Dragon--Montporte Campaign Critter

DRAGON
Armor Class: -9 [28]
Hit Dice: 24 (12HD + 72HP)
Attacks: Bite (3d8+16hp); 2 Claws (2d8+8hp each); Tail (4d12+24hp); 2 Wings (2d6+6hp each)
Saving Throw: 3
Special: Breath; Bite; Regeneration; Fire Resistance; Magic Resistance (60%); Immune to non-magical weapons; Spells
Move: 18/36 (Flying)
Challenge Level/XP: 35/9,200

Dragons are among the most powerful of all creatures in the five planes . Each dragon is said to have the power of 10 wizards and can breathe fire enough to melt the very roots of the mountains. Fortunately, they are rarely encountered on the plane of Aarde (the plane of Montporte), as they make their home on the remote and mysterious plane of Zaj. It is believed that dragons spend 90% or more of their time sleeping.

Dragons are not cruel and do not delight in the suffering of other creatures. Yet, at the same time, they have very little regard for anyone other than themselves. When they are awake, they care only for gathering knowledge and treasure. Dragons are known to visit Aarde on rare occasion in gather updates on the history and happenings of Aarde. They particularly delight in oddities and esoteric facts. Dragons have an unquenchable thirst to study and know every aspect of the universe. There are few creatures or beings in all the planes that can rival a dragon for intellect and knowledge.

Dragons also visit Aarde in search of treasure. Dragons are notorious hoarders and will travel to Aarde to gather large piles of precious metals and gems to haul back to their abodes on the plane of Zaj. Their stay on the plane of Aarde can last several centuries. More than one dragon has been found sleeping on top of a heap of treasure in a remote cave, mountain crevice, or glacial crevasse. Dragons will often nap in such places for centuries before traveling back to their home plane.

COMBAT: For mortals on the plane of Aarde, it is a good thing that dragons prefer to trick or intimidate their opponents rather than fight them in combat, as dragons are terrifying combat opponents. Dragons get up to six attacks per round (1 bite, 2 claws, 2 wings, 1 tail). Their wing attacks are limited to one wing per each side of the dragon. A dragon can use both wings to attack opponents immediately in front of it. Dragons have long and limber necks and tails and each of these can attack opponents in the front, rear or flank of the dragon.

In the rounds when a dragon uses its breath weapon, it is cannot use its other attacks or spells except for its tail attack.

BREATH: Few creatures wield as powerful a weapon as does a dragon when it breathes its cone of flame. The cone of flame is 90’ long and 30’ wide at its base. It does 12d6+36hp of damage to all caught within the conflagration. All caught within the fiery breath must make a saving throw. A successful saving throw indicates that half damage is taken.

A dragon must take one round to prepare its breath, which causes its throat and chest to glow bright red-orange. The dragon then can attack the next round with its breath. If the dragon does not use its breath weapon within two rounds of the preparation round, it must prepare its breath once more. There is no limit to the number of times a dragon can use its breath weapon but it can only use it once every three rounds. As noted above, a dragon can use its tail attack in the rounds when it uses its breath weapon.

BITE: In addition to doing significant damage, the bite of the dragon can drain knowledge. On a successful bite attack, the victim must make a successful saving throw or lose 1 point of intelligence. Lost intelligence can only be regained through magical means, such as a Restoration spell.

REGENERATION: A dragon regenerates 1d8+8 points per round until it is fully healed. Unlike trolls, dragons are not able to regenerate once they have been slain.

FIRE RESISTANCE: Dragons are immune to normal fire. They have +2 on saving throws against fire attacks, suffering no damage if they make their saving throw and half damage if they fail. Dragons suffer half damage from fire based attacks that do not permit saving throws.

MAGIC RESISTANCE: A dragon is 60% resistant to any form of magical attack used it against. A magic resistance roll uses a 1d100 and a score of 60 or below, indicates that the magic used against the dragon has failed. Even if the dragon’s magic resistance fails on a particular spell (on a roll of 61 or above), the dragon still can use a saving throw, if one is permitted by the spell.

NON-MAGICAL WEAPON IMMUNITY: Dragons are immune to attacks from all non-magical weapons.

SPELLS: Dragons are actually not as powerful as 10 wizards, but they are able to cast a variety of spells. A dragon cannot cast a spell during a round in which it is using its breath weapon. Dragons have access to the following magic-user spells and can cast one spell per round:

• Level 1: Charm Person (1/day); Detect Magic (at will); Light (at will); Magic Missile (2/day, 6 missiles per spell); Read Languages (at will); Read Magic (at will); Sleep (1/day)
• Level 2: Darkness 15-foot Radius (3/day); Detect Invisibility (at will); Invisibility (2/day); Levitate (2/day); Magic Mouth (1/day); Pyrotechnics (2/day).
• Level 3: Clairaudience (1/day); Clairvoyance (1/day); Dispel Magic (2/day); Hold Person (1/day); Suggestion (1/day); Water Breathing (1/day).  
• Level 4: Confusion (1/day); Fear (1/day); Polymorph Self (2/day); Remove Curse (1/day).
• Level 5: Feeblemind (1/day); Telekinesis (1/day); Teleport (1/day, no chance of failure).

Related Posts
Montporte Cosmological Notes: On the Planes

Montporte Religion Notes: The Great Scroll and the Gods of Montporte

The gods of the Montporte universe are transcendent beings, existing outside the time and space of the universe (see my earlier post, On the Divine and the Mundane, for more on this). At the same time, they are aware of the universe and, in fact, seek to influence the course of the universe and gain more power and prestige for themselves. The gods are able to shape the daily life of their followers and the course of world events by means of the Great Scroll.

The Great Scroll and the Gods
Sages and theologians are at a loss to explain where the Great Scroll exists, but its existence is accepted by all the major religions. The Great Scroll is to the multiverse of Montporte what DNA is to life on earth. All the planes of the Montporte multiverse are under the influence of the Great Scroll. The life and death of every mortal creature is spelled out the Great Scroll.

The Great Scroll is a dynamic document...new words are always being added. The gods vie for the control of this writing, each seeking to sway the unknown hand that pens each word. The gods are transcendent and cannot intervene directly in the affairs of mortals but, through the Great Scroll, the gods can determine the course of existence for every living creature in the world of Montporte.

Once a word is written into the text of the Great Scroll it cannot be erased (except in a limited way by demons). However, the meaning of the older portions of the Great Scroll can be influenced, adjusted and even twisted by subsequent passages. In this way, the gods battle with each other for control of the universe.

The Great Scroll, Dragons, Demons, Fey, and Aberrations
While only gods can create the text of the Great Scroll, creatures from other planes have the ability to connect to it and shape it in one fashion or another.

Dragons, the great creatures of the plane of Zaj, are believed to have some insight and knowledge of the portions of the Great Scroll. Sages believe that the dragons ability comprehend significant portions of the Great Scroll is connected with the dragons' great thirst for knowledge, the only draconic urge stronger than their lust for treasure.

Demons are known to be able to blot out small portions of the Great Scroll text when they slay a mortal creature. The demons do not truly erase the the text of the Great Scroll, but they are somehow able to disconnect a small portion of the text related to their victim. The victim's mind, body and soul are consumed in the process by the demon.

The fey have little direct influence on the Great Scroll. However, through some ancient magic that is lost to the sands of time, the Seelie Accords (the overarching constitution and laws of the fey) are linked to the Great Scroll. While the fey draw power from the Seelie Accords, others who sign its pages put themselves at risk even as they typically find themselves materially enriched by their relationship with the fey.

Some powerful aberrations from Ioucura (the plane of Madness) have the ability to garble a word or two of the Great Scroll, usually rendering a mortal insane in the process.

The Great Scroll and the Religions of Mortals
Religion is primarily the domain of the mortals of the plane of Aarde (the material world of Montporte). Aberrations, demons, dragons and fey are certainly aware of the gods and their divine power, but worship of the gods among these creatures is rare. It is among the mortals of the plane of Aarde that the gods have their power. The symbiotic relationship between the gods and their believers empower both parties to do what would otherwise be beyond their reach.

Not every race of Aarde is equally religious. Dwarves and orcs are universally religious (albeit in very different ways). Elves are rarely so, trusting in the power of magic instead. Gnome and hobbits both exhibit a quiet faith that is manifest in small daily rituals and silent prayer.

It is among the great population of humans that the gods draw their greatest power. Within the vast sea of humanity there can be found wild-eyed true believers, faithful followers, questioning seekers, militant scoffers, and the completely indifferent. The gods of the humans have benefited by the dominance of the human race over much of Aarde. And the humans, in term, are continue to dominate because their gods hold sway over the Great Scroll.

Through religion, gods seek to draw upon the power of their followers to impose their will on the universe and move the great unhanded quill to ink the next passage on the Great Scroll. Religious followers seek to empower themselves to empower their gods and see their the fruits of their own faith as the Great Scroll shapes the course of daily events.

The Montporte Region: History and Geography

The Montporte Dungeon Campaign started as a one-shot adventure with this two-sentence backdrop: The Captain of the Guard of Montporte (pop. 1,028) has his hands full. Bandits have holed up in the castle ruins to the south, orcs have been harassing the mining village of Wootspil (pop. 106), the wildlands to the east continue to spew forth all manner of foul creatures (most recently giants), and a rebel force commanded by the Duke’s upstart brother lies between Montporte and help to the west.

That has been enough information to propel us through 25 sessions of play. Along the way, the party has picked up additional information about the area that explains some of what they have experienced in the dungeon. I have also created a few NPCs that are based in Montporte for those rare times when the player characters are shopping or doing some other town-based activity.

Overview of the Montporte Area
Montporte lies beyond the eastern edge of the civilized world. It is a small, ancient town that was established, if common knowledge is to be accepted, by the Lyndanians as an imperial outpost. It was an important military outpost, guarding the eastern frontier of the Lynanian Empire from invasion through Mont Pass, one of few east-west crossing points of the Dragonfang Mountains. Montporte also developed into a regional trade center and a hub for mining activity along the western slopes of the Dragonfangs.

Montporte is one of the few settlements in the vast eastern wilderness that separates the Dragonfang Mountains from the Western Kingdoms. Its fortunes have waxed and waned throughout its very long history, yet Montporte has proven to be resilient to war, disease, famine, economic woes, and host of unpleasant creatures that inhabit the area.

Physical Geography
Montporte lies at the base of Mont Pass, one of the few readily traversed passes in the Dragonfang Mountains. The Dragonfangs occupy a geographic location that is akin to Earth's Ural Mountains, being a long north-south mountain range bisecting a very large continental mass. The difference here is that the Dragonfang Mountains rival the Himalayas in height. Montporte is located on the western flanks of the Dragonfangs, at the northern end of the range.

The latitude, altitude, and a large continental mass all have an effect on climate and weather. Orographic effects magnify the climate and also create wild swings in the weather, depending up the season and direction of air masses. Suffice to say that that winters are long and bitterly cold with significant snowfall. Summers are cool and damp. Prevailing weather patterns travel from west to east, bring moisture. Occasionally, the weather patterns change and very dry air sweeps over the mountains and through Mont Pass. Depending on the conditions, this can either raise or lower the temperature significantly in a very short time.

Economic Geography
The eastern slopes of the Dragonfang Mountains are rich in mineral wealth. Gold, silver, tin, and copper have all been mined in the Montporte area. There are significant deposits of iron ore in the mountains, south of Montporte.

The challenge to mining these natural riches are threefold: (1) The climate and topography make prospecting, mining and transport difficult; (2) The distance to transport to markets can be a challenge, particularly during times of unrest in the Western Kingdoms; and (3) The constant threat of orcs, ogres, giants and even more dangerous predators and foes creates a daunting challenge to set up and maintain mining operations.

Magical Geography
The plane of Aarde is the home of Montporte, the Dragonfang Mountains and the Western Kingdoms. The physical geography of the plane of Aarde is such that the presence of mountains stretches the fabric of the universe, creating cracks and crevasses for beings from other planes to make their way to Aarde. The tension present in the very foundation and framework of Aarde generates a tremendous amount of magical energy. Pliny the Alder wrote: The Eastern Mountains lie at the very boundary of civilization and much danger there awaits anyone who travels to their peaks and valleys. But this land also has a deep underlying magical power, as the fabric of our world is stretched thin [there is also additional information in my post, Montporte Cosmological Notes: On the Planes].

All manner of creatures and horrors from other planes are rumored to have found their way to Aarde by way of passages in the Dragonfang Mountains: Fey (from the plane of Umírající); Demons (from the plane of Syvyys); Dragons (from the plane of Zaj); and aberrant horrors (from the plane of madness, Ioucura).

Montporte Cosmological Notes: On The Planes

I recently posted a short description of the cosmology of Montporte Dungeon Campaign. In today's post, I’ll give a bit more detail about the Five Planes. I may also do some posts on the individual planes at a later date, but don’t hold me to that.

The average inhabitant of Montporte would have very little knowledge of the planes. Even this scant knowledge is corrupted by ignorance, superstitions, and just plain inaccurate information. Humans, in particular, display very little knowledge of or interest in the planes. Elves and dwarves, being the Elder Races of Aarde, know the most. Gnomes and halflings fall somewhere in the middle.

The Five Planes
The known universe, in which the Montporte Dungeon exists, contains five planes. They are:

• Aarde: The plane where humans and their ilk dwell.
• Ioucura: The plane of madness.
• Syvyys: The plane of demons.
• Umírající: The plane of the fey.
• Zaj: The plane of dragons.

The spatial relationship of the planes has been speculated on by many scholars and mages over the years, but the reality is that no one really understands where one plane is in regards to any of the other four. No one even knows if there is space or matter or even existence in between the planes. Despite this lack of knowledge, scholars do generally agree that Aarde lies in the middle of the other four planes.

The planes do appear to “move” in some way, at least in relationship to each other. There are times when each plane seems somehow to be "closer" to Aarde and other times when each plane seems "further away." Syvvys is the one exception to this, as it always appears at the same “distance” from Aarde. Umírající and Zaj “move” in a regularly cyclical pattern in relationship to Aarde. Umírající is typically the “closest” to Aarde, except when Ioucura pops up right nearby Aarde.  Ioucura’s “movement” is completely random. The “proximity” of one plane to another greatly influences the ease or difficulty of travel between them.

The Plane of Aarde
The plane of Aarde lies at the heart of the known universe. In Aarde is the home of human cities, the elven dales, and the dwarven mountain strongholds. Montporte and its environs are part of Aarde. For the player characters, Aarde is home.

Aarde features a wider diversity of life and lifeforms than the other four planes combined. All manner of creature, mundane and magical, can be found here. Among the humanoid races, the elves and dwarves, hold a special place as the Elder races. Humans, gnomes, and halflings have been around for less time. Love them or hate them, humans are the dominate race. They bring a dynamism that is unique to them, because or in spite of their shorter life span.

Travel from Aarde to the other planes is impossible without the use of rare and powerful magic. Despite the challenge, denizens from the other planes do find their way to Aarde on occasion. Summoning spells, magical gateways, and dreams (in the case of Ioucura) are all ways that “outsiders,” as non-Aardian creatures all called, end up in Aarde.

There are areas in Aarde where the fabric of existence has been stretched thin. In these areas, travel to and from Aarde happens more frequently—sometimes on purpose and sometimes not. Mountain building (orogeny), the persistent presence of powerful magic, the close proximity to large bodies of waters, and even lightning can stretch the fabric that is Aarde.

The Montporte Dungeon lies in the foothills of the Dragonfang Mountains, the largest, highest and oldest mountain range of Aarde. Historically, the Montporte area has been the site of countless acts of magic, great and small. While travel between planes is always next to impossible, few areas of Aarde offer easier access from other planes as does the Montporte area.

The Plane of Ioucura
Ioucura is the plane of nightmares and madness. It is the plane of chaos, entropy and unmaking. The distance between Aarde and Ioucura is occasionally bridged when mortals of Aarde are sleeping, through bizarre dreams and nightmares. Insanity also creates a path from Ioucura.

Unspeakable horrors of the worst sort do, on occasion, cross over into Aarde and are made manifest in the flesh in the form of magical aberrations.

The Plane of Syvyys
Demons dwell on the plane of Syvyys but seek every occasion to make their way to Aarde, as they feed off of the life energies of mortals. Elves are immune to this demon feeding and have earned the special enmity of demonkind.

Demons fall into one of three groups: Lesser, greater, and lords. Each demon is unique and even the lesser demons are incredibly powerful, violent, and cruel. Any semblance of order that exists in Syvyss is there only through the threat and use of violence.

Each demon has a true name, known only to itself. Knowing a demon's name gives one power over that demon, although the demon will seek every opportunity to kill any being that knows its name.

The Plane of Umírající
Umírající is the plane of fey creatures and it is a plane filled with natural beauty. Yet, just below that beauty lies danger and death. The creatures of Umírající are divided into three camps: The Summer Court, the Winter Court, and the Wild Ones.

The Summer and Winter Courts are made up of nobility, with each noble being unique and extremely powerful. Each Court also has a vast array of folk and creatures who live under the rule of the respective Courts and are there to serve and obey the nobility.

The Wild Ones do not owe loyalty to either Court. They include:

• The Hunters--A few very powerful and unique beings that seek to hunt and owe no allegiance to anyone but the Hunt. 
• The Pack--The minions of the hunt who join in on larger hunts, but otherwise go their own way. 
• The Beasts--Unintelligent magical and mundane creatures that live in the forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers of Umírající. 
• The Loners--Powerful and unique creatures who live on their own, without regard to Courts or the Hunt.

Umírající is the most hospitable plane for those from Aarde, but it is still treacherous, even for the powerful and wary. Likewise, Aarde is visited more by the fey than any other outsiders.

The Plane of Zaj
Zaj is a mysterious place and nothing is known of the plane itself. It is inhabited by dragons, perhaps the most powerful of all creatures in the five planes. Each dragon is said to have the power of 10 wizards and can breath fire enough to melt the very roots of the mountains.

Dragons are not cruel and do not delight in the suffering of other creatures. Yet, at the same time, they have very little regard for anyone other than themselves. They are known to visit Aarde on occasion. Sometimes it is to seek knowledge, for they have an unquenchable thirst to study and know every aspect of the universe. They also are notorious hoarders and will travel about, accumulating great piles of treasure.  

Other Planes and Universes
Scholars and sages have speculated about the existence of other planes and even universes beyond the Five Planes. If there is any concrete evidence or information regarding such things, however, it has not been recorded.

Monday Moodsetter 19

RPG Rorschach: What is the first gaming thought that pops into your head?

Dragon's Lament

I have read a couple of interesting posts recently about the wussitude of AD&D dragons (see Beedo's post here and Peter D's post here). I can remember my gaming group coming to the same conclusion back in 1977 as we were reading through our brand new copies the Monster Manual. It seems like the game's namesake--a monster that should have been at the top of the food chain--was a bit of a powderpuff (this assumes that one avoided the breath).

Our solution, at the time, was to revamp the hit points of the dragons in the following way: Instead of dragon hit points being based solely on age (X hit points per die, where X is the growth stage of the dragon), we counted original system as additional hit points added to the hit points that we rolled.

Consider the following table, which uses a red dragon of average size (10 hit dice). The column on the left shows the hit points for each dragon age, using the dragon hit point system on page 29 of the Monster Manual (AD&D 1e).

The column on the right takes the hit points in the left column and adds them to the hit points rolled for the dragon (10d8). On average, 45 more hit points are added the dragon at each age level. The example in the table uses the 1d8 average roll of 4.5 hit points and multiplying by 10, which is the number of hit dice. In game play, the 10d8 would, of course, be rolled and then added to the hit point "bonus" for appropriate dragon age.