Squatters in the white dragon's lair

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

OK, the white dragon has been killed, and her loot carried off.

Fast forward several decades: What becomes of a white dragon's lair? Do normal animals move in? Other monsters? Who would be attracted to such a location?

 

[EricNoah]

Can we assume frigid/arctic conditions?

If the lair was some kind of cave and is relatively high up (side of a mountain or somesuch), perhaps it would attract flying monsters who are not builders or burrowers.

Another question to pose is .. what brought the white dragon there in the first place?

 

[Glyfair]

A few options:

Another white dragon stops to "visit" (yes, it's over simplified, you flesh it out), sees the empty lair, and decides to move in. Lots of traps added (we know adventurers know where it is).

Powerful hermit wants to get away from society moves in. No one will disturb a former dragon's lair.

Mining race moves in now that there is no danger (dwarves, kobolds, etc) and starts mining formerly untapped reserves (plus the bits of loose treasure that were overlooked).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Can we assume frigid/arctic conditions?

It was the top of a volcanic mountain chain, so yeah, very frigid.

If the lair was some kind of cave and is relatively high up (side of a mountain or somesuch), perhaps it would attract flying monsters who are not builders or burrowers.

Hmmm, that could be interesting.

Another question to pose is .. what brought the white dragon there in the first place?

There's all these dwarfholds along the mountain range: Good hunting for a loot-hungry dragon.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

An ancient remorhaz of legend has usurped the dragon's lair, along with it's cult of worshippers ... a bunch of thri-keen.

 

[Zurai]

An ancient remorhaz of legend has usurped the dragon's lair, along with it's cult of worshippers ... a bunch of thri-keen.

Thri-kreen? In arctic climates? That seems... unlikely.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not to mention a little rough on 4th-5th level characters.

 

[blargney the second]

The dragon's offspring have come home & set up camp. Slap the half-dragon template on everything you can think of!

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Thri-kreen? In arctic climates? That seems... unlikely.

Exactly! They'll never see it coming (especially since the TK's will all be wearing thick arctic explorer outfits to stay warm).

 

[der_kluge]

I think as a nice touch, you should only leave silver and copper coins in the lair - whoever killed the previous dragon only took the good stuff.