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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Jan 2006 : 19:16:28
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The party i am DM for have decided to go after a vicious black dragon living deep in a swamp. My question to you, my fellow DungeonMasters, is the following... What do you think a party will encounter in such a lair? I need the imagination of as many creative minds as possible. By the way. Part of the story is that this dragon is being worshipped by a group of primitive humans. So they will be able to build traps and prepare the lair for possible intruders... Give me your thoughts and your wisdom...
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"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2006 : 20:12:04
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From 2nd "They lair in large, damp caves and multi-chambered subterranean caverns. Older dragons are able to hide the entrance to their lairs with their plant growth ability." IAE the lair could be underwater even with 3.5 description, certainly near pools of water if above ground. Blacks tend to be solitary so the Dragon itself would be very unlikely to have allies as such, unless mated (younger Dragons tend to stay together as mates, after getting older they do not want to share a hrode with anyone) or raising young (older dragons of either sex have been known to raise young though a single parent family).
Worshippers can add to the mix. A Black might allow some to live nearby as long as they provide food and wealth at some steady rate. The food being spplied would save the dragon the need to hunt to eat, the wealth accepted as the price of not eating the humans. I do not know how primitive you want these humans or thier numbers so hard to set how their society would be structured. My first ideas would be a culture of fishermen and some hunting for food, remember we are talking in general swamps or at least very wet terain (rain forest, being an option that would limit fishing and increase hunting). As for providing wealth it is hard to mine in a swamp so wealth would have to be taken from travelers or traded for with outsiders (the problem with trade though is exchange of ideas and goods which would tend to reduce how primitive a society is, unless trading partner has a good control of flow of information and goods). Raiding has problems as well as the Black would only tend to allow worshipers to stay within liar's area of patrol, so the humans would have to conduct raids on tracelers and/or communities half the dragons daily flight limit (perhaps as little as 1/3 the distance) that would be the dragon's lands. The followers most likely will be ratooed in some way so that the dragon knows not to eat/attack them.
Perhaps a few more ideas I can offer, depending on where you are putting the lair, however even worshippers would not be allowed to know where the dragon's horde is. I would expect traps or tricks though out the dragon's claimed teritory as opsed to many (if any) human made traps within the lair. One exception would be if from time to time the dragon requires a sacarfice of one of the worshippers that will die soon after building desired traps. If the faith is strongly believed by the humans they might seek the honor of serving the dragon and then becoming part of it (the greatest reward may be able to join with their deity). |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
Edited by - Kentinal on 02 Jan 2006 20:17:00 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2006 : 01:12:10
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Hm . . . here is an idea . . . using plant growth or just plain natural ability the dragon might find a plant that is resistant to its acidic breath, then create a sort of bladder full if its expelled breath, ready to break open if the PCs aren't careful of a vine tripwire. Of course, this would be well away from any treasure that might be damaged thusly.
The dragon might also have a garden of carnivorous plants just outside of its entrace. Barely covered dry mud too weak to support a human's weight, covering a patch of quick mud might be fun as well. The dragon may also keep smaller poisonous snakes and lizards as pets. |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2006 : 03:39:07
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| throw in some Cult of the Dragon followers, who are hanging around, trying to recruit the dragon for their own evil purposes. Run them with the intent to show they are on the dragons side, they could throw a huge twist to the characters plans. |
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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2006 : 15:36:38
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| interesting ideas... They will be taken into consideration and probably played. If you got more ideas, please keep them coming. |
"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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Patman21967
Acolyte
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2006 : 06:56:42
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You mentioned the tribe of primative humans, why not have their leader be a powerful Shaman type, who is either a familiar to, or a cohort of the Dragon. My favorite tactic with a Red, is to have an Iron Golem or 2 as his gaurds..he can breathe on them and heal them...In the latest Dragon, in the AOW adventure, there is a creature called an Acidwraith, which would fit in perfectly
Good gaming |
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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2006 : 18:02:50
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| Ill try the idea with a shaman as their leader... Abut time i claim a casualty in my group. |
"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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msatran
Learned Scribe
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 08:36:59
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Okay. How about this one.
Servitor creatures, Kobolds or Goblins, and Craft: Glassblowing. Give them all acid globes of dragon breath, which they hurl, fire from catapults, and launch from crossbows at the PCs. |
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 14:49:45
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| Black dragons also like to let their kills get good and "pickled" in the swampy water of their lair, so think sickened or nausiated saves from the stench, maybe even some undead types. They can breathe underwater so your entrance should be submerged leading to a large mound of vegetation and mud in the middle of the swamp making it very hard to get to without him noticing. Assassin vines.....everywhere. And Yellow musk creepers, yum! |
Edited by - Mystery_Man on 14 Jan 2006 14:56:21 |
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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 16:22:56
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| Spunds like i have hold of an expert. That sounds like a brilliant idea. I will put it in my campaign imediatly |
"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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A Dragons Lair
