The range of mountains that form the natural border between the north of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos and the east of the Republic of Darokin is known as the Black Peak Mountains. It is a wild and rugged range, with few safe passes from one nation to the other, and many monsters live here. Foremost among these is a family of red dragons - they are the top predators of the mountainous ecosystem.
Most dragons only grow to the size and power described in the Basic rule-book (10 HD for red dragons). however, there is a ceremony that dragons can perform that requires the accumulation of large amounts of treasure, especially gold, that enables a dragon to molt like a snake and shed its outer skin and grow to new sizes (large and huge dragons as described in the Companion rules). This is one of the drivers for dragons to acquire and hoard as much treasure as possible.
In the Black Peaks there are two known Large red dragons, a male (Krysothrax the Invincible) and a female (Berrisharala the Terrifying). Although not really a mated pair (red dragons don't form proper bonds with other creatures, even other red dragons) they have mated a number of times over the centuries and most of the other red dragons in the range are their offspring, and they tolerate each other's presence surprisingly well (other red dragons have been known to fight each other to the death in territorial disputes).
Krysothrax the Invincible is a large male red dragon that has made his lair northwest of Threshold, north of the Lost Valley of the Hutaka, just over the official border in Darokin. He has full powers of speech (Common, Draconic, Ogrish and Orcish) and spell-casting (as outlined in Rules Compendium (5 x 1st, 4 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 2 x 4th). It is know that he has acquired a number of unique spell books and is quite interested in magic and arcane matters. If he corners a magic user and does not feel threatened by the human, he may not eat them immediately if the magic user strikes up a conversation about unique and unusual spells from Glantri and Alphatia. He has an assortment of monstrous minions - most of whom are controlled not by magic but by fear. Foremost among these is a tribe of ogres (including juveniles, several leaders and an ogre chief), but also a number of hellhounds and a doppelganger who is under a Charm Monster spell and now acts as Krysothrax's main spy among human communities, including Threshold and Selenica. Krysothrax spends much of his time sleeping. Despite the rules indicating red dragons spending only 10% of their time sleeping, for Krysothrax this is more like 40%. However, he has placed Magic Mouth spells at strategic locations in his lair and his ogre minions have permission to wake him if there is a serious threat, so he is unlikely to be completely caught off guard.
Berrisharala the Terrifying is a large female red dragon that lives close to the source of the Magos River. Unlike Krysothrax she does not cast spells but makes up for this by allowing two of her daughters (Erithrica and Berrylia, small female red dragons) to share her lair. She speaks Common, Draconic and Orcish, and also has a tribe of orc minions (at least 80 of them, including a chief and a shaman) who live in the passageways and chambers that riddle the sides of her cave. Berrisharala is notorious for her raids on human settlements, sometimes for food, sometimes for treasure, sometimes as retaliation for an attack on her by adventurers, and sometimes just because she is in one of those moods. Threshold, Luln and Wereskalot have all felt her fury over the last two centuries though she never totally obliterates a town.
Other, smaller red dragons are dotted around both the Black Peaks themselves and also the wide stretch of foothills either side of the actual mountains. One red dragon, the offspring of Krysothrax, has made his home underneath The Hill, near the village of Guido's Fort - his name is Malthoriax and he can both speak and cast spells. Another, Borvodor the Tyrantess, has begun receiving payments from the Black Eagle Barony, partly to dissuade her from attacking the Barony but also for her to take the Black Eagle's side if war breaks out with Karameikos. These smaller dragons tend to be less experienced, less intelligent and sometimes more animalistic, though there is a lot of variation. The more intelligent ones are likely to be cautious and make use of monstrous followers. These are also the ones who become aware of the ceremony to become Large (and then Huge) dragons.
Dragons may be super-predators but their tendency to sleep for weeks or even months at a time will reduce the impact they have on the local ecosystem. In this case the giant goats, imperial ibexes and yaks of the Black Peak mountains generally provide sufficient food and the red dragons do not need to regularly attack human settlements, at least not for food Such raids on towns and villages are usually for gold. Older, more experienced dragons are aware that this could provoke a response involving potentially dangerous adventurers, so they will often raid further afield so that they cannot be easily tracked back to their lairs. Generally speaking a small red dragon will claim a territory of about 350 square miles. An 8 mile hex has an area of about 55 miles so this is about 7 hexes on the map of Karameikos (one central hex + 6 surrounding hexes).
Red dragons are not the only draconic race to dwell in the Black Peaks. Different colours of dragons may have preferred terrains but they are by no means restricted to them - so blue dragons may prefer plains and deserts but they can still occasionally be found in mountains or even forests. Two small green dragons are known to dwell on the Darokin side of the Black Peak Mountains, while at least one gold dragon (Nahektus the Sagacious, small male gold dragon) is known to live in these parts, visiting the Reclusium of Serenity as a golden-bearded dwarf. The senior clerics there know of his true nature but are discrete about this. Down in the foothills either side of the actual mountains there are believed to be several blue dragons. Although powerful compared to most humans, these blue dragons stay out of the way of red dragons. Further to the east where the mountains become the Altan Tepes there are a few black and white dragons as well. At least one black dragon has taken up residence in the ruined dwarven stronghold of Tarrag Duun.
No comments:
Post a Comment