DRAGONS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS
Being the greatest of Dragons, the two Elder Dragons are the most difficult to describe. They embody the principles of Light and Darkness on a cosmic level, most similar to Yin and Yang. They are balanced opposites in harmony. Working with them is like touching pure active or receptive, two concepts very difficult to grasp.
They are far easier to work with and communicate. This is in no way to state that they are impossible to work with, only that it is difficult to do so due to their vast powers. Approach them as you might approach the Tao in Chinese philosophy, with respect and reverence. See them as the living embodiment of the principles of Yin and Yang, Night and Day, Darkness and Light.
It is also important to remember that 'evil' and 'good' is neither one's sole domain, they contain both, as do we.
The Elder Dragons are invoked primarily as an augmentation to any other working you are performing. They are called upon to help balance the work you are performing and to lend that certain something extra.
"Light of the Spirit, Symbol of the Sun
Be with me now 'till the spell work is done.
Help me balance all Karma and force
'till I reach the end of my life on this Earth
Guide me and teach me, O' Dragon of Light
Lend my magic your Power this Night!"
"Dragon of Darkness, Your Power will run
until the time my magic is done
teach me your secret, the dark not to fear
For dark is receptive, not terror or tear
Dreams of the Spirit soar with the Night
wrap me in guidance, You, balance of Light"
The dark dragons of chaos and destruction are a subspecies of the dragons of the dark. Much like their fire counterparts, they destroy to purify. Also like the fire dragons, they often go beyond the human scope of thought when doing so, destroying pieces thought to be unassociated with the goal in mind.
However, unlike the fire dragons, the dragons of chaos and destruction focus on other parts of life--not just purification. They bring recreation to our lives, relationships and careers when these areas seem to have fallen into a stale rut. They are also extraordinary diviners, specializing in past life regressions.
They are great protectors of forward movement and growth (which is why they make such barrier removers). One particular method of removing barriers, which these dragons specialize in, is the confinement of the power of others who try to stifle the caller’s growth in any way. Thus they are perfect for binding spells. This seems contradictory in that binding seems to be hindering the "victim's" forward growth and movement. However, the dragons don't consider purposeful harm of others to be any sort of growth, but rather a stagnancy. In placing the binding, they are creating change (hopefully for the better) for the bound person.
Dragons - Seas & Various Waters
The element of water governs the western quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Naelyan (Nail-yon), who oversees the dragons of the seas, springs, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Its color is pure blue and is cold and moist. Positive associations are: sunset, autumn, compassion, peacefulness, forgiveness, love, intuition, calmness, peace of mind. Negative associations are: floods, rainstorms, laziness, indifference, instability, lack of emotional control and insecurity.
The subspecies of the element of water are those of seas and various waters. It is not unusual to find this element working in conjunction with dragons of wind, storm, and weather, mountains and forests, or those of destruction.
Dragons who dwell in the seas, lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies or water, whether large or small, are basically shaped like Oriental Dragons. They are usually long and serpent-like, usually without legs or wings.
They are a variety of shades of blue, from silver-blue to dark blue-green. In fact, their shades cover all the hues of the water in which they reside. All of them have a silvery hue to their scales with some shade of blue predominant on the belly scales. They have feathery fringes about their mouths and down their backs. They have large horny eye sockets set in a rather flat snakelike head. These dragons can be very large or very small, depending on their dwelling place.
Dragons of the seas and various waters help with emotions, either calming them or breaking through a barrier built around them; movement, both to get events moving and to keep things fluid; calmness on all levels of being and in all circumstances; creating changes, especially those brought about by breaking free of people who control us through our emotions.
Sightings of these creatures is so well documented that one can dismiss the skeptics' observations that people are only seeing dolphins, squids, or other common water creatures. Sea dragons have been seen all around the world, but especially off the coasts of Scandinavia, Denmark, the British Isles, and North America, as well as in various lochs, lakes, and rivers.
No other Draconic species have been so well documented as those of the various waters. Not only in stories and myths, but official records of several governments.
Dragons - Mountains & Forests
The Dragons of the Mountains and Forests are a sub-species of the Earth Dragons. As stated before, earth dragons are the foundation builders.
The dragons of the mountains and forests focus on building foundations for plans that are to be long-lasting. They have the physical and mental capabilities and the endurance to handle long-time responsibilities.
They will help bring about the success of goals for those who put forth the effort and planning.
Deep within the Forest of Wyrms live green dragons. Lots of green dragons. Not so many that they are a real threat to the Western Heartlands, but nevertheless there are a lot of them. These dragons rule the forest, and intruders find themselves breathing noxious gases if they are unwelcome or are carrying a lot of valuables.
The forest is very close to the Trade Way, the main trade route from Waterdeep to the Inner Sea. It is also within a day's dragon flight from the Serpent Hills and the High Moor. For all these reasons, the location was practically irresistible to Valraxaxath. The portal here is deep within the forest itself, marked by two large trees and set high in the branches so that flying dragons can use it easily. As a consequence, one has to fly to use the portal. It is double-sized, but it can accommodate most dragons. Like the Small Teeth portal, it is a variable portal that requires keys. It can be used four times per day.
The default destination for the portal is deep within the Mortick Swamp in Luiren, where aquatic ogres and scrags await. Anyone who survives while trying to leave the swamp is indeed heroic, because the portal transports the creatures to this swampy death while their equipment goes to Valraxaxath's secondary hoard in the Wyrmbones.
Activating the portal for the other destinations requires a specific key for each destination:
The portal to the Small Teeth Mountains requires blood from a freshly killed (within the last 8 hours) humanoid or animal.
The portal to the Dragonspine Mountains requires a spell cast at the gate to activate it. Any spell will do.
The portal to the Dragonjaw Mountains requires the user to speak the word "gem" in Draconic.
The portal to Rethild requires Valraxaxath himself as the key; unless he uses one of the other keys, Valraxaxath always goes to Rethild when using this portal. Would-be dragon slayers have perished when encountering a blue or red dragon when they were prepared for greens and occasionally chromatic dragons of other colors will help the greens if a lot of "heroes" invade the forest. After all, the greens are very useful in helping them with their own problems. The other denizens of the forest have become worried that reds, blues, blacks, and the occasional white have taken up residence, but when one is used to having green dragons around all the time, a dragon of a different color does not phase one that much, and the other dragons leave the forest alone. The people who use the Trade Way, on the other hand, are very disturbed by the rise in frequency and boldness of dragon strikes.
How to Incorporate the Forest of Wyrms Portal Into Your Campaign
If the party contains would-be dragon slayers, they enter the forest to hunt a green and claim its treasure, but run into a blue or black dragon instead. The dragon, not used to fighting in the forest, retreats to the portal and disappears through it. The characters can try to follow and probably end up naked in Mortick Swamp the first time through.
Local city or town governments become increasingly concerned about the activity of dragons in and around the forest. Divinations reveal that the dragons are coming from elsewhere, and the governments or their representatives hire or ask the player characters to find and investigate this source of dragons so that something can be done.
The characters investigate the tracks of some troll bandits and follow them deep into the forest. While on this quest, they see a white dragon appear out of thin air at the portal (from the Dragonspine Mountains) and fly away over the trees. The trolls think the portal is a holy site of some kind and give it wide berth. They can, if captured, tell of dragon traffic through the strange place.
Dragons - Wind, Storm & Weather
The dragons of wind, storm and weather are air dragons. And as stated before, these dragons are great at removing obstacles.
This is done particularly by their open minds. Rather than panicking at road blocks, they keep their mind open to new ideas. This is found in this particular subspecies more than in any other air dragon. This flexibility keeps the creative and intellectual juices flowing to find ways around these obstacles.
Dragons of wind and storm and weather are long, slender dragons, some of them with great gauzy wings, others with the Oriental "flying-lump" on their foreheads. Down the spine of the back flutter thin fringes of membrane tissue. They tend to be pale yellows and pale blues, but change to angry red-orange, purple, or black when they call up storms. Long, feathery antennae rise above their eye ridges. They are excellent helpers to control excesses in the weather; getting things moving in your life, especially in the areas of creativity and the mental processes; protection; flexibility of the mind; openness to new ideas; sweeping away obstacles, most of ten in a dramatic fashion.
Sometimes these dragons have feather-looking scales that surround their eyes and necks. Such a dragon was the British Henham dragon, which was well documented in 1669. It was described as being only about nine feet long with small wings and rather curious eyes surrounded by 'feathers'.
The Henham dragon put in repeated appearances before a number of observers for several years before it disappeared.
Dragons - Desert & Arid Regions
The dragons of the desert and arid regions are of either earth or fire alignment. If the dragon comes from a dry, hot environment, it is of fire alignment. If the dragon comes from a dry, cold environment, it is of earth alignment.
The dragons of the desert and arid regions are rather prosperous. They will bring about success, especially economical success. If the dragon is of fire alignment, this will be through dramatic ways. If the dragon is of earth element, it is through discipline, planning, and effort.
They are manifesters as well as destroyers. They bring things into the physical realm, but also remove obstacles. In performing the latter, they generally team up with air dragons, who are great obstacle removers by nature.
Dragons - Fire & Volcanoes
The element of Fire governs the Southern quarter of the circle, and that elements dragon ruler is Fafnir (faf'-near), who oversees the dragons of fire and sunbeams. Fire's color is pure red, and is considered warm and dry.
The positive associations of Fire are noon, summer, the dagger and sword, candles, incense burner, any kind of helpful fire, the sun, blood, enthusiasm, activity, change, passion, courage, daring, will power, leadership. Negative associations are hate, jealousy, fear, anger, war, ego, conflicts, lighting, volcanoes, and harmful fire of any kind.
An invocation to the Dragons of Fire
In your dance and singing, imitate the movement of flames. Choose music that reflects this imagery.
Use candles or other objects of a pure red color. The herbs and oils should be of the element of Fire.
Repeat this chant three times:
"In your cavernous, fire-filled hall,
Echoes the name that I now call.
Fafnir (faf'-near)! (Ring gong twice).
Stir my blood with will power bold.
Create new changes from the old.
Fafnir! (Ring gong twice)."
