Background of Cerilian dragons

[Sorontar]

Dragons play small but important roles in the history of Cerilia. They are hard to find but have resulted in major historical events. Many have died but a few remain. Little has been defined about them so I was wondering how people have placed them in their campaigns.

To quote the BRCS:

Cerilian dragons are among the most ancient inhabitants of the continent, predating even elves and dwarves ....

All Cerilian dragons are accomplished spellcasters. They cast spells as sorcerers, and they have a preference for spells from the schools of abjuration, conjuration, divination and transmutation. They can also access spells from the clerical domains of healing, knowledge, and protection.

But there is no record of dragons being divided like the Sie were (into Seelie and Sidhelien). Presumably they have the permanent connection to mebhaighl like elves do, so they can cast realm spells. However, can they be regents at all? If so, do they need to be blooded, especially given their clerical magics? Either way, can you bloodtheft from a dragon? Is it a new bloodline?

IMC the party encountered two dragons in the Shadow World who initially disguised themselves as Sie. Does anyone used Shadow Dragons or Dragons who use shadow magic or Seeming? Does anyone give the Cerilian dragons any connection to the Shadow World?

I realise that their rarity and power makes dragons something that DMs can play around with a lot, but I am curious what sort of background history/biology people have placed on them.

Sorontar

[Aldrin]

can you bloodtheft from a dragon? Is it a new bloodline?

Im gonna love watching replys of these.

Good questions

[Lee]

I tend to believe that dragons are considered as blooded, so they can be regents and cast true magic, same as the sidhe.

If one could get close enough to strike a blow that qualifies as bloodtheft (IMO, coup de grace and a critical, or something equally difficult), you would end up with a big boost to an existing bloodline, and perhaps the half-dragon template.

Heck, if a PC pulled that off, I'd be really tempted to set them on the path (mechanics similar to becoming an awnshegh) to becoming a new dragon.

The closest I've come to having a dragon in the SW was to have the party enter a cave that felt like the SW (maybe it was a portal, maybe it wasn't-- they couldn't tell) and find the bones of a long-dead dragon. They were really spooked by that, and it seemed incredibly brave when one of them swiped a few claws and bones for later use. Now another PC is very eager to have the claws made into twin daggers....

[Dcolby]

The pretty poor example of a general D&D adventure pigeoned holed to be a Birthright setting adventure "Warlock of the StoneCrowns" has a Dracolich in the Shadow World of the Warlocks Fortress. Took alot of reworking to make it playable for Birthright. Towards the end TSR just took anything and slapped a birthright tag on it.

[Aldrin]

Btw the bloodstrenght of Dragons should be super high. Like gorgon++.

So killing a Cerilian dragon should be epic. And i u do ur bloodline should be corrupted and become good/evil blodoline. True ofc. All depends on which dragon u actually kill.

[Gheal]

When human adventurers had dragon of Doneaghmiere slayed, they had no additional boost to survive elven retaliation.
(PS of Thuarhievel as a source)
IMO these magnificent creatures (7+ age cathegory, dual-action breath, sorcerers with access to realm spells) are non-blooded (no gods to sacrifice nearby, sorry ), but are "sidhe on a grand scale". Their souls and bodies can withstand realm magic (but with some difficulty, it seems, they aren't known for "realm spell every domain turn" habit).

[AndrewTall]

Under brcs killing a scion could turn someone unblooded into a scion - even 2e had the boar and so on who had gained a bloodline after killing a scion. So I can easily see a dragon either gaining a bloodline naturally (proximity to Deismaar) or by usurpation (sir Aethelred was slain by the beast! Woe and sorrow!).

How strong would the dragon's bloodline be? I'd expect that it would probably start weak as the dragon would not be a 'champion' of a god, or even particularly sympathetic to the god's worldview. But the dragon has probably had a long time to grow its bloodline - if they are willing to shell out on building a source domain anyway.

I made The Wrath of Kings while writing PS Danigau ( http://www.birthright.net/brwiki/ind...t_Aunt_Katrina ) as an example of a dragon with a bloodline.

[Lawgiver]

I've never actually used a dragon in Birthright. Hinted at a few more than once. Had one spotted multiple times near the PCs, but it turned out to be a Wyvern.

[Sorontar]

Okay, I am not trying to make any "rules" here on what is a Cerilian dragon but to summarise what you have been saying:

• Dragons can cast true magic by default (like the Sidhelien) cf. the BRCS
• Dragons are not blooded by default
• Some dragons might have become blooded at Deismaar
• Some dragons might have become blooded through the years by killing scions.

However, the one circumstance that hasn't been described is an unblooded dragon (if such exist). Can an unblooded dragon cast realm spells? Can an unblooded dragon be regent for source holdings (or any other holdings)? If so, what can you "bloodtheft" from an unblooded dragon?

Have any of you had to worry this much about unblooded dragons at all?

And while we are at it, can a dragon see through Seeming? If so, does it do it through magical means or just a high Seeming Perception score (however you measure it)?

Sorontar

[irdeggman]

I know of no Cerilian dragon that is a regent or any rumors of one.

Hence no realm spells - it takes more than being blooded to cast a realm spell, you must also be a regent.

IMO Cerialian dragons are much like the Sie in that they are so connected to the magic of the land they can cast true magic without being blooded.

There is also only 1 type of Cerilian dragon (this has been very clear throughout all of the iterations of Birthright) - so introducing "shadow dragons" is in total opposition to this concept.

Cerilian dragons are supposed to be extremely powerful in comparison to normal D&D dragons (hnece no different types).