Whence Came the Lightbringer

FYRE MADE FLESH: TO MOUNT AND STEER THE TERRIBLE DRAGON

This is an expansion and revisuon of my previous entry on dragon-riding. A little more refined, with actual rules for dragons and their combat.

A dragon is not a steed. It is not a friend. It is neither a pet nor a weapon.
A dragon is a dragon, fire made flesh, the predatory apex given shape.
Brave knights slay dragons.
Great knights ride them.

FLAME AND FEROCITY: THE MECHANICS OF THE DRAGON

Dragons are as varied in size and nature as birds of prey, yet there are some qualities they all seem to share. Firstly, their Ego. All dragons are proud. Secondly, their Heart. Dragons possess more vitality and intensity than ordinary beasts. And of course, their Ferocity. Would it be a great deed to mount a dragon if it were a docile garden snake?

Dragons have three numerical Scores: Ego, Heart Dice (HD), and Ferocity (F). You must understand these values in order to properly utilize a dragon.

THE HEART OF DRAGONS; OR, HD

Dragons do not possess Hit Points; they have Supernatural Hit Dice. Put simply, lesser wounds from mundane weapons will do nothing to dragons. They only track wounds that deal 6 or more damage, which mark off one of their Hit Dice.
A Dragon's HD increase with age and size. To be ridden properly, a Dragon must have no less than 2HD. Most reach this milestone around the age of three.
A Dragon may carry weight upon its back, a human-sized load of cargo per each HD it possesses. This includes additional riders.
When a Dragon is reduced to 0HD, they are grievously wounded. Flight becomes impossible, and their flames cannot burn. If left untended, the beast will surely die. Should a Dragon survive this doom, however, they have a 10% chance of gaining an additional HD, and a 20% chance of increasing their Ferocity by 1.

FEROCITY! THAT SNAPPING FURY IN DRACONIC DISPOSITION

A Dragon is, by its nature, an incredibly aggressive beast. Their blood literally boils, after all. The most temperamental, most ferocious wyrms are said to have the sharpest claws, the hottest flames. Many bold Dragoons boast of how vicious their mount is- unaware of how they tempt death.

A Dragon has a Ferocity score 1-6, with 1 being "guarded" and 6 being "rabid." A Dragon's Ferocity is added to their damage in combat, as well as to Saves they may make.
However, Ferocity is not known as an entirely positive attribute. Dragons are not always obedient, and the Ferocious are most like to buck against their masters. When a Dragon's obedience is tested (such as when they lose HD or sense uncertainty in their rider), there is a Ferocity-in-6 chance that the Dragon will defy its rider. Repeated defiance may even stoke anger in the beast, and it is not unheard of for a spiteful drake to devour its Dragoon straight from its back.

EGO, THAT WHICH SUMS THE SERPENTINE

Dragons are, invariably, proud. They know exactly how powerful they are, and will not be convinced otherwise. A Dragon's Ego is what drives it to battle other dragons, to roost atop the highest mountains, and to yield only to the most worthy riders.

A Dragon's Ego score is its HD plus its Ferocity. This number is used to determine a Dragon's cumulative strength, as well as how hard they are to claim as a mount.

TO APPROACH THE DRAGON

When you approach a dragon, you must do it as a peacock approaches a hen. Gilded armor, bright plumage, crates of gleaming wealth.
For a dragon to even allow you to approach, you must be wearing or visibly carrying 500gp worth of attire/fineries for every HD the Dragon possesses.

The Approach is an art form, a specific strut and performance to sway the lizard to your side. Seasoned knights may fail it and be devoured by their would-be steed.
To perform the Approach, you roll 2d6 against the Dragon's EGO. Certain factors may sway the wyrm, bolstering your odds.

If you succeed, wonderful! The beast will bend its neck and allow you to ride it. Expect challenges and defiance, but you are now a Dragoon.
And if you fail, you will likely not live long enough to feel too badly about it

RIDING THE TEMPEST; LIFE AS A DRAGOON

You now ride a dragon, congratulations! But there is more to it than simply flying to and from battles. This beast requires maintenance.
A Dragon must be fed daily, and amply. They are exclusively carnivorous, and will require 1HD worth of meat per every HD they possess. They are not picky on the type of meat, but many prefer horse and cow. It is not recommended to keep a dragon hungry.

A Dragon's speed curves with age, getting faster with each HD they gain until they peak and begin to decline. A Dragon of 6HD or so is likely the swiftest, moving at roughly thrice the speed of a race horse.2
Naturally, difficult terrain is no issue for a flying beast. However, intense weather, such as a storm, may slow the dragon or veer it from its course. If lost, the wyrm will likely turn back to its roost if possible.

A Dragon may fly for quite some time before tiring. Most are capable of flying for at least 6-8 hours before they must rest, though larger, older beasts may require more recovery. Making a Dragon fly into exhaustion is possible... but tests Ferocity.

THE DANCE, OR COMBAT ATOP A WYRM

A Dragon is itself a more effective weapon than any magical sword. While astride such a beast, one may think themselves invincible.

The Rider and the Dragon act as one beast once mounted. To command the Dragon, they must use their action(s) to do so as they crack whip and shout commands. They may act themselves and allow their dragon to do as it wishes, but doing so may test the Dragon's Ferocity if it senses weakness from you.

In combat against mortal men, a Dragon's claws deal damage of 2d6+Ferocity, raking through steel and leather alike.
The gust of their wings can often be strong enough to buffet lesser beings; a Dragon of 4 or more HD may beat its wings, forcing man-sized and lesser to Save or be knocked down.
A Dragon's tail is a powerful mace. Those struck with the Dragon's thagomizer must Save or be sent flying.

Of course, we must discuss the Dragon's Breath. It is their most devastating tool, that which made them into legend.
A Dragon's Fire Breath deals Hd6+Ferocity damage, H being their remaining HD. Larger dragons produce greater, hotter flames. Those in the way must Save or be hit by it; metal is melted and wood is burned on contact.

It should be reiterated that, while mighty, a dragon is not invulnerable. Ordinary weapons are perfectly capable of injuring them, so long as enough force and damage is dealt.
The bond between rider and Dragon is sympathetic; should the Dragon lose a HD, the rider must Save or take 1d6 damage themselves.

Of course, there is one trick that makes any man into a dragonslayer: a dragon of their own.

WYRM-TO-WYRM COMBAT

When two dragons meet in the sky, the smaller will act first unless surprised3. A dragon has three tools of combat woven into their body; jaws, claws, and flame.

In melee, a Dragon's attack is all but sure to land. No to-hit roll is needed unless the situation is unique.
A Dragon's claws deal 2d6+F damage on contact. Alternatively, a Dragon may clamp its jaws to the other dragon's neck/wing/tail. The grappled dragon may Save by rolling 2d6 against its attackers HD. If it does not succeed, it will be unable to Breathe or move until it does.
When faced with oncoming breath from a rival dragon, the wyrm and rider may opt to evade. Roll 2d6 over the evading Dragon's HD; on a success, the pillar of flame is avoided.
Do keep in mind that, if the dragon is struck by flame, its rider likely is as well, taking all the same damage. It is not unheard of for a dragon to escape flames unburnt with a smoking husk in their saddle.

CONCLUSION, AND THE TENETS OF DRAGONRIDING

With these notes in hand, you have what you need to mount the dragon and steer it. However, to do so for long, you ought to learn to live by these rules:

  1. Never doubt yourself. The moment a dragon detects indecision, you run the risk of being turned upon. Be sure in everything you do, even if you are unsure if it will succeed.
  2. Take only what you can handle. You will surely impress others by approaching a dragon with renown as an unknown wannabe. You will not impress them for long, however, once the creature eats you alive and burns down your home. Know your limits, go no further and no shorter.
  3. Know how you will die. Gloriously, in fire and flames, whilst plummeting to the earth. If this is unattractive, you are in the wrong saddle.

  1. If your system of play does not use Hit Dice, no worries. Use the number of great deeds the potential rider has accomplished, or perhaps simply measure their total HP versus the Dragon's Ego. You know your system better than I.↩

  2. This may seem slow for such a beast, but with the benefits of flight in addition to the prowess of a dragon, blinding speed seemed overkill.↩

  3. Make no mistake, smaller ≠ faster. That varies based upon the wyrm and its wings.↩