DRAGON SOCIETY
Much of dragon philosophy and society revolves around the ancient Ceremony of Sublimation. Most dragons aspire to reach a higher level of existence unique to dragonkind. After reaching maturity, most dragons spend their lives seeking the secrets and effects of this ceremony.
The Ceremony of Sublimation enables particularly powerful dragons to reach the status of Great Dragon. One of these may one day become a dragon ruler or perhaps even the Great One itself. This goal motivates all dragons in their quest to master the Ceremony of Sublimation. Very few are those that succeed. This drive is natural for dragons, dating back to another age, predating the birth of humankind.
The Dragon's Life
Only one of the parents is present when a dragon's eggs hatch. Dragons do not normally live in groups. More often than not, the male leaves after the eggs hatch, leaving the mother to care for the hatchlings. There are normally ld4 +1 hatchlings. Each hatchling has a 25% chance of dying within the year due to predators, hunters, disease, accidents, cannibalism among hatchlings, etc. A dragon mates only once or twice every eight hundred years. However, it's very unusual for a dragon to live beyond that age...
Hatchlings rely upon the parent for food, protection, and an education befitting dragonkind. With a year of constant care, the hatchling grows to class age 1. During this time, the parent dragon is very active and likely to attack surrounding communities and animals.
When a dragon reaches the Adult age, although Dragons may grow older trhough aging as indicated in the Dungeons & Dragons Monster description regarding the dragon's Age Categories, all dragons try to haste this process in order to grow in size and power beyond their normal biology.
To do so, the dragon has to learn the Ceremony of Sublimation and perform it many times in its lifetime.
Dragon longevity varies with dragon type. The longest a particular dragon can live without magical influence is at most 1'400 years. After that time, the dragon dies of old age and becomes a dragon soul.
For more informations on Dragon Souls, go to After Death.
Cycles of Life and the Ceremony of Sublimation
Small adult dragons sooner or later learn about the ceremony. They may have dreams, come across ancient writings, or perhaps be taught about it by other creatures. A dragon's life undergoes a continuous series of five cycles, ending with the Ceremony. The dragon has to go through the five cycles before attempting the Ceremony of Sublimation again. Each time the continuously until the dragon dies or becomes a Great Dragon.
Small adult dragons are not always capable of understanding these cycles, and sometimes they don't even suspect them. But, with age, the cycles become more obvious. Each cycle lasts one month per hit die of the dragon plus ld6 months, except for the last cycle and the Ceremony, each of which requires one day per hit die plus ld6 days.
Hoarding of wealth: The first cycle causes a dragon to seek material wealth. The dragon hoards precious metals, gems, jewellery, and other priceless treasures. Young adult dragons seek wealth in the accumulation of coins and gems. Older dragons favour jewellery, art pieces, and other rarities. A dragon must acquire at least 1,000 gp of treasure per HD before it moves to the next cycle.
Note that if mating and the hatching of eggs were to happen at all, they would have to take place prior to the hoarding. From the beginning of the mating period to the moment the young dragons fly away, two years plus ld12 months may pass. The regular cycles then resume.
Quest for Magic: The second cycle causes a dragon to seek magic. To this end, it will try to acquire one or more magical items. The younger adults look for the simpler magical weapons, while the older dragons prefer more arcane items, such as those wizards would use. The older the dragon, the most powerful the item or spell sought after. This cycle may end earlier than the time frame given if the dragon acquires what it desired.
Quest for Power: The third cycle is one of the most important for the Ceremony of Sublimation. It causes a dragon to seek spiritual power. To that end, dragons establish territories. These do not affect human nations, although they may physically overlap national boundaries. During this cycle, a dragon will either establish such a territory or increase its existing territory's boundaries. It then seeks out and challenges other dragons living in that area. The duel may consist of a fight if the dragons are chaotic or of differing alignments, of a game of wits for neutral dragons, or a mutual agreement if the dragons are lawful.
The losing dragon must then make a Saving Throw vs. Spells. If it fails the save, it becomes in effect a Vassal, and the dominant dragon its Suzerain, very much like human feudalism. The bond allows the Suzerain to draw a mystical force called dragon might from the yielding dragon, no matter where that dragon may be. This creates a pyramid of power. (The Saving Throw prevents a weak dragon from always becoming a Vassal of a strong one.) This bond has no mental or physical effect on the yielding dragon. It merely provides the Suzerain with ruling authority over the vassal, as well as a spiritual element for the Ceremony of Sublimation. The bond can be broken only if either dragon is subdued or if the yielding dragon manages to defeat its Suzerain. Causing a Suzerain to yield is a very effective way of increasing one's dragon might. If a Suzerain dragon yields to another, all its Vassals also count toward the new Suzerain's dragon might. There is no limit to the number of layers a pyramid of power can have.
Quest for knowledge: The fourth cycle is one that causes dragons to sleep - at least, this is what humanity believes. Dragons do not merely sleep. Their bodies go dormant while their souls roam the Outer Planes. The younger adults perceive this as vague dreams and strange visions. The older ones, however, understand these trances much better and are capable of learning a great deal from them. This cycle of spiritual vagrancy may allow dragons to increase their knowledge on the Ceremony of Sublimation and its relationship with the Cosmos. Waking a dragon before its time is most displeasing, because the dragon may have been prevented from acquiring some important knowledge. An awakened dragon is very likely to be hostile. The dragon enters the next cycle upon its awakening.
Feeding: The fifth and final quest before the Ceremony is one that meets a more basic and immediate need for the dragon. After waking up from the long months of trance, the dragon is starving and physically weak. Very often, it feels the need to gorge itself with food for days or weeks until its cravings end. This is the most destructive and dangerous phase for dragons, especially chaotic ones. When the dragon feels it has recovered from its weakness, it then senses it must begin the Ceremony of Sublimation.
THE CEREMONY OF SUBLIMATION
The dragon now begins the Ceremony of Sublimation. For days, the dragon is in pain while calling upon mystical forces to bind together the dragon's treasure, magic, power, and physical vitality. Disturbing a dragon during the ceremony is a great offence, since it ruins the attempt. The dragon will enter a frantic anger, seeking to destroy utterly whoever was involved in the incident, no matter what alignments were involved.
The ceremony does have a base 90% chance of failing on its own. Chances then vary with the dragon's achievements during the previous five cycles. The chance of failure decreases 1% for each 10,000 gp value of the dragon's hoard, up to 100,000 gp. The chance decreases 1% more for every 100,000 gp in the hoard beyond that. Basically, the dragon translates the value of its treasure into spiritual power.
The chance of failure is further decreased by 1% for every 10 minor magical items "minor" being a judgment call from the DM), 2% for each major magical item (another judgment call), and 10% for an artifact, up to a total 50% decrease.
Then, decrease the failure chance by 1% for every 100 HD of dragons that are under this dragon's suzerainty. This should include all the layers of the pyramid of power below the dragon attempting the ceremony (including the followers of followers, etc.).
Decrease the failure chance by another l%-l0% (roll ld10), a value reflecting how well the dragon did during its months on spiritual vagrancy (provided this period was not prematurely ended).
Add the dragon's hit dice to its chances of failure (the more powerful the dragon, the harder it is to improve itself). The results of the Ceremony of Sublimation are provided in the chart below. To succeed, the dragon must roll higher than the final percentage chance of failure. The results of the ceremony depends on how well the failure percentage is beaten.
Once the ceremony is successful, the actual transformation of the dragon occurs within a period of ld6 hours. The more spectacular transformations are quite painful to the dragon. When a dragon gain hit dice, the dragon literally sheds its skin.
Soon after the ceremony, the dragon starts a new cycle in its existence. A dragon is more likely to seek a mate after an unsuccessful ceremony than at any other time in its life (10% chance the dragon finds a mate if that dragon never mated before; otherwise, a 1% chance).
If the die roll on the Table at the bottom of this page indicates that the dragon starts the Ascension to Greater Dragon status, the dragon must make a Saving Throw vs. Death Ray or die on the spot, unless it is a Great Wyrm. If a dragon does become a Greater Dragon, all of its remaining earthly possessions, including magical items and other treasure objects, disintegrate during the ceremony - with the exception of artifacts.
Omens of Coming
Because of the particular relationship of dragons with the universe, various events may happen outside the dragon's lair during the sublimation, causing great turmoil among surrounding communities. The nature of these events, called Omens of Coming, varies with the alignment of the dragon.
Chaotic dragons:
When a small chaotic dragon becomes a larger dragon, a violent storm hits the region, causing great fear and some damage.
When a larger chaotic dragon becomes huge, a devastating earthquake rocks the region, possibly causing volcanoes to surge from the earth and erupt.
Upon the Ascension of a chaotic dragon, all of these signs occur. A wave of terror and destruction is inflicted upon the region as well by all the dragons that are now free from their magical bonds and eager to celebrate the event--or go to war against each other.
Good dragons:
For a small dragon growing large, a number of good events occur locally, such as an exceptional harvest, great charity from the local nobility, the departure of an evil monster, or the curing of some other nagging problem.
For a large dragon becoming huge, an aura of peace and prosperity affects the region for a number of years.
An Ascension creates a permanent sanctuary for the power of good. The dragon's lair may become a temple, or at least a miraculous place where pilgrims may cure diseases or find greater spiritual understanding of the world.
Neutral dragons:
Phenomena caused by the transformation of neutral dragons are totally unlike that of lawful or chaotic nature. These occurrences, although limited to the domain of alterations, may be more subtle yet more drastic than with other dragons. Druidical gatherings in the affected area (if appropriate) will be much more common than usual prior to an occurrence, where druids might share their concern about upcoming changes and their mystical meanings.
A small neutral dragon becoming large effects minor natural changes. For example, some wildlife or vegetation may become progressively extinct in the region, while other new life becomes more predominant. A minor water spring might dry up while another starts elsewhere. A small forest might progressively die out while a poorer region becomes more fertile. A strange lack of wildlife and winds might affect one region, while another becomes a new cauldron of activity (some minor wealth is discovered there). A change might affect the local climate, and so on.
A large dragon becoming huge causes more radical changes, affecting especially the realms of magic and time. This includes the creation of an anti-magic area of variable intensity, an aura that slows or accelerates the passage of time, or a region in which spell-casting is altered (certain spells are blocked, enhanced, or totally changed), or a place where the laws of physics and magic are constantly shifting. These places are a heaven for wizards and creatures that are magical in nature, and such regions often include magical gates, ores with strange properties, and unexplainable phenomena. This region is likely to be guarded by the new, huge dragon.
A neutral dragon's Ascension particularly affects the realm of thought. Major shifts in philosophy or religion might be created among people. New ideas might cause people to progressively reject old values, such as the subjects of a king spreading ideas of democracy; slaves or a low caste struggling for emancipation; citizens of a republic supporting a hero with intent of creating an imperial hegemony; bloody barbarians yearning for peace, light, and prosperity; or longtime pacifists becoming ruthless raiders. The changes initially affect an area of ld20 miles radius for a minor nation, double that in a large nation, or to times that in a major empire. The occurrence can cross human borders, affecting people in different ways on either sides of a border. If the affected area represents either 60% of the nation's surface area or 60% of its population, the whole nation will also be affected within ld6 years. If not, be prepared for even greater trouble (revolts, civil wars, migrations, persecutions, the rise of a martyr's philosophy, the creation of new temples or new states, etc).
BINDING TIES
There are ties binding dragons other than those related directly to the Ceremony of Sublimation. These are the mating and blood ties.
When two dragons become mates, a truce comes into effect. Chaotic dragons may have a mere tolerance of each other, while lawful dragons may experience true, long-lasting friendships. Mating dragons cannot attempt to establish dominance over one or the other in order to gain dragon might. The real danger of mating exists when a truly evil creature fakes an intention to mate to fool another dragon; mating is a tricky business! The truce ends shortly after the female is impregnated.
Blood ties link female dragons to their progeny. Mothers cannot do violence to their children, and vice-versa. For that reason, these dragons cannot attempt to establish dominance over each other. That limitation does not extend beyond the immediate mother-child level, however (so grandchildren are at risk). Both the limitation of the truce between mating dragons and the risk of the father turning against his progeny causes the weaker dragon to leave well before the end of the truce. Female dragons are excessively possessive of their progeny, and in most cases they will seek weak males.
Dragon politics
Much of the dragons' politics in the Known World are cantered on the third cycle, the 4uest for Power. Dragons then seek to establish or increase the size of their territories in order to gain mystical power over lesser dragons. This creates actual dragon kingdoms in which the "king" is free from any other bond and gains dragon might. Weaker dragons in turn establish "dominions" within the kingdom and themselves draw power from lesser kin, and so forth. Dragons can immediately tell when another dragon is bonded to a suzerain, but the identity of a suzerain is not apparent, however.
It is important to remember that vassal dragons are not mentally controlled by their suzerains. A very powerful red dragon could rule over a variety of different dragons, including younger gold dragons. This is very much like a human knight being so unfortunate as to serve an evil but powerful king. Although the knight is free to make personal decisions, the consequences are often up to the king. After gaining great power, a gold dragon could decide to challenge its suzerain and perhaps defeat it. If not, the suzerain may order more obedient vassals and their lesser followers to seek and destroy the renegade and possibly any of the renegade's vassals. Of course, dragons of the same race tend to live in the same regions, either because they were born there, because of racial preference, or simply to avoid having to yield to a much-hated different dragon type. There are local exceptions to this rule, however. It should be noted that politics among dragons are often tainted by personality quirks. A dragon is an exceptionally intelligent being, but it often has an Achilles' heel in the form of a personality flaw or mental imbalance that can cause it to occasionally err (dragons have never been famous for their great wisdom). These flaws should not be readily recognisable to player characters, though.
Dragons occasionally conduct gatherings to talk about local dangers or gain status among their kin by displaying dragon might. They always gather if a new suzerain rose to power in the area. Sometimes they share knowledge on the Ceremony of Sublimation, or omens and signs that they may have received during their spiritual vagrancy. Most of the time, gatherings involve dragons of the same alignments or, more rarely, dragons with the same suzerain. By draconic law, a truce always comes into effect during gatherings and up to several days before and afterward.
TABLE: CEREMONY OF SUBLIMATION RESULTS
Failure score beaten by Effect
1-10%Dragon gains 1 HD
11-20%Dragon gains 1 HD and speaking ability*
21-30% Dragon gains 2 HD
31-40% Dragon gains 2 HD and spell-casting ability*
41-50% Dragon gains 3 HD
51-99% Dragon gains 3 HD and a +10% bonus on the next ceremony roll on this table
100%+ Ascension**
* If the dragon already has this ability, the dragon gets another 1 HD. This assumes that talking dragons may not necessarily be able to cast spells.
** This means the dragon must reduce its chance of failure to less than zero.
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