and hiding from the Shadow dragons, Al'razzar taught itself how to fly, to hide and to survive without the guidance of a mother.
Then, when he grew confident enough, Al'razzar left Darkon for the Balinoks and established a small lair. There he remains to this day, hunting, growing and learning. To Al'razzar their is no place for revenge, his mother had never been there long enough for him to be attached to her. There was no place for hate; the two wyrms had only acted as any wyrm would have, to protect their territory. But their is place for caution and for fear, even in such young years, Al'razzar perceived that something had guided the wyrms to his mothers well hidden lair and now he lives in fear that that something might come searching for him. To Al'razzar, there is no place for boldness, needless agression or rage. Only caution and survival,the determination to survive even if this means to endlessly flee from hunters and pursuers.
So what do you guys think ?
If anybody has ideas for their own dragons, please, do post them here
Pretty interesting. He seems to be very philosophical for a white dragon (which is not necessarily a bad thing). It would be a great monkeywrench to throw at the players if they think that they're going after a typical feral white.
Not to mention the fact that he'd might be used as an unexpected ally involving Ebb and Gloom or Darkon in general.
Next, up. Talrashin, the emerald sleeper, to be posted soon cool:...!
Type: Forest Landwyrm druid2
Domain: Sri Raji
Status: Unknown
The Legend: Few people have ever come back from the Wildlands's sweltering jungles, fewer have come back with their wits or their sanity.
Recently however an otherwise unremarkable borcan tradesman has been telling a rather fanciful tale amongts the social circles of the Core.
Apparently, the trader had decided to brave the mistways in hopes of building a trade route to Sri Raji and profiting from the exotic products. Unfortunetly, he soon learned the dangers of the jungle realm when he almost found his death in the complicated caste society of Sri Raji.
Prior to the ruin of the expedition however, the trader was told a rather fanciful tale by local woodsman. Apparently the deeper jungles are a dark place where the animals have dark intelligence and darker hate for the presence of men. It is said that in those deep jungles the great crocodiles are king and amongts those crocs there is one king greater then all the rest.
Yet some of those woodsman speak that the crocs have to contend with another predator, a saphire reptile that sleeps in the deepest reaches of the jungle, an emerald menace that lies mostly dormant except to hunt on the darkest nights the jungle has to offer.
The Borcan tradesman returned or rather escaped to the core before he could learn the rest of the story...
The Truth Talrashin came from a one of now nearly forgothen primeval forests of some distant outlander world. There he had lived peacefully as the gentle but stern protector of his forested territory. Then the despoilers came and in a bitter and desparate battle he was nearly slain.
Then the mists rose once again and from the dense temperate forests of Firs and Oaks where he had lived, he found himself bleeding nearly to death in a sweltering jungle, humid, under the eyes of basking crocodiles and fearful animals. King Crocodile, seeing a possible ally in his fearful war against the naked apes ordered the landwyrm saved.
He would regret his decision. Talrashin's wounds healed and he communed with the natural world hopping to know what world he had been wisked to. He found the corruption in the forest, he found the darkness in King Crocodile's cold blooded heart and he saw the many victims amongst the animals of the forest kingdom and the world of men. Talrashin hated those that despoiled nature , he was wise enough not to hate all men and neither to let his love of nature blind him to the truth
Talrashin now stalks the jungles of the wildlands sleeping his wounds away a engaging in a private war against the dread king crocodile and his animal slaves...
Sri Raji.
Corrected, but I'd like thoughts on my creation rather then more the trivial matters such as spelling:P
Coming Next, Merlarihum, the oceanic scourge:D ...
Croc is the darklord of the Wildlands, folks. They're connected in the Verdurous Lands cluster, yes, but they're distinct domains.
I know that, where does my post contradict this?
My post simply state that the legend was born from accounts by woodsman from Sri Raji and since they are connected, it's the only possible source for info on the wildlands (other then speaking to the animals themselves of course, good luck). Both Player's guide to Ravenloft and ravenloft Campiagn setting book state that Sri Raji explorers are slowly exploring the wildlands. So who else would bring back tells of my wild lands Landwyrm?
So any comments on the creation?
Next dragon still comming:D !
[i][b][i]Domain: Sri Raji
So this refers to the birthplace of the legend, and not the location of the wyrm itself? Gimme a break, I have Asperger's. We take things too literally; I thought this referred to the dragon's location in the Realms of Dread.
Domain: Sri Raji
So this refers to the birthplace of the legend, and not the location of the wyrm itself? Gimme a break, I have Asperger's. We take things too literally; I thought this referred to the dragon's location in the Realms of Dread.
I think its cool, if for nothing else that the wildlands give us so little, and a dragon is certainly a something.
So this refers to the birthplace of the legend, and not the location of the wyrm itself? Gimme a break, I have Asperger's. We take things too literally; I thought this referred to the dragon's location in the Realms of Dread.
That's right
Since no humans inhabit the wildlands, only people from Sri Raji could have brought back the legend.
In counterpart, since people do inhabit Barovia and sometimes travel the Balinoks, it's only logical that the legend would be born in the domain he actually lives in.
O.K, I promised another dragon, here it is
Merlarihum, the oceanic scourge
Type: Adult crested Sea Serpent
Domains: The sea of Sorrows, costal domains
Status: Unknown
The legend: the sea of Sorrows is a dark place, murky waters, storms destrorying ship and limb, ghost vessels ready to lure sailors to their dooms. While any experienced sailor has heard the terrible story of the relentless and it's ghost crew, the sea of sorrows is a dark place and many terrors stalk it's depts. One such story the is growing popular amongst sailors from Mordent and Dementlieu speaks of dread sea dragon that emerges from the worst of storms destroying ships and devouring crewman, all the while undr the spite roar of the storm and the dread songs of the doomed spirits that come in the wakes of the drakes attack.
This story would certainly have been dismissed by autorities as nothing more then the fanciful tales of sailors. the recent recovery of the mast of the now missing Lucienne and the gaping teeth marks have prompted autorities to place two bounties for any adventurer to claim, one to prove the sea serpent's existence another to have it destroyed.
The truth: On Merlarihum's home world, the land is few and far between and the oceans range further then any landbound travelers have ever traveled. In these depts, the great sea drakes rule in terror as the great monsters of so many sea traveler's stories
Merlarihum was typical amongts his kind, neither kinder or more cruel. He had claimed a decent stretch of the coral reefs near a coastal comunity and subjucated a local sahuagin community to attack ships and bring treasure for his hoard.
but one night Merlarihum had a dream, he dreamt of a fog filled sea ruled by a mad ghost captain. His dreams came night after night, till one morning no more then 6 years ago his dreams became reality and he found himself in the dark ocean he had dreamt about so many night long.
Since then Merlarihum has stalked the sea of Sorrows, mapping the undersea floor, destroying ships and searching for the reason of his dreams and his arrival in the realms of Dread.
Merlarihum knows that Peter Van Riese rules his new home, but he does not care neither does he even pay attention to the wailing spirits that appear whenever he appears to claim another ship.
Merlarihum has but one concern his dreams and his arrival in this new sea. Why, how washe different? Surely the seas of his home held much more terrible serpents then him.
Why? he demands to any scholar on the ships he attacks before destroying then and devouring the crew when no answer can be given
So what do you guys think?:D
Excuse my inexperience, but where exactly are the landwyrm and sea dragon at in any of the books? Are they in Races of Dragons or something?
Landwyrms can be found in Draconomicon and Sea serpents were published in dragon magazine (#341 if I remember right)
Next up, Zegluritalkesh, the black singer! Coming on my next visit on the boards!:D
Next dragon on the roster:
Zegluritalkesh, the black singer
Type:mature adult black dragon bard3/dragonsong lyrist4
Domain
erbrekStatus: unknown
The Legend: In Verbrek wolves wear the skins of men and live amongst the very flocks the hunt, brutally slaugter and rule. The humanoid races has no say on there destiny past those that take up axe and spell to fight back the shadows from the forest. Yet in the latest decades, in the smaller villages near the Vuchar river, woodsman huddles near their fires have began to hear a shadowy song that no human could understand.
A mournful song that echoes amongts the woods, full of regret, love and mostly desire that could never be given. What few bits that has reached the ears of mages, all that can be deciphered is the longing for a lover that will never come.
Yet away from the ears of these same folk amongst the bloody cairns of the wolf god. the tale continues, the song claims a dark pool in the river's water and woe to any that would challenge it's ruler for supremacy...
The truth:Zegluritalkesh, is truly a lonely being. Claimed from the marshes of dark Impiltur. She was once one black dragon amongst many if only that she loved music, her own song yes, but also the gentle song of songbirds, the beautiful whispers of the winds and more.
Cruel and cunning like all black dragons was Zegluritalkesh, she searched the world ever since she left her parents for music, any music and the grandest of all, she would change in the skins of women and live amongts them learn their music, play with then then cruelly she would slay them, devour them and move on with their valuables to augment her hoard.
Then she grew and her music grew too, till she (no doubt earlier then most dragons) felt the need to find a mate and to pass on her beautifu music to worthy children.
Then she found Draglonathrax, a great wyrm as black as night with a heart as cold as winter. Draglonathrax loved music as well, the greatest music of all the dragonsong, the great music of ancient wyrms from time before men
Zegluritalkesh, was too small and young for him but he enjoyed her music and in his own blood said: Grow old and wise, sing ever more and when I am satisfied I will appear again and you will be my mate."
The the war of dracorage swept the realms and dragons went insane died, and raged. Draglonathrax fell to the swords of Cormyr and in his last breaths he sang, the song of the world that all heard. The knights stayed and respectfully heard the dragon's last rhymes. There they bade the dragon into death.
Zegluritalkesh, found the dead corpse of his would be mate too late and she howled on his corpse, the mist came and she was in the land of wolves. They saw her and came to destroy that witch would challenge their place as king predators.
Zegluritalkesh, fought back and claimed the dark pool as her own. Now every night she sings the glory of dead Draglonathrax, mourns his loss in song and call ever hoping for another male black wyrm wyrm to appear and be hers as great Draglonathrax has promised, ever more...
Cool huh?:D
Next time will be the Slumbering Serpent of Tepest.
!My next dragon will be, Grundlistrimixan, ember of Invidia:D !
but it is your fun, in your version of the setting so whatever
:surrender 
No amount of intuitiveness is going to change my opinion, the Ravenloft setting does not need nor have dragons in it.
Let the record show that there are already two dragons in RL canon, whether you like it or not. A mated pair, in fact, with a clutch of eggs that may produce more dragons within a year or three.
and i think it very inappropriate to do so,
...inappropriate?! This is a roleplaying game. How in Strahd's name can modifying a setting to please you be "inappropriate"? What about removal of the two canon dragons, is that appropriate?
but it is your fun, in your version of the setting so whatever
Fair enough. I must say, I've seen dozens of attempts to integrate dragons into RL, and these have been the best by far.
Cool Tykus:D Thanks! Now there will be 2 of us building the wyrms of Ravenloft
My next dragon will be, Grundlistrimixan, ember of Invidia:D !
Do you intend to do one for every domain?
I still look forward to future posts however, so don't stop! It is nice to see stories with them, not "oh, this red dragon slaughtered his family, so uhh... hes in ravenloft."
Do you intend to do one for every domain?
No actually, I don't intend to do one for every domain as that seems like way to many dragons for my vision of Ravenloft. As I said in my first post, I intend to build them with flavor not simply "a dragon for every domain." My intention is to have fun proving that dragons can do just fine in Ravenloft as long as they are not used as simple high level fodder. Wich I believe I've done not too babdly so far
Basically, I look at domains at try to find a thematic theme. Fog, lost souls and dreams for the sea of sorrows, terror and cold instincts to survive in the snowy peaks of the Balinoks etc.
O.K here's my next dragon:D
Grundlistrimixan, ember of Invidia
Type: juvenile gold dragon
Domain: Invidia
Status:Unknown
The Legend: In invidia wilder spaces, the forests burn like so many fireplaces. It is as if the pain, rage and wild emotions of it's people have manifested in random destruction. Wild flammes appear seemingly at random burning forest, field and village.
Most call it to the dry season and the thick bed of kindling and leaves in the redwood forests of invidia. But three few whispers have begun to be heard. All know of the dread Dukkar's pogron against the traveling vistani and recently, three survivors from a mercenery compagny sent to murder a fleeing caravan, emerged from one particularly terrible inferno almost completly mad, there bodies burned to dead, there last nearly incoherent words, "an ember,alive burning on wings and claws" before death being...
The truth: Grundlistrimixan, had always been angry, angry at injustice, angry at ignorance, angry at insult.
He flew the skies of his world, avenging injustice with rage, fighting for good and taking it upon himself to right every wrong. Then Grundlistrimixan went
to far, when a village of halflings was destroyed by marauding orcs, he hunted the tribe down to the last orc child and slaughtered then with the mad fury that only the zealot could muster.
Then Grundlistrimixan flew away confident that he had delivered justice. Other dragons would not agree. A great silver wyrm mother tracked to fiery tempered dragon down and demanded justification for the slaughter. The young gold raged and tried with roar and fire to justify his action ending his own defense with the comment: "they slaughtered innocents!"
To that the mother replied: " Who? the orc children sleeping in their mother arms, the mothers nursing their children, the fathers who had never left their mountain caves once?"
Grundlistrimixan was stricken in grief at those words, he saw his own mistake and nearly cried.
The mother spoke once more:" justice cannot exist without compassion and as importantly clarity".
Grundlistrimixan, flew away in shame, higher and higher then fell hopping to die crushed to on the ground as punishment for his sins. The mists had other plans, when he opened his eyes, he was lying in the thick underbrush of Invidia's forest wrapped in flames.
There Grundlistrimixan, discovered the vistani and there plight, the malevolent dukkar but mostly his curse, a living flamme equal to his rage. Whenever he feels anger great flammes rage from his body destroying every thing in their path.
Grundlistrimixan has become the ember of Invidia, a creature struggling for good and cursed with destruction whenever his heart manifests the rage that guided him for so long...
So what do you think?:D
No amount of intuitiveness is going to change my opinion, the Ravenloft setting does not need nor have dragons in it. and i think it very inappropriate to do so,
but it is your fun, in your version of the setting so whatever
In that case I suggest you avoid using any of the dragons in this thread.
Doing this will help keep your Ravenloft dragon free and fully appropriate.
I am most relieved that you have decided to continue this correspondence. I was worried that my information about my encounter with the vampire deep dragon Necropsiix would dissuade you from continuing communication with me.
I think the best way is to continue my story from my last letter concerning my flight from Nova Vaasa: My flight north took me into wilds of Tepest and the settlement of Kellee. Fortunately, I had been warned about the “mischievous” signs and had no troubles during my journey. While at the inn, I eventually struck up a conversation with a rather persistent bard who, recognizing that I was an adventurer, wanted to hear my tales of my travels. I told him of my most recent adventure involving the vampire dragon. The bard did have trouble believing such a story but did say he would add it to his own collection of fey tales. Seeing the puzzled look on my face, he told me that dragons were among the most powerful of the fey and seek to destroy Man and restore the world to Spring’s Children, the fey. (While I personally doubt this interpretation, his statement did give me insight into the nature of this region.) I asked him if he had any other stories concerning “these most Powerful Children of Spring” and he related three tales: the stories of the Avanc, of Galon, and of the Slumbering Serpent.
While I won’t go into the full stories of each (such would fill up more paper than I can acquire at the moment), I can give you a brief synopsis of each of each. The Avanc was once a man who had crossed a fey creature on the shores of Lake Kronov and the fey turned him into a large, reptilian monster. The second story, Galon, was about a shadow fey who became enamored with the concept of mortal wealth and greed and gradually became a dragon. The third, the Slumbering Serpent, is supposedly sleeping in a cave near Briggdarrow and that should he awaken, Winter will come and he will bring about the end of the world.
I don’t know what prompted me to investigate these stories but I did. It turns out that the Avanc is not a dragon but something more akin to a giant crocodile. I’ve had multiple encounters with Galon but I will describe him more in my next letter. The third, the Slumbering Serpent, does exist in Tepest. Except for a small family (for whom I will not mention in case this missive were to end up in the wrong hands), most Tepestani believe it to be a myth. When I had reached Briggdarrow, the family greeted me like I was a long-lost family member. I found out rather quickly that they had to greet me this way or I and the family would have to face the Inquisition. When asked about their knowledge of my arrival, they said that they had shared a dream describing me and my purpose. In a small cave lair outside of town, near the shores of the lake, the dragon sleeps eternally. Based upon their description of the wyrm (they would not take me to see this cave, but did provide me with several scales and drawings of the beast), the Slumbering Serpent is what the sages of my home would call a “land linnorm.” Linnorms are an ancient dragon offshoot and are universally evil. According to the family’s patriarch, the family has been tasked once a generation to re-enact a ritual that binds the Slumbering Serpent to eternal slumber. Recently, however, I’ve heard about the events that took place in the town within the last few years and how all of the townsfolk’s souls were taken in a single night and eventually returned and about the accelerated seasonal variations in the area. While I haven’t been back to check up on the family, I worry that the combination of events might force the ritual to be re-enacted before the normal proper time—or not at all.
Attached are some notes about the Avanc [author’s note—Gazetteer V] and the Slumbering Serpent. I look forward to your next letter.
With regards,
Rothin
The Slumbering Serpent, Folkloric Fey Gray Linnorm: Huge Fey (augmented dragon); CR 21; HD13d12 +65, 149 hp; Init +0; Spd 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (good), swim 30 ft; AC 27 (-2 size, +19 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 27; BAB +13/+28, Atk Bite +18 melee (2d6+7), Full Bite and 2 claws +16 melee (2d8+3) and tail +16 (2d6+10 plus poison); S/R 15 ft./10 ft.; SA Breath weapon, crush 2d8+10, poison, spell-like abilities, spells; SQ Blindsense 120 ft., DR 15/magic and cold iron, dragon traits, SR 31; Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +10; Str 24, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 17; aln CE, Treasure Standard.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +19, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (arcana)
+18, Listen +22, Search +18, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +20, Spot +22, Swim +15; Alertness, Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Power Attack, Snatch.
Breath Weapon (Su): A 50-ft. cone or 100-ft. line of caustic slime dealing 6d8 points of acid damage; Reflex DC 21. On a failed save, the slime also eats away the target’s nonmagical metal weapons and armor, making them useless in 1d6+5 rounds
Poison (Ex): The tail has a venomous stinger that delivers its poison with each successful tail slap attack; Fort DC 21, initial damage 1d6 points of Con damage, secondary damage 2d6 points of Con damage.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—fly, protection from arrows; 3/day—contagion, meld into stone, shapechange, wind wall. Caster level 17th, save DC 13 + spell level.
Fey Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—charm person, invisibility (self only). Caster level 13th, same save DCs.
Sources: Gazetteer V, Van Richten’s Guide to the Shadow Fey, Monster Manual II.
Design Notes: I've always been a fan of "impending threat" scenarios,and to me they work well for RL. If I design a dragon for this thread that has a CR of 21+, more than likely it is rendered immobile somehow. This allows the DM (if he or she uses it) to design an adventure for nearly any level.
Linnorms also figure into Earth myth and folklore, so Tepest seemed like an appropriate place.
And just for the record, not all the designs I post here will be dragons per se. Some will be dragon-related items or creatures. As it says above in Rothin's letter, Galon will be detailed next. Cheers.
In my last letter, I mentioned that I had several encounters with the “dragon” Galon and that I would detail my encounters with him in my next letter. But first, I will answer the question you posed to me in your letter.
“What is the motivation for the fabled dragon hoard?” That, my dear collegues, is a question that even the dragons themselves have trouble answering (at least the ones that deign to think about such philosophical thoughts). From what can be determined, it is more than simple greed (despite the stories of dragon greed). For many of the more animalistic dragons, it might be nothing more than instinct to collect shiny objects. Although, even if there is some merit to this theory, it begins to break down when the hoards of said predators actually contain things of value instead random bits of metal and glass. Several of the more intelligent breeds actually use it as part of their mating rituals (it seems that “the bigger, the better” syndrome affects males of all species and not just humanoid males). [Ahem, forgive the crudeness of that last statement, there was no really tactful way to put it.] Other breeds, especially the more noble breeds, sometimes make their money work for them, funding adventurers to recover more priceless artifacts for its hoard, or they may fund museums for their own amusement. In essence, the pieces in the museum become part of the hoard even if technically it wasn’t.
One thing I should mention before I proceed to the next portion of letter. Forget the legendary story of a dragon actually sleeping on its hoard. Except for certain, smaller varieties of dragons, most adult dragons become far too large to actually sleep on a bed of coins. The only exceptions to this last statement is a dragon who has affectation for copper coins or one that manages to single-handedly wipeout a legendary dwarven stronghold.
All that being said, it is quite ironic that the next dragon tale is about greed. As mentioned in my last letter, I first heard about Galon during my first stay in Tepest. To give you a timeframe of how long I’ve been in these lands of mists, my arrival in Nova Vaasa occurred about one year after what you would the Great Upheaval. It wasn’t until two years later did I have my first encounter with Galon and by that time I had almost forgotten the story. It was thanks to a Vistani vardo passing through the area that refreshed my memory.
From what I’ve been able to piece together from stories up to that point was that there was a dragon making pacts with mortals (much in the way fiends do) who are in desperate need of money (usually). I had actually disregarded the idea that Galon might be fey instead of dragon. That was my first mistake. When I started to actively hunt Galon, I was always to be one step behind. This is as true for hunting dragons as it would be for hunting fiends or fey. While not truly immortal, when you have at least ten centuries of life coming (assuming nobody kills you before that time), long-term planning is almost second nature. Anyway, the few descriptions that I had led me to believe he was either a chromatic black dragon or another shadow dragon (like Ebb of Darkon). My first actual encounter with Galon was with his humanoid form. This form has the typical appearance of sith arak but with draconic features—his eyes were dragon-like; his hands end in small claws. While his hair covers them, his ears have taken on a fan-like appearance that I’ve seen on a few other draconic creatures. This would’ve been my first combat with him (he had claimed a shadow for making a changling), but he faded into the shadows with a wicked smirk before I could even draw my weapon. (I hadn’t heard of changelings until your book and his appearance only reinforced my erroneous conclusion that he was a dragon.) My first combat encounter with Galon almost led to my death and the death of the adventurers that I had hired. I had misidentified his species. His appearance, while similar to a juvenile black dragon, was different, specifically his coloring. His scales were black but had a metallic color quality to which I was unfamiliar [author’s note—black mithral]. This caused me to doubt my first analysis and think he was black dragon with a silver dragon parent (such unions, while technically possible, are extremely unlikely). Despite these discrepancies, I felt confident that we could overcome Galon. That was my second mistake. The combat went badly. None of our steel weapons would bite and his natural weapons would go through our armors like it wasn’t there, despite being magical (most true dragons of such young age usually have minimal or no defense against normal weapons; this combat I didn’t take the chance). Before we had a chance to escape, we got to experience Galon’s breath weapon—a line of shadow acid. I say shadow acid because of the nature of the acid. The stuff burns like acid when it strikes you, but the parts that were hit boil away into smoky wisps of shadow. The effect is even more disturbing when your own shadow shows holes in it, roughly commensurate with the spots where the acid struck. Fortunately, the holes go away with the application of healing magic to the original wounds or use of the low-level arcane spell that fixes simple tears [author’s note—mending] is applied to the shadow itself, but the effect is still disturbing. It took several more encounters and the arrival of your guide to shadow fey for me to figure out what Galon is. Galon IS a shadow fey. Probably among the most powerful of the Arak. According to the stories, Galon was a sith arak who became intrigued and eventually enamored with the concept of mortal wealth. I believe this came about by observing the funeral customs of several wealthy nobles across the Core. Despite his appearance, he is still shadow fey and reacts to the “typical” things that a shadow fey of his personality type would with one additional item (at my risk of telling)—he seems to have a compulsion bane about coin counting. One other thing I should note—the first time I had faced him, he was unaffected by effects that affect dragons specifically. But, in my last encounter, my comrade’s silver dragon bane sword affected him as it would any dragon. The mystery of Galon’s sudden (or not-so-sudden) vulnerability is intriguing and may ultimately lead to his downfall.
With regards,
Rothin
Galon, Arak Dewi (dragon form): Medium Fey (shadow fey, dragonblood); CR 14; HD13d6+26, 71 hp; Init +1; Spd 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (good), swim 30 ft; AC 23 (+1 Dex, +9 natural, +3 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 22; BAB +6/+9, Atk Bite +9 melee (1d8+3), Full Bite and 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+1) and 2 wings +7 melee (1d4+1); S/R 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite); SA Breath weapon, spell-like abilities, spells, alternate form; SQ Immune to fire and steel, DR 10/silver, cold iron vulnerability, fey traits, banes, darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, Path of the Dragon; Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +9; Str 17, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 12; aln CE, Treasure Standard.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +18, Decipher Script +19, Diplomacy +17, Gather Information +17, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Listen +18, Move Silently +17, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +19, Spot +18, Use Magic Device +17; Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Multiattack, Snatch.
Galon, Arak Dewi (fey humanoid form): Medium Fey (shadow fey, dragonblood); CR 14; HD13d6+26, 71 hp; Init +10; Spd 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (good), swim 30 ft; AC 27 (+1 Dex, +9 natural, +3 deflection), touch 8, flat-footed 27; BAB +6/+9, Atk Claw +9 melee (1d4+3), Full 2 claws +9 melee (1d4+3); S/R 5 ft./5 ft.; SA Spell-like abilities, spells; SQ Immune to fire and steel, DR
Design Notes: I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, a dewi is a dragon of Welsh origin (at least according to the website I got my info from).
O.K here's my next draconic creation
Izzikatal, the serpent of Souragne
Domain: Souragne
Type: Male old bronze dragon
The legend: The great Bayou's of Souragne hold many secrets, amists de sweltering fens of the Bayou. The lord of the dead rules, the Maiden of the swamp whispers and the serpent watches and waits. People see the great alligators, hoogans speak often in madness of the Loa that rule the swamps. Yet to the poor folk who brave the swamp, it seems the lordship of the swamps does not exist in duality of life and death but in a circle, The maiden embodies life, the serpent destruction and passage of life, the Lord of the Dead, death. Few even claim to have seen the serpent, but all describe a greenish bronze reptilian being swimming the waters as silently as the mocassins that lives in these waters. The attacks comes as a violent trashing of jaws, then silence, the beast is gone. Life has become death and the cycler of the Loa continues.
The truth: Izzikatal had always lived in the bayou, the flora, the people the fauna all had been his life, his kindred, his home. He navigated it's corridors in peace, travelers lost he guided secretly, despoilers he eliminated. Then, the shudder and the swamp was never the same, the fey the folk called Loa recoiled in fear, a dead abomination had made himself lord of the dead and the beautiful maiden fled, grief stricken at what she had helped wreak. Izzikatal was not pleased, the stories of the Hoogans changed and he was now terror, the bayous had become as much decay as life. And wich each false history spoken by the hoogans, each dead Misroi claimed. The bayou shifted, darker and darker. "It must not be so, and killing the dead lord would be useless" realized Izzikatal, "No the people, the stories the legends much force the world back to his proper place by making the lord of the dead, truly the lord of the dead, and as of such have no claim on any life" .Izzikatal accepted the fearful stories, he would allow them to be created, influence subtuly the way they are told and slowly, but surely the people would once again believe in the life of the bayou, and the hand of the dead lord would lose all grip on Izzikatal's home...
So what do you guys think?:D
Nice Tykus very nice:D
Thank you. I used a juvie black dragon as a model, but for the life of me I can't figure out what inspired the shadow effect on the his acid breath.
O.K here's my next draconic creation
Izzikatal, the serpent of Souragne
Domain: Souragne
Type: Male old bronze dragon
Very nice. A little big for my tastes, given the domain's size (I also just read FoS's Souragne Gazetteer).
Is it just me or are we the only ones coming here now?
Thank you. I used a juvie black dragon as a model, but for the life of me I can't figure out what inspired the shadow effect on the his acid breath.
Very nice. A little big for my tastes, given the domain's size (I also just read FoS's Souragne Gazetteer).
This was already a more of a project for players to plunder in then a conversation to begin with. So to all readers plunder away:D ...
I know some of my dragons are really big particularly (my black dragon bard/dragonsong lyrist) but I tend to see dragons as intensely subtle beings rather then just combat powerhouses. More so, I feel like as dragons grow older and wiser they should become more mysterious and thus by extension should be less used as combat juggernauts hence I feel there's nothing wrong with an old bronze dragon here and a mature adult black dragon there. Hell, if a darklords plays his card right he might manipulate the dragon's death even if the dragon is much more powerful then him remember power does not equate brains (think Vlad Drakov)
O.K just let me polish off a few details and the next time I pass on by I'll post another dragon: Vinicluritesh, le marcheur de l'ombre
I know some of my dragons are really big particularly (my black dragon bard/dragonsong lyrist) but I tend to see dragons as intensely subtle beings rather then just combat powerhouses. More so, I feel like as dragons grow older and wiser they should become more mysterious and thus by extension should be less used as combat juggernauts hence I feel there's nothing wrong with an old bronze dragon here and a mature adult black dragon there. Hell, if a darklords plays his card right he might manipulate the dragon's death even if the dragon is much more powerful then him remember power does not equate brains (think Vlad Drakov)
O.K just let me polish off a few details and the next time I pass on by I'll post another dragon: Vinicluritesh, le marcheur de l'ombre
I agree on the subtlety aspect, but I think I was thinking of the potential food requirements at the time I wrote it.
And like you, I need to polish up Hoelgar and friends before I post it here.
No amount of intuitiveness is going to change my opinion, the Ravenloft setting does not need nor have dragons in it. and i think it very inappropriate to do so,
but it is your fun, in your version of the setting so whatever
The RL setting has dragons!
In the novel Knight of the Black Rose, Soth kills a red dragon in Stradhs castle (if this makes great sense, or if it feels gothic is another question).
Also Azalin has shadow dragon consort, as shown in RL Gazetteer II.
So dragons are canon for RL.
Besides that the dragons presented here are very well done and fit into the setting.
The RL setting has dragons!
Besides that the dragons presented here are very well done and fit into the setting.
Thank you (and I don't think my dwarf colleague would mind me saying "thanks" for him as well).
The one thing I've noticed that I get the impression that anybody who comments on the "anti-" side of this "dragons in RL" issue are of the belief that the dragons that we're talking about are the true dragons (the ones with 12 age categories) only. But there are plenty of other non-true (this doesn't = false :D ) dragons to use. My examples of the Slumbering Serpent and Galon are examples of this. DwarfPCFan also realizes this with a few of his creations.
Hopefully, next time I will have Hoelgar ready (it's been a busy couple of weeks).
Tootles.
The RL setting has dragons!
In the novel Knight of the Black Rose, Soth kills a red dragon in Stradhs castle (if this makes great sense, or if it feels gothic is another question).
For the record, that "dragon" would've been one of the animated red dragon statues from I6.
Also Azalin has shadow dragon consort, as shown in RL Gazetteer II.
I think the word you're looking for there is "cohort", not "consort". To have a dragon 'consort', the Big A would have to marry the dragon....
I'll have my next creation shortly, but this week I really don't have the time...
Has anybody done this already?
I apologize for the lateness of this missive: I had gone a rather enlightening mission to the Amber Wastes shortly after my last letter and between unforeseen problems during the mission and finding a decent mistway back to the Core, it took longer than anticipated. Anyway, on with the topic of this letter: Dragon slayers!
The stories that are told usually involve a host of knights (and a mage or two) riding valiantly to the dragon’s lair, slaying the beast, rescuing the damsel in distress, and spending the recently-acquired wealth. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case outside the stories. For starters, most would-be dragon slayers are nothing of the sort and barely have the skills to slay the smallest of dragons (which, by the way, can be quites small). Secondly, just like what your esteemed Uncle said about vampires, slaying a dragon shouldn’t be done in its lair. Like the vampire, dragons know every inch of their lair, including all the possible escape routes it or its opponents might or might not use. To make matters worse, the dragon more than likely knows every single inch of the territory it claims for its own, which can be vast (the dragon Ebb’s territory covers a sizeable chunk of southeastern Darkon) as to handle the equally vast nutritional requirements). Thirdly, while not unheard of (the story had to start somewhere), most dragons don’t kidnap damsels (or dukes for that matter) for ransom, they are more likely to eat them. If a person is kidnapped, more than likely, he or she isn’t the only one in the area that has been kidnapped. Reason range from general slavery (keeping its hoard tidy, cleaning the teeth and scales) to the frightening (breeding an army of half-dragons to conquer a larger region). I even heard a sad tale of a grief-stricken silver dragon kidnapping humanoid children (orphans and abused children, mostly) to replace the loss of its own brood.
With all that said, I have reason to believe that there is a real dragon slayer in this land of Mists. During my travels through the Core, I’ve found myself many times in the city of Martira Bay looking to purchas passage on a ship. Along the docks, there is the Harbor Watchmaster Hoelgar Arnuttson. A rather uncouth man and prone to rage, he watches over the goings-on and its traffic. It was through another that I learned that he liked to tell stories of his adventuring days, especially about his slaying of a dragon family. As killing one dragon is a difficult task, a whole family seemed rather outlandish. Suitably intrigued, I sought him out. Agreeing to pay for his drinks, which were considerable, he related to me on how he and his company had come upon a small family of gold dragons and ambushed them. Masking my own rage and disgust (in case I have forgotten to mention, gold are among the most virtuous of dragons, rivaling paladins), I begged him to continue his story. To make a long story short, apparently, only one wyrmling got away from him and he’s been hunting for it off-and-on ever since.
Initially, I dismissed this story, but as of late, several things I noticed about his behavior that bothered me then didn’t make sense until recently. Every so often he seemed to be distracted. Several times I noticed he seemed to be listening to something only he could hear. I have reason to believe that his sword is magical and intelligent (not like one of the golems that your uncle described but potentially just as dangerous). The other distraction seemed to be an obsession with children and staring into their eyes. What this means, I can only guess that he is still searching for the wyrmling in a humanoid form.
My next letter I’ll relate to you a story I’ve heard several times while in the Seas of Sorrows: A dragon-headed ghost ship.
Until next time,
Rothin
Hoelgar Arnutsson (CR 10)
Harbor Watchmaster for Martira Bay
Male human 7th level barbarian/3rd level dragonslayer
CE humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Listen +12, Spot +2
Languages Common, Darkonian
AC 16 (+4 armor, +2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 16; Dodge feat, uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, -2 while raging
hp 85 (105 while raging), DR 2/-
Immune aura of courage (immune to fear, allies within 10 ft. gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects)
Resist
Fort +11 (+13 while raging), Ref +5 (+7 vs. traps), Will +9 (+11 while raging)
Speed 40 ft
Melee +3 icy burst dragonbane greatsword +14 melee [+16 while raging] (2d6+5 plus 2d6 cold, 17-20/x2) [doesn’t factor Power Attack or sword enhancement bonuses against dragons]
Ranged +10
Full +3 icy burst dragonbane greatsword +14/+9 melee [+16/+11 while raging] (2d6+5 plus 2d6 cold, 17-20/x2) [doesn’t factor Power Attack or sword enhancement bonuses against dragons]
Base Atk +8; Grp
Atk Options: Rage 2/day, damage bonus (+3 against dragons), Power Attack
Abilities Str 15 (19 while raging), Dex 14, Con 15(19 while raging), Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15
SQ overcome draconic spell resistance, trap sense +2, Will morale +2 while raging, dragon’s curse
Feats Dodge, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Improved Critical (greatsword)
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +15, Jump +15, Knowledge (arcane) +4, Listen +12, Survival +10, Swim +10, Tumble +6
Possessions bronze plate (+4 armor bonus, +4 max Dex), helm, Sventixen (see below)
Dragon’s Curse (Ex/Su): Hoelgar cannot die unless he is killed by Aurix’sauriv’vrak. If he is reduced to -10 hp, he will appear dead and will begin healing at a natural rate unless healing magic is cast upon him.
Sources: 1992 TSR AD&D trading card, Ravenloft Gazetteer II, Draconomicon, Player’s Handbook, Dungeonmaster’s Guide.
Sventixen (Firekiller): +3 icy burst dragonbane greatsword; AL NE; Int 17, Wis 17, Cha10; Speech, telepathy, 120 ft. darkvision, hearing; Ego score 21.
Lesser Powers: cure moderate wounds (2d8+3) on wielder 3/day; Knowledge (arcane) 10 ranks (skill modifier +13); daze monster 3/day
Special Purpose: Slay/defeat dragons (especially gold)
Dedicated Power: Ice storm
Personality: Forged by worshippers of Tiamat long ago, Firekiller was created to deal with a family of gold dragons harassing one of Tiamat’s many churches. Firekiller eventually found its way into Hoelgar’s hands and found a perfect wielder to mold. While Firekiller has stopped dominating Hoelgar (which it only did on occasion as their goals were very mutual), Firekiller refrains from speaking aloud as a voice from a sword in the demiplane could result in problems for it and Hoelgar. Of late, Sventixen has become subdued as it has realized the possibility that the gold dragon’s curse might apply to it instead of Hoelgar as it was in control at the time the curse was uttered. Unbeknownst to either Hoelgar or Sventixen, the Dark Powers have linked them and are both subject to the fulfillment of the curse.
Strong conjuration and evocation, CL 15, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal, ice storm, summon monster I; Price 144,350 gp
His extrapolated stats from the 2E trading card are: AL CE; Str 15 Dex 14- Con 15-18.
Background: Hoelgar and his warriors slew an entire brood of gold dragons, save one fugitive. Its mother, as she died, cursed Hoelgar to utter destruction when "the golden eyed youth wields the silver blade". Hoelgar followed the youth, intending to slay it before the curse could be fulfilled and became trapped in Ravenloft.
Aurix’sauriv’vrak (Golden-Eyed Youth) (CR 10)
Male young advanced gold dragon
LG Large dragon (fire)
Init +0; Senses Listen +23, Spot +23, improved low-light vision (x4), darkvision 120 ft., blindsense 30 ft.
Languages Draconic, Common, Darkonian, Elvish, Dwarven
AC 24 (-1 size, +15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 24
hp 208 (16d12 HD)
Immune fire
Resist
Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +16
Weakness vulnerability to cold
Speed 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft.
Melee +24 bite (2d6+9)
Ranged +15
Full Melee +24 bite (2d6+9) and 2 claws +24 (1d8+4) and 2 wings +24 (1d6+4) and 1 tail slap +24 (1d8+13)
Base Atk +16; Grp +29
Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Atk Options: Breath weapon (cone of fire, 7d10 points of fire damage, Reflex DC 21), breath weapon (cone of weakening gas, 3 points of Strength damage, Fortitude DC 21), spells, Clinging Breath, Lingering Breath
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 2) DC 13 + spell level (6/6)
2 1st—breath flare, obscuring mist
5 0th—read magic, ghost sound, message, mending, mage hand
Abilities Str 28, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 17
SQ alternate form, water breathing
Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Multi-Attack, Improved Multi-Attack, Clinging Breath, Lingering Breath
Skills Concentration +10, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +16, Escape Artist +6, Heal +4, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +22, Listen +25, Search+22, Sense Motive +23, Spot +25, Swim +22, Use Magic Device +9
Possessions Triple standard treasure
Note that another very good 2E source on Hoelgar is the Bleak House Box btw. He's middle aged now and according to Gaz2 has only 8 levels. I figured he was perma-drained somewhen after arriving in Ravenloft but forgot about it after entering Darkon. Speaking of which, wouldn't he have forgotten his slaying of a brood of dragons on his homeworld, now that he is a resident of Darkon ? Also imo now it is probably the Golden Eyed Youth which hunts him not the other way around (If the young dragon has not also forgotten about it when entering Darkon). Hoelgar has settled down in Martira Bay.
Dragonslayer huh. Nice. I'll have to post my version of him sometime.
Note that another very good 2E source on Hoelgar is the Bleak House Box btw. He's middle aged now and according to Gaz2 has only 8 levels. I figured he was perma-drained somewhen after arriving in Ravenloft but forgot about it after entering Darkon. Speaking of which, wouldn't he have forgotten his slaying of a brood of dragons on his homeworld, now that he is a resident of Darkon ? Also imo now it is probably the Golden Eyed Youth which hunts him not the other way around (If the young dragon has not also forgotten about it when entering Darkon). Hoelgar has settled down in Martira Bay.
Yeah, I thought about the residential curse and how it might affect him. I came to the conclusion that since the curse doesn't affect experience levels, all it did was change the locations in his mind of where he did his foul deeds. So instead of performing the deed on his homeworld, he believes that he did them in another region of Darkon.