DMs Only: Dragon Consortium

See also the public-facing Dragon Consortium page.

The First Dragon Group

Not long after the 4th Cateclysm, while our newly reformed Kingdom of New Elenna was in the midst of building their lives anew on the plateaus, Aisildur began what was to be three major attempts to dominate and take over the other kingdoms of the peninsula of Elenna.

Their first attempt at this was scarcely two years after the Cataclysm. We were was not in any way prepared, and the memories of wars against the various invading countries left us too proud to ask for help. All able-bodied men and women wre constructing homes and cities. There wasn’t a standard army of any kind.

The demikind in Izen simly let the huge army pass through and in one swift move the Aisildurian army’s eastern sweep had taken all the north and western frontier towns of our New Elenna: those not on the Plateaus. Very soon a horde of Aisildurian mages began to mass near the cliffs by Madvow. A couple of master thieves from the Floating City was able to infiltrate the group and discover their intent. They were preparing to use enxended ranged “dimension doors” to move the army up to the 1st Plateau.

The situation as dire indeed. The High Lord Mayor called for every able-bodied citizen to drop their hammers and saws to take up the sword. The first citizens to show up at the Mayor’s Castle to sign up and defend the edge of the 1st plateau was some 25 adventuring groups led by the Glittering Ghostriders.

The High Lord Mayor sent them to their probable deaths, with instrudtions to hold the Plateau “until the carpenter’s army” would arrive.

This they did, but in an unorthodox manner for adventuring army combat. Instead of the standard alighment. Normally adventurers battle with the fighters up front and the clerics healing just behind the front lines. The mages arrange themselves behind them casting nuke spells whild the thieves make their way behind enemy lines in scout sized groups.

Instead each group chose a section of the cliff to defend. Guerella tactics were used as groups closed into to attack, and hold their area for a time as they could. When they needed to retreat, they would retreat to be replaced by another group who would rescue them so that the first group could heal and rest.

Groups that were enemies worked seamlessly with each other transitioning, rescuing and performing all manner of heroics side by side and one after the other.

The dead were piled up to make bunkers of the dead near the edge of the cliff. The original 25 adventuring groups grew to 50 and held the cliff against every dimension door and teleporting member of the enemy for three days until the Carpenter’s Army arrived.

In the end, only 4 adventurers died who were not eventually raised by the blessings of Gargul, while 15 of the pitchfork army who adapted to the tactics of the adventurers working in small rescue groups or adding themselves to replace fallen adventurers remained among the dead.

The sprit of the Aisildurians was broken and withdrew.

The High Lord Mayor of that time realized that 50 adventuring groups had saved our fledgling nation of New Elenna. He also realized that he wanted those groups on his side and the side of New Elenna for all time. So he came up with an original incentive program. He declared that all knights of the realm would be adventurers and only adventurers would be declared knights of New Elenna. And since the Adventurer Army had fought as well as mighty dragons, that is what the elite from among them would be called when knighted: Dragon Adventurers. Adventurers would be ree to do their occupation as they saw fit with no restrictions, but would swear fealty to the king and his representative the High Lord Mayor. In return the High Lord Mayor and country wold have them as knights of the realm and supply them with land to build a castle which would forever remain their legacy. They would also be considered nobility with all the privileges that brings within New Elennian society.

The Glittering Ghostriders chose a new name to signify the change in their status. They styled themselves the White Dragons and have been known by that name ever since. Their castle stands in Dragon Quarter, which was named after the group, and remains to this day. It has been given a special honor as a Historical Landmark and as such was not set to implode upon the death of the group.

Soon other groups were awarded dragon status: The Heartrenders became the first to take the name of The Red Dragons. The Immortals became the first Black Dragons. The group known as Great Intentions became the Glittering Dragons out of their respect for the Ghostriders.

Since that time there has always been at least two dragon groups in the Consortium and sometimes many more. They have lived and died to protect New Elenna as well as set an example for all who would be heroes.

May the Gods of Wold bless and keep them strong and brave. Selah!

Dragon Quarter in Plateau City

Dragon Quarter is one of the most infamous locations in the entire Wold. On a good day, over 100 adventuring groups can be seen hanging out in this area, resting from their last adventure or preparing for the next one. The highlight of this area is Adventurer’s Square where Adventurers are catered to in most every way and means. Statues of current Dragon Consortium Groups fill the square as stores by the dozen surround it selling everything an adventurer might ever want or require.

The area is full of inns and taverns as well. Chief among these is the Red Wyrm Inn. Containing 24 hr. entertainment, a tablecloth level restaurant, daily events, and the famed main entrance to The Maw, a untameable dungeon created by a mad archmage, this establishment is one of the wonders of the Wold. It is owned and managed on behalf of the legacy of the Red Wyrm Adventuring Troupe by the Gold Dragon Adventuring Troupe. Nearly as famous is the Adventurer’s Repose. Actually the AR is in the Hindquarter, but is usually thought of as being a part of Adventurer’s square sitting north of Red Dragon Castle at the eastern end of the square.

The Gold Dragon Castle is on the western area of the quarter. It faces Gladiator Park and the Golden Arena. The Gold Dragons are perhaps the most popular Dragon Consortium Group currently active and stories of this famed group are available for the asking at any tavern or inn.

The Red Dragons and the Red Wyrm Inn

The best and most noble adventuring groups of the Wold are invited to join the Dragon Consortium, and the band of heroes becomes a "Dragon" class group. Dragon groups earn a keep or castle, and are expected to be exemplars of the most noble principals.

One of the early Dragon groups was the Red Dragons. They were the top of the heap in The Dragon Consotium of adventuring groups before the Gold Dragons came along. After that, they died fighting a beholder in a desert of the Far West. A couple of years later, Orion and the Blue Sapphires found the bodies and had them raised. However, they have not been the same since. Extremely capable, they don't have the same drive to adventure that they did before their deaths, not to mention that the the lone survivor of the beholder encounter, a mage known as Fireball, went insane for a time and endured several extreme changes and personalities as a result. So a new catagory for semi-retired Dragon Consortium groups was created: The Wyrm groups.

The Red Dragons had an inn in Plateau City, Now about the time that the Red Dragons died, their inn burned to the ground in a battle between the Gold Dragons and one of their enemies, The Black Dragons -- and burned it remained throughout all of Claudia's reign. Only after Sturtevant became High Lord Mayor and vowed to "bring the adventurer's back to Plateau City" did the inn get rebuilt as a part of the upgrading and remodeling of Adventurer's Square. It was thought that since the Red Dragons had become officially The Red Wyrms, that the name of the rebuilt inn should be changed as well. That was the Red Wyrm Inn.

Items

Dragon Groups receive two custom magic items.

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Mass Teleport Ring

This ring was developed by the Dragon Consortium and is only given as a gift to Dragon Groups when they join the organization. At will, the ring will teleport up to 12 people (plus mounts, familiars, and animal companions) as per the greater teleport spell.

The procedure for using the ring is a multiple step process. The first person wanting to teleport puts the ring on a finger and then removes it. The second person wanting to teleport takes the ring and repeats the same procedure. This process continues until everyone to be teleported has put on and removed the ring. The final step is to return the ring to the first person, who puts on the ring a second time, causing the ring to activate, teleporting the group to the location selected by this first person, as per the spell.

The ring is considered a Fate Item as per the Woldian rules. It does not count against the number of rings a person can use. It functions three times per day. It has been known to be foiled by certain anti-teleportation effects. It cannot be used for transport to other dimensions. Teleporting from the North Continent to the South Continent is problematic with this item, but maybe not impossible via a waystop on an equatorial island.

This item was written by Jerry and approved with changes by Cayzle, 22 March 2007.

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Dragon Consortium Ring of Communication

This ring allows quiet communication with other people. You can whisper messages and receive whispered replies with little chance of being overheard.

Just think about the person or people you want to receive the message -- pick all ring wearers or a subset of them. They will hear you, so long as they are also wearing a Dragon Ring of Communication. You do not know if your message was received unless the recipient offers an acknowledgement.

The item functions when worn, and does not need to be activated. Whispering a brief message is a free action.

When you whisper, the whispered message is audible to all targeted creatures within range, that is, within continental distances and on the same plane. Magical silence and certain dimensional barriers may block communication, but physical barriers do not do so. Line of sight is not required. A deaf wearer can speak but not listen; a mute wearer can listen but not speak.

A Dragon Ring of Communication transmits sound, not meaning. It doesn’t transcend language barriers. As a magic ring, it occupies a ring slot when active. It can be removed so that some other ring can be used, but it does not function unless worn.

Each ring is individually made for a particular individual. It cannot be removed through sleight of hand or disarm attempts. If somehow removed without consent, or in any case, if seperated by more than 20 feet from its owner, it sounds an alarm that all other Dragon Ring wearers in range can hear. The alarm is a soft but demanding tone that only other ring-wearers can hear, and which does not interfere with conversation. The alarm sounds for 24 hours and then stops.

Although appearances vary, these rings are usually forged of a precious metal in the shape of a dragon in profile, with a gem for an eye. Usually all rings of a given Dragon group look identical. NPC rulers of certain states and other powerful people may have received these rings as gifts from the Dragon Consortium.

Woldian Dragon-Class Heroes generally keep their rings even after they retire. The vanishingly rare Dragon Hero who quits or is expelled from the Consortium usually relinquishes his or her ring voluntarily, rather than be subjected to the humiliation of being rendered helpless and stripped of the ring by force. Similarly, rulers and Consortium friends generally give back their rings when they leave power, although some exceptions might be made for rulers in exile and people who are special friends of the Consortium.

Strong abjuration; CL 20th. This is a Fate Item that cannot be sold or bought. The method of the rings' manufacture is a closely held Consortium secret.

This item was approved by Cayzle and Jerry on 1 May 2007.