took m'sweet time, but here it is! we'll start with the biggest baddest one...
Dragon #183:
Linnorm, Flame
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)
TREASURE: Special
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -4 (base)
MOVEMENT: 24, Fl 40 (B)
HIT DICE: 20 (base)
THAC0: 4 (at 20 HD)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite + special
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 3d6/3d6/3d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Variable
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Variable
SIZE: G (40’ at base)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: Variable
Flame linnorms are the most beautiful of the Norse dragons and perhaps the most rare. They live to bend others to their will and to accumulate wealth. Adept at magic, even the youngest of the flame linnorms can master spells.
Upon hatching, the scales of a flame linnorm are as black as unused coals. By the time a linnorm reaches the juvenile stage, the scales have faded to a soft, dull gray, the shade of ash. At this stage the linnorm is sometimes confused with gray linnorms. However, when the linnorm reaches adulthood, its scales become vibrant, starting with a glowing orange in the young adult stage and reaching a pulsing scarlet by the time it is a wyrm. Adult and older linnorms appear as a mass of fire when they walk, their scales shifting, seeming like flames lapping over the creature’s body. Great wyrms are said to look like living fireballs.
Flame linnorms speak their own language and can communicate with all other Norse dragons. In addition, a very young linnorm has a 20% chance to pick up human tongues. The percentage chance to gain this ability increases 10% per age category of the linnorm until the wyrm stage, when it is certain to possess this skill.
Combat: Flame linnorms attack nonintelligent creatures only for food, These great dragons reserve their full fury for Viking ships, castles, and bands of adventurers laden down with chests and bundles. In combat, a flame linnorm prefers to attack from above where it has a good vantage point and a better chance to escape a dangerous situation. It almost always attacks first with its spells, hoping to take down its targets without damaging any valuables. If, however, its adversaries prove too staunch, the linnorm continues with its breath weapon and magical fire abilities. It fights with its claws and bite only if it has no choice, as the linnorm fears close combat could harm its beautiful scales.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A flame linnorm has two breath weapons that cause equal damage. One is a cloud of hot ashes 90’ long, 70’ wide, and 40’ deep. The second is a stream of flame 5’ wide at the linnorm’s mouth and 110’ long. The flame linnorm casts spells and uses magical abilities at 9th level, plus any combat modifier. From birth, a flame linnorm is immune to nonmagical fire. As the linnorm ages, it gains other abilities: very young—immune to magical fire-based attacks, plus heat metal (three times a day); juvenile— pyrotechnics and produce fire (three times each a day); adult—fireball (at will every three rounds); old— fire charm and fire trap (three times each a day); venerable— flame strike and wall of fire (twice each a day); great wyrm— fire seeds and firestorm (once each a day).
Habitat/Society: Flame linnorms are loners, making their homes as deep within the earth as possible in caverns that can accommodate their huge forms and even larger piles of treasure. The linnorms do not hate other flame linnorms or other breeds of linnorms. However, they choose to isolate themselves, not wanting to risk the chance that other linnorms might steal their wealth. The linnorms frequently inventory their treasure to make sure every piece is accounted for. Magical treasures are especially prized, and the linnorms will spend long hours trying to discover what those treasures do. Flame linnorms that master the use of magical items use those items in battle or to charm or enslave humans and demihumans. These captives help the linnorm acquire more treasure.
Flame linnorms memorize every inch of their territory and guard it zealously. There is a 25% chance for a flame linnorm that has attained venerable age or greater to have 1-4 fire elementals guarding its lair. Sages are uncertain whether the elementals are summoned by magic the linnorms have acquired or whether they willingly serve the linnorm in exchange for treasure.
Flame linnorms mate every 30 years, then separate. The female is left to lay its eggs on its own, and she abandons them as soon as the young linnorms hatch.
Ecology: Flame linnorms have been known to eat herd animals, trees, and the very earth. However, their favorite food is in the form of any object on fire. These linnorms sometimes set sections of a forest ablaze just to dine.
MCA1:
Dragon, Linnorm, Flame
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)
TREASURE: See below
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -4 (base)
MOVEMENT: 24, Fl 39(B)
HIT DICE: 20 (base)
THAC0: 1 (base)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 plus special
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3d6(x2)/3d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
SIZE: G (40' base length)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: See below
Flame linnorms, the most beautiful of the Norse dragons and perhaps the most rare, live to bend others to their will and to accumulate wealth.
The scales of a hatchling are black, but they fade to a soft, dull gray by the juvenile stage (when the flame is often confused with gray linnorms.) The scales become vibrant, glowing orange in the young adult, and pure scarlet in the wyrm. Adult and older linnorms appear as masses of fire when they walk, and great wyrms are said to look like fireballs.
Flames speak their own language and can communicate with all other Norse dragons. Very young linnorms have a 20% chance to pick up human tongues, and the percentage chance increases 10% per age category.
Combat: In combat a flame linnorm prefers to attack from above, almost always striking first with spells, hoping to take down its targets without damaging any valuables. It continues if necessary with its breath weapons and magical fire abilities, fighting with claws and bite only if it has no other choice.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A flame linnorm has two breath weapons, inflicting equal damage. One is a cloud of hot ashes 90 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 40 feet deep. The other is a 5-foot-wide, 110-foot-long stream of flame. The linnorm wields magic abilities at 9th level plus its combat modifier.
All flames are immune to nonmagical fire. As they age, they gain other abilities: very young-immunity to magical fire, plus heat metal (three times per day); juvenile - pyrotechnics and produce fire (each three times per day); adult - fireball (every three rounds); old - fire charm and fire trap (each three times per day); venerable - flame strike and wall of fire (each twice per day); great wyrm - fire seeds and firestorm (each once per day).
Habitat/Society: Flame linnorms attack nonintelligent creatures only for food. They are loners, making their homes in deep caverns that accommodate their huge forms and even larger piles of treasure. They don't hate other linnorms, but they choose to isolate themselves, not wanting to risk the theft of their cherished wealth. They regularly inventory their hoard, and magical treasures are especially prized – they spend long hours trying to discover what those items do. Flame linnorms use their magical items in battle or to enslave humans and demihumans, who help the linnorm acquire yet more treasure. Flames memorize every inch of their territory and guard it zealously. Also, there's a 25% chance for a flame linnorm of venerable or greater age to have 1d4 fire elementals guarding its lair. Sages are uncertain whether the elementals are summoned by magic or whether they willingly serve the linnorm in exchange for treasure.
Flame linnorms mate every 30 years, then separate. The female is left to lay eggs on her own, and she abandons the young as soon as they hatch.
Ecology: Flame linnorms eat herd animals, trees, and the very earth. However, their favorite food is any object on fire. These creatures sometimes set sections of forest ablaze just to dine.
some preliminary stats for the flame linnorm:
Linnorm, Flame Linnorm
Gargantuan Dragon (Fire)
Hit Dice: 20d12+X (X hp)
Initiative: +X
Speed: 60 ft (12 squares), fly 100 ft (good)
Armor Class: X (-4 size, +X Dex, +X natural), touch X, flat-footed X
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+X
Attack: Bite +X melee (1d4+X)
Full Attack: 2 claws +X melee (3d6+X) and bite +X melee (3d10+X) and tail slap +X melee (X)
Space/Reach: X ft/X ft
Special Attacks: Breath weapons, crush X, spell-like abilities, spells
Special Qualities: blindsight 120 ft, DR X/X, immunities, keen senses, SR X
Saves: Fort +X Ref +X Will +X
Abilities: Str X, Dex X, Con X, Int 17, Wis X, Cha X
Skills: 207
Feats: 7
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: X
Treasure: X
Alignment: Always? neutral evil
Advancement: X
Level Adjustment: +X
A flame linnorm is 40 feet long and weighs
A flame linnorm can speak Dragon
COMBAT
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #183 (“The Vikings’ Dragons,” July 1992, Jean Rabe), and Monstrous Compendium Annual One (1994).
just for reference purposes, this image contains the ageing tables (slightly different) from both sources.
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