@angusm I had this elaborate theory a couple of years ago on Twitter (now lost) about how gold mining by dwarves and treasure looting by adventurers is inherently inflationary so the dragons, by taking it out of circulation, balance the economy AND underwrite the banking system in D&D-land. Wise monarchs keep the economy balanced by a judicious balance of dragon farming, dungeon building, and windfall taxes on adventurers.