Things Dragonic & Monsterous in OSR & Castles & Crusades rpg Campaigns - Dragons

• " Casiodorus Rex: Did you ever hear of King Gaiseric? Oh no, of course not, you weren't even born. He was my brother, a great King and a valiant man-at-arms. When he ascended the throne, the dragon was unbridled. No one knew where it might strike next. So, he brought forth his broadsword, assembled his best company of fighters and went out to do battle. He was never seen again. But his attack provoked the most terrible reprisals: whole villages incinerated, entire crops burnt, death, famine... horrible. How did you arrogate to yourself the role of 'savior'?
• Galen: I was invited.
• Casiodorus Rex: Not by me! I think you're nothing but a boy... an apprentice!
• [rips the amulet from around Galen's neck]
• Casiodorus Rex: Have you ever considered the consequences of failure?
• Galen: WHAT failure? What are you saying, do you want the dragon back?
• Casiodorus Rex: You came here and toyed with the monster! Who are YOU, to risk our people? Our villages?
• Galen: But your children were dying!
• Casiodorus Rex: Only a few, does that sound cruel? It is better that they should die that others might live. I created the lottery!
• [General murmuring of agreement among the King's court]
• Casiodorus Rex: Me! And from the moment it began, the dragon was tamed! The kingdom has prospered!
• Galen: At what price? You can't make a shameful 'peace' with dragons. You must kill them as I have done."

Dragonslayer 1981 

 So let's talk dragons in the OSR and specifically what makes the dragon such an incredibly good choice for an NPC. Dragons are the fundatmental 'spoke' for the wheel of a campaign if done correctly. These creatures are literally forces of nature and balance within a campaign. And this of course goes hand and hand with Castles & Crusades Mythos Collection.  If you grew up in the Sevenities then you probably saw Smaug in RankinBass's Hobbit '77.  This incarnation of the dragon with the gold and silver coat had that vulnerability of the one weak spot. But it was the interaction of dialogue dialogue between Smaug &  Bilbo Baggins, that tickles my memory. 

And it wasn't the raw power of Smaug & believe me I'm not taking away from the Hobbit films,  An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). Not at all instead we're pulling from what my memory pulls on. 
And then it pulls on "Vermithrax Pejorative" from the '81 film the Dragonslayer. Both of these dragons were central figures and an invasive part of thier worlds respectively. And if we look at the Castles & Crusades Mythos Collection.  then we get a sense that these dragons are creatures that are pivotal monsters  capable of affecting the lives of hundreds of people. So before one takes up the mantle of dragon slayer not everyone is going to be happy with this outcome. Even the most evil of dragons has it's place. 

"Vermithrax Pejorative" is a prime example of a monster and dragon all in one in 1981's Dragonslayer. Sure it has a deal for sacrifices from time to time with the local kingdom. However, she has her own agenda to bring back her own reign & spawn to this kingdom. Even though she has no lines in the film her presence prevades every aspect of life within that kingdom. And the same can be said for the dragons within Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure

And this is even further held in OSR lore with Adventurer,Conqueror, King's Rpg The Heroic Fantasy Handbook. The dragons within this tome are created from the ground up allowing the DM to literally build the fantasy NPC heroic or villain of thier Draconic choice.

Dragons are never one note creatures, thier deaths should and must have far reaching consquences across a campaign.Dragons are creatures of legend & mythology. They should never be treated as simply another set of experience points. And this goes back further even with Mayfair Games Roleaids Dragons which was one of the first AD&D products that gave us a defined ecology for the lands and lairs surrounding dragons. And yes there were 'The Dragon' magazine articles that had sprinklings of draconic lore. For me this one gave some great depth to the dragon as monster & creature. 

My main points are that dragons are deadly NPC's and monstes all in one. They should be treated with incredible respect by DM's before being unleashed into a campaign. And the ecology of the dragons are far reaching with incredible consquences for the peoples, the lands, and more of a campaign. 

OSR Commentary - Greyhawk Adventures By James M. Ward's Greyhawk Dragons For Your Old School Campaigns

 As an independant & OSR theorist it stands to reason that occasionally one has to get back to basics. And I'm a huge fan of James M.Ward's writing & design. One of my favorite TSR classic era books is the  Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Greyhawk Adventures. This was one of the last hard backs that TSR did back in September 1988. You can read a whole history on the book on the Grehawk Wiki here. 

 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Greyhawk Adventures book is a transition book between the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons system & 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. And there were so many great additions from the gods, clerics, and the role of religon plus lots more. 
But it's the new monsters that have my attention especially the Greyhawk Dragons. The entry on Greyhawk dragon has the following; "Dragon, Greyhawk ClimatelTerrain: Temperate cities; rarely, temperate hills, barrens or forested hills Frequency: Very rare Organization: Solitary Active Times: Any Diet: Omnivore Intelligence: Supra-genius (19-20) Treasure: U Alignment: Lawful neutral (good tendencies) Reaction Modifier: + 2 Number Appearing: 1 ArmorClass: 0 Movement: 12"/24" (MC:E) Hit Dice: 11 THACO 10 Number of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite Damage per Attack: 1-10 (claw) x 2, 3-30 (bite) Special Attacks: Breath weapon, magic use Special Defenses: Spell immunity Magic Resistance: 75% Size: Huge (25 feet long) Morale: Fanatical (20) Experience Value: 6200 + 20hp Greyhawk dragons love the companionship of humankind, and prefer to live in cities. They are highly magical and intellectual. Physical Appearance: Although considerably smaller than many of its kin, the Greyhawk dragon shares the strength and robustness typical of other dragons. Its scales are a rich metallic grey reminiscent of brushed steel, ranging to a darker hue-almost like blued gunmetal-on the creature's underside and towards its tail. The membranes of its wings have the sheen of fine silk. Combat: At heart a peaceful creature, the Greyhawk dragon avoids combat where it can. If conflict is inevitable, however, it fights with great intelligence and lethality. In addition to its clawlclawhite attack routine, three times per day it can exhale a highly toxic gas (save vs. poison at -4 or die). The maximum amount it can exhale would fill a cube 30 feet on a side; however, the dragon can carefully meter the amount. The gas is quickly absorbed through the skin, and is just as lethal as if breathed. Partial protection can be gained through coating all exposed skin with lard or other grease, as this attenuates the effect of the poison (the save is now made at - 2). The toxicity is very short-livedwithin two minutes of exposure to oxygen, the gas becomes inert. In preference to any physical attack, the dragon is likely to use magic. At the very young age, it has four 1st level spells. Thereafter, it gains four spells of progressively higher level at each new age bracket (thus at old age, it has four spells of each level 1st through 6th). From birth, it can also polymorph self five times per day. Unlike the regular magic-user spell, this ability has an unlimited duration. The Greyhawk dragon is immune to magic user spells of 1st through 4th level. Against all other magical effects, it has a magic resistance of 75%. It can use all magical items permitted to the magic-user class. "
"Habitat/Society: Because of its love for and fascination with humanity, the Greyhawk dragon usually lives polymorphed into human form. Its favored habitat is a large city, where it typically owns a large house, and where it’s often the center of artistic and intellectual gatheringspoetry readings, discussion groups, etc. In their human identities, Greyhawk dragons are often well-known among the intelligentsia and patrons of the arts. They keep their true nature inviolably secret. Food is usually the creature’s biggest problem: Although it might take the form of a man or woman, it must eat enough to maintain its true bulk. Every two weeks or so, it drops out of sight and travels to nearby wilderness areas (where it might claim to own a hunting lodge). Here it hunts, making up for its enforced fast (at least, by dragon terms) in the city. Like other dragons, the Greyhawk variety is omnivorous, but prefers fresh meat. It never eats domesticated herds, preying instead on wild animals-particularly those baneful to man. Greyhawk dragons are very rare creatures: even the largest city might have only one or two living (secretly) in its midst. Although they take stringent precautions to prevent their true nature from being discovered, one Greyhawk dragon can recognize another on sight. Dragons in the same city are usually cordial to each other, though they don’t usually seek each other’s company. Every twelve years, however, the dragon seeks a mate, often from another city. When it has found one, the couple retires to the wilderness, where they raise a single offspring. Once the youngster is old enough to fend for itself-about 24 months-the parents separate and return to their individual lives. The creatures very rarely select the same mate twice. Greyhawk dragons speak their own language and the languages of most humans, demihumans and humanoids. They can be found-if they wish to be found-in any large town or city. There are reputed to be no fewer then five Greyhawk dragons in the city whose name they bear! . . . although nobody-least of all the dragons themselves seems willing or able to substantiate this. Niche: Greyhawk dragons are at the top of the food chain, with no natural enemies. In cities, they rarely work as artisans, preferring to act as collectors and disseminators of information (like sages). "

So what does all this mean?! Well for dragons on Greyhawk an incredible amount! Greyhawk Dragons can effectively be rulers, kings, wizards, & sages all able to not only rule a country. But they could join a party of adventurers as an NPC without the players ever knowing it. This could be especially true if the dragon wakes after a long sleep & wants to catch up with the direction that the world has taken. Given the grim, gritty, & downright dangerous place that is Greyhawk there may be far more to this then as it first appears! 

Given the treasures of a dragon any city that bares their purview is going to be incredibly lucky. But this may depend upon how one looks at it. The adventurers may become the playthings of a sagely Greyhawk dragon whose motives may not be completely trustworthy. Given their greed for knowledge, artifacts, relics, collectables, etc. The adventurers may find themselves doing more then simply stepping & fetching for a highly motivated creature of magic.  
They may become the pawns of political intrigue, rapid delivery service or more. The change of tone that the dragons of Greyhawk took in Greyhawk Adventures is down to James Ward's imagination.  And these creatures have a lot more creative spark then one finds in the run of the mill monsters for the time of Greyhawk Adventures release. 

Could a party find themselves in the wilds of Greyhawk with a hungry & ravanous Greyhawk dragon!?! Certainly & it might just be that farmer Brown's favorite buffalo or Mastadon  is on the menu! Dragons can be incredibly dangerous & geniunely alien in their thinking even if they seem like creatures or monsters that we are somewhat familiar with them. 

The Greyhawk Dragon's entry makes the 'monster' sound far more like royalty then an actual monster. A creature both a party to the royal court as much as the back rooms of dungeons. 

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition: Role Aids Dragons By Cory Glaberson For Your Old School Campaigns

Way back in the mists of the Eighties about Eighty Six on a Thursday afternoon right about two o'clock or so I was running my ass off to escape the daily pounding at the hands of a bully trying to make it to the bookshop in downtown Torrington. What was waiting for me was a prize beyond measure for first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons from Mayfair games Dragons by Cory Glaberson. Dragonlance was on the horizon but not for me at all, the series never resonated but instead Dragonriders of Pern by American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey had a far greater impact. Mayfair games Dragons takes a number of pieces of inspiration from that classic series which began in Sixty Seven.


The blurb from the back of the book via Wayne's Books pretty much gives the tone & feel of the book;""LIKE TINY DAGGERS, particles of ice cut into your face and hands as you dive through the clouds. You feel the muscles along the back of the massive ruby dragon tighten and bunch as it strains to turn for an attack.

A scream of defiance echoes upward from the rapidly growing form of the riderless black dragon below. In moments, the once distant beast looms to fill the sky. Still breathless from the battering sharp turn, you loose two barbed javelins into the dark leather wing, to little effect. Muttering a prayer to an elder god, you couch your bulky lance, as the two great dragons plunge directly toward each other ...
THIS REFERENCE WORK contains the lives, histories and cultures of the dragon races and introduces a new character class: the DRAGONLORDS. Included are three independent, but related adventures for characters to assist the Dragonlords In a war of epic proportions. The adventures are for six to eight characters from sixth to ninth skill level."

These dragons were the ones from the Monster Manual sort of mixed with a whole plethora of other D&D & independent world mythology to add into your games. This was because dragons were children of the gods and therefore heirs to the linage of the legendary and divine. So way before the Draconomicon for 2nd edition came out this book was dealing slices of dragon culture, lineage, magic, culture and more all build around the character class of the Dragon rid ermm Dragon lords. With really awesome cut away pieces of artwork like this one!



All of the usual suspects are there including age charts, spell usage, variations of standard dragons, mutations, sports, & much more. There's lots of information on several of the established dragon's species, from stats to ecology to their 'aging process and molting' and clan information. All of this was completely independent from any of the 'official' material that was coming out of classic era TSR at the time.  Everything was well laid out and columned from the usual Mayfair specifics when it came to their Eighty six era books.


The material here was centered around the dragons & the dragon lords (riders) where they could build villages, etc. around them completely so that campaigns had a PC anchor to hold all of it together in a cohesive whole. This also made the prospect for domain play practical & in some cases welcome. This was a part of making the dragon vital to the well being of the world setting that they were used in. For fans of this sort of a campaign it was very nicely handled. This made the dragon more then a mere loot point & experience tick but a living fire breathing entity capable of driving adventure & play within a campaign.


The adventures within Dragons centers around the ecology and setting of the dragon as a campaign element. They're very well done for what they do which is to put the dragons center stage & create play around them with additional companions, monsters, and more all central to the dragon a player on the stage of the setting. The PC are going to have to deal with all of the material that surrounds them. The experience is weird for PC's used to simply slaying or running away from these intelligent beasts.

And yes I've actually played in, DMed, & ran several mini campaigns from this book. Well that was until Dragonlance created the official world setting of AD&D! Then the suddenly friends and players no longer were interested in the 'old' dragons. Yeah, but there were diehards who continued to play in & use this volume until Dragonlance had moved on. That's another blog post my friends.
I have nothing against Dragonlance or its books, if their your cup of tea then more power to you!



But does Dragons do what it advertises on the tin? In a word yes! Dragons takes the traditional AD&D dragon species & adds an entirely different dimension to these hazards, horrors, monsters, and dynamic part of the AD&D game. The book is now long forgotten by many players & DM's. It goes for about six dollars to ten dollars on Amazon and other outlets. Its one of those books that let my imagination take flight!