Tag: dragons

I have never been a fan of the chromatic and metallic dragons of Dungeons & Dragons, even when ignoring the Alignment aspect. Great variety but otherwise lacking both depth and need, in my opinion. Red dragons are the closest to traditional European mythology: flying fire breathers. That seems sufficient—with one exception.

Regarding Alignment, something recently reminded me that in Basic D&D, with its single Law-Neutral-Chaos axis, white dragons are Neutral. This makes them usable as mounts by non-evil people. A new idea then occurred to me: white dragons, being cold-based, would be the ideal counter to red dragons. Anti-dragons.

Perhaps not even true dragons, but a species created and/or bred by mortals or gods to protect against the true ones.

Ok, as the resident White Dragon fan, I feel I gotta point some stuff out. While White Dragons are the dumbest dragon, they are so much smarter than an animal, being Int 6 whereas your average Orc is Int 8, so not much of a difference there. Where White Dragons differ is in that they are absolutely savage. They don’t care for social niceties, hell they don’t even care to talk to their victims, even to gloat. That is because of one reason and one reason only.

Their environment.

White Dragons live in probably the single most hostile location in a fantasy world, the frozen north. Up here they start their lives as flying housecat-sized dispensers of frozen death. They behave much like Hawks or other flying predators and this lasts up until they hit Young, because now they’re the size of a wolf and can’t really sit on your average tree branch. So begins the next phase of their life.

Once they hit wolf-sized they start to become straight up ambush predators as they can’t rely on being able to swoop down on their larger targets anymore. So they dig a hole or lie in a snowbank waiting for something to come by. Why don’t they just track stuff? The could, but the long range hunter niche is filled by wolf packs, which the dragon can simply avoid competing with by being an ambush predator, which it is insanely good at. This comes to an end once it becomes Large though.

Now, the White Dragon has just spent the first 100 years or so of its life being some sort of ambush predator, and at no point was it the top of the local food chain, unlike how many other dragons can be. The fact that so many creatures up north can be resistant to its breath weapon means that it can’t punch up as effectively as its relatives and so it had to avoid stuff like Winter Wolves. Now that it’s large those things aren’t as big of a threat, but it also needs more food, so they will often head to the ocean to eat seals and small whales. Except now its in direct competition with Frost Giants and other large sea-dwelling predators. Most of which are either highly resistant or outright immune, to its breath weapon. So it becomes a high speed, hit and run predator, returning to its origins as a mostly aerial hunter. Swooping down on prey and getting out before anything else gets close.

This continues until the dragon is at least a Mature Adult, as at that point it should be able to effectively take on multiple Frost Giants. Now, the White Dragon is, arguably, at the top of the land-based food chain, though it has to watch out for some waterborne predators. Its 400 years old, and only now is it at the top of its local food chain. Most dragons have been here for quite a while.

So what does it do from here? Continue what it’s always done, be a large ambush predator, using ever more sophisticated tactics as it springs on its prey, possibly using bait and other lures to bring things into its reach. It may have found various ways to actually leverage its breath weapon, maybe it has an Energy Substitution feat for its Breath or it can Pierce Immunity? Each White Dragon will have carved out its specific hunting style and niche with blood, sweat and the shattered bodies of its prey. And each one will be a savage and implacable foe that will not be deterred. Because past Mature, the White Dragon only gets worse. Once it hits Gargantuan it knows that it is finally, at long last, the true Alpha Predator of the North and nothing will force it back into hiding.

Blue and Green Dragons can be bargained with, Black Dragons bribed or impressed, Red Dragons can be flattered, seduced, or otherwise have their egos stroked. White Dragons? White Dragons can’t be negotiated with. You have nothing they want, nothing they care for, because nothing other than its survival matters to it, and you are its prey, and nothing gets away from a White Dragon.

— Giant in the Playground Forum

…Ah, but what if you’ve got to kill a dragon and there’re no 8th-level warriors in the party and you’re totally willing to sacrifice yourself heroically? Good question! I’m doing away with the rules for subduing a dragon (duh) and instead instituting something I like to call “Going for the Kill!” One PC of the party can draw the dragon’s attention and ire and get all close-and-personal…as opposed to dancing around hoping to hit the jackpot roll while avoiding dragon breath. When you “Go for the Kill!” you receive a +5 bonus to your attack roll….

Going for the kill is not all wine and roses, however. By (pretty much) challenging the dragon to single-combat and getting in close, you will be subjected to dragon fire. That means no “rollover save” to avoid the flames…the PC isn’t trying to avoid the flames, she’s trying to deliver a death blow. The mechanic works like this: you must announce you’re “going for the kill” before rolling initiative. If you lose initiative, or if you miss your attack roll, then your character is bacon…or, at least, mortally wounded (I believe I mentioned before a little resource called “grit?” It allows characters to fight on after being mortally wounded, which means you can see a Beowulf or Sir Orrin type combat, where the hero still slays the dragon despite being slain himself). It’s tough…but that’s the price you pay to be a hero.

— Chop! Dragon Breath (Part 4) – B/X BLACKRAZOR

Author’s emphases.

Now Fingolfin, King of the North, and High King of the Noldor, seeing that his people were become numerous and strong, and that the Men allied to them were many and valiant, pondered once more an assault upon Angband; for he knew that they lived in danger while the circle of the siege was incomplete, and Morgoth was free to labour in his deep mines, devising what evils none could foretell ere he should reveal them. This counsel was wise according to the measure of his knowledge; for the Noldor did not yet comprehend the fullness of the power of Morgoth, nor understand that their unaided war upon him was without final hope, whether they hasted or delayed. But because the land was fair and their kingdoms wide, most of the Noldor were content with things as they were, trusting them to last, and slow to begin an assault in which many must surely perish were it in victory or in defeat. Therefore they were little disposed to hearken to Fingolfin, and the sons of Fëanor at that time least of all. Among the chieftains of the Noldor Angrod and Aegnor alone were of like mind with the King; for they dwelt in regions whence Thangorodrim could be descried, and the threat of Morgoth was present to their thought. Thus the designs of Fingolfin came to naught, and the land had peace yet for a while.

But when the sixth generation of Men after Bëor and Marach were not yet come to full manhood, it being then four hundred years and five and fifty since the coming of Fingolfin, the evil befell that he had long dreaded, and yet more dire and sudden than his darkest fear. For Morgoth had long prepared his force in secret, while ever the malice of his heart grew greater, and his hatred of the Noldor more bitter; and he desired not only to end his foes but to destroy also and defile the lands that they had taken and made fair. And it is said that his hate overcame his counsel, so that if he had but endured to wait longer, until his designs were full, then the Noldor would have perished utterly. But on his part he esteemed too lightly the valour of the Elves, and of Men he took yet no account.

There came a time of winter, when night was dark and without moon; and the wide plain of Ard-galen stretched dim beneath the cold stars, from the hill-forts of the Noldor to the feet of Thangorodrim. The watchfires burned low, and the guards were few; on the plain few were waking in the camps of the horsemen of Hithlum. Then suddenly Morgoth sent forth great rivers of flame that ran down swifter than Balrogs from Thangorodrim, and poured over all the plain; and the Mountains of Iron belched forth fires of many poisonous hues, and the fume of them stank upon the air, and was deadly. Thus Ard-galen perished, and fire devoured its grasses; and it became a burned and desolate waste, full of a choking dust, barren and lifeless. Thereafter its name was changed, and it was called Anfauglith, the Gasping Dust. Many charred bones had there their roofless grave; for many of the Noldor perished in that burning, who were caught by the running flame and could not fly to the hills. The heights of Dorthonion and Ered Wethrin held back the fiery torrents, but their woods upon the slopes that looked towards Angband were all kindled, and the smoke wrought confusion among the defenders. Thus began the fourth of the great battles, Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame.

In the front of that fire came Glaurung the golden, father of dragons, in his full might; and in his train were Balrogs, and behind them came the black armies of the orcs in multitudes such as the Noldor had never before seen or imagined. And they assaulted the fortresses of the Noldor, and broke the leaguer about Angband, and slew wherever they found them the Noldor and their allies, Grey-elves and Men. Many of the stoutest of the foes of Morgoth were destroyed in the first days of that war, bewildered and dispersed and unable to muster their strength. War ceased not wholly ever again in Beleriand; but the Battle of Sudden Flame is held to have ended with the coming of spring, when the onslaught of Morgoth grew less.

— The Silmarillion, Chapter 18

[Ahmed rides back into the pallisade after taking a risk to rescue a child who fell behind the evacuation from the imminent attack by a proported fire-breathing dragon.]

Herger:

So you saw the fire worm?

Ahmed:

It’s cavalry.

Herger:

I rather prefer a dragon.

Ahmed:

Hundreds, with torches.

— “The 13th Warrior” (1999)

Dr. Ilene Chen:

Slaying dragons is a Western concept. In the East, they are sacred; divine creatures who brought wisdom, strength, even redemption.

— “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)

Last of all the eastern force to stand firm were the Dwarves of Belegost, and thus they won renown. For the Naugrim withstood fire more hardily than either Elves or Men, and it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon; and those stood them in good stead against the dragons. And but for them Glaurung and his brood would have withered all that was left of the Noldor. But the Naugrim made a circle about him when he assailed them, and even his mighty armour was not full proof against the blows of their great axes; and when in his rage Glaurung turned and struck down Azaghâl, Lord of Belegost, and crawled over him, with his last stroke Azaghâl drove a knife into his belly, and so wounded him that he fled the field, and the beasts of Angband in dismay followed after him. Then the Dwarves raised up the body of Azaghâl and bore it away; and with slow steps they walked behind singing a dirge in deep voices, as it were a funeral pomp in their country, and gave no heed more to their foes; and none dared to stay them….

— The Silmarillion, Chapter 20

From the account of the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, also known as the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, in the First Age of Middle-earth.

Let’s begin by looking at the most widespread and celebrated of all mythic monsters—the dragon. This creature, in one guise or another, appears in almost every mythology and has been the subject of many books and countless articles. Perhaps the most intriguing of these examinations is An Instinct for Dragons by anthropologist David E. Jones. Jones argues that the image of the dragon is composed of the salient body parts of three predator species that hunted and killed our tree-dwelling African primate ancestors for about sixty million years. The three predators are the leopard, the python, and the eagle.

— Deadly Powers, pp. 162-63