[Icelander]

Originally Posted by lwcamp

There was a fascinating scientific American article about the mythological origin of dragons (actually, they spent most of the time talking about other myths, but the dragon part was what I noticed the most). Unfortunately, it is behind a paywall now, for on-line access. If you can track down a paper copy, it will be the Dec 2016 issue. Basically, the original dragon was probably associated with water, had horns, was venomous, and was capable of controlling some of the elemental forces of nature (weather, floods, earthquakes, etc.).

Indeed. My conception of this original serpent/dragon is behind the dual nature of Tiamat, both as a modern goddess of intelligent, wealth-amassing D&D-style dragons who wish to rule human society, and as an older deity associated with ocean depths, serpentine, slithering things of great antiquity and opposition to the mores of civilized society.

And someone seems to be trying to usurp the neglected primeval aspects of Tiamat by using the mythological motifs of various chthonic underworld deities, serpent cults and Mother of Monsters legends.

Someone mentioned basilisks. Pliny the Elder's original basilisk was found in Lybia, and sounded like it was a cobra somewhat exaggerated by traveler's tales. Similar stories are told of cobras (and, oddly, desert monitor lizards varanus griseus) being able to strike people dead from a distance with their venom (possibly related to the spitting cobra's ability to blind with fiery pain) among modern people.[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by lwcamp

Cobras likewise influenced the Indian people, which merged with the dragon myths of the far east to produce Nagas, semi-divine serpents with powers of fertility, healing, death, rain-making, seasonal cycles, floods and drought, earthquakes, and other elemental forces.

Nagas are awesome, of course.

Originally Posted by lwcamp

Cultures all throughout th near- and Mid- East, as well as all the cultures descended from the Proto-Indo-Europeans describe a myth of a primordial cosmic serpent of water and chaos, opposed to the gods and the natural order of things. Although it sounds like you already have the Babylonian version of this myth in the form of Tiamat. The Hebrew Leviathan is likely descended from the cosmic dragon myth, as was Apep, the Egyptian enemy of the gods and creation.

I've got two rival beings both claiming the role of Mother of Monsters, Tiamat and Ereshkigal/Dimme/Lamashtu.*

There are plenty of legends about sea monsters and primeval serpents, such as Azi Dakaha, Azag, Apep, Dahak, Typhon, Litanu, Set, Sseth, Tannin, Tunannu and Yam. Generally they are claimed to be the sons, mates or both of Ereshkigal/Dimme/Lamashtu or Tiamat.

*Yes, I'm aware that these are different myths. Worship empowers the gods in the setting and most of them try to claim any attractive myth as their own, often being worshipped under a lot of different names, even with different attributes.

Originally Posted by lwcamp

Pliny the Elder also mentions the Hydrus, which supposedly lived in the Nile river and was the mortal enemy of crocodiles. Some have interpreted this as a kind of otter based on the description; I think it more likely that it was the Nile monitor lizard, which also fits Pliny's description and is known for being associated with crocodiles as well as being a notorious plunderer of crocodile nests and predator of young crocs. Pliny's hydrus would attack and overturn small watercraft, however, making it more of a threat than real-life monitors.

Monitor lizards in real life seem pretty unlikely threats to armoured men. What do you suggest for a fantasy version who can threaten legendary heroes?

I have no idea whether it would make sense for them to attack in a group, for example. And what kind of fantastical replacement for teeth ought I saddle a monitor lizard monster with, if it could penetrate at least DR 4 and ideally up to DR 10 on an All-Out Attack (Strong) and high damage roll?

Originally Posted by lwcamp

The Greeks loved their many-headed drakons, such as the Lernean hydra and Ladon. The Greeks also loved their half-humans - half-dragons, usually female, called drakaina (which literally translates as female dragon, but in myth which typically had a woman's torso and a serpent's body below the waist). France sports a similar story from the fairy story of Melusine.

The most powerful priestess of Tiamat outside the Mesopotamian-esque country of Unther, where the PCs are currently, is called the Drakaina Despoina, which may be loosely translated as 'Mistress of Dragons'. She is from a Thraco-Dacian/Graecian area which used to be ruled by the Untheric Empire.

Originally Posted by lwcamp

A common myth is the serpent/dragon which is the guardian of a sacred tree (or otherwise associated with a sacred tree). We see this in the Colchian dragon guarding the tree holding the golden fleece, Ladon guarding the apples of immortality, and the serpent which temped Eve to eat the fruit of knowledge. (Oddly enough, you have similar associations with serpent-dragons and sacred trees popping up in other cultures from the Norse to the Maya.)

As noted, the PCs are standing by a supernatural tree in an underground chamber, where every surface is more or less covered in snakes of all sizes and shapes, and there was an absolutely huge snake-headed hydra guarding the tree.*

*There was also a family of multi-headed, serpentine chimera-like beasts with lion bodies, but those were in a side chamber.

Originally Posted by lwcamp

And there are of course the real-life animals that inspired the dragon myths - rock pythons and Nile crocodiles, and possibly some of the larger monitor lizards.

Rock pythons and Nile crocodiles are probably among the eggs the PCs find. What kind of fantastical abilities or changes do you recommend to make such creatures less 'boring real world animals' and more 'monstrous dungeon denizens who can kill delvers in magical armour, with superhero abilities'?