Chronicles of the Wyrm (Dragon Quest)

[Maugan Ra]

Chronicles of the Wyrm
Fire and Death​

Introduction

There are few monsters, few creatures I find more appealing in all of fantasy than a proper Dragon. Their combination of arrogance, wisdom and sheer physical might makes for wonderful storytelling opportunities, and in this Quest I will be indulging in those opportunities with shameless abandon.

In this Quest, SV gets to be a Dragon.

From birth until death, this Quest will follow the life and adventures of a single Dragon, one whose every major decision and life changing event will be decided upon by the voter base as a whole. Will you be a staunch protector of freedom and liberty? A fearsome tyrant who rules over the lesser races? A merciless beast that drives all before you with spell and claw? The choice is yours.

Mechanics and Setting

The mechanical underpinnings of this Quest will come from the Pathfinder RPG, and the setting will be the world of Golarion that said RPG established. That said, actual mechanics will be taking something of a back seat in a lot of ways, even in combat - I'm not going to roll out every swipe of a wing or bolt of lightning, and you should generally take what the rules indicate as more of a loose guideline and benchmark than anything else.

That said, the mechanics can be found in the PRD and the setting details can be found in the Golarion Wiki.

Note that you can and probably will take levels in a class on top of the base advantages offered by being a dragon. Most dragons do, though such advancement will come through studying and practice rather than simply by accumulating 'experience'. This will be covered in more detail when it becomes relevant.

Draconic Morality

One thing I should probably clarify now is the matter of morality, or perhaps more specifically Alignment. Pathfinder models itself as a successor to D&D, and as such adopts the infamous nine-point Alignment grid. Your alignment will be tracked as the Quest goes on, and can and will have an impact on story events - evil dragons are vastly more likely to find a noble band of Paladins trying to hunt them down, after all.

The main reason I'm bringing this up now is that certain types of Dragon are more inclined towards particular types of morality - Red Dragons are almost always Chaotic Evil, while the odd Silver Dragon who is anything other than Lawful Good is a rare find indeed. This, however, is not an absolute rule, and Dragons of all colours can and have adopted ethical positions all over the alignment map at different times. It is, instead, more a matter of instinct than anything else - Black Dragons tend towards sadism and are thusly almost always evil, but a mere psychological preference is not sufficient to condemn one as either good or evil without the appropriate actions backing it up.

Breed-specific quirks will be detailed in the opening post below, but for now I think I might as well go over some of the most universal Draconic quirks and what kind of behaviour they are likely to encourage:

Dragons are arrogant. Even the weakest and least exceptional dragon is a mighty creature, capable of living for thousands of years and wielding the arcane energies of the world as easily as breathing. Even the good aligned dragons are aware of their own strengths and advantages relative to those around them, and this tends to colour all of their interactions with other creatures.

Dragons are powerful. This ties into the arrogance, but a dragon is only very rarely left entirely without options. In the vast majority of cases they will be the stronger party in any given confrontation or negotiation, and they tend to make assumptions grounded in their own sense of superiority.

Dragons are greedy. All dragons, without exception, desire material possessions. Some favour the traditional piles of gold, others collect rare books or even skilled servants, but every dragon holds within themselves a psychological need to build a hoard of some kind. Among other dragons, the size and quality of one's horde is a significant status symbol, and few dragons will tolerate even the smallest item being removed from their possession without their express permission.

Dragons are magical. Certain kinds of elemental and arcane energy respond better to certain mindsets and emotions - the destructive uses of fire magic are made all the stronger when invoked by someone passionate about their use, for example, while wielders of earth magic tend to be as stoic and patient as their element. Quite aside from the mystical significance of a dragon's particular elemental affiliation, there is a certain self-reinforcing appeal to using a particular kind of magic to solve your problems. Even the most patient and restrained of Red Dragons is constantly aware of how easy it would be to just set everything on fire, after all...

 

[Maugan Ra]

Character Sheet

Name - Murazond
Species: Gold Dragon
Age: 16 (Young)
Gender: Male
Size: Large
Class: None
Alignment: LE

DEFENSE
AC: 24, touch 11, flat-footed 22 (10 base +2 Dex +13 natural -1 size)
HP: 138 (12d12 +48)
Fort +12, Ref +9 Will +11
Immune: Fire, Paralysis, Sleep. Weaknesses: Vulnerability to Cold

OFFENSE
Speed: 60ft, Swim 60ft, Fly 200ft (poor)
Melee: Bite +18 (2d6+11), 2 claws +18 (1d8+7), 2 wings +16 (1d6+4), tail slap +16 (1d8+11)
Space: 10ft, Reach: 10ft (15ft with bite)
Special attacks: Breath weapon (40ft cone, DC20, 6d10 fire damage OR 3pt strength damage)

STATISTICS
Str: 25, Dex: 12, Con: 19, Int: 16, Wis: 17, Cha: 16
Base Attack: +12, CMB: +20, CMD: 29
Feats: Hover, Multi-attack, Wingover (3 more available)

Spoiler: What your feats do

Hover: You can remain stationary in the air without making a fly check. If you are close to the ground the beat of your wings may knock people down and kick up concealing clouds of sand and dust.

Multi-attack: Secondary natural attacks, such as your wings or tail slap, only take a -2 penalty as opposed to a -5.

Wingover: You do not need to make a Fly check in order to perform a complete 180-degree turn while flying.

Skills: Appraise +8, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +16, Fly +9, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +16, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (Geography) +9, Knowledge (History) +9, Knowledge (Local) +12, Knowledge (Nature) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +12, Knowledge (The Planes) +12, Linguistics +8, Perception +14, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +14, Survival +8, Swim +12

Spoiler: Skill ranks assigned

Dragon Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Fly, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (All), Linguistics, Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Stealth, Survival, Swim, Use Magic Device

Appraise 2
Bluff 6
Diplomacy 10
Fly 12
Intimidate 10
Knowledge (Arcana) 10
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 3
Knowledge (Geography) 3
Knowledge (History) 3
Knowledge (Local) 6
Knowledge (Nature) 3
Knowledge (Religion) 6
Knowledge (The Planes) 6
Linguistics 2
Perception 8
Sense Motive 4
Spellcraft 8
Survival 2
Swim 2

Languages: Draconic, Celestial, Common, Elven, Infernal

MAGIC/SPELLS

Innate Magic (CL 12)
Detect Gems - By concentrating for a few moments, you can sense the location of any and all precious stones within approximately 800ft of your current position. In addition to finding treasure, this can also be used to orientate yourself underground.

Detect Evil - By studying one target for a few seconds, you can determine whether their soul has been influenced by or resonates one of the lower planes. While not necessarily a strict guide to their allegiance or temperament, with experience you can learn a great deal about someone just by the condition of their aura. This can, however, be hidden or altered by magical means, and is thus not absolutely reliable.

Spoiler: Sorcerer magic (CL1)

Charm Person (DC14) - Dragons are naturally majestic and inspiring creatures, and your native magic enhances this ability. By speaking to someone, you can rapidly enchant them to view you in a friendly and positive light, an impression which lasts for hours after you have finished speaking to them. This generally does not work if you or your allies are currently attempting to commit violence or some other crime upon them, however.

Create Water - You can tap into the elemental planes to summon up to two gallons of fresh, drinkable water upon command, generally causing it to appear in a nearby receptacle or by falling from the air.

Detect Magic - By concentrating on a person, object or area you can use your own arcane powers to determine if there is any kind of magic present in your target. This will generally involve visual auras appearing around them to your senses, and with concentration and knowledge you can use those auras to deduce the type and strength of magic involved.

Ghost Sound - A relatively minor illusionary trick, this ability allows you to create many different kinds of sound within a relatively short radius around you - approximately 30ft. The sounds can be almost anything, but are limited in volume to about what four adult humans could normally produce.

Magic Aura (DC14) - In addition to detecting magical auras, you have also learned to suppress or alter them. This can make a mundane item appear magical or vice versa to those with the appropriate senses or spells.

Prestidigitation - Less a specific technique and more a reflection of your general grasp of the arcane, this spell allows you to perform a variety of minor magical 'tricks'. You can clean or soil something, make it change colour, create minor illusions and so on.

SPECIAL ABILITIES/QUALITIES

Breath Weapon: You can choose to exhale a cone of gas at will, which will weaken and slow anyone exposed to it. At your option you can also light this cone on fire, to deal direct damage to enemies.

Change Shape: With a few moments of concentration, you can call upon your innate magic to alter your physical form, adopting the shape and size of any animal or humanoid between small and large in size (Halfling to horse, for reference). While transformed you keep your basic statistics, but lose access to the majority of these special abilities in favour of those possessed by your adopted form.

Draconic Senses: Your eyes are fantastically keen, about twice as good as a human's vision in daylight and four times theirs in dim light. In pitch blackness you can see clearly for up to 120ft, though you cannot discern colour without the assistance of a light source. Additionally, so acute is your hearing and sense of smell that you can perfectly locate and track all beings and environmental features within 60ft of you, with the need for perception checks.

Fast Flight: You are faster than most dragons of your size, particularly over long distances. Your flight speed is calculated as though for a dragon one size larger than you are.

Water-breathing: You are fully capable of surviving underwater and cannot drown. Being submerged has no effect on your breath weapon - it simply becomes a cloud of super-heated steam.

 

[Maugan Ra]

Hoard details go here

 

[Maugan Ra]

Setting and NPC details go here

 

[Maugan Ra]

Warm. Dark. Safe.

Trapped.

You cannot say what it is that provides that first, momentary impulse to escape your confinement. Perhaps it is some sign or sound, perhaps it is a natural instinct, perhaps it is merely a sudden realization that you can... but whatever the reason, you suddenly find yourself with a deep and abiding need to escape.

Your struggles are weak, at first, little more than a few futile gestures that stir the inside of your world and scratch at the limits of your imprisonment. It takes time to build enough strength and understanding to make true progress, to bring all your nascent strength to bear and crack the shell.

Eventually, however, you succeed. The walls crack, the shell falls away, and you emerge into the world at large with a high pitching keen that fills the air.

Bright.

Your eyes are sensitive, still far too used to the dark confines of your egg, and the sudden onslaught of sensation is enough to send you staggering on trembling limbs as you struggle to make sense of it all. Eventually you resort to just curling back up into a ball, and as you do so, you catch sight of your own scales.

What colour are they?

[ ] A dark, glossy Black

Spoiler: Black Dragons

Sadistic and cruel, black dragons see the world in terms of fear. Safety is obtained when all others fear the consequences of crossing you, and one's will is best worked upon those who are too terrified to disagree. That this mindset frequently leads the dragon into sadism and cruelty is a well known fact, and there are few beings indeed who regard the approach of a black dragon with anything less than fear. This is as it should be.

Black dragons exhale clouds of acidic vapour and are typically found in swamps and other semi-aquatic terrains.

[ ] A rich and striking Blue

Spoiler: Blue Dragons

Neat and tidy to the point of neurosis, Blue Dragons find it easy to become obsessed with order and control. They are managers, organizers, puppet masters and schemers, never content with anything less than absolute control over all affairs within their domain.

Blue dragons can control lightning and are typically found in desert biomes.

[ ] A shining Brass

Spoiler

Whimsical and light-hearted, Brass dragons often find it difficult to pursue a particular occupation or course of action for an extended period of time. Even so, they are driven to meddle in the affairs of others and help out where they can, and this combined with their great intellect often leads Brass dragons to become fixtures of their local community, whether in the guise of a wise vizier or a regular patron at the local tavern.

Brass dragons breath great gouts of flame, and often prefer desert environs for their lairs.

[ ] A muted Bronze

Spoiler: Bronze Dragons

Contemplative and watchful, Bronze dragons are driven to steward and protect the world around them, whether that means fending off an invading army or founding a public library to ensure the preservation of knowledge and history. They are the ultimate protectors, though it is a rare being indeed which can count on one of these magnificent creatures to watch over their families and possessions.

Bronze dragons are fully aquatic and can produce great bolts of electricity from their maws upon demand.

[ ] A polished and gleaming Copper

Spoiler: Copper Dragons"

Idealistic and cheerful, Copper dragons are great lovers and champions of freedom. They cannot bear the thought of being constrained, and view the tendency of other races to subjugate and enslave one another to be the greatest of evils. Sometimes derided as flighty and unreliable, there is no stronger ally to the oppressed and helpless than a valiant copper on a mission of mercy.

Copper dragons summon and control acid, and are often found in mountains or other rocky biomes.

[ ] A magnificent and inspiring Gold

Spoiler: Gold Dragons

Calm, patient and wise, the mighty Gold Dragons are the greatest of all their kind by just about any measure. The leaders and guides of Draconic society, a Gold dragon can generally expect a degree of respect and deference from even the most malevolent chromatic, and they feel compelled to guide and advise all others as wisely and ethically as they possibly can.

Gold Dragons are masters of fire, and have the ability to call upon their arcane blood to cast divine spells as a cleric might, though they do not serve any particular deity.

[ ] A bright and verdant Green

Spoiler: Green Dragons

Obsessed with the ideal of self-perfection, Green Dragons often exhibit a degree of self mastery and discipline far beyond that enjoyed by any other Draconic breed. They tend to be academics, mystics and students of the martial arts, and of all the chromatic dragons are perhaps the easiest to approach without being instantly slain for the presumption.

The breath weapon of a green dragon is acidic in nature, and they generally make their homes in thick forests, which their natural magic allows them to command and control.

[ ] A vivid and impressive Red

Spoiler: Red Dragons

Arrogant and destructive, Red Dragons are the very embodiment of what most people think when they hear the word 'dragon'. While capable of patience and restraint, few Red's see the need for such things, and when provoked by the ignorant or foolish their wrath is the stuff of legends.

Red Dragons are lords of fire, and are some of the most physically imposing of their mighty kind.

[ ] A shining and brilliant Silver

Spoiler: Silver Dragons

Often compared to the Paladins of lesser races, Silver dragons have a nigh-irresistible urge towards self-discipline and order. They find a great sense of satisfaction and contentment in metaphorically chaining themselves in oaths and codes of conduct, and will generally act in full accordance with those oaths at every opportunity.

Silvers are masters of cold and ice, and they can walk upon the clouds as easily as solid ground.

[ ] A pure and splendid White

Spoiler: White Dragons

Looked down upon as barely-sentient beasts by many of their cousins, white dragons have an undeniably primitive outlook on life. Only rarely does one of their kind become more than a savage predator of the wilderness, usually with the aid of a differently-coloured mentor, but for all their limitations and simple preferences they are still dragons. More than one would-be monster hunter has forgotten that and paid dearly for it over the years.

White dragons are most typically found in arctic conditions, where their mastery of snow and ice allows them to thrive.

 

[Maugan Ra]

Gold.

Yes, that is it. Your scales are... gold. What precisely gold is or what that means escapes you right now, but you're fairly sure that is what the colour of your scales is called. How interesting!

There are rather a lot of gold things nearby.

For one thing, already you can see heaps upon heaps of tiny circular gold things piled up around the remains of your egg. They glitter faintly in the light, which seems to be coming from shiny rock-things embedded in the walls. Then there are large blocks of gold-coloured stuff stacked up in neat piles a bit further away, and long shiny strings of gold, and blocks shaped kind of like you but many times bigger made out of something gold, and...

There is a lot of it, and that feels good.

What does not feel good is the lack of anyone else nearby. There should be... someone, surely? Something in you tells you that being alone is wrong and bad and strange, but you don't know why. There is an odd feeling of pressure coming from the solid-stuff above you, but you don't know what that means. You feel hot, in a sort of good and comforting way, but you don't know why. You are surrounded by great walls of... something that is not-gold, and this feels wrong as well, but you can't say why.

You don't know a lot of things, and in your confusion and building distress you open your mouth and let out a small keening sound. It echoes through the space you are in, coming back to you from several directions at once.

One of the walls moves.

The ground trembles slightly as it does, some of the small golden things falling from their position in the heaps with strange tinkling sounds, and you realize you are wrong. You thought the large surface on the far side of the room was another wall, for everything else that large was a wall, but no! It has scales like you do, and legs like you do, and a head like you do, so it must be something like you. Just, well, way bigger than you.

It's scales are not gold.

The head of the bigger-you comes moving around to face you, and the mouth opens wide - wide enough you could fit inside with ease. Some of those sharp pointy things inside its mouth are larger than you are, or at least is feels like it. There is a faint rumbling sound, and your scales tingle momentarily - the big one just did something strange, you know that much - and then it speaks.

"Ah, you have hatched. Good." It says, it's voice so loud it almost hurts. And the words... you understand them somehow. You have never heard them before, but somehow you know what they mean anyway. This seems very odd to you, and you chirp inquisitively.

"Magic, little one." The giant-you rumbles. "I want you to know what I say, and so you do. You will learn to do this too, one day. It is part of being a dragon."

Dragon? Is that what you are? It feels... right. Yes, you are a dragon. You might not know what exactly that is or what a dragon is supposed to do, but it feels good to know what you are. And it sounds like the big one is like you are as well, but... why is it a different colour? That feels strange, and without thinking you chirp back again in question.

"I am like you, and I am not like you. Once, all my kind were like you are now, with shiny golden hides." The big... no, huge dragon says. "Then we were betrayed, and our hides turned from gold to red."

That seems unfair somehow. And also strange - how does someone being mean to you change your scales? Oh, you have so many questions.

"Patience, little one." The larger dragon says with a low, rumbling... is that a laugh? "I will answer your questions, but you must be hungry. Here, eat."

The massive you moves, revealing that it was blocking your sight of an even larger space beyond. This one is lit by the light from some kind of... moving wall that is very hot on the far side (argh there are so many words you do not yet know!), and there are even more shiny things within. Large rocks of different colours, mostly, some of them bigger than you are. It seems almost everything is bigger than you are right now.

The bigger dragon reaches out with one enormous claw and plucks something off a large spike sticking out above the burning rock. He carries it back through the air and drops it before you, and you see that it is large and red and it smells amazing.

Without even thinking about it you are scrambling down the slope of small-gold-things under your egg and across the chamber floor, your four legs wheeling in many different directions as you do. It takes a few moments to get them moving in a way that takes you towards your prize, but you are strongly motivated by the sudden sensation of emptiness from deep inside you! and eventually you make progress. Then you are next to the delicious smelling stuff and biting down and oh it tastes fantastic....

"In the future you will need to hunt your own food... but you are small, so for now I will have some of my hoard bring it to you." The massive dragon says, and you might not have heard it in your fascination with the food but something tells you not paying attention would be a very bad idea. "Now then. You are right - I am not the one who laid your egg, nor the one who sired you. We are kin, but not directly related."

Oh. Honestly you're not sure that you care all that much, but that still sounds important and you are curious as to what happened to your... sire and egg-layer. So you take a quick break from biting into the red stuff to trill a question to that effect (and already you want to lean words to help with the questioning).

"They are dead." The massive red one says, quite calmly. "I found your egg and brought you here."

Oh.

But... why? And who is the big dragon, if not your sire or egg-layer?

"My name is Daralathyxl, King of Dragons." The red giant proclaims, and there is a kind of weight to the name that even you can feel. "As for why I brought you here..."

-/-

What answer does Daralathyxl give you?

[ ] I owed your mother a debt.

[ ] To add to my hoard.

[ ] I desire an heir.

[ ] To see if it could be done.

[ ] Write in (QM reserves veto power)

Spoiler: QM's note

So... yeah, this should be interesting. I needed an origin story, and 'raised by another colour' fit the bill nicely. You won't be staying with Daralathxyl all that long, in the grand scheme of things, but this should help determine the basic nature of your relationship with the Great Wyrm.

Fun fact - Gold Dragons are born with Intelligence 14 and Wisdom 15, which is on the level of a smarter-than-average human. This is actually pretty helpful to me in writing, since it means I don't have to dumb things down too much.

 

[Maugan Ra]

"...I owed your mother a debt." The great dragon says at last, watching as you chew your way deeper into the delicious food. There is a lot of it here, but if you are to ever grow as big as the red dragon next to you, lots of food will be required. "She did a service for me once, and as I had not returned it by the point of her death, I continue to owe her still. This is what it means to be the King, little one - debts must always be repaid, and insults must always be avenged. Never forget this."

There is a meaning and significance to those words that escapes you right now, but you can tell just from Daralathxyl's tone just how important the principle is, and so you take a break from stuffing your maw with food to wiggle your head up and down in enthusiastic agreement.

"Good. Now, I will raise you, teach you what it means to be a dragon, see to it that you grow strong and wise enough to survive outside my lair. Then you will leave, for my debt will be discharged." The Great Wyrm proclaims. "Now, finish your meal, and then we will begin."

-/-

The first thing that Daralathxyl chooses to teach you is the origin of the world.

"In the beginning," he says in his deep and rumbling voice, "there was only water. Pure water, which was smooth and orderly, and the salt water, which was rough and chaotic. They mingled together in harmony, and from their union came many children. These beings, imbued with great power and might due to their primordial heritage, called themselves 'gods'."

"The gods looked upon the world, which was at this time nothing more than water, and desired more. They created new life and gave shape to the void around them, splitting apart the planes and siring entire pantheons of their own, each according to their own designs. You can see the influence of the gods in the world today - it is why dragons such as you and I desire wealth and power, in echo of the motives that first drove the gods to create more than what they had."

You chirp inquisitively, curious about these 'gods' and what they might be like, but Daralathxyl just chuckles. "Patience, little one. There is much to learn, but it must be done in proper order."

"The firstborn of the waters was named Dahak, and in him the fires of avarice and ambition burned stronger than any other. Eventually his desires drove him to take on a great and terrible form and rampage through the land that we now call Hell, making it a place of wickedness and suffering. He slaughtered all the creations of the other gods he could find there, embittering them towards him, and when he was satisfied he claimed that shadowy realm for his own, there to rule for eternity."

"Then the time came when the waters sought to create six new children, imbuing them with even greater strength than that of their firstborn child. To Dahak, this was an unimaginable insult, and driven by jealously and rage he turned on his kin, hunting them down and shattering them into myriad tiny pieces. These pieces, these fragments of divinity, fell to the mortal realm and became the first dragons."

You cannot help but chirp in amazement. Does that make you a tiny piece of a god? Awesome.

"Any other creature would have been content with such a victory, but Dahak was not yet done. Taking his war-form once again he followed the shattered remains of his victims to the mortal realm, and there hunted them for sport. No mere fragment of divinity could stand against the Firstborn in all his strength, and the early dragons fled and died in great numbers."

"Eventually, the waters could no longer stand to see their children so tormented and abused. The pure waters wrought for themselves a body, taking the name Apsu, and on wings of light descended to the mortal realm to heal and lead their draconic children against Dahak. Many great battles were fought, and many dragons were wounded and slain, but eventually Dahak was defeated and cast down."

"It was then that we were betrayed."

There is a building sense of rage in the Great Wyrm's voice now, and you cannot help but shy away from him as he continues the story. Daralathxyl probably wouldn't hit you deliberately, but he is so very large and strong, and even an accidental hit would probably hurt a lot.

"Wounded and on the verge of death, Dahak cried out to his mother, the salt water, to save him. The salt water agreed, and made an offer to the dragons - she would heal their injuries, if only they would help Dahak to escape. Most refused, unwilling to see their foe go free, but eventually one agreed - a Gold."

You squeak in surprise. A gold dragon, like you are?

"Yes, little one, a gold. History does not recall the name he bore, but when he agreed to the bargain the waters changed him. His wounds were healed, yes, but the waters did not stop there. The waters changed him, twisting his body and soul and placing some small fragment of Dahak's burning flames into his breast. His golden scales faded and vanished, and he became the first of my kind - Nerothroc, the first Red Dragon."

You chirp in understanding. So that is why Daralathxyl thinks of you as kin, even despite your different colours.

"Indeed, little one. The connection between golds like you and reds like me goes back to the very dawn of history. So much of who and what we are was decided then - those dragons who stayed with Apsu were the other metallics; brass, bronze, copper and silver. Those who took the deal offered by the salt water - who would later name itself Tiamet - became the chromatics; black, blue, green and white. They learned from her treachery, and even to this day we hate and fight Dahak as our ancestors did, but such wisdom was not in time to prevent the False Wyrm from escaping his fate."

Daralathxyl lowers his enormous head to study you closely, his bright golden eyes almost as large as your torso. "This is what we are, little one - fragments of a murdered god, bound in mortal flesh. Even diminished as we are, we remain the wisest and mightiest of all living things, and any fool who seeks to claim otherwise is either ignorant of the truth or attempting to insult you. Both are worthy of fire and death."

You nod in understanding and, evidently satisfied, Daralathxyl raises his head back up and settles back into a more comfortable resting position.

"So, now you know what you are. Next step - who you are. You will need to choose a name for yourself, little one, and it must be befitting of your mighty heritage. Choose wisely."

Article:

You should now pick a name for yourself. Most Dragons pick something suitably grandiose - Daralathxyl literally translates as 'Great and Terrible One' - but the choice is largely up to you (I reserve veto rights over anything too ridiculous.) You also need to pick whether you are male or female - this has no mechanical impact, and honestly even the roleplaying impact is largely going to be confined to times when you aren't in Draconic form.

What is your name?
[ ] Write in

Are you male or female?
[ ] Write in

-/-

You had thought it frustrating not to know the names of many of the things that you could see and hear, to lack the words to describe the concepts bubbling around inside your mind, but as it turns out things are even worse than that.

Most things have more than one word to describe them!

This, Daralathxyl explains, is the result of something known as 'language'. There are the words that the Dragons use for everything, and then there are the words that everyone else uses. Confusingly, this isn't even broken down by species. You can understand why different species would have different words for things - after all, they might think and act in entirely different ways to one another, and that's before you get down to the differing physical capabilities between many of them - but for some bizarre reason even those living things which are part of the same species and live close together use different words for the same things.

There must be a reason for it, but Daralathxyl simply does not care, and when you try to ask him about it he shrugs your questions off as being largely meaningless. It is infuriating, but you have learned already that pressing the older dragon on something he does not care to speak about is useless at best and dangerous at worst.

Article:

You have been taught Draconic as a basic language. Now you have the option to learn additional languages - at the very least you will learn two additional ones, and you can choose to learn up to ten in total (plus Draconic). These will be taught to you either by Daralathxyl or tutors that he brings in for that purpose.

Your choices include:
- Abyssal (Demons and other chaotic evil outsiders)
- Aquan (Aquatic and water-base creatures)
- Auran (flying creatures, air-based creatures)
- Celestial (angels and other good outsiders)
- Common (humans and the core races from Races)
- Dwarven (dwarves)
- Elven (elves, half-elves)
- Giant (cyclopses, ettins, giants, ogres, trolls)
- Gnome (gnomes)
- Goblin (bugbears, goblins, hobgoblins)
- Ignan (fire-based creatures)
- Infernal (devils and other lawful evil outsiders)
- Orc (orcs, half-orcs)
- Sylvan (centaurs, fey creatures, plant creatures, unicorns)
- Terran (earth-based creatures)
- Undercommon (drow, duergar, morlocks, svirfneblin)

How many languages do you wish to learn, and which ones? Please note - if you wish to learn more than two additional languages, you will need to assign an equivalent number of points to the Linguistics skill in the following vote.
[ ] Write in

-/-

It is some time before you come to understand that, when Daralathxyl says the word 'hoard', he is referring to anything which he considers to belong to him... and that he does not stop at inanimate objects.

In the outer limits of the layer, there are several lavishly appointed and luxuriously comfortable chambers that can only be accessed from the outside. Within can be found those members of the dragon's hoard which cannot easily survive exposure to the kinds of temperatures and pressure found in the rest of the lair. The majority are what the dragon refers to as 'elves' - tall and slender humanoids with pointed ears and strange mono-colour eyes - but there are examples of many different species held within, all of them strange yet pleasing to the eye.

It is to these creatures that Daralathyxl entrusts you when he himself finds better uses for his time, and it is from them that you learn the most over the months and years of your early life. Every now and then additional members are added to the hoard, dropped off by the dragon as his whim and fancy take him, and while few indeed are entirely happy with their new circumstances all are wise enough to understand that there is little they can do about it.

Article:

You have sixty four points of skills to assign, reflecting your initial education and maturation as you grow from a wyrmling to a very young dragon.

Your choices of skills can be found here, and a maximum of eight points can be assigned to any given skill.

Please allocate your points appropriately.
[ ] Write in allocation

I will be using your skill choices to help flesh out some of the members of Daralathxyl's hoard, which will feature in future updates as plot hooks and catalysts for character development on your part. Most of these I will do myself. However, if you have any particular ideas for interesting NPCs that you would like to see portrayed/plot hooks you'd be interested in following up on in the future, feel free to suggest them here. I'm only looking for a few sentences in the majority of cases, which I can reference when writing future updates.

[ ] Write in suggested captives/tutors.

 

[Maugan Ra]

The time passes quickly in the lair, surrounded by wealth and sources of knowledge to quench your seemingly unending appetite. Indeed, it is not until Daralathxyl takes you outside the volcano - carefully bypassing the myriad of traps and guardians that protect his sanctuary from unwanted thieves and interlopers - that you finally understand what all this talk of 'days' and 'daylight' in your books and scrolls actually refers to.

Every day you learn something new, and every day you are brought food or otherwise permitted to hunt it down yourself to sustain your endless studying. There is simply so much to learn, and you grow so wrapped up in your pursuit of knowledge that it takes you a while to realize that you are, in fact, growing. Already you are the size of many of the humans and elves that form the living portions of Daralathxyl's hoard, and while it will be many centuries before you begin to match the great Wyrm in size you are already a force to be reckoned with.

Article:

By the end of this update you are six years old, and as such have progressed from 'Wyrmling' to 'Very Young'. The modifiers that this applies to your character sheet will be factored in once I find the time to sit down and write them up properly.

-/-

Moladon is a human from the nation of Druma, words which presumably mean a great deal more to him than they do to you when first the two of your are introduced, and at Daralathxyl's instruction it is he who handles your education in matters mercantile and legal. He teaches you how to read and write, how to discern the intentions and desires of other living things and, at your personal request, the details of laws and customs observed by many of the various nations and religious groups out beyond the boundaries of the lair.

Curiously, he does not appear to be here against his will, as is the case with so many of Daralathxyl's hoard. His people have apparently come to an arrangement with your adopted father - they provide the Wyrm with lavish tribute on a regular basis, and in return he stays his wrath and hunger from their lands. Sometimes that tribute takes the form of living beings, primarily attractive and well educated humanoids from all across Druma, who serve the dragon for a time and are then replaced whenever he tires of them.

This seems strange to you, but your initial questions only lead to a discussion of taxation, and from there the structure and purpose of government, and eventually the nature of the Prophecies of Kalistrade that the dark-haired human seems to follow so ardently.

"In the end, Lord Murazond, it all comes down to wealth." He explains patiently, the pale silk of his robes and gloves rustling faintly in time with his gestures. "Those with wealth are able to acquire power, in the form of bribes and mercenaries and expensive yet useful tools and equipment. Those with power are able to acquire wealth, as with your mighty father, the Scarlet Emperor and his most impressive hoard. From a sufficiently abstract point of view, wealth is power and power is wealth. We Kalistocrats merely acknowledge a universal truth."

"And what of... virtue?" You ask slowly, trying out some of the new words and concepts that your books and scrolls have taught you. "Where does that come into it?"

"Virtue is merely the name that men give to the beliefs and desires that drive their actions." Moladon says with a shrug. "Every nation and faith has a different view of what comprises virtue. But it is easier to pursue and promote virtue when one has power and wealth with which to do so, and that brings us back to the heart of the Prophecies. If the acquisition of wealth is necessary for virtue, then by extension such things are virtuous in and of themselves. There are exceptions of course, as with all things in life, but the basic principles have seen my people reach great heights over the course of our history, and that is all the evidence I truly require."

Article:

As a dragon, Murazond finds himself driven to collect wealth and treasure for his hoard. But what, in his mind, is the purpose of such acquisition?

[ ] There is no greater purpose - wealth is it's own reward.

[ ] To bring health and happiness to oneself and others.

[ ] To acquire power over, and respect from, all around you.

[ ] Write in

-/-

Siarani is a 'Tiefling', a human being with some manner of fiendish being in her ancestry. Her heritage grants her a measure of arcane power, and it is for that reason that Daralathxyl chooses her to tutor you in magical theory and the nature of the planes.

In truth your lessons typically take the form of long, meandering walks through the halls and tunnels of the dragon's volcanic lair, for your tutor's blood affords her an uncommon degree of resilience to the heat. While she is not immune to the touch of flame, as is the case with you and your father, she finds the environment much more comfortable than being cooped up in a luxurious cell all day, and you are happy to indulge her in exchange for the lessons. They are rather fascinating, after all.

"So much in the world beyond comes down to disagreements between the powerful." She says to you one day, as the two of you walk beside a river of molten stone. "You will see that for yourself one day, young lord - every being and group with power invariably tries to impose their will on those around them, to control the world and make it more to their own liking. Even the gods, perhaps the mightiest of all things, do this."

"You are not given to faith, then?" You question politely, trotting along beside her.

"I am given to facts and cruel realities, young lord." Siarani replies with a fanged smile and an amused flick of her long and slender tail. "Your father has commanded that I teach you of the faith of the 'lesser races', and I will do so as objectively as I know how, but to think that one of them holds some measure of ultimate divine truth in their teachings? I cannot see it. Religion is a matter of deciding which deity's vision you most prefer and working to bring the world closer to that ideal, nothing more."

"And which vision do you prefer?" You ask curiously, looking up at your tutor.

"Ah... best not to ask, young lord." Siarani replies, somewhat uncomfortable. "King Daralathxyl has commanded that I have no god but he so long as I am here. I will not disobey."

Article:

There are many gods in Golarion, and many churches which worship and support them. Which, if any, does Murazond find appealing? You can vote for more than one, and do not necessarily have to actually worship any of them.
[ ] Write in (list below)

Spoiler: Main Deities of Golarion

Abadar, Master of the First Vault, is the God of Cities and Civilization. He promotes strong law, a powerful state that protects and promotes the interests of its citizens, and all manner of craftsmen and merchants.

Asmodeus, Lord of Hell, is perhaps the most widely accepted (or at least respected) of the evil deities. He proclaims that the strong should rule over the weak, and that the rule of law must be made inviolate, whether that be the law of the land or the stipulations of a contract.

Calistria, the Savored Sting, is the goddess of lust, trickery and revenge. She loves and hates with equal passion, and is an admirer of any who pair strength with cunning and guile. In many ways she is the closest thing the Elves have to a patron deity.

Caiden Caylean is a mortal adventurer who ascended to god-hood while utterly drunk, which sets the tone for much of his faith and teachings. He seeks to promote courage, companionship and the appreciation of a good time wherever he goes.

Desna, the Song of the Spheres, is goddess of the night sky and all who seek to travel for its own sake. She is a patron of artists, dreamers and explorers, and her faithful can be found in every corner of this world and beyond.

Erastil, Old One-Eye, is the God of Hearth and Home. He believes strongly in families, communities and everyone doing their part, and his faith is strongest in rural regions all across the world.

Gorum, the Lord in Iron, is the living embodiment of war and battle. He does not fight for a cause or lord, but because fighting is its own reward, and his faithful are some of the most fearsome warriors (and blacksmiths) in all of Golarion.

Gozreh, the Wind and the Waves, is not so much a god as a primordial force of nature. He does not desire worshippers and makes few if any proclamations, yet he is widely revered by all those who are dependent upon the natural world to survive and prosper.

Iomedae is a warrior goddess, a tireless crusader against evil in all its forms. She calls on the strong to protect the weak and for everyone to do their part in making the world a better place, whether that means as a crusader on the battlefield or a lawyer in the court.

Irori is another mortal who ascended to god-hood, but unlike Iomedae or Caiden Cailean he achieved divinity purely through personal enlightenment. He does not preach so much as teach, and is a strong proponent of discipline and self-improvement.

Lamashtu is the Mother of Monsters, a demon lord who ascended to godhood through murder and theft. She is a fertility deity, albeit of a strange and twisted kind, and is worshipped as mother-goddess by all manner of strange and twisted monsters throughout the world.

Nethys is the god of arcane magic, and is reputed to be quite mad. His nature and beliefs change according to which of his many aspects is in ascendency at any one point, but at all times the destructive and creative power of magic is studied and exalted by his faithful.

Norgober is the lord of secrets and murder. Another mortal who ascended to divinity, none know a great deal about his past or appearance, but his patronage of assassins, thieves and spies is well known.

Pharasma, the Lady of Graves, is the goddess of life, death and the cycle of reincarnation. She is the one who decides which of the outer planes a mortal soul will be sent to after death, and her commitment to neutrality is famed throughout the cosmos - as is her hatred of the undead.

Rovagug, the Caged Beast, is an enemy of the gods and all their works. Imprisoned within Golarion, his fitful stirrings are known to cause earthquakes, and his foul spawn occasionally rise to torment the world above - the Tarrasque most infamous among them.

Sarenrae, the Dawnflower, is the goddess of the sun. She is a merciful and nurturing deity, but when confronted with true and unrepentant evil her righteous fury is boundless and unstoppable. More redeemed villains owe their salvation to her than all other deities put together.

Shelyn, the Eternal Rose, is the patron of art and beauty in all their forms. She is perhaps the most popular and admired goddess among all the pantheons (though certain deities have an odd way of showing their love), and while artists and craftsmen are her main followers she maintains a surprisingly strong martial tradition as well.

Torag, the Father of Creation, is the patron deity of the Dwarves. He is stern and honourable, and favours those who build both items and civilizations above all others.

Urgathoa, the Pallid Princess, is the goddess of gluttony, disease and the undead. Her worshippers tend to be necromancers, free-willed undead and all those who shun the peace of the grave in favour of the pleasures of the mortal realm.

Zon-Kuthon, the Midnight Lord, is the god of one thing and one thing only - pain. He is a sadist and torturer without peer, but his twisted physique and shattered mind have given him a strong appreciation for masochism, and he counts both among the ranks of his priests. The one thing he still loves in this world or beyond is the innocent beauty of his sister Shelyn, who has never given up on trying to save and heal him.

-/-

Eventually, you start to wonder how it is that the lesser races survive in the same world that has things as powerful and resilient as dragons, and enquiries along those lines lead you to Marshal Thrace, a warrior-knight of Molthune. Though she has been a part of Daralathxyl's hoard for decades, she refuses to allow herself to relax her military training or exercise routine, and can often be found sparring with invisible opponents or some of her fellow prisoners in their quarters.

And she is a prisoner - a prisoner of war, to use her term for it. Apparently the nation of Molthune once incurred Daralathxyl's wrath for some insult or another, and when he descended upon them in vengeance she was one of the few who stood in battle against him. She was defeated, obviously, her skill and speed no match for the sheer unchecked power of the Great Wyrm, but in her defiance your father apparently saw something worth taking for his own, and so abandoned his attack and brought her back to the lair to be added to his hoard.

Alone of all the Wyrm's possessions, Thrace is the only one to treat you with anything less than absolutely respect and deference, and you cannot help but find the change in attitude oddly refreshing.

"Men kill monsters, little wyrm." She says bluntly one day, as you watch her run through her practice drills with a heavy sword almost as long as she is tall. "Be they demons from the deepest pits or drakes with blood-red scales, for thousands of years monsters have hunted and tormented my kind, and for a thousand years we have stood against them with courage and steel. Your father is a mightier monster than any other I have seen or heard of, but if given the chance we will slay him too."

"Why?" You ask curiously, tilting your head as you observe the way her grey hair flickers from side to side with every practiced movement. "Why fight? You always talk of fighting... monsters..., never of hiding or talking. If you could not slay my father all those years ago, why do you still talk of doing so today?"

"Because that is my job." She says bluntly, setting the sword aside for a moment and making her way over to a small stream in the corner of the cavern. "I am a soldier. I learned how to fight, both on my own and with my comrades beside me, in order to protect my people from the things that would harm them. I leave hiding and talking to the spies and diplomats, and focus on being the finest soldier and leader of soldiers I can be."

"...teach me?"

The old warrior looks up, surprised. "Excuse me?"

"Teach me." You repeat, studying her with golden eyes. "You say you can make many weak people into a weapon that can match a strong one. I... want to know how."

Thrace considers this for a few moments. "Ah, what the hell. It's not like I have anything else to be doing today."

Article:

Thrace's lessons place heavy emphasis on the importance of law, order and discipline. She believes that everyone has their place, their own role to fulfill, and that cooperation and unity are necessary for the success of any successful venture. What does Murazond think of this?

[ ] The value of having a code of conduct and sticking to it are self-evident. You might disagree with Thrace on the specifics, but at least it gives you somewhere to start.

[ ] What you do matters more than how or why. Similarly, you are less concerned with having a code and more with what that code actually says.

[ ] Perhaps codes work fine for others, but you are a dragon. You trust your own judgement far more than that of an another, no matter how wise.

[ ] Write in

-/-

And then, of course, there are your lessons with Daralathxyl himself. The Great Wyrm declared his intention to raise you as a dragon should be raised, and he seems determined to stick to that promise no matter how many minor disagreements the two of you might have.

Shortly after your sixth birthday, he begins taking you outside the lair on a regular basis, using magic to transport the two of you to some distant locale where you can practice and be educated in peace. Apparently his lair is located somewhere within the range that the lesser races call the 'Five King Mountains', but there are enough wards and enchantments on the whole place to hide its precise location even from your keen Draconic eyes.

Today, he has elected to take you flying, escorting you high above the cloud-layer where the winds and thermal updrafts become truly challenging and then watching as you negotiate them with slowly building skill. Flying in such conditions is hard but strangely rewarding, and the odd encouraging comment from the crimson behemoth flying beside you is a treasure unlike any other. By the time the sun begins to set on the horizon you are dipping and spinning with gleeful ease, enjoying the way that the dimming sunlight reflects from your golden scales in a multitude of shimmering hues.

"Very good." Daralathxyl rumbles from alongside you, his own mighty wings holding him aloft without the slightest sign of strain (even if he disdains your playful acrobatics). "You are learning well, and will soon be a true dragon ready to go your own way. But first... there is another lesson you must learn. Look below - what do you see?"

Curious, you catch a rising thermal and begin a lazy orbit in the sky while you peer at the ground far below. From this high up even your keen eyes cannot make out a great deal of detail, but the landscape seems to be dominated by rolling green fields and small collections of crude houses every dozen miles or so.

"It... looks like human villages, father?" You reply, uncertain of what kind of answer he is expecting.

"Indeed. This, young one, is the nation the humans call Andoran. They are a proud and arrogant people, and more than a few of them have taken up dragon-hunting in recent years." Daralathxyl says levelly, a few wisps of smoke leaking out from between his mighty jaws. "Two weeks ago, a group of them hailing from this village managed to slay one of my kin. A foolish, immature brat to be sure, but still a dragon."

There is an icy sensation building in your gut as you look down at the village below you again. You are not expert on human habitation, but there must be at least two or three hundred of them down there. Civilians, to use Thrace's term, men and women and children whose only crime is to be related to one foolish enough to hunt and slay a dragon hundreds of miles away.

Daralathxyl is going to kill them all.

Article:

You have a brief opportunity to speak here, before Daralathxyl begins his attack on the people below. What, if anything, do you say or do?
[ ] Write in

 

[Havocfett]

stop @Yeangst, while I appreciate that you deleted the comment, it still never should have been made.

 

[Maugan Ra]

There is a long delay as Daralathxyl circles in the sky above the village, and you realize that he was expecting you to say something. But... what can you say? To expect your father to sit idly by when dragon-slayers roam the lands killing his relatives is unfeasible, and if some must die to show the world what happens when you hunt dragons, then at the very least the culprits came from a relatively small settlement.

Still, you will remember this lesson for the future. Your father is going to kill these people, and there is nothing that you or anyone else can do to stop him. You simply lack the strength, and at the end of the day, that is ultimately what matters.

"Oh? It seems you have learned well indeed." The Great Wyrm says, amusement and approval clearly audible in his tone. "Very well. Wait here - this should not take very long."

It does not.

Between the point where Daralathxyl enters his dive, and the moment when the last living being in that entire hamlet ceases to exist, perhaps sixty seconds expire. Stone melts, flesh turns to ash and the air itself screams in pain as the Crimson King vents his fury on the world below.

Then, his work completed, Daralathxyl turns for home. Some short time later, you follow.

-/-

Article:

At the end of this update you will have reached sixteen years of age, and are thus a 'young' dragon. The changes this imposes on your character sheet will be factored in shortly.

-/-

Eventually, the day comes.

You have learned... not all that Daralathxyl has to teach you, but enough. You have grown tall and strong, mastered the first hints of the magic that is your heritage, and devised your plans for the future. Now, it is time to fly the next, and make your own way in the world.

But... where should you go? As you sit atop the slopes of the mountain that holds your father's lair, bathed in the light of the dawning sun, you take the time to carefully consider your options. With your strength and speed you could likely head for almost anywhere on Golarion, given sufficient time, and with your native shape-changing ability and mastery of many different languages you could likely build a life in almost any settlement or nation you care to name. The decision is yours, and for a moment you are almost intimidated by the sheer breadth of options before you.

Daralathxyl is in the lair below, apparently not being one much given to overly emotional good-byes. You have asked him for advice in the past, but he has steadfastly refused to give you any - beyond a general warning not to settle anywhere within his own domain, which can largely be taken to mean anywhere within a hundred miles of this mountain... and perhaps a bit more, just to be on the safe side. You do not think your father would actually slay you in territorial fury, but best not to take the chance.

The world lies before you. Where, then, do you go?

-/-

Article:

OK, first point - the vote will not officially open for twelve hours after I post this update. The decision will probably inform... certainly the first arc of the quest, and quite possibly much of the story as a whole. I would therefore request that people consider carefully where they want to go, and what they want to do when there. Make proper arguments for your preferred course of action, and discuss the possibilities and why you favour them.

Any votes posted before the twelve hours are up will not be counted in the final tally.

It may be useful to consult the wiki linked on the first page, and this handy map of Golarion.

You are presently located approximately where the borders of Andoran, Isger and Druma meet. Which direction do you wish to fly? Please note that write-in additions to the below options are perfectly acceptable, especially if you have a particular destination in mind.

[ ] North. You will pass through the nation of Druma, a primarily mercantile trading nation heavily dominated by the Prophecies of Kalistrade. Keep going and you will reach Lake Encarthan, one of the most heavily travelled waterways in all of Golarion and a primary nexus of trade.

[ ] North-East. Flying along the length of the Five Kings Mountains will bring you past many Dwarven holds and the various secondary settlements that have sprung up there. Eventually you would enter Kyonin, the ancestral home of the Elves, or potentially veer off into the human nation of Galt, which is perpetually wracked with revolution and strife.

[ ] East. After leaving the mountains, setting a course towards the rising sun will bring you to the Venduran Forest. While technically divided up between the surrounding nations, the Druidic inhabitants of the forests are very much their own people, and take fierce issue with any excessive logging or other development. Fly beyond that and you reach Taldor, an ancient empire now in decline and wrapped in aristocratic intrigue.

[ ] South-East. This course will take you through the heart of Andoran, once a province of Cheliax and now an independent nation governed by a parliamentary democracy. The people of Andoran are strong believers in their ideology, and have clashed with their neighbours numerous times as a result. Keep flying past them, and you reach the Inland Sea, and then the independent city-state of Absalom, the largest and most prosperous city in the entire world.

[ ] South. This course will take you across Andoran and to the Inland Sea beyond. This sea is the cradle of human civilization, and boasts numerous aquatic nation-states and great monsters hidden below the waves. Cross the sea and you reach the southern continent of Garund.

[ ] South-West. This course will take you into Cheliax, perhaps the most powerful nation on Golarion and firm believers in the supremacy of Hell. Renowned and feared as devil-worshipping imperialists, Cheliax boasts a rich and varied culture and history all of its own, and just about anything one can think of can be found there if you know where to look.

[ ] West. To fly towards the setting sun will take you into Isger, a vassal state and effective puppet of Cheliax. Isger is a troubled land of late, wracked by the chaos and devastation of the Goblinblood Wars, but the nation as a whole remains fairly stable. Past Isger you come to the Menador mountains, which stretch right the way along the length of Cheliax's northern border and are infamously infested with Orcs.

[ ] North-West. After crossing the northern parts of Isger, this course would take you to Molthune, where the government and the military are essentially one and the same. They are currently locked in an ongoing war with the nation of Nirmathas, which declared its independence from them less than a century ago and thoroughly detests any kind of large-scale bureaucracy or organization.