Chromatic dragons
Chromatic dragons were a type of dragon distinguished typically by a solid, non-reflective coloring of their scales, hence the name. They were generally evil, greedy, and predatory, and usually worshiped Tiamat, whom they regarded as their queen.
Black dragons, also known as skull dragons, were far and away the most vile tempered and cruel of all chromatic dragons. They were solitary creatures that lived in the swamps and marshlands.
Black dragons appeared abnormally slender in comparison to other chromatic dragons—wiry, but not gaunt. Physically, they were most distinguished by their horns, which protruded from the sides of their heads and wrapped around, projecting forward. A large frill adorned the upper part of the neck. They smelled like rotting vegetation and foul water. A black dragon grew up to a maximum size of 16 feet (4.9 meters) tall, 85 feet (26 meters) in length, with a wingspan of 80 feet (24 meters). They weighed up to 159,000 pounds (72,100 kilograms).
Solitary and extremely territorial in their nature, black dragons would seldom form clans, opting to do so only when they lived in the most hazardous of environments or when faced with a danger that could wipe out large swaths of their population.
Black dragons preferred ambushes to straightforward fighting.
Black dragons breathed a stream of acid.
Black dragons lived in swamps, jungles and fetid marshlands. They were cunning creatures who lived to inspire fear and rule by intimidation. The black, glossy scales of black dragons added to their camouflage within swamp lands. They preferred to ambush their targets, using darkness or water as their cover. They were excellent swimmers and often made their lairs in submerged caves or underground chambers near swamps or murky ponds. Their lairs always had two entrances: one underwater through the adjacent swamp or pond, and one above-ground, disguised amidst the undergrowth.
Female dragons took the lead when it came to breeding, choosing their mate largely based on the size of the hoard of prospective males. Because of this, male black dragons would often brag about their accumulated wealth to communicative creatures or others of their own kind, in the hopes that rumors of their hoard would spread to any females in the area that were looking to mate. When two or more females selected the same male as their partner, they would fight for dominance high in the air above the lair of the male, allowing him to gaze upon his future mate's victory in admiration.
Black dragons were not noted as good parents, relying more upon disguise and hiding to protect their eggs than upon guarding them personally. Black dragon eggs must be submerged in strong acid while growing, which helped protect the dragon as well. Black dragons would only protect their young so long as that responsibility didn't threaten their own life. If they had to choose between saving their own life or those of their clutch or spawn, they would most certainly choose the former; though they would assuredly seek revenge afterwards.
A black dragon's diet consisted of fish, mollusks, aquatic critters and some red meat from terrestrial animals.
Blue dragons, also known as storm dragons, were a breed of chromaric true dragon. Their breath weapon was a line of lightning or a large electrical discharge.
Blue dragons were physically distinguished by the single large horn protruding from their heads and also by their ears, which were rather large and frilled. The neck was short and broad. The tail was thick and flat. They smelled like electricity or sand.
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a blue by the web of thin blue lines seen when held in front of an intense white light.
They were orderly creatures and were unusual for chromatic dragons in that they maintained fairly well-ordered, hierarchical societies.
They were also extremely adept at burrowing in sand, and often lie in wait just below the surface of the desert for prey. When they were so burrowed, their large horns could easily be mistaken for pointed desert rocks.
Blue dragons used a shocking burst of lightning.
Blue dragons were native to arid wastelands and deserts. They made their lairs in underground caves; easily accessible to the dragons, as they could burrow through the ground. These dragons would fly above their territory, using the bleak landscape and its sparse terrain features as their best chance of spotting opponents.
Despite their evil nature, blue dragons were actually excellent parents to their young, and would rarely leave their eggs unattended.
Brown dragons, also known as sand dragons or great desert dragons, were ferocious dragons that lived under the desert sands.
They had sand colored scales, though unlike other types of dragon their scales were leathery. They had small webbed claws and very large, long mouths. Unlike most other types of dragons, they were wingless. To make up for this, they are the most adept diggers, speeding under loose sand very fast.
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a brown by the yellow color seen when held in front of an intense white light; this was unique to brown dragon eggs.
Brown dragons were both ferocious and intelligent. They were not particularly friendly or talkative, and this was mostly due to the fact that they considered most other creatures to be food, including people, and the idea of talking to their food was silly to them.
A brown dragon's breath weapon was a line of acid, which reduced most animals to little more than sand and dust. Brown dragons were also born with an immunity to acid and the effects of desert heat. They could even survive indefinitely in an airless environment.
In terms of senses, brown dragons had the ability to detect vibrations in the ground in order to detect approaching prey. Their eyes could see in areas of both low-light and total darkness.
Young brown dragons had the ability to cast create sand once per day, allowing them to cover up their burrows,while juveniles could create water once per day.
Additionally, older and more powerful brown dragons gained a certain amount of power over air. They gained the ability to whip up a votex-like sandstorm and summon once per day either powerful air elementals or a powerful earth elemental. Older brown dragons also used illusions or invisibility spells to conceal themselves from unsuspecting prey.
Great wyrms, the oldest of brown dragons, could innately cast the disintegrate spell.
Brown dragons preferred ambushes to straightforward fighting. They often buried themselves in the sand and waited for prey, then attacked with great fury.
These dragons mated and raised families for only short periods of time during the adult stage of their life. However, there were many brown dragons who chose to never mate and live a solitary life.
Brown dragons were both a carnivorous and lithovorous species. They could subsist on a diet of minerals, including sand, but their preferred diet was meat. They were particularly fond of horseflesh, but also regarded intelligent humanoids as food.
A brown dragon typically laired in a large cave or underground chambers they had burrowed, deep under the desert sand. These dwellings were typically 1,000 feet (300 meters) beneath the sand.
Brown dragons, blue dragons and yellow dragons, being three types of chromatic dragon that lived in desert environments and liked to burrow into the sand, were considered to be natural enemies. They often fought each other, with their battles being considered legendary among humans.
A gray dragon, also known as a fang dragon, was a type of dragon found in Ocari.
Gray dragons were poor flyers, with small muscled wings. Their eyes tended to be either red or orange. Their heads were edged with spikes or horns. Their bodies tended to be covered in bony plates that ended in spurs at the joints, and their tails were forked with scythe-like tips. Their scale colors were a muddy mix of gray and brown.
These dragons were susceptible to seemingly random outbursts of rage and violence. They were exceptionally cruel, and had a tendency to "play" with their food. However, if backed into a corner, they were quick to bargain for their lives.
They could perfectly mimic any sound or voice which they had previously heard.
Gray dragons were skilled at physical combat, particularly because their bodies were so lethal. They could use their muscled wings for quick forward lunges, using their tails to trip opponents and their claws to slash, all the while menacing their foes with the bony spurs all over their bodies.
The bite of a fang dragon could drain the life force from a victim, however they do not have a breath weapon like other dragons.
Gray dragons had the innate yet limited ability to cast a number of spells, namely detect magic, read magic, shield, telekinesis, dispel magic, spell turning, and globe of invulnerability. They developed these powers as they aged, and the eldest of gray dragons had the ability to regenerate. However, fang dragons' magic was not particularly powerful as compared to most other types of dragons.
Their diet consisted of flesh, of which they preferred that of intelligent mammals.
Dray dragons made their homes in rocky areas. They sometimes sealed up their lairs with boulders or other materials before leaving them, usually in the hunt for food, which they preferred to find far from their homes.
They typically spoke bits and pieces of a handful of languages, and they used this ability in order to negotiate their way out of situations that could result in difficult or even deadly battles.
Although cruel and aggressive, a gray dragon never attacked another of its kind. They generally mated once every sixty years, but did not form family units.
Green dragons, also known as forest dragons, were a variety of chromatic dragons known for their manipulative and self-serving nature. They were considered master conspirators that reveled in corrupting lesser creatures.
Green dragons were most notable for the large, waving crest or fin that started at the dragon's nose and ran the entire length of the dragon's body. They also had exceptionally long, slender forked tongues.
Green dragons' scales did not fully harden, granting them greater flexibility than other chromatic dragons. They also had particularly long legs and elongated necks that allowed them to peer over treelines. Their wings often featured dappled patterns and became lighter the further away from the claw. Green dragons had no actual ears, rather ear holes on either side of their head.
Although they were not the most intelligent of true dragons, they were especially creative in their cruel manipulations.
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a green dragon by the greenish-white tinge seen when held in front of an intense white light, though it shared this trait with white dragons and any dragon breed with a gas or vapor breath weapon.
These dragons were known to have very bad tempers and a tendency for evil behavior. They loved intrigue and secrets. Green dragons put up a front of diplomacy and deceit when dealing with stronger foes, but they revealed their cruel and petty nature when intimidating lesser beings or when gaining the upper hand. They especially enjoyed enslaving intelligent woodland beings.
They delighted in stalking their enemies and listening in for any information they could gather before moving to attack. On occasion however, they were known to attack outright without being provoked.
When hunting, green dragons stalked their prey for extended lengths of time, continuing for days on end, until they could execute a deadly ambush. They reveled in the fear they inspired in lesser creatures, and always left at least one survivor whenever possible. Green dragons would take dominion over their victims, interrogating them for information, especially that regarding nearby treasures.
If they get into a conflict with more powerful creatures, or other dragons over territory, green dragons often feigned weakness to glean more information about their foes. Like when stalking their prey, they would wait as long as necessary―years or decades at a time―to find the right moment to strike out against an opponent.
Green dragons' scales lent them a natural form of camouflage within the lush woodlands of the Realms.
Beyond fighting with their massive jaws and claws, these dragons were capable of expelling a cone of poisonous chlorine gas. They could use their unique breath weapon even while completely submerged underwater.
Green dragons were mostly solitary creatures, but rarely worked together in pairs or small groups when an especially lucrative opportunity presented itself.
Green dragons valued their territory, They were extremely cunning and duplicitous foes, and loved double-crossing others.
Amongst their own kind, green dragons displayed brazen rudeness and crass behavior. This was more evident among female green dragons than males.
These dragons were typically found to live near woodlands, including jungles, bayous, and forests. Their domains were often easy to spot, as a heavy fog that faintly smelled of poison lingered over their domain.
Younger green dragons would remain within its forests until they grew to a certain age, after which they would seek out their own domain.
The typical green dragon lair was located underground and was a complex of caves and tunnels, with its main entrance hidden behind a waterfall. The preferred green dragon lair was a cave high up on a cliff, but such locations were usually hard to find and thus only home to the oldest and most powerful green dragons. If necessary, green dragons would hide their lair behind thickets of magocally-grown plant life.
Within their lair, green dragons could command tangles of roots and vines to immobilize intruders, or compel barriers of tangled, thorny bushes to rapidly extended out as needed.
Green dragon lairs occasionally developed what was referred to as 'chlorine haze', a buildup of residual chlorine gas. It lingered within their domain and remained ever-harmful to anyone vulnerable to its exposure.
Like all other evil dragons, green dragons enjoyed amassing more treasure for their hoard. Among material wealth, they preferred wood carvings, instruments, sculptures, emeralds, and beryls. On occasion, they adorned their treasure with rare plants that they cultivated within their own lair, creating truly unique and priceless pieces of art.
Green dragons' true favorite possessions however, were the sentient beings they claimed as servants. Renowned personalities of the Realms―such as famous artists, adventures, or even scholars―were considered by green dragons to be the most prized individuals to add to their collections.
Female green dragons initiated courtship with males, a process that was reflective of the females' offensive and crass behavior. After impregnation however, the relationship between mated green dragons changed, and a strong bond was formed. Incubation of green dragon eggs continued for about sixteen months, with the eggs being laid at about the four-month mark.
The mated pair developed strong ties to each other and wholly dedicated themselves to newly-hatched wyrmlings. Both the mother and father typically stayed close to their eggs while they were incubating. Green dragons were the only species of chromatic dragons known to sacrifice their own lives for their brood.
The green wyrmling could be easily mistaken for a black dragon, due to their nearly black scales. As the wyrmling matured, its scales became steadily lighter in color until they reached the striking green shade of an adult. The wyrmlings typically stayed with both parents until they reached young adulthood, at around 51 years of age. Once a green dragon set out on its own, the mated pair went their separate ways, and the bond they formed was broken.
Wherever a green dragon died, new and deadly plant life flourished in an area around its corpse. Especially poisonous plants grew and blossomed grew to abnormal sizes extraordinarily fast. These sites were often more connected to the Feywild than the surrounding terrain.
While green dragons typically exploited non-dragons with their schemes, they were not above moving against their own kind. They typically did not however scheme or plot against their own parents.
They often accepted more servile creatures as their minions. Among those known to regularly serve green dragons were kobolds, goblins, ettercaps, orcs, yuan-ti, and ettins.
Some green dragons held strong connections to the Feywild
Green dragons were omnivorous and ate just about whatever they could get ahold of, including a variety of plants and living animals. They especially enjoyed consuming fey creatures like elves and sprites.
Green dragons, as with some other dragon breeds, were unable to chew their food. Hence, to aid digestion, they swallowed small stones, pieces of metal, and even coins, which went into a small second stomach like a bird's gizzard. These stomach stones ground down their food and were eventually expelled in waste.
Certain poisonous roots found throughout the Realms had mildly psychoactive effects on green dragons when consumed. The effects of these roots exacerbated the already impudent behavior they demonstrated when socializing with their own kind.
Armor made from the scales of green dragons offered the wearer protection against clouds of poisonous gas, such as that released by iron golems, or the spell cloudkill.
One of the ways of creating a wand of stinking cloud was using a horn of an old green dragon.
Orange dragons were a species of chromatic dragon that inhabited tropical swamps, rivers, and lakes.
Orange dragons were born with brilliant orange scales and most retained this coloring into adulthood, with some developing splotches of more reddish or yellowy coloring. Their scales did grow larger and thicker as they aged. Adult orange dragons were typically around 39 feet (12 meters) long.
Orange dragons were highly intelligent but, like all chromatic dragons, evil.
Naturally, orange dragons were equally capable on land or in water, and were only slightly less capable in the air. And they were resistant to magical fire and metallic poisons, and immune to natural fire. Their most well-known and deadly ability was their breath weapon: a 60‑foot-long (18‑meter) stream of liquid sodium (though most only knew it as a silvery metallic liquid) mixed with the dragon's oily saliva. Seconds after they disgorged it, the saliva dried and the sodium burst into flame on contact with air. If the victim tried to rinse the liquid off, they found that it exploded on contact with water, causing even more damage and setting everything in the general vicinity on fire. Only oil could safely "insulate" the liquid sodium from air and water, though that posed major risks as well.
Like other dragons, orange dragons could innately cast spells, gaining pass without trace thrice each day as young, neutralize poison thrice each day as juveniles, raise water twice each day as young adults, heat metal once per day as mature adults, suggestion once per day as very old dragons, and hallucinatory forest once per day as wyrms.
Orange dragons were well-suited to ambush, but were impulsive enough to be just as likely to attack boldly. One of their preferred tactics was to use their breath weapon on a body of water right beside a camp or boatload of potential prey, blowing the area to smithereens.
Orange dragons inhabited tropical forests, where they laired beside and hunted in rivers, lakes, and swamps; accordingly, they were excellent swimmers. They favored their damp environments in part because it meant the fires caused by their breath weapon didn't spread. Within their habitats, they sometimes came into conflict with bronze and black dragons, though black dragons typically preferred to avoid the larger, stronger, and more dangerous orange dragon. In other cases, a black dragon might (grudgingly) accept a subordinate role; orange dragons were known to ally with other evil inhabitants of their territory, with the dragon providing protection and the subordinates providing information and obedience. Bronze dragons, however, typically won otherwise even fights with orange dragons.
Orange dragons preferred to prey on rain forest animals and fish, and enjoyed supplementing their diet with tropical fruits. They enjoyed hunting humans and elves for sport as well as food. If necessary, orange dragons could and would eat insects and fungus. Thanks to their natural resistance to poison (and, presumably, disease), they could drink from pools of water both stagnant and fresh.
This was a solitary species except when mating and raising young, at which times both parents helped protect the nest and hunt for and teach the hatchlings.
Ettercaps were known to prey on hatchling orange dragons and prized their flesh.
Pink dragons were a very, very rare species of chromatic dragon.
Pink dragons, true to their name, had a delicate pink coloration. They were often said to be "dopey-looking".
Pink dragons loved to talk and make jokes but, while not actually malevolent, were prone to eating those who didn't laugh at their jokes.
Pink dragons lacked the fear-inducing aura of other true dragons and their innate magical abilities were erratic: only a little less than a quarter of pink dragons could cast spells.
Pink dragons were best known for their unusual breath weapon: a special gland in them mixed a fatty secretion with a lye-like liquid and the resulting goop came out as many, many bubbles, forming a cloud some 60 feet (18 meters) long, 50 feet (15 meters) wide, and 20 feet (6.1 meters) high. The soap-like substance was painful if it got into the eyes and the cloud overall effectively blinded those within it. The pain was also known to be sufficiently distracting as to render fighting impractical. Pink dragons were immune to their own breath weapon by virtue of a transparent third eyelid and bat-like sonar.
Despite their decidedly ridiculous appearance, pink dragons were quite dangerous in combat and many adventurers fatally underestimated them because of their coloring. Pink dragons typically used their breath weapon in combat before relying on their claws and teeth.
Pink dragons were exceptionally rare, and were known to live in most any terrain. They typically made their homes in underground lairs.
Pink dragons, like other true dragons, could breed with other dragon species, but they were very picky about who they mated with, refusing vain or aggressive suitors. Moreover, the majority of the time, the hatchlings of such mixed unions were of the other species- the innate magic of the pink dragon had to "come alive" while the eggs were forming internally for the hatchlings to be pink dragons. Clutches with a pink dragon parent normally contained one, but could be up to three, eggs.
Purple dragons, also called deep dragons, drakes of the depths, and silent hunters, were a type of chromatic dragon that lived in the Underdark.
Despite their large size, purple dragons were slender and agile, and their snakelike bodies, narrow wings, and thin limbs allowed them to crawl through the tunnels of the Underdark. Their scales were smooth, and in the light, an adult dragon's scales were the color of amethyst, while in the dark, they appeared nearly black. In general, older specimens had much darker scales, while younger ones had more purple or maroon coloration. Older purple dragons were known to develop fungal growths around their heads and necks.
A dragon egg could be identified as that of a purple dragon by the purple tinge seen when held in front of an intense white light, though it shared this trait with amethyst dragon eggs.
Purple dragons were patient and cunning. They prioritized their own survival above all else, yet were known to relish the opportunity to hunt or even fight if the situation demanded it. They preferred to manipulate and negotiate rather than to risk combat, and were crafty dealmakers. They were quick to disregard any creature that wasn't useful to them.
Purple dragons collected trivia, insights, tricks, and knowledge from far flung places, and delighted in acquiring new information. They were known to collect magic items, not simply to hoard but also to use for themselves. Some purple dragons enjoyed assuming the form of drow and infiltrating the dark elves' cities in disguise.
In order to better allow them to navigate the narrow underground tunnels which they called home, purple dragons developed potent innate magical powers, including the ability to transmute rock to mud, and to cast spells like passwall, freedom of movement, and stone shape.
Perhaps their most distinctive ability was their unique shapechanging power which developed as they aged. The first form they learned to adopt was that of a winged snake, which did not reduce their overall size but allowed them to slither and fly unimpeded by extra limbs. The second form they learned to adopt was that of a normal humanoid, and they could alter this form's appearance as with a polymorph self spell.
The claws of a purple dragon were intended to dig through solid rock, and as such, were devastating in combat even against heavily armored enemies. They preferred to pick off their enemies strategically, stalking them in the dark before pouncing or triggering a rockfall to bury them.
A purple dragon's breath weapon attacked creatures' minds, and caused the target to be dazed or dominated, depending on the strength of the wyrm. These effects were attributed to fungal spores that the dragon exhaled. They were also known to be able to breath a cone of gas that was caustic to flesh.
Purple dragons were harmed by direct sunlight.
Purple dragons inhabited the Underdark, and were rarely known on the surface. However, younger specimens were known to occasionally venture upward, generally with some mission to claim a treasure or exact revenge on a foe, but sometimes just for the sake of exploration. Young purple dragons rarely left the lairs of their parents until they had mastered both their serpentine and humanoid alternative forms.
Lairs were located in the Underdark, usually no deeper than 7 miles (11 kilometers), and were highly idiosyncratic: some were built within ancient ruins, others on the shores of underground lakes, and others were carved out of masses of living fungus. Regardless, most of these lairs were full of secret passages to allow the dragon to make quick escapes and to prepare surprise ambushes. Lairs were often difficult to access, even for the dragon itself without using its serpentine or humanoid form, and were filled with traps and servants to protect the dragon's hoard, especially for times when the dragon ventured out to seek new information or treasures. They were known to transplant dangerous specimens of fungi into their lairs to serve as traps, and in general, underground varietals of fungi often abounded around purple dragons' lairs and even on their bodies. Their magic, and this somewhat symbiotic relationship with underground fungus, was said to be a result of their species' exposure to the pervading magic of the Underdark.
Purple dragons preferred "seafood" including clams, fish, kuo-toa abd eveb aboleths. That said, they were known to eat nearly anything, and it was not uncommon for Underdark societies to trade with a purple dragon by offering them food in the form of humanoid prisoners.
The claw of a purple dragon could be used as a special component in the casting of the dragon blight spell. Their scales were also highly-prized by drow wizards, used in the formation of their everdark ink.
Purple dragons valued and hoarded knowledge, and preferred to collect unique treasures with interesting backstories. They would meticulously organize their hoards, even framing or displaying their favorite pieces, and they delighted in giving long tours to guests, particularly other purple dragons.
While some actively avoided revealing themselves to other types of dragons, most enjoyed their company. Purple dragons tended to look down on "inferior" creatures, but could be encountered near drow cities working as guardians for the drow, expecting to be paid for their services with a steady supply of food in the form of captives and criminals. However, other drow cities were highly distrustful and fearful of purple dragons.
They were not above working with non-dragons, but treated them either as servants or subordinates. They were enemies to mind flayers and cloakers, and would hunt them when the opportunity presented itself.
Red dragons, also known as flame dragons, fire wyrms, and mountain dragons, were a breed of chromatic true dragon. They were covetous, evil creatures, interested only in their own well-being, vanity and the extension of their treasure hoards. They were supremely confident of their own abilities and were prone to making snap decisions without any forethought. The largest and most powerful of the chromatic dragons, and just the worst not counting Tiamat, red dragons were also the most fearsome and cruel. These dragons delighted in ruin, death and destruction. They breathed a cone of fire. In countless lands, they were considered the archetypal villainous dragon of legend and fable, exemplars of all their most notorious traits, and the red dragons thought so too.
Red dragons were physically distinguished by their enormous size and wingspan, which was the widest of all dragons, both in absolute size and relative to body length. The outermost alar phalanx was extremely long and made the wing appear to taper, while the trailing edge was the longest section. The trailing edge joined the body behind the rear legs and partway along the tail.
And of course they were recognized by their scarlet and crimson scaled hides. A wyrmling had small, bright, and glossy scarlet scales (becoming pink on its belly), which turned dull and a deeper red by the time they were young dragons. In older dragons, the scales grew thicker and larger, and as tough as metal. In contrast to their red hide, their wings and neck frills turned a purple-gray, ash-blue, or blue-black toward the edges, similar to metal scorched in a fire, which darkened as they aged. The pupils of their eyes faded with age, such that especially old red dragons had eyes that seemed to be orbs of molten lava.
A red dragon had two large horns upon their head, which pointed backward toward their wings. These horns, which were big enough to be noticeable from below, could be either straight or twisted and any color from white as bone to black as night. They had smaller horns on their chin, cheeks, lower jaw, and in rows over their brow, as well as on their beak-like snout. They also had frills around their ears that often combined with their cheek horns as they got older and a backward-sweeping frill running down their necks and spine, from just behind the head to the end of the tail. The frills around the dragon's internal ears assisted its hearing, by collecting sounds and ascertaining directions. A red wyrmling had the two main horns, but the others were only stubs.
They smelled of smoke, sulfur, and pumice. Their bodies were so warm that the air around them occasionally shimmered as in a heat mirage while their blood was, when outside its body, hot enough to produce steam. Smoke blew from their nostrils constantly. When a red dragon was enraged, flames flickered in its eyes and nostrils.
The vanity of red dragons was often revealed in their prideful postures and the looks of disdain with which they regarded all others.
A hatchling had a 1‑foot-long (0.3‑meter) 3‑foot-long (0.91‑meter) body and 3‑foot-long (0.91‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of around 12 feet (3.7 meters) to 18 feet (5.5 meters) and a tail length of around 17 feet (5.2 meters) to 21 feet (6.4 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 35 feet (11 meters) or 36 feet (11 meters) long in the body, with tails 26 feet (7.9 meters) or even 50 feet (15 meters) long. However, earlier estimates had adults as big as 80 to 99 hands (8.1 to 10 meters) in body length and 68 to 87 hands (6.9 to 8.8 meters) in tail length, and great wyrms as big as 174 to 183 hands (17.7 to 18.6 meters) in body length and 162 to 171 hands (16.5 to 17.4 meters). As red dragons of the same age did not differ much in length, one considered small would be slender and wiry while one considered huge would be fat, muscular, or thick of body and limb. A healthy red measuring 40 feet (12 meters) in body length would weigh 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms).
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a red by the very faint reddish spots seen when held in front of an intense white light.
Out of all dragon kind, reds were the most avaricious and were constantly looking to expand their hoards with treasure, no matter whose it already was, and they were the most obsessive collectors. They valued material wealth more than anything else—if it was worth something, they wanted it. They adored gold more than any other precious metal, loving its look and sound, and gathered gold pieces and treasures to make up much of their hoard. They also collected gems of red and fiery hues, like rubies and fire opals. They did prefer things made of metal or stone that would withstand the heat of their lairs and flame and last through the ages; flammable goods of cloth, leather, or paper were less desirable. Females had a greater preference for treasures with reflective surfaces and they generally had little interest in art. Other than that, they were so greedy they generally didn't care what they collected, and while individual red dragons could have certain preferences, there were no common trends across the species. They accumulated amazing hoards and showed them off in pride as a show of their own superiority, with a particular love for anything taken from a slain rival. Treasure placement, however, was practical and tactical: coins comprised its bed, gems and shiny things were placed in very visible locations but they didn't surround themselves with mirrored surfaces, and humanoid-usable things like armors were stored well back, so as to lure thieves deeper in. Valued trophies were stored and displayed and gloated over separately. Massive stones could be used to seal particular treasures in hollows. They knew the value, origin, and precise location of every piece of treasure in their hoards, and remembered well how and when they'd claimed it. Losing even one coin or tiny trinket could cause a red dragon to fly into a rage and hunt down and mercilessly destroy the supposed thief. If they could not, then they would rampage across the land, slaughtering all they encountered and devastating local settlements where a thief might hide they could calm down.
Red dragons were known for their swift and fiery tempers—if angered, they would explode into a destructive rage and become even more impulsive and vengeful. They never forgave even the most minor offense, theft, or infraction, and would kill the offender or, if they were unavailable, instead raise havoc to inflict their outrage on everyone else. They would kill even on a whim. Such rages were in part due to their fragile pride and feeling that any loss, insult, or defeat meant a loss of status if not addressed—causing chaos and destruction assuaged wounded pride and mitigated lost status. Their rage could only be quelled with blood and death or great tributes of riches.
They were incredibly vain, even by dragon standards, and were supremely arrogant. They thought themselves chosen by Tiamat herself to reign in her stead, with all the world their dominion and all the beings in it their subjects, while all other breeds of dragon were inferior. Red dragons believed they were the pinnacle of draconic nature and all other dragon species had departed from this purity. They valued vengefulness, rapaciousness, avarice, and ferocity above other traits and recognized these traits in themselves with pride. Thus, maintaining their status among their fellow red dragons was their main focus.
Preferring their own company and engaging with others only when it had purpose, they were solitary creatures and cared little for news of other types of dragons, though they did look for news of other red dragons in their area and of affairs in the world in general. They used other charmed creatures as messengers, informants, and spies to bring them information, paying particular interest in the deeds of fellow red dragons, with whom they always competed for status. If they believed their own achievements and possessions to be greater than these other red dragons, then they stayed in their lairs, smugly congratulating themselves. However, if they learned that the achievements or possessions of the other red dragons were greater than their own, then they would fly into a jealous rage, decimating the surrounding area until they believed that they had outdone their rivals. The dragon became much less cautious and foolish during this time and much more likely to underestimate their foes.
In turn, a red dragon would take efforts to ensure that they were seen as superior to every other red dragon in the area. They would often burn down only half a village or let a single adventurer flee from a battle so that word of their power spread throughout the region. They would also boast about their magnificent hoards. However, not only would this anger other red dragons and attract rivals looking to gain status but it was also like a shining beacon to adventurers, dragon slayers, and treasure hunters.
Red dragons believed that if a being was not strong enough to protect what it had, then it did not deserve to keep it. This applied not just to treasure, but to life. They despised weakness among their own kind. If one ever found out that another of their kin showed any signs of fragility, either by getting badly wounded or becoming senile or weak in old age, then local red dragons would descend on the lair, stripping it clean and usually killing the owner.
Reds were also highly territorial. They were constantly on the lookout for intruders in their territory, and especially other dragons encroaching on it, which was cause for death. Entering an area a red considered its domain was just asking to be attacked, especially if it was a rival dragon. If the trespasser was another red dragon, then conflict was inevitable and the fighting the most vicious, as neither would dare show weakness to the other as a point of pride. Thankfully, most other species were smart enough to flee if they realized the area belonged to a red dragon. Rarely, red dragons would adopt a protective yet patronizing manner towards creatures they saw as inferior that lived within their self-imposed borders. A few liked to set themselves up as rulers of communities within their territory, enjoying the feeling of power, but they reigned as tyrants, demanding obedience and using threats to gain it, and killing or destroying those that did not comply. In their view, humanoids were a renewable resource. Communities in or around a red dragon's territory could appease it with tributes and sacrifices. Some even required worship, but others preferred more covert means of control, wherein they were the secret puppet-masters pulling the strings in a network.
Red dragons hated any authority other than their own. They never asked elders for advice or information, even if doing so would save their lives as, to them, admitting they needed something their elders had was the same as putting themselves under their authority.
Red dragons had a habit of playing with their food. For example, some would enjoy talking to their victims before they ate them. They also disliked getting wet. In fact, in many ways, they were most like housecats.
A female red dragon was, if anything, even more willing to fight, particularly other female red dragons, with food and treasure as secondary priorities. They were less likely to surrender or yield if defeated. They were also more intolerant of other creatures and more territorial, and while a male might accept a bribe to let a victim escape, a female red would decline, eat the victim, and take the bribe. However, she could be impressed by flattery.
It was of course possible for a red dragon to not conform to the above evil habits. For example, a young red might find itself sickened by the cruelty its older kin inflicted on innocents and, after some contemplation, depart for a remote area where it could make a life on its own terms (becoming chaotic nautral) or even try to stop or undo them somehow (moving toward neutral or even lawful and good). These rogue red dragons were rare, and were liable to be attacked by their fellows, though no more so than normal.
Red dragons expelled an extremely devastating cone of fire. For an adult, this blast could be from 9 feet (2.7 meters) up to 50 feet (15 meters) or 60 feet (18 meters) in length and breadth, or even as long as 90 feet (27 meters) and 30 feet (9.1 meters). Its raw elemental fire could burn flesh and heat metal and, for ancient red dragons, could even overwhelm magical protections against fire.
They were naturally resistant, or even completely immune to fire.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of chromatic dragons, red dragons gained an array of magical powers as they aged, though accounts of these varied. In one version, a young red dragon could affect normal fires thrice a day, a juvenile could use pyrotechnics thrice a day, an adult could heat metal once a day, an old red dragon could make a suggestion once each day, a very old one could use hypnotism once a day, and a venerable red could detect gems, kind and number three times a day up to a range of 100 feet (30 meters). In a later accounting, a juvenile could cast locate object once a day or more often as they got older, while an old red dragon could use suggestion, an ancient one could use find the path, and a great wyrm could discern location. They did not possess innate psionics.
Similarly, red dragons could learn and cast new spells of their own, similar to a sorcerer. They naturally favored fire-based spells as well as spells of detection and divination to help them analyze magic and appraise valuables.
They were skilled in appraisal, deception, and jumping, because, although they flew quickly, they were not very maneuverable. They could accurately estimate the value of any treasure or trinket, down to the last copper piece. They also had good hearing.
With its keen senses, a red dragon could track its prey like a ranger. This was especially effective if it had tasted a creature's blood beforehand and it was still wounded.
Highly confident combatants, a red dragon would, on sighting a potential foe, decide in an instant whether to attack. They rarely stopped to size up a foe or make a plan, instead relying on a general strategy they'd figured out earlier, often over years and covering every imaginable situation, and picking it on the fly. Usually, though, they just flew into their foes and blasted them with fire, then used their claws on whoever was left. If attacking small, lone, and vulnerable creatures, they preferred to land and slay them with claw and fang, rather than use their flame and risk destroying whatever valuables they might have, but not if it meant defeat or death. Against large groups, they would use spells and fire breath before landing. Like any dragon, they could fight with their claws, teeth, wings, tail, and just sheer weight. They loved this chance to show off their strength, but weren't shy to use their fire breath either.
Though they fought just as well in the air as on the ground, a red dragon was not agile in flight, so they usually elected to land and fight on the ground when appropriate, where they showed remarkable mobility and grasp of tactics. They would jump from point to point or fly short distances to seize an advantageous location from which to cast their magic or breathe fire.
They were not above trickery, either. For example, a red dragon might use polymorph self to disguise itself as a fire giant and demand tribute from travelers in a mountain pass it claimed. Charmed beings and minions could be ordered to support the story. Those who tried to fight the so-called giant would be surprised by a dragon. In turn, a red dragon could be tricked or baited into a trap by exploiting its love of gold.
Despite its ferociousness and unwillingness to retreat or compromise, a red dragon was not mindless nor suicidally reckless. It had enough of a sense of self-preservation to know when not to attack or to break off combat against a superior opponent, albeit reluctantly and if it could retain its pride and status in doing so; retreating hurt their pride most of all. Nevertheless, after first blood had been drawn, they were much less likely to retreat, even if it was an option. Their overwhelming pride led more red dragons to fight to the death than any other chromatic dragons. In particular, the fearless and bloodthirsty red wyrmlings lacked the sense to flee and had no clever tactics to back them up, so they usually fight and win or die trying. However, they valued their sight over other senses, and a blinded red dragon was most likely to retreat or, if trapped, try to bargain or beg for its life, but not without lashing out at every sound and smell.
A red dragon would not always kill a defeated enemy. They would regularly let some survivors escape to tell of its victory and thereby bolster its status. With an obviously weaker opponent, they might intimidate or trick them into providing information or performing some deed. The only requirement was that the red dragon got what it wanted, and if not, the enemy should die.
On a larger scale, despite their selfishness, red dragons would agree to ally and cooperate against difficult targets, such as attacking a large town or a well-defended citadel, and adopt appropriate tactics. For a town, this might just be landing and rampaging through the streets, and for a citadel, this might be something more nuanced, with one starting fires and another picking off defenders with magic and breath.
Between red dragons, there was rarely a duel or challenge. Rather, the younger would usually just swoop in and ambush the elder.
Like all chromatic dragons, reds lived their lives in cycles of activity and hibernation. While these cyclical rhythms weren't as extreme as green dragons, red dragons sealed themselves within their lairs for upwards of ten years at a time.
Their red scales gave them little camouflage or chance of them being overlooked. Young red dragons, especially wyrmlings, were easy prey for predators and hunters because of their bright, glossy, scarlet scales, so they tended to stay underground during the day and came out only at night until they felt that they could defend themselves properly. Otherwise, they gave little thought to caution or self-preservation and targeted anything they thought they could eat. Hence, they had difficult, dangerous lives. However, when they were older and not as brightly hued, and especially bigger and more powerful, they were much more confident. They preferred to be conspicuous, and had no wish to hide from lesser beings.
They spent their spare time concocting tactics for use in future battles, developing a wide variety of them. They were master strategists as a result. They also made schemes to achieve greater power, acquire more treasure, and defeat enemies.
They were carnivorous by choice, with a particular taste for young humans and elves, especially young women, an appetite for which they were notorious. They insisted that it just tasted better. It was not unknown for a red dragon to intimidate or charm the people of a local village into periodically sacrificing their young folk to them or else to kidnap young humanoids for later consumption. Otherwise, they made do with other humanoids, animals, and other dragons, again with a predilection for younger, tender flesh. Some dined on herds of domesticated livestock, appreciating the convenience, but preferred humanoids do the actual work. In any case, they preferred meat charred by flame, both liking the taste and finding it easier to digest.
Despite this, similar to most other dragons, red dragons could consume and live on just about anything, including vegetation and minerals. They just didn't want to, more than any other carnivorous dragon, so much so that a few would rather starve almost to death than eat anything other than meat. Strangely, red dragons were shy about discussing their dietary practices—the best way to find out was to ask them, at which they would threaten to eat the questioner.
Red dragons, as with some other dragon breeds, were unable to chew their food. Hence, to aid digestion, they swallowed small stones, pieces of metal, and even coins, which went into a small second stomach like a bird's gizzard. These stomach stones ground down their food and were eventually expelled in waste.
Red dragons were careful to bury their dung safely outside their lairs. It held small pieces of metal and stone and significant quantities of sulfur. Such sites were revealed by the sharp smell, but sparks, flame, or a red dragon's fire breath could cause them to explode unexpectedly. Canny red dragons used their waste pits as traps for attackers, by persuading them to dig there or breathing flame when they were in range.
They drunk alcohol where they could get it, but this did not cause inebriation, no matter the amount. They drank only small quantities of water as needed, for flesh contained enough moisture to meet their dietary needs..
Owing to their magical metabolism, red dragons could go long periods without food, such as when sleeping, but they woke up ravenously hungry. It was reputed they could eat up to twice their body weight. Indeed, for example, a young red of body length 40 feet (12 meters) and weight 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms) would ideally consume 10% of its own body weight, 500 pounds (230 kilograms), each day. This could be accounted for by three knights or one good-sized ogre. However, as with most dragons, they could fast for months at a time, then gorge themselves into a state of lethargy once more, catching up on what they'd missed. Continuing the example, after 20 days, the young red might feast on twenty times its daily amount of food, 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms), which could be supplied by a whole adventuring company, equipment included. But they typically ate much more than they required.
During their active periods, they were known as voracious hunters, whose hunger ensured that the populations of any nearby creatures did not grow beyond ecological stability. Fortunately, like other dragons, they were wise enough to hunt much further afield than their own territories and went into long periods hibernation to allow populations to recover. This was not done out of concern for the ecology, but enlightened self-interest, to save themselves starving.
Red dragons typically dwelled in warm mountainous regions, hills, desert mesas, and badlands, though these were not necessities. The main factors in them choosing a place to live were primarily a high elevation and secondarily a high temperature; while cold did not especially hamper them, they did not like it, but would put up with it for the sake of elevation. Many preferred to dwell within volcanoes—even within the caldera itself—or sulfurous geysers or other areas of geothermal activity, where the intense heat and dangerous gases kept others at bay and comforted a sleeping dragon. They liked to sleep near a source of heat. However, they could make their lairs almost anywhere, from ice-capped mountains to hills to deserted dwarf mines and holds.
They particularly loved to make their lairs in large caverns or cave systems that reached deep underground and received geothermal activity. These places were warm with the heat of their bodies and smelled of smoke and sulfur. Despite this, almost all red dragons required a high perch somewhere close by from which they could look over their domain—the higher the better, as they believed that their domain encompassed all that they could see. They were just as likely to be found up here as they were in their lairs. Otherwise, for security, they preferred to sleep and store their treasure deep underground, below masses of stone.
Red dragons that dwelled within dungeons or the like would make their lairs in heated or fire-filled locations. In lieu of a high place with a panoramic view of the area, they keep watch in large open spaces or down long corridors, wherever they could get a wide view.
As it was rare for a natural cave system to have all the features a red dragon desired, they would claim spaces already excavated or constructed by others where possible, or else enslave other creatures to build or modify them. Hence, they would seize such places as dwarf holds and drow access tunnels. Furthermore, a red dragon ordered its minions to attend them as servants, keep the lair clean, keep watch for trespassers, and build monuments to it and place these around its lair. These praised the dragon's power and told of its life, deeds, and victories.
While within its volcanic lair, to defend itself and its hoard, a legendary red dragon could cause earth tremors, clouds of toxic gases, and geysers of magma or even clouds of noxious smoke or areas of intense heat. The lair of a legendary red dragon could alter the land around it, causing minor earthquakes up to 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) away, heating and tainting water sources within 1 mile (1.6 kilometers), and even opening portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire within rocky fissures, through which beings of elemental fire could cross over. They could also cause droughts and desertification up to 6 miles (9,700 meters) away or cause all open flames in that range to turn dark red and to constantly hiss, crackle, and spark in any circumstance. Alternatively, the dragon might use any open flame up to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) away to listen through to a range of 30 feet (9.1 meters). (Such effects faded within a tenday if the dragon was slain.) For more conventional defenses, many reds enjoyed a well-camouflaged pit trap that would summon a fiendish megaraptor in with the victim.
Mating was initiated by the female every century or so when she felt the urge to have children. She looked for the nearest red dragon male with the most wealth and power. As such, males never denied their advances, as it was a sign of prestige among other males to be requested to mate. Avoiding inbreeding, they knew one another's genealogies via their reputations. Nevertheless, red dragon courtship was a risky matter, as the majority of potential suitors were still considered also as dangerous rivals. Females conducted much of the courting, though it was not unknown for males to try as well, and it typically saw the younger, though still high-status, usually female dragon carefully approaching the elder, usually male dragon. Rarely did two red dragons fight over a potential mate; such a battle would inevitably be deadly, and when a superior suitor pressed their case, all but the most unwise lesser would give up. Females tended to be the aggressors in mating.
After mating, the male would leave the female and not return, or else the elder then left the younger to protect the eggs. A typical red dragon female produced two to four eggs, and could control the number of eggs to limit the number of offspring, primarily to reduce the number of potential competitors in future. They had an incubation time of 270 days to 660 days or 22 months, and they were laid after approximately 165 days or 5.5 months. All were viable if laid under ideal conditions, namely deep underground and close to a natural heat source, for example, in a volcano's empty lava tubes. It should be kept within an open flame or at a temperature of no less than 140 ℉ (60 ℃) but it could even be immersed in a pool of lava.
The female jealously guarded the clutch, occasionally with the assistance of an old or infertile female. She rarely laid down her own life for her hatchlings, but would fight harder to protect them.
However, once hatched, even the wyrmlings were left to take care of themselves. Often, within the first few months, they would fight and kill one another until only one remained; otherwise, they would remain cooperative until they came of age. They remained close to the hatchery for a few years before spreading out to find more food and their own lairs. Hence, a full surviving clutch typically included two to five offspring from several matings, ranging in age from wyrmlings to young adults. Once her young reached the young adult stage of development, or sometimes earlier, the mother's natural instincts overruled her maternal ones and she forced all of her young from her territory, as she saw them as competitors. In fact, on occasion, after the young left the nest, the mother entered a temporary state of insanity in which she would attack, slay, and devour her former mate, if present, and any young that dared returned. There was never any familial or generational loyalty.
Under the categories of dragon aging, the offspring were counted as wyrmlings for the first 8 years and as young dragons for up to 200 years.
After 600 years or older, they started feeling the effects of age. They slept for increasingly longer periods, the range of their infravision and detect hidden or invisible creatures spells steadily shortened, and the chances of spell failure grew. After 700 years, these effects became pronounced and death of old age was a risk. On waking, an ancient red dragon could be very disoriented.
A red dragon became an elder at 950 years and an ancient dragon at 1,900 years. The oldest known red dragon lived to about 2,500 years.
When a red dragon was dying of old age, a few weeks before they expired they suffered a sudden senility or insanity. They became so unpredictable in this time they were especially dangerous. Otherwise, most would launch a suicidal attack against an old enemy, choosing to go down fighting and go out in a blaze of glory.
Like other dragons, they shed their skins as they advanced into each new stage of life. Red dragons would consume their old skins to regain specific nutrients.
While dragons could suffer the same range of mental illnesses as humans and other races, red dragons were more likely to display the signs of megalomania. Given the typical red dragon personality, this was extreme—the megalomaniacal red believed wholeheartedly they were nothing less than the most intelligent, most powerful, most important, and most beautiful of all creatures in all of existence.
When a slain red dragon underwent environment diffusion—an uncommon occurrence by which a deceased dragon's body decayed and affected the local environment—there were two possibilities according to the landscape. In a mountainous or stony landscape, the ground split open where it had died, creating one or several small volcanic vents that spewed acrid smoke or else large sulfurous geysers. Otherwise, in less rocky or more fire-prone lands, a wildfire started, one that never spread beyond the site but also which never went out, no matter the weather or lack of fuel.
Red dragons hated silver dragons with a passion as their familiarity with the element of cold and other natural powers often made red dragons appear weak in battle with them, which they naturally resented. They also occasionally conflicted over territory, with the red's high perch often crossing into a silver's domain. Fights between them were often vicious and lethal, but silvers worked together and even enlisted human allies, so they generally got the advantage over the reds.
Similarly, red dragons who delved deep underground for their lairs would sometimes run into the purple dragons, who dwelled in the Underdark.
As copper dragons regularly dwelled in hills that would be within view of a red dragon's perch, they commonly came into conflict, though the smaller copper dragons rarely won out against the more powerful red dragons in open battle. The coppers normally fled until they could find a way of improving their chances, like luring them into narrow winding canyons and caves where they could climb walls and outmaneuver a red dragon. Of course, coppers viewed reds as challenges to be irritated and embarrassed as much as possible without getting killed.
Above all, though, red dragons hated gold dragons, because they were so similar to them, yet their natural moral differences were extreme, and because golds were, in a red dragon's view, "nearly" as powerful as reds. However, while red dragons might loudly proclaim that they would fight and defeat any gold dragon they came across, they often found an excuse not to fight when that time eventually came. Despite the reds' overwhelming arrogance and confidence, they weren't stupid and understood—even if they'd never admit it even to themselves nor hear it from anyone—that an equivalent gold was more powerful and victory was far from certain in any battle between them. Nevertheless, out of pride and unwillingness to back down, reds sometimes attacked wandering golds even when clearly outclassed.
White dragons, meanwhile, were seen as unworthy of even a red dragon's rivalry, and whites sensibly stayed out of the more powerful reds' paths. Occasionally, they came into conflict, but a red dragon was often happy to let a white dragon neighbor live nearby, provided they stayed out of the way and out of sight.
If not as food, all lesser creatures were treated as nothing more than potential servants or tools for a red dragon to use, and only while they were useful and effective. A red dragon in need of minions would typically find some local chomatic evil humanoids and demand they pledge their service, and if they needed encouragement, killed off their leaders. Those who did survive and serve a red dragon must be constantly obsequious to it and were fearful of displeasing their master or even delivering bad news lest they be roasted and devoured. While some served willingly, others would flee given the chance. The red dragon displayed a patronizing manner to these minions, who served it as agents, spies, and emissaries.
It was said the flesh of red dragons tasted extremely spicy. To be properly prepared, it had to be exposed to open air for at least two days and aged for some time. Anyone who ate red dragon meat that was not treated in this manner was susceptible to horrible cramps and extreme pain. Even if properly prepared, the diner would suffer for it the next day.
As with other dragons, a suit of armor crafted from red dragonhide would of course be resistant to flame, protecting itself but not necessarily the wearer. Only proper dragoncraft armor, a shield, or mantle would also confer some of its resistance on the wearer.
The blood of a red dragon was naturally a boon to any spell of fire magic, whether in a potion or ink or used as a material component. For example, three drops of red dragon blood were a potential ingredient in the ink used to inscribe a burning hands spell into a spellbook, it made a fiery beam with greater range and usefulness.
White dragons, also known as ice dragons, glacial wyrms, were the weakest and most feral of the classic chromatic dragons.
White dragons were physically the smallest of the chromatic dragons, even smaller than black dragons. They appeared in shades from white to grey and ice-blue, and in arctic environments, this appearance served as good camouflage.
White dragons were physically distinguished by several features: their necks were short and they had a flap of skin, called a dewlap, lined with spines beneath their chins. Their heads were very streamlined and featureless, and they had high crests atop their skulls. They have a crisp, vaguely chemical odor.
White dragon toes were spaced more widely than those of other dragons, with barbed claws to aid movement on ice. Their very thin eyelids prevented snowblindness when observing arctic landscapes.
When in the stage of being a wyrmling, white dragons had a less pronounced crest and small stubs where their future horns would be. They completely lacked the dewlap and their bodies were protected by a leathery white hide in place of scales.
A dragon egg could be identified as belonging to a white by the greenish-white tinge seen when held in front of an intense white light, though it shared this trait with green dragons and any dragon breed with a gas or vapor breath weapon.
Whites were the least intelligent species of dragon, and their behavior reflected this. They possessed minimal foresight or planning abilities, and their memory was rudimentary, capable of recalling only physical events rather than abstract concepts. There was one exception: they remembered offenses committed against them and have a highly developed sense of vengeance and would often hunt down beings who crossed them, no matter how long it might take.
White dragon vendettas were brutal and violent, frequently leading them into serious trouble. They were not inclined to plan or consider consequences, preferring a straightforward attack. This approach, while driven by their obsession with revenge, placed them at a significant disadvantage against foes who were capable of strategic planning and aware of the whites' single-minded pursuit of vengeance.
They were not as cruel as black dragons and were not as ferocious as reds, but they were still competent in combat.
White dragons preferred to attack first, then eat their prey, rather than pausing to ask questions. They did not often contemplate what to eat, simply choosing the most convenient prey, and would often freeze it after the kill by burying it in snow or ice for days.
White dragons preferred glittery treasure that resembled ice, such as diamonds or light gems, but platinum, silver, and anything reflective or polished works of art were also popular.
White dragons expelled a cone of intense cold. The cone measured 70 feet (21 meters) in length, 5 feet (1.5 meters) in width at the dragon's mouth, and 25 feet (7.6 meters) wide at the base.
From birth, white dragons were immune to cold. They were able to traverse ice as easily as creatures walk across flat, dry ground. Mature white dragons had several innate magical abilities. They could cast gust of wind and wall of fog three times per day. The wall of fog spell cast by white dragons produced snow or hail instead of rain. Wyrms were capable of summoning a freezing fog three times a day. This obscures vision within a 100 feet (30 meters) radius and causes frost to form, resulting in a thin layer of glare ice on all surfaces within that area.
They were still powerful enough to overwhelm most humans and had exceptional long-term memories. Adult white dragons had several abilities well suited to their arctic habitat: they could climb ice cliffs with ease, fly very high and fast, and were exceptional swimmers. They loved to swim in cold water; the more frigid, the better. Much of their diet consisted of aquatic creatures, even whales. White dragons preferred to scavenge for and collect treasure, rather than involving themselves in politics as other dragons might. Like other dragons, they looked down on others, and tended to view other creatures as prey.
White dragons had active and inactive periods that were approximately of equal length, each lasting roughly twenty years.
White dragons, as with some other dragon breeds, were unable to chew their food. Hence, to aid digestion, they swallowed small stones, pieces of metal, and even coins, which went into a small second stomach like a bird's gizzard. These stomach stones ground down their food and were eventually expelled in waste.
White dragons seemed to lack any concept of population management, feeding until an area was entirely depleted of prey. When this occurred, they were forced to seek food elsewhere, often encroaching on another dragon's territory, leading to violent conflicts. In times of scarcity, white dragons sometimes migrated south from their icy homes to more populous regions, often already inhabited by humans.
This insensitivity to the ecosystem and their role within it likely explained why the active and dormant phases for white dragons each lasted about two decades. Without these extended and frequent hibernation periods, the dragons would exhaust their environment to the point of unsustainability.
Most white dragons laired in ice caves, often dug into the side of an arctic mountain, on tundra, or glacial plains, although they did not need ice and snow, and some settled near mountain peaks or in forests. They could create their own caves by applying the breath weapon to tightly packed snow in order to transform it into solid ice.
White dragons made their homes in frozen lands and ice-covered mountains. Although white dragons were occasionally found among the snowcapped peaks of southern mountains, these were typically young and somewhat unwise individuals who often fell prey to adventuring parties from civilized lands. The majority of white dragons resided in far northern regions, well away from human populations.
Unlike other dragon species, white dragons engaged in mating primarily for pleasure, not with the intent of producing offspring. If offspring did occur, it was merely a byproduct of their mating. When a female became pregnant, the male instinctively stayed to protect her.
White dragons usually laid about eight or ten eggs in a clutch. A white dragon egg was incubated for fourteen months. The first three and a half months were within the mother's body. On average, between a quarter and a third survived to hatching.
White dragon eggs had to be buried in snow or encased in ice while incubating. The parents did not bother to tend or protect the eggs in any way, although they would usually lay them near their lairs. After the eggs hatched, the parents parted ways. A newly hatched white wyrmling had scales as clear as ice, which became white as the dragon matured. They were expected to survive on their own from the moment they hatched, although some white dragon parents would permit their young to live in their lair until they reached adulthood.
The wyrmling developed into a young dragon after about three or four years, and then into an adult after about 100 years. Elder white dragons aged from about 750 years, while ancients aged from 1700 years, and the oldest white dragons lived around 2100 years.
White dragons appeared to have no taboo against inbreeding, or perhaps no awareness of its consequences. As a result, they often faced the repercussions of inbreeding, including numerous infertile eggs and congenital issues, both physical and mental.
When a draconic disease afflicted an area inhabited by white dragon, it often spread rapidly among their population. These epidemics served as a mechanism for regulating the white population.
White dragons were not social creatures. The only interaction they sought with their own kind was for mating purposes. Occasionally, white dragon may work together, but this cooperation arose solely because their immediate goals coincided, without any prior arrangement or planning.
White dragons were highly territorial, especially towards others of the same species and sex. Border skirmishes between whites were rarely fatal, though the verbal abuse accompanying such confrontations was often remarkably vicious.
Yellow dragons, also called salt dragons, were a species of chromatic dragon that dwelled in salt marshes and similar high-salinity environments.
Yellow dragons had small scales of pale yellow and whitish hues that helped them blend in with the salt-encrusted land of their preferred habitats. At hatching, however, their scales were noted to be slightly crystalline and bright, lemon-yellow in color; the color faded over time but the size of the scales, interestingly, never increased. Yellow dragons had large claws in proportion to their size, which ranged from as little as 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length at hatching, to as much as 242 feet (73.8 meters) as great wyrms.
Yellow dragons were orderly but cruel, delighting in tormenting other creatures, especially good ones.
Yellow dragons had various typically draconic abilities, as well as some peculiar to them. They were variously said to be resistant to metallic poisons and poisonous gases, or to be wholly immune to poison altogether. They were natural spellcasters, as well as having certain innate spell-like abilities: very young yellow dragons could replicate pass without trace thrice each day, young yellow dragons gained the ability to breathe underwater via magic, young adults could lower water twice each day, old yellow dragons could control wind once each day, venerable salt dragons could cast protection from lightning once each day, and great wyrms could use hallucinatory terrain once each day.
Yellow dragons' other name, salt dragon, took one of their names from their breath weapon: a cone of sodium chloride crystals some 70 feet (21 meters) long and 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide at the end. The salt caused great pain in those struck by it, and could choke or blind creatures; in severe cases after repeated hits, foes were known to end up permanently blinded. Immersion in fresh water could wash away the salt, but transmute rock to mud did not effect the crystals. Underwater, the breath weapon came out as a cloud of extremely salty water that had much the same effects but did not last quite so long.
Yellow dragons typically used their breath weapon first in combat, before concentrating their attacks on any blinded foes. They preferred not to fight near fresh water, since that could be used to counteract the salt-blindness, and if they had to they would use lower water to reduce that weakness. After their breath weapon, they mostly relied on their claws and fangs in melee.
Yellow dragons preferred to retreat from fights they were losing, often by swimming away from land-bound enemies and exiting the water to escape aquatic enemies.
Yellow dragons lived in salt marshes, rocky seashores, and salt flats. Younger yellow dragons lived more inland, while older yellow dragons had the power and abilities necessary to begin hunting at sea. They were known to live either alone or in small family units; in such groups the female acted as the hunter while the male guarded the nest and young/eggs.
Yellow dragons were known to cooperate with lesser, lawful evil creatures: sahuagin if on the coast, humans and demihumans (those who could survive in salt marshes) if inland. The dragons provided protection in exchange for obedience and information.
Yellow dragons were carnivorous and ate meat of all kinds; those who lived inland typically preyed on herd animals and cattle, while those on the shore preyed on fish and marine mammals. Their evil nature meant that they were known to seek out settlements of intelligent creatures that they raided, tormented, and preyed upon.
Yellow dragons, interestingly, could and would salt excess meat to keep as later meals for both themselves and their servitors. They preferred to drink salt water, but were capable of drinking fresh water if necessary.
Coast-dwelling yellow dragons came into conflict with bronze dragons, who were typically more powerful both physically and magically, as well as larger; consequently, yellow dragons preferred to fight bronze dragons alongside their sahuagin allies. A venerable or older yellow dragon might consider challenging a bronze dragon that was an adult or younger, though only after using protection from lightning.
Hatchling or very young yellow dragons were sometimes preyed upon by bullywygs or yuan-ti. Although yellow dragons were often aware of any black dragons that dwelled in swamps farther upriver, the two species rarely interacted.
