Here Be Dragons!

 Dragons!

Erol Otus, 1981 - one of two images I always think of when dragons are mentioned.

A question in a FB group Dungeon Master Resources set me posting several links to OSR blogs, posts addressing dragons.  This was because the request boiled down to making dragons 'more interesting' for 5e.  Nothing is more interesting to me than what the OSR creates.  If along the way more 5e players and DMs start leaning towards OSR play, all the better.

I ended up with such a fine collection of such things that I thought I would collect them here.

First up are a d6 Dragon Generator and the Unexpurgated Dragon Generator from Old Guard Gaming.  

Second is Goblin Punch, and its amazing adventure the Dragon Hole (and its follow-up post on better filling it).

Third is d4 Caltrops.  Currently only Black and Blue dragons are addressed, but its a start.  As an aside, the OSE Encounter Activity Tables for various critters is wonderful for those folks that lean towards random rolls and emergent story.  Eventually, the other color dragons will end up on the master list.

Fourth are a new take on Chromatic dragons from Coins and Scrolls.  I particularly like how the format of how each is described.

Fifth is the series of d100 dragon-related posts at Elfmaids & Octopi.  

Smaug, by Angus McBride - a fine artist, often seen in Osprey Military books of my youth, as well as ICE's MERP books.  So much awesome in his art.

In writing this post on a computer, versus Facebooking on my phone, I have better search tools (and can actually type well and see the screen).  As such, here are a few more not mentioned on the FB post.

Archons March On has a Dragon Generator, and lots of other awesome tables, besides.

Blood of Prokopius has a small bit about the dragons of Holmes and Cook rules.  

Throne of Salt has dragons-as-godlings, or at least that is how they come across.

Papers and Pencils has a two-part post about how he creates dragons.  One and Two.

Permanent Cranial Damage addresses how gold transforms mortals into dragons.

Dungeon of Signs has a new breed of dragon.

I'll close with a handful of d12 tables from Dungeon Dozen.

Another Smaug, this by the Hildebrandt Brothers, and from the Tolkien Calendar.  My brother had it and I spent many hours just looking at the pictures.  I wonder if he still does...  it seems there were several calendars ranging from 1969 thru 1977.  Not all were Hildebrandt, however. 

In addition to what I shared, other respondents provided some solid links, with The Monsters Know What They're Doing being a personal favorite.  This Reddit thread is all about dragons.  Plus, lots of comments about making all dragons spellcasters, something I agree with.

Hopefully, there is something here that you can use at your table, or at least inspires your own flavor of dragon.

For what it's worth, I've written about dragons before.