Those pesky dragons...

[masterdaorin]

Speaking of alternate takes on wizard domains...

Anyone here have given any thoughts about how dragons do what they do re: source holdings?

Do dragons have de facto bloodlines? Do they just get RP from any source holding they seize?

I'm thinking of the Dragon in the HotGB, and Vore Lenkinisky in TotHW...

[side note] I wish dragons were changed into not being spellcasters in this setting... sigh...

[Doyle]

A couple of ways to deal with this:

1. If you don't want dragons to be spell casters in your campaign, then they are not spell casters. There is only supposed to be about six remaining in Cerilia, and they are being quiet. So who is that flinging magic around their realm? Well, it wouldn't be the first time a wizard has referred to themselves as a dragon to seem more powerful / scary. Alternately, an ancient dragon could have a humanoid thrall / student that casts spells for it.

2. Ancient dragons are supposed to be horribly powerful. Part of that might be an in-born essence that is similar enough to bloodline to be able to manipulate magic of one form or another. Haven't they (and elves) been doing that since before Deismaar?

[masterdaorin]

2. Ancient dragons are supposed to be horribly powerful. Part of that might be an in-born essence that is similar enough to bloodline to be able to manipulate magic of one form or another. Haven't they (and elves) been doing that since before Deismaar?

Right, I assume that dragons are like elves, and they don't need bloodlines.

However, how to deal with dragon source regents... give them a bloodline, or some other option...?

[Fizz]

Woot- post #500!

This is one of the quirks of the setting: if a bloodline is required to have a holding, then how did anyone have a holding pre-Deismaar when there were no bloodlines? There will still armies, guilds, and churches, and someone had to lead them. And presumably elves could cast realm magic from sources just as they do today.

That issue may be tangential to your question, but it's why I would say dragons do not have or need a bloodline. They can hold and use source holdings as anyone else. Without a bloodline, then they don't collect regency and thus attempt any domain actions with no bonus (worst case scenario i think).


-Fizz

[masterdaorin]

Woot- post #500!

This is one of the quirks of the setting: if a bloodline is required to have a holding, then how did anyone have a holding pre-Deismaar when there were no bloodlines? There will still armies, guilds, and churches, and someone had to lead them. And presumably elves could cast realm magic from sources just as they do today.

That issue may be tangential to your question, but it's why I would say dragons do not have or need a bloodline. They can hold and use source holdings as anyone else. Without a bloodline, then they don't collect regency and thus attempt any domain actions with no bonus (worst case scenario i think).


-Fizz

Yup, I agree.

But, how can they cast realm spells then... there's no point in having a holding... unless, I guess, if the holder is just denying them to other potential source regents...

I suspect, however, that dragons are meant to cast realm spells...

[Fizz]

Yup, I agree.
But, how can they cast realm spells then... there's no point in having a holding... unless, I guess, if the holder is just denying them to other potential source regents...
I suspect, however, that dragons are meant to cast realm spells...

If one holds a source, and is capable of True Magic, then one can cast Realm Spells, is how i would handle it.

-Fizz

[masterdaorin]

If one holds a source, and is capable of True Magic, then one can cast Realm Spells, is how i would handle it.

But I believe realm spells require regency points to cast...

[Fizz]

But I believe realm spells require regency points to cast...

Hmmm... good point. Perhaps we need a modified rule for such a case. The usual rule is the character collects RP equal to the lower of their blood score or sum of holdings, right? What would be a good alternative (assuming we want non-blooded but powerful critters like dragons to be capable of it)? Have to think about that...

(This goes back to my earlier point about pre-Deismaar... with no bloodlines there were no RP to collect, so how did anyone, be them elves or dragons cast realm magic? Was there realm magic at all?)

-Fizz

[masterdaorin]

Hmmm... good point. Perhaps we need a modified rule for such a case. The usual rule is the character collects RP equal to the lower of their blood score or sum of holdings, right? What would be a good alternative (assuming we want non-blooded but powerful critters like dragons to be capable of it)? Have to think about that...

Yes, but that would mean that dragons have, effectively, an unlimited blood score (since they will always be collecting the sum total of their holdings).

That is what I was thinking originally, but...

That would make scions much less better at ruling than non-blooded beings... It is dragons we're talking about here, but still...

(This goes back to my earlier point about pre-Deismaar... with no bloodlines there were no RP to collect, so how did anyone, be them elves or dragons cast realm magic? Was there realm magic at all?)

I'm pretty sure (arcane/realm) magic was the purview of the gods only before Deismaar.

Azrai taught a few of his favorite followers true magic - perhaps he also instilled a little divine essence into them?

Heck, I suppose the other gods could have too...

[masterdaorin]

I suppose we could say that, if the non-blooded regent did something to earn a minor/major/great regency gain, then that is a perfect way for them to earn a few regency points without collecting them on a regular basis...

Hmm... I think I like that. Anyone see problems with that?

The only problem I can see is, they have no blood power to "hold" onto those RPs, so I guess the non-blooded regent would have to use them right away, or loose these bonus RP...