This is an idea that I've had kicking around for a while, concerning Serpent-like dragons. Essentially they are snakes that grew old enough and learned enough secrets that they become sentient, highly intelligent, and very powerful. The idea is based off of a story my brother wrote that involved a snake named Accuser, who was all of these things and had a venomous bite that could calcify flesh.
Some traits that they would have: They'd all be dragons. They'ed all have venom which I'm thinking might be powerful enough to at least have some effect on even those immune to poison. Many might have attacks like constrict or swallow whole. Burrowing would be common. A paralyzing gaze attack could replace Dragon Fear. They'd have age categories like a dragon (excluding things like hatchling).
Wyrms a greedy, like other Dragons, but they'd be more interested in information and secrets, making them interesting NPCs when PCs need information. I'm having some trouble deciding on how I'd catagorize different breeds of Wyrms. I was thinking of using Domains as the idea of a Death Wyrm with a rattle is cool to me and I'd like a Dream Snake that acts as an Oracle. I'd avoid things like the elemental or alignment Domains.
Another aspect that I'd like to pursue is that they use cast off skins to create and modify minions. This could include Wyrmskin Golems, Snake men, and even marked servants (templates and/or PrCs)
Any ideas or feedback would be welcome.
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Some brainstorming for you.
In my experience, the word 'wyrm' is about 99% synonymous with the word 'dragon'. You may want to attach another word to it (or another draconic word or syllable, like drak-/drake- or drac-/draco-) to distinguish your creatures. Scientific names for snakes could also be a good source of naming inspiration.
Dragons are seldom fans of sharing their power and they are probably not doing a lot of breeding with snakes. Keeping that in mind, how would your creatures have gone from snakes to sentient dragon-snake beings? Evolution alone probably would not accomplish this transition. If it were me, I'd give them an origin in arcane experimentation. Another possibility is that a snake slithered into a powerful dragon's horde and coiled around a draconic artifact, triggering it's powerful magic. Whatever the origin, it should probably be a highly magical one, thus affording you lots of room for racial development.
As far as racial power(s) goes, I like your ideas above (Especially a Rattle ability, and swallow whole). You may want to differentiate them a bit physically as well. One breed might have just two very scary (and poisonous) fangs, while another might have a full mouth of razorsharp teeth. The possibilities here are endless, just beware of rising CR.
Your new race, after creation, would likely (and eventually) come to meet similar races. Deciding how they get along will do wonders for their incorporation in your plotlines. Such alliances or enmities could include dragons, kobolds, yuan-ti, rakshasa, behirs, nagas, medusas, etc. or even unlikely ones, if you were to write up interesting circumstances.
Also, don't forget about the simple things, which are not always so simple. For instance, if their favored food is dragon eggs, that will obviously have a large impact on their lives. =)
Lastly, you could write this "Accuser" creature up as a powerful NPC. That's a great name/nickname for one.
Isn't this kind of what Linnorms and Tazelwyrms are?
The idea was to have a traditional serpentine dragon, no arms like a Linnorm or a Tatzelworm. I will say that wyrm might not be the best choice of names, not due to it being a different name for a dragon but to avoid confusion with the Purple Worm and creatures of that type. Honestly I don't see a problem with using wyrm for a completely different type of dragon. Most of us are so familiar with DnD that we will think of Chromatic and Metalic when it comes up in text, after all they have everything: arms, legs, wings, and breath weapons.
I went for them being more snake-like make them distinct from normal dragons and make them stand out. Poison replaces the breath weapon as the big scare factor. Also snakes are often potent symbols in many cultures and one of those things we have an instinctive reaction to. Also, another influence I had was from a comic series I read as a kid, which I don't remember the name for, which had Nidhoggr from norse myth which was depicted as a giant snake that played chess and it had multiple tails that wielded poisoned swords (which would be great for one based on war, if it wasn't already taken).
The secrets that make them what they are wouldn't be from dragons, more that they survived long enough and witnessed enough to become sentient. Think of it like Enlightenment for snakes. I figured they'd be more selfish then an evil counterpart for Couatls. For instance, going with the idea of basing them around clerical domains, one based off of Healing would probably charge stiff prices, require favors, and/or quests to heal some one.
I really like the idea of the wyrms using the clerical domains as inspiration for their varieties. Maybe to differentiate them from other wyrm-like critters, you could call them wisewyrms? And maybe the flipside of them could be arcane-based wyrdwyrms, based on the 8 schools of magic (plus a ninth universalist wyrdwyrm), that use curses or diseases instead of poisons.
Or maybe a 3rd type of dragon that uses curses instead of breath weapons or poison; then there would be Reflex Save dragons, Fortitude Save wyrms, and Will Save serpents. (Sinserpents and Saintserpents--Seraphim???---based on the deadly sins and, uh, less deadly virtues???)
I also like the virulent poison idea that bypasses regular poison immunity. Maybe give them a Penetrating Poisoning ability that is approximately 1d20 + 1/2 HD + Con modifier with a DC of 10 + HD of the target critter.
I would also suggest making really cool, unique poisons that cause different effects, like confusion, shaken, frightened, panicked, sickened, nauseauted, fatigued, exhausted, asleep, petrified (calcified), burning, randomly teleporting 2d6x5 feet each round, etc. etc.
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I love the idea of especially old snakes transforming into something different.
Some old lore, celtic perhaps, regarded snakes as creatures of great secret wisdom, claiming that they burrowed down into the crypts and cairns of the long-dead, and learned secrets whispered from the lips of the dead while slumbering among the ancient corpses. A wise man could catch a snake and cajole it to reveal these ancient and otherworldy secrets that it had plundered from the sleeping dead, regarding it as conduit by which information could flow from the afterlife (or the ancestors) to the living.
Fat and bloated on stolen knowledge, perhaps this would make an interesting alternate origin for Naga, in a campaign setting, where they are called 'Barrow-Wyrms,' to represent their association with the cairns of the dead, which they guard jealously (since those ancient bodies are the source of their wisdom and secret lore, and grave-robbers would be enraging the spirits of the dead, and causing the 'naga' to have to make things right by stealing forth by night to retrieve the plundered grave-goods to get their 'spiritual advisors' resting comfortably and 'talking in their sleep' again).
The eldest naga would be the size of linnorms, and feast upon the wealth of bodies in ancient battlefields. To the surprise of all, they wouldn't eat the bodies themselves, but feast upon the carrion-eaters who came to feed, crows, jackals and battlefield-looters (as well as less natural things, such as ghouls), gathering up the bodies of the fallen gently in enormous jaws and interring them beneath the earth in great warrens they've tunneled themselves beneath the bloody fields of war. The task would be done at night, over years, or even decades, but the wyrm would eventually have hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of quietly sleeping spirits, each a source of its ever-growing power. Perhaps the setting only has one such 'elder' barrow-wyrm, with the 'average' barrow-wyrm being no larger than a naga, and guarding only a dozen bodies in a royal cairn, while the 'eldest' is the size of a purple wyrm, and from the hundreds of bodies resting under it's guardianship, has such secret lore at it's disposal that it has become an oracle of sorts, that very few know of, and that the linnorm kings secretly go on quests to consult on such matters as how to deal with the encroaching menace of Baba Yaga.
Lesser barrow-wyrms may serve the eldest, being parceled out small cairns along the edges of the ancient battlefield, and below them, mere snakes, including some vipers of unusual size and intelligence (perhaps being treated as awakened), serve as the lowest ranks in this unusual cabalistic gathering of serpents (Pit of Serpents? Knot of Serpents?). The average barrow-wyrm would develop the lore to become an adept, or a sorcerer (with the more wicked ones being more likely to be sorcerers), while the eldest itself has transcended its original training as an adept to become a powerful druid.
This is going to be a quick post, I'll get back later to comment on your replies. Thanks for the interest!
I went through the domain list and found 20 Domains that where not Alignment, Elemental, or Nature based. I think most of them can be combined to get 10 different types of Wyrm.
Life: Healing and Glory Domains. Mostly NG.
Death: Death and Repose Domains. Mostly TN.
Builder: Artifice and Community. Mostly LN. If figure they like to build cultures and influence them.
War: War and Destruction. Mostly NE.
Deception: Trickery and either Charm or Travel. Mostly CN.
Oracle: Knowledge and Protection. Mostly LN
Tyrany: Nobility and Madness. Mostly NE. Tyrany as in one who usurps out of selfishness.
Magic: Magic and Rune. Mostly TN.
Luck: Luck and either Charm or Travel. Mostly CN
Heroism: Liberation and Strength. Mostly NG. Think a trainer of heroes
That's what I came up with at least.
Barrow wyrms sound awesome!
Ok, now that I have the time to respond...
I thought about using schools of magic as an opposing force but I really couldn't think of an idea of how to translate them into a concept that was different from what I came up with with domains. Enchantment and Illusion translated into similar styles of Trickery and Charm, for example. I also thought of doing Wyrms based on the seven deadly sins, but I didn't want them to be all evil and I wanted them to be associated more with dragons rather then THE Serpent. You've given me an idea though. If Wyrms are essentially enlightened snakes that gained power from learning a secret of the universe, it stands to reason that they can fall off their path. Those Wyrms that give in to temptation and travel down the path of sin are warped by the corruption of the knowledge they gain. How they act out depends on what school of magic they gravitate to, going by the concept that arcane magic allows one to shape the world to their will rather then following a set path. Probably the big difference between Wyrms based off of Domains and Wyrms based off of Schools would be that the Wyrms following the Schools of Magic would be a lot more overt in there actions. These would be my thoughts on it:
Abjuration: They seek to collect and preserve knowledge in there truest, constant, and perminant state.
Conjuration: They seek to break down the barriers between worlds so that they can plumb the secrets of the cosmos at their leasure.
Divination: They seek to rob others of their destiny.
Enchantment: They seek to directly dominate others under their coils.
Evocation: They seek to tear everything down.
Illusion: They seek to twist reality and spread panic and fear.
Necromancy: They seek to gain more knowledge by creating more dead and stealing their secrets.
Transmutation: They believe they are gods and twist other lifeforms to suit their whims.
That's my idea, I'm not sure how well it works.
I do like the Barrow Wyrms. I wouldn't associate them with Naga just because I'm trying to associate them with Dragons. I could easily work that into Wyrms centered around death. Of course, it's a great idea, so I'd like to see what you would do with it yourself.
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I went through the domain list and found 20 Domains that were not Alignment, Elemental, or Nature based. I think most of them can be combined to get 10 different types of Wyrm.
I'm getting the impression that the Oracle APG class would be ideal for this sort of critter, each becoming a personification of a certain ideal, but not necessarily a Domain or School.
Random venom thoughts;
Strength / War - Str damage.
Plant / Nature - Dex damage + move penalty as flesh hardens and stiffens, target who takes enough to die from this effect roots to the ground, their skin and gear being subsumed by bark-like growth as they become a humanoid tree.
Fire / Sun - burst into flames, taking damage as if 'on fire' (1d6 damage) every round that the venom is in effect.
Weather / Water - dehydration, nonlethal damage and gaining fatigued condition as per thirst rules.
Trickery / Madness - confusion effect, as friends appear to become foes, etc.
Shadows / Darkness - blindness.
Community / Glory - Cha damage, with the character becoming increasingly ostracized and 'unseen' as the damage progresses. If the person dies from this venom, the corpse becomes translucent, and then invisible, and those who knew the person begin to lose memory of them entirely.
Knowledge - Int damage, forgetfulness, illiteracy.
Luck - curse, roll twice for various effects, take worst roll.
Wyrms based off of sins would have toxins that cause Rage, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, etc. I imagine, but some might be harder to work as effects than others (Sloth = sleep, which is cool, but it's harder to come up with a Gluttony based toxin that doesn't sound kinda silly). Then again, a Gluttony-based Wyrm might not envenom people at all, just swallow them whole.
An alternate idea to the arcane Wyrms, would be to make their enemies still based off the arcane schools, but make it a sentient species of mongoose. That way you can play on the natural snake vs. mongoose relationship that already exists. Maybe the good wyrms and mongooses have developed a tentative alliance, attempting to overcome their racial differences, but the players get caught up in conflict when a snake egg is stolen and a mongoose framed for it by an evil snake/mongoose. Weird ideas, just rambling, but that's my 2cp for now.
Windwyrm (Air Domain)
Wildwyrm (Animal Domain)
Weaverwyrm (Artifice Domain)
Wastrelwyrm (Chaos Domain)
Winsomewyrm (Charm Domain)
Wellwyrm (Community Domain)
Widdershinswyrm (Darkness Domain)
Widowwyrm (Death Domain)
Wastewyrm (Destruction Domain)
Worldwyrm (Earth Domain)
Woewyrm (Evil Domain)
Wickwyrm (Fire Domain)
Winewyrm (Glory Domain)
Wealwyrm (Good Domain)
Wassailwyrm (Healing Domain)
Witwyrm (Knowledge Domain)
Warrantwyrm (Law Domain)
Wanderwyrm (Liberation Domain)
Whimwyrm (Luck Domain)
Wailingwyrm (Madness Domain)
Witchwyrm (Magic Domain)
Wealthwyrm (Nobility Domain)
Wortwyrm (Plant Domain)
Wardenwyrm (Protection Domain)
Waitingwyrm (Repose Domain)
Wordwyrm (Rune Domain)
Whalewyrm (Strength Domain)
Wakingwyrm (Sun Domain)
Warpwyrm (Travel Domain)
Whisperwyrm (Trickery Domain)
Warwyrm (War)
Wavewyrm (Water)
Winterwyrm (Weather)
An alternate idea to the arcane Wyrms, would be to make their enemies still based off the arcane schools, but make it a sentient species of mongoose. That way you can play on the natural snake vs. mongoose relationship that already exists. Maybe the good wyrms and mongooses have developed a tentative alliance, attempting to overcome their racial differences, but the players get caught up in conflict when a snake egg is stolen and a mongoose framed for it by an evil snake/mongoose. Weird ideas, just rambling, but that's my 2cp for now.
Oh come on, every one knows the natural ally of the snake is the crane :D
Oh come on, every one knows the natural ally of the snake is the crane :D
Actually, if you can keep the number of wyrms down, you could put this idea into the story itself. Have each of the 'elder' wyrms have a specific-item weakness, based off of the natural predators o snakes. Claws of the Mongoose, Heron Blade, that sort of thing. Make it a bane weapon that deals x2 damage against specific wyrms, the same way a red dragon is susceptible to cold.
Oh come on, every one knows the natural ally of the snake is the crane :DActually, if you can keep the number of wyrms down, you could put this idea into the story itself. Have each of the 'elder' wyrms have a specific-item weakness, based off of the natural predators o snakes. Claws of the Mongoose, Heron Blade, that sort of thing. Make it a bane weapon that deals x2 damage against specific wyrms, the same way a red dragon is susceptible to cold.
Neat!
If we (eventually) stat out all 33 core domain wyrms, it might make more sense to make each domain a template that we can add onto a variety of different base wyrm monsters, maybe 6 based on Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal.
Each domain template could have a different poison, gaze attack, resistance/immunity, vulnerability, and maybe a bonus feat or skill set.
I did a Coatl alternate group to Dragons some years back, based on the seven virtues and deadly sins. I made the mistake of trying to 'level' them and 'rank' the sins and virtues. Bad idea, seriously.
This thread show real promise.