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Message: <blockquote data-quote="amerigoV" data-source="post: 6253296">Maybe this is out of context for D&D, but an ancient red did not get ancient by being dumb. A great book on why dragons collect $ is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dragons-Cuyahoga-Andrew-Swann/dp/0756400090" target="_blank">The Dragons of the Cuyahoga</a>. Dragons know they are the top of the food chain. They also tend to be solitary and will not be getting help from other dragons to save them. They collect $ to control the unwashed masses (humans and such) - they know in large numbers they can cause a problem. (heck, other dragons may be behind getting the unwashed masses to attack that particular dragon)All that $ gets invested in keeping the dragon numero uno. You go talk to the Sage about the that is reknown for his knowledge of Brixarix the Terrible. Do you know why his is reknown for this knowledge? Cuz he is employed by Brixarix the Terrible. The PCs get some plausible information. The Dragon knows who is coming after him and what tactics (as planted by the Sage) that will be used. The primo gear that the PCs will stock up on will be bought at places that are owned by the dragon (getting some loot ahead of time and guess what, some of those items won't work as advertised). There will be informants all along the way - an ancient red dragon should have the resources to put the NSA to shame. A party of PCs should not get within 100 miles of where the dragon REALLY is without some hard core due diligence. Its should be a campaign in its own right.Otherwise, what is the justification for dragons getting $? Are they just dumb birds that like the shiney? To me, the only time dragons actually horde this is in their youth. Young dragons horde the money so they can eventually set up this ecosystem to survive to become ancient dragons.Ancient dragons should never ever fight fair. If the GM can think of it, the dragon should have something 10 times as nasty. Everyone has taken their shot at the Ancient Dragon - there should be nothing most players come up with that the dragon should not have some counter to - especially if its "hey, we're going after Brixarix the Terrible cuz he is level appropriate CR/XP now" - that party should be dead within 10 minutes after saying that, and anyone every remotely related to them should be slaughtered by the dragons network as well. Its like declaring you are going after a Russian crime syndicate - good luck with that. Players should be terrified of going up against a named dragon - and even more terrified is the named dragon has taken notice of them!But that's just my opinion how dragons should be run.</blockquote>

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