-	-	Dracolich	-	-
Dragon	-	-	-	Dragon 110

The series of DRAGONLANCE modu l e s   a n d   n o v e l s   f r o m   T S R ,   I n c . ,   h a v e   g i v e n
u s   a   d e t a i l e d   c a m p a i g n   s e t t i n g   d o m i n a t e d
by warring dragons: the world of Krynn.
T h i s   w o r l d   i s   a n   a d m i r a b l e   s e t t i n g   i n   w h i c h
t o   b e g i n   a n   A D & D ®   g a m e   c a m p a i g n ,   o r   ? a
n i c e   p l a c e   t o   v i s i t ?   ( v i a   i n t e r p l a n a r   s p e l l s )
f o r   p l a y e r   c h a r a c t e r s   i n   a n   e s t a b l i s h e d   c a m p a i g n .
K r y n n   i s   o t h e r w i s e   r a t h e r   d i f f i c u l t   t o
i n t e g r a t e   i n t o   a n   o n g o i n g   A D & D   c a m p a i g n .
I t   i s   t o o   p o l a r i z e d   a   w o r l d   f o r   c a s u a l   a d v e n t u r i n g ,   a n d   c o m e s   c o m p l e t e   w i t h   i t s   o w n
g o d s ,   p o w e r f u l   m a g i c ,   a n d   l a r g e - s c a l e   s t r i f e i n - p r o g r e s s .   F o r   t h o s e   D M s   w h o   l i k e   t h e i r
d r a g o n s   l e s s   d o m i n a n t ,   b u t   s t i l l   f a n c y   s o m e
s o r t   o f   d r a g o n k i n d   o r g a n i z a t i o n   o r   p o w e r
g r o u p   ( r a t h e r   t h a n   u s i n g   d r a g o n s   a s   a   s u c c e s s i o n   o f   i s o l a t e d ,   u n s u s p e c t i n g   t a r g e t s ) ,   I
p r e s e n t   s o m e   d e t a i l s   o f   t h e   m y s t e r i o u s   C u l t
o f   t h e   D r a g o n ,   f r o m   m y   F o r g o t t e n   R e a l m s
c a m p a i g n .

L e s s   p o w e r f u l   -- thus, necessarily more
secretive -- than the forces at work in
Krynn, this group of human dragonworshipers (and a splinter group or independent sect, the devil-worshiping Dragon
Lords who serve Tiamat directly) has been
one of the behind-the-scenes continual
adversaries for a group of quite energetic
players over the last five years or so. There
is no reason its activities could not serve as
a similar incentive to challenging adventures in other campaigns.

Respectful non-believers refer to the Cult
as ?The Followers of the Scaly Way.?
?Dragon-lovers? is a less complimentary
term. The Cult serves as a communications
network between members of evil dragonkind throughout the Realms, as well as
directly aiding (by physical defense and
healing magics) and monetarily enriching
(by means of offerings of precious objects of
all kinds) the creatures of their veneration.
The sign of the Cult, used as a way-marker
or recognition signal among members, is a
claw grasping a crown ? the crown representing rulership of the Realms, the claw
representing the dragons revered by the
Cult. There is also a gesture used by Cult
members to identify themselves to colleagues and allies ? extending a hand,
palm down, from one?s chin directly outward and forward, fingers held straight out
and together, and blowing along these extended fingers from one?s lips. Cult members include many powerful evil mages,
fighting-men of all levels of skill, and a few
evil clerics. Most of the more powerful Cult
members can converse in one or more evil
dragon tongues (most commonly red or
blue).

The origins of this cult can be traced
precisely to the writings of the long-ago
mage Sammaster (the same who, much
later, was destroyed as a lich by ?The Company of Twelve? paladins in the ruined city
known as ?The Gates of Hell?). Sammaster
translated a particular passage of  The
Chronicle Of Years To Come,  written by the
legendary oracle Maglas, and took from it a
meaning different from most. Here is the
passage as rendered by Elminster and most
other sages:

?And naught will be left save
shattered thrones, with no rulers but
the dead. Dragons shall rule the
world entire, and . . .?
Sammaster, however, interpreted the
passage thus:

?And naught will be left save
shattered thrones, with no rulers. But
the Dead Dragons shall rule the
world entire, and . . .?

Followers of Sammaster (who himself
achieved lichdom) interpreted this to mean
that the ultimate rulers of the world would
be ?dead dragons? ? and, as Sammaster?s
own researches had just resulted in the
rediscovery of the process of creating a lich,
someone (thought to be the renegade cleric
Algashon) seized upon the idea of creating
undead dragons by a similar process. The
Cult was founded with the aim of creating
and serving these ?dead dragons,? elevating
them to dominance over all dragonkind, by
dint of their lich-powers and the allied
strength of the Cult organization, and ultimately ruling over the world itself. The
Cult ? or, rather, the dracoliches of its
creation ? can claim to have conquered the
kingdom of Peleveran in the far southeastern Realms, but only by means of laying
waste to the kingdom. What was once a
tree-cloaked, fertile land is now barren,
stony, open country.

The goal of mastering the means to create
dracoliches (or, as non-believers who knew
nothing of their origins first dubbed them,
?Night Dragons?) was achieved with surprising rapidity, considering that until the
process was proven to work, there were
certainly no willing, cooperative subject
dragons to be found. The earliest dracoliches created by the Cult have now existed
in their undead status for some four hundred and sixty winters ? and all of these
dragons were of ancient age when the process began. Most sages believe that, like the
once-human monsters known as demi-liches
(see  Monster Manual II),  the body of a
dracolich will decay with time, becoming
skeletal and later collapsing entirely into
dust. The magic then preserves the dragon?s
spirit more or less as a disembodied entity.

What will then occur is not known. Will
these demi-dracoliches have even more
fearsome powers? Or, will they pass away
into nothingness? Some sages, notably
Raglar ?the Worldwatcher,? hold that any
dragon unable to  physically  hoard, handle,
defend, and acquire more treasure will
ultimately go insane ? as continual, sensual contact with the hoard is so great a part
of a dragon?s nature. Others, notably
Askarran of Selgaunt, say that it is unwise
to speculate in so murky a field  ? nothing
is yet known, so nothing can be intelligently
hazarded. Some sages, such as Ahlimon of
Iriaebor, assert that ultimately all ?disembodied? dracolich spirits are drawn to the
Lower Planes, as are all evil spirits upon
death, and there become larvae.

The process of creating a dracolich is now

well known among sages, however, for the
cultists have implemented it vigorously ?
particularly upon huge, very old or ancient
evil dragons with spell-casting powers. The
difficulty, for the cultists, has traditionally
been in getting dragons to agree to undertake the process. In the early days of the
cult, this was usually solved by forcing a
dragon into it, an activity that took its toll
in both warriors and mages. This tactic is
now frowned upon.

The traditional initial step in preparation
for lichdom is the imbibing of a potion. The
potion for dragons differs from that used by
humans in both ingredients and effects ?
but, as with the latter, it must all be imbibed in one dose for it to work at all, and it
does not always cause the desired effect.

The ingredients are as follows:
    Two pinches of pure arsenic
    One pinch of belladonna
    One measure of fresh (less than 30
        nights old) phase-spider venom
        (at least one pint)
    The blood (at least one quart) of a
        virgin of a demi-human individual, of a long-lived race (or,
        alternatively, a gallon of treant
        sap; this ingredient must have
        been drawn seven or less nights
        previously)
    The blood (at least one quart) of a
        vampire or a person infected
        with vampirism (this ingredient
        must have been drawn seven or
        less nights previously)
    One complete  potion of evil dragon control
    One complete  potion of invulnerability

The seven ingredients must be mixed
together in an inert vessel (such as one of
stone) by the light of a full moon, adding
the ingredients to the vessel in the order
listed, stirring all the while with the blade of
an undamaged, magically whole  sword +2,
dragon slayer  (which may be of any alignment, and strikes for triple damage against
any sort of dragon). It may be imbibed at
any time thereafter; the mixture will only
lose its efficacy if it is touched by direct
sunlight while uncovered, or if it is mixed
with other liquids.

When such a potion is drunk by any sort
of true dragon, it will have the following
effects:
 

Dice	Result
01-46	Potion does not work. The dragon suffers 2-24 hp damage, is helpless with convulsions for 1-2 rounds, and loses any spells memorized.
47-66	Potion works. The dragon lapses into a coma for 1-4 rounds, and when it rouses knows that the potion has worked.
67-96	Dragon slain instantly, but potion works. If the ?host? has been prepared, the dragon?s spirit will go there and continue the process of becoming a dracolich.
97-00	Dragon slain instantly; potion  d o e s   n o t   w o r k .   A   f u l l   wish  is needed to restore dragon to life. (A wish to transform it to undead, dracolich status will cause another roll on this table, instantly.)

If any creature other than a true dragon
imbibes any portion of a dracolich potion,
use the following table to determine the
potion?s effects:
 

D i c e	R e s u l t
01-44	Painful death in 1-2 rounds. The victim shrieks and has convulsions.
45-67	The imbiber is dealt 3-36 hp damage, as the potion corrodes his internal tissues.
68-72	The imbiber is  feebleminded  and affected by a withering disease (treat as the ?rotting disease? inflicted by a mummy).
73-80	The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and is driven  insane  (as per the  DMG).
81-84	The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and upon awakening can speak all evil dragon tongues.
85-90	The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and thereafter nothing appears to occur. (DM?s note: The imbiber has been rendered forever immune to vampirism, the disease ? but can still be life-drained and physically damaged by any vampire(s) encountered.)
91-00	The imbiber goes into a coma for 1-6 turns, and nothing more occurs.

No  charm,  aura reading, or similar spell
or mental test will reveal that a dragon has
successfully drunk such a potion.
The Cult of the Dragon always prepares
the dragon?s ?spirit-host? before administering the potion, in case the potion slays
the dragon instantly. This host must be a
solid item of not less than 2000 gp value
that will resist decay (wood, for instance, is
unsuitable) and was magically prepared.
Gems are commonly used, particularly
specimens of carbuncle and jet ? although
peridot, sard, ruby, and sometimes even
fragile black pearls or obsidian have been
employed. It is desirous that the host item
be often close to corpses (as explained below); for this reason, such a gem is often set
in a sword-hilt.

The host first has  enchant an item  cast
upon it (and must save vs. spell as though
of the caster?s level for this to be successful).
If desired,  glassteel  can then be cast upon it,
to protect the host, and then  trap the soul
must be cast upon it. Upon the speaking of
the dragon?s  truename  during the casting,
the dragon will instantly lose 1 hp per hit
die it currently possesses; these pass forever
into the host. (The host should not have a
maze  spell cast on it; it is not a ?soulprison.?) The dragon will fall instantly into
a coma for 1-4 days, and during this time
its mind cannot be contacted or attacked by

magic or psionics. Its mind is unreachable,
as it's spirit flits back and forth constantly
between the host and its dragon body. (Any
spells memorized by the dragon at the time
trap the soul  was cast are lost.)

If the dragon dies or is slain at any time
after this, and it has before death imbibed
the aforementioned potion, its spirit will go
into the host, regardless of the distance
between dragon body and host (which can
even be on different planes of existence) or
the presence of  prismatic spheres,  lead
boxes,  cubes of force,  or similar obstacles.
At this time, the host will  levitate  for 1-6
rounds, rising two or three inches upward.

Cult mages (or any other mage wishing
to aid a dragon in attaining lichdom) must
then provide a reptilian corpse, ideally that
of a dragon or related creature. The body of
an ice lizard, firedrake, wyvern, or fire
lizard is ideal; that of a dragonne, dragon
turtle, or dracolisk has only a small chance
of successful use by the dragon?s spirit. The
corpse of a pseudo-dragon, pterandon, or
other non-draconian creature is extremely
unlikely to work. The body must be freshly
killed (or, at least, dead within the period of
the current moon, or 30 days), and within
90? of the host. The mage must then touch
the host, cast a  magic jar  spell that includes
the  true name  of the dragon, and then
touch the corpse. In effect, the mage carries
the dragon?s spirit from host to corpse
within his or her own body.

The corpse must  fail  a save vs. spell for
the dragon?s spirit to successfully possess it;
if it saves, it will  never  accept the spirit. For
this saving throw, the corpse is treated as a
fighter of the same level as the dragon had
hit dice when alive, with the following
modifiers (any that apply) to the roll:

-4 if the corpse is of the same alignment as the dragon
-4 if the corpse is that of a true
dragon (any type)
-3 if the corpse is that of a firedrake, ice lizard, wyvern,
or fire lizard
-1 if the corpse is that of a dracolisk, dragonne, pterandon,
or dragon turtle
+3 if the corpse is that of a non-reptile (i.e., not a lizard man,
snake, ophidian, or the like)
-10 if the corpse is the dragon's own former body (which can
be dead any length of time)

If the dragon?s spirit cannot enter the
body, it will take over the magic-user?s own
body, unless the magic-user returns it to the
host by touching the host again within 2-12
rounds. It can remain in the host for any
length of time without harm ? unless the
host is itself destroyed.

If the corpse accepts the dragon?s spirit, it
becomes animated by the spirit, and has the
dragon?s own mind and its dracolich immunities (see below). It will be telepathic if the
dragon could speak in life, but unless it is

the dragon?s own former body, cannot speak
? and therefore cannot cast spells with
verbal components. (If your campaign rules
dictate that dragons must use their forepaws
to manipulate material and somatic components, then the dracolich may meet further
difficulties if the corpse has no usable forepaws.) It can learn spells if they are available to be memorized, until its roster is full,
whereupon it can never learn spells again.
If the Cult of the Dragon is involved, the
Cult will see that powerful and useful magics are learned.
The ?proto-dracolich? has but one goal:
If it is not itself the body of the dragon, it
hungers for the original body, and will seek
out and devour that corpse. (For this reason, Cult members favor using the dragon?s
own body ? i.e.,  keeping the host near it
? or else providing corpses with wings, to
make any journey to the original body as
rapid and easy as possible.) The dragon?s
spirit can sense the direction and distance of
its own former body, regardless of distance
(although it cannot pass without aid to
another plane of existence to reach it), and
will tirelessly seek it out, not needing other
meals for sustenance, nor rest.

If the dragon?s own body has been
burned or dismembered, the protodracolich need only devour the ashes or
pieces. Total destruction of the dragon?s
body is possible only through use of a  disintegrate  spell (the body gets a normal save
vs. the spell). If a Cult mage or other
magic-user casts a  limited  (or full)  wish,  the
body can be reincorporated if it was disintegrated on the Positive, Negative, or Prime
Material Plane, as long as the  wish  is cast in
the same plane as that  disintegration occurred.  Typically, various teeth and organs
of a dragon are carried off by magic-users,
alchemists, or adventurers wishing to sell
such remains to mages or alchemists, and
the proto-dracolich need only wait until
such individuals are asleep or engaged in
other activity (such as combat or spellcasting) to seize and devour the parts.
Only 10% or so of the body must be so
devoured for the proto-dracolich to achieve
its aim (it will know when this has occurred). Thereafter, within seven days, the
proto-dracolich will metamorphose into a
body resembling the dragon?s original body
in life ? able to speak, cast spells, and
employ the breath weapon just as the
dragon could when it was alive. (If the
dracolich possesses its own former body, it
regains speech and the use of its breath
weapon within seven days of possession.) It
is then a dracolich, with the powers and
properties described below, and becomes an
object of worship, aid, and protection for all
members of the Cult of the Dragon
throughout the Realms.

The dracolich will immediately be gifted
with gold and gems by the most senior
members of the Cult, ?The Keepers of the
Secret Hoard,? and these mages will provide it with spells if it so desires. The Keepers have carefully gathered, recorded, and
improved a selection of powerful spells for

t h e   u s e   o f   i t s   w i n g e d   l e a d e r s .   T h e   C u l t   i s
k n o w n   t o   h a v e   a n d   p r o v i d e   t h e   f o l l o w i n g
m a g i c s:
 
 

1st Level	2nd Level	3rd Level	4th Level
Affect normal fires	Audible glamer	Blink	Charm monster
Dancing lights	Continual light	Clairaudience	Confusion
Identify	Darkness 15' r.	Clairvoyance	Dig
Light	ESP	Dispel magic	Dimension door
Magic missile	Flaming sphere	Fireball	Fire trap
Mending	In visibility	Gust of wind	Ice storm
Message	Knock	Hold person	Minor globe of invulnerability
Push	Levitate	Lightning bolt	Polymorph other
Shield	Locate object	Slow	Polymorph self
Sleep	Magic mouth	Suggestion	Remove curse
Unseen servant	Pyrotechnics	Tongues	Wall of fire
Ventriloquism	Ray of enfeeblement	-	-
Write	Stinking cloud	-	-
-	Web	-	-
-	Wizard lock	-	-

The report of one adventurer, thus far
unverified, suggests that  Nystul?s  magic
aura  (or an equivalent spell that places false
magical auras upon items in a dragon?s
hoard) is also in the Cult?s list of dragon
spells, and perhaps also  Melf?s minute
meteors,  or a similar ?multiple balls of fire?
spell which is within the reach of dragons
and dracoliches aided by the Cult.

Dracoliches employ their spells as though
they were magic-users of the same level as
their number of hit dice (at the time of the
original full-roster memorization, ?host?
hit points included).

The Cult cannot directly control any
dracolich. Members of the Cult revere
dragons, and work instead by trying to
build friendship, trust, and mutual respect.
Dragons and dracoliches are loners, but
they  do  enjoy the knowledge that they have
allies, and place value in such relationships.

The Cult can, however, request (by messenger or signal) the aid of any and all dracoliches. It does so only when necessary, and
is careful to reward with treasure any
dragons or dracoliches giving such aid. The
signal mentioned here is given by means of
a magic item developed by the Cult: the
ring of dragons. Worn only by powerful
Cult members (there are perhaps seventy
such rings in existence), these rings are
activated only by the will of the wearer, who
can cause such a ring to become a beacon
for all dragonkind.

The ring of dragons (which appears as a
normal brass ring) causes a twinkling radiance and a mental calling, confined to the
plane of the wearer, but of unlimited range
on that plane, audible and visible only to
dragonkind Only evil dragons will feel the
calling; any interested dragon may respond.
The signal has a pinpoint location  (i.e.,  an
observable, precise direction and distance
from any dragon becoming aware of it), and
will continue until the wearer wills it to end,
moving with the ring, but ceasing if the ring
is removed from the wearer who activated
it. No control or influence over any dragon
is conferred by the ring
The  ring  also empowers any wearer to
communicate verbally in any dragon
tongue, and telepathically with any true
dragon, and the wearer can also cast (once
per day) the  illusion  of a dragon, within 6"
of the wearer, such an illusion having any
appearance and sounds that the ring-wearer
can recall, but having no physical existence,
no ability to cast spells, and no ability to do
any form of damage, even if believed. No
true dragon will be fooled by such an illusion. The illusion serves as a recognition
symbol or, in a pinch, as a diversion. A  ring
of dragons is usable by any intelligent creature, regardless of race, alignment, or class,
who can physically place it upon a manipulative digit Most sages value such rings at
about 15,000 gp. The method of their making is presently unknown outside the Cult,
and they are not offered for sale
Each time a dracolich is slam, its spirit

c a n   r e t u r n   t o   t h e   h o s t ;   i f   i t   p o s s i b l y   c a n ,   t h e
d r a c o l i c h   w i l l   t r y   t o   b r i n g   i t s   b o d y   w i t h   i t
( i . e . ,   e s c a p i n g   b e f o r e   b e i n g   b r o u g h t   t o   z e r o
h i t   p o i n t s )   b y   s p e l l   o r   m a g i c a l   a i d .   E a c h
t i m e   a   d r a c o l i c h   r e t u r n s   t o   i t s   h o s t ,   i t   l o s e s
p e r m a n e n t l y   o n e   h i t   d i e   ( l d 8 )   o f   h i t   p o i n t s ;
i f   b y   s u c h   m e a n s   a   d r a c o l i c h   i s   e v e r   b r o u g h t
t o   z e r o   h i t   p o i n t s ,   i t   p a s s e s   a w a y   ( p r e s u m a b l y   t o   t h e   L o w e r   P l a n e s )   a s   a   h e l p l e s s ,
d i s e m b o d i e d   s p i r i t .   I f   i t   e v e r   r e t u r n s   t o   t h e
h o s t   a n d   t h e r e   i s   n o   c o r p s e   w i t h i n   r a n g e   f o r
i t   t o   p o s s e s s ,   o r   i f   i t   f a i l s   t o   p o s s e s s   a l l
c o r p s e s   w i t h i n   r a n g e ,   i t   i s   t r a p p e d   i n   t h e
h o s t   u n t i l   s u c h   l a t e r   t i m e   ( i f   e v e r )   t h a t   t h e r e
i s   a   c o r p s e   w i t h i n   r a n g e   t h a t   i t   s u c c e s s f u l l y
p o s s e s s e s .   ( A f t e r   t h e   i n i t i a l   magic jar  described above, the later assistance of a
magic-user is not necessary.) The dracolich
must devour its former body each time it
possesses a new one, if it is to regain its
dracolich powers.

If a proto-dracolich cannot devour its
original body, due to barriers or the destruction of its original body, it is trapped in that
form until again slain; it cannot leave its
proto-form at will to return to the host and
await a ?better? form to possess. Protodracoliches can never cast spells, nor do
they possess the chilling damage, breath
weapon, or fear-causing powers of the dracolich ? but they do have the hit points of
the dracolich, its immunities to spells and to
clerical turning, and the wisdom and intelligence of the dragon or dracolich. Strength
and armor class are those of the possessed

body -- and the dracolich can use any
special magical or physical powers of the
possessed body not destroyed by its own
original death, including (recall its intelligence)
status, possessions, and the like if the
possessed body is of an intelligent, social
race. A dracolich can never forcibly possess
a living body. Details of the dracolich form
follow:

DRACOLICH (Night Dragon)

F r o m   a l l   o f   t h i s ,   i t   c a n   b e   s e e n   t h a t   m e m b e r s   o f   t h e   C u l t   o f   t h e   D r a g o n   a r e   b u s y   f o l k .
L i k e   i n d e p e n d e n t   a d v e n t u r e r s ,   t h e y   a r e
a l w a y s   s e e k i n g   t r e a s u r e   ?   p a r t i c u l a r l y
? o l d ?   t r e a s u r e   f o u n d   i n   r u i n e d   c i t i e s ,
tombs, or dungeons. If a party should enc o u n t e r   C u l t   m e m b e r s ,   i t   i s   l i k e l y   t h a t   t h e
C u l t i s t s   w i l l   s t r i k e   t o   s l a y ,   u n l e s s   t h e y   a l r e a d y   h a v e   t r e a s u r e   i n   t h e i r   p o s s e s s i o n   a n d
b e l i e v e   t h e y   c a n   e s c a p e   o r   a v o i d   t h o s e   t h e y
h a v e   e n c o u n t e r e d .   I n   a n y   f i g h t ,   m e m b e r s   o f
t h e   C u l t   o f   t h e   D r a g o n   a r e   t o   b e   f e a r e d ;
t h e y   a r e   a l m o s t   a l l   p o w e r f u l   f i g h t e r s   a n d
m a g i c - u s e r s ,   a n d   w i l l   a l w a y s   b e   l e d   b y   a
m a g e   o r   m a g e s   o f   1 2 t h   o r   g r e a t e r   l e v e l
( u s u a l l y   1 6 t h   o r   s o ) .   S u c h   l e a d e r s   a l w a y s
w e a r   a   ring of dragons.  As previously mentioned, this ring may serve to bring dracoliches to the aid of the Cultists, if they are
sorely pressed.

Cult members also undertake regular
visitations to all evil dragons and dracoliches they know of, offering riches for the
hoards of each, proffering healing potions
or physical aid in enlarging a dragon?s
treasure chamber or access tunnel, or arranging mechanical traps to slay adventurers who would plunder dragon-hoards. Any
evil dragons they hear of or see evidence of
are tracked down tirelessly, and attempts to
persuade them into alliance with the Cult

are made ? an arrangement that leaves
their hoards and solitude largely intact,
broken only by the occasional messenger
from the Cult, who always carries news
(news is something dragons of any sort are
always eager for) of events in the Realms,
the doings of the Cult, and the affairs of all
dragons. Such messengers always ask if
there is any service that they or their companions can render to the dragon or dracolich (and will undertake such tasks instantly
if the nature of the task allows), always
flatter the dragon respectfully in speech,
and always bring large amounts of treasure
as an offering. In return, the Cult asks that
its members can seek sanctuary in the
dragon?s lair if  in  extremis,  and that the
dragon respond to any call for aid by a
messenger or by means of a  ring of dragons,
by flying to the source ready for combat.
Such messengers always announce their
coming by utterance of a password chosen
by the dragon, and always remind the
dragon of the Cult?s aim of raising dragonkind to rulership over all the world ? a
rule in which, of course, the particular
dragon addressed will be of great rank and
importance. The powers and apparent
immortality of the dracoliches is mentioned,
offhandedly, every so often, too
After some years (at least ten winters, if
the Cult is allowed to operate without hindrance) of visiting a particular dragon, the
Cult messengers will begin to delicately
broach the subject of lichdom, and finally

put it as a proposal to the dragon, promising immortality, and (if the dragon can cast
spells) the Cult?s provision of the most
powerful possible spells It is known that
few dragons have refused, in the end, although some have taken a score of years or
more to ?think it over.? Most sages do not
believe that the Cult forces dragons into
imbibing the potion that begins the process
any longer, fearing that this might affect
their ultimate loyalty to the Cult. The Cult
will, as part of the process of achieving
lichdom, ritually put to death a prepared
dragon, if the latter so wishes. The Cult
prefers (and urges instead) that dragons
prepared for lichdom instead go forth and
engage in combat too dangerous for them to
contemplate in life ? attacking a city, or the
tower of a powerful wizard, perhaps, or a
rival (non-Cult, and probably of good alignment) dragon ? and die gloriously. This
has the threefold advantage of damaging
opponents or potential adversaries of the
Cult, of increasing the Cult?s reputation
throughout the Realms (Cult members
make sure word of such events gets around,
and that the Cult is mentioned as a reason),
and of urging the particular dragon to rise
above its own innate cowardice, perhaps for
the first time ever ? a psychological feat
that will serve it well when it becomes a
dracolich.

Cult members are also kept busy finding,
capturing, and tending (or training) dragon
eggs, hatchlings, and creatures related to
dragons, such as the wyvern, firedrake, ice
lizard, fire lizard, airdragon (pterandon),
pseudo-dragon, dracolisk, and dragonne ?
if these are not used for host bodies in attaining lichdom, they serve as work-beasts
or mounts for the Cult, or in the continuing
experiments to speed (and increase the
power of the end product of) the process of
dracolichdom. Cult members also gather at
every opportunity any substances required
as ingredients in the dracolich potion.
DMs should view the Cult as a vast network of evil (largely neutral evil) images and
fighters, all dedicated to a cause and finding
their lives? work and fulfillment in furthering that cause ? a Cult which works tirelessly in loose teams of adventurers,
working as described above (which activities
could well bring Cult members into repeated encounters with player character
adventurers), and communicating amongst
themselves by means of magic, messengers
on airdragons, innkeepers in certain Cultrun or Cult-sympathetic inns, and by
means of message caches (often magically
concealed writings on rock in prearranged
locations). Cult fighters who attain the
necessary levels often found a stronghold in
some locale they favor, and it becomes a
safe haven for the Cult The owner of the
stronghold continues to adventure for the
Cult, and Cult members aid in the defense
of the area (if necessary) and assist in the
running of the stronghold owner?s business
while he or she is adventuring ?And the
day will come,? as Cult members say,
?when the dead dragons rule over all?


Dragon skeleton (DLE1)