Book

Council of Wyrms

📖 Overview

Council of Wyrms is a campaign setting book for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition that presents a world ruled by dragons. Players take on the roles of dragons rather than traditional humanoid characters, managing their own territories and participating in dragon politics through the Council system. The setting takes place in a chain of islands where dragons maintain an ancient pact with elves, dwarves, and humans who serve as their vassals. The book contains rules for playing dragon characters, including mechanics for dragon abilities, combat, and the unique social dynamics between different dragon species. The book includes detailed information about the geography and history of the island realms, along with adventure scenarios designed for dragon characters. The material covers everything from managing a dragon's domain to participating in Council meetings where major decisions affecting dragonkind are made. This setting explores themes of power and responsibility, examining how even mighty beings must work together and compromise to maintain civilization. The book challenges traditional fantasy roles by placing players in the position of the creatures usually cast as antagonists.

👀 Reviews

Readers found Council of Wyrms offers a unique concept but suffers from execution issues. Many players appreciated the detailed dragon society rules and roleplaying options for dragon characters. Liked: - Dragon politics and clan dynamics - Custom dragon character creation system - Cultural details about dragon society - Maps and artwork Disliked: - Rules feel incomplete and need DM modifications - Limited non-dragon character options - Writing style described as "dry" and "mechanical" - Some found the setting too restrictive Reviews from RPG forums mention difficulty implementing the rules in practice. Multiple readers noted the book works better as inspiration for homebrew campaigns rather than a complete ruleset. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (31 ratings) RPGGeek: 6.8/10 (52 ratings) DriveThruRPG: 3.5/5 (12 reviews) Several reviewers specifically praised the dragon aging and advancement rules but criticized the lack of support for long-term campaigns.

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Joust by Mercedes Lackey A serf rises through the ranks to become a dragon rider in a world where dragons serve as military weapons for competing kingdoms.

Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight A dragon hatchling must survive in a world where humans hunt his kind to extinction.

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🤔 Interesting facts

🐉 The Council of Wyrms campaign setting features characters who begin play as dragon eggs, allowing players to experience their wyrm's entire life cycle from hatching onward. 🏰 The setting takes place in a chain of islands known as the Sea of Dragons, where dragons are the dominant civilization and maintain complex social structures including nobles, vassals, and dragon knights. 📚 Released in 1994, this was one of the first D&D settings to allow players to roleplay as dragons rather than humanoid characters. ⚔️ The book introduced unique game mechanics for dragons to have humanoid vassals who would serve as their agents in places too small for dragons to access. 🎲 Bill Slavicsek, the author, also worked on numerous other influential RPG products including the Star Wars Roleplaying Game and the D&D 4th Edition Player's Handbook.