Canon:Dragon

This article is based on material by:  TSR, Inc./Wizards of the Coast  Paizo Publishing

In the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, dragons are an iconic creature used as either enemies or allies of player characters. Dragons are often depicted as having many different races, each usually based on a particular color of their scales or an affinity with an element. This classification has been used in a great deal of modern fantasy fiction.

Dragon classification

The third edition of Dungeons & Dragons classifies dragon as a type of creature, simply defined as "a reptilelike creature, usually winged, with magical or unusual abilities". The dragon type is broken down into several classifications. True dragons are dragons which increase in power by age categories (wyrmling to great wyrm). Lesser dragons do not improve in age categories and may lack all of the abilities of true dragons. Examples of lesser dragons include dragon turtles and wyverns. Other creatures with the dragon type include drakes, felldrakes, elemental drakes, landwyrms, linnorms and wurms.

In the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, dragons were completely reworked from their first edition counterparts, and were much more powerful. For example, they had magic resistance, could no longer be subdued, and had physical attack forms besides just claws and bites.

In Dungeons & Dragons, there are many color-coded races of dragons, each of which breathes a different element; for example, red and gold dragons breathe fire, white and silver dragons breathe frost, and blue and bronze dragons breathe bolts of lightning. Some dragons (particularly metallic dragons) have two different kinds of breath, usually a lethal one (fire, ice, acid, electricity, etc.) and another that is typically non-lethal (paralysis, repulsion, confusion, etc.).

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition divided true dragons further into three main categories: chromatic dragons, such as green and black dragons, which are evil-aligned; metallic dragons, such as gold and silver dragons, which are good; and neutral-aligned gem dragons, rare creatures that possess psionic abilities. However, with 4th edition, the classifications were changed, and chromatic dragons are now not strictly evil, gem dragons were gotten rid of and instead there were added "planar dragons" which are chromatic dragons that were warped by living on a plane of existence other than the Material Plane, as well as "catastrophe dragons" which take on the aspects of natural disasters which are chaotic evil and cause chaos for its own sake

In addition, there are other sub-species of true dragons that don't fit into the three main categories. For example, mercury and steel dragons would seem to be metallic dragons, but in the Dungeons & Dragons world they are considered to be outside of the main family of metallic dragons because of various biological differences (though the book Dragons of Faerûn does list them as metallic dragons). The "lung dragons" or spirit-dragons of Oriental Adventures are also true dragons. Detailed information about D&D dragonkind may be found in the Draconomicon, a D&D supplement book designed especially for draconic information.

In 4th edition, there are five major dragon families: catastrophic, chromatic, metallic, planar and scourge. Chromatic dragons are presented in the Monster Manual and Draconomicon I and planar dragons are presented in Draconomicon I.

In 5th edition, dragons were reverted into just two classifications — chromatic and metallic. Chromatic dragons are of evil alignment and metallic are of good alignment. Given age categories are Ancient, Adult, Young, and Wyrmling.

Types of dragons

True Dragons

Chromatic dragons

Main article: Chromatic dragons

Chromatic dragons are usually of evil alignment. They are the Black Dragon, Blue Dragon, Green Dragon, Red Dragon and White Dragon. Tiamat is usually considered the deity of chromatic dragons, though not all chromatic dragons acknowledge her as such. The 4th edition Draconomicon introduced the Purple Dragon, Brown Dragon, Grey Dragon, which have not traditionally been linked with Tiamat.

Metallic dragons

Metallic dragons are typically of good alignment. They are the Brass Dragon, the Bronze Dragon, the Copper Dragon, the Gold Dragon, and the Silver Dragon. Bahamut is the deity of metallic dragons.

Brass dragon

• Maximum Height: 16 feet
• Maximum Weight: 160,000 pounds
• Maximum Wingspan: 60 feet
• Breath weapon: cone of sleep gas
• Habitat: Desert, plains
• Diet: Dew drops
• Preferred Treasure: Objects made of plant matter (For example: a rare piece of wood, a finely woven garment, etc.)
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Stats: OGL stats
• Notes:

Brass dragons are one of the weakest metallic dragons, and one of the most benign of all species of dragon. They love to talk, to the exclusion of much else. They love to engage friends and foes alike in hours of long-winded conversation. It is not unusual for a brass dragon to be fluent in several hundred different languages, although they prefer to converse in Draconic whenever possible.

Physically, the brass dragon is highly distinctive. From below, its outstretched wings form a triangular shape, as they are attached to its body all the way to the tip of its tail. The wings are longest at the shoulder, and taper gently as they reach the tail. Their scales seem to radiate heat and light. The shape of the head is quite unusual, as it includes a large, curved plate that extends from the dragon's eyes and cheeks on either side and curves upwards into two points. They have two sharp horns on the chin, which become steadily pointier as the dragon ages. They smell like warm sand.

Brass dragon eggs must be incubated in a nest of open flames. Incubation takes approximately 480 days. The eggs are typically tended by both parents, so that they can talk together as they maintain their vigil. A newhatched brass wyrmling is not remarkable in appearance; its scales are a dull brown. The scales become lighter and more brilliant as the dragon matures. Brass wyrmlings probably learn to talk more quickly than the young of any other sentient species. They talk constantly about anything and everything, and they will talk to anybody: friends, family, enemies, small creatures that cannot talk back, or even to itself if nobody else is near. When exposed to a new language, a brass wyrmling will usually become fluent in under an hour.

As it matures, a brass dragon adds a love of fire to its love of speech. They can stare into burning flames for hours, entranced by their beauty. Older brass dragons often become discouraged with the world, believing that others are ruining it. Yet as they mature, they seem to accept the follies of the world, and may even donate some of their treasures to aid a cause they believe to be worthy. Ancient brass dragons are some of the best - and most willing - sources of advice in the entire Prime Material Plane.

The brass dragon prefers to dig its lair inside a desert peak or spire. They also prefer to have their lairs face eastwards, so that the rising sun will warm the lair for the bulk of the day. A brass dragon's lair is well-constructed and quite extensive, with many twisting corridors and dead ends to confuse and discourage hostile intruders. The centerpiece of any brass dragon's lair is the Grand Conversation Hall, where it spends the majority of its time entertaining friends and visitors. A typical lair will also contain an elegant foyer, a gallery for the artwork the dragon has collected, a sleeping chamber, and a storage room. All brass dragon lairs have several small entrances, known as bolt holes. These multiple entrances allow a brass dragon to easily escape an attack by a blue dragon or other predator.

Brass dragons very rarely engage in combat, preferring to talk rather than fight. If they consider a creature threatening, they will subdue it with their sleeping gas. In the face of true danger, a brass dragon will most likely fly away and hide in the sand. It will fight and use its fire breath only as an absolute last resort.

Bronze dragon

• Maximum Height: 10 feet
• Maximum Weight: 160,000 pounds
• Maximum Wingspan: 80 feet
• Breath weapon: repulsion gas, lightning, fog cloud
• Habitat: Aquatic, Tropical Islands
• Diet: Aquatic plants, shark meat, pearls
• Preferred Treasure: Pearls, Diamonds, Emeralds, and gold
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Stats: OGL stats
• Notes:

Bronze dragons are the third most powerful of the metallic dragons. While most bronze dragons despise Sahuagin, they truly enjoy observing and interacting with smaller creatures, most especially humans. They will often go out of their way to help them, such as rescuing humans from a shipwreck or a dangerous foe. In many of these instances, the bronze dragon will transform itself into a human, so that those who it helps never know who really did the rescuing. They never seek payment for their help, in any form. They always seek justice as best they can, and cannot abide to see any creature being treated with cruelty of any sort. The older the dragon, the more pronounced that this passion for justice becomes. They are probably the most social species of dragon, and often swim and play together in groups. They also love to attend human festivals and parties, although usually in human form.

Physically, the bronze dragon is quite fierce in appearance, despite its good nature. While most of its body is a reflective copper color, the wings are often tipped with green. The eyes of a Bronze Dragon begin with a green iris and as they age the eye slowly becomes a solid green with no distinct iris. The dragon has three main large horns protruding from each cheek, pointing back towards the tail. It also has a couple more smaller horns. The tips of these points are black and very sharp, and are often used for grooming. The tongue is purple-gray, long and pointed, and not forked. A large frill runs down the upper part of its neck. They smell like sea-spray.

Bronze dragons mate for life, and take their duties as parents with the utmost seriousness. They will protect their eggs and their wyrmlings at any cost. Although bronze dragons always live near water, they lay their eggs in a dry cave. Apart from a dry, relatively warm environment, bronze dragon eggs require no special conditions for incubation like those of most dragons. Upon hatching, the wyrmlings are raised, taught, and protected by their parents. A newhatched bronze wyrmling appears yellow with a tinge of green, and the scales will gradually shift to bronze as it matures. Bronze wyrmlings love to swim in the ocean, and frolic in much the same manner as dolphins.

Given its exceptional abilities as a swimmer, the entrance to a bronze dragon's lair is quite naturally underwater, and often disguised with seaweed and coral. The bulk of the lair is above water level, however, consisting of multiple tunnels and large chambers, some as much as a thousand feet above sea level. They prefer to make their lairs in an island volcano, if possible.

While bronze dragons are often fascinated with battles, especially fighting to defeat evil, they have strong moral compunctions against killing living beings unless absolutely necessary. They will often join good-aligned armies to fight the forces of evil, either in human form or their own. In battle, their weapon of choice is to breathe repulsion gas, which is so putrid that it forces absolutely everything away. They also like to relocate a foe to a remote location where it can do no harm when possible. When forced to kill, the bronze dragon is a deadly combatant, roasting enemies with bursts of lightning or ripping them open with its clawed forelegs.

Copper dragon

• Maximum Height: 16 feet
• Maximum Weight: 160,000 pounds
• Maximum Wingspan: 80 feet
• Breath weapon: Cone of Slow Gas
• Habitat: Dry, Rocky Mountains
• Diet: Scorpions and other venomous creatures
• Preferred Treasure: Valuables from the earth: metals, precious stones, finely crafted sculptures, well-made ceramics, et cetera
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Stats: OGL stats
• Notes:

Copper dragons are the second weakest of the metallic dragons. They are born tricksters and jokesters. They are quite devious and clever, but their intent is purely benign. They do not seek to harm 'lesser' creatures, but merely wish to impress them with superior intelligence and wit, and to fool them with clever pranks.

Physically, the copper dragon is very striking, with scales of a warm copper color tinged with blue. Like the brass dragon, the copper dragon's wings connect to its body all the way to the tip of its tail. However, its wings have a pronounced bend to them, giving them the appearance of a "V" from below, rather than the brass dragon's triangular appearance. Copper dragons are powerful jumpers and climbers, with massive thigh and shoulder muscles. Their two horns are broad and flat, pointing backwards towards the tail from the top of their heads. They also have a distinctive frill protruding from either jaw. When the mouth is closed, the teeth are completely hidden. They exude a stony odor.

Copper dragons lay their eggs in a nest of cool sand or clay. Both parents watch over the eggs and raise the wyrmling until it reaches adulthood, whereupon the parents separate. When newhatched, the scales of a copper wyrmling are a muddy brown in color, which gradually shifts to a glowing copper as it matures. Adult copper dragons are quite social, mainly due to the desire to play tricks upon each other. A visitor to a copper dragon's layer can expect to be entertained at length, although the dragon will become angry if the visitor does not appear impressed with their tricks, riddles, and stories.

A typical copper dragon's lair is a cave, whose entrance is concealed by rocks and boulders. Upon entering, visitors find themselves in a huge labyrinth of tunnels. Copper dragons compete amongst themselves to see who can design the most confusing layout. If a friendly visitor becomes hopelessly lost (which is rather common), the copper dragon will rescue her before she is actually endangered. Once through the labyrinth, visitors find themselves in a spacious foyer, beyond which is the Main Entertaining Chamber, where the dragon will spend the bulk of its time. Opening off the MEC is a much more straightforward escape tunnel, whose outside entrance is often fiendishly difficult to locate even when one knows exactly where it is. The copper dragon will know, however, and often uses its 'back door' to get into its lair instead of taking the time to navigate the maze. Obviously, it is far easier for a visitor to enter via the secret door if she can find it, but doing so is considered impolite, especially if she is a first-time visitor.

When it comes to combat, copper dragons prefer to avoid it. Rather than fighting openly, they prefer to taunt, humiliate, and tease their opponents until they simply give up and run away. Their ability to dramatically slow opponents often gives them ample time to run away. When forced, however, a copper dragon will fight to the very end, and is an incredibly devious antagonist. Their acid breath is not to be taken lightly.

Gold dragon

Gold dragon
Alignment:	Lawful Good
3.5e Statistics:	Gold Dragon
Additional Image(s):	Wizards.com image(s)

• Maximum Height: 22 feet
• Maximum Weight: 1,280,000 pounds

• Maximum Wingspan: 135 feet
• Breath weapon: Cone of fire, combustable gas
• Habitat: Anywhere, although they prefer secluded lairs
• Diet: Small gems and pearls; they do not eat any living creatures
• Preferred Treasure: Art, especially paintings and sculptures

Gold dragons are the most powerful of the metallic dragons, and the most dedicated to defeating evil. They spend the bulk of their lives in human form, seeking out evil and punishing wrongdoers to the best of its considerable abilities. Its typical mode of operation runs roughly along the lines of a sting operation: the dragon will listen for stories of dangerous or evil creatures or persons, then reveal its true form and mete out punishment. They prefer to turn villains over to law enforcement if available, but will ultimately take whatever actions they deem necessary in order to see justice served. They are best summarized as the paladins of the draconic world.

Physically, gold dragons are quite spectacular. Several large horns tipped with umber shoot sideways from their cheeks, and two very prominent horns point backwards along their heads. The most obvious feature is probably the tentacle whiskers that sprout from the top and bottom of the gold dragon's jaw, giving the appearance of a beard of sorts. Their wings, like those of brass and copper dragons, connect to the body all the way to the tip of the tail. From below, the overall shape resembles that of a brass dragon, but the different coloring and dramatic difference in size enables easy differentiation. When in flight, the gold dragon's wings ripple, giving the appearance of swimming rather than flying. They smell of saffron and incense.

Gold dragon eggs must be incubated in a nest of open flames. A newhatched gold wyrmling appears similar to an adult, except that it lacks horns or tentacle whiskers. Both parents tend the eggs, and then take intense interest in their wyrmlings' care and education. At some point, however, the biological parents may send the wyrmling to live with foster parents; this allows the parents to undertake their own quests, as well as exposing the wyrmling to new experiences.

Unlike many species of dragons, gold dragons have a very firm and hierarchical social structure, encompassing all members of the species. This structure always has one gold dragon as its leader, who serves until he/she either dies or steps down. At that time, all gold dragons congregate and choose the next leader of their kind. Sometimes two dragons may be chosen; in such cases, the two will share the duties of leadership. The position of leader, or 'top dragon,' does not so much involve the maintenance of order - gold dragons are famous for their good behavior - so much as the dispensing of advice and wisdom to any dragons who ask for it. Gold dragons are voracious learners, and they tend to become very wise and worldly as they age. They freely share their knowledge and experience to anyone who asks, dragon or not. In fact, it is not unknown for a gold Great Wyrm to take the form of a scholarly professor in order to spread its knowledge at some human center of higher education.

Unlike most other species of dragons, gold dragons devote immense time and energy to the construction of their lairs. The layout of their lairs often resemble those of elegant human mansions, albeit buried underground. Rooms are well-constructed and elegantly decorated with the many art treasures the gold dragon has collected over its lifetime. Typical rooms in a gold dragon's lair include a main hall, a banquet hall, a resting chamber, a study, a kitchen, a lobby, a storage room, and perhaps even a lavatory. Many gold dragons even have a glass-walled observatory, especially if they live underwater.

Combat-wise, gold dragons prefer to talk rather than to fight. They will never engage in combat if they believe it is unnecessary. Once they believe it is necessary, however, they are amazingly powerful opponents. Their ability to breathe fire rivals that of the eldest red dragons, and they will pour their entire being into a battle against evil. Gold dragons dislike killing, but they do not hesitate to do so if it is necessary in order to defeat an evil foe.

Silver dragon

Silver dragon
Alignment:	Lawful Good or Chaotic Good (2nd Edition)
Source Books:	Monster Manual 3.5
3.5e Statistics:	Silver Dragon
Additional Image(s):	Wizards.com image(s)

• Maximum Height: 22 feet
• Maximum Weight: 1,280,000 pounds
• Maximum Wingspan: 150 feet
• Breath weapon: Cone of Cold, Paralyzation Gas
• Habitat: High Mountains (the colder the better)
• Diet: Almost anything; love tasting new things
• Preferred Treasure: Beautifully crafted jewellery or finely woven fabrics

Silver dragons are the second most powerful of the metallic dragons, and are true friends to all. The silver dragon enjoys the company of humans and elves so much that it will often take the form of a human or elf and live among them for the majority of its life. It should be noted that silvers, like all dragons, believe themselves the most superior creatures in the world. However, apart from the ability to fly, which they enjoy greatly, they tend to prefer the physical forms of humanoids for everyday life.

At first glance, the silver dragon appears very similar to the white dragon. The wings are more curved than a white's though, and the silver has two talons on its wings rather than the single talon of most dragons. The silver dragon also has a beautiful frill that begins at the top of its head and flows all the way down its neck and body to the tip of the tail. The frill is silver towards the body, fading to a purple hue at the edge. They have two long, smooth silver horns with black tips, pointing up and back from the head. They also have a pronounced sharp frill under the chin, which has the rough appearance of a goatee. They smell like rain.

Silver dragons lay their eggs in a bed of snow. A newhatched silver wyrmling has scales of a bluish gray, which change to silver over time. Silver wyrmlings are intelligent, kind, extremely curious, and adorable.

Unlike the gold or bronze dragon, the silver dragon does not usually go out of its way to bring justice on the world. Instead, it waits for others to ask them for help. They will attempt to right an injustice if they see one, but they have no inclination to intentionally seek evil out and destroy it. Silver dragons are more interested in protecting the humans or elves it has come to care for than in looking for evil. Like most metallic dragons, silvers do not enjoy combat, and are averse to killing. If forced to fight, however, they are as deadly as any other dragon.

A silver wyrmling’s scales are blue-gray with silver highlights. As the dragon approaches adulthood, its color gradually brightens until the individual scales are scarcely visible. the pupils of the oldest silver dragons resemble orbs of molten mercury

They are very intelligent, more so than most humans, extremely powerful, breathtakingly beautiful, and have lifespans which can stretch up to 4,200 years (as stated in draconomicon, the book of dragons).

The silver dragon is regal and statuesque, an unusual trait they offer is the love of human dining, and will use the ability of alternate form to take part in large feasts.

Silver dragons employ a breath weapon of extreme cold similar to that of white dragons. They also have a second breath weapon, a cone of paralyzing gas.

Society

Silver dragons are extremely rare and elusive, preferring to take the guise of kind and elderly humanoids or very attractive and young humanoids. They very much like to associate with elves and humans, not necessarily because they prefer their company over other races, but because they try to learn from the shorter lived humans.

Silver dragons' favored enemy are red dragons because these chromatic dragons are almost always evil and have a talent for destruction. Additionally, silvers and whites favor the same sort of terrain for lairs, which leads to territorial disputes on top of having attitudes and philosophies at odds with the others'.

Dragons may live for millennia, while humans only live a few decades. This vast difference in time leads to inherent psychological differences concerning time. Dragons tend to think things through for years at a time, using their razor-sharp intellects to hone a plan to perfection, solve incalculable puzzles, or other such things. Silver dragons, however, note that humans are able to accomplish much in their short life spans because of their ambitious drive for success. When a silver dragon can combine its own long-term perspective with a quick and ambitious attitude, the benefit is undeniable.

Ecology

Most silvers group together in "clans," a loose organization of dragons who choose to live together as a family. Clans take communal responsibility for protecting and raising their wyrmlings. A senior member of the clan may act as a leader, but no true leader actually exists. Silver dragons do not feel the need for a strict social structure, since they are most content to live as honestly as possible. However, many silver dragons leave their clans for long periods of time to live among nondragons. They tend to live for many years with the same group of humans or elves, having grown attached to them. As members of the family die, the silver dragon, grieved by the loss, often chooses to stay with the family, remaining a true and loyal friend and champion through many generations. If the dragon feels comfortable enough around these nondragons, it might even decide to reveal its true self.

Environment

A silver dragon's lair is typically found within an icy mountain, with the main entrance only accessible by air. The lair itself is similar to the gold dragon's in its sophistication and design, although the silver dragon's lair tends to be far less intricate. A typical lair will contain a main entertaining area, a storage room, a vault, a sleeping chamber, study, library, shrine, and two clinic rooms where the dragon can offer help and protection to those who need it. The lair will also have a concealed back entrance for use in emergencies.

Gem dragons

Gem dragons are typically of neutral alignment. They are the Amethyst Dragon, the Crystal Dragon, the Emerald Dragon, the Sapphire Dragon, and the Topaz Dragon. Sardior is the deity of gem dragons.

Amethyst dragon

• Breath weapon: Line of force
• Terrain: Inner Planes, underground
• Alignment: Always neutral
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes: The most powerful of the neutral gem dragon, amethyst dragons are honorable, regal creatures. They inhabit the mountains of the northern islands, living on the shores of isolated lakes and pools. At birth, these dragons have lavender skin with fine, translucent-purple scales. These scales darken as the creature grows older, eventually reaching a sparkling lavender color.

These creatures approach life with a detached air, ignoring the conflicts of good and evil, law and chaos. At best, they see these conflicts as petty squabbles over inconsequential points of view, and not worthy of their time or consideration. These majestic dragons consider themselves to be the leaders of the gem dragons, and most of the lesser gem dragons acquiesce to this leadership - in everyday life and in the Council Aerie. While amethyst dragons consider their silver and copper cousins to be foolish and have an active dislike of red and white dragons, they do not consider any life form to be their inherent enemies. They prefer to reason out a settlement through discussion and negotiation rather than through combat, but they can and will fight if they must. Being honourable and noble, these dragons never hide or attempt to ambush foes. To them, even retreating is a dishonourable action, but they will flee if faced with certain death. Amethyst dragons eat large quantities of fish and gems. They keep vassals to attend to their needs, though they do not place as many restrictions or requirements on them as other dragon lords do. Most keep at least one hidden, underwater cave for seclusion and secrecy. Amethyst dragons approach mating in a very logical manner, seeking the optimum partner to produce the best offspring. Love and pleasure rarely, if ever, enter the equation.

Crystal dragon

• Breath weapon: Line of blinding light
• Terrain: Inner Planes, temperate and cold mountains
• Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes: The friendly crystal dragons of Io's Blood's northern isles spend much time trying to learn about world around them. While solitary by nature, they welcome visitors who come to them with good intentions.

Hatchlings have glossy white scales that become more and more translucent with age. By the time they reach adulthood, these scales become luminescent in moonlight. In the full light of the day they glow with a dazzling, almost unbearable brilliance. Fun-loving and mischievous, crystal dragons tend to be irresponsible rulers. For the daily running of their domains, these dragons rely on their vassals to keep things going. They establish domains in the cold, open northern reaches, building castles out of snow and ice. They leave these castles open to the sky, for they love to watch the stars on clear, cold nights. The white dragon clans consider crystal dragons to be nothing more than prey, so the two types are almost always in conflict. The crystal dragons also have little love for the tribes of giants that live beyond the Ice Sea and often come south to enslave the small, relatively weak gem dragons. Like other benevolent dragons, the crystal dragons prefer to talk rather than fight. Even without special abilities, they can be charming and engaging to an extreme. Gems and metal ores are their foods of choice. They mate with willing partners whenever they want, as desire and need move them. It has also been known for crystal dragons to adopt white dragon hatchlings.

Emerald dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of deafening sound
• Terrain: Inner Planes, underground (prefers inactive or extinct volcanoes)
• Alignment: Always lawful neutral
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes: Emerald dragons live among the tropical islands in the Io's Blood chain's southern waters. They are a curious species, taken to keeping track of history, lore and customs. They tend to be very reclusive, suspicious that others covet their treasure hoards and territory.

Hatchlings have translucent green scales, which harden and take on many shades of green as they age. These scales are scintillating in the light, giving an emerald dragon's hide the appearance of being in constant motion. A desire for privacy runs through the emerald clans, going so far as to determine where the dragon lords and their spawn establish lairs. In the southern islands, emerald dragons built their domains around the inactive volcano range that stretches across the tropical isles. Only their most trusted vassals are permitted to serve them within the main lairs. The others tend to duties throughout the rest of the domain. The primary lairs consist of traps and alarms designed to warn of visitor and other threats. Emerald dragons prefer to quietly observe intruders and rarely emerge from hiding. If parlay is called for, they send their kindred or chief vassals to handle such duties while they watch, hidden, from cover. When forced into combat, emerald dragons prefer to attack by ambush, using stealth and surprise attacks to quickly disable their enemies. If the threat prove to be too great to handle, an emerald dragon will not hesitate to retreat. However, it will plan revenge, and its patience can last for centuries if need be. Emerald dragons have no compunctions about what they eat. They prefer lizards and giants, but they will eat anything in a pinch. Of all the other type of dragonkind, emerald dragons get along best with the sapphire dragons, often controlling parallel domains (emerald dragons taking the surface, sapphire dragon the subterranean areas below). They fear the red dragon clans because of their well-known greed, and they are usually in open conflict with the fire giants from beyond the Burning Sea.Emeralds like the security and protection offered by a trusted partner and will take a single mate for a long time.

Obsidian dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of fire
• Terrain: Warm Mountains and Underground, demiplanes
• Alignment: Always neutral evil
• Link: Obsidian dragon at wizards.com
• Notes: Obsidian dragons, while the most intelligent of the gem dragons, are also the most vicious. They are extremely haughty, anger easily, and like to toy with prey before finishing it off.

An obsidian dragon has smooth black skin with razor edges where joints come together. When first hatched, their scales are gray, rough to touch, and well defined. As they get older, the scales darken, become smoother, and begin to blend together.

Most obsidian dragons prefer to make their lairs around volcanoes or in one of the mountains of coal found on the Elemental Plane of Fire. Most great wyrms, though, make use of the genesis power to create their own demiplane.[1]

Sapphire dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of panicking sound
• Terrain: Inner Planes, underground
• Alignment: Always lawful neutral
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes: The sapphire dragons of the Io's Blood Isles control subterranean domains beneath two of the larger southern islands. While most of the territory above their realms belongs to the emerald dragons, they keep a small portion of the surface area as their own as well as the extensive caverns beneath the tropical jungles.

From birth, sapphire dragons are beautiful, with scale ranging from light to dark blue in color, which sparkle in the light. Because of their coloration, they are sometimes mistaken for blue dragons. Of all dragonkind, perhaps the sapphire dragon clans are the most militaristic. They fervently protect their territory from outsiders, going so far as to distrust anyone who even gets close to their borders. They work to keep their vassals in peak fighting condition, maintaining some of the best-trained armies in the isles. As most of the territory that interests the sapphire clans is below the ground, they rarely come into conflict with other dragon clans unless they attempt to take caverns currently in use. Only the black dragons compete with them for the tropical underground, and even they are wary of going into direct conflict with the armies of the sapphire clans. Most of the demihuman vassals serving the sapphire dragons are either dwarves or gnomes, as these races have no problems living and working beneath the ground. Also, elves are too much like drow, whom these dragons consider to be one of their natural enemies. Dwarven vassals are treated little better than slaves, as the two species were once at war, and they are almost never granted the kindred bond. This honour is usually reserved for gnome only. Giant spiders make up most of a sapphire dragon's diet, and great hunts are conducted through the subterranean tunnels to find these delicacies. When a dragon lord feeling particularly lazy, it will send its dwarven vassals into the tunnels in search of the spiders. Of course, they must capture the spiders alive. While militaristic and warlike, the sapphire dragons are not quick to attack. They prefer to observe intruders (all visitors are intruders) so that they can plan how to deal with them. If drow or dwarves from another clan approach, they are immediately attacked. Others can often at least make some gesture of friendship or parlay before being told to leave. If a sapphire dragon or its treasure is ever threatened, it attacks immediately with its breath weapon, spells, and physical attacks. It uses psionics and special abilities to escape if faced with a more powerful foe. Sapphire dragons take a single mate for long periods of time, however sapphires seek to possess a mate to enhance their prestige and status more than other reasons

Topaz dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of dehydration
• Terrain: Inner Planes, any aquatic
• Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
• Image: Wizards.com image
• Notes: Topaz dragons inhabit the coastal regions of the temperate islands, building lairs below the waterline, though constructing them so they remain dry. Clannish and self-seeking, these gem dragons usually want little to do with the other inhabitants of the isles. They keep vassals to fill their domain and make them appear as prosperous as their neighbors, and they participate in the Council activities on occasion, but for the most part these dragons neither seek company nor welcome it.

Out of the egg, a topaz dragon is a dull yellow-orange in color. With the age, its scales harden and become translucent and faceted. When it reaches adulthood, a topaz dragon sparkles in the light of the sun. While topaz dragons enjoy the feel of sea wind and spray on their faceted-scale hides, they do not particularly like the water. They swim to hunt, attack, or reach their lairs, but not for enjoyment. They do love to eat fish and other sea creatures, especially the tasty giant squids that live in the Coral Sea. While not malicious, topaz dragons are not the best of company or particularly pleasant to deal with. Besides caring little for social graces, they display erratic behavior that is unsettling and very confusing. They dislike visitors, but tend to avoid combat if they can help it. If combat is unavoidable, they use tricks and promises to distract their foes before striking with teeth and claws (which they enjoy using). Unless it specifically interests or affect them, topaz dragons tend to be indifferent to the causes and concerns that occupy the rest of dragonkind. They dislike bronze dragons and usually oppose the interests of those clans. It takes time for a topaz dragon to accept another dragon's friendship, but once it does it remains a friend for life. once another dragon gets past its outer defenses and gruff exterior, it finds a loyal companion and ready protector in the topaz dragon.

Ferrous dragons

Ferrous Dragons are typically of lawful alignment. They are the Iron Dragon, the Nickel Dragon, the Tungsten Dragon, the Cobalt Dragon, and the Chromium Dragon. They originated in Dragon Magazine. All Ferrous dragons can sense ordinary metals and the lawful ferrous dragons have a strict hierarchy, with the higher dragons dictating the laws to the lower ones. The hierarchy, from highest to lowest, is iron, chromium, cobalt, tungsten, and nickel. Gruaghlothor is the supreme ruler of the ferrous dragons.

Chromium Dragon

• Breath weapon: Line of solid ice (cold damage) and cone of freezing crystals (Dexterity damage)
• Terrain: Subterranean or mountainous Arctic clims
• Alignment: Lawful Evil
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #356

Cobalt Dragon

• Breath weapon: Line of pulsing magnetic energy (force damage plus Bull Rush check)
• Terrain: Deep dark forest or thick jungle
• Alignment: Lawful Evil
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #356

Iron Dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of superheated sparks (fire and electric damage) and cone of sleep gas
• Terrain: Hills and mountains containing iron ore
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #356

Nickel Dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of corrosive gas (acid damage)
• Terrain: Swamp and marshland
• Alignment: Lawful Evil
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #356

Tungsten Dragon

• Breath weapon: Cone of hot sand (fire and bludgeoning damage)
• Terrain: Arid deserts and steppes, dry plains in temperate or warmer regions
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #356

Lung Dragons

Lung Dragons are based upon oriental (Chinese and Japanese) dragons as opposed to the western-based True Dragons, and appear in correspondingly themed settings such as Kara-Tur or Rokugan. Lung Dragons are spirits that embody and empower aspects of nature rather than being normal, physical creatures, and they are mostly True Neutral in alignment.

Planar dragons

Planar dragons inhabit the outer planes.

Adamantine dragon

• Breath weapon: White-hot fire, Hold monster gas
• Terrain: Twin Paradises of Bytopia
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Notes: Oversized natural weapons, Can destroy Adamantium fortresses. Also, they look like they are made of jet-black metal.

Arboreal dragon

• Breath weapon: Razor-sharp thorns
• Terrain: Olympian Glades of Arborea
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Notes:

Astral dragon

• Breath weapon: Dismissal effect, scouring dust
• Terrain: Astral Plane
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Notes:

Axial dragon

• Breath weapon: Force
• Terrain: Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Notes: Immune to a vast number of things, including acid, fire, cold, poison, and nonlethal damage.

Battle dragon

• Breath weapon: Sonic energy, Fear gas
• Terrain: Heroic Domains of Ysgard
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Notes: Battle dragons are glorious creatures that exalt in valorous combat. They often serve as steeds for brave warriors
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75641.jpg

Beast dragon

• Breath weapon: Mixed cold and electricity
• Terrain: Wilderness of the Beastlands
• Alignment: Chaotic Good or Neutral Good
• Notes:

Chaos dragon

• Breath weapon: Random elemental blast (acid, cold, electricity, fire, sound, etc.), Confusion gas
• Terrain: Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo
• Alignment: Any Chaotic
• Notes:
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75642.jpg

Chole dragon

• Breath weapon: Poisonous insanity vapors
• Terrain: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Notes: Chole dragons cannot make any noises and have tentacles instead of wings, making them very different from other dragons. They also are enigmatic, having strange runes on their bodies and tentacles.

Concordant dragon

• Breath weapon: Antithetical energy
• Terrain: Concordant Domain of the Outlands
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Notes: Its Breath weapon is a beam of translucent energy that inverts everything that it passes by. It explodes on contact. Relatively easygoing, they tend to get along well with other dragonkind, especially their own kind.

Ectoplasmic dragon

• Breath weapon: Whitefire, sticky ectoplasm.
• Terrain: Astral Plane
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Notes:

Elysian dragon

• Breath weapon: Sonic energy, inebriation gas
• Terrain: Blessed Fields of Elysium
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Notes:

Ethereal dragon

• Breath weapon: Force
• Terrain: Ethereal Plane
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Notes:
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75643.jpg

Gloom dragon

• Breath weapon: Apathy gas
• Terrain: Gray Waste of Hades
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Notes:

Howling dragon

• Breath weapon: Howling sound, Maddening wails
• Terrain: Windswept Depths of Pandemonium
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil or Chaotic Neutral
• Notes:
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75601.jpg

Kodragon

• Breath weapon: Shrinking, reverse shrinking
• Terrain: Astral Plane
• Notes: The kodragon is the messenger for all of the other dragons of the Astral plane.

Oceanus dragon

• Breath weapon: Lightning, Tranquility gas
• Terrain: Upper Planes
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Notes: The Oceanus dragon is always good and saves shipwrecked sailors from drowning.
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75644.jpg

Pyroclastic dragon

• Breath weapon: Superheated ash & waves of sonic, Disintegrating line
• Terrain: Bleak Eternity of Gehenna
• Alignment: Lawful Evil or Neutral Evil
• Notes: The Pyroclastic dragon is arguably one of the most powerful of all extraplanar dragons in D&D, likely rivaled only by the Radiant dragon and the Prismatic dragon.
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75602.jpg

Radiant dragon

• Breath weapon: Force, Light
• Terrain: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Notes: The Radiant dragon is arguably the most powerful of all extraplanar dragons in D&D, likely rivaled only by the Pyroclastic dragon and the Prismatic dragon.
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75645.jpg

Rust dragon

• Breath weapon: Acid, Rusting liquid
• Terrain: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil
• Notes:
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75603.jpg

Styx dragon

• Breath weapon: Acid, Stupefying gas
• Terrain: Lower Planes
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Notes: They prefer to live in deep water. Also, they have a lure.
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75604.jpg

Tarterian dragon

• Breath weapon: Line of disruptive force, cone of will-sapping gas
• Terrain: Tarterian Depths of Carceri
• Alignment: Neutral Evil or Chaotic Evil
• Notes: Both wardens and prisoners of Carceri, tarterian dragons enjoy feasting on fiendish flesh.
• Current Source: (3.5) Draconomicon 189
• Images: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75605.jpg

Other dragons

Other dragon species that exist outside of the main dragon families include: Steel, Mercury, Pearl, Amber, Cloud, Mist, Fairy, Drakes, and many more.

Faerûnian dragons

Brown dragon

• Breath weapon: Sludge
• Terrain: Bogs
• Alignment: Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Monsters of Faerûn

Nishirimii (?)

Deep dragon

• Breath weapon: Flesh-corrosive gas
• Terrain: Underground - Underdark
• Alignment: Chaotic evil
• Notes: unsocial species of Dragon, ability to scale walls and ceilings with the likeness of a gecko, extremely vicious but can be distracted if given a large enough gift
• Appears in: Monsters of Faerûn and reprinted in Fane of the Drow as well as the Legacy of the Drow series. A mutant, two-headed deep dragon named Zz,pora appears in the "Starlight and Shadows" series. The most recent v3.5 statistics for deep dragons can be found in Drow of the Underdark.

Fang dragon

• Breath weapon: None (has a constitution-draining bite)
• Terrain: Mountains
• Alignment: Always Chaotic neutral
• Image: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mof_gallery/MonFaePG42.jpg
• Notes: Looks somewhat like a brown dragon.
• Appears in: Monsters of Faerûn

Rattelyr dragon

• Breath weapon: cone of fire
• Terrain: desert, the forest, grassy plains
• Alignment: lawful evil
• Image: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ssouth_gallery/84369.jpg
• Notes: it is unusually short-lived for a dragon
• Appears in: Shining South

Shadow dragon

• Breath weapon: Energy-draining shadows
• Terrain: Underground
• Alignment: Always Chaotic evil
• Notes: Shadow dragons are the second most intelligent evil dragons.
• Appears in: Monsters of Faerûn and reprinted in the Draconomicon; enemy in Baldur's Gate 2. A shadow dragon called Shimmergloom is the ruler of a clan of Duergar in the second book of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, "Streams of Silver".

Song dragon

• Breath weapon: Electrically-charged gas
• Terrain: Any land
• Alignment: Always either chaotic good or chaotic neutral
• Image: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mof_gallery/MonFaePG45a.jpg
• Notes: Silver Blue with the shape of a copper Dragon
• Appears in: Monsters of Faerûn; "Year of Rogue Dragons" trilogy, "Elminster's Daughter".

Independent dragons

Incarnum dragon

• Breath weapon: Incarnum energy
• Terrain: Outer Planes
• Alignment: Lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good or chaotic evil.
• Notes:
• Appears in: Magic of Incarnum

Sand dragon

• Breath weapon: Flaywind sand
• Terrain: Warm Deserts
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Sandstorm

have been known to destroy carvans

Sunwyrm dragon

• Breath weapon: Sun Blast
• Terrain: Air
• Alignment:
• Notes:
• Appears in: Fiend Folio , The Rite

Epic dragons

Force dragon

• Breath weapon: Force
• Terrain: Any
• Alignment: Usually Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Epic Level Handbook

Prismatic dragon

• Breath weapon: Prismatic Spray
• Terrain: Any
• Alignment: Usually Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Epic Level Handbook

Arcane dragons

Hex dragon

• Breath weapon: Poison
• Terrain: Forest, marshes, underground
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #343

Tome dragon

• Breath weapon: Elemental energy
• Terrain: Mountains
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Notes:
• Appears in: Dragon #343

Pathfinder Chronicles Dragons

This dragon is in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.

Umbral dragon

• Breath weapon: Strength-draining gas or negative energy
• Terrain: Any
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Appears in: Pathfinder #11: Skeletons of Scarwall by Greg A. Vaughan.

Lesser dragons

Elemental Drakes

Elemental drakes are lesser dragons most closely related to wyverns. They hail from the Elemental Planes, and are sometimes used as mounts by jann. Unlike wyverns they are sentient.

Types

• Air - Chaotic neutral drake with air mastery and blinding sandstorm.
• Water - Neutral drake with water mastery and drench.
• Fire - Neutral evil drake with heat attack.
• Earth - Lawful neutral drake with earth mastery and tremor.
• Ooze - Lawful evil drake with acid attack.
• Magma - Lawful evil drake with burn attack.
• Smoke - Chaotic evil drake with smoke breath weapon.
• Ice - Chaotic evil drake with freezing touch.

Various other types of lesser dragons exist, including:

• Ambush drakes
• Draconians
• Dracotaurs
• Dragon Turtles
• Dragonnel
• Faerie dragons
• Felldrakes
• Landwyrm
• Linnorms – Ancient, primeval cousins of dragons. Linnorms lack wings and hind legs, making them more serpentine than true dragons. All known linnorms are evil and cruel. Linnorms are sometimes referred to as "Norse dragons". There are many subtypes of linnorms.
• Pseudodragons
• Spiretop Dragons
• Wurms
• Wyverns

Dragon abilities

In D&D, dragons grow stronger and stronger as they grow older (they become bigger, more resistant to damages and magic, have a more dangerous breath, and so on). Old dragons can cast draconic magic which is a special form of D&D magic (dragons can cast spells with just a few words, they don't need a sometimes long and complex ritual involving words, gestures and components like other D&D wizards), and radiate a mystical fear aura around them. After a millennium or two, a dragon reaches his maximum development. In the Draconomicon, there is also an article about Advanced Dragons, dragons that have reached their oldest age category but can still advance "virtual age categories", and become larger and stronger.

All D&D dragons have some innate magical abilities, but they vary from race to race. Metallic dragons are often able to shapechange into small animals or human forms, and use this ability to secretly help or watch over humans. Dragons also have some innate powers upon the element they are linked to. For example a red dragon (fire) will have some control over fires. Like all other draconic powers, they gain more as they grow older.

Dragon biology

D&D dragons are able to eat almost everything, but each race have a preferred diet (some prefer flesh, other prefer to eat precious metals or gems, and so forth).

Dragons are inherently magical beings, and in no case should dragons be considered reptiles, despite obvious similarities such as a scaled epidermis and reproduction by laying eggs. In fact, Dragons are more akin to feline creatures than reptiles, particularly in regards to their posture and movements, as well as being inherently warm-blooded and an eye composition similar to felines, although far more complex. A good example of this is the placement of the legs: Reptiles have their legs placed on the sides of their body, while most mammals have them placed underneath their body- dragons also tend to place their rear foot where their front foot was previously, much like most stalking feline predators.

The number of eggs laid each time depends on the race of the dragon, but is usually low (between one and ten). Dragons can also cross-breed with virtually any other creature, creating a half-dragon. The most commonly heard of are in the humanoid races, particularly with human and elves. Any combination is possible, however, even with devils or angels.

As far as senses, which varies slightly depending on species due to each one, they are superior in most ways to other creatures- like any predator, they have exceptionally acute senses, which only increase with age. Like avian creatures, they have excellent depth perception and comparingly good peripheral vision, able to see twice as well as a human in daylight- unlike avians, they have great night vision, and are able to see even when condition have no light to offer, the only drawback being that there is a lack of color in such circumstances.

Dragons can also pick up scents very well, utilizing both their sensitive nose and (often forked) tongue, much like a snake. Their hearing is on par with human hearing, although their minds can filter what noise it hears. They are capable of "blindsense", the sense in which eyes, ears, and other senses are used to detect invisible persons or objects. Dragon taste is also refined, although they do not respond well to sweet flavors, and most dragons do not discuss the matter as to why. Of all its senses, a dragon's sense of touch is the only one to decrease throughout age, thanks mostly to the development of thick, hard scales.

Dragon personalities

All dragons are intelligent beings, and most of them exceedingly so. Dragon personality varies from dragon to dragon, but dragons of the same subrace tend to have similar mindsets. This is not always true; several exceptions exist in official D&D material. In the Forgotten Realms a good-aligned red dragon is involved against his will in the Fall of the elf city of Myth Drannor.

Dragon subraces encompass all D&D alignments, going from lawful good paladin-like gold dragons to the cruel and very greedy chaotic evil red dragons.

All dragons share a common desire to collect treasure, be it precious, beautiful, magical or just shiny- indeed, the treasure in question needn't always be gold, and may sometimes be aesthetic in nature, ranging from popular artwork or sculptures or even rare books and tomes that might otherwise have an overwhelming monetary value. For evil-aligned dragons, this generally means a greedy attitude to achieve such wealth by whatever means suit them. For good dragons this lust for treasure is tempered, although they are certainly not averse to earning such wealth, and still appreciate gifts (while being insulted if offered an obvious bribe).

Being stronger, faster, generally smarter, and possessing longer life than humans, dragons tend to consider themselves superior creatures. For good-aligned dragons, this may only mean they often consider humanoid races as children, trying to take care of them and educate them; for evil-aligned dragons, they consider humanoids as mere animals, or as toys to play with- at best, they are minions and slaves.

The longevity of dragons is evident in their often lackadaisical attitudes. Good-aligned dragons, while concerned with defeating evil, are able to see a much broader scope of the world, and although certain crises arise that may seem extremely important to good-aligned humans, their dragon counterparts are able to see the event as an unimportant hiccup that will pass in mere centuries- even those that adventure with others tend show a sense of incredible patience, even in situations where all others feel they've not a second to lose. Similarly, evil-aligned dragons that are crossed by belligerent adventurers may plot for dozens of generations before exacting revenge on the trespasser’s line- it is not uncommon for those descended from the mentioned adventurer to find themselves the target of a dragon based simply on their lineage.

Dragons in campaign settings

In many settings, the god-king of the metallic dragons is Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, and the goddess and queen of the chromatic dragons is Tiamat, the Five-Headed Dragon. The progenitor and supreme deity of all dragons is known as Io. Other deities often included in the draconic pantheon of gods include Aasterinian, Chronepsis, and Faluzure. Other draconic gods may be present in different campaign settings.

Dragonlance setting

Main article: Canon:Dragons on Krynn

The Dragonlance novels and campaign setting helped popularize the D&D-derived perspective on dragons. Here the Platinum Dragon is called Paladine, and the Dragon Queen is called Takhisis. Dragons are divided up into good and evil groups, known as the Metallic Dragons and the Chromatic Dragons, respectively. Paladine leads the Metallic Dragons and Takhisis the Chromatic. The Metallic Dragons rarely became involved in the world other than to oppose the actions of Chromatic Dragons, who often joined into war as their goddess Takhisis instructed. However, in the "Fifth Age", massive Chromatic Dragons who were not native to Krynn emerged and took over many of the humanoid-controlled nations of Krynn, as well as slaying many of the native dragons. They are known as Dragon Overlords. There was one from each race of Chromatic Dragons; red, green, black, white, and blue. Four of these have been slain, and only the White Overlord Gellidus remains.

Dark Sun setting

In the world of Athas of the Dark Sun campaign setting, normal D&D dragons do not exist. Dragon-like drake races exist, one for each element, but for most people the word dragon refer to the Dragon of Tyr, who is a very powerful sorcerer-king (the tyrannic leaders of Athasian cities, who are both masters of magic and psi abilities) who transformed himself into a dragon-like creature using very powerful (and painful) magic. However, this dragon (Bors or Borys) was eventually killed in Troy Denning's book "The Cerulean Storm" by his former master, the sorcerer Rajaat.

Forgotten Realms setting

In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, dragons are very close to the ones in Dragonlance. A sect of cultist called the Cult of the Dragon believe that dragons, particularly undead ones, will rule the world, and are trying to convert evil dragons to become dracoliches - undead lich-like dragons, which are partially bound to the cult by the rituals which grant them their undead status. Plus, in the D&D Supplement book The Draconomicon several other undead varieties of the dragon - ghost, skeleton, vampire, and zombie make an appearance.

A popular series called Wyrms of the North ran in Dragon magazine issues #230 through 259 and was later updated to third edition rules on Wizards of the Coast's website (see external links). Each article detailed an individual dragon of significance in Faerûn.

Lately, an ancient affliction that attacks dragons and rendering them mad, the Dracorage, was invoked, causing countless dragons to rampage throughout Faerûn. A novel trilogy, the Year of the Rogue Dragons set (The Rage, The Rite, and The Ruin) by Richard Lee Byers, as well as a game accessory, Dragons of Faerûn, details the exploits and deeds of several dragons as the Dracorage swept the continent.

World of Greyhawk setting

The Greyhawk campaign setting features the standard types of D&D dragons, except that in this setting steel dragons are referred to as "Greyhawk Dragons." Although these dragons are rarely encountered, they are somewhat more common in the World of Greyhawk than in other campaign worlds.

Council of Wyrms setting

The Council of Wyrms campaign setting is the only one that allows for dragon player characters in its base rules. (The Draconomicon introduces rules for dragon PCs in standard Dungeons & Dragons.) The setting is based around a society of dragons and their servitors and uses the standard D&D dragon races and dragon gods. It has detailed rules for creating and playing dragon PCs and NPCs, including various draconic character classes.

Eberron setting

In the Eberron campaign setting, three dragon gods have created the world: Siberys, Eberron and Khyber. Siberys and Eberron waged war against Khyber and imprisoned it within the depths of the earth. In the end, all three dragons merged with the land: Siberys becoming the sky, Eberron the continents and Khyber the underground world.

Dragons are apart from civilization, which is mostly concentrated on the continent of Khorvaire. They live on the continent of Argonnessen, a rather unknown place, since dragons are very territorial, it makes exploration often hazardous. The dragons used to rule over Eberron many centuries ago, but at the end of the Dragon-Fiend war, against the demons and devils of Khyber, they departed from Khorvaire to go to Argonnessen.

Dragons are immersed in the Draconic Prophecy, a legend which all bits of information are scattered throughout the world and that the outcome is unknown. They see every event as an important event in the Prophecy, and they even form an organization called the Chamber, where they send their brethren in search of clues. They can be of any alignment, like any creature in Eberron, so a good red dragon (usually evil) is as common as an evil gold dragon (usually good). This rule might throw some players off-balance. Dragons also consider themselves superior, treating all other races as inferior. Furthermore, any half-dragon spotted by these dragons is vowed to be hunted, as they treat these half-breeds as a disgrace to their image.

References

• Wyatt, James and Rob Heinsoo. Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerun (Wizards of the Coast, 2001).
• Andy Collins, Skip Williams, James Wyatt (2003). Draconomicon. (3.5e) Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.

External links

• Dragon Types - A description of each of the chromatic dragon types, including pictures.
• Wyrms of the North Archive
• There is an article about Dragon at Forgotten Realms Wiki.
• There is an article about Dragon at the Great Library of Greyhawk.

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).

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