What makes a Gold dragon GOLDl?

[Marshall Gatten]

Keeping them out of sight but showing the consequences of their presence increases the mystique.

They are truly powerful, and truly rare. I imagine anyplace with a gold dragon living nearby will have cults dedicated to worshiping it as though it was a deity. The priests of these cults won't have the powers of clerics, of course, since the object of their worship doesn't have the ability to grant divine powers. But that will just make their worshipers more ardent. They see other clerics as selfish, and just in it for the power. These priests truly dedicate themselves without expectation of anything in return. Very pious.

Being nearly the very embodiment of Lawful Goodness, a gold dragon will of course try to disillusion these cultists, but such efforts will just be seen as lessons in humility from their beneficent god.

Seeing the good works of dedicated lawful good cultists of the dragon without seeing the dragon will demonstrate that this creature is truly a force in the world. Its influence affects entire regions even though it has perhaps been decades (or even generations) since anybody ever even saw the dragon himself.

If the PCs are ever to meet the dragon in person, it should be a very slow build where they get used to the idea that nobody, including themselves, ever meets the dragon.

Once they know that the dragon is an unseen force for good, and they are confident that it is a theme-creating set dressing background item never to be confronted and parleyed with, THEN it will be a powerful unveiling.

But that's just me.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I imagine anyplace with a gold dragon living nearby will have cults dedicated to worshiping it as though it was a deity. The priests of these cults won't have the powers of clerics, of course, since the object of their worship doesn't have the ability to grant divine powers.

Per the AD&D DMG, low-level cleric spells can be gained from belief alone (hence demon cultists having spells).
Per Planescape, even high-level clerics can be atheists.

In other words, they can act like normal clerics, so it can be an unexpected twist that the object of their worship is not a true divinity.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I made one that was actually gold...because it was a construct. It in all ways behaved as a normal gold dragon, but it wasn't.

Then it malfunctioned...

 

[steeldragons]

This is all meshing/coming together really nicely, guys. Keep it up!

1. There is a singular gold dragon in the "real"/material world.

2. He/She is, as the rest of his kind who no longer inhabit/exist in the physical world/as physical entities [by divine decree, communal consensus, evil -or good!- powers blocking them?], a "saint" among dragonkind.

3. He/She has a developed a cult of followers...whether through little to no desire of his/her own or, perhaps, some grand design/desire of his/her kind.

4. He/she has access to clerical spells (the use of which leads to the cult forming in the first place?) and has begun doling out golden rings that contain/allow clerical spellcasting to his/her priests/most devoted. 1 ring for each tier of clerical spells...but he/she is limited to imbuing 3rd level spells....maybe the "high priest" can get 4th...maybe not.

5. Say these rings permit casting for those tiers for, say, a year. So no priests of the dragon can go very far afield or, if they are/get stuck, can't renew their magics.

I can finally see a way/use for wandering mystics like this...without it mandating an "asian/japanese" nation in the world:



So a cleric with 1 ring has 1st level spells, 2 rings = 2nd level spells, etc...Loosing their staff (or more accurately, the rings) or being away for more than a year, means no more magic for them.

This...this is working for me...

GIMME MOAR! lol.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So...

He's...

The Lord of the Rings?

 

[Tonguez]

I recall a description of an old peddler carrying seven canaries in gilded cages, the peddler was Bahamut and the canaties seven gold dragons.

So maybe canaries are sacred to the cult.

The dragon is never seen but he does send canary messengers, also sunflowerrs and daisies.

And of course he glows withi his own golden aura

 

[howandwhy99]

I think part of playing D&D is the promise that there are answers to your questions, reveals to you explorations. In this case, "Why a Gold Dragon" could mean answering "Why are dragons metallic?" for your campaign setting. Gold dragons always struck me as less directly involved with human affairs. I think that was left to the Silver in humanoid shapeshifted form.

Gold dragons were greedy, but as Lawful Good as any Paladin. This is an interesting contradiction to try and resolve in their character. Perhaps they have not just the long view, but the Really Long View on bettering world around them for justice and benevolence. This might mean they operate behind the scenes, like many dragons do, but have much of their wealth tied up in the affairs of the shorter lived races. They might be the creator of a city or even an empire given enough time. Their wealth is held by others in trust all over the land. It is leveraged, quietly, to buoy up sagging elements of civilization the dragon seeks to protect and maintain.

Of course I would still want a huge dragon on a big pile of gold somewhere. A Gold Dragon probably have all manner of ancient relics from its forebears and from its time alive on the planet. They might be a little like high level clerics too, exploring inner planes and checking out the other relevant major players of the world in terms of culture. That's to be expected I'd think, though a dragon might be abreast of military concerns too. A powerful magician could be an ally making them a formidable team, but Golds I think are more isolated so perhaps not.

Perhaps a more interesting question might be what a young gold dragon is up to? Nestled and secure ones are certainly active in their way, but are likely very hard to find much less face. A younger Gold could be out and about and a very interesting encounter. One which might teach creatures/players not to fight first and ask questions later.

 

[Blackwarder]

So...

He's...

The Lord of the Rings?

Ofcourse not, that will be trade mark infringement.

He'll be The Lord of the Hollow Round Object.

Warder

 

[Marshall Gatten]

Ofcourse not, that will be trade mark infringement.

He'll be The Lord of the Hollow Round Object.

Czar of the pinkie bracelets!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Baron of Baubles, Bangles & Beads