Wonderful story! My cat George came over, sat down at my feet while I sewed and listened intently to the whole tale. After you finished, he laid down to snooze.
If D&D population is similar to Renaissance earth the wild Ungulate population should be addiquate protein source for orcs. Hurd animals dominated the earth surface until the 20th century. The amount of disasters in D&D universe should keep sentient population under 1 billion beings.
The Laughing Wyrm: the nice, sweet hippie lady who makes money selling veggie burgers and organic bath soap, but also has ten barrels of nitro glycerin in her barn, along with blueprints of city hall.
Steel Dragons are one of my favorite. I always had an idea of a dragon that had claimed a city as their own without any of the usual draconic problems.
Wow, Dragons take their bathsalts very seriously, Good to know I have a character concept seller of dragon beauty products. This is very helpful for backstory hooks like have her be an agent for a Steel or some other dragon who goes from secret location to secret location where disguised dragons or their servant pick up orders and drop off payments for their magical soaps, bathbombs.
That is interesting. I wonder if Wizards of the Coast would ever make (or leak) a story path for Toril. I mean they seem to love trolling their fans and teasing them with different conflicting messages for the future. Ever though about a live stream (on a weekend) were we discuss possible future plans for Toril? Not Wizards defined future, but what future we might speculate for Toril? Might be entertaining.
The kooky eccentric well meaning Draconic mummy figure that has a grandplan of unity and harmony but has to contend with the dreches and maligned creatures that thrive on discord. Sheeeeesh! I'd back her up in a heartbeat.
Loving the dragon series! Perfect for a campaign I'm running, where an NPC is working with a red dragon to put the dragon in power of the kingdom, but is secretly trying to find a way to control the dragon.
So useful! I already have a group called The Weathermen who locate dragon homes by regional effects. Trying to get them to move through trickery? I’m full of ideas.
Dragons are more likely to suggest the local kingdom move. Its easy to forget there are dragons in Faerun who were hoarding before Waterdeep had a curtain wall, and the first lord put on a mask. How many in Cormyr even know the “Purple Dragon” was an actual dragon.
I agree with Zundaerazylym philosophy about Dragons taking a protective approach towards humanoids, but it's gonna be tough to change the minds of certain types of Dragons (primarily the chromatic ones, and even a few arrogant metallics too), and even some humanoids who would be justifiably "concerned" about such powerful "guardians" watching over them. Even the most benevolent Gold dragon still has subtle ways of demanding tribute be paid to it. Perhaps the steel dragon has been amongst the soft-skins for too long lol.
If dragons became guardians, the problem of who watches the watchers will become insoluble. The difference between her dream and draconic rule is in name only. “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be "cured" against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.” ― C.S. Lewis
@@HenriFaust franklin echoed a similar sentiment, Gold Dragon and Silvers in particular are every bit the tyrant Reds are. The difference? Reds are honest about it.
@@mikewaterfield3599 Ran a few AD&D2ndE and 3.5e campaigns over the years where green dragons got involved in human affairs. Even a few reds where in it as outliners. Unless you were playing a elf or gnome, maybe a dwarf no one else had the lifespan to play in the Long Game's short plots. a.) Young adult male red dragon set up a riverside tavern and dug out drainage ditches for the small village farm fields. Three other females shown up for breeding rights and the challenges turn into a big three way rolling wrestling match which took out the Red Dragon Tavern. " Plenty of slapstick." Plot base adventure party meets and kills the young adult male red dragon, which is PC by another player or talk the dragon into making a raid with them. Then have the party's wizard polymorph the dragon into human form to show how good human life can be. b.) Green dragons are very family incline so just have the young adults travel in pairs or in hatchling groups of 1d4+1. Once they find out how to shake down villages and towns and make allliances with nobles and adventures. 2.) A long time ago, back in the days of AD&D2ndE .. My game shop DM was running campaign of a young green dragon make raids and bully the local town's population. It was to build drama and after a dozen or so encounters the shops multiple player groups would track her down for good. Along with the rest of her family. My 10th-level wizard got off a lucky Polymorph Other spell and turn her into a human female. Green dragon, " How dare you turn me into a long hair Redhead ! My hair is meant to be Green !" Due to the dragon listing from " Council of the Wrym " setting, the index card drawing guest players had her take over the noble politics within a single winter as she was in human form. When 3.0e came out, skill ranks and multi-classing really made dragons fun to run. Dragon just didn't show up to stomp & kill but to play head games with any adventures they met. Remember from the days of AD&D, red dragons only used their fire breath as last resort cause they don't want to damage any magic treasure. Also from " Council of the Wryms," dragons had to Eat a given amount of Xp/gp magic treasure before they could advance into their next age group. The way dogs chew on shoes, baby dragons Will eat any scroll or minor magic item they come across. In AD&D a wizard had to be around 12th-level to cast Enchant Magic Item to even create .. minor .. items. Along with being 9th-level to make scrolls. Good thing 3e magic it cheaper and lower level to create magic items. But if a wizard is openly known to create and run a scroll sell shop, expect a dragon to show up for a Scooby Snack.
Some of this is pretty cool! I can't say it's wise to mix modern (i.e., the past 150 years) scientific knowledge with fantasy, though. It manages to make even less sense. The irony is that most people that insist on putting modern science in their fantasy don't know much about it. Or they just really love breaking physics and doing something very janky with a cantrip on that "scientific" basis.
I love this channel as a long time dm of 5e and like 2 sedsions of 2nd i love to watch these and use them in my game my players love the detail and the vastness of the lore and how well it fits together keep it up man you are a huge help to us all
I really hope Fizban's Treasury of Dragons gives us Steel and Song Dragons I have a wonderfully wicked idea of a Sea Port populated by mainly Steel and Songs where Steels gather information for their next life.
I wonder what the Laughing Wrym does when other dragons come by looking for a mate? Pretty sure metallic dragons may try flirting with her in humanoid form.
Hey AJ! I really appreciate this video! I’ve done my research on Ophala and Zundaerazylym since my players were looking to go to Neverwinter soon and have been excited to learn of the Wyrms fun personality (I only see hilarity ensuing. But no matter how prepared I am, your videos always provide a great reinforcement to my game choices and a useful inspiration for NPCs and adventures! So thanks man!
@@AJPickett Then I suppose they stand to gain from the Evil Dragons living south of them. Sure, they gain respect from picking on farmers, but Dragons? Fighting a Dragon will gain better respect than fighting any mortal, especially mortal farmers.
This was a great video. Just imagine the earthshattering changes that could happen if Zundaerazylym is successful. It would change how Dragons behave in the entire franchise.
That is an absolutely fantastic campaign idea, thank you for bringing that to your channel. Haven't played d&d in years ( over a decade ) but a campaign like that is right up my alley !
If a flight of dragons could be convinced that a city/nation and its populace were their hoards, it would be the most well defended place in the history of Toril.
@@Self-replicating_whatnot Not necessarily. Whats the point of stealing from your own hoard? If they considered the nation their hoard, it would make more sense for them to take the things they might desire from rival nations, both as a means of getting what they want and weakening the other nation. Nothing cuts a military rival off at the knees like having a fair deal of their nation's livestock stolen and eaten or having their nation's mines all raided.(I am assuming the main thing a dragon would be taking from a country is either wealth or food) In either case, it would only be damaging to it own "hoard" if it stole cattle or gold from the nation its protecting, and as a dragon ut has very little reason to steal anything else. Actually, I'll give you one thing it might actually take from its own citizens. Magic items. But it would most likely be the ones it finds useful for defending itself and the nation, so it would just see it as "putting them to their best use" despite it clearly just being a dragon taking some shit for itself. So, yeah, they might actually take a bit from the nation. But I feel a few magic items are worth the flight of dragons.
@@Self-replicating_whatnot I feel that to a dragon, its hoard is seen with a little more reverence than a fridge, but at the same time, that is a very good point. I figure that if it/they value the wellbeing of the people their protecting, they probably arent gunna steal their food. But theres still a good chance the humans would be offering up tons of meat, fruit, wine, cheeses, and baked goods per month just as a "Thank You & Please Keep Protecting Us" type of thing with little to no prompting. People do tend to be prone to that sort of thing. Wouldn't be surprised if they started some sort of religion or knightly order as well.
I just played through Neverwinter Nights for the first time, and now I'm wondering if I missed this wonderful character or if they never included her. Considering what they did to Klauth in that game, maybe it's a good thing the Laughing Wyrm wasn't included.
Ok, this is a steel dragon i can get behind. A dragon with a human persona without all that extra "im a dragon, but I'm not, with no powers, except if I need them, but I wouldn't use them, but I totally can" crap.
This is just lovely! This would be interesting with my personally homebrewed dragon, Lady Crenela-a rose-gold dragon (one of a kind offspring between a Red female and Gold male dragon.) She’s a business woman and doesn’t view her wealth and hoard as an object to solely be collected. She engages in commerce and trade to help local nearby towns but she is quite vain at times. She has a few treasures that she adorns herself with to accentuate her scales. She’s unusually fair in her complexion as a dragon so most would likely see her as babyscaled, making her a target but… she has a heavy power of persuasion only used in cases when someone tries to one-up her or squeeze info out of her. This could result in her expelling her hot, molten breath encasing her targets in a gold-like substance. She’s definitely interested in this soak! Anything to keep her looking beautiful. Like some metallic dragons, she’s able to polymorph, taking the form of a tall, slender long-haired woman sporting a pair of large gold-hooped earrings. She’d definitely make fast friends with Zundaerazylym. Crenela isn’t given to greed like her Red dragon mother was, but she can breathe a vicious red-hot pink flame. Rarely does she ever resort to violence, as it would disrupt her peaceful trading and dealing with the locals. She will fiercely defend her home as well as those who profit from her hoard. She considers the other races, especially humans “a treasure in and of themselves”. She’s a wise enough wyrm to know not all folk can be trusted, but those that trust her and vice versa have a mutual understanding. What do you guys think? Is it cringe or do you think this sort of thing would be ok in the game’s world? It would make sense all other dragons would view this Union and the offspring thereof an abomination and disgusting but… maybe there’s a prophecy of reconciliation for all dragons to leave behind their wicked ways and aim towards peace between each other and all of the other races.
In one of the many campaign setting my game shops ran, they have a family/ clan of green dragons that are into landscaping in creating field drainage ditches, shallow ponds used to catch rain water shed run off. Creating new roads for increase trade traffic along with charging a .. modest .. road/ bridge toll. Like any .. dog .. that dig shallow pits in the yard to lay in the cool dirt to sun themself, they just go about it so humans can benefit from such normal dragon activities and a way to increase their fame in human communities with improved wealth of grain sells and more live stock to feed off of. For as to is said regarding green dragons, nothing tastes finer then a live screaming elf being chewed on. But butter covered slow roasted meats and fish come very close. Most half dragons in the campaign setting are green hybrids cause they seek more social control power. Also too many fools try to melt down gold & slivers down to make coins out of the scales. Humans are far too greedy for their own good and not to bright. When a lawful green dragon gets involved with a towns' development, they treated it like a private garden and seek to turn a higher profit to increase their hoard and fame.
It lacks of anything that would put her on disadvantage - too positive and too good. She should lack something like zundaerazylym - that one lacks firepower as steel dragon.
I've always loved the idea that steel dragons need to teach their young not to fall in love to deeply with humans, that it's a serious taboo for them. Human life spans being so short, it's just to painful for them. Or is there a deeper reason? A fear that half dragon's might some day outbreed and replace the humans entirely perhaps? Or simply corrupt human nature, a kind of star trek style non interference policy?
Imagine for instance the group meets a steel dragon in human form without knowing. A random PC passes a seduce role without knowing it was made, she shambles over to the player and adjusts her glasses and raises a hand to gently pat there face as a steel/silver tear rolls down her face. She wispers a name under her breath (A man she loved centuries ago) closes her eyes and turns away and asks that player to leave the room. You can tell she's remembering something painful, her manservant/bodyguard (her son), a powerfuly build man of about 40 with a grey beard stares daggers at the player as they leave.
A fine & interesting delve into an intriguing plot! 😁 (I'm sure even the harper's will secretly support her - to an extent at least!) 🌟🌟 EXCELLENT!!! 🌟🌟 Work as Always Mr A J Sir!!! 👏💐👏💐👏💐👏💐👏💖
Okay, interesting. I was under the impression that there was an Ancient Gold Dragon that claimed Neverwinter as its domain, so hearing of another dragon of any kind, much less one so influential and ambitious. It was suffering some kind of magical malady that made parts of its body turn invisible, I think MrRhexx had a video containing more information on it. But I digress. The Ripplebark's properties strike me as too good to be true, so it is my guess that it was artificially created and either accidentally or intentionally was released. It is perfect for solving the dietary needs of all humanoids, an incredible boon for any army as the Grey Orcs demonstrate. I like the idea of a Metallic dragon cooking up ways to turn Chromatic dragons into something useful like a barrier to throw against other obviously malicious elements. That's pretty cunning, especially if they are falling for it. The only thing I am leery of is the Soak. Dragons are already arguably the most dangerous beings around, designing basically dragon-only Bacta tanks for them sounds extremely dangerous. There are too many insanely powerful evil dragons around who would use such a soak to become more deadly and fearsome, for if they had extreme regeneration on top of everything else, they might as well be truly invincible. No, that is far too dangerous a thing to chance falling into the hands of evil dragons, especially since the Cult of the Dragon is already aware of her activities and may have already infiltrated her organization. Best to destroy all research materials on that ASAP.
I was waiting for AJ to say that the fungus altered the orcs mind... Like the "stoned ape theory"... I wonder if there is any similar instances in D&D?
Our brains gained such volume due to migrating along waterways, land bridges and shores where shellfish and fish were plentiful, this marine diet and frequent bathing resulted in perfect brain nutrition and reduction in disease carrying parasites, it also encouraged more upright posture, there was also a shift in sexual selection in our species which resulted in form of neoteny, so these days, humans look like big baby chimps, because infant primates have a much larger head to body ratio, this is difficult to prove due to the environment our ancestors lived in and migrated along in successive waves of radical climate shifts being really terrible for fossil preservation.. the big gap in our material history.. these days though, humans are very clearly adapted to semi aquatic lifestyle, we live alongside bodies of water, we bathe all the time, our feet are almost flippers, etc, etc. Personally, I think we would be well served going fully aquatic, a space vessel full of water blocks cosmic radiation very well and carrying a large supply of water provides extra fuel, chemical processing resources, life support, and even great protection from micro-meteors, also, water is easier to keep heated and insulated.
@@AJPickett Are these recent discoverys? That also explains why I like swimming and why I have so much fun at sea and getting slapped by it's weaves! Thanks AJ!
Now I want to make an oath of vigilance ( homebrew subclass) paladin that has swore to protect and serve her. Also do Goliaths, Firbolgs and Verbeeg consume ripplebark as well? If so then what recipes could one expect to be served?
I don't think the dragon has thought this through. A city's wealth is people. A dense collection of skills and knowledge. The physical treasure is a byproduct. The steel dragon mentioned seams nice enough. But a "city" dragon could be a terrible thing. A capitalist overlord like some in 'Shadowrun". Always driving workers harder to produce more wealth.
If I were an evil dragon, I would get the population hopelessly addicted to some drug only I could supply them... there is nothing as productive as a junkie desperate for their next fix. Thankfully, I am not an evil dragon.
The steel dragon in my campaign sees the people in her town as her hoard. Adding old adventures and teaching their children. Giving her a powerful network of young adventures all over the world.
I am now gonna' rework some of my standard Loom of Magus fungi to be a form of Ripplebark. It's less complex and a bit more interesting. Edit: Corrected "not" to "now". Never trust autocorrect.
Wonderful story! My cat George came over, sat down at my feet while I sewed and listened intently to the whole tale. After you finished, he laid down to snooze.
AJ the cat whisperer
RippleBark and the Laughing Wyrm sounds like a Treefolk and his green dragon homie. But I also love the mushrooms! Keep up the great work.
They sound like a pair of stoners
If D&D population is similar to Renaissance earth the wild Ungulate population should be addiquate protein source for orcs. Hurd animals dominated the earth surface until the 20th century. The amount of disasters in D&D universe should keep sentient population under 1 billion beings.
The Laughing Wyrm: the nice, sweet hippie lady who makes money selling veggie burgers and organic bath soap, but also has ten barrels of nitro glycerin in her barn, along with blueprints of city hall.
In other words: the aunt/grandmother everyone always wanted.
Steel Dragons are one of my favorite. I always had an idea of a dragon that had claimed a city as their own without any of the usual draconic problems.
5:17 AM, right on time!
4:38 am for me lol.
Been watching your videos since the doppelganger episode. Keep up the great videos and partying up with AJ
I'm guessing it's about dinner time for him. Globe earth and all...
I love all of this, there are *SO* many campaigns I can launch from this video alone XD
Wow, Dragons take their bathsalts very seriously, Good to know I have a character concept seller of dragon beauty products. This is very helpful for backstory hooks like have her be an agent for a Steel or some other dragon who goes from secret location to secret location where disguised dragons or their servant pick up orders and drop off payments for their magical soaps, bathbombs.
Using one of the amulets to track down all the other ones would be a good villain move
Holy Bahamut this gives me so many campaign ideas it's crazy thank you as always for the great content
the ever-growing and complex lore for everything simple to deific is one of the best draws to the game.
I love these tales of dragons living quietly within human settlements
That is interesting. I wonder if Wizards of the Coast would ever make (or leak) a story path for Toril. I mean they seem to love trolling their fans and teasing them with different conflicting messages for the future. Ever though about a live stream (on a weekend) were we discuss possible future plans for Toril? Not Wizards defined future, but what future we might speculate for Toril? Might be entertaining.
The kooky eccentric well meaning Draconic mummy figure that has a grandplan of unity and harmony but has to contend with the dreches and maligned creatures that thrive on discord.
Sheeeeesh! I'd back her up in a heartbeat.
Loving the dragon series! Perfect for a campaign I'm running, where an NPC is working with a red dragon to put the dragon in power of the kingdom, but is secretly trying to find a way to control the dragon.
So useful!
I already have a group called The Weathermen who locate dragon homes by regional effects. Trying to get them to move through trickery? I’m full of ideas.
Dragons are more likely to suggest the local kingdom move. Its easy to forget there are dragons in Faerun who were hoarding before Waterdeep had a curtain wall, and the first lord put on a mask. How many in Cormyr even know the “Purple Dragon” was an actual dragon.
She would make a great mid-level trading resource maybe sending the parties druid to do a bunch of herbalism
I agree with Zundaerazylym philosophy about Dragons taking a protective approach towards humanoids, but it's gonna be tough to change the minds of certain types of Dragons (primarily the chromatic ones, and even a few arrogant metallics too), and even some humanoids who would be justifiably "concerned" about such powerful "guardians" watching over them. Even the most benevolent Gold dragon still has subtle ways of demanding tribute be paid to it. Perhaps the steel dragon has been amongst the soft-skins for too long lol.
Hey reds, blues, and greens are very protective of their servants. Its the ones who don’t serve them that need to worry.
Dragons are VERY protective...of their property. Every thing else is A) Food, B) Chew Toy, or C)Threat.
If dragons became guardians, the problem of who watches the watchers will become insoluble. The difference between her dream and draconic rule is in name only.
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be "cured" against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.” ― C.S. Lewis
@@HenriFaust franklin echoed a similar sentiment, Gold Dragon and Silvers in particular are every bit the tyrant Reds are. The difference? Reds are honest about it.
@@mikewaterfield3599 Ran a few AD&D2ndE and 3.5e campaigns over the years where green dragons got involved in human affairs. Even a few reds where in it as outliners.
Unless you were playing a elf or gnome, maybe a dwarf no one else had the lifespan to play in the Long Game's short plots.
a.) Young adult male red dragon set up a riverside tavern and dug out drainage ditches for the small village farm fields. Three other females shown up for breeding rights and the challenges turn into a big three way rolling wrestling match which took out the Red Dragon Tavern. " Plenty of slapstick."
Plot base adventure party meets and kills the young adult male red dragon, which is PC by another player or talk the dragon into making a raid with them. Then have the party's wizard polymorph the dragon into human form to show how good human life can be.
b.) Green dragons are very family incline so just have the young adults travel in pairs or in hatchling groups of 1d4+1. Once they find out how to shake down villages and towns and make allliances with nobles and adventures.
2.) A long time ago, back in the days of AD&D2ndE ..
My game shop DM was running campaign of a young green dragon make raids and bully the local town's population. It was to build drama and after a dozen or so encounters the shops multiple player groups would track her down for good. Along with the rest of her family.
My 10th-level wizard got off a lucky Polymorph Other spell and turn her into a human female.
Green dragon, " How dare you turn me into a long hair Redhead ! My hair is meant to be Green !"
Due to the dragon listing from " Council of the Wrym " setting, the index card drawing guest players had her take over the noble politics within a single winter as she was in human form.
When 3.0e came out, skill ranks and multi-classing really made dragons fun to run. Dragon just didn't show up to stomp & kill but to play head games with any adventures they met. Remember from the days of AD&D, red dragons only used their fire breath as last resort cause they don't want to damage any magic treasure.
Also from " Council of the Wryms," dragons had to Eat a given amount of Xp/gp magic treasure before they could advance into their next age group. The way dogs chew on shoes, baby dragons Will eat any scroll or minor magic item they come across.
In AD&D a wizard had to be around 12th-level to cast Enchant Magic Item to even create .. minor .. items. Along with being 9th-level to make scrolls. Good thing 3e magic it cheaper and lower level to create magic items. But if a wizard is openly known to create and run a scroll sell shop, expect a dragon to show up for a Scooby Snack.
Thank you, as always, for being an amazing Lore Master for us on TH-cam. You do amazing work!
3:35am and we already starting off the work night good.
Some of this is pretty cool! I can't say it's wise to mix modern (i.e., the past 150 years) scientific knowledge with fantasy, though. It manages to make even less sense. The irony is that most people that insist on putting modern science in their fantasy don't know much about it.
Or they just really love breaking physics and doing something very janky with a cantrip on that "scientific" basis.
I love this channel as a long time dm of 5e and like 2 sedsions of 2nd i love to watch these and use them in my game my players love the detail and the vastness of the lore and how well it fits together keep it up man you are a huge help to us all
I will never stop!
I really hope Fizban's Treasury of Dragons gives us Steel and Song Dragons I have a wonderfully wicked idea of a Sea Port populated by mainly Steel and Songs where Steels gather information for their next life.
so the laughing wyrm is one of those vegan coworkers who try to sell me essential oils, got it
Hmm want to keep an aggressive grey orc clan at bay, try convincing a shadow dragon to start up a necropolis in the orcs path.
I think your trading one problem for a bigger problem there.
@@Zasek2112 Thats what clerics are for.
Toril Orcs eat fungus and WarHammer 40k are walking fungus 🤔
I know right?
I wonder what the Laughing Wrym does when other dragons come by looking for a mate? Pretty sure metallic dragons may try flirting with her in humanoid form.
Cool. I didn't know the Underdark had any native (non-fungi) flora. Blood fruit. I'll have to remember that. XD
It fruits very rarely, yielding small, blood-red and bitter fruit that is used to make very valuable alcohol.
@@AJPickett imagine the daring races that would race to find as much blood fruit to make great alcohol
@@joedan5366 I could totally see svirfneblin or drow scout parties keeping an eye out for it. Caverns where it's more common would cause conflict.
@@Zasek2112 thanks I am going to add that to my game
@@joedan5366 I can think of no higher compliment 😁
Awesome thing to wake up to! Much love from Alaska and keep it up man!
Hey AJ! I really appreciate this video! I’ve done my research on Ophala and Zundaerazylym since my players were looking to go to Neverwinter soon and have been excited to learn of the Wyrms fun personality (I only see hilarity ensuing. But no matter how prepared I am, your videos always provide a great reinforcement to my game choices and a useful inspiration for NPCs and adventures!
So thanks man!
My pleasure!
So in short, Orc Raiders are Grinding for Experience?
More or less, its their culture that enforces this behaviour, culture and religion.
@@AJPickett Then I suppose they stand to gain from the Evil Dragons living south of them.
Sure, they gain respect from picking on farmers, but Dragons? Fighting a Dragon will gain better respect than fighting any mortal, especially mortal farmers.
This was a great video. Just imagine the earthshattering changes that could happen if Zundaerazylym is successful. It would change how Dragons behave in the entire franchise.
Oh i remember you talking about this script for a while!!! It sure was worth the wait!
Yes! Finally lol
That is an absolutely fantastic campaign idea, thank you for bringing that to your channel. Haven't played d&d in years ( over a decade ) but a campaign like that is right up my alley !
A bit of lore I'd never heard before! Thanks
If a flight of dragons could be convinced that a city/nation and its populace were their hoards, it would be the most well defended place in the history of Toril.
Indeed.
@@Self-replicating_whatnot Not necessarily. Whats the point of stealing from your own hoard?
If they considered the nation their hoard, it would make more sense for them to take the things they might desire from rival nations, both as a means of getting what they want and weakening the other nation. Nothing cuts a military rival off at the knees like having a fair deal of their nation's livestock stolen and eaten or having their nation's mines all raided.(I am assuming the main thing a dragon would be taking from a country is either wealth or food)
In either case, it would only be damaging to it own "hoard" if it stole cattle or gold from the nation its protecting, and as a dragon ut has very little reason to steal anything else.
Actually, I'll give you one thing it might actually take from its own citizens. Magic items. But it would most likely be the ones it finds useful for defending itself and the nation, so it would just see it as "putting them to their best use" despite it clearly just being a dragon taking some shit for itself.
So, yeah, they might actually take a bit from the nation. But I feel a few magic items are worth the flight of dragons.
@@Self-replicating_whatnot Good point.
@@Self-replicating_whatnot I feel that to a dragon, its hoard is seen with a little more reverence than a fridge, but at the same time, that is a very good point.
I figure that if it/they value the wellbeing of the people their protecting, they probably arent gunna steal their food. But theres still a good chance the humans would be offering up tons of meat, fruit, wine, cheeses, and baked goods per month just as a "Thank You & Please Keep Protecting Us" type of thing with little to no prompting. People do tend to be prone to that sort of thing. Wouldn't be surprised if they started some sort of religion or knightly order as well.
That sounds like something a dog would say, Not a Dog.
This would make a fantastic basis for a long form, mission based campaign.
Thank you so much for this video
Now this is the deep lore I subscribe for!
Nothing clever to say. Good video, Professor Pickett 😁🍿
I just played through Neverwinter Nights for the first time, and now I'm wondering if I missed this wonderful character or if they never included her. Considering what they did to Klauth in that game, maybe it's a good thing the Laughing Wyrm wasn't included.
I love how many personalities are in the D&D universe. Makes it feel like a real world.
I played this video in the background while I organized my documents. Very enjoyable
I am so going to try and weave this into my version of the world. Heck I think I've just been given an endgame plot for my story.
Laughing Wurm brand Tofu coming to a shoppe keeper near you.
God damn. I hope she makes it.
I Love this! I’m totally on vote for more of these types of vid in the future. Especially those about dragons. 😎
Ok, this is a steel dragon i can get behind. A dragon with a human persona without all that extra "im a dragon, but I'm not, with no powers, except if I need them, but I wouldn't use them, but I totally can" crap.
This is just lovely! This would be interesting with my personally homebrewed dragon, Lady Crenela-a rose-gold dragon (one of a kind offspring between a Red female and Gold male dragon.) She’s a business woman and doesn’t view her wealth and hoard as an object to solely be collected. She engages in commerce and trade to help local nearby towns but she is quite vain at times. She has a few treasures that she adorns herself with to accentuate her scales. She’s unusually fair in her complexion as a dragon so most would likely see her as babyscaled, making her a target but… she has a heavy power of persuasion only used in cases when someone tries to one-up her or squeeze info out of her. This could result in her expelling her hot, molten breath encasing her targets in a gold-like substance. She’s definitely interested in this soak! Anything to keep her looking beautiful. Like some metallic dragons, she’s able to polymorph, taking the form of a tall, slender long-haired woman sporting a pair of large gold-hooped earrings. She’d definitely make fast friends with Zundaerazylym. Crenela isn’t given to greed like her Red dragon mother was, but she can breathe a vicious red-hot pink flame. Rarely does she ever resort to violence, as it would disrupt her peaceful trading and dealing with the locals. She will fiercely defend her home as well as those who profit from her hoard. She considers the other races, especially humans “a treasure in and of themselves”. She’s a wise enough wyrm to know not all folk can be trusted, but those that trust her and vice versa have a mutual understanding.
What do you guys think? Is it cringe or do you think this sort of thing would be ok in the game’s world? It would make sense all other dragons would view this Union and the offspring thereof an abomination and disgusting but… maybe there’s a prophecy of reconciliation for all dragons to leave behind their wicked ways and aim towards peace between each other and all of the other races.
THANK YOU AJ FOR ❤️ING MY COMMENT!! :D That means a lot!
In one of the many campaign setting my game shops ran, they have a family/ clan of green dragons that are into landscaping in creating field drainage ditches, shallow ponds used to catch rain water shed run off. Creating new roads for increase trade traffic along with charging a .. modest .. road/ bridge toll. Like any .. dog .. that dig shallow pits in the yard to lay in the cool dirt to sun themself, they just go about it so humans can benefit from such normal dragon activities and a way to increase their fame in human communities with improved wealth of grain sells and more live stock to feed off of.
For as to is said regarding green dragons, nothing tastes finer then a live screaming elf being chewed on. But butter covered slow roasted meats and fish come very close. Most half dragons in the campaign setting are green hybrids cause they seek more social control power. Also too many fools try to melt down gold & slivers down to make coins out of the scales. Humans are far too greedy for their own good and not to bright. When a lawful green dragon gets involved with a towns' development, they treated it like a private garden and seek to turn a higher profit to increase their hoard and fame.
It lacks of anything that would put her on disadvantage - too positive and too good. She should lack something like zundaerazylym - that one lacks firepower as steel dragon.
@@JOXOcean I’ll take that into consideration ~! She’s flawed as a vain creature. I’ll think of something.
Underdark lumberjacks are one hell of a tough breed
I've always loved the idea that steel dragons need to teach their young not to fall in love to deeply with humans, that it's a serious taboo for them.
Human life spans being so short, it's just to painful for them. Or is there a deeper reason? A fear that half dragon's might some day outbreed and replace the humans entirely perhaps?
Or simply corrupt human nature, a kind of star trek style non interference policy?
Imagine for instance the group meets a steel dragon in human form without knowing. A random PC passes a seduce role without knowing it was made,
she shambles over to the player and adjusts her glasses and raises a hand to gently pat there face as a steel/silver tear rolls down her face.
She wispers a name under her breath (A man she loved centuries ago) closes her eyes and turns away and asks that player to leave the room.
You can tell she's remembering something painful, her manservant/bodyguard (her son), a powerfuly build man of about 40 with a grey beard stares daggers at the player as they leave.
Don't have to fear the half-dragons out breeding as they are sterile
@@michaelbalcom5233 Fair point. I still love the idea in general tho.
@@Zasek2112 oh same
@@Zasek2112 This is so deliciously good!
A fine & interesting delve
into an intriguing plot! 😁
(I'm sure even the harper's
will secretly support her -
to an extent at least!)
🌟🌟 EXCELLENT!!! 🌟🌟
Work as Always Mr A J Sir!!!
👏💐👏💐👏💐👏💐👏💖
Okay, interesting. I was under the impression that there was an Ancient Gold Dragon that claimed Neverwinter as its domain, so hearing of another dragon of any kind, much less one so influential and ambitious. It was suffering some kind of magical malady that made parts of its body turn invisible, I think MrRhexx had a video containing more information on it. But I digress.
The Ripplebark's properties strike me as too good to be true, so it is my guess that it was artificially created and either accidentally or intentionally was released. It is perfect for solving the dietary needs of all humanoids, an incredible boon for any army as the Grey Orcs demonstrate.
I like the idea of a Metallic dragon cooking up ways to turn Chromatic dragons into something useful like a barrier to throw against other obviously malicious elements. That's pretty cunning, especially if they are falling for it.
The only thing I am leery of is the Soak. Dragons are already arguably the most dangerous beings around, designing basically dragon-only Bacta tanks for them sounds extremely dangerous. There are too many insanely powerful evil dragons around who would use such a soak to become more deadly and fearsome, for if they had extreme regeneration on top of everything else, they might as well be truly invincible. No, that is far too dangerous a thing to chance falling into the hands of evil dragons, especially since the Cult of the Dragon is already aware of her activities and may have already infiltrated her organization. Best to destroy all research materials on that ASAP.
Steel Dragons are awesome
Gotta love any dragon who's breath weapon is a laser beam.
@@jmhaugen4757 Laser beams? I thought steel dragons had poison and acid breaths.
If a wyrm hears mr Pickett call it a worm, he will be toast!
Bring me my silicon!!! Glad it went through.
Lord of the rings meets National Geographic meets Gawker.
Great video as always, AJ. :)
You're channel is one of my go-to channels to watch while I eat lunch
Same for me
Steel dragons are my favorites. You never hear anything about them though!
I was waiting for AJ to say that the fungus altered the orcs mind...
Like the "stoned ape theory"...
I wonder if there is any similar instances in D&D?
Our brains gained such volume due to migrating along waterways, land bridges and shores where shellfish and fish were plentiful, this marine diet and frequent bathing resulted in perfect brain nutrition and reduction in disease carrying parasites, it also encouraged more upright posture, there was also a shift in sexual selection in our species which resulted in form of neoteny, so these days, humans look like big baby chimps, because infant primates have a much larger head to body ratio, this is difficult to prove due to the environment our ancestors lived in and migrated along in successive waves of radical climate shifts being really terrible for fossil preservation.. the big gap in our material history.. these days though, humans are very clearly adapted to semi aquatic lifestyle, we live alongside bodies of water, we bathe all the time, our feet are almost flippers, etc, etc. Personally, I think we would be well served going fully aquatic, a space vessel full of water blocks cosmic radiation very well and carrying a large supply of water provides extra fuel, chemical processing resources, life support, and even great protection from micro-meteors, also, water is easier to keep heated and insulated.
@@AJPickett monke lore
@@AJPickett Are these recent discoverys?
That also explains why I like swimming and why I have so much fun at sea and getting slapped by it's weaves!
Thanks AJ!
Intelligent, cunning, kind, adventurous, feisty, forward thinking, friendly, and a dragon? Sounds like my kind of lady!
*bard intensifies*
I made it this far with ease. Liked for your gracious elucidations.
Thanks.
Now I want to make an oath of vigilance ( homebrew subclass) paladin that has swore to protect and serve her.
Also do Goliaths, Firbolgs and Verbeeg consume ripplebark as well? If so then what recipes could one expect to be served?
Our Firbolg certainly ate it in the underdark when everyone else found some meat rations.
Goliaths probably would when in the lowlands, Firbolgs and Verbeeg certainly would.
@@AJPickett Do you happen to know what foods do they make out of it?
Lol Ellie's there's this dragon has a goal To see her dreams come true
Huh, I'd only heard of her in passing. What a fascinating lady... dragon ... dragon lady? Whatever. Cool gal.
Wow, that girl seems pretty cool. I think we'd get along.
Brilliant. I couldn't take notes fast enough. :-)
Good video AJ
This is awesome AJ I’m trying to run HotDQ right now and I’m using steel dragons! This is great to get such info on one
Enjoying this! Thanks AJ
I don't think the dragon has thought this through. A city's wealth is people. A dense collection of skills and knowledge. The physical treasure is a byproduct.
The steel dragon mentioned seams nice enough. But a "city" dragon could be a terrible thing. A capitalist overlord like some in 'Shadowrun". Always driving workers harder to produce more wealth.
If I were an evil dragon, I would get the population hopelessly addicted to some drug only I could supply them... there is nothing as productive as a junkie desperate for their next fix. Thankfully, I am not an evil dragon.
The steel dragon in my campaign sees the people in her town as her hoard. Adding old adventures and teaching their children. Giving her a powerful network of young adventures all over the world.
Really cool stuff here AJ
Hope your feeling better!
Wonderful lore!💜
Wicked awesome.
thanks
Oh, it seems one rolled off the table. A snack!
That was inspiring, now I want her to succeed
I am now gonna' rework some of my standard Loom of Magus fungi to be a form of Ripplebark. It's less complex and a bit more interesting. Edit: Corrected "not" to "now". Never trust autocorrect.
Bless the Mighty GlueStick
Yay!
An inspiring lady
So if were not doing Warhammer 40k (glares, grim darkly) than how about some more Dark Sun content?
Love it
Why would a dragonbath of healing change the realms when... Healing magic is a basic type of magic that exists? I dont follow.
Imagine a dragon that doesn't need to rest for weeks, months or years at a time?
@@AJPickett Yeah, that will do it, alright.
(maybe it's a good thing, that she has not succeeded so well there yet).
Looks like reishi medicinal mushroom
Sounds like a punk band made of gnomish bards. 🎸🎸🎸
Thank you!
This was a great watch.
Man 4eally annoyed I missed this
:-)
Engagement comment