dragon-magic-oef

to limiting the political, magical, or economic influence of
all dragons also exist. To some scholars, the very existence
of dragons—even those of good alignment—is a threat to
the freedom and self-determination of any lesser race.
AFFILIATIONS
This section presents three affiliations bent on studying,
defeating, or aiding dragons: the First Scroll, the Harrowers,
and the Shadow’s Fangs. The format follows the one
introduced in Player’s Handbook II, which gives specific
information regarding the type, scale, and
benefits and duties of members. That
book also outlines more draconic
affiliations, including Dragon Island
and The One and the Five. However,
Dungeon Masters need not own Player’s
Handbook II or employ those additional
rules in order to use the three organizations
below. You can easily work them
into any campaign from the material
presented here; just ignore the tables
and the information on executive
powers.
The First Scroll
Heraldry: A curled dragonhide scroll,
unfurled just enough to see a single rune
(“magic”) of what is written within. It represents
the arcane secrets that members of
the First Scroll believe dragons originally
discovered and, in many cases, are still
keeping hidden. Members often use similar
imagery in their own heraldry and symbols,
though never exactly the same dragonhide scroll.
Background, Goals, and Dreams: Though it is an ancient
scholarly organization, the First Scroll thinks of itself as a
group of newcomers. Members seek to explore the nature of
magic (especially arcane magic), its connection to dragonkind,
and how it came into the hands of other races—subject
matter that draws on events from eons past. They firmly
believe that dragons either created or are the source of all
arcane magic, and to truly understand such energy, they
must know its origins. Their name comes from the idea of
the first scroll of arcane magic ever created. Many members
believe this legendary item is a true artifact used by dragons
to pass their lore on to other races.
The First Scroll has its roots in scholarly debate between
wizards and sorcerers regarding the nature of arcane magic.
Lengthy discussions between the two groups involved the fact
that sorcerers and bards seem to learn arcane spells instinctively,
while wizards must spend weeks of careful study to
achieve the same result. In time, the theory was proposed that
wizardry and sorcery were two branches of the original arcane
magic, which at one time existed in an undiluted form. As
Emblem of the
First Scroll
this idea developed, the debaters put forth the notion of magic
that existed in draconic blood but that could be described in
scholarly terms. Inevitably, this thinking led to the question
of when such innate power was first codified in writing, which
led to the idea of the first arcane scroll, likely created by a
dragon. The idea was persuasive enough to convince a group
of sages and spellcasters to form an organization to attempt to
prove it. Driven by the image of the original arcane writing,
the group called itself the First Scroll.
Its ultimate goal is to find the original
source of magic and trace it from its
roots to the many uses and forms that
exist today. Members believe this
origin is closely linked to the history
of dragons, and that clues to its nature
can be found in the magical prowess
and powers of modern dragons, as well
as in ancient dragon history. Many within
the First Scroll see dragons as the arcane
version of gods, with deities passing down
divine magic and dragons passing down
arcane magic. Some members are more than
a bit fanatical about their theories, though
little evidence supports them. However, it is
undeniable that some connection between
dragons and magic exists, and the First
Scroll has successfully developed many
new spells and items in the pursuit of
its goal.
Members engage in various activities,
which are generally proposed by
small groups that set out on their own
rather than waiting for assignments to be
handed down by a ruling council. Most
commonly, members seek out books of lost lore, attempt to
engage ancient dragons in discussion, and perform experiments
to unify the magic of wizards, sorcerers, bards, and
dragonfire adepts. When a member believes he has made
a major discovery—such as a new application of magic,
an original copy of an ancient tome, or simply a new revelation
wrested from a dragon’s conversation—he writes a
paper on the subject and sends it to senior scholars of the
college. They review the paper, and if they find it worthy, it
is disseminated more widely in the ranks for further teaching
and study.
Enemies and Allies: First Scroll members consider themselves
neutral in all conflicts and claim they have no enemies.
Realistically, the First Scroll is no more immune to political
pressure, greed, and the expectations of an expanding
network of alliances than any other powerful organization.
The primary campus of the First Scroll must keep the nearby
religious and secular leaders happy, and so members often
undertake missions designed to further the goals of these
allies rather than advance their own research. By the same
token, the enemies of the local nobles and churches often
Illus. by M. Schley
CHAPTER 5
DRACONIC
CAMPAIGNS
141