Jungle Drake

Jungle Drakes are thought to be the lesser cousins of green dragons. It makes sense, especially when one takes into account their affinity for forest areas, as well as their natural cunning. This species of drake prefers to utilize ambush tactics to capture their prey, launching at it from atop the trees, not necessarily killing it on the spot, but rather taking it away to its lair to gnaw on it later.

Its abilities perfectly mirror this style. The drake, of course, has all the signature moves of its kin—Draconic Frenzy and Speed Surge—that allow for it to be more aggressive and get out of a sticky situation if need be. Besides that, it focuses on controlling the battlefield. The jungle drake has an attack of opportunity that can poison the target, its venom imparts the enfeebled status that makes it harder for their prey to escape the grapple the beast needs to carry them away.

So next time your party is trekking through a jungle, make sure they look up.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Wandering Wonders

Doctor Paracelsus' Cabinet of Curiosities is in town! The self-proclaimed physician boasts an impressive collection indeed, all described on a fancy flyer he gives out on any occasion.

Visit Paracelsus' exhibition of wonders!

See the legendary giant wondersmiths of the far northern reaches at work! The famed snakedancers from the sunken temples! Patty the Singing Parrot! Behold the sight of a real Philosopher's Stone and see it turn mercury into gold!*

And last but not least, behold a real-life green dragon, subdued by yours truly, a ravenous beast that laid waste to the great jungles of the south!

*Service provided at an additional cost.

Hook 2 (Reece) - Six Kings War

Deep within the Hidden Isles are the remains of a fractured continent. When the world nearly ended the last time, the small landmass was cracked apart, splintering the once-great Seven Kingdoms Alliance. With the loss of the most powerful of the Seven, Nukaan, the six remaining kingdoms have remained isolated from one another for several generations.

When the seas finally ceased boiling and travel was safe between the kingdoms, the people of the Six Kingdoms found themselves living in an isle of strangers. Differences in interests and cultural divides created a rift between the jungle islands who are now locked in a periodic civil war that threatens to destroy them all.

The Umakaan, seeking some upper hand against its neighboring cities, have found a way to leverage the local wildlife to their advantage. Their isle is both the largest and the most hostile, home to creatures much larger than anywhere else in the isles. Tek'uma, the Archdruid of War, has finally found a way to tame the most dangerous of all the local beasts—the jungle drake. Now armed with the power of flight, the Umakaan have become the greatest power of the Six Kingdoms, and their prowess may be enough to unite the other kingdoms, either with or against them...

Hook 3 (TJ) - Hungry Hungry Hippogriff

The Isles of Matridos are home to many creatures that enjoy more tropical climates. Chief among them is the yellow-throated striped hippogriff. A cross between a toucan and an okapi, the yellow-throated striped hippogriff is difficult to miss. As they fly through the trees to gather fruits or rustle through the underbrush to eat foliage, they make an interesting sight. It's difficult to imagine that the island has enough to feed these large avian creatures.

The local gillmen think that this hippogriff variant is bad luck, and this is far from general superstition. The yellow-throated striped hippogriff is a favored meal of the drakes that inhabit the Isles. Many hunting parties have returned empty-handed with fewer numbers than they left with. Some of the gillmen swear the drakes could be reasoned with, but few are willing to attempt it, and of those few, none have succeeded.

Ice Linnorm

Linnorms occupy an interesting niche, being considered dragons, but at the same time being a distinct set of creatures of their own. With a breadth of folk stories regarding them, there is no shortage of inspiration to draw from. The Bestiary takes note of this—just look at the sidebars regarding kings slaying linnorms to claim their birthright or the great beasts laying a curse with their dying breath.

Not as intelligent as traditional dragons, these two-legged slithering monstrosities represent a more primordial threat—not one that should be taken lightly. They occupy the hostile areas of northern regions of the world where they reign supreme.

Let us look at the Ice Linnorm for today's example. It can crawl (35 ft.), fly (100 ft.), and swim (40 ft.). This alone is quite impressive, though when you consider that the linnorm is always under the effects of freedom of movement, it becomes even more so. An unstoppable force. Access to true sight means that it is considerably harder to get a jump on the bugger. When it comes to offensive capabilities, it's no pushover either. It has 3 melee attacks, all with a reach ranging from 20 to 25 ft., all of which deal considerable damage. Its attack of opportunity has an incredible range with its tail strike, alongside raw power from its jaws that can inflict Ice Linnorm Venom—a nasty thing in its own right. Of course, being a dragon, it also has access to Breath Weapon—a 60 ft. cone of freezing ooze that not only does a lot of damage, but can also immobilize targets (and, while immobilized, the target takes even more cold damage!). One would be inclined to think that the problems end with killing the damn thing; that couldn't be further from the truth. Once slain, an ice linnorm's parting gift comes in the form of Curse of Frost.

All in all, a pretty solid contender for a legendary creature the roaming frozen wastes of the far north, wouldn't you agree?

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Scourge of the Golden Hall

The Grand Golden Hall of King Arnhast is said to be one of the greatest wonders of this world, its ruler allegedly being the richest man in the world. He built his keep far to the north, carving a great hall in the mountains and has it guarded night and day.

Just as legendary as his treasury is the king's greed, for there are many stories of his unwillingness to part with even a single coin that he considers his—a vice that has made him many enemies over the years and continues to do so to this very day.

Something is amiss in the Golden Hall, though. No one has heard from it in a long time and none of the emissaries sent there have returned. It won't take long before some vagabonds are either hired to see what's happening or take interest themselves.

Stepping into The Hall through a long and vast bridge—its first line of defense—one will easily spot dozens of frozen corpses scattered about. The gate is found hanging on its hinges, seemingly busted open from the inside. An unnatural cold permeates the air, regardless of the time of year, and the inside of the keep is a scene of ravenous and indiscriminate slaughter. It looks like some enormous beast has wreaked havoc upon this place. Should you look for the body of the ruler of The Hall, you couldn't find it, as he is, in fact, the one responsible. The king's love of gold has finally turned him into a monster whose love of gold rivals his own.

The fortress goes deep, deep underground, interconnected by a network of spacious tunnels that are unfortunately big enough to accommodate Arnhast's new, monstrous form. He now spends most of his days sleeping on top of his majestic treasury, guarding it with his very life, only occasionally stalking the corridors of his once-proud domain.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Shivering Simon

The creaking of a rocking chair punctuates the crackling of the hearth at the Last Oasis. Despite the fact that this tavern is in the middle of a desert, the innkeeper keeps the fire crackling day in and day out, creating a swelteringly hot common room. Sitting in the chair next to this affront on homeostasis is Shivering Simon, a wrinkled human well into his seventies. 

As if the fire wasn't enough, Simon—dripping sweat—peers out from beneath a layer of blankets and a homespun sweater. For a mug of (hot) cider, Simon will tell you stories of his life as an adventurer. At the end of a long night of libations, Simon will finally be willing to tell the story of how he got to where he is. With a distant look, he relates the tale of his fateful night slaying a gruesome, icy, draconic beast. The last one standing in his adventuring party, Simon dealt the death blow after what felt like hours of brutal combat. The curse he received still haunts him to this day. All of his wealth gained from adventuring has been spent on trying to avoid the bone-chilling cold that he's never been able to shake, but it's starting to run out...

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Old Boombreath

Old Boombreath, a volcano in the Mixotixican archipelago, is a place where three planes converge—the plane of fire, the plane of earth, and the mortal plane.

For the immortal denizens of the elemental planes, this makes it a battlefront, where they clash in violent combat time and time again.

For the islanders, this makes it the biggest source of their income—the fallen elementals leave heaps of riches behind, and the archipelago has become a popular trading hub where adventurers from afar come to seek scavenged goods.

Unfortunately for both the elementals and the islanders, the crater has recently become the nesting ground of an ancient wyrm. Oddly enough, the old wyrm seems to be a creature of elemental frost. Even more oddly, when actually exposed to frost magic—even that of its own making—it seems to back away.

A deeper investigation might uncover the fact that the ice linnorm has in fact slain another of its kind. It now suffers the effects of a curse of frost, making its own existence a constant and everpresent agony.

Green Dragon

Most inclined towards conversation with other beings amongst their kin, Green Dragons are famed as scholars and keepers of lore. This immediately makes them a very useful tool in any GM's arsenal - if your party needs some piece of information, it is very likely that a Green has it. How they'll go around convincing the beast to give it up is where the fun begins.

It is important to bear in mind that these creatures are intolerant of foolish behavior, as the bestiary notes. The spectrum of what constitutes a "fool" for them is quite broad. If you bring some valuable knowledge in exchange, they may be inclined to help you out.

Somewhat obviously, Green Dragons like to take up their residence in forests of all kinds, proclaiming themselves their protectors and sole cultivators. This is an important thing to keep in mind when talking with them, or speaking as them in the GM's case.

In battle, the Green is no pushover; it is a dragon, after all. The Twisting Tail reaction is a great way to keep characters nearby, or at the very least waste their movement. The traditional combo of Breath Weapon, Draconic Frenzy, and Draconic Momentum is also there to remind your party why they, by all accounts, should be wary of these huge monsters. In forests, Greens greatly benefit from their Woodland Stride. Ensuring that Greens are surrounded by thick foliage and underbrush for combat can help maximize the use of the ability and remind the players that they are the Green's domain. Adults take it a step further with Trackless Step, making them particularly difficult to follow or see signs of while grounded. Ancients make their Breath Weapon even nastier with Miasma, which not only creates a wonderful aura of toxin around them but also effectively hides them from sight.

As with all dragons, Greens have also some innate spells, focusing mostly on mind control that can be used both in and out of combat. Do not forget that many dragons, by default, can shapeshift and cast other spells as they live very, very long and have ample time to learn a great many skills.

Hook 1 (Max) - The Verdant Sage

Sophist Wood is home to incredible and numerous marvels, prime among them being its undisputed ruler - an ancient dragon known by many names. Merchants who have to traverse the forest, paying considerable tithes, labeled her the Scourge of Pockets or the Benevolent Tyrant, whilst her subjects speak of their sovereign as the Verdant Sage.

The dragon is very old, even amongst her kin, and lusts primarily after two things - being left in peace and expanding her collection of knowledge. The former is maintained by her longstanding presence in the wood. This has granted her swathes of faithful followers willing to serve her, from animals she awakened intelligence in, to dragon knights swearing their loyalty, and even sycophantic drakes who wish to emulate her interests. The latter is achieved by the contributions made by any travelers that wish to traverse the woods. Many make these contributions quite happily as the road is safe, guarded, and leads straight to the mercantile heart of the region.

The Sage herself prefers to seclude herself in her study, having amassed extensive knowledge in a plethora of subjects. This expertise has made her a well sought-out advisor, a service she provides only to those whose case seems interesting enough for her tastes. Her residence, the Green Palace, was crafted using ancient magics and the forest itself. It is a grand, living mansion grown out of the forest floor, vast and enormous with roots forming miles of dungeon-like root caves beneath the entire forest.

Although quite proud of her draconic form, she will oftentimes assume a humanoid shape, an elven woman of fair features clad in a green robe with golden embroidery. Books are often easier to read that way.

Though she is a scholar, at the end of the day she is still a dragon. Should one find themselves in the unfortunate event of facing the Sage in battle, they would also expect all sorts of nastiness coming their way. The faithful adherents of her domain pale in comparison to the sheer might of the living walls of the Green Palace. The menagerie of magical artefacts and items she has accrued in addition to a great many spells she has mastered over her long life all render her a powerful and capable foe.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Deep Rooted Information

The roots of the mangrove tree at the heart of the Murkriver Expanse grow much farther than anyone could have imagined, having stretched across several kingdoms and territories. Gulvantrel's draconic wiles and a pinch of druidic power have helped her take advantage of this vast pre-existing network. With a small infusion of magicks, Gulvantrel can cause voices to carry through the roots. Her lair at the base of the tree serves as a massive information hub, and trading in tidbits and rumors has made her quite rich. Any of her information trading partners that grow too close to finding out her true identity or location end up choking on a torrent of poison from the sky, a streak of green scales the last thing they see. The people that replace these unfortunates have learned to ask fewer questions.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - The Ego of the Intellectual

After a thousand years of cordial rivalry, the green dragon Sutrilach has decided to pursue the identity of his intellectual adversary The Verdant Savant. The Savant, an anonymous interlocutor, has openly opposed many philosophical stances Sutrilach has put forth under his own pen name, Scalabus Smaragdus. He wouldn't admit it if asked, but it seems the dragon's vanity is starting to get the better of him.

A group of investigators hired by Sutrilach's proxies uncovers the identities behind both pen names - revealing the fact that the Great Wyrm's secret intellectual rival is also his uneasy ally, the Elven High King Latristoteles.
Both are known for their massive yet fragile egos, but as fate would have it their alliance is the only thing keeping the machinations of the industrialist, fascist, ever-expanding Imperium of Humanity out of Deepwood. Given that fact, the handling of that intel suddenly becomes an incredibly delicate matter...

Gold Dragon

What sets apart a dragon from any other big scary monster? Its ability to fly, or to breathe fire? These are no doubt attributes that come to mind when you think about them, but this is only half of the story. For what makes a dragon not just an oversized lizard is its intelligence, which in turn leads to other capacities stemming from that attribute - a fondness of, or at least the capability for, social discourse in addition to the ability to plan, scheme, and learn.

Gold Dragons are a fine example of this, as they are regarded to be the paragons of metallic dragons; they are respected by all of their cousins and are said to rival even the might of their chromatic counterparts. Despite their raw power, one of the Golds' greatest joys is that of conversation - a delight they are willing to partake in even with the most unlikely of interlocutors. This rises from their innate need to fully assess any situation they find themselves in.

Given their natural affinity for insight, a lot of other metallic dragons oftentimes turn to their golden brethren in times of need. Unfortunately, Gold Dragons' predilection toward dwelling on philosophical quandaries might make them somewhat unreliable in that department. Still, they are a great source of knowledge and wisdom, should one feel inclined to seek one out, which may prove no easy feat.

However gentle in character they may appear, a dragon remains a dragon. As such, you do not want to face them in battle. Most of their melee attacks have a reach of 10 ft., something to keep in mind when a character tries to get the hell out of dodge and forgets the dragon can make attacks of opportunity. Of course, this isn't where the real threat comes from, is it? A Gold Dragon's breath weapon is a nasty little thing, for even an adolescent beast has good reach and deals considerable damage, not to mention the ability to change its effect to enfeeble. Add to that its Draconic Frenzy, with high crit potential due to its capability to dish out many attacks, in addition to Draconic Momentum, you quickly realize that it can breathe fire more often than it would seem at first glance. The older a Gold gets, the harder it will prove to kill - Adults get the Golden Luck reaction, which can effectively ruin any caster's day, while Ancients get 2 reactions.

But that's just regular dragon stuff, isn't it? All Golds have some innate spells, detect alignment being a particularly interesting one. Let us suppose that your party is actually not that good, perhaps they are outwardly evil. The dragon will know. Add to that the fact that, as mentioned before, the big lizards live for a ridiculous amount of time, during which they can learn many things and an idea comes - why not give the thing some more fun and interesting magics? The Bestiary offers some good choices, but good is the keyword here. There is no reason why one of them couldn't research spells of a more nefarious nature, is there not? If you consider that technically **all** dragons can shapeshift, the possibilities suddenly become endless.

Hook 1 (Max) - The Golden Terror

"One hundred thousand crowns for the head of the Golden Terror," exclaims the herald standing in the center of a plaza. The surrounding edges seem to have been scorched by some recent fire.

One Eye, more commonly referred to as the Golden Terror, was driven mad millennia ago. Some theorize he was once a benevolent soul whose madness consumed him after some great betrayal, likely conducted by humans, given his hatred for them.

The dragon is enormous, his scales thicker and more resilient than any armor. His breath melts stone and his razor-sharp claws tear into anything they within reach. The right side of the beast's head is covered in an enormous scar, his eye socket emptied by the long-forgotten blow.

One Eye has made his lair in the bowels of the nearby mountain range, deep within a network of massive caverns connected by vast tunnels. He does not hoard treasure, as he does not care for it. When he lost his mind, he also lost his capacity for anything that isn't rage-fueled slaughter, though he has proven again and again that he can be disturbingly cunning as he dispatches hosts of soldiers and mercenaries sent his way with alarming ease. Allegedly, he enjoys ranting to his prey and teasing them from the hidden depths of his domain before emerging and devouring them.

Hook 2 (Max) - Pots o' Gold

When stepping into the city of Golden Grove, one might spot a suspicious and utter lack of gold. It's not even the ornaments of temples or other important buildings, but even coins and jewelry. Any traveler entering the area with any gold on their person whatsoever is promptly asked to exchange it for silver and gemstones. Resistance is ill-advised.

This is peculiar behavior, to say the least. What is driving the townsfolk to do this? The answer is quite simple.

And big.

Her name is Rahastra, the self-proclaimed Golden Queen. She believes that her scales are the most golden of golds and thus demands all valuable metals that might challenge her are to be given to her so that she can make sure nothing in the world is more vibrantly gilded than she. Of course, she provides ample compensation in the form of silver, gemstones, art pieces, weapons, magic, and even knowledge, depending on the size of the contribution.

If someone were to fail to deliver this gold to her, she may take it personally, believing that finally there was something that could outshine her majesty. That she cannot suffer, so much so that she will take any steps to hunt down any such treasures. Obviously, thanks to her immense and nearly unimaginable wealth and knowledge, she has a lot of nasty tricks up her sleeve beyond just breathing fire.

For what good is treasure if it lays about unused?

Hook 3 (TJ) - The Darkness of Dawn

Sun'zam'ei'thek, the Brightness of Ten Thousand Dawns, the Glint of the Grainlands, is unapproachable. This is not metaphorical in nature. While His High Brightness can often be seen circling above the Grainlands, imbuing a sense of safety and hope in those that farm there, attempting to get closer to him proves to be impossible. One can walk for miles and miles attempting to draw nearer to the majesty of this golden dragon's circling form only to turn and find you've gone no distance at all.

This does not mean that the gold dragon is not present in the lives of those around him, quite the contrary. He regularly intervenes and mediates in the squabbles of the farmers, whether they be land disputes or even disagreements over the validity of bits of trivia shared at the bars late at night. In between these appearances, Sun'zam'ei'thek drifts upon the winds, wheeling about seemingly random patches of farmland, lost in thought.

One morning, when the farmers of the Grainlands rise to tend the fields, His High Brightness is nowhere to be seen; the familiar and bright gleaming of his scales is not visible in the light of the dawn. A search party has gone out, scouring every farm and valley for head or scale of Sun'zam'ei'thek, but they've found nothing. All of them agree, though, that the winter's chill is already on the winds, months ahead of when it should be.

Hook 4 (Reece) - Sundrinker

When there was darkness, I was made Light. At the Dawn of time, I was given breath, born at the epicenter of a blazing sun, drinking of its nectar. Before the ages of Elf, Giant, or Man, I was given life. My charge to guard The Paths, a sacred oath ne'er broken.

From that blazing sun, I forged my kin, though they shant call me their god, as I am only the hand by which their forms were given life. When Giant, and Elf, and Man came, I welcomed them with knowledge and kindness, their squabbles far beneath my charge to guard The Paths.

When The One swore himself and his people to my cause, I saw then that my watch was did not have to be alone, as we all must guard that which binds everything to one.

I claim myself as Bek-Ra-Ai, The Sundrinker, named King of Dragons. To you, Toordan-Na-Sech, I charge thee guard me in my slumber so that when I am needed, I may be called upon for battle. I name you the First to sit at the Sunclaw Seat, a Watcher of The Paths. Rouse me when I am needed, and I will come.

Such is the duty of the Sunclaw until The Paths are sealed.

Quoted from the "Toordani speaking tablet". It appears a piece of stone with ancient glyphs or runes that approximate an ancient form of the dragon's language. Displaced Toordani soothsayers tell me that The Sunclaw is some kind of mortal king tasked with rousing the ancient dragon from his pyramid during a great time of need.

Hoping we don't need him considering the capital where his temple was located appears to have sunk into the sea over a thousand years ago.

Frost Drake

Related to white dragons, Frost Drakes display malice and cruelty rivalling that of their distant relatives. Their innate bloodlust may lead them into suicidal rages, as it is not unheard of for a single one of them to attack a town on its own; reticent to back down even when severely wounded.

Dwelling in frozen wastes, their scales most often take on a hue ranging from white to navy, veins bulging beneath their thin hide may give a Frost Drake a frail appearance, however to underestimate one is most unwise.

As Frost Drakes are accustomed to constant blizzards, they can move through them with expertise, their vision not obscured by snow, their ability to burrow through snowdrifts allowing for setting up nasty traps. Their signature Freezing Mist Breath can ruin anyone's day, with its considerable range and damage, as well as creating a patch of difficult terrain, it becomes quite a tool in harassing players who find themselves either out of position or clustered too close together.

Hook 1 (Max) - Frozen Horror
The blizzard is bearing down on you relentlessly; white clouds of snow obscure your vision, the cold siphons away your strength, and the deafening wind echoes around the gaping chasm below you. The cliffside you traverse would be a nerve-wracking journey even for the most hearty traveler.

Despite the hardships, you plant one foot in front of the other, pushing onward until you trip on something buried beneath the sleet. Upon inspection, it's revealed to be a partially-devoured, ice-covered head. Frozen gore spouts from its left side, while the intact half bears an expression of frozen horror that seems to bore straight into you.

Then you hear it, breaking through howl of the storm. A steady beating of wings, approaching faster by the second. Fear of the soul-tearing shriek is an odd comfort in contrast to the blast of bone-tearing cold that follows.

Hook 2 (Reece) - The Curse of Jurdenhast
The fjords of Jurdenhast are one of the most hostile environs in the world. It's said, far beyond the unforgiving cliffs of Yngrim, that the ancient ruins of a long forgotten people lie untouched and full of treasures long forgotten in the ice. Should you find yourself brave enough, with the proper crew or guide, an expedition into the ruins could be quite fruitful, provided you survive Yngrim's Cursed Guardians.

These Frost Drakes, forever cursed by an ancient Oracle to guard the ruins so long as they live, take to ambushing unsuspecting adventurers from the deep snow banks that cloak the skeletal remains of the once-great city.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - The Edge of the World
The Great Ice Wall At The End Of The World has drawn the attention of mankind for at least as long as writing has existed, and probably far longer.

Sadly, any daredevil insane enough to try scaling the three hundred and thirty-three feet-high structure is swiftly dealt with by the dozens of frost drakes nesting in the wall. The drakes seem unnaturally docile when the wall remains unbothered and stories of them appearing from the other side of the wall with with what appear to be fresh kills only fuel the mystic appeal of whatever lies beyond.

Flame Drake

Flame Drakes, despite being being considerably smaller and less intelligent than their draconic cousins, may still prove a formidable foe, especially for those that underestimate them. They display a fondness for valuables, though they lack the faculties to differ real treasure from mere shiny trinkets. These hoards of theirs tend to be a mixture of junk and riches.

Typically, Flame Drakes seclude themselves to volcanos, though they can nonetheless dwell in other environs; typically forests or the surrounding hills. What they lack in size, intellect and cunning, they make up for in numbers, forming vicious hunting packs. This, combined with their territorial and violent tendencies, can make them a threat to towns and caravans alike.
 
Their abilities grant them considerable mobility and a myriad of possibilities to harass the party. Despite not appearing to be the most dangerous creature for a low to mid-level party, Speed Surge and Fireball Breath can be used to great effect against less mobile players.

Hook 1 (Reece) - The Smokeless Coast
The Smokeless Coast did not earn its name through the hearsay of wandering travelers. Amongst the rocky shores cannons and muskets, cookfires, and even torches might draw the attention of the local fauna. Fire made by other lesser creatures is seen as an affront to these jealous beings. Should the players find themselves traveling by land or sea, keeping fires from being lit can serve as a easy way for those in the know to bypass an encounter entirely. The bold or the stupid might forego safety to instead draw the beasts in and hunt them for valuable materials.

Hook 2 (Max) - The Trio
"The road ain't safe no more, mister" says the old farmer, if questioned as to why their town is in such disarray.

The reason for this soon becomes obvious to anyone investigating the tract; burnt remains of carts and, occasionally, people, litter the path ahead. Should anyone linger for too long, a single, scar-covered drake attacks them, that may shortly be joined by a second. If the resistance proves fierce enough, the beasts quickly withdraw to their nest, where a third lies in wait.

The trio came here a couple months ago, driven from their previous home by an eruption. They found themselves a nice niche to fill, as the local fauna was not accustomed to hunters so ferocious. Both the people and the creatures weren't prepared for the onslaught they brought. As such, the corpses littering the area surrounding the cave they nest in grows ever larger, along with the hoard of trinkets and valuables they steal from any unfortunate travelers they happen upon.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Ol' Ember Eye
Ol' Ember Eye is the closest thing the half dozen magical beasts and monsters calling Cozydale Forrest have to a leader.

A veteran of many fights (most notably the one that left him without his left eye), this venerable flame drake is painfully aware how easily he would be outclassed if trouble ever came to Cozydale. To that end, he has convinced a local tribe of goblins to start bringing him dry wood, coal, lamp oil, and other flammable material as offerings. His lair, though covered with countless minor riches, is now a volatile labyrinth that can erupt into smoke and fire on a moment's notice, should anyone intrude.

Faerie Dragon

Faerie Dragons, though often (not without reason) typecast as good-willed tricksters, offer many thematic lanes of approach. They might...

- Foreshadow the obsessive, narcissistic tendencies of greater dragons,
- Sum up the chaotic, almost maddeningly fickle, attitude of fey.
- They may even serve as a reminder for players that they aren't in Westeros anymore.

Faerie Dragons are distinctly non-humanoid creatures that are statistically predisposed toward a social encounter role; a type of encounter I personally find really enjoyable for immersing new players into the game(s). This offers many different potential options for use.

Hook 1 (Reece) - Tiny Tithe

 
The tiny farming village of Brish hosts a lavender festival in the heart of summer to celebrate the longest day of the year. The players may find themselves starting their adventure here or they might stop by on the way to another location during the holiday. While enjoying the merriment and chaos of the occasion (in addition to partaking in the local refreshments), the local Lord Gittonham has taken it upon himself to collect his "Noble Tithe" while everyone is in one place. A local cat (the Faerie Dragon in disguise!) pipes up to ask the players for their help in putting a stop to the scheme.

Hook 2 (TJ) - A Blissful Rest

Blissful Rest is a bar of sorts on the outskirts of Riddlesborough, widely renown as the most calm "bar" in the area. Guards don't bother patrolling that far, as a bar fight has never broken out. Rumor has it that it's actually impossible to fight within its bounds; the very air itself seems to ooze euphoria. Those who select the all-day care package available also receive a guarantee of the best night's sleep they've ever had. Any questions about the nature of possible enchantment or exactly what goes on in the Blissful Rest gets a knowing, almost draconic, smile from its owner, The Matron.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Unlikely Assistant

A group of mercenaries looking for a runaway princess (and heiress apparent to the Golden Kingdom) stumbles upon an unlikely witness - a Faerie Dragon prankster who obsessively collects psychic impressions of his "victims". The mischievous miscreant conveniently claims to have pranked the princess a full two weeks after she was last seen.

Obtaining the information from him, quite naturally as he often notes, involves completing a series of increasingly bizarre and ludicrous tasks.

Hook 4 (Max) - The Emperor

 
According to the locals, you'd do wise to avoid the nearby Emperor's Grove- lest you want to pay him his due.

Setting out into the area, a few things become immediately distinct:

• A myriad of small altars laid with offerings of all kinds (though mostly gold is present)
• Trinkets and baubles seemingly left and forgotten
• Torches set in a circle around a stone pedestal.

Stepping into the circle, you hear a thundering, omnipresent voice that exclaims:

"Who dares enter my domain? Pay your tithe to the grand emperor!"

Should anyone listen to the command and place a gift for the emperor on one of the many altars, the "emperor" speaks again:

"The emperor accepts your offering! Go now in peace."

The visitor finds themselves drowsy thereafter, seemingly content with the emperor's approval.

Dragon turtle

Look at this thing. It has positive modifiers in each of the mental stats. Please, please, please, don't treat it as just an aquatic beast. It can be so, so much more.

Ships transporting magical components and alchemical goods between the coasts of Dardagos and Nuova Zbriglandia have been disappearing. An expedition under the lead of Captain Karamarkos will yield a disturbing truth - Zgrulla, an ancient dragon turtle, has began amassing wealth. Apparently, she dreams of flying across the skies like true dragons, and is paying an entire tribe of sea devil witchers an exorbitant sum of money to conduct a ritual that would give her wings. If the ritual is stopped, she flies into a murderous rage - but less vengefully minded sailors might aid the ritual, earning her gratitude, and the knowledge of the unexplored, riches and adventures filled Blodmoon archipelago.

Several years ago, lord Asmint got what he thought was a snapping turtle for his garden pond. When the reptile started becoming too large for the pool, he ordered his slaves to release it into the glades right outside the city. The slaves, in their laziness, actually released the turtle into a nearby sewer pit.
Several years have passed, and the "Sewer Dragon" has grown as large as a horse - though its size is somewhat stunted by the confines of the space it resides in. With an urge it doesn't understand - one for the open sea - making it nervous and agitated, the reptile now plots revenge against its former captor. Anyone wandering the sewers risks getting forcefully recruited into its war effort.

The treasure of the pirate Ysgarr contained, among other things, the Eye of Storms. The famed gem turned out to contain the wild magicks needed to undo a curse cast upon poor Ungar the Unlucky. Unfortunately, years back, before he became a professor at Port Lagrazza's university, a vain and egoistical dragon turtle named Plasmorasmus ate the pirate. Afterwards, the turtle had the pirate's treasure melted, and then poured over its armor. However, the mighty being has since gone "civilized" - holding lectures about marine wildlife and geography out of an amphitheater built around a dock. While moody and asocial, the professor is well loved in the port city - and scheming to steal a peace of his gilded armor won't get much support for Ungar and his friends.

Desert drake

 So. Basically, you take a blue dragon's lust for power, and you remove the mental capacity needed to understand such a yearning, and then splash in some sandworm shenanigans - and you got yourself a desert drake. Also happens to be the mightiest of the drakes (as of bestiary 2) at level 8.

A group of space-faring dracologists are on their most daunting task yet. Some illegal beast traffickers caused a major ecological disaster - they smuggled some duneworms from one desert planet to another. And yet, Kandallore doesn't have Malahar's native parasites that keep the worms from growing truly gigantic. As it stands, Kandallore's dessert drakes are facing extinction. While adult drakes are too big and ferocious to safely capture, the scientists are now tasked with finding, securing and extracting as many eggs and juveniles as they can - while avoiding giant worms and angry drake parents ready to dive out of the sand at every step.

The Flying Sand desert, a cursed and avoided location, is inhabited by a huge flock of desert drakes. The dark grey "sand" of the desert is actually fine iron dust, which keeps getting magnetized from all of the drakes electrical discharges - giving the locale its name. The drakes, for their part, are drawn to the accursed land like nowhere else - especially to the fabled central plateau, rumored to contain ancient technology. Unfortunately for them, that plateau is exactly where a shaman and his druid lover were foretold to have their last stand...

Most desert drakes stick to... well, deserts. Thundertooth has always been a clever girl though - she realized her electrically charged attacks became especially potent underwater. Thus, she became the tormentor of Dawnwater, a triton settlement in the shallows, just off the coast of Kali Gorya. The tritons try to send word to landlubbers and call for aid - but Thundertooth hunts all their messengers down. Finally, a group of triton youth are given magical bubbles of land breathing, and must venture forth into the weird, dry lands above, and stand up to their sadistic, draconic nemesis.

Crag linnorm

 Yesterday, we covered copper dragons, and as much as i hate to say it - good old mettalics and chromatics are beginning to feel a bit... mundane. If you want dragons that feel primal, destructive, alien, linnorms are where its at. Of them, the crag variety, while being the weakest one we got as of bestiary 2, might get some recognition - from its appearance in owlcat's pathfinder kingmaker video game.
Also, do note that while a crag linnorm speaks three languages, it has basically animal level intelligence.

Traditionally, when a chieftain of one of the Eleven Tribes of Evershore needs council, a shaman is sent to the Elvenspire. The ancient monolith is said to hold the collective knowledge of ancestors hidden within it, which the shamans access by falling asleep at its base, and having dream-visions. Several days ago, however, a monstrous, serpentine beast arrived from beyond the sea, coiled around the monolith and fell asleep. While its usually docile, whenever a shaman tries approaching it it flies into a violent rage, and three of the eleven sages already lay dead. As Times Of Trouble come ever closer, the shamans knowledge is needed more than ever, and unless a different source of power is found or the beast slain, the tribes are sure to perish.

After eating Gustaff Ustaff, the King of Narfleek, an ancient and vicious linnorm named Nagaytasha crowned herself the new queen. The ceremony itself was a perverse mockery of the land's tradition - yet noone dared raise their hand against the queen, as Narfleek was always ruled by fire and blood. However, word has come of the Sovereign, a mighty blue dragon monarch, offering her his hand in marriage. A draconic marriage, of course, is unheard of - but the Sovereign plays by the letter of the law, even as he mocks its spirit and intent. If the marriage comes into fruition, the Sovereign and his legion of blue-scaled Dragonborn grunts would gain a foothold on the last free continent, and would surely use it to stage a final invasion. A group of spies recruited from the ranks of the Last Alliance is tasked with using any means necessary to thwart the marriage.

Flametooth is the ancient, serpentine guardian of Hapthus's temple. Flametooth is also dying, after having guarded the temple for exactly a millennium. A temple guard and his young apprentices are tasked with finding a fresh crag linnorm egg to replace flametooth, and bringing it before the old beast succumbs to age - keeping up the charade that the temple's draconic guardian is truly immortal.

Copper dragon

 Copper dragons are essentially fairy dragons with an agenda. While threading on almost fey territory with their hedonistic approach to life and love of jokes, but their staunch, if easily misdirected moral compass is what sets them apart.

While dragons are wise and powerful, they aren't immune to indoctrination. While investigating ways to combat a dwarven lich king, a group of would-be heroes end up facing his top enforcer - a young copper dragon, convinced from hatching that tyranny and lordship over the weak are virtues. While battling him remains a (risky, bordering on suicidal) option, if swayed he could make for an exceptional ally.

A venerable copper dragon is throwing a massive party in the city's keep. The party is supposed to be a masquerade, and there's a prize - those who divine the draconic patron's identity will be given riches beyond measure.
While that is certainly true, the great wyrm also plans to recrtuit the five most successful investigators from the crowd - and with or without their consent, transport them to the city of Tarabath, where he needs help thwarting the plans of a secret society of shapeshifters.

An accomplished gang of mage-criminals travels to the faraway, dragon-ruled land of Netraxia. After stealing a prized diamond in a diabolical and daring heist, an officer of the law finally catches up to them - except its a dragon as tall as a house. If they express disbelief, the dragon responds with "Well yeah, we're know as coppers, aren't we?", before trying to chomp their heads of - keeping a self-satisfied grin on its face while he does.

Bronze Dragon

Bronze dragons seem to occupy a bit of a weird niche in pathfinder 2 - while they are explicitly the most common of the metallic dragons, and the most likely to ally with humanoids, they also seem to have a bit of a lethargic, maybe even misanthropic angle to them, where they won't go out looking for adventure - but if it does come to them, they will gladly accept it.

Llyweth and Thywell are a rare case - two differently coloured dragons who lair together. It is said that together, their knowledge of the Duchy of Antal - on whose outskirts their lair lies - is complete. Llyweth, the bronze, tends to know the scientific and empirical stuff, while Thywell, the brass, knows all of the latest gossip, along with the oral history and folk tales of the region.

The Knights Most Eclectic And Electric are an extended family and an order of knights founded by Sir Montague. The patron formed the order several years ago after returning from a voyage across the Black Ocean. Apparently, on that expedition, the ship's crew almost died of starvation on a deserted island, before a mysterious, tanned stranger appeared out of nowhere with food, water and tents. After saving them, he made sir Montague promise that when his time of need comes, one from the knight's bloodline will answer.
Several generations have passed, and while sailing across the Green Sea, a mighty dragon rises from the water, and demands that one of Sir Montague's heirs come with him...

Hengra is a particularly reclusive young bronze dragon. In her quest to be left alone, she found a way to make her repulsive gas stick around, and coats the entire in it every week.
Unfortunately, Hengra also owns the only remaining issue of an ancient book detailing how to cure lycantrophy, and it recently hit the nearby town of Mosswell. A borderline insane group of teenagers now plans to try and plead with the dragon, hoping to at least see the book, but luck may not be on their side.

Brass dragon

Every race with multiple variants comes with a "chaotic good trickster" archetype, and for the dragons, its the brass.

Gentle Genevieve is an an ancient brass dragon known for her skill at gardening. Such were here skill and indeed age, that the tree between worlds, Yggdrassil, was actually one of the very first plants she sowed. As she had multiple majestic plants, gardens, saplings and forests to tend to across the world, many of her favourites had guardians. For Ygdrassil, indeed, she had formed an entire order of knights, sworn to protect it. Alas, when the giants from beyond the stars invaded, Yggrdassil was felled. Genevieve grew violent and bitter, and went on a mad, bloodthirsty hunt to eradicate the Order of The Tree along with their entire bloodlines.

Whimsical Watcher of the Worlds is the title an outgoing, cosmopolitan young brass dragon claims. He trades in secrets with those he deems worthy, gathering info about any potential clients, before inviting them for a try at one of the many games he has collected over the years. In the last century, he most often faced opponents in three-dimensional chess, or tarot bridge. However, his latest fascination is a new game created by a mad minotaur wizard called J'ason. In the game, players create fake personas, and re-enact adventures from the epics, throwing weird, crystalline dice to determine whether they fail or triumph.

An oppressive order of knights known as the Brvtalmarines have conquered what were once halfling lands. As a cruel joke, the knights offer trial by combat as an option instead of judge and jury deciding the fate of the local populace. When the leader of a localized uprising is arrested, it is no surprise that he chooses to try and fight his way to freedom - what is a surprise, though, is him revealing his form as a mighty brass dragon. Opposing him, as a champion of the marines, is an ill-fated double agent who was only there to sabotage the trial in the first place, but convincing the dragon of that will be no easy task.

Blue dragon

Random thought: if you run them as written, there's a decent overlap between what makes a blue dragon encounter (be he a young, adult or ancient) tick and what makes a devil encounter tick - in both cases, you can have a completely civil discussion (or even a full-blown social encounter, with rounds, and skill checks, as the pf2 core rulebook suggests) while everyone involved is planning the demise of the other party.

While all blue dragons desire power, wealth and titles, Bandallagrim has seen enough of the first two in his long lifetime. Titles, though, are what he tends to hoard. Whenever there's an inheritance crisis, a title that can be gained through election, or even a revolution, Bandallagrim is sure to be close by, in one of his many humanoid guises. Although he rarely accepts any responsibilities that come with the ducal, presidential and even kingly positions he claims, he is sure to murder anyone who dares contend with him in cold blood.
The inheritors are a group of descendants of nobles whose titles the ancient dragon usurped several generations prior, and they are sworn to one day defeat him and reclaim their ancestral homes. While they have their suspicions that the next high priest of the theopolis of Nea Romagna is indeed their ancient foe, acting out on it too soon might turn the entire god-sworn city against them.

A mad dryad is known for singing "the blues" deep within the darkest corners of the Feywood. Unfortunately, while her song is indeed as beautiful as the stories describe it, it is also a part of an insidious ritual, and those who hear it become enthralled to the dryad's blue dragon master, unless they have a will of iron.

In the world of Sarpharathia, though they rule their domains alone, blue dragons actually follow a strict hierarchy among themselves. When the mysterious god-emperor of dragonkind disappears without a trace, the world plunges into chaos. After several days, a young blue dragon appears before the city of Porfiria's champions, claiming he knows of a way to crown a human(oid) as leader of the dragons, solving two problems - both renewing stability across the globe, and insuring that humans will be treated with respect and dignity. Of course, that plan of action also conveniently requires the heroes to dispose of some of the dragon's own rivals, and he has yet to explain his own motivation for helping them...


Anyway, blog maintenance time. I'm toying with the idea of actually posting some of the stats for the monsters I implied should be modified from their bestiary entries(the Ghost-Rider aasimar, the myriad exotic treants, the mutated stirges...).
However, as this would consume a bit more of my time than the blog has been so far, I'm not going to do it if it rings on deaf ears. If one of those has particularly piqued your interest, do leave a comment and let me know, I'd like to start off with a more popular one, and see how it goes. Cheers.

Black dragon

Like all dragons, the black comes to us in three size/age categories: young, adult, and ancient. Quick note, before i dive into the encounters - any crhomatic dragon can become a prepared spellcaster, by merely swapping out some of their physical abilities for an array of spells, which is highly versatile, giving you room to customize a dragon encounter even further.

Unlike most of his kin, Gargathas the black dragon isn't one to follow tradition. Whereas other black dragons claim swamps, marshes and rotten tundras as their homes, Gargathas makes his lair deep within the ancient and labyrinthine sewer system of the city of Kepesh. Since arriving there, he has enslaved five tribes of goblins, along with a rabid pack of goblin dogs, several enclaves of Ootyughs (who don't exactly serve him willingly), an order of mad monks who live in the sewers to punish themselves, and an entire department of college alchemists who happened to be doing research of the foul waters.
As nearly a quarter of the city's population (usually the escaped slaves, and the outright second class citizens) eventually make their way into the massive, unexplored sewers, the dragon is becoming essentially an authority parallel to that of the city's nobles, and dragonslayers are called forth.

Although black dragons don't particularly like any other races, they aren't above using them as a means to an end. An adventurous young black dragon named Nimandrith used to claim a patch of atolls known as Deadreef as his own, but due to their proximity to a volcanic archipelago, a red dragon has forced him out.
Nowdays, Nimandrith goes by the moniker Dread Captain Druzil, leading a small flotilla of pirate ships. The recent surge in recruitment is due to him finally deciding he stands a chance against his rival, but new pirates may not be let in on the secret until it's too late.

Glabadraxia, the ancient black wyrm used to rule empires and cults in times long since forgotten. Over the ages, her temperament has very much softened, and for the past milenium, she has been looking for someone worthy of inheriting the vast (mostly alchemical in nature) treasure she has collected over the years. Due to her newfound (she has been doing it for only a bit over a thousand years) hobby being brewing hot sauces, "worthy heir" means "someone able to swallow a spoonful of her super secret sauce without flinching". While her intentions are indeed well-meaning, as she'd hate for her vast legacy to rot, she cares not much for the occasional death she causes, as she only sees such occurrences as weeding out the weak.