JCrux
Old School
Posts: 603
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Post by JCrux on Jul 24, 2008 9:12:21 GMT -5
That is a really open-ended question and there are many ways to approach it. Truthfully, I think just about any personality would work. Pick one you can RP well and enjoy and then ask yourself how that character would react. Here are some questions for you to consider. - Is your character raised being aware of his/her dragon heritage or does it come as a shock later in life?
- Does your character know a lot about dragons or very little?
- Does your character have red, brass or gold dragon blood? How does that mesh with his/her alignment?
- Does your character take pride in being a dragon disciple? Will that make your character act arrogant to toward others?
- Is your character concerned about how other people will react to him/her? Will your character try to hid his/her dragon heritage?
I'm sure there are more questions one could ask but that's all that's coming to me off the top of my head. Hope that helps.
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Myth
Old School
Retired FRC DM
The Myth
Posts: 686
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Post by Myth on Jul 24, 2008 9:25:06 GMT -5
A dragon disciple is different. He always suspected, but the flying dreams confirmed it. The experience is so vivid and real that other dreams are dusty by the earth, the dreamer exults in his beautifully scaled wings pulling him to smell, hear and see with a terrible clarity no mere human can ever really comprehend. A volatile power burns in his lungs, a potency he knows he could unleash witha mere breath. It's almost draconic.
It is known that certain powerful dragons can take humanoid form and even have humanoid lovers. Sometimes a child is born of this union and every child of that child unto the thousandth generation claims a bit of dragon blood, be it ever so small. Usually, little comes of it, though mighty sorcerers occasionally credit their powers to draconic heritage. For some, however, dragon blood beckons irresistibly. First come the dreams. Many dismiss them as nothing more than wish fulfillment (Or even nightmares) and that's the end of it. But a few embrace the dreams, recognizing their allure as a promise. These become dragon disciples, who use their magical power as a catalyst to ignite their dragon blood, realizing its fullest potential.
Dragon disciples prefer a life of exploration to a cloistered existence. Most are sorcerers, but bards sometimes follow the path. Already adept at magic, many pursue adventure, specially if it furthers their goal of finding out more about their draconic heritage. All dragon disciples are drawn to areas known to harbor dragons.
Hit die increase: As a dragon disciple gains levels in his PrC, his dragon nature expresses itself more.
Natural armor: At 1st, 5th and 8th level, a dragon disciple becomes more draconic in appearance. His skin develops tiny iridescent scales, nearly invisible at first, but becoming more noticeable at higher levels. This provides increasing natural armor bonuses to his base armor class. As his skin thickens, the dragon disciple takes on more and more of his progenitor's physical aspect.
At 9th level they grow wings.
Tome and Blood pg. 55
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I hope this helps a bit, I know it isn't a direct answer to the question but some resources.
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Post by Munroe on Jul 24, 2008 14:13:30 GMT -5
Dragon disciples are not natural born half-dragons. Dragon disciple is a class that a character actively pursues to awaken latent draconic traits, not a self-manifesting template. Becoming a dragon disciple and advancing as a dragon disciple is a choice and a pursuit, not something a character has no say over.
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Post by brian333 on Jul 24, 2008 14:44:25 GMT -5
He was a bully. Larger and stronger than his playmates, he could have his way in their childhood games, until one of the fools angered him. Then a blinding rage erupted with a roar and he lashed out.
This is how his brother died. It was his own fault. He should have known better.
He spent a lot of time alone after that. His former playmates feared him, a fact he found pleasant to think on. In time he learned that his rage could be focussed, transmuted into something else: power! In his lonesome wanderings he turned his anger to power, secretly casting his first spells against the helpless forest creatures that he happened upon.
But magic lead him to try to understand the spells he was casting, and the first of the books he found on the subject referred to spontaneous casting as an attribute of those who had a dragon for an ancestor. This lead to first, a fascination with books of lore, (a pursuit surprising to those who knew him,) and later, to seek out those who had undergone the transformation discribed in the books: half-man, half-winged dragon.
With the true powers of a dragon, imagine the power he would hold, the fear he could sow in those around! His life now had a new focus. He would learn, he would grow, he would become a dragon!
***
She was a chatter. Her mother said that at the age of three she told elaborate tales of the imaginary creatures she had befriended, that she went from baby-babbling to clear speach by her 36th week. She talked in class, she talked to anyone who would listen, and when alone she would talk to her 'friends' who still lived in her imagination by the time she began to feel the first stirrings of magic.
Her singing, humming, even dancing, would cause bright lights to spring out, illuminating her reddish-gold hair and her deep blue eyes would sparkle as she laughed at the effect.
Her father was wise enough to find a nearby bardic school in which to enroll her, and she found among the dusty tomes the spark her imagination sought while onstage she found an endless variety of ears paying rapt attention to her.
While not particularly beautiful, she learned to use cosmetics and stage presence to enhance her already formiddable appearance. She became a popular teen performer, but there was something missing. Boys flocked to her: she could pick and choose among them and the many older men who had less romantic, (and therefore somewhat repellant,) interests.
Her popularity brought her to the attention of a strange man who was somewhat of a mysterious gentleman farmer of the land. After her regular show the gentleman was ushered into her green-room, obviously a man of means! But such men were usually wierdos as well.
Instead of the usual proposition, he said, "It's true. I had heard one of my grandchildren was begining to grow up. You are the first."
"First?" she asked, confused. "And you're not my grandfather, he lives with my parents."
"Of my several children and their children, and theirs, you are the first to grow into your magic. Grandfather indeed, I smell my blood in your veins, child. The blood of dragons. No more than four generations between us, of this there can be no doubt."
"Four generations? You'd have to be over a hundred years..."
"Two hundred and seventy the last time I counted."
"But that's not..."
The strange man stood, this time a very large and imposing figure. He removed his bulky cloak, and from his back large wings the exact color of her hair spread wide, filling the narrow space of the green-room.
"I am what I am because I also discovered the power that lies asleep in our veins. I discovered it, and used it. This too could be your future. Either that, or you forget your magic, forget your songs and dances and stories, forget all that and live a very long life as a village maid bearing children and growing cabbages."
"This is all so strange... So..."
"Confusing? Yes, but I will be there for you." *he placed a note on the small table between them,* "This is a map to my home. For you to keep. When you have questions, when you need help, advice, a place to go. Come to me; I will not seek you out again. Your life, your choice."
Stunned, she sat silent for the first time in her life as he furled his wings, donned his cloak and hood, and left.
Her mind churned. Lies? Why? What did he have to gain from _her?_ Was it an elaborate scheme? Again, why her? She would find out. Dragonblood indeed! She would find out that man's game before he could use her: she was smart, and sly too. And she always got her way in the end.
***
The boy's golden hair caused his hazel eyes to appear somewhat golden in certain lights. Not only was he beautiful in the classic way, he was always composed, serious. He smiled often, but seldom laughed. He was such a serious student that at an early age his mother thought he might become a priest; his father worried about his son's reticent mannerisms. But the village bully learned early to leave the golden child alone: timid seeming isn't the same as afraid!
As he grew older he became a contrast: he was one of the strongest and most athletic of the village's youths, and he was also the most accomplished student at the small temple-school. At the recommendation of the priest he was sent off to board at a larger school in a nearby city which had more extensive libraries and more learned instructors.
Then one evening he and several schoolmates stayed late at a party. They had to make their way back to their dormitory through the darkened city but they were set upon by thugs. Outnumbered and fighting weaponless against armed men, the young man screamed in rage, surprising even his friends, and his fingertips flared with fire as he hurled a small flaming orb at one of the attackers who quickly fled the scene.
Afterward he sought out his instructor to help him find the books he needed to understand what had happened. They sought aid from a priest who, upon examination of the young man, declared he was most likely dragon-blooded.
His studies quickly encompassed everything his school could teach on the subject, and yet he sought more. Perhaps in a land plagued with dragons he could find the clues he needed to master the rage, to control the release of his magic, to channel his newfound power to aid rather than harm.
***
I'll leave you to guess which kind of dragon-ancestor each of the DD's has. Anyone feel free to use any or all of these ideas, or any part thereof.
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Post by Rane on Dec 9, 2012 5:48:00 GMT -5
My cleric for one sought a dragon to bond with. There are other ways besides having the gene/blood.
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Post by Extropy on Dec 9, 2012 8:10:44 GMT -5
You need to have the blood somehow. Given that a character has latent traits, the path towards dragon disciple could certainly be started by dealings with draconic beings.
Also. Thread necromancy! *gets out holy symbol* j/k
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Post by Levedara on Feb 16, 2013 18:56:28 GMT -5
One thing to remember is that dragon disciples are not half dragons. A half dragon is born when a dragon mates with a human. Half dragons are 'monstrous' from the moment they are born. Medium half dragons do not have wings, thus human half dragons are wingless. Dragon disciples do gain the half dragon template at level 10 in rdd, however this does not make them half dragons, it only applies the template to them - as an off the top of my head example, this is much like how a drow dragon has the elven template for the purposes of spell effects, immunities, etc, yet is still a dragon, not an elf. A dragon disciple can be three generations removed from the dragon its blood comes from or it can be 15, 20, 50! A disciple doesn't need to know it has draconic blood. The blood may stir, causing the disciple to have dreams, urges, etc that spur them along the path of discovery. The blood may be potent, giving them features in line with their ancestors, like red hair when the rest of the family has black hair, making them wonder what is in them that's made them so different. What to remember here is that the Draconic Creature template cannot be in place before a creature becomes a dragon disciple, thus don't go too overboard, claws, fangs, and horns etc start to push the line into the the Draconic Creature area (Which are creatures that show obvious draconic ancestry, and can be anything from a horse to a humanoid, or any other odd mixup that a dragon might decide to dilly with for whatever bizarre reason it has). Regardless of when or what, or how your dragon disciple knows of it's bloodline, or has reason to think they're something other than 'simply human', there's a ton that can go on for discovering the blood. Meditation on the inner flows of magic. An attraction to fire. Visions of flying. Sudden bouts of obsessive greed that aren't entirely characteristic. A draw to magic. A fascination with relevant subject matters. Mithika was made not knowing you could make a dragon disciple. I was a complete noob when I made her. When I found out about the class I was excited by the rp potential and honestly I just wanted cool wings like sharteel. When she developed innate spellcasting she was terrrrified. Ramas told her she had fiend blood and being easily lead on, she believed him and was crying for days about being a monster. It took a ton of RP for her to finally meet a gold dragon that told her that no, she wasn't a fiend, she was indeed part dragon. The pursuit of her bloodline after that was based on that meeting, and the incredible awe she felt in the presence of that dragon, a being she could hardly believe she might be even remotely related to. There are literally a thousand different ways to play this out, from a family tradition of honoring the blood to blithe ignorance resulting in a dogged pursuit to find out just what made the magic tick. Have fun. Explore, be creative, and participate in thread necromancy, it's good for you (sometimes). Here is an excerpt from a "essay" I wrote about dragon disciples and potential RP. Remember please that these are suggestions and ideas, not 'do this' or 'do that's'. I'm not telling anyone how to play their character, just providing ideas that have been collected over the years of my love of the class and work with others that do as well. Ramifications of the BloodMetamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. - WikipediaChanges a dragon disciple undergoes:- Strength increases. Muscle mass growth.
- Ac gain. Develops and grows scales.
- Breath weapon. Produces flame internally.
- Intelligence increase. Changes to cognitive process.
- Charisma increase. Changes to personality and presence.
- Wings. Massive protrusions that sprout from ones backside.
- Half dragon template. Immunities. Vision changes. Lifespan increase.
Roleplay InterpretationsMany believe that dragon disciples are an over powered class due to all the benefits they gain and the lack of cost for it. However if one considers the social ramifications of the class, and apply it to a role play environment there can be a great deal of drawbacks. In addition to this, awakening the blood is not an easy process. On top of social troubles one could easily consider the physical torment of awakening the blood. Vast physical changes are not things that happen overnight! Here is a list of some potential rp for dragon disciple characters. - On Strength:
- A dragon disciple may have severe growing pains and muscle cramps around the times that they will experience strength increases. These aches may last for a time after they gain it as well.
- This increased muscle mass will result in a larger frame. Clothes may need re tailoring, armor refitting.
- If a dragon disciple is particularly long lived before they invoke the changes, the increased strength may result in a period of clumsiness. They may break things by accident, or slap a friend to hard on the back. It may take some time to realize just how strong they have become.
- On Scales:
- At first the scales are hardly noticeable, perhaps a faint rough texture that looks like a rash covering patches of skin. Over time however they become more evident. Typically glossy, scales may begin to catch and reflect light at their edges. Upon full advancement the scales may be entirely visible resulting in a wide range of skin tones based on the dragon disciples lineage.
- Scale growth is likely uncomfortable. It may be itchy, and all over, all the time. One could rp the character constantly scratching, rubbing, grimacing when they are nearing ac gain and for a time after wards.
- There is no clearly defined scope of where scales cover. When first receiving ac bonuses the scales may only cover small areas, or be in spotty patches. Or they may be in all places one wishes to RP them, and simply very thin. As the ac increases the scales can then spread or thicken, or both. One could rp them to coating everything, from head to toe, or just various sections of the body. Back of the neck, Arms, legs, sides, and back are common areas, leaving the mid torso, inner thighs, back of hands, feet and face bare.
- On Breath weapons:
- Breath weapons are produced in the lungs, fueled by a gland called the draconis fundamentum. Only true dragons have this gland and it is likely that disciples develop weaker ones. As such when first acquiring a breath weapon characters may accidentally produce their breath weapon when suddenly exhaling, possibly even when yelling, due to being unused to controlling the gland. Suddenly being hit, or electrocuted may cause muscle spasms that set off the gland.
- The energy required for breath weapons is the primary factor in a dragons metabolism. Upon gaining a breath weapon a character may find that they have dietary changes, increased apatite, a craving for more protein heavy food.
- Having this energy within may result in a body temperature change. Dragons are not 'cold' or 'warm' blooded; they are endothermic. Therefor it is perfectly reasonable to say that while a normal body temperature is 98°F a disciple with a may be 120°F and a cold breathing disciple may be 70°F.
- Breath weapons may be physically notable. A fire based disciple may often produce smoke, at will, or unconsciously. An acid based disciple may produce extra saliva that is faintly acidic, resulting in cracked lips and frequent spitting or swallowing.
- On gaining intelligence:
- This is very open ended. Anything from simple changes in how one thinks to changes in behavior due to revelations and changes in the length one considers things.
- On increased Charisma:
- Personality wise insofar as presence is concerned, a dragon disciple coming into his or her power may grow in confidence. After all, they are magnificent by right of birth. They may become more commanding of attention, stronger in speech, more assertive.
- A dragon disciples nature may become far more defined. Dragons have fear and awe auras. A disciple does not, yet they may with their changes seem more benevolent, sinister, or playful, etc, as a result of coming more in tune with their heritage. Much like a shady man in dark clothing at the mouth of an alley may seem suspicious, a dragon disciple that has reached this level of his or her path may have an air about them that people can instinctively interpret.
- Vocal changes may leave a dragon disciple to seem more socially intimidating or gracious. Dragons have extremely well developed vocal chords, so a disciple may find they become more expressive in speech and inflection.
- A disciples hair may change over time to reflect their heritage. First a few strands, then more, and more yet, until it matches the scales worn by their forefathers. Body hair from scaled areas is likely to fall out completely, leaving them with bare arms, legs, etc.
- Features like elongated sharp fingernails, elongated teeth, a forked tongue, horns, barbels/whiskers in addition to the scales can add various flares that impact how people view a dragon disciple. These features may make them seem sinister, or inhumanly beautiful.
- On growing wings:
- Wings are not a small development. There are a few different ways to deal with wings. One option, wings large enough to support flight that are difficult to hide. Another small wings that cannot support flight, though may allow a bit of gliding and are easy to hide. Mix and match by shape and flexibility is an option as well. One should also consider the shape of draconic wings and how they would sit against the body before making this choice. Another option if one wishes large wings that they can hide is to rp them as very bat like, and somewhat flexible wings that they wrap around themselves.
To support flight wings must have a span that is at least double a creatures height/body length. This means if a character that is 6' tall will need a wingspan of minimum 12'! (it should be noted FRC has no fly widget, you cannot gain combat benefits or travel benefits from flight, wings are rp only).
Some prefer to RP wings that they can hide under a cloak, flush against their body like a bird, though for wings to be this small they will likely not be able to support flight. Using their wing thumbs to hold their shoulders they may drape their wings around themselves like a living cape and then hide them under a robe or cloak.
- Growing wings may be a lengthy development under the skin. From the beginning of the 8th level players may consider rping back problems and pains. Some way towards the 9th level a character may develop lumpy, hard masses under their skin that make it hard to sit against things or to lay down. On the other hand one can consider this a sudden magical growth that occurs spontaneously, and when it happens it may be a complete shock.
- Sprouting them could be an incredibly dramatic, traumatic experience, and gory as well. It may leave the character weak and sore for days.
- If a PC wishes to have flight capable wings, wings require an extreme amount of muscle to work. The level after wings grants the largest strength bonus. One could interpret therefor that the wings when sprouted are weak and the character lacks the ability to utilize them for flight. They may also be clumsy, hard to control, until the character has had time to get used to making them work the way they want them to. Characters wishing to RP flight may want to rp the muscle gain on the 10th level being primarily chest/shoulder orientated, and may wish to rp actually working on strengthening those muscles. Of course, if a PC prefers smaller wings that don't support flight this can be applied to other areas.
- With larger flight wings, big protrusions from your backside. No more sitting in backed chairs comfortably. No more laying on your back without taking caution to make sure you don't hurt yourself. They are wide, as well as tall and long. Sitting on a bench may require the character to lift his wings so they don't hit the ground behind him. They may have to make a conscious effort to tuck their wings to avoid hitting door frames. Even smaller wings may cause a fair bit of difficulty.
- Emotive extensions of oneself. Much like some people make hand gestures while they talk, a dragon disciple may begin to unconsciously emote with their wings. From agitated twitches to excited flaps, wings can add a great depth to how animated a character is.
- A character with wings that wishes to hide his heritage may cover them by means of a cloak; this could be rped as one looking like a hunchback, or maybe they use magic to guise them. Perhaps they have small or very flexible wings.
- On changing vision:
- Changes to the eyes may make viewing the world a bit different. Much like a new prescription for glasses, the time when a disciples eyes are undergoing change may result in things such as headaches, difficulty focusing, watery eyes, and the like. These are caused by the muscles of the eyes having to work more or less.
- Physically their eyes may change to have slit pupils much like a cats. Their eyes may become a rich color that matches the eyes of their progenitors.
- The weight of longevity:
- Those that achieve the half dragon template (level 10 rdd, no sooner, though one may be aware before the 10th level that they will gain this span) also gain the years that come with it. For a being that expected to grow old at the age of 70 and die with their friends this can be both a thrill and a terror. For longer lived races it is likely to have less psychological impacts, though may still be worth noting.
- All my friends are going to die before I do. I will outlive my true love. I can learn so much more. I can see so many places in the world. I have more time to achieve power.
- Humans with the half dragon template are known to live as long as elves if they are of gold or red decent, whereas an elf with dragon heritage may "rival the span of ancient wyrms". This may greatly affect ones outlook in life.
- A disciple not wishing to face the consequences of this expanse on years may decide to stop their pursuit before achieving it. Others may be awakening their heritage for the sake of the extra years.
When you look like a monsterFrom scales to wings, horns, sharp fingernails, and cat like eyes dragon disciples are very unlikely to be taken for human once they've passed certain points in their development. To follow the path of the disciple one must have a grasp of lore, which goes to say that those without the lore likely do not know anything about the subject. Therefor you will rarely have someone say "hey, a disciple of the dragons" and more likely have someone scream "ahh demon!" or perhaps "Wow, half dragon!" if you're lucky. - Adventurers may believe you are a creature to be hunted. Good natured or not, there can be many reasons for this. They may want the treasure they believe you have. They may wish to free the common folk from what they believe is your evil presence. Players of dragon disciples should be ready for pvp from all types for all reasons be they logical, true, or simply the whims of assumptions. - Common folk may be terrified of you. Many npcs may be unrepresented. Many represented npcs may not have dms to control them at all hours. A dragon disciple may inspire hatred, fear or awe in the people they pass. In a big city, crowds scared of the monster may throw vegetables, garbage, or worse, weapons, at the creature, or form mobs to chase them out. Shopkeepers may refuse to serve them. A dragon disciple may have to resort to intimidation or reasoning coupled with pleading to convince common folk to deal with them. Players of dragon disciples should not expect to be accepted easily where they go. This may be mitigated if they have developed over time while in an area, allowing people to over time witness the changes, but this will likely be small portions of the population of any given place. - A disciple is likely to be the victim of prejudice. People that have heard stories of dragons and understand that the dragon disciple is part dragon may attribute dragon traits to the disciple. While a disciple may indeed by influenced by their blood, the conclusions people come to may be far stretched. While a dragon disciples alignment is not dependent on the type of dragon they are descended from (though it may have an effect certainly) people often believe "the sins of the father pass to the son". Therefor a disciple with red scales may be considered particularly evil, even if they are good, while a gold disciple may be thought of as benevolent, even if they are spiteful. It is a common belief that dragons are arrogant, greedy, and incredibly powerful. A disciples player should be prepared to explain themselves and tolerate negative assumption. Or controversy be ready to gut the fools that dare to flap their pathetic tongues. - Hiding what you are is highly rp dependent. If for some reason the disciple needs or wants to hide themselves they have a lot to consider. If the character has sharp teeth and a forked tongue, they may have to hide a hiss. Scales will need to be covered, fully developed scales are going to be extremely difficult to hide with simple makeup. Fully developed eyes that are cat like in appearance can be hidden with a shadowed cloak but may still reflectively flash if they catch the light. Sharp elongated fingernails will need to be trimmed. Wings. If the disciple has rped large wings hiding them should be a chore. The alar ocecranon (second wing bone) reaches quite high and may jut over a characters head. These bones are long and as bones go, inflexible. Draping a cloak over them is likely going to result in a hideous hunchback effect at best. Smaller wings may be tucked against or wrapped the body like bat wings. In the end the best disguise will be illusion magic which will leave one victim to true sight and the strong of will. Draconic Urges and BehaviorsDespite having strange looks and a slew of physical benefits, dragon disciples remain people. As most people do, they have quirks. These quirks may be influenced by the prominence of their bloodline. The choice to RP this may add a great deal of flavor to any dragon disciple pc. - Dragons are hoarders. So much so that they have a deity, Astilabor, who is the goddess of "the natural draconic desire to acquire treasure and power". A disciple pc may develop therefor an urge to collect, and horde things. Maybe a type of gem. Maybe magical trinkets. Maybe something simple that they were always fond of before they enhanced their blood, and now cannot get enough of. Rping an eagerness to collect these things can be fun. Maybe the character will demand the party to give the item over immediately. Maybe they'll constantly ask people if they've found such an object. Perhaps they'll post wanted signs. Maybe they'll pay exorbitant prices just to get their hands on them. - Dragons are more comfortable in certain climates. As their body temperatures are constant and typically reflective of the element they are tied to being in an opposing environment generally makes them uncomfortable. Disciples that breath fire may dislike the cold, perhaps it makes their scales itch, or irritates their nostrils. A fire type may then of course, relish in hot locations, lava filled caves or scorched deserts seeming like paradise. It should be noted that dragons sweat. Their body temperatures also become more extreme with age. - Dragons can eat anything, literally. Page 10 of the draconomicon states that "A dragon can literally eat rock or dirt and survive." Metallic dragons are known to live off inorganic material, and dragons are known to be able to consume half their body weight every day. Excess eating doesn't result in fat, it's stored as elemental energy. As such a disciple may have an incredible apatite. They may even develop a taste for things like gems. F.A.Q. - All those little nitpicks.Quick summary:Age. Awakening the blood. Flight. Scent. On Age: How long do dragon disciples live? - A very long time!
- At 10th level dragon disciples gain the half dragon template and are subject then to half dragon life spans.
- "A dragon's life span is truly remarkable - it can live a millenium or longer, and even at the end of its life transform into a permanent part of the land or become ascendaant and immortal. Half-dragons usually share the heritage of a less long-lived race and so might endure no more than a few centuries. Still, they are granted far more time than most, and those born of a dragon-elf union can challenge ancient wyrms for longevity." - Races of the dragon
- Ancient wyrms are generally considered to be 801-1000 years in age. The shortest natural lifespan listed is white dragons at 2,100 years to final days, and the longest gold dragons, at 4,400 years.
On awakening the blood: How does a dragon disciple initially awaken their blood. How is it pursued after the initial development?
- It is said that dragon disciples use magic as a catalyst to awaken their blood to it's full potential. This may be interpreted in various ways. The one thing that is clear : it is no accident, it does not happen spontaneously.
- No ritual or spell is specified in source material. Rp ideas include rituals, meditative inner focus on self and the personal flows of magic, or spells discovered or created for the purpose of igniting the spark. It is a great RP hook regardless of how the player wishes to interpret it.
On Flight: Should dragon disciples be able to fly? Would this flight be magical?
- Yes - Dragon disciples are capable of flight. This does not however mean that all disciples -have- to fly. Some may wish to RP smaller wings that aren't flight capable.
- No - The flight of dragons is not magical, nor would a disciples be.
On Scent: Do dragon disciples gain the scent ability? - In Neverwinter Nights: No. While a dragon disciple gains darkvision there are no changes to their other senses. They smell, hear, and see the same as they did before the changes.
In pen and paper: No. They do however gain blindsense, but this is a skill related to sight and hearing rather than smell.
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Post by magiuss on Feb 16, 2013 19:28:02 GMT -5
it was to my understanding that one who pursuits the dragon blood dosn't grow strong enough wings to give them the abillity to Fly. but i may be wrong.. and thing as Scales and horns tails.. that everythig is Diffrent from person to Person.. one might get golden skin golden eyes.. where another might not.. but again.. i may be mistaken.
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Post by Levedara on Feb 16, 2013 19:59:46 GMT -5
it was to my understanding that one who pursuits the dragon blood dosn't grow strong enough wings to give them the abillity to Fly. but i may be wrong.. and thing as Scales and horns tails.. that everythig is Diffrent from person to Person.. one might get golden skin golden eyes.. where another might not.. but again.. i may be mistaken. \ In regards to flight please refer to the FAQ section of my post. Actually I'll just copy and paste it for you. Because there are no flying mechanics on frc flight is purely rp. On my rdd i rp flying between towns but still have to pay the caravan fee. I recommend rping learning to fly, and not flying until you've reached 10th level, and using the massive str boost at 10th in that rp as developing flight muscles. That is merely my -recommendation-. As stated in the posting above, this is all -suggestions-. There is no 'right or wrong'. I'm not, as I said telling anyone what to do. It is most certainly different person to person. My examples include a number of variables, and these are only brief footnotes on the possibility. To clarify again, since it seems that you think I suggest otherwise. THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS. NOT RULES OR EXPECTATIONS.
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Post by magiuss on Feb 17, 2013 3:26:57 GMT -5
i wasn't second guessing what you have read Leve i havn't red the written things on Rdd.. i was simply asking some questions due to what i have been told by other people. that scales are near impossible to see and that the wings is to small to carry your body. But now atleast i know what is written. i can work with that then. thanks for the post Ps. if there is missing a few letters please fill them in.. my keyboard has been acting up and i dont wanna keep modifiing the posts.
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Post by Rane on Feb 17, 2013 4:21:14 GMT -5
One of my characters was not born with the heritage. He talked a dragon into infusing his blood for power. And I rpd this all out after I was level 20.
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Post by iangallowglas on Feb 17, 2013 10:32:07 GMT -5
On wings and other things... I want to point out a couple things about RDD. First is about wings. The RDD class as presented in NWN follows the 3.0 progression as stated on Pages 55 to 57 of Tome and Blood...for the most part...not the progression as presented in the 3.5 Dungeon Masters guide on pages 183 to 185. The reason I bring this up, is that in Tome and blood part of the progression of an RDD is to grow physically in size from (grow one step for example from medium to large). The problem is that in NWN that isn't supported. So why does this matter? Well, it matters because if you remain medium size..you don;t grow wings...so you can;t fly "At 9th level, dragon disciples of Large and above grow wings. They can now fly at their normal sped (average maneuverability). Smaller creatures have wings only if they already possessed them)". This is further backed up by the description in the Monster Manual under the Half-Dragon Template (both 3.0 and 3.5) "A Half-Dragon that is Large or Larger has wings". My point in this is not to say you shouldn't have wings (the game mechanics puts them on you) or that your can;t RP flying, but to say that you don't have to RP your wings are monstrously large, your covered in source if you choose to RP your wings as small. I RP my DD's wing as being small and not able to sustain him in flight, but big enough, so that if he fell off a cliff, his wings would slow his fall so he wasn't hurt. I also RP him folding his wings up close to his body, hidden under his cloak most of the time. In general, I RP'd my DD to be mostly human in appearance with tiny brassy scales on most of his body including his face and hands, being nearly invisible except up close and mostly giving him a permanently suntanned look regardless of the time of year and climate. His scales are thinker and larger in areas like the back, especially around the wings. As I stated before his wings are small and generally kept hidden, his eyes would be the most noticeable different things with them being Brass in color with no "white of he eye" and the pupil slit vertically. As for eating anything as some have RP'd their Dragon Disciples to do in the past...I've not ready anywhere in source that DD's or half-dragons can eat gold and crap gems...but this is a game, so if it's fun what the heck Modified for clarity.
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leaflord
New Member
Watching, Love from Above
Posts: 50
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Post by leaflord on Feb 17, 2013 12:01:53 GMT -5
I like the title of this topic ideas. Why? Cause if you spoke to just about every player on Frc get different answer to what they think or see a RDD to be. Great players can discuss and agree to disagree and help each other see there points without forcing there views on each other.Kudos!
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Post by Rane on Feb 17, 2013 12:21:07 GMT -5
On wings and other things... I want to point out a couple things about RDD. First is about wings. The RDD class as presented in NWN follows the 3.0 progression as stated on Pages 55 to 57 of Tome and Blood...for the most part...not the progression as presented in the 3.5 Dungeon Masters guide on pages 183 to 185. The reason I bring this up, is that in Tome and blood part of the progression of an RDD is to grow physically in size from (grow one step for example from medium to large). The problem is that in NWN that isn't supported. So why does this matter? Well, it matters because if you remain medium size..you don;t grow wings...so you can;t fly "At 9th level, dragon disciples of Large and above grow wings. They can now fly at their normal sped (average maneuverability). Smaller creatures have wings only if they already possessed them)". This is further backed up by the description in the Monster Manual under the Half-Dragon Template (both 3.0 and 3.5) "A Half-Dragon that is Large or Larger has wings". My point in this is not to say you shouldn't have wings (the game mechanics puts them on you) or that your can;t RP flying, but to say that you don't have to RP your wings are monstrously large, your covered in source if you choose to RP your wings as small. I RP my DD's wing as being small and not able to sustain him in flight, but big enough, so that if he fell off a cliff, his wings would slow his fall so he wasn't hurt. I also RP him folding his wings up close to his body, hidden under his cloak most of the time. In general, I RP'd my DD to be mostly human in appearance with tiny brassy scales on most of his body including his face and hands, being nearly invisible except up close and mostly giving him a permanently suntanned look regardless of the time of year and climate. His scales are thinker and larger in areas like the back, especially around the wings. As I stated before his wings are small and generally kept hidden, his eyes would be the most noticeable different things with them being Brass in color with no "white of he eye" and the pupil slit vertically. As for eating anything as some have RP'd their Dragon Disciples to do in the past...I've not ready anywhere in source that DD's or half-dragons can eat gold and crap gems...but this is a game, so if it's fun what the heck Modified for clarity. I like this.
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Post by Levedara on Feb 17, 2013 17:31:49 GMT -5
On wings and other things... I want to point out a couple things about RDD. First is about wings. The RDD class as presented in NWN follows the 3.0 progression as stated on Pages 55 to 57 of Tome and Blood...for the most part...not the progression as presented in the 3.5 Dungeon Masters guide on pages 183 to 185. The reason I bring this up, is that in Tome and blood part of the progression of an RDD is to grow physically in size from (grow one step for example from medium to large). The problem is that in NWN that isn't supported. So why does this matter? Well, it matters because if you remain medium size..you don;t grow wings...so you can;t fly "At 9th level, dragon disciples of Large and above grow wings. They can now fly at their normal sped (average maneuverability). Smaller creatures have wings only if they already possessed them)". This is further backed up by the description in the Monster Manual under the Half-Dragon Template (both 3.0 and 3.5) "A Half-Dragon that is Large or Larger has wings". My point in this is not to say you shouldn't have wings (the game mechanics puts them on you) or that your can;t RP flying, but to say that you don't have to RP your wings are monstrously large, your covered in source if you choose to RP your wings as small. I RP my DD's wing as being small and not able to sustain him in flight, but big enough, so that if he fell off a cliff, his wings would slow his fall so he wasn't hurt. I also RP him folding his wings up close to his body, hidden under his cloak most of the time. In general, I RP'd my DD to be mostly human in appearance with tiny brassy scales on most of his body including his face and hands, being nearly invisible except up close and mostly giving him a permanently suntanned look regardless of the time of year and climate. His scales are thinker and larger in areas like the back, especially around the wings. As I stated before his wings are small and generally kept hidden, his eyes would be the most noticeable different things with them being Brass in color with no "white of he eye" and the pupil slit vertically. As for eating anything as some have RP'd their Dragon Disciples to do in the past...I've not ready anywhere in source that DD's or half-dragons can eat gold and crap gems...but this is a game, so if it's fun what the heck Modified for clarity. This is a good summary ; I will edit the wing section of the big ideas post i made to include this viewpoint/suggestion/option. I agree about the eating thing myself, I certainly never have my disciples nomming rocks But others find it a big thing for their disciples to do so, hence it's inclusion.
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Post by Lady Frost on Feb 17, 2013 20:59:49 GMT -5
Yes, eating your party's gem loot is generally poor for interpersonal relations... *mutters*
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Post by ID10Tango on Feb 18, 2013 5:37:38 GMT -5
I can't seem to find where I read it, but it was my understanding that nearly everyone in Fearun has some, albeit insignificant amount, of dragon blood in their veins. When a dragon takes human form and mates with a human (or whatever tickles their fancy), their offspring and up to 1000 generations afterwards have enough "draconic blood" to walk the path and awaken their abilities. This is what allows the PrC to be available to everyone. It is also my understanding that a dragon CAN be directly involved in a situation where someone might not be aware or able, but isn't necessary. A powerful arcane wizard with the right knowledge can provide the same result as well.
I also generally agree with the posts of Levedara and Iangallows and their descriptions of RDD's.
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Post by DOT on Jan 27, 2020 14:36:40 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race.
I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board.
To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?)
Ty
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2020 14:47:17 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race. I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board. To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?) Ty Deborah typically has her double d's out She often talks about her rock (stone garden), and how the pieces move around after she slumbers, which disappoints her. Unfortunately they are prisoners of her flesh to stone she teleports to the anauroch. People she felt were beautiful enough to hoard, and weak enough to maintain like captive pets that she can flesh to stone. Since she is chaotic and has finite spells, the last people to survive her game .. get eaten before she recommences I suggest not gazing into the gorgon's eyes..(medusa is a gorgon, not the metal bull in this example). Deb's certainly as randy as one when she cares to be. All in Sharess' name? She is an example of an evil PC struggling to learn how to not be evil, and literally not caring to be good. Thus chaotic neutral as an end result. Deborah just can't help but nom some companions when feeling frisky, or upset.. As to how she awakened her blood? Well .. come on over for dinner.
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Post by Razgriz on Jan 27, 2020 14:54:45 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race. I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board. To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?) Ty The Red Emperor has not attained full RDD yet, but for him, it was his path from the very beginning. He found out he had sorcerer traits and then, likely the blood of one of the strongest Ancient Red Dragons from source that are still alive: "The Flying Flame, Balagos!". As he gathers more of Balagos powers, he takes greater risks and takes on more challenges to prove himself worthy. Over the years and while harnessing more of the draconinc essence, Ving has acquired some personality traits that I could devise/dicern of his ancestor, but he has also command of his own mind and desires too. Add the perspective that a LE, brainwashed, ascendant monk (monk with perfect self feat) has of the world, mortality and reality to it all, and then the result is a very eccentric individual, who is basically living his own power fantasy to prepare himelf to what he calls: "A glorious march to defeat"
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Post by DOT on Jan 27, 2020 15:37:43 GMT -5
These were not what I expected, I’ll reread them at home more in depth to respond appropriately, all I can say is I would totally watch their Netflix shows 😄
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2020 15:47:43 GMT -5
Debbie Does Cormyr would be that shows name.
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Post by AnvilX on Jan 27, 2020 16:29:32 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race. I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board. To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?) Ty Well since you asked…Personally, my take on a commoner seeing a RDD or something of that ilk… would be for them to run in fright or gather the other commoners with their pitchforks in hand and hunt them down and drive them out of a town. The old Frankenstein movie with the villagers at the end comes to mind. Purely my own opinion, but I would think the common person would be afraid of such a sight and think the character was some type of demon or monster and at best avoid them or at worst attack. I have never played a RDD, but I would think because of this they would be more secretive in nature and not parade themselves about with their wings etc. in the open for the whole world to see.
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Post by mandene on Jan 27, 2020 16:35:31 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race. I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board. To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?) Ty Well since you asked…Personally, my take on a commoner seeing a RDD or something of that ilk… would be for them to run in fright or gather the other commoners with their pitchforks in hand and hunt them down and drive them out of a town. The old Frankenstein movie with the villagers at the end comes to mind. Purely my own opinion, but I would think the common person would be afraid of such a sight and think the character was some type of demon or monster and at best avoid them or at worst attack. I have never played a RDD, but I would think because of this they would be more secretive in nature and not parade themselves about with their wings etc. in the open for the whole world to see. I wholeheartedly agree to this notion. GG is an exception to this. The poor townsfolk i GG have seen everything. Someone with wings won't phase them much.
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Post by DOT on Jan 27, 2020 16:50:06 GMT -5
Debbie Does Cormyr would be that shows name. oh the things we find in dad's storage unit...
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2020 16:52:53 GMT -5
I thought this was good to read, I’m still figuring out handling the rp of this with a typically conservative race. I suppose this is more directed to current players of the prc, how did you handle your character, their journey, their transition, and how they rp now? I see a lot of human rdds about, typically male, two handed or sword and board. To dms, how do you have npcs interact with rdd PCs? Are they intimidated, looking away, or are generally uncomfortable? Trying to loop it together to see how I should be viewing the Cormyr world through my characters eyes in order to rp appropriately. What rdd aspects get what level of response (ex. Faint scales, eyes, teeth, voice, wings?) Ty Well since you asked…Personally, my take on a commoner seeing a RDD or something of that ilk… would be for them to run in fright or gather the other commoners with their pitchforks in hand and hunt them down and drive them out of a town. The old Frankenstein movie with the villagers at the end comes to mind. Purely my own opinion, but I would think the common person would be afraid of such a sight and think the character was some type of demon or monster and at best avoid them or at worst attack. I have never played a RDD, but I would think because of this they would be more secretive in nature and not parade themselves about with their wings etc. in the open for the whole world to see. I've always felt real life comparisons are pitfalls for attempting to navigate the Forgotten Realms. In Frankensteins reality, the monster is the only monster in the village, and perhaps in the world. I can't remember Dr. Frankenteins whole world anymore, but I think only one monster exists. Meanwhile, mainland Faerun would factually be a diametric opposite of that reality, where monsters and freaky things are apart of the social cultural norms. Gifted blooded beings enter and leave countries and nations frequently. Whether one society tolerates such freaky looking beings greater than another is a whole other discussion. I'd say, the Cormyrean Alignment being LG, LN, & NG that it is - it'd probably not have outwardly hostile commoners, but more curious and pokeful. There will certainly be apprehensive or traumatized ones - let's not forget the Devil Dragon was a decade ago, and the Dracorage soon following that. But my dragon disciples don't hide their wings. Mostly on OOC pretense - too many people in the past that I had been around have hidden the wings and maybe didn't want to accept the risks of the appearance in public, if a DM were to cause NPC's to react negatively. So bring it on old timer
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Post by DOT on Jan 27, 2020 17:00:33 GMT -5
With the above notions in mind from Anvil and mandene, is there a reason why thats not more commonly the case as far as interpersonal interactions with the environment? I would be game for that . They're prevalent in squares, in notable guild organizations, etc. I also recall reading someone that standard races like hins/elves/etc are rated 1 as far as common folk comfort, 2 is rated for RDD and imagery similar, and 3 are halforcs and orcs because of past history. My questions in that regard would be -how much does a character's prior interactions play into the reactions of npcs (merchants) and the unseen townsfolk, does it override or negate rp skills like persuade/appraise/etc? -are there feats that might counteract negativity like Epic Reputation? I'm basing most of my knowledge on what I can google as well as the below quote from Lev -is there a rough npc guide to what features they find most horrific to least horrific? (ex. scales vs wings... fun note her bloodline would not have wings; my assumption is that lv 1-4 of rdd are more "hmmm I dont know how I feel about this" from the commoners where as lv 8+ is like "Burn it! Burn it with fire! ... AHH it's immune to fire!"). There's a lot of options rolling in my head right now, especially since Didi often touts her self as "moost beautiful oof tha dwarfs" because what happens when... you're not beautiful anymore since beauty is in the eye of the beholder? This can be especially true for a traditionally conservative race such as the dwarfs that are like "Don't magic, but if you magic, then don't magic too hard", with the local subrace being shield dwarves, technically they are more adverse to the arcane and its use or public display of it (at least from what I've read). What that does to a character's self image can be most interesting. One thing to remember is that dragon disciples are not half dragons. A half dragon is born when a dragon mates with a human. Half dragons are 'monstrous' from the moment they are born. Medium half dragons do not have wings, thus human half dragons are wingless. Dragon disciples do gain the half dragon template at level 10 in rdd, however this does not make them half dragons, it only applies the template to them - as an off the top of my head example, this is much like how a drow dragon has the elven template for the purposes of spell effects, immunities, etc, yet is still a dragon, not an elf. A dragon disciple can be three generations removed from the dragon its blood comes from or it can be 15, 20, 50! A disciple doesn't need to know it has draconic blood. The blood may stir, causing the disciple to have dreams, urges, etc that spur them along the path of discovery. The blood may be potent, giving them features in line with their ancestors, like red hair when the rest of the family has black hair, making them wonder what is in them that's made them so different. What to remember here is that the Draconic Creature template cannot be in place before a creature becomes a dragon disciple, thus don't go too overboard, claws, fangs, and horns etc start to push the line into the the Draconic Creature area (Which are creatures that show obvious draconic ancestry, and can be anything from a horse to a humanoid, or any other odd mixup that a dragon might decide to dilly with for whatever bizarre reason it has). Regardless of when or what, or how your dragon disciple knows of it's bloodline, or has reason to think they're something other than 'simply human', there's a ton that can go on for discovering the blood. Meditation on the inner flows of magic. An attraction to fire. Visions of flying. Sudden bouts of obsessive greed that aren't entirely characteristic. A draw to magic. A fascination with relevant subject matters. Mithika was made not knowing you could make a dragon disciple. I was a complete noob when I made her. When I found out about the class I was excited by the rp potential and honestly I just wanted cool wings like sharteel. When she developed innate spellcasting she was terrrrified. Ramas told her she had fiend blood and being easily lead on, she believed him and was crying for days about being a monster. It took a ton of RP for her to finally meet a gold dragon that told her that no, she wasn't a fiend, she was indeed part dragon. The pursuit of her bloodline after that was based on that meeting, and the incredible awe she felt in the presence of that dragon, a being she could hardly believe she might be even remotely related to. There are literally a thousand different ways to play this out, from a family tradition of honoring the blood to blithe ignorance resulting in a dogged pursuit to find out just what made the magic tick. Have fun. Explore, be creative, and participate in thread necromancy, it's good for you (sometimes). Here is an excerpt from a "essay" I wrote about dragon disciples and potential RP. Remember please that these are suggestions and ideas, not 'do this' or 'do that's'. I'm not telling anyone how to play their character, just providing ideas that have been collected over the years of my love of the class and work with others that do as well. Ramifications of the BloodMetamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. - WikipediaChanges a dragon disciple undergoes:- Strength increases. Muscle mass growth.
- Ac gain. Develops and grows scales.
- Breath weapon. Produces flame internally.
- Intelligence increase. Changes to cognitive process.
- Charisma increase. Changes to personality and presence.
- Wings. Massive protrusions that sprout from ones backside.
- Half dragon template. Immunities. Vision changes. Lifespan increase.
Roleplay InterpretationsMany believe that dragon disciples are an over powered class due to all the benefits they gain and the lack of cost for it. However if one considers the social ramifications of the class, and apply it to a role play environment there can be a great deal of drawbacks. In addition to this, awakening the blood is not an easy process. On top of social troubles one could easily consider the physical torment of awakening the blood. Vast physical changes are not things that happen overnight! Here is a list of some potential rp for dragon disciple characters. - On Strength:
- A dragon disciple may have severe growing pains and muscle cramps around the times that they will experience strength increases. These aches may last for a time after they gain it as well.
- This increased muscle mass will result in a larger frame. Clothes may need re tailoring, armor refitting.
- If a dragon disciple is particularly long lived before they invoke the changes, the increased strength may result in a period of clumsiness. They may break things by accident, or slap a friend to hard on the back. It may take some time to realize just how strong they have become.
- On Scales:
- At first the scales are hardly noticeable, perhaps a faint rough texture that looks like a rash covering patches of skin. Over time however they become more evident. Typically glossy, scales may begin to catch and reflect light at their edges. Upon full advancement the scales may be entirely visible resulting in a wide range of skin tones based on the dragon disciples lineage.
- Scale growth is likely uncomfortable. It may be itchy, and all over, all the time. One could rp the character constantly scratching, rubbing, grimacing when they are nearing ac gain and for a time after wards.
- There is no clearly defined scope of where scales cover. When first receiving ac bonuses the scales may only cover small areas, or be in spotty patches. Or they may be in all places one wishes to RP them, and simply very thin. As the ac increases the scales can then spread or thicken, or both. One could rp them to coating everything, from head to toe, or just various sections of the body. Back of the neck, Arms, legs, sides, and back are common areas, leaving the mid torso, inner thighs, back of hands, feet and face bare.
- On Breath weapons:
- Breath weapons are produced in the lungs, fueled by a gland called the draconis fundamentum. Only true dragons have this gland and it is likely that disciples develop weaker ones. As such when first acquiring a breath weapon characters may accidentally produce their breath weapon when suddenly exhaling, possibly even when yelling, due to being unused to controlling the gland. Suddenly being hit, or electrocuted may cause muscle spasms that set off the gland.
- The energy required for breath weapons is the primary factor in a dragons metabolism. Upon gaining a breath weapon a character may find that they have dietary changes, increased apatite, a craving for more protein heavy food.
- Having this energy within may result in a body temperature change. Dragons are not 'cold' or 'warm' blooded; they are endothermic. Therefor it is perfectly reasonable to say that while a normal body temperature is 98°F a disciple with a may be 120°F and a cold breathing disciple may be 70°F.
- Breath weapons may be physically notable. A fire based disciple may often produce smoke, at will, or unconsciously. An acid based disciple may produce extra saliva that is faintly acidic, resulting in cracked lips and frequent spitting or swallowing.
- On gaining intelligence:
- This is very open ended. Anything from simple changes in how one thinks to changes in behavior due to revelations and changes in the length one considers things.
- On increased Charisma:
- Personality wise insofar as presence is concerned, a dragon disciple coming into his or her power may grow in confidence. After all, they are magnificent by right of birth. They may become more commanding of attention, stronger in speech, more assertive.
- A dragon disciples nature may become far more defined. Dragons have fear and awe auras. A disciple does not, yet they may with their changes seem more benevolent, sinister, or playful, etc, as a result of coming more in tune with their heritage. Much like a shady man in dark clothing at the mouth of an alley may seem suspicious, a dragon disciple that has reached this level of his or her path may have an air about them that people can instinctively interpret.
- Vocal changes may leave a dragon disciple to seem more socially intimidating or gracious. Dragons have extremely well developed vocal chords, so a disciple may find they become more expressive in speech and inflection.
- A disciples hair may change over time to reflect their heritage. First a few strands, then more, and more yet, until it matches the scales worn by their forefathers. Body hair from scaled areas is likely to fall out completely, leaving them with bare arms, legs, etc.
- Features like elongated sharp fingernails, elongated teeth, a forked tongue, horns, barbels/whiskers in addition to the scales can add various flares that impact how people view a dragon disciple. These features may make them seem sinister, or inhumanly beautiful.
- On growing wings:
- Wings are not a small development. There are a few different ways to deal with wings. One option, wings large enough to support flight that are difficult to hide. Another small wings that cannot support flight, though may allow a bit of gliding and are easy to hide. Mix and match by shape and flexibility is an option as well. One should also consider the shape of draconic wings and how they would sit against the body before making this choice. Another option if one wishes large wings that they can hide is to rp them as very bat like, and somewhat flexible wings that they wrap around themselves.
To support flight wings must have a span that is at least double a creatures height/body length. This means if a character that is 6' tall will need a wingspan of minimum 12'! (it should be noted FRC has no fly widget, you cannot gain combat benefits or travel benefits from flight, wings are rp only).
Some prefer to RP wings that they can hide under a cloak, flush against their body like a bird, though for wings to be this small they will likely not be able to support flight. Using their wing thumbs to hold their shoulders they may drape their wings around themselves like a living cape and then hide them under a robe or cloak.
- Growing wings may be a lengthy development under the skin. From the beginning of the 8th level players may consider rping back problems and pains. Some way towards the 9th level a character may develop lumpy, hard masses under their skin that make it hard to sit against things or to lay down. On the other hand one can consider this a sudden magical growth that occurs spontaneously, and when it happens it may be a complete shock.
- Sprouting them could be an incredibly dramatic, traumatic experience, and gory as well. It may leave the character weak and sore for days.
- If a PC wishes to have flight capable wings, wings require an extreme amount of muscle to work. The level after wings grants the largest strength bonus. One could interpret therefor that the wings when sprouted are weak and the character lacks the ability to utilize them for flight. They may also be clumsy, hard to control, until the character has had time to get used to making them work the way they want them to. Characters wishing to RP flight may want to rp the muscle gain on the 10th level being primarily chest/shoulder orientated, and may wish to rp actually working on strengthening those muscles. Of course, if a PC prefers smaller wings that don't support flight this can be applied to other areas.
- With larger flight wings, big protrusions from your backside. No more sitting in backed chairs comfortably. No more laying on your back without taking caution to make sure you don't hurt yourself. They are wide, as well as tall and long. Sitting on a bench may require the character to lift his wings so they don't hit the ground behind him. They may have to make a conscious effort to tuck their wings to avoid hitting door frames. Even smaller wings may cause a fair bit of difficulty.
- Emotive extensions of oneself. Much like some people make hand gestures while they talk, a dragon disciple may begin to unconsciously emote with their wings. From agitated twitches to excited flaps, wings can add a great depth to how animated a character is.
- A character with wings that wishes to hide his heritage may cover them by means of a cloak; this could be rped as one looking like a hunchback, or maybe they use magic to guise them. Perhaps they have small or very flexible wings.
- On changing vision:
- Changes to the eyes may make viewing the world a bit different. Much like a new prescription for glasses, the time when a disciples eyes are undergoing change may result in things such as headaches, difficulty focusing, watery eyes, and the like. These are caused by the muscles of the eyes having to work more or less.
- Physically their eyes may change to have slit pupils much like a cats. Their eyes may become a rich color that matches the eyes of their progenitors.
- The weight of longevity:
- Those that achieve the half dragon template (level 10 rdd, no sooner, though one may be aware before the 10th level that they will gain this span) also gain the years that come with it. For a being that expected to grow old at the age of 70 and die with their friends this can be both a thrill and a terror. For longer lived races it is likely to have less psychological impacts, though may still be worth noting.
- All my friends are going to die before I do. I will outlive my true love. I can learn so much more. I can see so many places in the world. I have more time to achieve power.
- Humans with the half dragon template are known to live as long as elves if they are of gold or red decent, whereas an elf with dragon heritage may "rival the span of ancient wyrms". This may greatly affect ones outlook in life.
- A disciple not wishing to face the consequences of this expanse on years may decide to stop their pursuit before achieving it. Others may be awakening their heritage for the sake of the extra years.
When you look like a monsterFrom scales to wings, horns, sharp fingernails, and cat like eyes dragon disciples are very unlikely to be taken for human once they've passed certain points in their development. To follow the path of the disciple one must have a grasp of lore, which goes to say that those without the lore likely do not know anything about the subject. Therefor you will rarely have someone say "hey, a disciple of the dragons" and more likely have someone scream "ahh demon!" or perhaps "Wow, half dragon!" if you're lucky. - Adventurers may believe you are a creature to be hunted. Good natured or not, there can be many reasons for this. They may want the treasure they believe you have. They may wish to free the common folk from what they believe is your evil presence. Players of dragon disciples should be ready for pvp from all types for all reasons be they logical, true, or simply the whims of assumptions. - Common folk may be terrified of you. Many npcs may be unrepresented. Many represented npcs may not have dms to control them at all hours. A dragon disciple may inspire hatred, fear or awe in the people they pass. In a big city, crowds scared of the monster may throw vegetables, garbage, or worse, weapons, at the creature, or form mobs to chase them out. Shopkeepers may refuse to serve them. A dragon disciple may have to resort to intimidation or reasoning coupled with pleading to convince common folk to deal with them. Players of dragon disciples should not expect to be accepted easily where they go. This may be mitigated if they have developed over time while in an area, allowing people to over time witness the changes, but this will likely be small portions of the population of any given place. - A disciple is likely to be the victim of prejudice. People that have heard stories of dragons and understand that the dragon disciple is part dragon may attribute dragon traits to the disciple. While a disciple may indeed by influenced by their blood, the conclusions people come to may be far stretched. While a dragon disciples alignment is not dependent on the type of dragon they are descended from (though it may have an effect certainly) people often believe "the sins of the father pass to the son". Therefor a disciple with red scales may be considered particularly evil, even if they are good, while a gold disciple may be thought of as benevolent, even if they are spiteful. It is a common belief that dragons are arrogant, greedy, and incredibly powerful. A disciples player should be prepared to explain themselves and tolerate negative assumption. Or controversy be ready to gut the fools that dare to flap their pathetic tongues. - Hiding what you are is highly rp dependent. If for some reason the disciple needs or wants to hide themselves they have a lot to consider. If the character has sharp teeth and a forked tongue, they may have to hide a hiss. Scales will need to be covered, fully developed scales are going to be extremely difficult to hide with simple makeup. Fully developed eyes that are cat like in appearance can be hidden with a shadowed cloak but may still reflectively flash if they catch the light. Sharp elongated fingernails will need to be trimmed. Wings. If the disciple has rped large wings hiding them should be a chore. The alar ocecranon (second wing bone) reaches quite high and may jut over a characters head. These bones are long and as bones go, inflexible. Draping a cloak over them is likely going to result in a hideous hunchback effect at best. Smaller wings may be tucked against or wrapped the body like bat wings. In the end the best disguise will be illusion magic which will leave one victim to true sight and the strong of will. Draconic Urges and BehaviorsDespite having strange looks and a slew of physical benefits, dragon disciples remain people. As most people do, they have quirks. These quirks may be influenced by the prominence of their bloodline. The choice to RP this may add a great deal of flavor to any dragon disciple pc. - Dragons are hoarders. So much so that they have a deity, Astilabor, who is the goddess of "the natural draconic desire to acquire treasure and power". A disciple pc may develop therefor an urge to collect, and horde things. Maybe a type of gem. Maybe magical trinkets. Maybe something simple that they were always fond of before they enhanced their blood, and now cannot get enough of. Rping an eagerness to collect these things can be fun. Maybe the character will demand the party to give the item over immediately. Maybe they'll constantly ask people if they've found such an object. Perhaps they'll post wanted signs. Maybe they'll pay exorbitant prices just to get their hands on them. - Dragons are more comfortable in certain climates. As their body temperatures are constant and typically reflective of the element they are tied to being in an opposing environment generally makes them uncomfortable. Disciples that breath fire may dislike the cold, perhaps it makes their scales itch, or irritates their nostrils. A fire type may then of course, relish in hot locations, lava filled caves or scorched deserts seeming like paradise. It should be noted that dragons sweat. Their body temperatures also become more extreme with age. - Dragons can eat anything, literally. Page 10 of the draconomicon states that "A dragon can literally eat rock or dirt and survive." Metallic dragons are known to live off inorganic material, and dragons are known to be able to consume half their body weight every day. Excess eating doesn't result in fat, it's stored as elemental energy. As such a disciple may have an incredible apatite. They may even develop a taste for things like gems. F.A.Q. - All those little nitpicks.Quick summary:Age. Awakening the blood. Flight. Scent. On Age: How long do dragon disciples live? - A very long time!
- At 10th level dragon disciples gain the half dragon template and are subject then to half dragon life spans.
- "A dragon's life span is truly remarkable - it can live a millenium or longer, and even at the end of its life transform into a permanent part of the land or become ascendaant and immortal. Half-dragons usually share the heritage of a less long-lived race and so might endure no more than a few centuries. Still, they are granted far more time than most, and those born of a dragon-elf union can challenge ancient wyrms for longevity." - Races of the dragon
- Ancient wyrms are generally considered to be 801-1000 years in age. The shortest natural lifespan listed is white dragons at 2,100 years to final days, and the longest gold dragons, at 4,400 years.
On awakening the blood: How does a dragon disciple initially awaken their blood. How is it pursued after the initial development?
- It is said that dragon disciples use magic as a catalyst to awaken their blood to it's full potential. This may be interpreted in various ways. The one thing that is clear : it is no accident, it does not happen spontaneously.
- No ritual or spell is specified in source material. Rp ideas include rituals, meditative inner focus on self and the personal flows of magic, or spells discovered or created for the purpose of igniting the spark. It is a great RP hook regardless of how the player wishes to interpret it.
On Flight: Should dragon disciples be able to fly? Would this flight be magical?
- Yes - Dragon disciples are capable of flight. This does not however mean that all disciples -have- to fly. Some may wish to RP smaller wings that aren't flight capable.
- No - The flight of dragons is not magical, nor would a disciples be.
On Scent: Do dragon disciples gain the scent ability? - In Neverwinter Nights: No. While a dragon disciple gains darkvision there are no changes to their other senses. They smell, hear, and see the same as they did before the changes.
In pen and paper: No. They do however gain blindsense, but this is a skill related to sight and hearing rather than smell.
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2020 17:15:06 GMT -5
With the above notions in mind from Anvil and mandene, is there a reason why thats not more commonly the case as far as interpersonal interactions with the environment? I would be game for that . They're prevalent in squares, in notable guild organizations, etc. My questions in that regard would be -how much does a character's prior interactions play into the reactions of npcs (merchants) and the unseen townsfolk, does it override or negate rp skills like persuade/appraise/etc? -are there feats that might counteract negativity like Epic Reputation? I'm basing most of my knowledge on what I can google as well as the below quote from Lev -is there a rough npc guide to what features they find most horrific to least horrific? (ex. scales vs wings... fun note her bloodline would not have wings) There's a lot of options rolling in my head right now, especially since Didi often touts her self as "moost beautiful oof tha dwarfs" because what happens when... you're not beautiful anymore since beauty is in the eye of the beholder? This can be especially true for a traditionally conservative race such as the dwarfs that are like "Don't magic, but if you magic, then don't magic too hard", with the local subrace being shield dwarves, technically they are more adverse to the arcane and its use or public display of it (at least from what I've read). From my year to year experiences I have had varying mixtures of hot/cold/neutral reactions from NPC's to all add towards immersive RP. - This is a good thing. From Guards to Commoners at that. A Guard even defending my RDD once during a public kerfuffle because they were being mistreated and abused while wanting to lawfully diminish her abuser as they were promoting themselves to be some righteous individual. It's delicious chaos win of a 3rd kind! As Leve did point out in her post: RDD's do look freaky, but not freeeaaaky like a promptly born half-dragon. Even my disciples make fun of them behind their backs haha On the note of personal lifestyle though, and quoting Deborah AnvilX "There is only so much glamour that I can show to my beloved public audience before the scales need to avoid a break from the eyeballing."As far as my own due diligence goes, there is a threshold of interest of wanting to show onesself in the public domain before one need concede that NPC's/commoners can't always be so tolerant. it's about finding a fun and healthy balance. While my prior alignment suggestion of cormyrean citizens may make them curious .. as cited too .. the past is riddled with hurt from dragon interactions. Ixamauran was a big deal too!
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Post by Fluffy the Mad on Jan 27, 2020 17:25:24 GMT -5
I've always felt real life comparisons are pitfalls for attempting to navigate the Forgotten Realms. In Frankensteins reality, the monster is the only monster in the village, and perhaps in the world. I can't remember Dr. Frankenteins whole world anymore, but I think only one monster exists. Meanwhile, mainland Faerun would factually be a diametric opposite of that reality, where monsters and freaky things are apart of the social cultural norms. Gifted blooded beings enter and leave countries and nations frequently. Whether one society tolerates such freaky looking beings greater than another is a whole other discussion. I'd say, the Cormyrean Alignment being LG, LN, & NG that it is - it'd probably not have outwardly hostile commoners, but more curious and pokeful. There will certainly be apprehensive or traumatized ones - let's not forget the Devil Dragon was a decade ago, and the Dracorage soon following that. But my dragon disciples don't hide their wings. Mostly on OOC pretense - too many people in the past that I had been around have hidden the wings and maybe didn't want to accept the risks of the appearance in public, if a DM were to cause NPC's to react negatively. So bring it on old timer Except that they aren't that common, none of the oddball races are. You can check any of the sourcebooks on racial statistics; in the FRCS the spread is 85% humans, 10% half-elves, and 4% elves. Less than 1% is allocated to every other race in a population a little shy of a million and a half. There are roughly ten thousand, three hundred slots for anything not human, elf, or half-elf among the pop statistics. That includes every last halfling, dwarf, gnome, and half-orc- all of which are likely more populous than half-dragons, tieflings, aasimar, genasi, or other small-population race. The virtue of this being an adventuring roleplaying server skews things massively in player perception. In a normal campaign a single RDD in a party might be the only one in the country at any given time. But since we have a great many players, the numbers are going to be all weird.
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2020 17:30:45 GMT -5
I've always felt real life comparisons are pitfalls for attempting to navigate the Forgotten Realms. In Frankensteins reality, the monster is the only monster in the village, and perhaps in the world. I can't remember Dr. Frankenteins whole world anymore, but I think only one monster exists. Meanwhile, mainland Faerun would factually be a diametric opposite of that reality, where monsters and freaky things are apart of the social cultural norms. Gifted blooded beings enter and leave countries and nations frequently. Whether one society tolerates such freaky looking beings greater than another is a whole other discussion. I'd say, the Cormyrean Alignment being LG, LN, & NG that it is - it'd probably not have outwardly hostile commoners, but more curious and pokeful. There will certainly be apprehensive or traumatized ones - let's not forget the Devil Dragon was a decade ago, and the Dracorage soon following that. But my dragon disciples don't hide their wings. Mostly on OOC pretense - too many people in the past that I had been around have hidden the wings and maybe didn't want to accept the risks of the appearance in public, if a DM were to cause NPC's to react negatively. So bring it on old timer Except that they aren't that common, none of the oddball races are. You can check any of the sourcebooks on racial statistics; in the FRCS the spread is 85% humans, 10% half-elves, and 4% elves. Less than 1% is allocated to every other race in a population a little shy of a million and a half. There are roughly ten thousand, three hundred slots for anything not human, elf, or half-elf among the pop statistics. That includes every last halfling, dwarf, gnome, and half-orc- all of which are likely more populous than half-dragons, tieflings, aasimar, genasi, or other small-population race. The virtue of this being an adventuring roleplaying server skews things massively in player perception. In a normal campaign a single RDD in a party might be the only one in the country at any given time. But since we have a great many players, the numbers are going to be all weird. I dun need to check such, I've so much as posted it on the forums in the Lore of the Lands under the Ancient Empathy account. I'm good for recognizing source. Sometimes people take those statistics too fiercely by the PnP path, but the online play has to be far more flexible. Yes on the rarity still, but yes on the nod to commonality given our environment. The fact doesn't change that Faerun is still a climate with the weird. Whether you see 1 a month or 2. Good reminder of NPC's making throwing riceballs at the half-orcs more often. Talk about an underfed unheckled race.
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