Help me make an icy dragon's lair!

[Breakstone]

Turn the air conditioning up in your house- the players should be able to see their breath!

If you use miniatures, get hold of a giant block of ice, and carve the lair out of it. The players will love the realism!

Get hold of some dry ice and keep it under the table. As the game goes on, mist will start filling the room, slowly covering the table. When sight is impossible, slowly sneak behind a player, and shout "THE DRAGON ATTACKS!!!!!"

 

[Elric]

Tsunami- that is great. I am a player in this game when I am in town. I can't believe that Matt is getting advice from KidCthulhu, Piratecat, and the entire rest of ENWorld. It just seems so wrong.

Everyone should notice that my character is the kidnapped party! Before you give any more advice, think of my poor character who needs to be rescued! Plus, without me there, I'm sure that the party will be a tad... um... less optimized

 

[Kyramus]

OOOOPS I read wrong. I thought it was 8th level spells. SO I guess it's 4th level spells. Level 3 spells IF he's 7th.

1) Shrink itemed Stalactites used as missile weapon is still a good idea
2) Have someone's family member recently killed and encased in ice. Hmmm great blackmail. If you kill me, you really won't be able to save your brother. lol OR if you want an erie effect, take people's relatives, kill them then gentle repose them and then in ice.

 

[Nightfall]

Well that's definitely more helpful. But I was thinking maybe energize his breath weapon with unholy power too.

 

[MerakSpielman]

So the dragon has a hostage, then, right?

EVIL GRIN!

Polymorph the hostage to look like the dragon. Polymorph the dragon to look like the hostage. Use scrolls if you can't cast the spells yourself. Use illusions if you just can't manage it. Much confusion ensues.

There's always the good ol', "You can't kill me! I have a minion standing by to kill your comrade should I die. Surrender!" This only works if the character mind raising the hostage later.

Speaking of illusions... what about a frozen lake that is covered about 50/50 with patches of ice and open patches of frigid water? Now cover it with an illusion of a lake, covered about 50/50 with frozen/thawed patches, but the patches are in different places. The characters never know if they're going to be stepping on a solid bit or a watery bit, no matter what it looks like.

Have the dragon cast lots of fire spells. If there's one resistance the players won't have going, it's fire resistance. Who expects a dragon in the middle of a freaking ice cave to be casting fireballs? Hehehe!

Lowering visibility to 5' or using Darkness is a good idea. Remember, cast/attack, then move. They never know where you are.

Imagine the previous idea of an icy slope. Imagine that slope becoming steeper, and steeper, and becoming a funnel.... Imagine what you could put at the bottom of the funnel. Just sit back, close your eyes, and imagine. Spikes, perhaps? Too obvious? Maybe an ooze - the kind that eats armor. Even better, it could lead into a small chamber stuffed full of rust monsters. Even nastier, in an anti-magic field. Even better, there could be multiple such hidden funnels, all leading to a separate nasty situation.

Be prepared to have the dragon take down a wall and flood the area with ice water from the resevoir beyond. No air bubbles! I presume rider and mount can find a way to breath underwater, assuming they don't have the ability already? Get that breath weapon ready at point-blank range and imprison swimming characters in ice cubes (treat as being trapped in a mud-to-rock spell except ice cubes float).

 

[Nightfall]

Those are some excellent ideas Merak.

My idea though is with multiple illusions and sendings you get some really nice play going for people not sure if that's the real thing or not.

 

[DM_Matt]

These are geat, thx, keep up the good work!

Does your dragon have Dismissal or Banishment? Time to send the Air Elemental packing.........

Now THAT is mean...

Speaking of illusions... what about a frozen lake that is covered about 50/50 with patches of ice and open patches of frigid water? Now cover it with an illusion of a lake, covered about 50/50 with frozen/thawed patches, but the patches are in different places. The characters never know if they're going to be stepping on a solid bit or a watery bit, no matter what it looks like.

Have the dragon cast lots of fire spells. If there's one resistance the players won't have going, it's fire resistance. Who expects a dragon in the middle of a freaking ice cave to be casting fireballs? Hehehe!

Imagine the previous idea of an icy slope. Imagine that slope becoming steeper, and steeper, and becoming a funnel.... Imagine what you could put at the bottom of the funnel. Just sit back, close your eyes, and imagine. Spikes, perhaps? Too obvious? Maybe an ooze - the kind that eats armor. Even better, it could lead into a small chamber stuffed full of rust monsters. Even nastier, in an anti-magic field. Even better, there could be multiple such hidden funnels, all leading to a separate nasty situation.

Be prepared to have the dragon take down a wall and flood the area with ice water from the resevoir beyond. No air bubbles! I presume rider and mount can find a way to breath underwater, assuming they don't have the ability already? Get that breath weapon ready at point-blank range and imprison swimming characters in ice cubes (treat as being trapped in a mud-to-rock spell except ice cubes float).

These are very good. The polymorph thing isnt as good in this case beucase the decoy dragon that he has anyway can't be polymorphed.

Have someone's family member recently killed and encased in ice. Hmmm great blackmail. If you kill me, you really won't be able to save your brother. lol OR if you want an erie effect, take people's relatives, kill them then gentle repose them and then in ice.

Unfortunately when they finish this they have to rush to the home island of the cleric to help evacuate it in its entireity beucase the BBEG had figured out how to control what direction the tarrasque rampages in....so no family stuff here, overkill.

Alternately, the entire lair is submerged in near-freezing water (or perhaps that's just the way to get in). No flying there - you have to contend with the cold plus underwater combat, which isn't what characters usually prepare for when facing a dragon.

Another way to ground the characters -- most of the lair consists of narrow, 5' high, slick icy passages, none of which form a level surface (forcing constant balance checks). Of course, this can disadvantage the dragon, too, so we make it a maze, where the mirror-polished ice make it appear that the dragon is in places he isn't. Add some illusions to the mix, and ...

Eeeeeeeeexcellent....maze it is. The swimming thing isnt htat good though beucase the cleric has plate mail with freedom of movement and water breathing on it. I can make this so evil precisely beucase this still palys to the party's strengths...they are good at air and water stuff, and good at fighting evil outsiders (their mean weapons are all holy, wth the pally having a +1 Holy Evil-Outsider Bane longsword (a majoor plot item).

 

[DM_Matt]

Oh, and Nightfall (et al)...here is the dragon's stats...I used the Draconomicon (and MaOF for that matter) extensively, but maybe you have some better ideas...
(Yes, he does have too much treasure..thats intentional)


Dramo Tarteri, Adult Tarterian Dragon
Str: 36 Dex: 10 Con 24 Int 20 Wis 21 Cha 20
HD: 21d12+162 (317)
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+46
Attack: +36
Fort/Ref/Will: 22/16/19
Breath Weapon:13d8 (DC27) (Line 100, Cone 50)
SR: 25
Move: 60, Fly 150 (poor)
Init +0
AC: 34 (10-2size+22NA+4 Armor) (37 w/ss)
Abilities: Force Res (+4saves), Strength of Will (+4 saves v compulsion spells), Freedom of Movement, DR 10/magic, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (1/day), Alternate Form (Human), Dragon Senses
Spells Known: 8/5/3/2/1
0
1: Breath Flare, Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat, Change Self, Magic Missile
2: Mesmerizing Glare, Wings of Air
3: Hold Person, Gaseous Form, Dispel Magic
4: Improved Invisibility
Spells per day: 8/7/7/6/4
Feats(8): Multiattack, Hover, Rapidstrike, Improved Rapidstrike, Flyby Attack, Power Attack, Shape Breath(MB+1), Clinging Breath(MB+1)
Attacks: +36 Bite (2d8+13), +34/+34/+29/+24 2 claws (2d6+7), +34/+34 2wings (1d8+7), +34 Tail Slap (2d6+19), all +2d6
Attax(Human): +36/+36/+31/+26 4d6+13
Items: Amulet of Health +2, (4k) Belt of Str +2 (4k), Ring of Mage Armor (4k), 2 Blast Globes (8k each), Bracers of Striking +1 Flaming Shocking (18k), Ring of the Darkhidden (6.7k), Rod of Viscid Globs (6k), Ring of Mind Shielding (8k), Ring of Protection +1 (2k), Spider Rod (40k)

Skill Points: 232
Hide: +24 (24r), Move Silently: +24 (24r), Spot: +29 (24r), Listen: +29 (24r), Jump: +37 (24r), Spellcraft: +29 (24r), Bluff: +29 (24r), Sense Motives: +29 (24r), Concentration: +18 (11r), Diplomacy: +29 (24r), Disguise +18 (12r), Ride +20 (20r), Swim +20 (12r), Tumble +15 (15r)

 

[Elric]

Wow. See what an evil DM I have. That level 13 must have been good for the characters... wait... it is a prime number- that means that they get nothing. Ouch.

On the other hand, if the party wizard has Empower and Quicken Rods, that's 30d6 of Scorching Rays a round (probably w/ a 90% chance of hitting with each ray since it has so much natural armor). Of course, that's assuming that the party can figure out where the dragon is before it kills them.

That thing has one nasty full attack action...