Southland: Other Dragons

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Southland Index

Humanoid Lands Index

Other Dragons

The Ancients created these creatures as giant, intelligent siege/assault weapons.  There was no control mechanism on them, other than they require freshly killed human (or even Humanoid) blood at least weekly.  In the Civil War, that was an easy enough requirement to fulfill.  These creatures fully regenerate themselves from any amount of damage after a feeding and 8 hours rest.      

After the Catastrophe and the loss of their Ancient caretakers, most remaining dragons warred with the various Humanoid tribes to continue feeding.  It was a losing cause for them.  The sheer numbers of Humanoids overcame them.  Most were killed.  A few badly wounded dragons hid and fell into a state of hibernation.

A dragon is too magical a creature to die a natural death unless they are completely dissected.  Even then, their remains are even magical.  Several Orc and Hobgoblin chiefs hold magic legacy weapons made from past victories over dragons.  Unfortunately, these magic items are not just rare, they’re very conspicuous.  If there’s a drawback (or curse) to owning them, it’s that they seem to bring out the avarice of everyone who sees them.  Humanoid owned dragon items only change ownership with bloody hands. 

Here are a few examples.  Feel free to make up your own and add some special effects with them.  

Dragonscale Shield: +4 AC, +2 to all Saves, +2 Str and Con to use

Dragonscale Armor: +8 AC, +4 to all Saves, +3 Str and Con to use

Dragontooth Spear: +1 to hit, 1d8+1 damage, never breaks

Dragonclaw Dagger: +2 to hit, 1d4+2 damage

Dragonsaw Sword: (Sword with dragon teeth embedded in it) +3 to hit, 1d10+3 damage, two-handed, +2 Str to use

Dragon Fetish: (Some small part of a dragon used for a ceremony spell) +4 to Spellcheck, can only be used once, then disintegrates.

There are only three known to be awake (Abraxus-Devil’s Marbles, Antalamya-Crater Lake, and Argula-Stone City).  The others are presumed to be asleep.  They are likely hidden or covered over by the elements.  There is also a “stockpile” of never-activated dragons in a military bunker buried in the Nullarbor Plain.  All of the “sleeping beauties” require a magic ceremony and a large blood sacrifice in order to awaken.  The entire procedure, however, has not been found.   

There are other types of dragons in the Southland, beyond those listed in the setting.  Dragons are differentiated by their scale color and their type of breath weapon.  The effects are the same, 4d10+aftereffect, 20’ area of effect, DC 16 Save for ½ damage and no aftereffect.

Frost Breath-Con Sv, all bonuses go to 0 and dropped to last in Init, M

Acid Spit-Ref Sv, -1 AC to non-magical worn armor, M

Lightning Blast-Ref Sv, Stun 1 rd and knocked down, M

Acid Gas-Con Sv, all stat bonuses go to 0 and blinded and gagging 1 turn, S