We’re back with D&D Forgotten and a series of articles displaying some of the old draconic gods that we hope show up in the upcoming book (due in September), Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. We already know we’re getting the Gem Dragons in that book. We also know that they are offering this draconic content for play in ‘every D&D world’ which is going to happen whether they display it that way or not, but it’s good to know they have the D&D Multiverse in mind.
But, also celebrating the Feywild adventure book coming out soon, I thought we would offer a couple of the Draconic gods that are residents along side the Faerie Folke. The Wild in the Witchlight may not mention them, but that’s why they are here. We try to offer things to add to and enhance your D&D campaign and story. Some things you’ll want to use and others, maybe not.
Being gods, creating Paladins and Clerics are the obvious option. But you don’t have to be one of either of these classes to revere these deities. You could even build a Warlock of the Celestial or, in the case of these two, a Fey Patron.
NATHAIR SGIATHACH: THE PRANKSTER GOD
Ok, I feel I need to repeat the pronunciation from the wiki; NEIGH-ER SKEY-AK. You’re welcome. That’s a mouthful.
NATHAIR was the Draconic god of mischief and pranks. Yes, like Loki, but with a lot less maturity. He was a demure dragon at only 2 feet of length with gossamer butterfly wings and, although he was a member of Titania’s Seelie Court, he became more a jester than an advisor. In fact, a great many of the court couldn’t stand him due to his constant juvenile pranks and tricks. But, no matter how they felt about him, he simply LOVED the Faerie Folk.
One of Nathair’s favorite pranks was casting illusion on visitor’s or courtier’s backsides to make them glow red. Like I said: Juvenile.
Although small for a dragon, Nathair is not to be trifled with. He is a dragon and a god and a patron god of faerie dragons and psuedodragons. Which is strange since neither were actually dragons. But both, especially the psuedodragons, served many wizards as familiars.
Invisibility was his greatest weapon; although he possessed powerful Polymorph magic. He could not only disguise himself, but turn visitor’s weapons into useless items taking the fight away from them. Nathair was also known to cast divine magic from elemental, natural and enchantment domains.
Being a god, as I stated above, it would be totally appropriate to create a cleric or paladin of Nathair who upholds his dedication to the prank. Taking the Trickery Domain would be best or possibly create a new Oath for your paladin. Could you imagine the Oath of the Gag? A being who is dedicated to purity of the prank?
HlAL, DRAGON GOD OF WIT, PLEASURE AND INVENTIVENESS
The OTHER Draconic god with a liking to things funny is Hlal. But this one’s a bit different. Instead of being the childish prankster, she admires quick wit. Obviously, things that make you laugh and genuinely bring you pleasure. But it’s more than a belly laugh for her. She rewards inventiveness. No low hanging fruit for Hlal. This god goes for the loftier forms of comedy.
And she must have been pleasant to be around since the Dragon god of creation, Asgorath, chose her as his messenger; but only of ‘lesser communications’ because she proved to be a bit unreliable. Maybe it was her distranctions for, on her off time from messaging, she hunted down bits of aracane knowledge for herself. She did all of this under the name and aspect of Aasterinian. It is under this aspect that Monster Mythology states that she is ‘cheeky and deeply chaotic’. It paints her a bit differently saying she LEARNS through ‘play, inventiveness and pleasure’.
She loves to upset the ‘status quo’ and shocking people into action. One of the most interesting things about this write up was her breath weapon. It was flavored as a cloud of ‘Spiral of Degeneration’. This ‘Degeneration’ came in two forms but did basically the same thing. And it was DEVESTATING. It caused magic users to loose spells. And it effected magic weapons in wild ways; knocking some down a plus, drain charges, potions lose their magic, scrolls drop a spell, perminent magic items loose magic and many weapons too. This is crazy, but she is a god.
NOTE: The actual spell, ‘Spiral of Degeneration’ was a Quest Spell from the second edition’s Tome of Magic and was apparently special spells that a god would reward a devout follower or cleric. I continue, in all of my deep dive reseaching to come upon more and more old school D&D material that I SO want to dig through. I will revisit this at a later time.
Avachel is a male aspect of Hlal who is revered by the ‘fair folk’. Also called QUICKSILVER, he is considered an interloper god among the Seldarine aka the Elven Pantheon. More an ally, he is seen as a ‘great mercury wyrm’ who, after sacrifcing himself to save an elven band, was raised to deity. But that is one story. Regardless, he is good natured albeit an impulsive deity who loved to descend upon Toril as a ‘silver or green elf’ armed only with a staff. But said staff, if it hits its marks and the saves are faild will drop the attacked into a spelllike sleep. (Reference: Demihuman Deities p. 100)
I truly believe that these two draconic gods would hate each other. NATHAIR is way too childish and juivenile for Hlal’s taste. She delights in inventive wordplay and ‘sophisticated humor’. Although playful, I don’t think she could stand the madcap pranks and highjinks of her counterpart.
Hlal could be a friend and supporter of a bard because of her love of sharing stories and songs and loves those that apprecaiate such. She was an inseperatable companion of Erevan Ilesere, Elven god of mischief and rogues. (Although lowered to an ‘exarch’ of Corellon after the ‘Spellplague’)
So, there are two more gods that we hope to see in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons. We could SO use them in a Fey adventure like those coming up in The Wild in the Witchlight. LOVE both these upcoming books and it’s especially flavorful to connect the two with these two unique draconic gods. What kind of janky builds would YOU or DID you create in conjunction with these gods of mischief, mirth and fun? Let us know in the comments below or join our facebook or discord to discuss this further!
AoE Table Top 