Wlker: Co tohle? Omlouvám se za copy/paste a wall of text, ale jedna potvora na ukázku bez statů se snad snese...
BLACK DRAGON
Older is not always wiser. Sometimes older is just meaner.
Primordial Rulers of the World
The black dragons claim to be the firstborn among the
chromatics. According to their own history, they were born
directly of the primary creative forces of the universe—the raw
potential of the primordial chaos, the nurturing depths of the
seas, the immense strength of the land, and the omnipresent
magic of the stars. The black dragons thought themselves the
unique, powerful rulers of the world.
The world was not content to simply be ruled, however,
and created dragons of its own. Through the secondary creative
forces—fire, water, air, and earth—more dragons came into being
that challenged the power of the originals. In time, the young
siblings of the quickly expanding dragon family broke the black
dragon dominance, leading to the draconic free-for-all that carries
forward even to this day. The black dragons have never forgiven
“those pretenders” for their offense and each new generation
continues to carry forward the grudge of ten thousand years.
The black dragons described in the core rulebook have
interbred and ignored their blood connection to their unique,
pre-elemental creative roots. They combine some of the qualities
of each black dragon origin. The dragons described here have
maintained those blood connections through selective mating and
ritual, and so exhibit thematic qualities specific to their origins.
Catacomb Dragon
Catacomb dragons inhabit deep subterranean lairs near large
veins of ores and precious stones. They have no use for the
materials themselves, but viciously protect the veins from
dwarves and dark elves. Catacomb dragons will even go so far
as to seal themselves inside their lairs for months—even years—
to ensure the underworld denizens are denied resources. The
dragons’ immense strength and their acidic skin and breath allow
them to escape these cave-ins with ease when the time is right.
Each catacomb dragon has a pearlescent geode. The crystals
within the geode are said to contain the power to aggravate
volcanic eruptions. The geode can be used only once so provoking
a catacomb dragon into doing so means putting it into a
situation from which it can’t escape. It’s no small feat, but
both dwarven and dark elf histories recall stories where one
or another ruler did so to win a war with surface-dwellers.
Gorge Dragon
“Gorge dragon” is a term
invented by humanoids
as a mnemonic device to
remember all the ways these
types of black dragons (who
refer to themselves as deep
dragons) can be dangerous.
Gorge dragons spend the
majority of their time on land,
but are equally at home in the
water. They make their lairs
in swamps or river deltas near
turbulent bodies of water where
shipwrecks occur with some frequency.
The dragons dive into the water looking
for lost treasures that have sunk into deep
underwater trenches (the first “gorge”). They are unafraid of the
waves and currents that destroy mere sailing vessels. Legends of
gorge dragons causing hurricanes and tidal waves are common
around the coastal cities.
The gorge dragon’s breath can take the unwary by surprise.
It manifests as a blast of multicolored light. The light helps the
gorge dragon see underwater and signals other deepsea denizens
to stay away. The color spray spell is rumored to be based on
the breath of a gorge dragon. The breath weapon is the second
“gorge,” as in “gorgeous.” The spray of colors really is beautiful
to behold at a safe distance, though one could argue whether
anything within visual range of a black dragon is considered a
“safe distance.”
The final meaning of “gorge” references the creature’s bizarre
and insatiable appetite. A gorge dragon will eat almost anything
that will fit in its mouth, often including metal or metallic items!
In actuality, gorge dragons have developed a palette for magic
as if it were a seasoning and have learned to digest whatever the
magic happens to be attached to. Thus, while a gorge dragon
might get the occasional hankering for a pile of copper coins,
offering up a suit of enchanted chainmail is an expensive but
consistently effective way to escape a gorge dragon’s clutches.
Void Dragon
Void dragons are simultaneously the easiest and hardest dragons
for adventurers to confront. Their lairs are accessible, usually
overlooking some prominent road or waterway. Almost any
structurally sound shelter seems to be acceptable including but
not limited to forts, caves, mines, castles, and temples. Void
dragons also tend toward capriciousness, so an adventuring party
that assaults the lair of one and is repelled will not likely find the
dragon there again.
Empyrean Dragon
Empyrean dragons are the only black dragon variant to make
their homes solely in the overworld. They are also unique among
the black dragon family in that each individual has three heads.
Unlike ettins, the heads are agreeable to one another and work in
concert. They don’t have distinct personalities.
The stringent ritual requirements for maintaining
connection to the magic of the overworld when traveling far from
it means that empyrean dragons are willing to descend to the
world only about once every human generation (if they want to
maintain their full power). Much of the time, they achieve their
goals via minions and proxies. Only during the appointed season
do these dragons let loose their decades of rage upon the world in
the flesh. Most towns and cities attacked by an empyrean dragon
cease to exist—no ruins, no refugees, and no plunder.
Building Battles
Catacomb dragons are wary of allowing humanoids into their
lairs, but over the ages they have learned how to whisper the
right words and make the right promises to draw derro to them
as servants and slaves. In their madness, the derro worship
the dragon’s geode as a dark fire god, seeing the dragon as the
god’s representative in the world. They also believe the geode’s
cleansing fires are the only way for them to go to the ancestor
halls upon death.
Gorge dragons and void dragons often work with the same
allies, including servants of the Three. In some areas of deeper
water among the Fangs, bands of sahuagin have taken to “dragongod”
worship—they capture slaves (or draw-in adventurers) for
the dragon to feast upon, give it treasure from sunken ships, and
even sacrifice themselves when prey is scarce.
Empyrean dragons are almost always encountered in the
overworld, but they use many minions to do their bidding in the
world. Many will subjugate storm giants or cloud giants, or hire
ogre mage messengers. A few are even rumored to keep zorigami
allies, hoarding clockwork parts that they exchange with the
creatures for their service.
Black Dragons and the Icons
The Black manages to keep loyalty to the Three among most black
dragons across the Empire one way or the other. Many believe
her talents in espionage and assassination will eventually be
brought to bear against the Blue and the Red, thus re-establishing
the dominance of their kind. Whether that is the result of clever
politicking and promises or the actual plans of a creature whose
forethought covers millennia is anyone’s guess. She is also not
above bribes and threats for those individuals whose draconic
pride has given way to more material concerns.
A few rogue black dragons view the Black as a traitor to the
cause in working at all with the “later generations.” As one moves
away from Drakkenhall, the odds of finding a lone black dragon
discontented with the Black increases. Of course, finding a dead
and mangled black dragon in its lair is a pretty good indicator of
her discontent as well.
Black dragons will occasionally make deals with some
of the other icons. The Lich King is both powerful and old—a
combination that black dragons can respect. Those black dragons
who believe the Elf Queen has the Green imprisoned might be
persuaded to adhere to a non-interference policy, though never
outright assistance. Finally, it so happens that followers of the
High Druid, in their zeal to push back against the growth of
civilization and retain the Old Ways, occasionally do something
a black dragon finds helpful or vice versa. The two factions honor
their debts to one another but ensure that no debt accrues too
large or for too long.
The Emperor and the Orc Lord are both anathema to black
dragons. How can something with such a short lifespan claim
rulership over anything?
Names
Neak, Zburator, Imugi, Zilant, Bakunawa, Illuyanka, Kunmanggur, Oshumare, Yurlungur.
Things Black Dragons Hoard
Black dragon pride is deeply rooted in the glory of their common
heritage and the belief that the olden days were always better.
Therefore the older something is—no matter what condition it
may be in or how imminently useful it may be—the more value
and quality it is seen to have by a black dragon. The black dragons’
accumulation of old stuff and fervent hope for the reclamation
of glory in the future leads to another unique black dragon
hoarding behavior—repurposing. Black dragons are as creative
as they are dastardly so their lairs are often cleverly decorated
with recovered treasures. Coffins unearthed from the land or sea
are relieved of their original contents and used as cabinets or
bunks for live-in minions. Ships’ wheels are interlaced like the
gears of a clock in elaborate patterns. Art depicting the defeat of
other chromatic dragons is highly valued no matter what the era
of origin. One black dragon was even found to have collected art
pieces depicting the defeat of other black dragons! Whether the
pieces were intended to be some sort macabre ancestor shrine, a
signal of mutiny among draconic culture, or a blatant display of
ironic confidence was never determined.
Adventure Hooks
Feed the Starving Ground—One terrible raid in the 8th Age saw
twelve empyrean dragons attack the ogre-mage capital of Ido.
That location is now called the Starving Ground and not so
much as a sheaf of rice has grown there in the last five Ages.
The land needs to be returned to its rightful state to support a
growing Imperial population. That probably means finding the
last known empyrean dragon from that assault, Ahzi-Dahaka,
who is thought to be bound between two mountains.
Finders Weepers—A crazed wizard or sorcerer has managed
to acquire the geode owned by the catacomb dragon Fu’Tsang
and intends to weaponize it. The geode ought to be returned
to the dragon, but Fu’Tsang is in no better mood for visitors
than the magician.
Ground to a Halt—A large millstone was supposedly sent from
Barae to Midcoast as a sign of peace, but it never arrived at
port. Each side accuses the other of sabotage and hostilities
are beginning again. A gorge dragon named Aido-Hwedo in
the area may have the stone, or at least might be able to find it,
but at what cost?