Dragons; An Overview of the Ancients

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Gold Dragon

The dragon has large, smooth, twin horns that sweep back from its nose and brow. Twin frills adorn its long neck, and whiskers around its mouth look like the barbels of a catfish. Its saillike wings start at its shoulders and trace down to the tip of its tail. The dragon smells of saffron and incense, and its scales glisten like polished gold.

Source: Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual 3.5

Gold dragons are dedicated foes of evil and foul play. They often embark on self-appointed quests to promote good. Woe to the evildoer who earns a gold dragon's wrath. The dragon will not rest until the malefactor has been defeated and either slain or brought to justice. Gold dragons do not settle for anything less than complete victory over evil. A gold dragon usually assumes human or animal guise even within its own lair.

Gold dragons can live anywhere, but they prefer secluded lairs. Favorite locales include the bottoms of lakes, high plateaus, islands, and deep gorges. A gold dragon's lair is always made of stone, with numerous chambers, all beautifully decorated. The lair usually has loyal guards: animals appropriate to the terrain, storm giants, or good-aligned cloud giants.

Dungeon-dwelling gold dragons choose locations that provide them with suitable chambers.


Gold Dragon Identifiers

A gold dragon in its true form is easily recognized by its large, twin horns that are smooth and metallic, twin neck frills, and the whiskers around its mouth that look like the barbels of a catfish. Gold wyrmlings lack whiskers, but they quickly develop them as they mature. Younger dragons have eight whiskers, four on the upper jaw and four below. Older dragons have more.

A gold dragon has a short face with spines above the nostrils. The eyes are slanted and very narrow. Along with the whiskers, the eyes give the dragon a sagacious look. As the dragon ages, its pupils fade until the eyes resemble pools of molten gold. The dragon has a long, pointed tongue, back-swept tendrils on the lower jaws that develop into frills with age, and cheek horns that jut out sideways.

On hatching, a gold dragon's scales are dark yellow with golden metallic flecks. The flecks get larger as the dragon matures until, at the adult stage, the scales grow completely golden. A gold dragon smells of saffron and incense.

A gold dragon has an extremely long tail and broad, mantalike wings that run all the way to the top of the tail. When at rest, the dragon closes its wings over its back like a massive, golden moth. It folds its wings back when walking or running.

A gold dragon flies with a distinctive rippling motion, almost as if it were swimming through the air. Many scholars argue that gold dragons are the most elegant flyers of all the true dragons (and the gold dragons agree). When viewed from below, a flying gold dragon can be distinguished by its long tail and rippling wings. Its whiskers and horns also show.

Habits

A gold dragon spends most of its time in an assumed form, usually that of a nondescript human or a harmless animal common to the area in which the dragon resides. For animal forms, gold dragons often choose domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, or horses, or swift moving but fairly nonthreatening forms such as eagles. As with the bronze dragon, the assumed form allows the gold dragon to travel and observe the world without attracting undue attention to itself. When traveling in particularly dangerous areas, a gold dragon uses an especially nonthreatening form. This approach helps set at ease fellow travelers the dragon might meet, and also allows the dragon to use itself as bait for any evil creatures lurking about. Many killers and robbers who haunt the world's lonely places have met swift ends when their seemingly helpless victims turned out to be gold dragons in disguise.

Gold dragons always seek news of the wider world and local gossip about recent events. Any gold dragon is a good listener, and even the most long-winded talker does not try its patience (though even a gold dragon will draw the line if a brass dragon bends its ear for too long). The dragon usually avoids philosophical or ethical arguments with lesser beings, though it often cannot resists trumping an argument that advocates chaos with an aphorism or fable promoting law. When it encounters a being that advocates evil, a gold dragon tends to be silent, but marks the speaker for future attention.

Gold dragons have a worldwide hierarchy with a single leader at the top. This leader is elected by the whole species from the ranks of great gold wyrms and serve for life or until he or she decides to resign. Many serve until the onset of their twilight; others serve until they believe a successor can do a better job. The leader is always addressed by the honorific "Your Resplendence".

When a vacancy occurs, every gold dragon in the world participates in the selection of the replacement, who is almost always selected by acclamation. Occasionally, two candidates of equal merit are available when the previous ruler dies or retires. In such cases, the two work out some method of sharing of office. During the past, there have been co-rulers, alternating rulers, and rulers who simply have retired early to make way for another.

The ruler's duties usually prove light because the position's authority rarely needs to be exercised. Most gold dragons know how they are expected to behave, and they act accordingly. Th ruler mostly serves to advise individual gold dragons on the nature and golds of their quests against evil. The ruler often can point out hidden consequences of a quest, such as the effects on the politics of lesser creatures or the impact on the local environment or the balance of power. The ruler also serves as the gold dragons' chief representative in dealing with other species (in the rare event when some matter of interest to all gold dragons arises), and as chief enforcer and judge (in the exceptionally rare case of gold dragon misconduct).

Gold dragon courtship is both deliberate and dignified. Often two prospective mates spend years debating philosophy and ethics, and go on several quests together, so as to get the full measure of on another. Once a pair agree to mate, they seek the ruler's approval as a matter of protocol. Permission to mate is rarely withheld.

Despite their lawful nature, gold dragons allow themselves remarkable freedom. Some mate for life, others only for a short time. Some are monogamous, and others have multiple mates at the same time. Gold dragons always tend and instruct their young carefully, though it is common for parents to send their offspring into the care of foster parents (always lawful good, but not always dragons) when they perceive the need. Young gold dragons may be fostered to protect them when danger threatens, or to free up the parents for a quest, or simply to broaden their horizons.

Gold dragons prefer treasures that show an artisan's touch. They are particularly fond of paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, and fine porcelain. They enjoy pearls and small gems, which also are their favorite foods. Approaching a gold dragon with gifts of pearls and gems is a good way to gain favor, provided the gifts are not offered as bribes.

Gold dragons usually parley before fighting. When conversing with intelligent creatures, they often use discern lies to help them determine if combat really will be necessary. They prefer to delay combat until they can cast preparatory spells.


Combat

Gold dragons usually parley before fighting. When conversing with intelligent creatures, they use Intimidate and Sense Motive to gain the upper hand. In combat, they employ bless and their luck bonus; older dragons use their luck bonus at the start of each day. They make heavy use of spells in combat. Among their favorites are cloudkill, delayed blast fireball, fire shield, globe of invulnerability, maze, sleep, slow, and stinking cloud.


Dragon: (Fire)

Environment: Warm plains

Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2–5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1–2 and 2–5 offspring)

Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 5; very young 7; young 9; juvenile 11; young adult 14; adult 16; mature adult 19; old 21; very old 22; ancient 24; wyrm 25; great wyrm 27

Treasure: Triple standard

Alignment: Always lawful good

Advancement: Wyrmling 9–10 HD; very young 12–13 HD; young 15–16 HD; juvenile 18–19 HD; young adult 21–22 HD; adult 24–25 HD; mature adult 27–28 HD; old 30–31 HD; very old 33–34 HD; ancient 36–37 HD; wyrm 39–40 HD; great wyrm 42+ HD

Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +5; young +6; others —

Breath Weapon (Su): A gold dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of fire and a cone of weakening gas. Creatures within a cone of weakening gas must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength damage per age category of the dragon.

Alternate Form (Su): A gold dragon can assume any animal or humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standard action three times per day. This ability functions as a polymorph spell cast on itself at its caster level, except that the dragon does not regain hit points for changing form and can only assume the form of an animal or humanoid. The dragon can remain in its animal or humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Water Breathing (Ex): A gold dragon can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged (the cone of fire becomes a cone of superheated steam underwater).

Luck Bonus (Sp): Once per day an adult or older gold dragon can touch a gem, usually one embedded in the dragon’s hide, and enspell it to bring good luck. As long as the dragon carries the gem, it and every good creature in a 10-foot radius per age category of the dragon receives a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws and similar rolls, as for a stone of good luck (see the item description, page 267 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). If the dragon gives an enspelled gem to another creature, only that bearer gets the bonus. The effect lasts 1d3 hours plus 3 hours per age category of the dragon but ends if the gem is destroyed. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.

Detect Gems (Sp): An old or older gold dragon can use this ability three times per day. This is a divination effect similar to a detect magic spell, except that it finds only gems. The dragon can scan a 60-degree arc each round: By concentrating for 1 round it knows if there are any gems within the arc; 2 rounds of concentration reveal the exact number of gems; and 3 rounds reveal their exact location, type, and value. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd level spell.

Other Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—bless (juvenile or older); 1/day—geas/quest (old or older), sunburst (ancient or older), foresight (great wyrm).

Skills: Disguise, Heal, and Swim are considered class skills for gold dragons.

Source: Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual 3.5 edition & Draconomicon : The Book of Dragons

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Silver Dragons

A smooth, shiny plate forms the dragon’s face. It has a frill that rises high over its head and continues down the neck and back to the tip of the tail. Long spines with dark tips support the frill. It has two smooth, shiny horns, and wings that are wide and sleek. The dragon has the scent of rain, and its scales gleam like liquid metal.

Source: Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual 3.5

Silver dragons enjoy the company of humanoids and often take the form of kindly old men or fair damsels. They cheerfully assist good creatures in genuine need, but usually avoid interfering with other creatures until their assistance is requested or until inaction would allow something evil to come to pass. They hate injustice and cruelty, though they concern themselves less with punishing or rooting out evildoers than with protecting the innocent and healing their hurts.

Though they can be found nearly anywhere, silver dragons love high mountains and vast, open skies with billowing clouds. They enjoy flying and sometimes soar for hours just for the pleasure of it.

Silver and red dragons often come into conflict. This is only partly because they lair in similar territories. Silver dragons despise red dragons for their love of carnage and penchant for destruction. Duels between the two varieties are furious and deadly, but silver dragons generally get the upper hand, usually by working together against their foes, and often by accepting assistance from nondragons.

Silver dragons prefer aerial lairs on secluded mountain peaks or amid the clouds themselves. A cloud lair always has an enchanted area with a solid floor for laying eggs and storing treasure.

Silver dragons often dwell in towns or in dungeons. When doing so, they typically take a humanoid form and blend in with the rest of the population. They always situate themselves near one or more open areas where they have space to assume their true forms when necessary.


Silver Dragon Identifiers

A silver dragon in its true form can be recognized by the smooth, shiny plate that forms its face. The dragon also has a frill that rises high over its head and continues down the neck and back to the tip of the tail. A silver dragon has the tallest frill of any metallic or chromatic dragon. Long spines with dark tips support the frill. The dragon also has ear frills with similar spines. It has two smooth, shiny horns, also with dark tips.

A silver dragon has a beaklike nose and a strong chin with a dangling frill that some observers say looks like a goatee. It has a pointed tongue.

A silver wyrmling's scales are blue-gray with silver highlights. As the dragon approaches adulthood, its color slowly brightens until the individual scales are scarcely visible. From a distance, these dragons look as if they have been sculpted from pure metal. As a silver dragon grows older, its pupils fade until in the oldest the eyes resemble orbs of mercury. A silver dragon carries the scent of rain about it.

When viewed from below, a flying silver dragon shows a remarkably similar profile to a red dragon. It has long wings that are broadest along the trailing edge. The wing membrane attaches to the dragon's body behind the rear legs and well down the tail, and the head has clearly visible horns. The wings also show darker markings along the trailing edges, just as a red dragon's do. Fortunately, a silver dragon has one minor feature that sets it apart from a red dragon: the outer alar phalange forms a second "thumb" at the leading edge of each wing. Viewers unable to discern the dragon's color would do well to look for this vital detail.

Habits

A silver dragon often assumes a humanoid form, usually appearing as a kindly old human or comely young elf, and spends most of its time in that form. Silver dragons do so to more readily associate with humanoids.

Some scholars maintain that silver dragons prefer the company of humans or elves to that of other silver dragons. As with most things draconic, the truth is more complex than that. Silver dragons believe themselves to be superior to most other beings, just as other kinds of dragons do. Unlike other dragons, however, silvers believe that being a dragon imposes some limitations. Many of these are practical in nature, such as their massive size and the huge living space requirements that go with it.

What concerns silver dragons the most, however, is the draconic sense of time. They're happy to live more than 2,000 years, but they constantly fight their tenancy to reflect on things and let opportunities pass them by. They understand that short-lived races such as humans must seize every opportunity that comes their way, which gives them a drive toward accomplishment that most dragons lack. Silver dragons seek to couple their own long perspective on the world with humanity's dynamism. It's a lesson silver dragons believe other dragons would do well to learn.

Though lawful and good, silver dragons have no great love for hierarchies and formal authority. They believe that living a mortal life involves doing good deeds and taking no actions that bring undeserved harm to other beings. Actions that cause no harm are not their business. Silver dragons are hardly pacifists, however, and they are quick to battle other beings who would do evil or harm the innocent. They usually do not take it upon themselves to root out evil, as gold and bronze dragons tend to do. Silver dragons find that, in time, evil tends to make itself felt almost everywhere, and they seek to stamp it out whenever it appears in their vicinity. Should they discover widespread evil looming over the land, however, they are both willing and able to locate its source and tackle it there.

Silver dragons form loosely knit family units or clans with a matriarch or patriarch (called the "senior") presiding. The senior gives advice, settles disputes, and coordinates any actions the clan might take as a group. A clan of silver dragons can be spread over an entire continent, with the individual dragons in it establishing their own lairs and otherwise going about their business. Individual silver dragons might go for decades without associating directly with other clan members, but the clan takes care of its own and is always available to provide support or advice.

A silver dragon living among nondragons often develops strong attachments to its nondragon companions. When such a companion ears the dragon's trust, the dragon maintains the relationship for as long as the companion lives, and may pick up the relationship with the companion's descendants. A silver dragon always eventually reveals its true nature to a trusted companion. This honesty relieves any pangs of conscience the dragon may have about deceiving its companions. it also prevents any awkwardness that may develop if the dragon has to ask some special favor of a companion, such as taking care of the dragon's abode while it embarks on some venture that might take decades to complete.

Courtship and mating among silver dragons is always a civilized and decorous affair. They always seek mates outside their own clan - mating within the clan is a serious taboo. Either sex can initiate courtship. When two silver dragons agree to be mates, they seek the approval of the seniors from both clans. The approval is largely ceremonial, and is rarely withheld (never without good reason). Many silver dragons mate for life, but not all do so. Once a courtship is completed, one of the pair leaves its clan and joins the mate's clan. Usually, the younger dragon or the dragon of lower status is the one to change clans, but this is not always so.

Silver dragons are dedicated omnivores and always seek a variety of goods. Many prefer human fare and exist on it exclusively for years without suffering any ill effects. Though many silver dragons have favorite dishes, they seldom pass up the chance to try something new.

Silver dragons prefer portable treasure that they can keep with them while living among humanoids. They especially prize items that show exceptional workmanship, everything from carefully cut gems to intricate carvings to textiles and jewelery.

Silver dragons are nonviolent and avoid combat except when faced with evil or aggressive foes. Often they remain in their assumed forms and attempt to quickly end battles using their spells and magical abilities. When fighting in their true forms, they prefer to remain airborne, and they use any clouds in the area to conceal themselves and to take advantage of their cloudwalking ability. No matter who or how they are fighting, silver dragons usually seek to eliminate the leader or the most aggressive foe first, in hopes of persuading the survivors to surrender or retreat.


Combat

Silver dragons are not violent and avoid combat except when faced with highly evil or aggressive foes. If necessary, they use fog cloud or control weather to blind or confuse opponents before attacking. When angry, they use reverse gravity to fling enemies helplessly into the air, where they can be snatched. Against flying opponents, a silver dragon hides in clouds (creating some with control weather on clear days), then jumps to the attack when it has the advantage.

Dragon: (Cold)

Environment: Temperate mountains

Organization: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2–5); adult, mature adult, old, very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, or family (1–2 and 2–5 offspring)

Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 4; very young 5; young 7; juvenile 10; young adult 13; adult 15; mature adult 18; old 20; very old 21; ancient 23; wyrm 24; great wyrm 26

Treasure: Triple standard

Alignment: Always lawful good

Advancement: Wyrmling 8–9 HD; very young 11–12 HD; young 14–15 HD; juvenile 17–18 HD; young adult 20–21 HD; adult 23–24 HD; mature adult 26–27 HD; old 29–30 HD; very old 32–33 HD; ancient 35–36 HD; wyrm 38–39 HD; great wyrm 41+ HD

Level Adjustment: Wyrmling +4; very young +4; young +5; others —

Breath Weapon (Su): A silver dragon has two types of breath weapon, a cone of cold and a cone of paralyzing gas. Creatures within a cone of paralyzing gas must succeed on a Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per age category of the dragon.

Alternate Form (Su): A silver dragon can assume any animal or humanoid form of Medium size or smaller as a standard action three times per day. This ability functions as a polymorph spell cast on itself at its caster level, except that the dragon does not regain hit points for changing form and can only assume the form of an anirmal or humanoid. The dragon can remain in its animal or humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.

Cloudwalking (Su): A silver dragon can tread on clouds or fog as though on solid ground. The ability functions continuously but can be negated or resumed at will.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—fog cloud (adult or older), control winds (old or older); 2/day—feather fall (juvenile or older); 1/day— control weather (ancient or older), reverse gravity (great wyrm).

Skills: Bluff, Disguise, and Jump are considered class skills for silver dragons.

Source: Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual 3.5 edition & Draconomicon : The Book of Dragons