Black dragon Lair in Marshes. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Black dragon Lair in Marshes. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Laveral
06-15-04, 07:00 PM Question: How would you build a black dragon's lair in Marshes. What would be the entrance? Would it have confusing tunnels or would it be simple? I am sure it would be under water. How difficult would you make it to find in this type of enviroment?

I am looking to build one as a just in case the PCs decide to look for the dragons lair in my next game session.
Azzedar
06-15-04, 08:18 PM It depends on the age of the dragon (IMHO merely to reflect the relative challenge of the lair)

The entrance could be a mound of dirt in the swamp that rises up quite a bit, enough to be noticably stand from the surface. A mass of seaweed on one side could cover the entrance form normal sight, but upon moving it aside, one can see a slick, muddly tunnel in the water winding downward. the tunnel could eventually lead to an underwater cavern, and then up to an above water complex that is difficult to see from the surface because it is surrounded by trees.

depending on the level of the PCs, you can spice up the first underwater chamber by making it also be home to a Northern Pike that has grown to monstrous size (for its species) that serves symbiotically as a doorgaurd. You can use medium shark stats for it (or large if you want to be a bit more surreal).
Laveral
06-15-04, 08:23 PM Well the dragon is Old and the PCs are 10th and 11th level.
Autosponge
06-15-04, 08:31 PM A shipwreck, the ruins of a lost civilization, natural spring caves, etc. are all appropriate for a black dragon. The larger the dragon is, the larger the entrace(s) and exit(s) must be. The more powerful the dragon is, the better the location is probably going to be (proximity to good hunting, hard to reach by dragon hunters, etc.). I would expect many large trees to have been bent low to create a cave-like entrance, weighted down with earth and rocks to keep them in place. Over time, the 'hump' is covered with moss and other foliage to help disguise it from surrounding area but mark it so other wyrms would know who lives there.
Ack'noth Necrom
06-15-04, 09:03 PM I always put a blacks main entrance deep underwater but secondary entrances can be pretty much anything. Since your working with an older dragon Ild go with a marsh cave or maybe some old ruins (like an abandoned outpost).

A blacks lair is usually camoflauged pretty well so it'll be hard to find. If the black knows its being followed it'll always use an entrance into its lair that can't be used easily or tracked to (usually an underwater one). The lair itself probably wont be too complex, it really just needs a place to pickle its food and a place to keep its hoard but there will probably be some other dug out caves to lead "prey" into a dead end where it can easily attack and gain the advantage.
Autosponge
06-15-04, 09:32 PM I bet Black Dragons make great pickles. Hmmm... pickles. I'm going to start marketing Black Dragon brand pickles and pickel accessories in my campaign. Other blacks will have industry rivalries and try to sabatogue each other's pickle shipments.
Moonstonedragon
06-16-04, 03:58 AM Darn black dragons going to take over the pickle market!
I always use a swampy hill or such for the enterance, or leave it underwater.
Drone23
06-16-04, 11:13 AM The only trouble with an underwater cave is it has to be either air-tight so the water can't flood the cavern (and thus provide no fresh air so the dragon eventually suffocates) or make it higher than the water level (like an underwater entrance that leads to a small hill where the dragon lairs).

Of course, you could just flood the cavern anyway. Black dragons have water breathing and this would be an excellent tactic for an old dragon to use against its enemies.
Wayward Son
06-16-04, 11:42 PM I'd go with a sunken temple or keep (yes, let the Monty Python jokes fly). Strong walls sunk in soft mud, with hundreds of nooks and crannies to hide his horde and set up ambushes. There can be submerged chambers with air pockets (stale, of course) and numerous tunnels to mislead adventurers and make then use up the duration on Water Breathing spells. Of course, there are always secondary guardians. :D Half-dragon dire crocodiles are fun (half-dragon normal crocs are bad enough), and an old dragon has had centuries to breed them. Tribes of kobolds and lizardfolk can also be a great first-line of defense. In fact, nearly any aquatic creature can be a great defender for a dragon. Since it's a swamp, make sure there's lots of deep, fetid water covered with dead vegetation along the path to the lair . . . so the dragon can make breathe-and-run attacks while the party approaches. :D

(My wife, Airsucker, just chimed in with "Tunnels. Lots and lots of tunnels in three dimensions. Quicksand! In at least seven spots. And lots of poison plants. And large, man-eating plants! And coral snakes! And more of the king snakes that look like coral snakes. And the good stuff should all be underwater!" Ahh, there's a reason I married her. ;) )
jasper
06-17-04, 01:40 PM The slayers guide to dragons have some lairs you could use.
Water is your friend. Have a fake lair to attract lair to lair adventurers. Set traps for them, slimes etc.
Do not forget you rule the swamp so the other critters don't have too. So don't eat too many of your spies. And have the spies signal some how.
Hmmm drumming in east. Means dinner is coming up the west approach.
Or why have a lair at all. the whole swamp is your lair and piggy bank.
Think sub tactics. Sneak into range and spit in their eyes. Then leave. Repeat and rinise.
Or alligator tactics. grab adventurer by the foot and drag him on an underwater sightseeing tour of the swamp. Of course some adventurers do not breath water. Their bad.
Add insult. Toss mud pies in their direction.
Bob the telemarketer
06-18-04, 07:35 AM I would a 30 by 30ft. pitfall that is nearly invisible to the naked eye and is about 20ft. deep,when you fall in your surounded by dead bodies and bones there waiting for you is the dragon :smirk:
Moonstonedragon
06-18-04, 08:44 AM I always love the drag them down to the very bottom of the swamp.

ME: "The black dragon grabs ahold of you and takes you underwater................"
PC: "HA I got underwater breathing you cant stop me"
ME: "as I was saying, he drags you underwater and plants your face in the mud and sits on you. Hope you can breath mud"
PC: "....................................."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Laveral 06-15-04, 07:00 PM	Question: How would you build a black dragon's lair in Marshes. What would be the entrance? Would it have confusing tunnels or would it be simple? I am sure it would be under water. How difficult would you make it to find in this type of enviroment? I am looking to build one as a just in case the PCs decide to look for the dragons lair in my next game session.
Azzedar 06-15-04, 08:18 PM	It depends on the age of the dragon (IMHO merely to reflect the relative challenge of the lair) The entrance could be a mound of dirt in the swamp that rises up quite a bit, enough to be noticably stand from the surface. A mass of seaweed on one side could cover the entrance form normal sight, but upon moving it aside, one can see a slick, muddly tunnel in the water winding downward. the tunnel could eventually lead to an underwater cavern, and then up to an above water complex that is difficult to see from the surface because it is surrounded by trees. depending on the level of the PCs, you can spice up the first underwater chamber by making it also be home to a Northern Pike that has grown to monstrous size (for its species) that serves symbiotically as a doorgaurd. You can use medium shark stats for it (or large if you want to be a bit more surreal).
Laveral 06-15-04, 08:23 PM	Well the dragon is Old and the PCs are 10th and 11th level.
Autosponge 06-15-04, 08:31 PM	A shipwreck, the ruins of a lost civilization, natural spring caves, etc. are all appropriate for a black dragon. The larger the dragon is, the larger the entrace(s) and exit(s) must be. The more powerful the dragon is, the better the location is probably going to be (proximity to good hunting, hard to reach by dragon hunters, etc.). I would expect many large trees to have been bent low to create a cave-like entrance, weighted down with earth and rocks to keep them in place. Over time, the 'hump' is covered with moss and other foliage to help disguise it from surrounding area but mark it so other wyrms would know who lives there.
Ack'noth Necrom 06-15-04, 09:03 PM	I always put a blacks main entrance deep underwater but secondary entrances can be pretty much anything. Since your working with an older dragon Ild go with a marsh cave or maybe some old ruins (like an abandoned outpost). A blacks lair is usually camoflauged pretty well so it'll be hard to find. If the black knows its being followed it'll always use an entrance into its lair that can't be used easily or tracked to (usually an underwater one). The lair itself probably wont be too complex, it really just needs a place to pickle its food and a place to keep its hoard but there will probably be some other dug out caves to lead "prey" into a dead end where it can easily attack and gain the advantage.
Autosponge 06-15-04, 09:32 PM	I bet Black Dragons make great pickles. Hmmm... pickles. I'm going to start marketing Black Dragon brand pickles and pickel accessories in my campaign. Other blacks will have industry rivalries and try to sabatogue each other's pickle shipments.
Moonstonedragon 06-16-04, 03:58 AM	Darn black dragons going to take over the pickle market! I always use a swampy hill or such for the enterance, or leave it underwater.
Drone23 06-16-04, 11:13 AM	The only trouble with an underwater cave is it has to be either air-tight so the water can't flood the cavern (and thus provide no fresh air so the dragon eventually suffocates) or make it higher than the water level (like an underwater entrance that leads to a small hill where the dragon lairs). Of course, you could just flood the cavern anyway. Black dragons have water breathing and this would be an excellent tactic for an old dragon to use against its enemies.
Wayward Son 06-16-04, 11:42 PM	I'd go with a sunken temple or keep (yes, let the Monty Python jokes fly). Strong walls sunk in soft mud, with hundreds of nooks and crannies to hide his horde and set up ambushes. There can be submerged chambers with air pockets (stale, of course) and numerous tunnels to mislead adventurers and make then use up the duration on Water Breathing spells. Of course, there are always secondary guardians. :D Half-dragon dire crocodiles are fun (half-dragon normal crocs are bad enough), and an old dragon has had centuries to breed them. Tribes of kobolds and lizardfolk can also be a great first-line of defense. In fact, nearly any aquatic creature can be a great defender for a dragon. Since it's a swamp, make sure there's lots of deep, fetid water covered with dead vegetation along the path to the lair . . . so the dragon can make breathe-and-run attacks while the party approaches. :D (My wife, Airsucker, just chimed in with "Tunnels. Lots and lots of tunnels in three dimensions. Quicksand! In at least seven spots. And lots of poison plants. And large, man-eating plants! And coral snakes! And more of the king snakes that look like coral snakes. And the good stuff should all be underwater!" Ahh, there's a reason I married her. ;) )
jasper 06-17-04, 01:40 PM	The slayers guide to dragons have some lairs you could use. Water is your friend. Have a fake lair to attract lair to lair adventurers. Set traps for them, slimes etc. Do not forget you rule the swamp so the other critters don't have too. So don't eat too many of your spies. And have the spies signal some how. Hmmm drumming in east. Means dinner is coming up the west approach. Or why have a lair at all. the whole swamp is your lair and piggy bank. Think sub tactics. Sneak into range and spit in their eyes. Then leave. Repeat and rinise. Or alligator tactics. grab adventurer by the foot and drag him on an underwater sightseeing tour of the swamp. Of course some adventurers do not breath water. Their bad. Add insult. Toss mud pies in their direction.
Bob the telemarketer 06-18-04, 07:35 AM	I would a 30 by 30ft. pitfall that is nearly invisible to the naked eye and is about 20ft. deep,when you fall in your surounded by dead bodies and bones there waiting for you is the dragon :smirk:
Moonstonedragon 06-18-04, 08:44 AM	I always love the drag them down to the very bottom of the swamp. ME: "The black dragon grabs ahold of you and takes you underwater................" PC: "HA I got underwater breathing you cant stop me" ME: "as I was saying, he drags you underwater and plants your face in the mud and sits on you. Hope you can breath mud" PC: "....................................."