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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default What does the dragon want?

    Established Facts:
    1. The party has made contact with what they understand to be a beyond-ancient dragon (roughly the size of a valley curled up). The dragon telepathically asked them to come see it.
    2. The party has evidence that the dragon has bonded with the spirit of the mountain it's on, extending its lifespan and supercharging its powers (granting it semi-druidic-style nature/elemental aspects) but also restricting its range (much like a dryad and its tree) and making it semi-fey-aligned.
    3. The party is soon going to climb the mountain and meet with the dragon.
    4. The party is level 7, made up of a rogue (swashbuckler/pirate), a druid (acolyte/moon), a wizard (fisherman/illusionist), and a paladin (sage/vengeance).
    5. The party has access to a self-propelled ship (the area being on the shore of a large bay).

    Spoiler: Facts the party doesn't know about yet, if any of this sounds familiar, stay out
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    1. The dragon is very near End of Life, even with the extended life. It is slowly turning to stone and does not have the energy to move more than its head. It is also very tired of life.
    2. At the base of the mountain are several tribes of "kobolds" (in this case dragon-aspected goblins, which is as close as I get to kobolds) who worship it as a deity. As a result, when it dies, it will likely ascend as either an elemental entity or as a minor Ascendant (pseudo-god).
    3. Other than the kobolds, who rarely actually visit it (out of fear and reference), it hasn't seen or interacted with mortals in...a very long time. An Age and a half (~4-5k years). It neither hates nor likes mortals, it's fairly indifferent. So it must want something to invite (well, really command) these foreign mortals to visit it.
    4. The mountain spirit is not entirely stable, although this is fairly natural. It's on the verge of shattering into a bunch of smaller spirits, which likely will cause landslides and geologic changes in the immediate area. It's only being held together by the bond with the dragon and the dragon's own spirit/will.


    Setting facts:
    1. Dragons' color, alignment, and personality are completely divorced from one another in this setting. Color only sets what element you're associated with and whether you cast "regular" spells (the latter being the chromatic [aka no] vs metallic [aka yes] split).
    2. Druids (of which there is one in the party) operate by making side deals with bunches of nature spirits (like the mountain one, but much smaller); in exchange for a bit of energy and a chance to "ride along" with a mortal soul for a bit, the spirit performs the spells/facilitates the wildshape.
    3. "Big" spirits like the mountain spirit are actually composed of a myriad of tiny spirits--the individual rocks, trees, meadows, streams, etc each have spirits of their own. But those spirits don't really have much identity or will unless they're amalgamated into a much larger combined thing. This means that they can shatter back into their smaller chunks. Most landslides, avalanches, etc are actually caused by disagreements among the constituent spirits of the landscape feature.
    4. Dragons are fairly rare in this area, with only 2 known ones "nearby" (there are more, but they stay out of people's knowledge). There are larger groups of them on the other side of the continent as well as many many more on a different continent altogether.

    What I'm struggling with a bit is why the dragon called them over. It was a decision made on rather the spur of the moment--I knew there was a dragon there, I knew that the place they were visiting had housed a scholar/mage who would have looked into this (because it's in his metaphorical backyard), so I figured he had a telescope pointed at the dragon's lair in his tower.

    I don't want this to be a "world shaking" threat. But I do want the dragon to ask for some "favor" or "task"/"quest" for the party. Something that they could pursue or not.

    Thoughts I've had:
    1. It wants someone or something to replace it as bonded to the mountain. Maybe another dragon or other long-lived creature such as a major giant?
    2. It wants word/something taken to other dragons (memento mori)
    3. It wants something brought to it to help it transition Beyond.
    4. ???
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  2. - Top - End - #2
    Colossus in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

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    Maybe it's been trying to summon its worshippers, but they've been reading the messages wrong, and it wants the party to act as intermediaries?
    It's looking forward to its ascension, but it worries that without a proper grounding and base of worship, it won't go right. So it summoned the party to take its message directly to the feyblins.

    Or, if you're looking for more questing potential (not that diplomacy is bad, mind you) there's a rival spirit that's vying to stop the dragon. Perhaps a spirit of an eternal storm? Something opposed to the earth. And it needs help to fend it off while it dies and ascends.
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  3. - Top - End - #3
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by JNAProductions View Post
    Spoiler: Just In Case Your Players Peek In
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    Maybe it's been trying to summon its worshippers, but they've been reading the messages wrong, and it wants the party to act as intermediaries?
    It's looking forward to its ascension, but it worries that without a proper grounding and base of worship, it won't go right. So it summoned the party to take its message directly to the feyblins.

    Or, if you're looking for more questing potential (not that diplomacy is bad, mind you) there's a rival spirit that's vying to stop the dragon. Perhaps a spirit of an eternal storm? Something opposed to the earth. And it needs help to fend it off while it dies and ascends.
    Spoiler: I don't think any of my players are on GitP, but...
    Show

    I'm not sure it really cares about ascending. I'm not even sure it knows about its worshipers. It hasn't left its valley in centuries and has spent most of the millennia asleep. I do know it only woke up recently (~40 years, with another jolt in the last few months) due to some primal disruptions--a demonic corruption ritual nearby that made all the primal spirits really pissed and the return of a primal vengeance/anti-civilization spirit from a time bubble. The latter was defeated by the current party about a month ago.

    But those are ideas I might go with.

    I think I do want it to be something that can (if followed) spark an ongoing arc at least--they're kinda really between things. So I'm looking for significant "plot" hooks to take them somewhere (even if it's relatively close) and get involved somewhere.

    So far they've done two major arcs--one against that vengeance spirit and one with more site-based treasure hunting.

    They do have a "fossilized" dragon egg that I think they've forgotten about--those aren't necessarily dead, just...dormant until exposed to a proper concentration of elemental energy. That might be something to work from...
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  4. - Top - End - #4
    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    A classic task from someone nearing the end of their life is to undo some mistake from their past. Of course, considering the lifespan and power level of this dragon, that could be pretty much anything.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by PhoenixPhyre View Post
    Spoiler: I don't think any of my players are on GitP, but...
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    I'm not sure it really cares about ascending. I'm not even sure it knows about its worshipers. It hasn't left its valley in centuries and has spent most of the millennia asleep. I do know it only woke up recently (~40 years, with another jolt in the last few months) due to some primal disruptions--a demonic corruption ritual nearby that made all the primal spirits really pissed and the return of a primal vengeance/anti-civilization spirit from a time bubble. The latter was defeated by the current party about a month ago.

    But those are ideas I might go with.

    I think I do want it to be something that can (if followed) spark an ongoing arc at least--they're kinda really between things. So I'm looking for significant "plot" hooks to take them somewhere (even if it's relatively close) and get involved somewhere.

    So far they've done two major arcs--one against that vengeance spirit and one with more site-based treasure hunting.

    They do have a "fossilized" dragon egg that I think they've forgotten about--those aren't necessarily dead, just...dormant until exposed to a proper concentration of elemental energy. That might be something to work from...
    Spoiler
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    So, the PCs have a dragon egg that they think is fossilized. Perhaps the dragon divined thus and knows a way to either revive the egg to take his place, or to put his spirit into the egg and be reborn.
    Perhaps he needs more than just the egg to bring it back/be reborn and he needs the PCs to not only give him the egg, but to get other supplies and complete the ritual.

    Maybe those demonic energies brought/changed another creature that wants to take over the dragon's power and he needs the PCs to help stop it. Maybe it isn't the only thing effected by those energies, a d the PCs will need to stop a(nother) potential demonic outbreak.
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  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Someone/something is mining surreptitiously in the area,
    The dragon doesn’t care who the miners are or what they are looking for, but the mining is getting too close and upsetting the mountain. The miners are a source of conflict for the spirits that make up the mountain spirit.
    The dragon can’t investigate personally because the mine is too far underground and too small for it.

    The dragon will provide some spell support, command any allies it may have to help the party and will allow the players to keep any loot they find.

    Who the miners are, what they”re looking for,, why they have to do it in secret why they’re mining near the dragon’s mountain, what cool loot they have and how they connect to the BBEG are questions you’ll need to answer yourself.

    Spoiler: Specific idea relating to the other spoilers
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    The goblins who worship the dragon are the miners. They are looking for a special jewel that their diviners have located and plan to offer it to the dragon. The jewel is actually the heartstone of the mountain.
    The jewel could be used to power the fossilised dragon’s egg.

    The trouble with this is that it makes it a bottle episode, not really connected to the broader world.
    Last edited by Pauly; 2022-05-31 at 01:34 AM.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Firbolg in the Playground
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Having actors move without motivation and having to retrofit a personality to create a motivation, with a side of Mother of Dragons may I derivative feel? If I didn't have a headache, I think I'd be getting a headache.

    But fine. Not that I've explored similar mechanics (cool idea, btw), but, if such a Dragon existed in my worlds, what might its motivation be in attracting the PCs? Hmmm...

    Its true motivation is likely different from its presented motivation. Its true motivation may be simple, like that it is bored, or complex, like having humans walk its slopes will change the spirit geopolitical landscape in a way that favors its long-term goals (it may even nudge "random" encounters towards or away from the party to encourage such an outcome). Or it may be interested in "is that a dragon in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?". More on that later.

    Its... "presentation" could play up haughty dragon, ancient sage, nature spirit, or (incongruous with calling them there in the first place) loner hermit. Or it could do something silly, like acting like a person being walked on during a massage "just a little to the left - ah, that's the spot". But such presentation is likely in service of its goals (actual or presented).

    Its presented motivation is likely something simple, basic. Something the PCs wouldn't question. Before choosing it, decide whether it wants one that brings the PCs back, or encourages them to stay away afterwards. Whether it needs more out of them, or wants to limit interactions to limit questions and the likelihood that they'll see through the facade. And whether that itself is truth of facade.

    Its presented motivation may be a simple quest: this thing is annoying me (negative), this thing I want (positive). It may be "important": I have a goal (positive) or regret (negative) I can't attend to. Note: it may or may not want to reveal its weakness in being "mountain-bound", or the exact nature of the social dynamic with the other spirits. But, OOC, it's too cool not to tell the players at least one half of that, so you've got to figure out what it will say, why, and how.

    Or... it could serve as an info-dump. But retrofitting an info-dump is kinda dark side.

    As others have mentioned, ancient beings do often have regrets they might want to deal with. And allies to present tokens to. But I think the one most appropriate to the party, and to a mountain dragon, and to an ancient being would be for the dragon to care about its offspring, for it to want the party to deliver a petrified egg to an energy source, to awaken it. Perhaps this dragon wants to give its children a head start (what parent doesn't?), and has spent the last <very long time> crafting a special McGuffin, to harness a *new* energy source (sunlight, time, grass (darn Pokemon elements), magnetism, rainbows, gravity, whatever), and wants the party to deliver the egg + contraption to someone who lives at a "conflux" of the element. Note that the existence of such a conflux could be an "info dump", and revealing it could be part of the dragon's plan.

    Now, its actual goal may be to get the party to awaken their dragon, or get them to research building their own McGuffin / ask what other kinds of dragons might be made, or even get the party indebted to it for its help with creating such a McGuffin. Or their egg might be the child of a friend (or enemy), that it wants to exert influence over, or even the perfect friend/companion/minion/mate for its own child that it just sent off to be hatched. Or just to interact with the ally/conflux. It depends on the dragon (and the nature of being pseudo-elemental) as to how sane and how likely to be achieved its goals really are.

    Or its real goal could just be that it's bored, and all this is just a distraction, that the party can see as many (or as few) layers in as they want, and still see something reasonable rather than just a tired old mountain wanting a few words and a free back massage.

    But what its motivation is will (or should) change its responses and delivery, what alternatives it will consider and why, so it makes for a more consistent and believable experience to figure such things out before you introduce the actor to the stage.
    Last edited by Quertus; 2022-05-31 at 07:43 AM.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    I have an idea that's a little depressing and has some moral quandary. Basically a reversal of your Idea #3

    Maybe after living so long, it doesn't want to get tied to the mortal realm by having worshippers. I don't know how proven the afterlife is in your setting, but the dragon may well want to be rid of its current existence and prefer annihilation or transcending to another plane, as opposed to being the pseudo-deity of these kobolds and the natural environment it's already been stuck at so long it's tired of things.

    It wants the PCs to eliminate its worshippers and knowledge of it before it's too late. I'm assuming the "kobolds" aren't overly evil and eliminating them wouldn't be something normal to do. The dragon might lie (or try to lie, but do so poorly due to its limited interaction with mortals who don't revere it as a god) about them to motivate the PCs, but in the end it's a powerful and fearful dragon asking the PCs to eliminate a monstrous race that doesn't seem to be doing anything bad and actually likes the dragon.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Titan in the Playground
     
    KorvinStarmast's Avatar

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Just out of curiosity, is it on Soefra or Noefra? (Sounds like Soefra based on the time bubbles).
    Spoiler: Problem definition spoilery
    Show
    2. The party has evidence that the dragon has bonded with the spirit of the mountain it's on, extending its lifespan and supercharging its powers (granting it semi-druidic-style nature/elemental aspects) but also restricting its range (much like a dryad and its tree) and making it semi-fey-aligned.
    3. The party is soon going to climb the mountain and meet with the dragon.
    4. The party is level 7, made up of a rogue (swashbuckler/pirate), a druid (acolyte/moon), a wizard (fisherman/illusionist), and a paladin (sage/vengeance).
    5. The party has access to a self-propelled ship (the area being on the shore of a large bay).

    - It is also very tired of life. When it dies, it will likely ascend as either an elemental entity or as a minor Ascendant (pseudo-god).
    - It hasn't seen or interacted with mortals in (~4-5k years).
    - The mountain spirit ... It's only being held together by the bond with the dragon and the dragon's own spirit/will.

    Setting facts:
    There are larger groups of them on the other side of the continent as well as many, many more on a different continent altogether.
    OK, Soefra is still my guess.

    why the dragon called them over.
    Other than 'bed sores' I'll suggest that the recent time quakes caused by the various bubbles bursting (What bubble? We never saw no bubble!) didn't just wake it up; the time tremors changed the nature of the dragons dreams which had, for a few millenia, been where it spent the most of its time. Time heals wounds, but this time tremor has re opened the wound and profoundly disturbed the dragon's dreams, and it won't go away.

    Why the PCs have been called upon? Something was left undone and the dragon wants to resolve it before dying
    What was left undone?
    Spoiler: Nested reasons in this suggestion
    Show

    Given your time frame, I think that Ygraine or someone in her elf community (who are from a similar "a few thousand years ago") had made a bargain or pact with this dragon to protect that area. (A bit of Fey/Elf connection here). That's why it is sedentary, but, as a part of that dialogue and relationship building, a long time ago an elf/gwerin {pick a class} formed a powerful bond with this dragon's offspring (one of them?) and they went off on various exploits of derring-do. Their deeds passed into legend (and informed the creation of the Dragon Riders in Soefra) but while off on an adventure/quest the pair suddenly disappeared
    (1) Headed to another plane and ended up remaining there? or
    (2) Wandered into a time bubble and got moved forward or back in time)
    (3) Were caught by an evil doer and held in suspended animation (per the spell) and are still in suspended animation.

    Twist: the petrified dragon egg is the sleeping / dreaming dragon's grandchild.

    The first desire Dragon as Mountain seeks is, before dying, to reconcile with my child. Apparently, running off with that elf caused some friction between parent and child. "You ran off, and you never presented me with any grandchildren!" "Mom, get off my back" or something like that. Dragon now regrets the estrangement between self and child, and because of the time tremors, the immediacy of that conflict is now very current. Time heals wounds, but this time tremor has re opened the wound.

    A second desire: affirm its family legacy before it leaves the mortal plane. (But wait, there is one!) This may include side quest to revitalize the petrified dragon egg, or, free the child from the suspended animation or both.

    Third desire: good stewardship and honor. During this conversation the party should receive hints that they need to warn various folk nearby (to include the goblins) that the spirit is soon to leave/change, and work on a disaster plan, or an evacuation plan, since the dragon's death will leave an unstable area behind it. (Something like "I've protected this valley for so long, nobody will protect you once I am gone" or "find someone to protect it when I am gone" are both was to get the party to go and find some fey / dragon / druid NPC somewhere who will take over from the dragon when it finally breaths its last. Dragon feels honor bound to provide for continuity.
    I 'll throw in a few other ideas later, but I think that this will be a good motive that ties to the strangeness of time in Soefra that you have already established.
    Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2022-05-31 at 09:21 AM.
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  10. - Top - End - #10
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by Batcathat View Post
    A classic task from someone nearing the end of their life is to undo some mistake from their past. Of course, considering the lifespan and power level of this dragon, that could be pretty much anything.
    Adding to this, it could do with a long-held regret it wants to resolve before dying. Like not having a keepsake from a long-lost love - a few of her scales if another dragon, or a lock of hair if she's humanoid. Something only the dragon would consider valuable for instance. Or maybe the love is a lingering ghost and the dragon wants the party to put it to rest so the dragon itself can drift off to "sleep" finally unburdened.

    Those would both be extremely important to the dragon (who, for all its power, is immobile), but be fairly low-stakes as quests go.
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  11. - Top - End - #11
    Firbolg in the Playground
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by PhoenixPhyre View Post
    Spoiler: I don't think any of my players are on GitP, but...
    Show

    They do have a "fossilized" dragon egg that I think they've forgotten about--those aren't necessarily dead, just...dormant until exposed to a proper concentration of elemental energy. That might be something to work from...
    Spoiler: So...
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by KorvinStarmast View Post
    Just out of curiosity, is it on Soefra or Noefra? (Sounds like Soefra based on the time bubbles).
    OK, Soefra is still my guess.

    why the dragon called them over.
    Other than 'bed sores'

    Twist: the petrified dragon egg is the sleeping / dreaming dragon's grandchild.
    So... is KorvinStarmast a player in the game? Should my commentary on their commentary on the petrified dragon egg be placed in spoilers, or should I not comment on it in a response to them at all? I'm just trying not to spoil things for your players.

  12. - Top - End - #12
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    PirateCaptain

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Spoiler
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    The Dragon is getting ready to die, when it dies, the mountain spirits will collapse, this is normal and natural.

    However, there are certain protocols to follow, so that nature-aligned entities in nearby places can be prepared so that they can protect their domains from the spiritual fallout of the dragon's death/ascension. Affairs that must be put in order.

    They're given a list of three other entities to inform:
    My Ideas

    A powerful tree spirit (One of those Colony-style trees where an entire forest or grove is technically one organism, resulting in a single, incredibly potent spirit. Actually getting the tree to pay attention to them long enough to hear their message might be difficult, and require they take care of some problem. That or the living forest is full of powerful beasts, and getting to the center of the grove, where they can successfully commune with the spirit, is difficult.

    An Immortal Fae Lord, the Dragon's old enemy from ages ago, although they did eventually make peace. One of the conditions of the peace treaty was that the Fae Lord be allowed to witness the Dragon's death.
    Upon being informed that the death is imminent, the Fae Lord will throw a celebration, and insist the messengers stay as honored guests. There is no malice in this, but, well, the Fae love to party. Adventure is "Survive This Party".

    A Stone Giant sage who resides deep within the earth, who will be responsible for containing the fallout of the Dragon's death, soothing the spirits of the earth and stone.


    Technically, the party only needs to inform one of these entities, and that one can reach out to the others. However, the chance of the message getting passed around in a properly timely fashion is low, so ideally The PC's make sure all three are informed. Every entity that is informed will be obligated to provide the party with some reward for services rendered.

    Last edited by BRC; 2022-05-31 at 12:18 PM.
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  13. - Top - End - #13
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Daemon

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by KorvinStarmast View Post
    Just out of curiosity, is it on Soefra or Noefra? (Sounds like Soefra based on the time bubbles).
    Spoiler: Problem definition spoilery
    Show
    2. The party has evidence that the dragon has bonded with the spirit of the mountain it's on, extending its lifespan and supercharging its powers (granting it semi-druidic-style nature/elemental aspects) but also restricting its range (much like a dryad and its tree) and making it semi-fey-aligned.
    3. The party is soon going to climb the mountain and meet with the dragon.
    4. The party is level 7, made up of a rogue (swashbuckler/pirate), a druid (acolyte/moon), a wizard (fisherman/illusionist), and a paladin (sage/vengeance).
    5. The party has access to a self-propelled ship (the area being on the shore of a large bay).

    - It is also very tired of life. When it dies, it will likely ascend as either an elemental entity or as a minor Ascendant (pseudo-god).
    - It hasn't seen or interacted with mortals in (~4-5k years).
    - The mountain spirit ... It's only being held together by the bond with the dragon and the dragon's own spirit/will.

    Setting facts:
    OK, Soefra is still my guess.

    why the dragon called them over.
    Other than 'bed sores' I'll suggest that the recent time quakes caused by the various bubbles bursting (What bubble? We never saw no bubble!) didn't just wake it up; the time tremors changed the nature of the dragons dreams which had, for a few millenia, been where it spent the most of its time. Time heals wounds, but this time tremor has re opened the wound and profoundly disturbed the dragon's dreams, and it won't go away.

    Why the PCs have been called upon? Something was left undone and the dragon wants to resolve it before dying
    What was left undone?


    I 'll throw in a few other ideas later, but I think that this will be a good motive that ties to the strangeness of time in Soefra that you have already established.
    Note: this is actually Noefra, with my other party. And the time is actually late summer 250 AC (so no time quakes currently).

    Quote Originally Posted by Quertus View Post
    Spoiler: So...
    Show


    So... is KorvinStarmast a player in the game? Should my commentary on their commentary on the petrified dragon egg be placed in spoilers, or should I not comment on it in a response to them at all? I'm just trying not to spoil things for your players.
    This is actually the other party I have going on in this world. Technically, KorvinStarmast's party is taking place about 6-7 months later than this one. Which is one reason I don't want anything particularly world-shaking...that last half of 250 AC was already fairly momentous and Korvin's previous party (who was active at this time) had a lot to do with dragons elsewhere.

    Quote Originally Posted by BRC View Post
    Spoiler
    Show


    The Dragon is getting ready to die, when it dies, the mountain spirits will collapse, this is normal and natural.

    However, there are certain protocols to follow, so that nature-aligned entities in nearby places can be prepared so that they can protect their domains from the spiritual fallout of the dragon's death/ascension. Affairs that must be put in order.

    They're given a list of three other entities to inform:
    My Ideas

    A powerful tree spirit (One of those Colony-style trees where an entire forest or grove is technically one organism, resulting in a single, incredibly potent spirit. Actually getting the tree to pay attention to them long enough to hear their message might be difficult, and require they take care of some problem. That or the living forest is full of powerful beasts, and getting to the center of the grove, where they can successfully commune with the spirit, is difficult.

    An Immortal Fae Lord, the Dragon's old enemy from ages ago, although they did eventually make peace. One of the conditions of the peace treaty was that the Fae Lord be allowed to witness the Dragon's death.
    Upon being informed that the death is imminent, the Fae Lord will throw a celebration, and insist the messengers stay as honored guests. There is no malice in this, but, well, the Fae love to party. Adventure is "Survive This Party".

    A Stone Giant sage who resides deep within the earth, who will be responsible for containing the fallout of the Dragon's death, soothing the spirits of the earth and stone.


    Technically, the party only needs to inform one of these entities, and that one can reach out to the others. However, the chance of the message getting passed around in a properly timely fashion is low, so ideally The PC's make sure all three are informed. Every entity that is informed will be obligated to provide the party with some reward for services rendered.

    Spoiler: this is quite useful
    Show

    This I can use, I think, with some modifications. I may mix the "powerful beasts" thing with the fey lord--I have a good idea for where that'd be (across the bay on the Island of Beasts). The "tree spirit" could be deeper in the wildlands, and I already have the idea for "pathways" that allow fast (if uncomfortable) travel between points via "fey paths". And they've found a portal/nexus to the plane of Stone in a nearby mountain, where a Stone Giant/other powerful stone-related entity could be found.
    Last edited by PhoenixPhyre; 2022-05-31 at 02:08 PM.
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  14. - Top - End - #14
    Titan in the Playground
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by PhoenixPhyre View Post
    Spoiler: I don't think any of my players are on GitP, but...
    Show
    They do have a "fossilized" dragon egg that I think they've forgotten about--those aren't necessarily dead, just...dormant until exposed to a proper concentration of elemental energy. That might be something to work from...
    Spoiler: If they've gotten this far in the thread, then clearly the spoiler tags aren't stopping them.
    Show
    It knows that the egg is its child, or grandchild, or great-great-great-great-great-grandchild. It wants the egg to hatch before it dies, so he needs the PCs to find and travel to a land called Honah Lee to find the Artifact of Plot Significance, a scroll of Mordenkainen's Dragon Hatchery, the Wand of Bigby's Dragon-Hatching Hand, the Flame of Daenerys, and the Mace of Guffin, in order to hatch the little dragon before the ancient one dies.


    Hilarity ensues when it turns out to be the wrong egg, and they now have a baby tarrasque and an upset ancient dragon.

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Titan in the Playground
     
    KorvinStarmast's Avatar

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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    Quote Originally Posted by PhoenixPhyre View Post
    Note: this is actually Noefra, with my other party. And the time is actually late summer 250 AC (so no time quakes currently).
    Ooh, so Enigma is still doing their shenanigans ... OK.
    Which is one reason I don't want anything particularly world-shaking...that last half of 250 AC was already fairly momentous and Korvin's previous party (who was active at this time) had a lot to do with dragons elsewhere.
    I'll offer a variation on the 'something disturbed my dreams' theme then.
    Spoiler: You woke me up for this? I was still dreaming! Now go and do this thing for me!
    Show

    The dragon coming out its slumber is a ripple effect from when the Conclave got together. What happened to disturb the dreams of this very, very old dragon/wyrm was a direct result of the messages that had gone out to all dragons for the Conclave to convene.

    The Cysgor (being sort of fey) are related to this, as is The Watcher. (Whom Gozh was hoping to supplant but did not). As I recall, he can reach out into dreams. Before the Cysgor "went between" and ended up in Shadow there was a small colony/settlement of them in this area where the dragon sleeps. Maybe it included druids or archfey warlocks or nature clerics. A pure water spring deep underground. Whatever.

    There was a temple here thousands of years ago, a temple which is now deeply buried underground with only narrow tunnels to get to it. (See also various places in Turkey that have been dug up, the Old Greek city in Naples that is waay underground from the modern city, the nine levels of Troy, etcetera).

    The dreaming dragon is awakened and now can't get back to sleep. Being so old, it knows that it's metabolic rate and age, and inability to conserve anima/life energy by staying asleep are going to ends its life ... and it is at peace with that.

    It also knows that when it passes on the local area will be rocked by natural disasters large, medium and small. As a matter of principle, since it has had stewardship over this region for so long, What The Dragon Wants is to pass that responsibility along to a worthy successor.
    Why? Something in that buried temple needs to stay buried, or, it needs to be delivered to someone fey like (maybe Cysgor and maybe others), or needs to be protected.
    Who will be the new protector of the legacy?
    {As a twist, the thing in the temple is the other egg that's it started incubating but that egg, like the petrified egg you mention, was a little slow to develop. Until the two are brought together neither hatchling can be born due to {reasons} that have to do with Quartus and Anima. }

    New Guardian? Who should it be?

    It can be the party, or, it can be an NPC whom they have to locate, and this can all be related to the Fey Child (whom Enigma recently met in-context) who has known this dragon since it was a hatchling.
    Or it can be an elf or Cysgor who is in suspended animation per the previous attempt at an answer. (See spell effect).

    Party is asked to find that successor, or become that successor, and in any case they need to have an evac/disaster relief plan in case the dragon dies sooner than later and the region breaks up.

    The option to to go deep underground, find that "thing" (egg?) and neutralize it or recover it should arise during conversation with the dragon.

    Various giants might be allies or resources (Stone or Storm, thinking Cloud giants are not a good call here).
    Quote Originally Posted by Jay R View Post
    Spoiler: If they've gotten this far in the thread, then clearly the spoiler tags aren't stopping them.
    Show
    It knows that the egg is its child, or grandchild, or great-great-great-great-great-grandchild. It wants the egg to hatch before it dies, so he needs the PCs to find and travel to a land called Honah Lee to find the Artifact of Plot Significance, a scroll of Mordenkainen's Dragon Hatchery, the Wand of Bigby's Dragon-Hatching Hand, the Flame of Daenerys, and the Mace of Guffin, in order to hatch the little dragon before the ancient one dies.


    Hilarity ensues when it turns out to be the wrong egg, and they now have a baby tarrasque and an upset ancient dragon.
    The old dragon is obviously named Puff.
    Spoiler: Why Puff?
    Show
    (Not sleepy, but rather stoned out of its mind!)
    Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2022-05-31 at 03:50 PM.
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  16. - Top - End - #16
    Pixie in the Playground
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    Default Re: What does the dragon want?

    This sounds like an ancient being who has seen continents rise and fall, seen entire species evolve and die, whose concept of history can be measured in geologic scales. The lifespan and the presence of mere mortals is of little concern. It is concerned about the longest of trends, of setting a small pebble in motion to cause an avalanche a decade from now.

    In other words... the dragon can ask for whatever the heck you want, no matter how absurd. It's planning on the butterfly effect to produce what it truly wants 10 years from present day. Let the players try to connect almost nonexistent dots.

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