Hermaphrodite Dragons

[Tetsubo 57]

I was involved in a discussion about kobolds earlier today. About their origins and how people describe and use them. One person brought up an idea that I've used before myself, dragons that lay unfertilized eggs that hatch out kobolds. These kobolds would be the same color and general alignment as the parent dragon. They would also be fanatically loyal. I think I based the number of kobolds per egg on the dragons age category.

Which got me thinking... this would mean that in a traditional game only females would have kobold servants. Which doesn't seem fair really. So I thought, why not hermaphrodite dragons? They lay unfertilized eggs based on physical condition and available food supplies. But if they want to lay a fertilized egg they have to swap genetic material with another dragon. This is complete fluff mind you. But fluff that appeals to me.

Anyone else ever use anything like this?

[Halna LeGavilk]

I've never even heard anything like this, but it's an interesting idea. I guess it works well.

[Mongoose87]

I'm sorry, guys, but I keep seeing this and thinking it says "Hermaphrodite Dreams."

[DragoonWraith]

I'm sorry, guys, but I keep seeing this and thinking it says "Hermaphrodite Dreams."

And sometimes a cigar might not just be a cigar?

[Sinfire Titan]

And sometimes a cigar might not just be a cigar?

Probably.

[Jergmo]

Unfertilized eggs = breakfast food.

[Devils_Advocate]

These kobolds would be the same color and general alignment as the parent dragon. They would also be fanatically loyal.

Am I the only person who sees a problem with highly obedient Chaotic creatures? (And if they're not obedient, then how is their loyalty expressed?)

Which got me thinking... this would mean that in a traditional game only females would have kobold servants.

"Traditional" in what sense? This isn't official at all in the first place; normally no dragons hatch kobolds.

Which doesn't seem fair really.

It's also not remotely fair that dragons get to be exceptionally more powerful and long-lived than humanoids. Biological differences are generally unfair. It would be unfair for kobolds to be so much wimpier than half-dragons if they have just as much dragon blood, for example.

But hermaphroditic dragons could make sense if dragons rarely encounter each other, since then it would give them significantly more opportunities to mate.

[Random832]

Am I the only person who sees a problem with highly obedient Chaotic creatures? (And if they're not obedient, then how is their loyalty expressed?)

Chaotic loyalty = they do what they think is in the best interests of the one they're loyal to.

[Coidzor]

Or they're liable to tear one another/anything apart if mommy's not looking, but are kept in something reasonably in line when she's A. around and B. explicit.

[Yora]

You don't need a hermaphrodite dragon for that. The freaky reproduction of reptiles makes it possible that some female lizards can reproduce without mating. They will all be females and every generation the gene pool shrinks to about 75%, but it works.

[Eldan]

It wasn't about females reproducing, that's of course possible, but rather about why males should lack servants.

Now, to make it extra freaky: have them be a wild mix-up of existing reptiles and frogs and do it like this:

If only one dragon is around, it's a female, usually with a tribe of kobolds. However, if the conditions are bad, some dragons become male and sexual reproduction starts. Eggs are then buried in the ground/swamp/ice/volcano to stay dormant for a few centuries, until conditions get better. The asexual reproduction would especially work well when you assume that dragons are normally rare, with only a handful per continent, as should probably be the case with such a gigantic, slow-aging top predator.

These conditions, for something as powerful as dragons, wouldn't necessarily be food or weather, as for normal creatures, but something more esoteric. Perhaps they are dependent on the ambient magical field. Or the number of arcane spellcasters. The constellation of the inner planes. What you can think of that fits your world, really.

[mistformsquirrl]

There's a few things to keep in mind with Chaos and Loyalty.

Chaotic loyalty works one of two ways:

A) You're loyal to the individual through some personal connection. Maybe they're a long-time friend; or you're just impressed as all hell with their accomplishments.

The key here is: You decide to follow them. The rules aren't compelling your loyalty (they might try, but that's likely to put you off) - rather, it's your decision, and you feel you've been given a good enough reason to follow them.

B) Rule of the strong (mostly among CE, but also some CN and perhaps among some CG barbarian tribes) - It's not so much personal loyalty; but rather the fact that if you *don't* go along with what you're told to do; you're going to get flattened for it.

Also known as "I'z da biggest, so I'z da boss!"

--

On the original topic - it seems reasonable to me. Dragons as I prefer to view them are pretty high up the supernatural scale. I mean if you can mate with literally anything and produce a half dragon... well why not?