Dragons

No ear has escaped tales of the most fearsome beasts known as dragons. While many of these tales are old and these creatures are rare, dragons are quite real indeed.

Dragons appear in amazing variety, both in appearance and in temperament. Many are full of malice and greed while others are models of benevolent majesty and confident kindness. Reptile-like, most dragons are covered in scales of unusual toughness and savage beauty. Most grow ever larger as they age—in maturity reaching enormous size.

While dragons seem ready to rule all the lands, if they were so inclined, tales suggest that their ancient enmity with giants and humanoids keeps them in check. Even so, they often dominate the landscape surrounding their lairs.

Mind the Legends. Adventurers should familiarize themselves with the dangers of aggressive dragons they might encounter. While usually solitary, they are at their most defensive when guarding their lair, especially if there is a clutch of eggs. In addition to fearsome physical attacks, most dragons can use their breath as a weapon. You are advised to heed the local legends. It is best to know whether you are up against fire, lightning, icy cold, poison, acid, or some other danger.

True Dragons

While there are creatures, such as the wyvern, that are dragon-kin, a true dragon is the most majestic and formidable of beasts.

A true dragon is a reptilian creature with four legs and a pair of wings. They grow throughout their lives to enormous size and can defend themselves with a fiery, icy, poisonous, acidic or otherwise extraordinary breath weapon.

Chromatic Dragons

Chromatic dragons—vicious, greedy, and voracious—are the most feared of all dragons. They come in at least five color variants: black, blue, green, red, and white, each of which has its peculiar habitats and breath weapons.

Red Dragons

Of all dragonkind, red dragons are the most avaricious and wickedly destructive. Their minds are consumed with greed and their supremacy over the mountainous and ruinous lands they survey. Their hoards of treasure are legendary, though few will ever claim them.

A red dragon’s appearance is distinctive, with swept-back horns, a broad span of wings, and an aggressive frill along their spine. Their armor-like hide of scales is a bright scarlet as wyrmlings and matures into a deeper, more muted red as they grow into their full maturity. Their coloration gives the impression of flame, sweeping into oranges and blues on the trailing edges of their limbs and leathery wings. Whether serving as warning or intimidation, this coloration is appropriate to their nature. Their steamy, noxious breath is just a hint of the bouts of flame that they can unleash. Frightful indeed.