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usually at the cost of protecting the weak. Good dragons
show concern for the well-being of all those under their
rule, while evil dragons focus only on their own power base.
Morally neutral dragons frequently care only for their private
pursuits, while ethically neutral dragons use whatever idea
or system best furthers their own goals.
On a large scale, typical dragon overlords act much the
same as formidable wizards or mighty warriors who happen
to be rulers. Despite their vast personal power, they cannot be
in multiple places at once (though being able to fly does cut
down on travel time), and so they delegate many responsibilities
to underlings. If possible, dragon overlords find weaker
dragons to fill these subordinate positions. They believe that
only other dragons can understand and implement their
laws and goals, but then again, they don’t want to give too
much political power to potential usurpers. It’s not unusual
for an older dragon to recruit its younger children for such
roles, though this turn of events can lead to the same kind
of dynastic conflict seen with humanoid rulers.
Due to their extremely long life spans, dragons can make
very far-reaching plans. A dragon overlord sees the difficulties
its kingdom suffers over centuries and is willing to spend centuries
fixing those problems. Massive projects—giant dams
or irrigation canals, aqueducts, walled cities (or countries),
artificial islands or mountains, clearing a vast wilderness for
farming, and the like—might span generations of humanoid
workers, but dragon kings can ensure they keep toiling for
the betterment of their grandchildren. By the same token,
tyrants can drive their subjects to work on vanity projects for
just as long. An evil dragon overlord might force thousands
of peasants to spend their lives building a temple, tomb, or
astrological observatory that benefits no one but itself. It’s
easy for a dragon that controls a kingdom for centuries to
arrange for structures that rival real-world marvels such as
the pyramids of Egypt or the Great Wall of China.
However, their singular vision and great self-confidence
also makes these overlords susceptible to massive failures
of reason or planning. A dragon ruler that doles out harsh
punishments for trivial offenses might oppress its people for
so long that it crushes their spirit. The monarch dismisses
arguments and pleas from its subjects as naive complaints
from lesser beings who can’t hope to live long enough to see
the big picture. Similarly, a dragon that thinks its kingdom
would be better off with more temples than farms, or with
vast stockpiles of weapons rather than emergency stores of
grain, can use its power to accomplish these ends—to the
detriment of all.
Still, most dragons are intelligent enough to see the ill effects
of poor planning. A benevolent dragon overlord might
seem harsh, distant, or greedy, but it also protects its people
from invaders and other threats, not to mention their own
failings. A gold dragon duke might order its subjects to clad
its lair in sheets of pure gold, stoking their discontent because
it considers such ornamentation a fitting tribute to
its long and magnificent rule. But when supplies run short,
the dragon stops work on its lair to help the people recover.
When blight or drought strike the land, the people give
thanks for the granaries and aquifers the dragon had their
forefathers build. And though they might not appreciate the
safety of living under such a powerful monarch, they would
miss that protection if their ruler left them to the ravages of
wild beasts and conquering armies.
Of course, not all dragons are perfect. Typical drakes are
mentally and physically superior to most creatures in their
domain, but some fall short of the ideal. To be effective and
tenacious rulers, they compensate for their failings with
different tactics and styles of rule, as discussed below.
DRAGON THUGS
Most dragons are highly developed mentally, with keen intellects,
vast wisdom, loads of personal magnetism, and access
to ancient lore. A red dragon is the equal of a typical human
in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma when it’s merely a
wyrmling, and as it matures, it surpasses even the wisest humanoid
sage. When such dragons set out to rule a territory,
they carefully consider how to maximize their advantages,
build a network of allies, and keep their foes off balance with
cunning deceptions. They use the same advanced political
techniques of experienced kings and community leaders,
backed with draconic might.
But not all dragons have this vast intellect at their disposal.
Until at least full adulthood, a typical white dragon
is actually inferior to a standard human in most mental
attributes. Among other dragons, such below-par intellect
is more common. Felldrakes, while good-hearted and loyal,
lack advanced cognitive abilities. Sea drakes have a great
deal of leadership ability but aren’t significantly smarter
than a typical sailor. Numerous other drakes (such as abyssal,
earth, fire, magma, ooze, and water drakes) and a few
other dragons (including rust dragons and hill, plains, and
tundra landwyrms) just aren’t terribly smart even at full
maturity. When seeking to become overlords of a territory,
these dragons must rely on brute force much more than
their cannier cousins.
It’s important to remember that even these dragons aren’t
“dumb” in any normal sense of the word. They are cunning
in much the same way as animals and many magical beasts,
with keen senses and great stores of self-confidence. A rust
dragon might not have a vast vocabulary, speak multiple
languages, or be adept at learning or recovering lore, but it’s
still a thinking, rational creature able to spot traps, smell
out cheats, recognize foes, and remember what tactics have
worked in the past. Dragons with low Intelligence scores
treat most problems as barriers to be knocked down rather
than puzzles to be solved.
The two major differences between dragon thugs and other
dragon overlords are scale and organization. Dragon thugs
rarely try to take over more territory then they personally
can cover in two weeks. For winged dragons, this can still
be a considerable expanse, but it won’t include far-off lands
or colonies that must be run by underlings. A dragon thug
CHAPTER 5
DRACONIC
CAMPAIGNS
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