Monster Ecology Anthology

D M ' s To o lkit F o r a s h a d o w d r a g o n, c r e a tin g a n a r m y o f minio n s is lit e r ally a s e a s y a s b r e a t hin g. A s s u c h, they make ideal BBEGs for your campaign. Their abilities and personality makes them best suited for hit-and-run tactics. During the daytime, a shapeshifted shadow dragon might pretend to b e a p e d dle r a n d a c c o m p a n y t h e P C s t o a t o w n, learning about their strengths and weaknesse s t h e e n tir e tim e. T h e n it t r a n s fo r m s, t a k e s win g, and breathes on the town, turning them all into shadows to attack the PCs. After PC warriors have been weakened by the shadows Strength- draining attacks, the shadow dragon will move in for the kill. Shadow dragons who are spellcasters favor spells that provide darkness or obscurement, such as Darkness or Stinking Cloud. This allows them to skew battles in their favor (since they have blindsight, they can see perfectly well under such circumstances) while also providing them with protection from the sun if they have to fight in daylight. A shadow dragon that is forced to fight in bright light (especially daylight) will choose to flee if these protections are dispelled. It is important to remember that due to their Living Shadow feature, a shadow dragon that fights in the dark effectively has twice as many hit points as another dragon of the same age. Like all dragons, shadow dragons are highly intelligent creatures and will use this to their advantage. When applying the shadow dragon template to a normal dragon, increase the CR by 3 to reflect this. In many campaigns, BBEGs are not encountered until the very end of the game, due to PC tendencies to kill any enemy they meet. Shadow Dragons are a refreshing change of pace because their unfair hit-and-run tactics mean that PCs who are attacked by them in the dark will be heavily on the defensive and will probably need to find a way to retreat or escape, while a shadow dragon attacked in the daytime (or with their darkness spells dispelled) will probably retreat, even if it normally might outclass them. Having multiple encounters with an enemy that can be far stronger than them in certain circumstances adds a personal element to the rivalry with the BBEG. Killing the shadow dragon will require a lot of cunning as the PCs need to come up with a plan to get the dragon in a well-lit area where they have the advantage, while at the same time cornering it in such a way that the dragon cannot simply escape and come back for revenge later. 1 0 1

Dragon: Black "I had slain every kind of dragon except the Black. Mighty reds, Cunning Blues, Dangerous Greens, and Primal whites all pale to the horrors that I found in that lair. At first it seemed like any other of the foul beasts lairs but then I stumbled upon, nah smelled the feeding chamber. I turned back and never took another Black contract again." -- Radiald Dragon Hunter Introduction Many dragons are feared and worshiped; hardly any Black Dragons would be in the latter category. Most would say that the great reds are the worst to come upon but some would argue that's true of Black Dragons more so. Black Dragons are evil and sadistic like many chromatic dragons, but they revel in the anguish of victims. Tales of heroes overcoming a dragon often come from dragons of other colors, as Blacks don't make that mistake. They have pride just like any dragon but they take pride in their art of torture and revel in their victims fear. To be caught by any dragon means death but to be caught by a Black Dragon means a very slow and a very painful death. Black Dragons are the cruelest of the cruel and take their time. They are patient, cunning and dangerous. Woe to those who find themselves in a Black Dragon's lair as you are unlikely to escape. They are powerful creatures that could destroy many creatures in a fair fight that never fight fair. Physiological Observations Black Dragons are similar in frame to other dragons. Long serpentine necks and reptilian heads, with tall cat like bodies and long tails make them intimidating already. Like other dragons they can become immense and seemingly never stop growing. They differ in many ways from other dragons especially considering they're quite amphibious. Black dragons' feet are webbed both in front and back and they have a tall frill extending from their spines from the base of the skull all the way to the end of their tail. They can breathe air or water and seem to enjoy just lying in the water waiting for prey. A Black's skull and head are the defining features. First of all the large segmented horns that come of the sides of their heads and point forward are the most clear markings. These horns have incredible durability so don't count on cutting though them. Their faces are unique in that their eyes are sunken in and continue to appear so with age. Their noses are nothing but 2 sunken in nostrils upwards pointing at the end of their snout. With age the skin on their head and face gets thinner and thinner, sometimes exposing bone. This appearance gives them their apt nickname of skull dragons. Their wings like any other dragon are large and powerful although given the terrain of swamps and fetid lakes they prefer swimming to flying. While swimming typically the wings are folded tightly to their sides and back but can be opened up to help push for powerful rushes forward. They are able with this process to go from completely submerged to flight. A Black dragon's scales are always black but where they can differ is accents in color. Typically the wing, frill membrane and horns will share the same hue. Typically is a muddy grey color but more exotic specimen have been observed with yellow and greens for accenting colors. These colors usually match up with the murky swamp waters they inhabit. More exotic marshes that have green or yellow waters give these black dragons their unique colors. As with any dragon a dangerous breath weapon can be used to decimate foes. While a Black prefers to torture enemies they rarely hesitate to use their breath to fell foes. They can spew a long line of acid that is so dangerous it melts any organic material it comes in contact with. This causes a slow debilitating but excruciating death that they more than enjoy watching. The most overlooked yet hideously vile part of the dragon is the tail barb. It stores a totally different kind of acid or even venom in the tail. It seems to have a necrotic and extremely painful effect on the area stung. It's very thick which seems to prevent travel through the body like most other venom. It puts this to great use as discussed further when feeding. Black dragons are probably the most patient hunters. They prefer to wait in the mud for a hapless victim to get close enough and then snap much like a crocodile would. If the initial attack doesn't work they either finish off prey with their teeth and claws or on rare occasions when prey is larger or tougher to kill it will use the horrible breath weapon to end the fight. Before I write on feeding I must speak on the evil nature of a Black Dragon. It's very well known that chromatic dragons are entirely evil but no other dragon is as sadistic and cruel as a Black Dragon. They plot and scheme the torture and misery of any creature near it and revel in their pain. A Black's favorite thing to watch is a society crumble and die, especially by their own claws. They love finding ancient submerged or water logged civilizations often making their home in or near them if suitable enough. Feeding is by far the most common enjoyment a Black Dragon enjoys. While their diet of unthinking marine animals consists of the day to day diet they enjoy other prey in a very different way. Humanoids are the favorite prey of Blacks and almost anything intelligent. They don't just gobble up humanoids like they do with fish they make sport of capturing and torturing prey for long times. The mentioned tail barb is put to use to disable creatures legs and then they are dropped into the feeding chamber. Once stabbed the venom kill the appendage over time. Paired with being constantly submerged in the water causing water rot the appendage becomes forever useless and dead. This is when they feed. They chomp off the rotting "pickled" meat and enjoy the prey's horror and disgust endured over and over again when all they have left to give is their life. Pickling as they call the process is practiced on many beings and most often humanoids. They enjoy watching from the shadows or secret compartments, their prey futilely trying to escape. Most may survive the initial dragon attack but few ever are relieved by that fact. 102

There are very few if any accounts of survivors of feeding chamber victims. I did manage to track one individual down who gave a fairly detailed explanation of how the room was. The room is very large and submerged in shallow fetid water full of rot and disease. There were 4 live victims with the remains and parts of many more making the rotting smell entirely engulfing. The survivor was able to escape after losing an arm to the pickling process. He managed to climb the slimy wall using broken bones as picks he stabbed into the muddy walls and climbing out of the ceiling chamber. The dragon was waiting for him in the tunnels and congratulated him on his efforts and let him go. Well done human! The dragon had told him and bade him on his way while the dragon climbed down the shaft to feed off of another victim. He didn't question his fortune and hurried to town to tend to the rotting stump the dragon left of his arm. This is where I met with the man who unfortunately succumbed to the disease festering in him from the wound only a few days after I spoke with him. His last words to me were that of paranoid thoughts of the dragon following, even haunting him out of the corner of his eye. It wouldn't surprise me that the dragon let him go knowing his wound mortal and enjoying the psychological damage done. Black Dragons make their lairs complicated networks of chambers in the mud and dirt of any swamp, lake or flooded forest. There are typically at least 5 chambers in every Lair, Bedding area, Visiting or Entertainment chamber, Treasure chamber, Feeding Chamber, and Observatory (typically into the feeding chamber). Dragons like to make their lairs complex for weaker creatures to navigate. For instance they usually drop down into a chamber from an angled slope somewhere on the ceiling. They typically will not do this for the visiting chamber as they like the surprise to outsiders to be complete. They typically tunnel down under the water and allow the air to keep the water at bay, or not, simply allowing it to spill. They will always keep their treasure room up higher to avoid water damage to any precious goods they may have or soon obtain. Their lairs and the areas around them are usually "spoiled" with fetid water and rotting smells. Lairs will always have at least 2 entrances/exits. Typically the main entrance they can fly out of for escape but is usually concealed. The 2nd is almost always underwater. Black Dragons are particularly fond of coins as treasure making them easier to bribe with gold than most others. While they hold coin in high regard they most value ancient artifacts of lost civilizations. They are eager to obtain such things and not against bargaining for them. A typical Black horde will have mostly coin and occasionally some magic items. On rare occasions very powerful ancient items are found in their lair as they constantly keep an ear or eye out for such treasures to add to their collections. They are also fond of dominating and toying with sentient magical items. Typically older dragons will get their claws on at least 1 such item and use it regularly for entertainment when not sleeping. All dragons live a long time and Black Dragons are no exception living for millennia. But as most they are not immortal and will eventually die. They continue to become stronger and more powerful up until the last few months of their lives where they wither and die quickly. Almost all dragons seek a way to avoid death in many means. The most typical way for a Black Dragon is that of lichdom. They are especially talented at this form of immortality as they can maintain their sanity for a long time given their sensibilities are very close to that of a lich to begin with. They may lose over time their love for torture and instead go for a quick kill but that will take thousands of years to even start to occur. Black Dragons from the time of birth hang around the father's territory building their own 1 or 2 chamber homes until they reach a young adult stage. They will then depart usually after directly visiting their father for advice on a location and then build their own lair over the next few years. While building they are usually more concerned with the act and only hunt for food. Once a lair is established and finished though life carries on as usual. The older a dragon gets the more comfortable they are with leaving their territory for short periods of time. They usually go on an annual treasure hunt to specifically build up their horde. Males will normally inform children they are actively guarding at the time and not travel more than 100 miles. Social Observations Like many chromatic dragons Black Dragons are primarily solitary. They live most of their lives aware of but not near other Dragons. Being very large and dangerous predators the environment may not suit even 2 fully grown Dragons. The most likely time to see multiple Black Dragons are when mating has come into play. Black Dragons treat other Black Dragons with general mistrust and even as a potential threat. They will very rarely cooperate considering any conflict achievable by they themselves. Black Dragons like most other dragons are prideful to a fault and will be stubborn and independent to their end, with one exception discussed further. That pride unlike other dragons doesn't cause them to overestimate a humanoid as they always have killing them in the back of their mind. Most animal males fight for a female to impress them but for Black Dragons it goes the other way around. When a female is ready to mate she will travel far from her den if needed to find a male. She must display her worth and will typically show this by completing tasks set by a male. This may include fighting other females if multiple suitors arrive at once for 1 male. Once she was proved her worth she will then mate with the male to create eggs. She will carry the eggs for around 3 weeks before giving birth to them in the male's territory. At this time the maternal instinct has come to an end and she returns home usually cursing herself for leaving her hoard unguarded. Black Dragon males from the time of egg lying are tasked with guarding the eggs in his territory. He will protect them from predators but usually keeps a distance from them. Males will watch over hatchlings for many years until they fly away looking for their own territories. This is usually at the time of early adulthood, about 40 years. 103

Males give their young protection from potential threats and even guidance from time to time. This interaction between father and child is seen by humanoids as cold at best. The paternal instinct in a Black Dragon is very strong and conflicts with their sadistic and evil natures resulting in a "tuff love". Most Blacks would never admit it but they have a soft spot for their children. The children also often idolize their fathers. This may be why females fight over males as father figures may influence that decision. It's important to note that when attacking young Black Dragons you're likely to face an adult male. Although the connection is lose at best between father and child when the child leaves they still hold a fondness for them the rest of their lives. This is probably the only chink in any emotional armor to a Black Dragon. Intra-Species Observations Black Dragons are notoriously sadistic and evil and due to this they do not get along with many creatures. Most humanoids are destroyed and eaten when entering their territory. As watching civilization crumble is their most favorite thing in all of their existence any towns nearby are likely to have a Black Dragon invade local politics through bribery and manipulation. Nothing pleases them more than when riots break out and the town destroys itself. Sometimes lizardfolk and bullywugs are found as slaves or worshipers of Black Dragons as they share a swamp like territory. Black Dragons are particularly fond of bullywugs as their society is disastrous at best and will entertain them to no end. They normally do not allow other races to stay long as they will usually start filling up their feeding chamber when bored of any other race. They will keep a society of lizardfolk or bullywugs close for centuries as guards if needed. Lizardfolk are desired as being very capable and obedient guards. Black Dragons are born fighters and killers so when pitted against formidable opponents they like to fight, and know how, but always fight dirty. When against other dragons they will immediately go for the eyes with their breath weapon or attack from the shadows if possible. They will then wade in with a frenzy of bites, claws, goring with their horns and stinging and bludgeoning with their tails. They also like to particularly target other dragon's wings as they want the flight advantage if things get too dangerous for them. With humanoids and other smaller foes they like to start with a tail whip and knocking as many enemies as they can down. Once unable to move they will douse targets in their breath weapon and move in to finish them off with their teeth, wings and claws. There's nothing easy about fighting with a Black Dragon. They also prefer to keep at least a few survivors for pickling. Many tales of heroes biding time with a dragon playing against its pride have led many to believe this is a viable strategy in dealing with Black Dragons. When in truth most dragons and especially Black Dragons are smart enough to see past such ploys and only entertain themselves by playing with their food as they call it. A Black Dragon likes to position themselves in a way when facing a humanoid that at least part of them is obscured to surprise sting with their tail. They will entertain conversations for long times if the topic is interesting and sometimes will spare a creature if it feels the relationship could be beneficial, for a time at least. When a Black Dragon is outmatched or in danger they have no qualms in leaving to fight another day, as they will fly away. Per their personality normally they will remember those foes and plot a subtle and excruciating death for all involved later on down the road. Letting a Black Dragon live is sometimes more dangerous than finishing a close fight. They are crafty and creative in their revenge and exact it completely. Various Forms As with most creatures Black Dragons can be found in many forms. You could consider the various colors of dragon variants of the Chromatic Dragon specie as they share many aspects and features. This is more of different forms of a Black Dragon as they all can be one or more of these at one point in their lives, except for gender changes (usually, magic can do some strange things). Females - It's important to distinguish the difference of females and males in particular. Females are far more solitary in nature only possibly keeping in contact with their fathers. Usually a dragon is never far from their lair but with females this is possible and they are far more likely to employ trusted slaves, servants, allies or pets to guard treasure while gone. Females never mate with their fathers; this is openly admitting a fondness or weakness. Males - Males are just as evil and sadistic but this behavior clashes with their love for their children, although begrudgingly. They normally don't leave their area and are slightly distressed in leaving their territory incase young need guidance and of course their treasure. Males are more prone to bartering and conversation being less traveled than females but still enjoy a fun pickling as any other. Dracoliches - The Black Dragon Dracoliches are different in that they retain a majority of their personality for many more years than that of other Dracoliches. Males still harbor love for their children as the paternal instinct is very strong and often the last aspect to go. Humanoid masqueraders - This is one possibility when a Black Dragon takes a vacation. This is normally when they start to sow the seeds of discord in a community. They play the part of the politician usually and seek to destroy the unity and rock the boat as some humans might say. They typically appear as raven haired member of the dominant race and enjoy solitary quarters. They will stay this way for a few months or as long as they feel needed to start fires and leave to watch the show. As they normally are an outsider they will try and quickly gain the trust of a leader and influence or even force them to certain positions. Treasure Hunters - This is the other possibility of a vacation. This is when a Black Dragon is roaming and looking to increase their horde. Usually they will travel within a 500 mile radius and pick a location to plunder. They favor ancient ruins hoping to find treasures and take pleasure in learning the fall of the society. They normally are never gone more than 2 months but longer journeys they'll stretch to 3. They normally do not attack communities outright. They will employ or force laborers to transport treasure back to their horde, and usually add them to their pickling room when finished. 104

Good Black Dragons - It's not unheard of for a Black Dragon to succumb to good as good folk succumb to evil. As males battle with their sadistic nature and their love for their children some take to the love side of their personality. Females are far less likely to occur as even among males this is an extremely rare occasion. The dragon acts more as a protector of their swamp than a great danger to outsiders. Given other conflictions even a good dragon may consider humanoids food but torture while always a desire is withheld in these individuals. DM's Toolbox Black Dragons are a powerful adversary like any dragon and they fit the bill for a great villain who's calculating and ruthless. Here are some ideas on how to use a Black Dragon. Your standard run of the mill, kill the dragon get the treasure A trade caravan has to go through a known Black's swamp and needs protection A city is dealing with a rather disruptive individual politically that seems to be swaying the town politically into a downward spiral. An important NPC or team member has been captured and is in danger of or being pickled. A father Black Dragon as last resort looks for help in aiding a child from a dangerous situation or rival such as another dragon. (Very tricky RP situation as a dragon as an ally) Run in with a treasure hunting dragon wanting your campaign's mcguffin. A curious encounter with a good Black Dragon. 105

Dragon: Blue "Truly, it was the oddest thing. I'd heard talk of a mighty Blue lording itself over a town, so I decided to solve their problem for them; only to get there, and be turned away! As it turns out, the Dragon was their mayor - their mayor! As it turns out, there was a relationship the townspeople were calling mutually beneficial. The dragon gets livestock, and gets to bask in a sense of power and superiority, while the townspeople get the protection of a Dragon - hell, he even paid them!" -- Sven Silverblade, Monster Hunter. Introduction Blue Dragons - occasionally referred to as Storm Dragons - are some of the most amicable of the Chromatics, sometimes living as peaceful neighbors, employers, or even leaders of humanoid communities. By the same stroke, however, Blues will engage enemies in combat over even the smallest territorial infractions, or occasionally just to prove their power. All this culminates to the one thing Blues live for - to prove their power and superiority over others. Physiological Observations Blue Dragons share their overall physical form with their cousins - a large, reptilian body with powerful limbs and wings, as well as thick scales and a long, muscular neck. Blue Dragons are unique in several aspects besides coloration of their scales. Blue Dragons have a specially developed brow ridge that works to funnel rainwater out of their eyes, thus serving to give them exceptional vision even in the heaviest of storms. Blues also have some of the most flexible wing joints of any dragons, their flying resembling nothing more so than a bat. Though this flexibility does trade off a fair amount of impact durability to the wing joint, Blues can fly in hurricane winds with ease, catching blasts of air like a sailboat would catch a small gust. Also unique about the Storm Dragon is its massive, heavily plated tail. The tail, aside from being lethal in combat, serves as a counterbalance in inclement weather, preventing the Dragon from being blasted around by shifts in the winds. Blues also have unusually reflective scales - while not quite to the point where it could be used as a mirror, the scales can allow a Blue to become all but invisible in clear skies or at nighttime. Blues prefer to eat infrequent, large meals over many smaller ones, and have no special proclivities towards hunting the sapient for food - in fact, while they may hunt humanoids to prove their might, they show preference for food that doesn't fight back. No matter how many autopsies I've performed on blues - three, with special thanks to Sven Silverblade and Tommik Stoneaxe - I cannot seem to find any physiological power behind the Storm Dragon's powerful lightning breath, leading me and my fellow researchers to believe the power's source is instead of magical origin, perhaps some remnant of the powers of Tiamat. Territorial Observations It's well-known that Blue Dragons prefer coastal lairs, but why? In my research, I was finally able to find out the reason. After speaking to the Blue Dragon Terrorcloud, he (or she - it's difficult to tell without a violation of the dragon's pride) had the following comment; It's not just the coast, and it definitely isn't the fish - it takes far too many to make a decent meal. Sure, the salt baths are great for cleaning the scales, but a handful of thralls can replace that easily. It's the storms, why my kin and I prefer the coast. There's a simple exhilaration in flying out into its winds, roaring your challenge against its thunder and pitting your strength against its winds. It's the ultimate challenge of a Blue Dragon - the metaphorical force of nature against the literal one. Aside from that, however, blues are some of the most versatile in their territorial habits - for pretty much any area will receive storms from time to time. This, combined with their fierce territorial claims (after conversations with the aforementioned Terrorcloud, I have concluded this ties in to their innate pride and sense of superiority) leads Blues into frequent conflict with many that may intrude upon their territory - humanoid civilizations, mighty underground denizens, and - not infrequently - other members of dragonkind. The actual specifics of the lair seem not to matter much - Blues like lairs with easy access to the water, and are indifferent about access via land. They have a strong aesthetic sense about their hordes, primarily taking in visually pleasing treasures, with a preference for those blue in color. This leads Blues to more frequently having gorgeous works of art in their hordes, alongside the more traditional treasures. In fact, it's even been witnessed that Blues will disdain treasure that they find displeasing to the eye, upon fear that it will ruin the beautiful tableau of their lairs. Social Observations Blues, as mentioned above, are among the most social of dragons, and certainly the most agreeable. As long as one maintains the superiority and impressive power of the Blue, a visitor can frequently survive the conversation unscathed. It's also not uncommon for a Blue to claim peaceful dominion over a settlement, or have amicably hired workers in its employ - as all these only add to the sense of power and self-importance that a Storm Dragon has. However, due to this need to feel powerful, Blues will only very rarely get along with other members of Dragonkind, even other Blues. The only time Blue Dragons will mate is during massive tropical storms, wherein all Storm Dragons in the area will challenge the winds and attempt to find a mate. The couple will then separate, the mother taking the clutch back to her lair to nest. 106

Lifecycle A Blue Dragon will incubate for about 20 months, the first five happening inside their mother. The average clutch falls between 2 and 4 eggs, with failures to hatch being incredibly uncommon. After hatching, the wyrmlings take about 7 years to develop into a young dragon, at which point the mother will drive them from the nest. Young Blues will typically be considered adults after living about 160 years, growing to about 31 feet in length, with a 36 foot wingspan. However, like all Dragons, this does not signal the end of their growth. Chromatic Dragons grow throughout their entire life, and have been recorded being as long as 85 feet and weighing in at over 80 tons. A Blue Dragon is generally considered an Elder after living for a millennium, and an Ancient after living for 1,800 years. The oldest lifespan recorded for a Blue Dragon was approximately 2,300 years, from the record of it being hatched by a clan of Dragonborn, to the record of its death at the hands of a Dwarven empire more than two millennia later. In Legend Storm Dragons have an illustrious place in legend, beaten out only by their Red and Black cousins. Dwarven tales claim of mighty blues following powerful storms, adding their destruction to it's, while Elven tales claim that the storms were, in fact, following the Blues. Blue Dragons have inspired many works of art and song, as well - the concept of a mighty beast, roaring its challenge to the storms, has captured the minds of romantics for millennia. Some tales speak of the mightiest Blue Dragons, the first to arise from Tiamat's sundered head, having the power to control the storms, whipping them into existence with gales of wind from their powerful wings. While few sources have any true evidence behind them, few stories of the Blues of old lack that particular detail. In Combat Thanks in no small part to the efforts of Monster Hunter Sven Silverblade and Dragon Slayer Tommik Stoneaxe, the knowledge of the fighting styles of Blues can be fortified with firsthand accounts, rather than old wives' tales and legends. Silverblade, on the hunting of his first Blue, had the following to say; We'd been hunting it for weeks. We knew the location of its lair, we knew where it fed, hell, we even knew where the damn thing dropped its waste, but we still couldn't find it - it found us. Dropped out of clear skies like teleportation, and blasted us with lightning. Killed a quarter of my men in that first pass alone. And while some Dragons will stand and fight, engage you on the ground to prove their strength, the Blues aren't like that. No, to the Blues, fighting is a long-term commitment, sometimes even lasting a week or more, and this one - Deathwind - was no different. After that first attack, he came irregularly - sometimes not coming at all in a day, sometimes twice or even three times a day. We knew we were buttered when the fifth day rolled around - there were only 8 of us left, and a storm was rolling in. That's when we stopped hunting it, and forced it to come to us - we took over its lair, and its horde. Nothing a dragon loves more. Forced it to come after us in the confines of its cave, where the damn beast couldn't fly away. Most tales of the hunting styles of the Blues match Silverblade's account above. Harassment, followed by vanishing into clear skies, attacking irregularly, keeping their prey guessing, and usually long-term, hit-and-run engagements. However, not always. Tommik Stoneaxe speaks a different story, of the one Blue he's slain. It was our third day of travel, and we were nearing the cliffside that supposedly held the lair of the beast. I say supposedly, because we never got to find out - Stormwing found us first. The six of us were walking along the beach, and had just passed a sand dune, just like any other - so we thought. Turns out, the white sand was covering blue scales - the damn thing burst forth like Asmodeus from the Abyss, taking out our back two in seconds, and hitting the rest of us with a blast of lightning. Fortunately, we managed to drive the beast into the nearby forest, and take it out there, but it was a near thing - only two of us lived to tell the tale. This sheds light on a more uncommon aspect of a Blue's hunting style, a type of burrow-and-ambush tactic. DM's Toolkit Hunt down and kill because dragon Storms are hitting all along the coast. The storms aren't any harsher than usual, but for some reason all the villages hit seem to lose contact... Rumors spread of a town under the dominion of a Blue Dragon. However, the townspeople don't seem to mind that much. (Moral Dilemma). A Blue dragon is clashing with a White over territory, causing deadly weather patterns and mass destruction. A Blue is looking for some new works of art to add to its lair. While its own methods aren't the nicest, it could be persuaded to let the party do the looking. A group of dragonborn are trying to hatch and raise a Blue Dragon in the middle of a fishing town. How long can they keep that under wraps? 107

Dragon: Brass I followed the setting sun as the winds blasted me with sand; I tightened the fabrics on my face. My camel moved stubbornly over the dune, knowing full well that if we slowed we would be consumed by the sandstorm brewing a mile behind us. If we were caught we'd be buried alive or ripped to shreds by the sands. We reached the peak of the dune just as the storm was upon us, then as though a switch was pulled, my camel charged at full speed down the dune. Its legs seemingly spinning and bending impossibly as it shot down to our destination. I could hear the roar of the winds in my ears, despite my protective clothing it felt as though glass was being scraped across my skin at a thousand different points at once. Still I struck my camel with the flat of my sword and screamed,hut hut hut hut! my mouth filling with sand. It charged even faster, the sky darkened above us as we reached the base. Then it was gone, or rather it could no longer reach us. We travelled down a worn path in the sand as we had countless times before. Before dusk we reached an oasis, the bright blues and greens like jewels against the barren wastelands. I got off my camel allowing it to wander and rest; I walked by the largest pool and placed my swords carefully by the bank. The water began to bubble as a gargantuan Brass Dragon rose from its depths; I could make out my reflection in its blank eyes. I bowed my head Peace upon you, oh great serpent of the desert, it drew back its lips revealing rows of giant teeth that glowed in the twilight, and peace upon you Salah, what have you brought me this time? --Exert from Travel among the nine seas of sand By Salah Al Tin-neen Introduction: The Brass dragon is often overlooked in many cultures, being less impressive than the other metallic dragons of gold, silver, bronze and copper as well as far more isolated in nature. As such, it is my goal to change this and shed some light on these mysterious creatures. The following is an accumulation of my own interactions with Brass dragons as well as stories and documented encounters I have gathered through my research across the lands. Physiological Observations: Like all dragons the brass dragon has a serpentine neck, four legs, large talons and two powerful wings. The structures of the head, however, are very different. Brass dragons have a broad protective plate that expands from its forehead and a spike that protrudes from its chin. While the exact purpose of these structures are unknown they are thought to either be used to attract mates or for focusing their magic. While by no means the fastest among dragons, Brass dragons are the ones best designed for long flights. They have the largest wingspan of all the dragons and a frill that runs the length of their neck. These two features allow them to cover great distances while expending very little effort. An important adaptation for living in an environment where everything is separated by miles of sand. The appearance of a brass dragon changes very obviously with time. A wyrmlings' scales are a dull mottled brown, shining more and more as it matures. Their frills begin as a pale green but darken with age. The most notable change is the eyes. The pupils become fainter and fainter with time until they just resemble a pair of molten metal orbs. This is a common trait among all metallic dragons. The loss of eyesight was initially confusing for me. After all, in such an expansive environment wouldn't eyesight be a vital tool for survival? I was soon proven wrong upon meeting my first adult dragon. Their senses of smell and hearing is far more extensive than previously thought, capable of detecting me miles before I reached them. On top of that, (like the blind bandit monks) they are capable of detecting the subtlest of vibrations through sand, water and air. Giving them an incredible sense of perception of their surroundings. As previously indicated, Brass dragons live in desert environments. Unlike most dragons, they will build their lairs in any structures they can find in the desert such as oases, ruins, canyons or caves rather than go for one in particular (e.g. whites and mountains). However, they will always have abundant access to sunlight, even if they have to tear holes in the roofs of their lair to do so. Their affinity for sunlight is something of a mystery. Like large reptiles they enjoy bathing in light and often seem much more energetic after doing so. As they rarely go hunting regardless of their lifestyle, it is my professional opinion that they are capable of harnessing sunlight and convert it into fuel. In fact, I theories that the purpose of the head shield and their neck frill is to optimize the amount of sunlight they can catch or, at least one of its primary functions. Abilities: Like all metallic dragons, Brass dragons have the ability to transform into other humanoid creatures at will. While I have never encountered one personally. I must note that several prominent members of history who seemingly just appeared from the desert have very.....dragon punny names. Such as the founder of the great high magics academy Tinneen Al-Karim which literally means the generous dragon not to mention the great Queen Gamila Al Muta-wazin which depending on your dialect either means Gamila the well balanced or The beautiful scaled one. These people have always possessed high magical ability, are noted for being incredibly extroverted and often have massive events of history revolve around them. Brass dragons are also capable of two breath attacks, a powerful sleep breath, which can knock out a camel at nearly 100 yards. And a much more powerful fire breath attack. While nowhere near as powerful as the fire dragons' breath attack, it is noticeably more persistent. The yellow flames lasting hours rather than minutes. 108

Brass dragons also exert a surprisingly fine level of regional control. Capable of creating hulking illusions to patrol and scare away any uninvited guests in their domain. The domain of a Brass dragon varies as it grows. From a mile radius as a wyrmling to a thousands of miles. Ancient Brass dragons consider entire deserts as part of their domain. They have a truly amazing ability to know the exact location of any creature that goes within 30 feet of any source of water within one mile of its lair. It should be noted however, that the most common regional ability used is the creation of paths in the desert terrain. These typically lead uninvited guests in circles, away from its lair, or it leads weary travelers to nearby sources of water and shelter where the dragon may or may not be staying. Social Observations: To describe Brass dragons as gregarious would be akin to calling a fire elemental warm. They love all forms of company and conversation. They accumulate as much knowledge and information that they can whenever they have an opportunity. And are more than willing to share that wisdom in exchange for gifts of knowledge or valued items. If an intelligent creature attempts to leave its domain without talking to it first, the dragon will pounce on them (much like a house cat) and force them to make conversation. A fact that, to many of my colleagues, makes them more terrifying than Tiamat herself. Any creature that then tries to leave by force will have greatly offended the dragon, as such it will typically knock you out and you will awake; pinned beneath its claws, buried up to your head in sand or in one case, tied upside down to a palm tree, until you're willing to cooperate and make small talk. The most treasured things to a Brass dragon are knowledge and magical items. It is not uncommon for a brass dragon to gift a hoard of gold to someone they deem interesting. Items such as a living weapons and djinn in bottles are among their most beloved items in their hoard. Much to the ire of djinn. They rarely have one giant hoard of treasure but rather prefer to have many smaller hoards scattered across their domain. The mating ritual of Brass dragons is essentially any given winter/fast festival at a university, work or town. A large number of Brass dragons meet up at some predetermined location each bringing fine foods, drinks and possibly musicians. Followed by an entire night of social interaction as they share and trade knowledge and wisdom accumulated through the ages. Mates regale one another with tales of gods long forgotten or heroes in lands long lost and stories so amazing that most writers would give their hands for the opportunity to tell it themselves. Eventually they pair off and fly away to mate at one of their lairs rarely leaving any single. (Much like humanoids) When a Brass dragon couple has mated, whichever has the smaller domain moves into the larger one leaving their hoard unattended but with indicators that they shall return (typically an illusion that will inform any who enter the domain) The two will then raise they hatchlings together, teaching them ancient tales and secrets passed on from parent to child since the dawn of dragons. When the scales of the hatchlings begin to shine they will be "encouraged" to set off on their own. Once they have all moved out of the nest, the parents will split ways, but not before the dragon who did not have to move out will gift its most valued treasure to its former partner as compensation. I was informed by a Brass dragon that to not do so is considered "bad form" and brings extensive shame to both them and their brood. Species relations: Species relations: Brass dragons get along very well with most humanoid races. To the nomad tribes of the desert, Brass dragons are revered as guardians and great deities of the sands. Often leaving gifts and offerings to the dragon in hopes for safe travels. Any kingdom would do well to remain in a local Brass dragons' good graces or else find that all the roads leading out of the kingdom always bring them back into it. As brass dragons are typically very trusting in nature it is not uncommon for people to try and manipulate/trick them. Historically, however, this has rarely panned out as originally intended. As, if a Brass dragon finds out it is being tricked or manipulated, it will try to do the same to whoever is tricking it. They will see it as a giant game of who can be tricked and have centuries of experience. Many a trickster has tried to swindle a Brass dragon only end with them being left penniless in the middle of the desert with the sounds of draconic laughter echoing through the sky. Brass dragons and Blue dragons hate one another. There is no other way to describe their relationship. If two know of one another they will try to defeat each other in any way possible. Subverting any plans they make, stealing any treasures they can and destroying each others' lairs whenever possible. The only thing preventing them from attacking one another outright from the moment they can, is the fact that it is likely that both would end up dead in the ensuing battle. That does not stop Blue dragons from sending its thralls to kill the Brass dragon, or the Brass dragon trading secrets of lost treasure with kings and assassins willing to kill a Blue. Djinn are not fond of Brass dragons, as most do not like being trapped within a bottle and as such dislike being stuck inside a bottle inside a hoard of gold within a chest inside a cavern beneath an oasis guarded by a dragon. Even though most djinn rarely care for one another, if a Brass dragon has one whom is regarded as a friend or has been sealed with salt, it is said that 1001 djinn will work to free their imprisoned comrade. For similar reasons, Genasi often try and achieve the same. DM tool kit: Lost in desert, can't find food or water. Brass dragon comes to the rescue Party takes a seemingly abandoned treasure chest at an oasis, much to the anger of the brass dragon Attend a brass dragon party as musicians (perfect for bard heavy teams) Help settle a long dispute between a blue and brass dragon Come to a brass dragon for help defeating an ancient blue A Djinn/ Genasi wants help freeing a djinn in a bottle in a brass dragon hoard Need to find ancient knowledge pertaining to quest or ancient item in a dragon hoard, players need to trade their own knowledge and use their charisma to get it from the dragon. A Brass dragon feels somewhat snubbed by their partner's choice of compensation and will pay handsomely for some revenge 109

Dragon: Bronze "We watched in awe as the seemingly young woman cut down Orc after Orc. Her bronze eyes gleaming with joy, her green tipped bronze hair flowing around her. When the enemy brought their wyverns upon us, she turned towards us, handle the rest, I'll take the wyverns. In a flash of brilliant light her body grew, the mighty form of a bronze dragon standing tall before us. She took flight into the swarm of wyverns, the very embodiment of battle. " --Unknown Soldier Introduction The good aligned aquatic dragons that inhabit coastal and underwater lairs, Bronze Dragons are an interesting species to study. Despite their fierce appearance and the hints of green upon their bodies they are some of the most just and honorable dragons. Their penchant for partaking in war makes them common allies for the forces of good in the constant battle against the evils that threaten our world. Physiological Observations Despite having the long, sinuous, winged body of all dragons, the bronze dragon is unique amongst its metallic brethren due to its aquatic nature. Their heads are defined by the pointed beak and the ribbed and fluted crest that adorns it. Curved horns protrude from the crest, as well as from the lower jaw and chin. To assist their swimming they have webbed feet, webbing between their forelegs and body and smooth scales. There are also two sails along their spine. One that runs from the top of the head to the base of the wing joints, and another that runs from the bottom of the wing membrane towards the tip of the tail. Bronze Dragons can be immediately identified by their unique colouration amongst all dragons. Born yellow, their colouration darkens to the bronze as they mature. Interestingly enough the far end of their wing membrane, their wing tips, the webbing between their feet and claws, and their sails are all coloured green. Upon approaching one you will also notice that their eyes are a softly glowing green and that there are even small green patterns across the scales of these wondrous dragons. Of course do not be confused, this green colouration does not mean the Bronze Dragons have a penchant for evil, they are as much champions for good as their Golden brethren. As all metallic dragons the Bronze Dragons have access to two different types of breath weapon. The first is a lightning breath similar to that of the chromatic Blue Dragons. Their lightning breath fires in a straight line with the range and power of its breath increasing as the dragon grows older. Bronze Dragons often use this in the midst of combat, except when they do not wish to slay the opponent they face. Their second breath weapon is a blast of highly repulsive miasma. This is often used in combat to place some distance between a Bronze Dragon and it's opponent, or opponents to great effect. As with all dragons, the breath weapons are highly exhausting and are difficult for dragons to use consecutively Social and Behavioral Observations Bronze Dragons are a somewhat social species of dragon but rarely reveal their form immediately. Often they will watch various creatures and ships of interest, take the form of a friendly sea creature and follow after whatever catches their interest. Occasionally, a Bronze Dragon will take the form of a smaller creature, such as a rat or bird, and sneak on board a ship to check for treasure. A Bronze Dragon will attempt to barter with the ship captain to gain ownership of an item that piques their interest. They have a strong sense of righteousness and believe in working towards a just cause, that being said Bronze Dragons also have a love for combat. Should any sort of war or fight take part within their territories, the Bronze Dragons eagerly watch. They will often determine if a side is working toward a just cause and then make their way towards that group to offer up their services during the war. When it takes a pledge to assist an army it will often do so for a fee in the form of gold, a ceremonial item or any kinds of books that deal with military history or that tell tales of great wars and combat. Occasionally the Bronze Dragon may lay claim to the treasure of the defeated enemies should he deem the treasure to be dangerous in the hands of humanoids. Bronze dragons usually have their lairs in coastal or underwater caves. They are able to control the weather around their lair and all underwater plants within 6 miles taken a range of colourful hues. They are also able to create fog clouds and thunderclaps within their lairs should they require to defend themselves from attack. Within you would find a collection of the usual treasures within a dragon lair (gems, gold, jewellery, magical items and weapons, quite often found from various shipwrecks or ancient sunken cities) as well as books detailing military history. You will also find a large assortment colourful coral and pearls from the reefs and seabeds. Intra-Species Observations Bronze dragons are able to get along with various other creatures as long as they show themselves to be just and honorable. In particular a Bronze Dragon has a penchant for maintaining friendships with those few individuals they deem worthy whom have fought alongside the Bronze in the various wars it have taken part in. They are also known to be quite fond of the bartering they perform with ship captains they have met, and rarely leave a bartering session unhappy, even if they didn't manage to gain the item they wished for. They have also been known to assist humanoids who have found themselves shipwrecked, or in some other trouble at sea. Never requesting a reward for what help they provide. Apart from the normal animosity towards chromatic dragons that all metallic dragons share, Bronze Dragons have a particular hatred for the Blue Dragons. This occurs due to the propensity of Blue Dragons to occasionally establish coastal lairs. The altercations between Blue and Bronze Dragons are known to be some of the most violent, with combat lasting until one of the dragons is severally injured and retreats. Then after the dragons have rested they will begin anew fighting for dominance. This can last centuries, ending only when one of the dragons finally slays the other and claims victory over land and hoard. 110

Variant Tyrannical Bronze: In extremely rare circumstances a Bronze Dragons sense of righteousness will go to such extremes that they will determine that the only way to maintain order and the greater good is for the Bronze Dragon to rule over the people. Such Bronze Dragons will take over a city or country and become quite tyrannical in their rule. DM's Toolkit Bronze Dragons can appear in a number of circumstances acting as wither as friend antagonist for the party. Such circumstances include: The party finds itself shipwrecked at sea. The Bronze Dragon spots them and assists them in reaching the nearest island. The Bronze Dragon notices a particularly interesting magical item on the ship the party is currently on. The Dragon attempts to barter with the party for the item. A tyrannical Bronze has taken over a coastal city, the party can choose to try and kill it or try to convince it to change its ways. The party needs to seek out a nearby Bronze Dragon to ask for its assistance them in a war against a great evil. A Bronze Dragon is assisting an army that it believes is just, and the party is pitted against it despite being mostly good aligned. 111

Dragon: Copper "Lad, if a Copper Dragon were to ask you Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk? would you know the answer?" "Because some dead poet wrote on both?" THWACK "No, it's because a Copper Dragon tells you they are" --Archmage Ragno, tutoring a student. "Odd, I didn't take you for fools" --Porath the Ancient, to a group of adventurers who failed to laugh at his joke. Introduction To the uninitiated, Copper Dragons, with their well known miserly streak and penchant for misleading adventurers, might seem closer to their fell cousins the chromatic dragons than their helpful metallic brethren. This, however, would be an egregious insult to Copper Dragons everywhere, who are far more aptly described as playful and sociable tricksters. A good life for a Copper Dragon is one full of laughter and mirth. Though they do not seek to actively root out evil in the same manner as Bronze or Gold Dragons, invariably Copper Dragons will challenge evil entities in their domain as a threat to their local entertainment. Physiological Observations Physiologically the body of a Copper Dragon, with its athletic muscularity, is not dissimilar to that of a Red or Silver Dragon's; having the profile many consider (quite incorrectly) to be archetypal of all dragons. Where a Copper Dragon differs from other dragons is through the thick brow plates that jut over its eyes and extend along the top of its skull before connecting to its segmented horns. This incredibly dense layer of bone affords Copper Dragons remarkable protection and they have been even known to use it offensively (particularly against other dragons) to cave in the skulls of their opponents with a vicious head-butt. Incidentally, this also gives rise to the expression 'as hard-headed as a Copper Dragon'. Rumour suggests that the copper scales of an Ancient Copper dragon can be (when combined with high quality tin) used to create a miraculous form of bronze called chalkos that has the ability to change shape with its wearer. While I cannot confirm the veracity of this, it has been suggested that because Copper Dragons grow into their polymorphic abilities later than other species of dragons their whole body becomes hyper-morphic so as to make up for this lost time. Social and Behavioral Observations Copper Dragons see themselves as fun and intelligent beings. Indeed, Copper Dragons regard themselves as excellent hosts, capable of providing endless entertainment through a long standing collection of jokes, riddles, pranks, and stories. Such mental collections, much like their treasure hoards, are painstakingly built from a very young age and are a source of great pride for each Copper Dragon. Invariably though, this pride leads them to become quickly annoyed with those guests that do not appreciate the wit and humour on display within such collections. Despite this, Copper Dragons are extremely fond of guests as a rule, particularly those that they find fascinating or charming, and to this end they will often make the general location of their lair well known (although the entrance to their treasure hoard is always a closely guarded secret). Likewise, Copper Dragons enjoy one another's company and will make regular visits to each other to recount newly acquired jokes and tales. For Copper Dragons this also doubles as the courtship ritual during times of mating, thus it always pays for a Copper Dragon to maintain exciting company to help increase their chances of mating success. Ecological Observations Copper dragons are fond of hills and rocky uplands, particularly those with twisting ravines and canyons, as it allows them to take advantage of their nimble flying ability. Due to their desire for company Copper Dragons will also tend to reside close to at least one major settlement, and are especially partial to lairing in abandoned castles or cities dug into mountainsides. While it has been reported that intelligent beings living near a Copper Dragon seemingly fall into fits of giggling for no apparent reason, this is often an over exaggeration. Instead it would be more accurate to say that people near a Copper Dragon are happier as a rule and also prone to being mischievous and mirthful in nature. Indeed, any bouts of giggling likely have a very apparent cause to the prankster but perhaps not to their victim. Inter-Species Observations Copper Dragons enjoy the company of most species provided that they can maintain an interesting conversation. When dealing with any creature the Copper Dragon often inadvertently shields its keen intelligence behind its trickster nature, leading many creatures to believe that they can be easily fooled or manipulated. This is of course patently untrue, but the Copper Dragon will usually only reveal such a fact at a time it finds most entertaining. 112

D M ' s To o lkit T h e t e m p e r a m e n t o f C o p p e r D r a g o n s d r a w s it s inspiration from many sources, in particular though the parallels to the trickster gods and beings of ancient mythology (such as the satyrs and Loki) are particularly apt. Copper Dragons, along with their cousins the Silver Dragons, are perhaps the most recognizably human in nature. Indeed, Copper Dragons, while they are good entities, are quite hedonistic and enjoy life in very grounded ways, telling stories and jokes, playing pranks, and so on. The thing to remember of course is that this mirthful attitude is still tied to an extremely intelligent and deadly being. For this reason Copper Dragons are perfect additions to most campaigns, able to serve as an ally, an antagonist, or an obstacle with equal measure. They also allow the DM a great opportunity to role-play and inject some characterful flavour into a session or campaign. Here are some sample encounters with a Copper Dragon: A local baron urges the party to rescue his court bard from the clutches of a terrible and wicked dragon. The bard is of course an honoured 'guest' of a Copper Dragon, and the dragon is unwilling to part with his company. The party encounters a wizened old woman travelling alone along the road near night fall. The woman is making camp for the night and asks the party to stay and pass the time with stories. In the morning the party sees the woman transform into a Copper Dragon, and, if the party's stories were pleasing, the dragon provides them with useful information or items. A Copper Dragon has been rampaging along the frontiers of a kingdom or empire renowned for its order and civility, the Dragon sees this cultural change as threatening to the 'happiness' of the people within his realm. A Copper Dragon has an item the party requires (or blocks the path of the party etc). The dragon challenges the party to a riddle contest to resolve the issue. A druid has heard of the mythical properties of chalkos bronze and commissions the party to acquire scales from an ancient Copper Dragon to allow him to create a set of armour that can be worn while using wild form. 1 1 3

Dragon: Gold "I have finally caught up to you Vepinir..." The sun glinted off the golden scales as the majestic beast swooped down next to the Rakshasa. The Rakshasa looked up to see the Dragon looming over him. "Congratulations, Kiera. I knew that it was inevitable that you'd catch me, and send me back to that dreary place, but I have accomplished much in this lifetime. If you kill me, I'll simply come back, and be able to continue my plans uninterrupted. You have won for now, but I will come back." The Dragon snorted in disgust, but then continued "Unfortunately for you, coming back is not an option." As the dragon's claw lifted up to strike the Rakshasa, the last thing he saw was the glistening pearl in the dragon's hand. Introduction Gold Dragons are some of the most powerful creatures in existence. It is truly a great blessing that they are on our side. Many often say that they are the kings of the Metallic Dragons. This title is rightly earned, as a Gold Dragons strength rivals that of a Chromatic Red. With this great strength comes great responsibility, and many Gold Dragons have dedicated themselves to a life of vanquishing evil. With the ability to see into the future, and the strength to fight many evils, no other creature is as suited to the job as the Gold Dragon. Physiological Observations The Gold Dragon is unique in comparison to other species of dragon, in that it has whiskers coming off of the face. These whiskers are rumored to contain its ability to see into the future, and are a valuable component in many alchemical mixtures. The Gold Dragons head also has 2 large horns that go just above the Dragon's eyes. Larger horns are typical on male species of the dragon, and females prefer dragons with larger horns and whiskers. Other features of the dragon include the wings which start at the shoulder, but travel along the side of the body until it reaches the end of the tail. A gold dragon is also much more slender than other dragons, giving it a kind of serpentine look. It is truly a spectacle to see a Gold Dragon in flight. The way the wings ripple make it look more like it is swimming through a vast ocean. The wings should not be able to provide enough lift for a Dragon on its own, so we can only speculate that magic is what keeps it flying. But that does not make this a less majestic flight. Social and Behavioral Observations Gold Dragons see themselves as the ultimate destroyer of evil. Their might and strength is matched by none other, and so it is only fitting that they should go out and protect innocent people. Gold Dragons often see themselves as superior to humanoid creatures, and see themselves as the protectors of these insignificant mortals. Unconcerned with the daily tribulations of a small group of humanoids, they are more focused on what is important. Destroying evil before it begins. With the ability to see into the future, Gold Dragons may spend a lot of time in meditation. Searching through all of the possible threads until they find someone, who is bound to commit an evil act. The next step is to learn more about that creature. They can accomplish this, by turning into a humanoid form, and getting close to the person in question. Once they know with a surety that the creature will perform an evil action, they strike them down before evil can come to pass. Gold's follow a philosophy of "stop evil before it has the chance to spread". Gold Dragons however have a special hate for Rakshasas. These tiger like creatures are the absolute bane of existence, and must be wiped out. Gold Dragons search unceasingly for any trace of a Rakshasa and will do all in their power to destroy these devils. Rakshasa know this, and often try to execute plans, that will culminate in the death of a Gold Dragon. Thus a cycle is born where Gold's try to seek out the identity of a Rakshasa, while Rakshasa's try to kill the Gold Dragon. Ecological Observations Gold Dragons like to live in terrain with lots of hills. This gives it the opportunity to survey it's area in detail, and spot any threat long before it becomes a threat. If a Gold Dragon decides to stay in any one area for a long period of time, it will start to construct a beautiful lair that resembles humanities greatest feats of architecture. It is believed that we may have stolen their designs. Gold Dragons who have laired, are also capable of producing a pearly mist in a six mile radius around the lair. This pearly mist will contort into haunting forms if evil ever sets it's foot within the mist, immediately warning the dragon, and any humanoids in the area, that evil is near. Many people often associate these pearly mists with good fortune, and will try to make a village within these mists. Humanoids who live in the mists have often been caught worshipping the Gold Dragon. The Gold Dragon does not mind this, and often encourages it, as it has the potential to bring champions of good, in the name of the Dragon. Inter-Species Observations Gold Dragons are very solitary creatures, and often do not associate with other Gold Dragons for long periods of time. If a Gold crosses path with another Gold they may stay and chat for a little, ask one another for small favors, and then be off on their way. Every once in a while, maybe every 100 years, a Gold Dragon will get the urge to mate. When this happens all Gold Dragons will travel to a special place designated as the mating grounds. This place is often a place of water, and may have great waterfalls, or be a large lake. After mating has commenced they will decide on a new location to go to in a 100 years, and then separate, with mothers raising the new clutch of eggs in their lair. 114

D M ' s To o lkit G old D r a g o n s o rigin s c o m e fr o m t h e d r a g o n s in C hin e s e m y t h s, a n d le g e n d s. Wit h a n cie n t C hin e s e m y t h s, t h e Tig e r is s e e n a s t h e a r c h - n e m e sis o f t h e d r a g o n, a n d t h e y a r e o ft e n d e pic t e d in a n e t e r n al s t r u g gle wit h e a c h o t h e r. In D&D we have the Rakshasa which is the perfect counterpoint to a Gold Dragon. With their scheming and blatant evil, contrasting the Gold Dragon and it's undying effort to destroy evil. Gold Dragons are often seen as the paladins o f d r a g o n s. T his c o m bin e d wit h t h eir e a s t e r n o rigin s, a bilit y t o s e e t h e fu t u r e, a n d t h eir mis t s, can make for interesting encounters. Gold Dragons are best suited as strong allies to the party, or potential obstacles. Here are some sample encounters with a Gold Dragon. Locals are concerned with mists spreading into their hometown. These pearly mists often contort into haunting shapes, especially right before someone in the village dies. A Gold Dragon is convinced that the mayor o f t h e cit y is e vil, a n d h a s r e v e ale d it's t r u e fo r m. The mayor is in hiding, and the Dragon is growing impatient with the people of the villa g e. A Gold Dragon is convinced that a player will commit an evil act, and wishes to destroy the player. A Gold Dragon is searching for a great pearl, as big as a man's head. This pearl is rumored to be able to vanquish evil, and the Dragon needs it. A Gold Dragon in humanoid form asks the adventurers for assistance in taking down a Rakshasa that is terrorizing the local town. A pearl is the only thing that can permanently end the life cycle of a Rakshasa. Obtaining one from the ancient tomb of a Gold Dragon will be difficult. A threat presents itself, be it a Rakshasa, or a Red Dragon. The Gold Dragon then asks the party to stand down, as they are incapable of fighting such evil. A small village has lost the mists that helped to warn them of danger. With them having grown complacent, it is easy for monsters to attack their village. 1 1 5

Dragon: Green "Despite the rumors of Green dragons being horribly evil our encounter was, pleasant to start with. Our party was seated in a lavish room served wonderful meats and vegetables and entertained with lively discussion. We played games of whit and debate and we all seemed to enjoy the company of Pyrillis the Green dragon of Fell Forest. As one member discovered her riddle a flash of annoyance came across her eyes that it seems only I perceived. That fact is what probably saved my life. I then started to pay attention more to words she used and began to worry, as she seemed to have an agenda in store that didn't sit well with me being a hundredth of her size. I tried to quietly inform my companions but they were in disbelief. Then the conversations started to die with nothing more to tell of our adventures the true nature came to light. Before any one of us could react she sprayed her vile breath in the enclosed yet large room. The green smoke burned and chocked but I ran for the exit. I only made it out as I cut the vines closing up seemingly on their own and ran without looking back. I deeply regret leaving my friends but I also knew that we'd all be dead if I had tried to help." -- Survivor of Pyrillis Green Dragon Introduction While dragons are imposing figures of great power, Green dragons like to subvert that stereotype by being warm and welcoming. They invite you into their home, feed you, make sure you are comfortable and make conversation. They subvert their reputation for evil ruthless creatures to any who listen, and confirm that reputation on those who don't. Green dragons are masters of deceit and desire control above all else. Green dragons are intense dangers to anyone who manage to be in their evil gaze. While they seem to be kind and courteous to those who speak to them they are undoubtedly evil and deceptive. They enjoy trickery and deceit and plot your death with every move. It's a game of chess that the dragon started 3 turns before you and considering 20 moves after you. Physiological Observations Green dragons like most are built much more feline in body structure than most realize. They are extremely reptilian at first glance with their crocodile like heads, great bat-like wings and long tails. Their scales are extremely tough and resistant to many forms of harm. Like any dragon they have a devastating breath that can fell most creatures with a single puff. Green dragons in contrast to other dragons are very tall and more slender. They have longer front legs and shorter back legs giving their body an upward slope. This gives them the body angle much like that of a giraffe. Their tails and necks are long and slender although both are very strong. Green dragon's heads resemble a crocodile with a perpetual crooked grin. Telling facial expressions on dragons are hard enough but Green's seem to particularly be difficult to discern as they always seem to be smiling. Green dragons have a spinal sail. Every third vertebra has an elongated spike and is connected by a leathery membrane. This sails starts between the eyes on top of their head and rises dramatically at the end of the head and base of the neck to a peak and tapers off to the end of the hips and base of the tail. This sail can be up to 10 feet at the peak depending on the size of the dragon making it a very prominent feature. Green dragons' wings are very large and powerful like most dragons. They are connected above and just behind the front legs and each of the wings are longer than that of the dragon's total body length. Green dragons love to patrol their territories from the skies and will often fly at least once a day to oversee their area of residence. A Green's breath weapon is akin to a chlorine gas. They themselves are immune to its effects but to any other animal it's a stinging choking gas that can be very potent even when spread out in open air. This breath weapon does not affect plant life even though it does hurt animals on contact. A Green feeling particularly annoyed by a creature they may force them into an enclosed space and enjoy gassing a foe as one would enjoy a play. Green dragons usually do not use their breath weapon on animals they intend to eat as it doesn't taste good. A Green's diet consists of primarily meat. They usually hunt for larger forest animals such as bears or owlbears but will even eat smaller game if needed. They usually only eat once every other day as they don't have too much of a metabolism. Their territories can be rather large so game is usually plentiful but if it isn't they can eat shrubs and other plants as sustenance but by far prefer meat. Their favorite food is elves as they find them particularly delectable, though they are good at hiding that fact from elves. Green dragons start life as a very dark green color, almost black looking. As they age they become lighter and lighter with adults being lime green and older ancient dragons a light olive green. I theorize this is for camouflage in their typically forested or jungle homes. There have been rumors of stark white dragons who patrol ancient jungles and forests who may be old enough they've lost all color. As mentioned before Green dragons prefer areas full of plant life for their home. Forests, jungles, or even swamps can be suitable for a Green. Confrontation on territory is not uncommon with Black dragons when a green decides to make a swamp their home. Green dragons seem to have an affinity for plant life as they either seem to control them or at least communicate with plants to give them orders. Green dragon lairs are usually dug out from the ground or in caves. They are lined with vines and ivy all around. Some lairs even have trees in them or other larger plants as decorations and may be warped into furniture. The lair usually only consists of 4 large chambers, Bedding area, Treasure Hoard, Dining Hall, and Audience Room. Some dragons have a 5th room used as a gas chamber, it may be that they all do and they are just well hidden as few ever leave a Green dragons den alive or are very concerned to explore it more than the treasure hoard. 116

A Green dragon's treasure hoard is usually filled with a lot of currency but they value green gems the most. Emeralds are very popular amongst Green dragons and there always seems to be plenty of them in a dragon's hoard. Green dragons also usually have art objects usually made of wood in their hoards as decorations. Unlike most dragons all of treasure is neatly stacked or piled and organized. They do not seem to slumber in their treasure room and sometimes even have a ledger on their wealth. Green dragons actively seek out objects of intelligence and seem to enjoy the challenge or simply dominating them and bending them to their will. All dragons in one form or another seek immortality. Green dragons are no exception as they spend a lot of time in research on this mystery. Green dragons seem to somehow gain immortality by becoming ethereal in nature or in layman's terms a ghost. How this achieved is a mystery but they start the process late in life after the end of their many millennia. They start to flicker in and out of corporeal form and once fully achieved stay in a state of constant existence in both planes. Ghostly greens seem to haunt their territories with their new powers as a ghost but ultimately keep to their same way of life. Other methods of immortality are not usually seen but it's not unheard of to see a Green become a Dracolich. Social Observations Green dragons are usually in contact with many other Green dragons at a time. Their territories seem to be planed as usually a male and female will overlap to a small degree. Green dragons know about other dragons nearby, not just other Greens, but seem to only know of their location and color. The only way to see the true evil nature of a Green dragon is to observe it in interactions with other Green dragons. They are brash, rude, insulting, belittling, and crass to each other. Green dragons will roar and carry on so loud that it would shake the bravest warriors and so offensively the worst sailors would blush. Despite this seemingly unproductive communication they seem to communicate effectively as they form many schemes together. One such scheme is children. Procreation seems to be a business deal that neither party enjoy but understand the necessity to further the race. This is usually why a male and female would overlap territories as they wouldn't have to leave their homes far behind to bother themselves with mating. It seems this process is planned far ahead of children. Typically the parents will mate and then leave the eggs by themselves in the overlapping area. A clutch of eggs are usually 2 to 4, anymore will probably be smashed by the parents as 5 would be too annoying. They watch over the eggs and protect them from afar. Once hatching they then step in and raise the children together. They teach their children their ways of deception and how the world works. While they are very diligent parents, children are an obligation to them and hold no feelings for them other than that of their invested time. Children move on to make their own territories once they are old enough to survive on their own. During this time of raising children of their first brood it's not unheard of for parents to mate again and produce a second clutch of eggs. These eggs are laid away from their territory and totally ignored as the burden of more children to a parent is just too much for them to care. It is very rare for the eggs to survive long unprotected from predators as they are exposed and just lying on the ground. If one does survive they usually can make it on their own gaining full sentience only hours after birth. These individuals have no sense of community with other Greens or any other dragon. They are still lies and deceivers but not as adept at it as young who were raised by parents. They are more easily read by others and seem to be far more aggressive as their view on the world is constant hostility from all angles. Sometimes these clutches form their own council and start lives in a whole new area untouched previously by Green dragons. Green dragons that live near each other usually form yearly or longer time spanning councils. They meet at an appointed location each year and discuss, or brutishly yell current issues and how to resolve them. Sometimes this is outsider dragons, particularly troublesome settlements or anything they don't like. This is also where mating arrangements are made. Each dragon vies for power over each other giving no clear leader. Typically after hours of discord and undermining a discussion leader is agreed upon for the meeting out of annoyance and frustration. Intra-Species Observations Green dragons are deceptively nice to intelligent creatures. They offer help and information when they come across any intelligent creature in their territory. They try and suggest that they stay and speak with them in their lair and will walk them there. If a creature or group of creatures refuses they usually insist but do not press too hard as a Green doesn't need a lair to get information. A Green dragon wants information, they have a desire to be in complete control of their territory and outside influences can upset that so they pry for such information. They also seek information on anything that would be of interest to adding to their horde and are fond of adventurers telling tales and rumors of treasure and will usually seek those out of they believe them enough. The Green will be kind and courteous during the conversation but once it believes it will get all the information it can or will it will then start to pose a riddle or game. They genuinely enjoy such games with any creature. Unfortunately Green dragons are not a desirable foe as they are sore losers, and can turn from friendly to a mortal enemy in a blink of an eye. If refused when they offer riddles or contests of whit they will be polite for a few moments as they consider how dispatch of their new prey. Green dragons are very volatile. If a Green dragons becomes bored at any point or feels that anyone has discovered it's intensions it will attack immediately. As they are masters at hiding their true feelings and thoughts they are masters at discerning others' and rarely make mistakes in intentions of others. Green dragons prefer to lead with their breath weapon if the foes are too dangerous otherwise they sweep with their tails if they can eat their foes. 117

The kind and courteous behavior extends to other dragons as well (except other Greens). They will usually employ the same tactics although be more careful about asking a dragon's hoard location as that's alarming to any dragon and they know that. A Green if it decides to kill the other dragon will drop the facade before asking about where their hoard is and will then make it clear that they will know the location by force. Green dragons prefer to not fight with creatures. They prefer to keep things civil until they can strike in a false sense of security with no recourse. Having to fight creatures that fight back is considered a failure of deception and they do not enjoy that. Although Green dragons are not fond of fighting, they have a deadly enough arsenal at their disposal that they can certainly hold their own. When fighting humanoids or smaller beings they usually sweep with their tails hoping to fell creatures quickly and by surprise. They will then wade in with their claws and wings. They almost never bite smaller beings as lowering one's head is considered bowing to a Green dragon and they are only bowed to. When fighting dragons they are usually taller when comparable in age and douse their enemy in their breath weapon from the top down starting at the head. They hold no qualms about biting another dragon as it is their most effective weapon and easily crushes through any other dragon's hide. Green dragons have the strongest bit power and grip of any dragon and have been observed severing another dragons head with a single bite. Green dragons like to pepper in double speak when speaking to humanoids. They'll speak in a manner that if noticed hints at their intentions of usually eating humanoids. They are good at word play and hiding their intentions though. They will particularly do this more so about elves as they are the best meal a Green can have. Green dragons when establishing a territory like to eradicate nearby settlements near their new home. They prefer to do this from the background than outright attacking any village, town or city. They will often aggravate relations between group by spreading rumors or even attacking villagers and leaving their remains at a settlements doorstep aiming to spark wars. Often times Green dragons like to help directly side themselves against elves as it gives them protection in a coming battle and an opportunity to eat as many elves as they desire. Various Forms Green dragons while could be considered a variation on Chromatic dragons have various aspects of their lives that can vastly different given their age or situation. Young Student - These dragons are typically traveling and much younger. They are given tasks by their parents raising them to hone their skills in deception. Such tasks include starting a political uproar in a village or even swindling another dragon's hoard if they are found to be particularly talented. Abandoned - These dragons are at any age. They usually act independently or in league only with their siblings. They are far more prone to violence as their skills in deception are not as well honed. They also are more likely to seek other means of immortality as the secrets of becoming a ghost are kept within a community once discovered. Ghostly Dragon - A Green who as learned the secrets of prolonging life without end. This secret is jealously guarded within a community of Greens but eagerly shared among them. They haunt and patrol their homes looking for more wealth to swindle and no longer needing sustenance. These dragons are more prone to play tricks and ask riddles of a more ominous and dark nature and only reveal themselves as attacking. DM's Toolbox An important part of D&D has always been and will always be dragons. Dragons may be the quintessential monster but they should be used with though and purpose. Green dragons make for a great RP experience. As a DM it is of course up to your discretion on how each dragon acts as indeed each one is an individual. A Green dragon in general can be described as a calculating serial killer that wants all the information they can get before having fun. Here are some possible scenarios to use a Green. Unknown sources of rumors are inciting war. A Green is actively marking its territory and there's not enough room near this forest for a town and a dragon, let alone 2. A curious encounter with a seemingly friendly Green dragon despite all conventional knowledge that they are evil dragons. A smaller green dragon approaches the party curious of what's in your wagon. 118

Dragon: Red "Hear me now, you insignificant speck. I have annihilated your armies, and your pathetic champions warm my stomach. Do not insult me further by attempting to run... Did you actually dare to believe that you could so much as scuff my scales? Have I been withdrawn so long that the universe forgets the respect I am due? Do you not recognize oblivion when you look upon its face? Make no mistake, foolish morsel: I am a dragon, I am death. I hold favor with Tiamat herself. Civilizations rise and fall at the twitch of my tail. I have lived so long that stars and gods wink into and out of existence in the time it takes for my flames to extinguish themselves. I am that ancient power which all creation fears... And you have roused my ire. No, I am not going to kill you, impotent mite, though it would take no effort at all. In your ignorant attempts to harm me you have done me a favor. You made me aware that the world has forgotten who is its master, and for that I shall honor you as my thrall and herald. You shall bear witness to my glory as I reduce all that your kind has wrought to ash, and from the soot establish my dominion once again. Go, sing my song of fire and blood. Remind the world that you, all of you, are beneath me. I am the King of Red Dragons." --Etrigan the Eternal to Daniyel Albright, last Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms of Sunstep. Introduction All dragons are characterized by their power, cunning, pride, and the compulsion to hoard. These traits are embodied by reds to the extreme. Please note this report does not intend to belittle the abilities of any other dragons nor marginalize the accomplishments of any who manage to best a dragon (in whatever fashion), for every dragon is a significant danger and challenge which should NOT be taken lightly (as any who do so will quickly find themselves in the afterlife). The aim of this report is to better understand and deal with Reds, who display such enormous amounts of greed and arrogance (even compared to other dragons) that they have come to be viewed as the archetypical evil dragon by many cultures. Physiological Observations Red dragons share the extended serpentine necks, reptilian heads, and feline style bodies covered in immensely tough scales of all dragons. They distinguish themselves by being somewhat bulkier than their cousins, having the longest wingspan of any chromatic dragon, and carrying themselves in a consistently proud/disdainful manner even when they do not think anyone can see them. The scales of a red dragon wyrmling are a bright glossy scarlet that become a dull, deeper red as they thicken and become as strong as metal as they reach adulthood. At which point the features which most people know them for will have fully developed: the beaked snout which constantly vents smoke, the golden orbs for eyes which dance with flame when enraged, the blue-black tint along the wings which resembles burnt metal, and the swept-back horns and spinal frill which define their silhouette. Red dragons lair in high mountains or hills, dwelling in caverns under snowcapped peaks or within the deep halls of abandoned mines and Dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are most highly prized by red dragons, as they then have even more hazards which hinder intruders and allow searing heat to wash over the dragon as it sleeps. It should be noted that due to the high level of confidence in the protection of their treasure hoard Reds spend as much time outside the mountain as in it. There is a reason peoples of the Material Plane are hardwired to notice the color red even against other shades of itself... I suspect it has nothing to do with berries. -Amber Ironfist, Dwarven Chief of Overground Security Social Observations Red dragons, like all dragons, live mostly in isolation and are fiercely territorial, preferring only their own opinions on lair aesthetics, treasure priorities, etc. Reds are aware of where other dragons are located, but are only truly interested in their status and accomplishments compared to other Reds. Unlike most dragons however, Reds are actually willing to actively seek out their elder Reds and other-colored cousins if there is a significant problem they cannot solve by themselves, using their authority as "Tiamat's chosen" or bribes from their horde to enlist their "servitude". When mating, Reds display a rare level of respect for each other compared to the rest of Chromatics. The female seeks a male's lair when she is in heat, then each courts the other through a sculpting competition where the duration, control, and intensity of flame is compared in addition to aesthetic creativity of the sculpture. The winner of this competition receives the honor of "hosting" the eggs and hatchlings. Due to their extreme ego both parents help raise the wyrmlings, as each believes them self to be the best and most knowledgeable parent and will unload all of their collective knowledge on their children at only the slightest prompting. As soon as they deem a child old enough, usually the first time it speaks out against either parent, they kick it out. Confident that they have done the most absolutely perfect job in childrearing. I must note that an unforeseen aspect of Chromatic dragon culture has been recently discovered, at great personal sacrifice by two colleagues and dear friends of mine, the half-elf Varis Tanner and Dragonborn Kepeshkmolik Ghesh. 119

It would seem that once a century all Chromatic dragons are compelled by a mysterious force (I suspect Tiamat) to gather in one place, an island which only dragons are able to find naturally. Ghesh and Varis were able to follow a Red they had been hunting to this island and reported it to be similar to a Kings Moot. Apparently this is the one instance when dragons break their characteristic isolationist nature to share knowledge (including strategies used by adventurers who attempted to harm them), compare accomplishments, and select a "King" (a tradition which began during the Giant war I'm sure, though I must consult a Brass dragon to determine if Metallics conduct a similar "Dragons' Moot"). It seems that their hoards are in minimal danger while they are away, as the collective magic from a large number of dragons in close proximity with each other creates a field or "bubble" of magical time distortion and each dragon is aware of the date of gathering as it approaches thus making extra precautions to their respective lairs. According to my calculations, it seems that within this magic field one experiences a year in the span of a single day, as when one of my fellows would exit to safely relay their report to me the other would tell them they had been missing for several weeks, even months at a time. The phrase "might is right" appears to be fact among dragons as Reds, being the strongest physically, are the only contenders for royal title although the other colors devise various tests which determine which Red is worthy of "wearing the crown" for the next hundred years (whether this is a physical crown or not is unknown as my compatriots were unable to get very close). For example, it seems the Greens present a series of difficult riddles and complex puzzles to determine the "strongest" mind, whereas the Blues demand various physical tests (a trial by combat section forced my friends to leave the field for several minutes). The Whites demanded a series of hunting challenges, the word "dangerous" apparently was used to the merriment of all dragons in attendance. All dragons seek immortality, and apparently this is the most viable route for Reds, as any consort of Tiamat receives boons, and one can only imagine what favors await a Red that distinguishes itself among the rest in her eyes. All this was communicated to me through scrolls in a Secret Chest spell of which we each share a replica... Unfortunately this is as much as I know, as I have not heard from them in a month, and must assume they were discovered and killed. Interspecies Observations Like most dragons, Reds are carnivorous. Dragons being at the top of the food chain for the earth and sky, and Reds being at the top of the Chromatic hierarchy, they are not picky about what they eat so long as it is meat. This often means that most sentient creatures are classified as "food". However, as they see themselves as the rulers of the world, Reds are actually the most likely Chromatic dragon to entertain non-lethal options when dealing with intelligent species. In addition to kobolds, who so frequently worship and work for Chromatic dragons, Reds have been known to allow adventurers leave their lair alive, so long as their treasure hoard doesn't seem to be in danger. Add to this the competitive nature amongst Reds and it is not surprising that they enjoy conquering and ruling tribes or even cities of "lesser" creatures, often counting these as an extension of their hoards and the accomplishments of "their loyal citizens" as something to lord over other Reds. This brings up a point which has long been slightly misunderstood. Reds seek wealth for their hoard, not only because of their greedy nature but because red dragons desire recognition of their power above all. The power they have due to their possessions is determined by the value others place on it, so by extension they understand the worth of each slave in servitude to them in relation to the rest, and each brick in a building. In addition to material wealth, they are able to estimate the value of a year's worth of labor from each individual according to only a day's observations. However, no dragon will allow a giant or their descendants to live as its servant, due to the blood feud between them. The one other silver lining for adventurers who encounter a red dragon is that they are the most likely to allow their vanity to be used against them. Flattery, though not effective as a long term stalling tactic, has saved many a hero's life, and Reds are the most likely to underestimate the cunning of non-dragons in comparison to themselves. Legend has it that the most frequent method of successfully slaying a Red has been through manipulation of its ego in order to get it to leave its lair. While allowing them room to fly does seem unwise, dragons' weakest spots are their eyes and wings. Remember: a downed dragon is a dead dragon... Occasionally. Red dragons are absolutely ferocious combatants, and will fight all the harder to avoid the slight to their pride should they need assistance. When dealing with dragons it is best to understand their history. We don't know exactly how the war between the Giants and Dragons ended, but only one side was forsaken by their god... And last I checked Tiamat was still accepting dragon consorts. -Birel Ilphelkiir, Head Librarian of the High Elf Museum of Natural Science 120

D M ' s To o lb o x R e d s fulfill all o f t h e cla s sic t r o p e s a s s o cia t e d wit h d r a g o n s ( a t le a s t in W e s t e r n C ult u r e s ), s o it's the perfect chance for you to try portraying a m e g alo m a nia c, h a v e fu n wit h it. S o m e id e a s fo r incorporating them into a campaign include: Slaying or stealing from the dragon that threatens/possesses your MacGuffin, obvious but always enjoyable. If your PCs start to die off it may offer the on e o r t w o s u r viv o r s t h e c h a n c e t o liv e a s sla v e s, which could lead to a "heroes turned villain b y n e c e s sit y " c a m p aig n. The Red rules a cit y / e m pir e a n d y o u r P C s a r e hir e d b y /le a din g t h e r e sis t a n c e. The Red can be convinced to giv e y o u r P C s information if it has something to gain from it. It may even employ them to collect treasure or information on the accomplishments of other Reds. Even steal from other dragons if your PCs can display they won't die or give up their employer. There are often evil sentient items that can only be destroyed by magic fire; an ancient red dragon serves as the perfect twist on the "Mount Doom" trope. Food is becoming scarce because of red dragons raising their young nearby. A multi-dragon encounter. Perhaps even Dragon wars. Make smart dragons! If a tactic worked too well for your PCs in the past, allow the next one to have heard the story & counter their strategy. 1 2 1

Dragon: Silver "My knees went weak as she walked into the gates. It had been over 40 years since we had tearfully departed on that cold night. A love long lost had returned as youthful and beautiful as ever. Here I am a withered and old man. I both feared and hoped she'd recognize me. Then she looked me in the eyes with those soul piercing turquoises and approached smiling. 40 years isn't long I felt myself thinking. " -- Baron Thadius McKardly's diary. Introduction When the dragons first discovered humanoids many disregarded them as ants or playthings to be used. Yu'llandar the powerful Silver Dragon instead looked at them with curiosity. He watched over a small group of elves carve their start in a forest and grew fond of their lust for life and beauty. He watched from afar with a love that was pure and chaste. Silver Dragons like most dragons consider themselves the ultimate beings. They do so not with superiority or pride but just a calm sureness that only ever comes across as polite confidence. Silver Dragons are kind and value matters of the heart. If any dragon were to be encountered by the goodly folk it would be dangerous but only if it were Silver would it be a blessing. Physiological Observations With shinning silvering metallic scales, vibrant cobalt eyes and highlights, Silver Dragons are among the most beautiful creatures. They have regal sails standing tall starting at the head and ending at the end of their tail. Their eyes sparkle with wonderment, sincerity and kindness. When in battle they seem more at play then aggressive as they move around with a grace and confidence that seems unflappable. They are most easily recognized by the head with their tall sails and stunning eyes. Their 2 horns are sharp and sturdy but almost useless as they extend from the back of the skull and gently slope downward, almost as if slicked back hair. Blue to Purple their eyes shine with curiosity and intelligence. Their faces are gently sloped down to the jaw giving them a shorter face then most dragons but fittingly seem to only accentuate their regal frill and beautiful horns. They also have 2 chin frills staring at the chin jutting forward and down and going all the way back to the end of the jaw. These chin frills resemble a well-groomed dwarvish beard at times. Females typically have smaller chin frills. The silvering shining scales make most creatures wonder at their beauty. Then at ends of the sails, wing membranes and ears they turn to turquoise, purple or blue (the same as their eyes) in hue giving them a splash of color. Most dragons of other colors consider themselves the epitome of what a dragon should look like but do admit that Silvers are second. In body structure they resemble lithe and graceful cats like most dragons. Despite their great size they seem to move with ease and grace. The Silver Dragons keep their wings always upwards when folded unlike other dragons who fold their wings against their bodies when at rest. Their long tails move about with ease behind them and are usually kept off of the ground unless at rest. Despite their grace and beauty Silver Dragons are deadly creatures that are more than capable in battle. They can use their strong tails agilely and with great effect in bludgeoning foes. Their claws on each of their 4 legs are dangerous and sharp, able to slash open the hides of even other dragons. Their teeth and jaws are strong and easily can be used to bite. Most of all they can breathe 2 different breath weapons depending on the situation. They primarily use the element of cold in a wide cone that can freeze enemies and the like. The second is a cone of paralyzing gasses that not many creatures can withstand. They freely use both in battle. Battle for a Silver Dragon usually is done by fly by breath attacks first ice then paralytic in nature. Those remaining can expect sudden onslaughts of claws, teeth, and mostly whipping tail upon the ground until their ready to lose their breath again. They favor using their tail and keeping a distance but can fight up close to devastating effect. Since they are raised to learn to fight by their parents some can be extremely tactically adept and dangerous fighters. Generations of Silvers hardened by fierce combat are common. They are carnivores like most dragons and with the sharp brilliant white teeth to prove it. They do prefer their meat cold or even frozen. They usually just gently blow on a deer or another animal to freeze it and then eat the meat after a sufficient cooling. They will eat fallen enemies too as long as they are not fellow dragons. Flight for them is just as easy as any other dragon. They need space to take off and land or some advantageous terrain like a cliff to properly take off. Once they are able to get going flight becomes easier and flapping to gain height seems effortless to them. They glide as much as possible to conserve energy but normally they're not flying for long. Silver Dragons can shapeshift into humanoids forms and prefer to live most of their lives among the lesser beings. Usually taking shape of a kind and helpful person like a sage or strange wanderer they keep their distance and just enjoy the lives of the humanoids. They can be noticed by the perceptive for always having silvery hair (often mistaken for grey hair) and bright youthful and blue eyes regardless of apparent age. Their treasures are mostly of lost civilizations with relics and artifacts of the particular race they've become fascinated with. Most Silver dragons value humans for their ambition and lust for life with such a shorter lifespan. The least likely is that of the traditional and stoic dwarves. They regularly visit their homes in high up caves or alcoves in the mountains to ensure their treasures are still in order but do not stay for long. Silvers tend to only visit their homes monthly and only for a few days. They open their homes and even their identity to their most trusted friends if they make many among the people they watch. Their homes are typically in colder regions of the worlds but can be in warmer regions of the mountains reach high enough. 122

Social Observations Silver Dragon culture is very different to many dragons. They are parts of clans that consist of many families making for large networks of Silver Dragons. They can number as many as 50 in a clan making for a terrifying force to draw ire from. These clans despite the loyalty of members are disjointed and non-active in human standards only meeting twice a decade. Silver Dragons don't spend their time like most dragons is why this lack of urgency to meet. Silver Dragons spend most of their time as the mortals they watch as they live among them and learning from them. When they do meet they generally socialize and sometimes find bonds among close friends catching up. These meetings last for many a ten day in order to properly catch up and socialize with fellow dragons. These meetings most of the time are purely for casual purposes but sometimes in need for pressing issues. Meetings of urgency are typically held outside of the regular schedules and are facilitated by any member if the need is dire. The most common reason is the looming threat to the safety of a member and that's usually only if multiple enemy dragons are involved. Silvers have a unique way of bonding in mating for dragons, there usually in their own affairs and estranged but they do have marriages. These are typically arranged and appointed within the clan or sometimes in rare occasions as acts of good will between clans. These marriages are lose by most interpretations as they rarely live together and will only meet 1 or 2 times outside of meetings for mating purposes and to raise children. Of course there are exceptions to those norms that do live together and usually dwell among the lesser beings in the guises of husband and wife. Clans are usually not concerned with problems of the land as a whole seeing lesser beings' troubles as insignificant. Very rarely is a clan roused to action on behest of an outsider unless large scale issues are present that could directly threaten members. If a clan is unified in action they can be very powerful as a flight of Silver dragons could decimate any army. Silver Dragon young are produced every 5 to 6 centuries. The parents are very loving and take great care in raising their children as any humanoid of goodly wheel would. Typically 3 to 6 eggs are produced and hatched after 10 months in cooler moist temperatures. In parent they are typically strict but fair. The children are taught everything from basic life skills, social decadence, fighting, and master of flight and mastery of their breath weapons. In around half a century the young children will be old enough to find homes of their own typically with the help of a clan member that will scout a suitable location for them in relative safety. After fully grown they do keep in contact with their parents though mostly only through the bidecade meetings. If anything were to happen to the parents during the time of raising young, the clan will assign surrogate parents for the young. Thankfully rare occasions but dire none the less. Intra Species Observations It had been only a few years since I left my little hamlet on the hill. I couldn't resist no matter how I tried, I wanted to see how Thadius had fared over the few winters. I had heard of an orc raid and hoped he still lived among the people. When I did return it became obvious a few years is a lot to a human as I looked into his soft eyes. I immediately recognized him and decided this time I wouldn't hold back. Even if I had only but a blink of an eye with him it would be worth it. I'm sorry that it took too long to realize that. - Lady Thamia when returning after only 40 years. Silver Dragons take more interest than most other dragons in creatures below them. As with most dragons they consider themselves the ultimate beings. They are not above interacting with lesser creatures though and find the goodly ones fascinating. They study and watch civilizations under their territories with more than passing interest. They don't normally like to make themselves known not desiring to interfere with the day to day lives and instead watch from outside or inside under disguise. Sometimes they make themselves known to a city or town and publicly show their allegiance if the town is a positive enough force. They listen to stories and tales with great amusement. They are particularly interested in lost civilizations or tales of such and sometimes may venture for those very places to see for themselves. A Silver Dragon in an area is likely to know the complete and extensive history of a settlement near to them as they make it their business. Many adventurers have found useful information in seeking out the wisdom of a resident Silver Dragon. As with other goodly dragons Silvers have no qualms destroying villages of orcs and goblins they find in their territories. However, unlike other goodly dragons they'll not actively seek these settlements out and so only do so if they feel like brushing on their fighting skills. It's not uncommon for evil communities to exist near a Silver's territory if they are benign. Although Silvers are largely fascinated by a settlement but can be very self-centered. They care not of taking a few livestock here and there as long as they're not risking the lives of the lesser beings. Often times when things are lean for a settlement they may rebalance the livestock in the area to be more equal. They consider themselves for the most part not intervening even if they do from time to time. Sometimes they'll become close friends with members of a community and will often help those friends in need. It's not uncommon for a dragon to have many friends and friendly faces known to them in a town. In fact they quite enjoy having such company. They rarely stay so open to the public for too long preferring a distance emotionally if they wish to keep their identities secret. Usually if they feel they've become too close they'll leave and distract themselves with other matters and return after 50 years or so. Sometimes this distance is not achieved and while not bad it's a more dangerous prospect for a Silver. Many are taught this distance from experience as they'll have to endure several lifespans of even the long lived elves and keeping that distance keeps things more guarded emotionally. Such close bonds are not looked down upon by other dragons but always advised by caution. 123

One such practice that is indeed taboo is the mingling of dragon and mortal romantically. These are rare occurrences as they are highly advised against and heavily chastised actions among the clans. Even though they are taboo these relationships do exist. The dragon typically will adopt the customs of such a practice by the race of their chosen partner. Children produced of such a union are often taken care of by the dragon parent in their cave as to avoid the suspicions or simply troubles a half dragon may bare in such a community. In the clan the half dragons are accepted typically, although more xenophobic clans may reject such children. The networks of allied Silver dragons make for half silver dragons the most likely of a half dragon to succeed in life and often they thrive. Not much is done or can be done once this taboo is committed other than moral support when things inevitably end. In the presence of other dragon kind Silver Dragons are often kind and talkative. They've been known to form lose friendships with other goodly dragons. When in the presence of evil dragons they give extreme caution and suspicion but are not quick to immediately expect a fight. Often times when negotiations of dragons of evil and good take place a Silver will represent the side of good. Variants Silver Dragons are technically a variant of their own from the group of Metallic Dragons but they can be in different categories based on heritage and their chosen interests. Hardy Silvers - These silver Dragons are usually fascinated with dwarves or barbarian tribes. They are Patient even for dragon standards. They are usually very adept fighters and regularly practice on the many goblin, orc and even giant tribes that plague dwarven lands. Versatile Silvers - Typically found in more diverse or humanoid lands they are the most knowledgeable clans of Silvers. It's not uncommon for them to have great libraries and great hordes of powerful artifacts and devises. They have a thirst for knowledge and will gladly trade in such goods. Graceful Silvers - Typically closer to elves and enjoy the lust for life that most elves have. They are very companionate and are the most prone to having maybe too close of ties to their chosen interests in mortal beings. These silvers are also more likely to be in wedded pairs as they enjoy being close to another. Sharp Silvers - Found closer to gnomish and Halfling areas they love witty banter and comradery among folk. They also are more likely to be in wedded pairs as marriage is a big part of Halfling culture in some areas. They admire the smaller races for their ability to thrive in a world seemingly meant for people twice their size. DM's Toolbox For Silver Dragons just like any other dragon it's very important to remember that all dragons are individuals just like any PC. These are just templates upon Silver dragon culture. Silver dragons can be a good way to show how power and beauty can intersect into a friendly and deadly encounter. If you have a good party they can be powerful friend or source of information. Evil parties can have a real threat looming over their head if they step too far out of line. 124

Dragon: White "Twas a battle for the ages, there in this huge lair carved out of the ice and stone sat the dragon. The walls were comprised of a fine ice clearer than glass, within sparkled jewels of all colour like a rainbow trapped in time. Surrounding the center were giant sculptures of ice, they depicted giants frozen in battle and flight. Upon a closer inspection I saw that these were no sculptures but the poor inhabitants of the mountain before this Dragon arrived. Some had been cracked in two, exposing their rotting entrails not to feed on, but to simply remind any who dare enter this lair of their ultimate fate. I must admit that despite my own violent past, I felt a shiver of fear down to my tail just thinking about it. Then in the very centre, upon a mound of ice and diamond, I saw him. Shining in the spectral lights of the cavern, scales as white as the moon and eyes like the night sky, he opened his might maw and let loose a blizzard of terrible force." --Zahra, a hunter. Introduction Arguably one of the rarest of the dragons in the known world. Due to their rarity there is little known about the White Dragons compared to the ferocious Reds or the Sadistic Blacks. The following is a combination of my own research in the field and deductions from tales of Hunters seeking wealth, heroes seeking glory and those who were merely unfortunate. I have attempted my best to remove any possible exaggerations that may have been used to embellish these accounts, however when dealing with such a terrifying creature what seems too incredible for fiction may in-fact be the cruelty of our reality. Physiological Observations As can be expected, white dragons share the same overall build of their cousins. Reptilian body, long serpentine neck, scales. Other than their colour, the main difference is the structure and size of their legs. Unlike most other types of dragon, the White dragon has enlarged powerful legs connected to spade like feet which in turn have large retractable claws. This allows them to dig through solid rock with frightening speed; and, according to various accounts of giants I asked, with surprising silence. A White Dragons head is serpentine in structure, but closer inspection of the skull reveal that they possess pits next to their nostrils which allow them to detect even the smallest amount of heat in a raging blizzard. They also have an incredibly large ear structure built in, meaning they are probably capable of vision only using their sense of hearing. This highly developed skull structure may mean that White Dragon heads are weaker than other kinds, however no credible account of slaying one shows this as of yet. Their eyes are typically black in colour, though reports of blue eyed dragons exist and will be addressed later in this report. White dragon wings are incredibly powerful, and are capable of folding inward to allow the dragon to better tunnel through stone and ice. Their wings are typically white with a blue tint, meaning they can be near undetectable with the naked eye at night. White Dragons prefer to live in cold regions and build their lairs within the largest mountain they can find. They excavate incredibly complex tunnel systems out of the ice and stone. The lair of the dragon seems to shift as the dragon ages, the older and larger the dragon the deeper their current lairs can be found. A White Dragons size seems to be directly linked to the size of their cavern or lair. I have personally seen a White Dragon within the hollowed out base of a mighty mountain that was easily over a mile long and Gods know how tall . It seemed that the dragon was in some sort of state of hibernation a fact that is not in any known White Dragon account. The monks protecting the cavern would not allow me to investigate the depth of the behemoths' slumber nor would they permit me to investigate the density of its skull with my sword. But did allow me close enough to see that its breathing was slowed to, on average, less than once per day. Like all dragons, the White Dragon has a dangerous breath attack that allows it to unleash a torrent of frost and ice at its opponents. Investigations of old lairs show those who were unfortunate enough to receive the blast full on. These individuals were frozen solid, perfectly preserved in their final moments; one can only hope that death was instantaneous. Furthermore, White Dragons are capable of some level of weather control, able to stir up great blizzards with their mighty wings. Although, I believe that this is somewhat limited to their environment, I have yet to hear of a White Dragon in a desert so this is unverified. White Dragons typically use their blizzard abilities for hunting. Upon locating suitable prey (a pack of mammoths, giants, hunters, Frost Orcs etc), they whip up a mighty tempest to surround them. The White Dragon will encircle the prey from high above, increasing the ferocity of the blizzard with every lap, cutting off any retreat and allowing the prey to wear itself out as they are subjugated to the unrelenting frosts. The White Dragon will then cut off the weakest from the pack and devour it in a mighty swoop and continue to pick them off one by one until only whatever it deems the strongest remains. Then they usually allow the ice storm to end and appear before the enfeebled leader before dealing the final blow. While all dragons can survive many millennia and are to many extents immortal, most seek ways to avoid death entirely typically via Lichdom or some other dark magic or bargain. White Dragons show no such inclination. Instead upon reaching a certain age they will begin a rampage or feeding frenzy which is usually marked in history as a Frost Age which typically lasts about a dozen years. During which vast amounts of land will be buried beneath tonnes of snow and entire countries will be reaped of all life. Following this event, the White Dragon will completely disappear. It is my personal theory that this is when they enter a state of hibernation. I do not know what they are waiting for nor what they do when they awake, however I theorize that the awakening of such dragons can be linked to the vast amounts of Mortal history dubbed Ice Ages. 125

Social Observations White Dragons have no code of ethics when it comes to non White Dragons. To them, words are just sounds and actions are all that matter. Never trust the word of a White Dragon. If a White Dragon builds its home in an inhabited mountain. It will take its time to create to create its lair. Instead focusing on tormenting the indigenous population by attacking stealthily from the shadows or through a series of guerrilla like tactics where it will suddenly appear among a vast amount of them, unleash its frost breath upon as many as it can before disappearing back into the Earth. Historically, Dwarfish civilizations are the most successful at repelling such attacks, however if a Dwarven city suddenly ceases all contact after an especially harsh winter, it is probably due to a White Dragon attack. When the indigenous population is reduced to its satisfaction, it will proposition certain members with an opportunity for survival. Claiming it will allow them to flee if they attack their fellows. To my own personal dismay, I have yet to encounter any who have rejected this offer. These accursed individuals will more often than not instead find themselves trapped in eternal bondage to the dragon instead of free. Much to their horror and the dragons delight. Combined with their curious hunting habits, it seems that what a White Dragon enjoys most of all is domination. The feeling of toying with lesser beings and breaking them down mentally and physically while they stand strong and powerful. They seem to prefer living in mountains which house thriving civilizations more than any. As can be expected, White Dragons are very fond of jewels. While diamonds seem the obvious choice, they typically use them to make beds for themselves, preferring the more coloured variety to decorate their lairs by embedding them within the ice. A completed lair glows like the northern lights as moonlight cascades through the jewels and ice through a very sophisticated series of ice lenses. Evidently White Dragons are a great fan of beauty and art. White Dragons typically mate a couple centuries into their lives. When a White Dragon is prepared to mate, it creates a mighty blizzard extending for many miles. Any interested mates will create their own blizzard and the two storms will approach one another with amazing speed. The union of the two storms masks the exact specifics of their airborne mating. However I have observed that it involved a lot of biting, roaring, talons and (somewhat comically) they do not know their partner's gender until they meet and they rarely care. If a male and female union takes place, the Mother will go to the Fathers' lair where he will bring her many offerings of various large creatures until she gives birth to half a clutch (~4) of eggs. After this, the Mother will leave to her own lair where she will lay the rest. I have yet to see any real difference in the outcome of the young dragons despite different parents raising them. Both parents will allow the dragons to create their own smaller dens within its mountain and bring them along for hunts until they are large enough to do so themselves. The children will then leave of their own fruition before their first century. Species relations as previously mentioned, White Dragon will often trick members of a given civilization it is tormenting into working for it. Upon its victory, the White Dragon will go back on its word and simply force them into serving it until they die of old age or it gets bored. As such, they rarely have more than a dozen or so serving it at any given time. From experience, many are too afraid or traumatized to turn on their master even when presented with an opportunity for escape. Even upon the White Dragons death, many choose to wander to their deaths in the unforgiving colds than return to freedom. Due to their preferred habitat, White Dragons are rarely seen with those of other kinds. I heard reports of a White and Red quarreling over terrain (mountains and sleeping volcanoes being so similar). The following maelstrom of fire and ice are said to affect countries for decades after the battles have ended. Accounts show that in direct combat, the Reds are far more deadly than the Whites. However, the Whites typically use a combination of ingenuity and cunning to defeat the Red. Accounts that show a White winning over a Red will often leave them barely alive. Only to leave the area entirely as Whites have no real interest in living in volcanoes but seem to only fight due to their own immense pride. Legends There are very ancient legends of Blue Eyed White Dragons who brought their awesome might to villages and towns well far from their mountain lairs. These great beasts would freeze entire cities in ice or burrow and cause it to literally collapse on itself as thousands cry out in horror. I found only five accounts of these terrible creatures throughout the entire world. While the first three disappeared as quickly as they appeared, the fourth was slain by a nameless King and his army of wizards. The Fifth is known as the Ultimate Dragon, the first born of Tiamat herself, the Three Headed White Dragon. Destroying more than the sum of the other four combined. Like the others it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Beyond carvings of ancient conjurers, I have yet to find anything explaining their origins. DM Tool kit Classic Kill Dragon because dragon and get rich A dwarven city is under siege of a mysterious monster. Players will have to hunt down a dragon while simultaneously watching out for the dragon's servants. Terrible storms ravage countries of the North; players are stuck and are forced to race to kill the dragon before they freeze to death in the unforgiving wastes. A Red Dragon wishes for vengeance against a White that humiliated it and is willing to pay very handsomely. A dragon rampaging dragon leading to a hibernation, is it worth hunting it down if it'll sleep for the next few centuries? A cult attempts to awaken a terrible hibernating dragon beneath a mountain. An over ambitious wizard attempts to locate and control a legendary Blue Eyed White Dragon.** 126

Dragon Turtle Whether or not your princess is alive is of little consequence. You would be better to find a new mate, and find a new ruler. Her dynasty... your civilization... it will not last forever. Already it reaches the end of a cycle, the tree may fall but new ones will grow. Hmm. Nonetheless, if you are determined to know her fate, I am not one to choose for you how to spend your short life. Your bauble is shiny enough, and the determined will of an individual cannot change the tide but can swim against it... Very well. I will help you. Gargantuan, solitary, and incredibly ancient, dragon turtles are the apex predators of the oceans, the dragons of the undersea world. Dragon turtles have incredibly long lifespans, far surpassing those of humans, elves, and even dragons. Legends speak of dragon turtles that live for millennia, and of turtles who hibernate so long they become living islands. Myth says that dragon turtles have the gift of prophecy, and that they see time differently than other mortal beings, though it may be that their incredibly long lifespans simply give them a unique perspective that is difficult for shorter-lived beings to comprehend. Physiological Observations A dragon turtle resembles a massive turtle with a head resembling a large snapping turtle or dragon. Dragon turtles breathe superheated steam which they use for hunting for food and treasure. There have been reports of dragon turtles with elemental breath weapons resembling dragons, such as corrosive, fire, or ice breath, though they are not confirmed. A dragon turtle is truly massive, ranging from the size of a small whale at adolescent to the size of a merchant vessel as an adult. It's not clear when or if a dragon turtle stops growing, and there are legends of dragon turtles growing to the size of islands with their own ecosystems growing on their backs while they hibernate the centuries away. Behavioral and Social Observations Underwater Treasure Hoarders Dragon turtles, like their flying cousins the Dragons, crave treasure at an instinctual level. They hoard it in great undersea caverns and defend their lairs jealously. Like dragons, an individual dragon turtle's lair and horde varies based on the personality of the individual, though pearls, jade, precious stones and stone sculpture and metalwork seem to be common favorites. Feeding Dragon turtles can eat nearly anything. They crunch on coral beds, forage through kelp forests, and hunt both whales and entire shoals of tiny fish. As young turtles they are insatiable, but as they grow older their metabolism slows. Mature dragon turtles can go months without eating, and even longer, years or centuries, when hibernating. Mating and Spawning Dragon turtle mating is a very private affair, but a few things are known. Dragon turtles follow a seasonal mating pattern. For a year or two, the oceans become empty while dragon turtles migrate to spawning grounds. Little is known about the mysterious spawning season, but speculation says that it lasts for years, perhaps decades, and that there is a long time, perhaps hundreds or thousands of years, between spawnings. People are unsure where the dragon turtles go, whether the deep ocean or uninhabited lands where they can have space and privacy. The prevailing theory is that they make their way to the elemental plane of water for their spawning, but how they get there no one is sure. Though dragon turtle spawnings happen once in a great while, dragon turtle eggs presumably hatch in staggered waves, lying dormant for years until the conditions are right for the particular turtle. As a result, there is a steady stream of new dragon turtle babies each year. Dragon turtle infants are comparatively tiny, about the size of a loaf of bread. They rise in staggering numbers, hundreds of thousands each year. Very few survive to adolescence, and fewer still to mature dragon turtles. Maybe one in every four-hundred thousand will survive long enough to mate. Intelligence Dragon turtle intelligence rises as they grow; gaining sentience once they reach adolescence after a few hundred years and have survived long enough to become the size of a small whale. Then they will be brash and animalistic, ruled more by instinct than cognizance. As they mature, their mental capacity grows, matching and then perhaps surpassing mortal minds. Telepaths talk of fully-grown dragon turtles minds as dark and vast like the wide open ocean, full of depth and mystery. Inter-species Interactions Slow and Solitary Dragon turtles are mostly private. They crave seclusion and solitude, even from their own kind. They are capable of conversation, though at they are at best uncaring of the affairs of shorter-lived creatures. They can occasionally be coaxed up for conversation if treasure is involved, and some younger dragon turtles have been known to join undersea armies or coastal navies as a way to build a quick hoard. Strange Perspective Talking with a dragon turtle is difficult. They don't seem to have the same way of thinking as a mortal does. They don't form attachments to individuals or countries as much as geographical land masses. A dragon turtle may sink every ship in a given bay because a primitive tribesman threw a spear at it when it was younger there, or may always defend a port city from invading ships despite who is actually in control of it. The timeframe of their thought process is so slow it's almost geologic; the empires of elves, man, and dwarf are just blinks in time, the slow crawl of the continents something a dragon turtle can watch with interest. 127

Connections to the Plane of Elemental Water It is clear that dragon turtles have some connection to the elemental plane of water, whether it is their original origin or their post or pre-mortal plane of existence it is unsure. Certainly the other creatures of the elemental plane are more used to seeing them and are able to engage them in conversation somewhat easier. Some people believe dragon turtles routinely pass in and out of the elemental plane to other planes of existence, swimming through all the oceans of all the worlds for eternity. Historical and Cultural Significance Dragon turtles are sacred to some island societies. Some societies hold origin legends of dragon turtles as their guardian spirits, or as wise benefactors sharing their wisdom in times of crisis. The dragon turtle symbol is a sign of longevity, strength, and wisdom. The God of Time is said to be a dragon turtle of cyclical age, never-ending and being in both past and future simultaneously. Variants / Age groups Infant Infant, adolescent, adult, and elder dragon turtles vary in size and temperament enough that it may be useful to think of them as separate species. The infant turtle acts much like a regular sea turtle, and doesn't even really have a breath weapon for hunting. It kills and is killed enough to be a normal part of the food chain, albeit as it gets older it gets much larger. Adolescent An adolescent dragon turtle is beginning to gain sentience. It is about the size of a whale, and now is one of the largest animals in the ocean. Its main motivations will be for food and for treasure. It is wise enough have conversations, and to be bribed or convinced by other creatures, and is full of youthful energy and curiosity. It does still have the usual dragon turtle aloofness, and may be prone to long periods of deep thought as its mind begins to open up to the rest of the universe. Adult An adult dragon turtle is massive, larger than most whales and the same size of many ships. Dragon turtles at this stage begin to withdraw into their own minds and into the deep contemplations of mature dragon turtles. They may retain relationships with people and dynasties from their youth, but few kingdoms last as long as the dragon turtle. Those that do develop elaborate rituals so the dragon turtle has a sense of familiarity that one would develop with individuals; using the same rote language, ceremonial clothing and appearance. It gives the turtle something lasting to connect to. Elder An Elder Dragon Turtle is one of the oldest creatures in existence, and may have been one of the first sentient beings on the planet. They are prone to long periods of hibernation, and may grow to truly colossal sizes. It may be more legend than reality. DM's Toolbox Theme: Time keeps on slipping... Dragon turtles are OLD, and can be the main theme to drive home. Dragons are typically dynamic enough to get involved in the affairs of mortals, but dragon turtles while the centuries away with their hoards at a much slower pace. When roused they can be impressive as they use their massive bulk to smash your PC's vessel with the slow, uncaring indifference one would use lazily swatting a fly. As an Encounter Adolescent turtles will be the most likely monster a PC would run into, while a dragon turtle elder would be more of an NPC. At CR 17 a dragon turtle isn't something you would want to carelessly jump into combat with. A dragon turtle attack should feel like a force of nature, a tsunami or an earthquake, venting and belching scalding steam like an undersea volcano. As an NPC Good dragon turtles and evil dragon turtles exist; you can make benevolent, wise seers or enigmatic undersea tyrants. When roleplaying a dragon turtle give it a deep and mysterious, alien air. They see as your PC's as very short-lived and largely insignificant, but are aware that powerful individuals are capable of creating lasting change. Dragon turtles are said to have a gift of prophecy, but they may simply have the benefit of thousands of years of experience watching events unfold around them. 128

Drider "Once my last torch had burned out, I knew I was finished. I had no idea I'd have to wait so long. The thing had been stalking me for days. Ever since, I climbed deeper into the Bottomless Maw to avoid the goblins in the upper tunnels. The tunnel was utterly black. I couldn't see my own nose, much less what was following me. My light had been out only a few minutes when I stumbled on the rough stone floor. The thing crawled toward me. The sound of its feet, clicking and clacking on the stone was directly over my head. I don't know what happened next. When I awoke, I was hanging upside-down. Gravity made the pounding in my head that much worse. I struggled against my sticky bonds to find I was swaying, suspended from the cave ceiling by a thread of webbing. I don't know how long I waited, minutes, hours...it could have been days. All that time, I'd hear the occasional skittering across stone. Sometimes across the floor, but more often across the ceiling. Once, the thing brought someone else into the cave. She was screaming the whole time, and then silence. I tried to listen for her breathing when the thing left again though I heard nothing. Only the occasionally soft clacking of its feet on the stone. The time stretched on like the darkness, there was an end to it somewhere, but I could not see it. I was thirsty and hungry, I felt so weak, and my head was throbbing. When my captor finally came to drain the blood from me, death was a blessing." --the ghost of the adventurer Japhy Grint reflecting on the events leading up to his death, recorded by Egarford Bittwistle, gnomish dungeon ecologist, during exploration of the Blackwilde Caverns Introduction Driders are terrible monstrosities; a twisted, ruined soul of a dark elf cursed for failing the Spider Goddess's trials, a drider is driven by madness and hunger. Driders live out their lives in solitude in the deep places of the world. Adventurers who happen upon a drider's hunting grounds will likely die. The word drider is a portmanteau of the words drow and spider. Some ecologists prefer the term arachnotaur. I had once thought to seek out and survey several driders regarding their individual preferences in this and other matters. However, it is not easy to find a drider without becoming food, and once found many are not interested in chatting, even in the name of knowledge. The ritual of transformation is a closely guarded secret. Dark elf high priestesses claim that the Spider Goddess herself is the only one who can perform it. Outsiders postulate that an inner circle of the highest ranking priestess possess the requisite formulae and incantations. Attempts to uncover any further information regarding this have resulted in nothing on which I have reason to believe the priestesses will make good. Two prominent scholars who were investigating these fascinating creatures disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Physiological Observations During its horrible transformation, the legs of the cursed dark elf are replaced with the posterior portion of the cephalothorax, abdomen, and legs of an enormous spider. The cursed dark elf retains its head, arms, and upper torso. Two changes in its face are noticeable. The color in the eyes of the cursed elf fades to pale, milky pools. The elf's upper canine teeth extend into long fangs. The details of the inner workings of the anatomy of this beast are difficult to discern. Upon death, the innards rapidly decay to a goo that ranges in color from pale green to black. It is known that a drider eats with its elf-like mouths and is capable of spinning webs with a spinneret on its spider-like abdomen. The black haemolymph-like substance that circulates through a drider's veins is a deathly poison. The toxin can be delivered to foes bitten by the drider's fangs. The toxin is a valuable commodity, sought after by poisonmakers, but the location of the gland that produces it has remained elusive. It is thought that the toxin is not produced by an organ at all and that it may be a by-product of the dangerous magic that produces these monstrosities. I find this hypothesis weak in evidence though difficult to disprove. A stronger hypothesis is that the drider is a ritualistic wedding of organisms so different from one another that the toxin is a specialized product from somewhere in the spider portion of the drider that undergoes a terrible combinatorial selection process during the transformation ritual itself or shortly thereafter. As the dark elf transforms, the toxins are "tested" throughout its body in rapid succession and in short bursts until a combination that does not kill the creature is found. This combination is still likely to cause excruciating pain, but less so than one of the other combinations. In support of this hypothesis, there is some alchemical evidence that the haemolymph of each individual contains a unique combination of toxic substances. This evidence is still thin, but provides a testable hypothesis as more data is gathered. The constant pain from toxin in its own veins may be what drives a drider to madness. Driders feed on the blood and fluids of other creatures. I suspect that some abatement of the pain derived from the toxin occurs after feeding. Reinforcing the almost constant hunting and feeding behaviors observed in these creatures. The initial transformation ritual can be completed in a matter of hours, but the exact timeline of development of toxin, web-spinning, fang-growth, and change in eye-color are unknown. In over three hundred documented transformations, the creature scuttled off to avoid observation for at least several months. Whether driders succumb to old age or if they can lurk in the dark for eternity is not known. Social Observations Most driders are solitary hunters. Most keep no company, save a food source kept until later. At various times in the past, splinter sects of the Spider Goddess's faithful have taken to both worshiping and enslaving driders. Worship of driders often ends in blood and death for either the drider or the dark elves, as madness and hunger subsume any rational thought. Manipulating the behavior of an enslaved drider depends on keeping it well-fed. If unleashed as a weapon of war, there is danger in that a drider that is too well-fed will lose some of its viciousness. 129

Though capable of speech, driders rarely speak. Even in the instances of cultists following a drider, the creature often gives silent commands, pointing and nodding approval or viciously attacking to express disapproval. To call a drider an anti-social creature would not be incorrect though I believe such labels do a disservice to attempts to understand them. Behavioral Observations Drider often lair in dark web-filled holes deep beneath the earth. I have only entered these lairs after the creature was destroyed. Evidence suggests that the drider returns to its lair only to rest and to feed, but it spends most of its time hunting. These monsters have been known to stalk prey for days through dark tunnels, waiting for an opportunity to strike. It is thought that they are very selective in choosing prey. I have been hunted myself before. However, their malign presence always ceases the pursuit when I reach a place of greater light or denser population. Some driders prefer to set sticky web traps instead of stalking prey. I find this behavior curious, and suspect this may correlate to variability in the intelligence of the creatures. The behavior may be something that driders of differing ages engage in-if driders age at all. One might think that older driders set web traps as their capacity for speed and stealth fail them, or that younger driders set web traps as their need to feed is greater. My notes on this are a scattered mess as drider ages are as yet impossible to discern fully. I can say with certainty that there is no geographical pattern to stalking hunters versus trap-setting hunters. No matter the style of hunting, driders of both ilk are known to carry prey to their lairs to save for feeding at another time. My suspicion is that this behavior has more to do with a cunning for maintaining a supply of food when prey is scarce. A colleague of mine insists that the drider is simply cruel and enjoys tormenting its prey. Try as I have to capture a specimen alive for interview, I have failed at every turn. Some driders wield blades and cast spells as they may have in former days as elves. Others fight with fang and web, must like a spider with exceptional cunning. I have had the good fortune to survive encounters with both, and for this, I am indebted to my brave companions, one of whom was not so fortunate. Inter-Species Observations Except for prey, a drider abhors the presence of other sentient species in its lair. It incapacitates its prey, wraps it in webbing, and carries it into its lair to drain of blood at its leisure. Most driders drain prey completely in a single large feeding. Within its lair a drider may tolerate the presence of maggots, oozes, and other non-intelligent creatures that will feed on the corpses and leavings. A drider will not abide another predator in its lair or the immediate territory around it. Generally avoiding confrontations, the drider will often abandon its lair and move to other tunnels. Leaving a cave filled with web and bones. The notable exception to this is the drider's affinity for spiders, a curious behavior pattern to say the least. I have seen drider lairs, both active and abandoned completely filled with spiders. From tiny specimens to spiders the size of large dogs, these beasts are at home with the drider. I, and several other notable ecologists, suspect drider lairs present abundant food and ideal breeding grounds for spiders with ample maggots and flies to eat, webs that catch other small prey, and a lack of larger predators. Superstitious underfolk believe that the spiders follow a drider and congregate around it because the drider is a manifestation of the Spider Goddess. She whispers to the spiders through its milky. An old story among the elves speaks of the first drider. This story is rarely spoken as it challenges other assumptions regarding the origins of the dark elves themselves. The tale speaks of a primitive elf shaman called Cyrelia the Blackflame. Cyrelia was tasked with destroying a demon that had infiltrated Cyrelia's village and begun demanding tribute from her people turning them to madness and death. Cyrelia faced the demon and succeeded in subduing it. In the process, however, she absorbed its essence and was transformed into a terrifying monster with eight legs, venomous fangs, and a desire to feed. She returned to her village and demanded that the people follow her. A handful did, and she led them below ground to a deep place touched by a demonic presence. In this desperate colony, the elves sheltered against the forces of the dark protected by their dark half-spider mistress. Twisted by the dark, over the years, the elves and their children were changed, for Cyrelia's colony was the birthplace of the sinister drow race. DM's Toolkit Driders tend to be isolated, stealthy predators. Encountering a drider in a dark tunnel should be a harrowing experience for PCs. The drider will use darkness and its ability to scale walls to avoid being seen. But it will also use these to aid its escape. A drider works well in a series of twisting, branching, and intersecting passages with sheer drops and openings in the ceilings. The drider can easily move between levels while the PCs have to slow down to climb if they are to pursue or to flee from the monster. Whenever the PCs encounter a drider, it should be in tunnels that the drider knows well, but the PCs have only recently entered. For higher-level drider encounters, the difficulty of navigating the tunnels should increase. I would also add more web hazards. Both sticky webs that hinder movement and tricky webs that hide collapsed tunnels and chasms. The drider will rarely turn to fight when pursued, but it might try to lead the PCs to a place where they must. The drider is aggressive in attacking, but it's not foolish enough to allow itself to be killed when it is outmatched. 130

Dryad "When I was a child I used to go out into the forest behind our farm if I was sad or just frustrated with my parents. I never knew why but I always felt like I had a friend there. Like someone was comforting me." --Aylana Foxheart, Innkeeper at The Ebwyn Introduction Dryads are fey creatures with immensely close connections to nature, and more specifically, with trees. Any geographical location with naturally occurring tree growth is likely to have at least a few dryads that live there. While most experts are still at a loss for an explanation as to how or why dryads came to exist in this world, a popular theory is that the deities of nature created them as companions and caretakers for the forests that had become all but abandoned millennia ago. Others argue that if that were the case dryads wouldn't exist in forests that are densely populated and that it is more likely that these tree spirits are exiles who hid in the forests taking on the form of humanoids they saw being the most protected or treasured by human and elven culture. Physiological Observations A dryad's appearance can vary depending on the environmental factors at play near their ebwyn, or birth tree, but a few features are always the same. dryads are solely female in gender, and they do have a gender, sexually speaking. It is not uncommon for handsome/attractive men to go missing from towns or paths located inside of or along the edges of a dryad inhabited forest. Dryads charm these men (magic not always being involved) into being their mates and protectors. All dryads also exhibit physical features one could best describe as a combination of plants and human or elven women. There is often a fair share of skin visible near the neck and thighs specifically. The rest of the body varies depending on the type of dryad. Most, if not all, dryads also have a substantial amount of lichen on the parts of their bodies that are not bare skin. Another thing all dryads have in common physically is that their appearance changes along with the seasons. During the summer their hair, leaves and bark are lively and vibrant. In the fall and winter these features turn darker, fall off or shrivel up. When spring comes around their bodies begin regenerating. Their hair grows, their bark (if they have it) strengthens their leaves or flowers bloom. Every known species of dryad originated from, and is bound to through its life force, an ebwyn or birth tree. It is not currently known what attributes are necessary in a tree to allow for the creation of a dryad, or if the dryads are truly created within the tree in the first place. Some theorize that dryads are the spirits of trees incarnate. What is known for sure is that the death or destruction of a dryad's ebwyn is always closely followed (within 48 hours) by the death of the dryad and vice versa. Because of this, it has been observed that a dryad will become uncharacteristically enraged when its ebwyn is endangered. The majority of intelligent races/cultures that would care to study fey in their homes have discovered that dryads do not eat or drink. Instead, they return at least once per day to absorb energy and nutrients through the roots of their ebwyn. It is widely believed that this plays factor in dryad appearances being influenced by their surroundings. Some examples of this influence would be the dryads in the arctic climates of the north being heavily covered in a light gray moss that many of the trees in that climate grow. Social/Behavioral Observations Dryads can be categorized as one of two particular archetypes. The first, endearingly shy and high spirited. These dryads are giggly and playful, being easily entertained by displays of skill or culture that they are not normally exposed to. The second being stoic, watchful and almost paranoid. It has been hypothesized that the less familiar a dryad is with the world outside its habitat, the more it tends to be the shy and playful type. Those who have seen the chaotic and cruel way the world can be tend to be more careful. Through various rituals or other powerful magics it is possible for a dryad to live for extended periods of time away from its ebwyn. However, this is extremely rare as all dryads strongly prefer the comfort of their homes over traveling and experiencing other environments. When dryads have been encountered away from their homes the stories told afterwards are almost always unique. Depending on the species of dryad, these are either tales of merriment or tales of woe, but always interesting nevertheless. While in their homes, however, many dryad species are known to welcome company. Their voices are melodic and soft. Many a traveler has lost track of time while sharing an evening with a dryad, ending up back on their original course days or weeks later. It is not uncommon to find small groups of dryads living together in somewhat of a commune. While each is tied individually to their own ebwyn, they enjoy the company of their own kind and feel at home near one another's ebwyn. However, if a hierarchy or social order of any sort exists among dryads, it is yet to be discovered. Most dryads are naturally benign and, while they will certainly make efforts to ward off danger from their homes, tend to avoid conflicts unless something would endanger their natural habitats. Intra-Species Observations Dryads of the first social archetype we discussed tend to get along with just about any race that isn't inherently evil as long as they do not endanger the dryad's habitat or openly despise nature in general. They enjoy storytellers and actors especially as they do not often leave their homes. They also, for some unknown reason, have a soft spot for gnomes and have been known to break into giggle fits at the sight of one. 131

Dryads of the second social archetype get along with their own kind well enough. They also tolerate other fey who would also put forth efforts to protect nature. Beyond that, it is unlikely that these dryads will even show themselves in the presence of other races unless it is to protect their home. Rare exceptions have been made for the occasional wandering druid who passes through seeking guidance or refuge and seems genuinely respectful. Variant Species Let's talk about a few of the different known species of dryad. There are several and each is specific to an environmental setting. While all dryads may have been the same at the time of their arrival on this plane, years of dwelling in various climates seems to have forced evolution upon them. Azwai The Azwai are the dryads typically found in arid areas of the world. They are the only species known to have cacti as their ebwyn. As such, their physical appearance has been known to frighten at first sight. Their heads, shoulders, stomachs and thighs are soft skin like that of a human or elf. It ranges in color from a lime green to a tan gold depending on whether their ebwyn is lively and surrounded by other desert foliage, or stands alone amidst a sea of sand and cracked earth. Azwai that are linked to a cactus also tend to have small spines protruding from their elven/humanesque skin. They are the only type of dryad that is frequently bald. Their arms and legs (from the knee down) slowly form into soft vertical ridges. Yelmyb The Yelmyb are the most common and well known species of dryad. These beings live in lush green forests. Their ebwyn are most commonly oak and ash trees. Their physical appearance is often described as quite pleasing or soothing. They are the most humanoid of all dryads. In fact, from a distance, it can be hard to tell that Yelmyb are dryads at all rather than some poor lost soul who can't seem to find her clothes. From head to toe Yelmyb appear to be human or elven women with long, straight hair and very soft features. Their skin resembles the texture and physical appearance of the wood underneath a tree's bark and is typically a light shade of brown while their hair is a mossy or leaf green. Freymir Freymir, like their favored pine, spruce and fir trees, are the most common dryads in boreal and frozen areas of the world. Unlike other dryads the Freymir communicate entirely through telepathy. As far as anyone has been able to tell, they do not have mouths. Instead, a thick white bark grows along their jawline and grows as high as just below their noses. This bark glows faintly when they speak. Unlike their brethren, the Freymir have almost no exposed humanoid skin. Where others would have bare skin, the Freymir have a particularly thick type of lichen. Initial studies have indicated that this particular type of lichen, when observed and studied independently, is capable of vegetative reproduction. In theory, this would mean that the Freymir also have this capability. DM's Toolkit 1.While the PCs are passing through a logging village, they notice that the village is mostly women. While resting in the tavern for the night they are approached by some of the women in the village whose husbands have recently gone missing. They ask the PCs to investigate. The PCs search the nearby woods where the husbands would have been working and find them worshipping a beautiful Yelmyb who is reveling in their adoration. 2.The party has settled down for the night in a cave with a fire to escape the cold of the alpine mountains they've been traversing all day. Just outside stand hundreds of pine trees that the PCs swear they hear faint giggling from while they eat their suppers and lay out their bed rolls. As each watch begins, the PC on watch makes a wisdom saving throw to see if it is charmed by the Freymir who is watching over the camp. If they fail their save, they do not waken their comrades and instead wander out into the night to play with their new friend(s). 3.A wizard has fallen in love with a beautiful spirit of the forest and has decided that she must join him in his home. He is researching ways to separate her from her ebwyn when the PCs find him. The party helps him at first but comes to find that what he is planning to do will likely endanger the forest itself and all of its denizens. However, when they approach the wizard with these concerns he has become crazed, obsessed with the idea of freeing his beloved. 4.The party has been traveling for days across the treacherous desert and are dangerously low on supplies. As the sun begins to set they see a figure in the distance. It is bald and strangely feminine. Its head seems to tilt slightly as if it is eyeing them curiously before it vanishes. Nearby a bed of cacti begins to glow a pale green and they hear a soft chuckle. They try to ignore it and move on, worried that it may be a fight they cannot afford at the moment. As they stop for the night and attempt to take one last drink from their waterskins, they are amazed to find them full of a sweet, cool liquid that was not previously there. 132

Duergar "No being ever loved gold more than the Great Dragon. However, the Duergar were second, and not for lack of trying." --from "Demons and Dwarves, the Hidden History of the Duergar" by Flavia Septimus -From the Writings of Flavia Septimus, official historian of the Antarin Empress, Aguinala von Slaydo, peace be upon her.- Introduction Duergar are a long removed sub-race of Dwarf, possessing dark complexions, grey eyes, and black hearts. They were long ago expelled from Dwarfkind for their insatiable greed and disregard for the concepts of brotherhood, honor and mercy. Banished from the lands of Dwarf, the Duergar were forced into the harsh extremes of the wilderness, to fight for survival as the Dwarves of old did. Sadly, Duergar proved as resilient as their former kin, and the Duergar were left to eke out an existence in the blistering deserts, freezing wastes, or the deepest caves and caverns. There they forged a new culture, and new bonds of hatred for their old kin. Physiological Observations Duergar have adapted to the savage places where they live. They are a solely nocturnal race, sheltering in caves or fortresses when the hated sun looms overhead. The sunlight causes their sensitive hides to blister and their eyes to seal partially shut. But at night their dark hides enable them to vanish and reappear with impressive dexterity. Their eyes are silver or gold, with a rare few having pupils that resemble rubies or topaz. Their eyes pierce even the darkest of shadows, and their hearing is so good that they can hear a heartbeat behind an inch of wood. Duergar possess huge, bulging jaws which are full of closely packed, pointed teeth. They use this to eat things other races wouldn't even consider food, such as roots, raw meat, bark, and supposedly, slaves that are too weak or injured to work. As stated earlier, Duergar are a sub-race of Dwarf which refused to obey the Gods we all hold most dear, preferring the worship of hideous creatures that slither beyond the stars and the vile, mad gods of the Underdark. For this, they were expelled from their place and forever scorned. Due to the limited number of partners, many Duergar exhibit unique hair, eyes, and diseases due to inbreeding. Some scholars have stated that these conditions are actually due to the Duergar's obsession with drawing power from blasphemous pantheons. Sages are prone to such idle speculation, and no firm evidence of this was ever found. For instance, some Sages also say that Duergar's incredible stealth abilities are because they can turn invisible! Other wild speculation on the behalf of these so called Sages point to tales of Duergar breathing fire, scaling walls like spiders, turning into or controlling wolves, and even manipulating other Dwarves into joining them, before using magic to transform other Dwarves into Duergar as fact. The shrewd Dwarf will disregard such tales as what they are, mere common superstition. Social and Behavioral Observations Most Duergar live in small, highly mobile social units. These units are called Warbands. These Warbands vary in size, from several thousand to only a few hundreds. Each Warband is a self contained society, containing everything it needs to be self sufficient and mobile. Duergar must constantly remain on the move, as other Dwarves and other Duergar will attack them, trying to steal their supplies or kill them. Other good-aligned races tend to be hostile to them as well, since Duergar have a habit of kidnapping their countrymen as slaves or plundering their home's wealth. Since Duergar are almost always constantly on the move, they find themselves constantly short of supplies, from food to steel. As such, they raid the surrounding area or attempt to seize the means to produce whatever they need. However, unlike other raiders, Duergar collect treasure not just for bragging rights. Duergar will usually attempt to purchase what they need, so they can keep their enemies far away from their areas of resupply. However, such dealings must be kept secret, for any government that helps Duergar and there is a Dwarven state nearby will be threatened with war if they do not help to apprehend the Duergar. Certain races are always willing to deal with Duergar, such as Goblins, Kobolds, Giants, Drow and Devils. However, usually for the convenience of both sides, such dealings are kept secret. When other options have been exhausted, Duergar will attempt to seize areas of great wealth. They favor forests for lumber, cities for slaves, mines for ore, and bridges and straits for tolls. This is a Warband at its most dangerous. A mobile Warband will flee if they are badly outmatched. But a Warband that has seized a vital resource will dig in and fight until they are pushed out. In cases like these, the Warband must be expelled quickly, for they will invariably attract other Duergar bands. And while Duergar view each other as rivals, they have no shortage of common enemies. These Warbands may form a temporary alliance, or they may coexist for years. If this occurs, they leaders of the Warbands may agree to surrender their authority to a single competent commander. As an example, allow me to site the Cirrenholm mining town. A Duergar Warband of 2,000 strong called the Daughters of Augustus seized the town, enslaving all of its inhabitants. The Dwarven members of the populace were butchered, and the humans put to work. But when the local Human Count dallied in going to drive them off, he found himself besieged by another enemy Warband, the Company of the Bleeding Eye. When dealing with races willing to sell them goods, the Duergar are known for their cheerless, gloomy demeanor. They are also known for their impeccable honor and martial pride. Duergar hold debts of honor firmly in their minds, and if a group has helped them in the past, they will rush to that group's aid. Duergar do not trust most races. Certain ones they hold in open contempt, such as Dwarves. Any group not known for its honesty will be kept at arm's length and not trusted. Usually, a Duergar will keep their word, but they expect you to break yours. 133

In Combat: A mobile Warband will attempt to lure attackers away while sending back word. These forward scouts will try to defuse a violent situation, usually by bargaining or bribing the other party. If a Warband is attacking or defending a valuable location or useful plunder, half of them will enlarge, the other half will turn invisible. Duergar always try to use the battlefield to their advantage, and fight only at times and places of their choosing. Intra-species Observations A Duergar warband may look very united, but in actuality it is only the threat of a multitude of enemies that keeps them together. The leaders of each Warband scheme against each other. Warbands have a very fluid command structure, as certain warriors can rise or fall rapidly after a particular success or failure. Duergar are a hard people, with no trace of mercy in their hearts. They are not cruel, but they are not stupid. Duergar too old or too feeble to fight are abandoned and left to die, or killed. It is the responsibility of all members of a band old enough to receive martial training to fight in its defense. And while the warriors are honor bound to always defend their band, in the worst case scenario all but the youngest children and the pregnant females will gather their arms to make war on the Warband's foes. DM's toolkit. Duergar are criminally underused. They are Dwarven Drow, and yet the latter is incredibly common while the former is not. And despite this, they are quite similar. They both have grey skin, weird magic power, and dwell in caves. So change that. Let the Duergar take their rightful place as one of the most common monsters, as they are rife with possibilities. Duergar possess great flexibility, as they will rarely attack on sight. however, Duergar loathe Dwarves, and are much more likely to try to attack if an adventuring party includes a Dwarf. This can make for some tense decision making, as everyone has a knife, but no one wants to attack first. Here are a few ideas to stir up your think pans. Alternate Versions: Forest Duergar are taller and leaner then their cousins, and have a struck bargains with the inscrutable gods of the virgin wilderness. These Duergar are often accompanied by Quaggoths or Mantaragons, and occasionally the spirits of territorial fey. These Duergar cannot grow in size, but can often control or transform into animals. These Duergar are the most reclusive, preferring to never leave their claimed territory unless absolutely necessary. Desert Duergar have paler hides and often have growths on their shoulders and foreheads. Desert Duergar are camouflaged to blend in with the sand stone of their preferred hiding places. Some are known to breathe fire or be able to transform into swirling clouds of sand. These Deserts are terrible marauders, attacking in a whirlwind of fire and steel. Frost Duergar possess topaz eyes and snow white hair in much larger quantities, due to the inbreeding that takes place in such small communities. Frost Duergar are the most willing to set aside debts of honor or gold in the pursuit of survival. They are said to possess near invulnerability to cold, and a kinship with the savage predators of the blasted wastes, but also with undead. Frost Duergar often have retinues of corpses to serve them, and intelligent undead that normally despise them find them tolerable, if just barely. Plot Hooks: A cult of Toroq, Lord of Torture, has arisen in a human city. The cult has seized the city, and the local Lords are readying an army to go liberate it. However, unknown to everyone, a Duergar Warband who follows the same Black Lord is coming to reinforce the cult. A Human military commander in charge of a frontier fort is secretly selling his extra supplies to a Duergar Warband. The Duergar are using these extra supplies to raid the nearby Dwarven state. The Human King dispatches the party to go investigate and prevent a conflict with their neighbors. A Duergar who has been abandoned by his band waits by the side of the road. He possesses a maimed leg, a blind eye, a grievous wound and a small magic sword. However, halfway through the conversation, a patrol of Duergar arrive, realizing that they left the dying Duergar with a valuable heirloom that they feel belongs to them. 134

Elemental "Elementals are a conjurer's best friend, boy. Imagine summoning a creature of pure fire out of a gate. Imagine summoning waves of water that swirl and vortex to fight for you. A moving hill at your command. The very wind itself battling for you. The elements at your command. Though, I suppose it's a little too early for you to even dream about summoning them. " -- Tigrim, Founder of the Dwarven School of Magics. Introduction Elementals are constructs of raw elemental power. They are found, primarily, in four different forms: Air, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each has a specific shape and can perform specific duties. However, in essence, they are the same. In their own planes, Elementals are simply living energy. They don't have form in their homes or any desire. It is only through the conjuration that Elementals gain form. Physiological Observations Elementals in their own worlds do not have any physiology. They are simply bodiless constructs of living energy. However, when a spellcaster summons the Elementals to their home world, the Elementals gain a form. Depending on the power of the magic and the trade enacted for the magic, the Elemental can differ in size. The smallest are approximately 16 ft. tall while the largest are closer to 40 ft. tall. Elementals can be bound to certain forms as well. For example, Invisible Stalkers are simply Air Elementals that were bound. The same thing applies for Water Weirds as well. Some elementals can be bound to strong materials such as stone or iron to create golems; however the magic needed to do so is much higher. Air Elementals generally resemble moving clouds and prefer to fly low to the ground picking up dirt and debris. However, when angered they can quickly become cyclones that batter the foe while throwing them. Earth Elementals resemble moving hills. They are immensely strong and capable of withstanding blows easily. Earth Elementals can move through the Earth as if they were a liquid, flowing from place to place easily. Creatures that are earthbound should be wary because the close ties to the element allow this monster to precisely pinpoint any quarry that touches the ground. Fire Elementals are furious burning humanoid creatures which only exist for one purpose: carnage and chaos. They burn everything in their path and leave nothing behind. However, like any other fire, they are weak to water and water causes them to retreat hissing and smoking in pain. Water Elementals appear as waves that move rising and falling. Just as easily, the water can become a swirling devastating vortex that batters. They prefer to surround and drown the opponent filling their lungs and mouth and nose. Because of their nature as living energy, Elementals require neither rest nor sleep. They are not affected by exhaustion, grappling, paralysis, petrification, or loss of consciousness. They cannot be restrained. They cannot be injured by nonmagical weapons. This makes them incredibly challenging enemies. Summoning Process Summoning an Elemental is a two part process. The first part involves the use of a Gate Spell. The most common ones are the Timed Gate and the Soul Gate. The Timed Gate allows for smaller Elementals to be drawn while a Soul Gate is usually best for larger Elementals. The soul used acts as part of the trade for summoning the larger monster. In addition to the gate, a material component of the element is required. For Water Elementals this component is at least a small pool of water approximately 15 gallons in size at minimum. Fire Elementals require a bonfire at least 10 feet high. Earth Elementals require at least 100 pounds of dirt or mud. Air Elementals, are the easiest as they simply require air, although for larger ones, steam is preferable. Finally, the verbal component is: M...rg ár s'ðan, fj...gur þjóðir bjuggu ' sátt. En, breyttist allt þegar eldur þjóð ráðist. This process should obviously NOT be attempted in areas where fey or wild magic is predominant. Behavioral and Social Observations Elementals resent being bound to the material plane or any plane other than their own. They do not enjoy enslavement and are constantly looking to escape this enslavement. They attempt to sabotage the master in every way. Because of this, every instruction given to an Elemental must be very specific so that they do not turn against you. They follow orders very willingly, and are not emotional. Their goal is to fulfill the required task in order to return to their own plane. Interspecies Observations Elementals do not particularly have any interactions. The only notable interaction is that Fire Elementals do not like Water Elementals and Water Elementals enjoy killing Fire Elementals. Elementals will not work together unless ordered. Even if ordered, Fire and Water Elementals will never work together. 135

DM's Toolkit Honestly, I think this is one of the monsters you throw at a party to make them a little scared and I think they work best against a party in which only one or two people have any magic and are low level. This is because it serves as a great tool for forcing players to look at alternatives besides fighting and makes the party realize how powerful their enemies can be. Another use, that I've recently really enjoyed, is having elementals trapped in chests (imagine a 16 ft. creature being smushed inside a 3 ft box) and having it explode out, furiously, when the chest is opened. A great trap for unsuspecting parties. Of course, they also make great guards for treasure as well, which is the classic. A powerful construct of living energy that's made of one of the 4 elements. Always a scary enemy. My favorite one is definitely the Earth one for encounters. The ability to move as liquid to any given area and suddenly attack makes players have to consider new strategy and tactics especially when surprise attacks cannot work if the players are touching the ground. 136

Elves: Drow "Station is the paradox of the world of my people, the limitation of our power within the hunger for power. It is gained through treachery and invites treachery against those who gain it. Those most powerful in Menzoberranzan spend their days watching over their shoulders, defending against the daggers that would find their backs. Their deaths usually come from the front." --Drizzt Do'Urden Introduction Centuries ago, there existed only one faction of elves. However, a rift developed in the elves due to a difference in moral principles between two factions. One faction, who today are the elves we know of, believed that the highest moral value should justice and fairness. The other faction, however, believed that might was the key factor in society. As these differences developed, the two factions began to form tension and eventually this tension led to war. The war was brutal and raged for nearly two decades but the elves were able to diminish the Drow forces, which were then forced to retreat into the Under-dark, the cavernous world under the surface. The Drow, initially forced to the Under-dark, began planning for vengeance. But, over time, they grew to love their new home. They adapted to it and began to view themselves as the rightful rulers of the Under-dark. They also became faithful followers of the chaotic goddess, Lolth (Lloth in the Drow language). The Drow are famed for their cruelty, their martial prowess, and most for the chaotic and manipulative society they live in. Physiological observations The drow are very similar in stature to the elves. They stand just a little shorter than most humans. Their skin is dark, often completely black, is believed by elves to have developed among the drow as a result of a curse cast on them by Corellon as punishment for their lack of justice and their obedience to the evil Lolth. The white hair of the drow developed due to a lack of melanin, an adaption to the dark work they live in. Both sexes in the drow species are fairly athletic which lends to their martial prowess, making them agile warriors. In addition to their white hair, life in the darkness of the lower world forced another adaption among the drow, their eyes. Their eyes over time turned red and are now able to see in the darkest of places. This ability developed fairly quickly as a result of Lolth's blessings to her favorite people. Besides the adaption to light, the eyes of the drow developed another strange trait. If one were to examine a drow's heat signature, they would notice that the eyes of the drow glow incredibly bright, appearing above the normal heat signature of the torso as almost miniature fires. Though there is no proper explanation, many scholars attribute this to the drive the drow have for revenge against the surface dwelling people. The drow also have a natural resistance to magics, a trait that developed as a result of a blessing granted by Lolth. However, their time in the Under-dark means that they have developed a sensitivity to light making them detest the dark sun. Social Observations Drow are introverted creatures. They do not particularly enjoy the company of other species. This behavior is largely driven by the attitude the drow have that they are superior to every other creature in the Under-dark and that they are ordained by Lolth to rule this new home. Thus, the largest interactions of the drow with other creatures tend to be subjugating them. They often lead raids against these creatures intent on enslaving them. Often, the subterranean dwarves and gnomes keep some kind of spies among the drow to prepare for such raids. They drow avoid, mostly, any relationship with the mind flayers, recognizing their prowess. They do not choose fights against these abominations without much prior preparation. Behavioral Observations Drow are a cruel, sadistic race. They are expected to conduct themselves confidently and are expected to torture those who disobey any rules. However, this trait does not require any reinforcement since the drow love being in positions of power and the screams of those who are weaker than them. The drow love being able to boast themselves especially when they can boast as to the favor they have curried from Lolth. Intra-species Observations The drow have a very complex intra-species structure. On the surface, all drow are expected to work together. However, their entire culture is built on a hierarchy and the only way to advance in position tends to be through deceit and backstabbing. The primary relationship that drives the drow structure is their inter-gender relationship. In the drow society, women hold the most power. They are much more physically fit than their male counterparts. They also hold positions of power among individual families and tend to have better positions of power. They are trained to be clerics to Lolth, which is considered the best position any drow can obtain. The men tend to be placed into lower positions acting as wizards or simple fighters. The next system that holds the drow culture is their familial structure. The largest families hold the most strength. They tend to be the ones with the most soldiers and the most slaves. The top 8 families in the drow culture form a council at the peak of the drow society. These families make all of the major decisions for the Drow and act to convey the will of Lolth. They are also said to have the most favor from the dark goddess. There are ways for the families to advance. The most common way for these families to advance is for one of the higher ranking families to disappear. Many times, this disappearance is a result of a secretive attack from one family against another. As long as there is no proof, the family that advanced cannot be held responsible. 137

DM's Toolkit Personally, I find that Drow make wonderful villains in a campaign. They're dark, evil, sadistic, and best of all cunning. They've got great magical potential and good physical prowess which means that players would be in for a fight. They also have no qualms against stabbing someone in the back. They also make great decoys from a real villain since players are less likely to trust a drow, especially if they've been stabbed in the back before. 138

Empyrean "We'd heard loud sobbing coming from the Dresden Fields to the west. Something so loud that it was heard even in the capitol of Rendiza, almost 4 days away. The Abbot of the local Church asked us to investigate the strange noises. So, the 7 of us jumped on our horses. We were sure we could handle whatever it was. We were young and heroic then. Imagine our surprise when we got to Dresden Fields, the most gorgeous meadow on this continent only to find every flower shriveled. The whole place was gray. Not a color left. And in the center of the Blight sat a wailing Empyrean. Mind you, it didn't stay sad long. As if by magic, or maybe the divine erratic blood seeping through its veins, it exploded at us in a burst of uncontrolled rage. Lucky for us Zatara was there. Took the whole impact and shielded us. But, we were knocked out cold. When we came to, the Titan was gone." -- Memoirs of Tigrim, Dean of the Dwizard College Introduction Empyreans, or celestial Titans (Titan caelestis), are some of the most beautiful creatures that mortals could possibly see. These creatures are the divine offspring of the Gods residing in the Upper Planes and retain much of the celestial prowess of their parents. They are gorgeous, intelligent, self assured, and resilient. Empyreans' godly blood often impacts the material planes or any planes that they choose to live on profoundly. Because the Empyreans are children of the gods that reside on the Upper Planes, they tend to be more good than evil. By our survey, around 3/4ths of the Titan caelestis are good in nature though the race is chaotic, with one or two exceptions. These good Titans reside primarily in the Olympian Glades of Arborea in the Upper Planes. The evil ones become evil due to a curse placed upon them or as a result of their ventures into the lower planes and becoming corrupted. These cannot survive long in the Upper Planes, lest they be killed. Instead, they run to the mortal planes, usually becoming tyrant rulers of mortal kingdoms. Many of the abnormalities of the world are results of the powerful emotion of this species. This concept is further described in the "Social Observations" section. Physiological Observations Titans resemble the word in every sense and it would appear that the word in the language of common is derived from these creatures. The average height of this species is approximately 25 feet. They weigh, on average, 14,000 pounds. The species is incredibly statuesque and many master sculptors often sculpt marble carvings of titans, honoring the children of the gods. Their stone like skin only serves to further the nature of their statuesque appearance. Largely, the Empyreans have no age. They are immortal beings and do not change. They never age, though it is possible to kill them. Immortal is quite different than invincible. However, because they never age and cannot die peacefully, few Empyreans are willing to stop in battle, often fighting even when they are almost near death. Additionally, Empyreans have naturally hardened skin that is fairly resistant to most weapons. Additionally, they've been born with a resistance to magic as well as an innate ability for spellcasting from their divine ancestors. All of their weapons are magical, a gift from their parents. This inborn ability and centuries of experience makes them almost impossible to combat. Social Observations Empyreans are incredibly well versed at interactions with other groups of people especially due to their large intelligence and charisma which almost matches their strength. Empyreans' magical blood often flows into their interactions with society. When Empyreans are happy, their mood flows into the society. Around them, in this mood, many wild animals and birds crawl around and run around the Empyrean happily and the moods of people improve drastically. Many times, furious Empyreans that venture near dormant or even extinct volcanoes cause sudden unexpected eruptions slaughtering many. Other times, the radiating joy of an Empyrean can suddenly cause leaves to grow, flowers to bloom, and plants to bear fruit during the harshest of winters. In many villages, folklore attributes natural disasters to the unhappiness of Empyreans and in some villages; ritual celebrations take place to ensure that the Empyreans remain pleased so that their wrath or sadness doesn't bring misfortune. Some people even believe that the positive feelings of an Empyrean can heal the gravest of wounds and illness, anything short of death. The few Empyreans that are evil often use this to their advantage to gain control/dominion over kingdoms of mortals. These evil Empyreans quickly become indomitable tyrants over mortals thanks to their large charisma. The good Empyreans tend to have largely beneficial effects and are largely helpful to those that are good. However, they spend much time away from the world of mortals, preferring to reside on the Upper Planes with their parents. Good Empyreans that fall in battle are often recreated by their godly parents. Evil ones that have displeased their parents will usually never be revived, which is one of the risks of becoming evil. Empyreans remain detached from the mortal realms. However, sometimes, Kings or other similar leaders send messengers to ask advice of the Empyreans due to their large life spans. The evil Empyreans tend to be against the general ideals represented by the rest of their race. They only talk to mortals to dominate them or to manipulate them in some way. 139

Behavioral Observations Most Empyreans enjoy goodness. They enjoy helping people and making things better. However, they prefer freedom, due to the chaotic nature of their blood. Because of this chaotic blood, they do not spend much time amongst mortals who often constrain themselves with laws. Instead they prefer to worry about their own happiness and despite their best intensions occasionally hurt others attempting to do what they feel are right. Empyreans enjoy serenity in all things. They love spending their time in the glade fields of the Upper Planes. The Evil Empyreans are similar. They enjoy power and control and view themselves as vastly above mortals. Because they cannot live in the Upper Planes without the gods destroying them, they descend below the Upper Planes and choose to take over the material planes. Here they conquer and become tyrants that rule almost for millennia till some band of heroes replaces them. Intra-species observations Empyreans enjoy the company of other Empyreans holding feasts in their homes. However, they dislike evil and prefer a more chaotic environment. The few evil empyreans that attempt to remain in the Upper Planes are quickly killed. DM's Toolkit Empyreans can make for incredible high level enemies and friends alike. Specifically, they serve the role of BBEGs for campaigns that can involve freeing entire nations from the grasp of a tyrant. Something this heroic that would place your PCs in a textbook! Other times, the Empyrean could be used as the end of a long expedition searching for celestial advice for dealing with a BBEG or an ally against an enemy that your PCs may not be able to handle. Don't tell your PCs that Empyreans can be revived and have one as their ally die. Revive him later for an awesome uplifting moment. (Keeping in mind you have to build a bond between the PCs and the Empyrean). Because of the belief that Empyreans can heal with happiness, maybe the PCs are tasked with taking a sick person and gifts to the Empyrean. Outside of story, Empyreans are strong enemies that have high AC and incredible resistance. Their strength makes them a threat to party members that are weak to direct attacks and their innate spellcasting skills makes them a threat to the party members weak against magic. They are a great well rounded threat. Toss in a few underlings and the fights become incredibly difficult to win. The best part is they can be used in both normal campaigns as well as in evil campaigns. 140

Erinyes Three beautiful winged figures land on the steps of a resplendent structure of gold, silver, and marble. It is an Areiopagos, a place of celestial justice. The trio storm up the stairs and barge through the gigantic double doors startling a group of celestials chatting inside. Continuing inward the three figures ignore the bystanders as they approach the center of the building. There, sitting high on opulent thrones flanked by marble columns are nine magnificent archons. Arbiters, judges, philosophers, beings that seek to uphold law in its magnificence. With a quick bow the leader of the trio speaks with the strength of a thousand guardsmen. "Forgive me for our intrusion. There is another human actively evading those hunting him down for his crimes. I request permission to stop him." One of the archons with a head of a regal hawk looks down upon the three with stern eyes. Its voice, as firm as stone, carries the beauty of a harp. "His retribution will come. Mortals are short lived and their sins swiftly catch them." "But what if he finds a way out? What if he makes a deal? He has committed horrible acts and needs to pay!" Her passionate intonation rapidly grows louder as she speaks. The archon responds, his tone measured. "You believe he deserves justice?" "I believe he deserves punishment!" She shouts, words echoing off the silent columns. "I wish to..." The hawk headed archon silences her with a hand and leans back in its throne. "And that is why you will not receive authorization to leave. Punishment is not an end but a means to enact justice; and justice" The archon pauses, glaring at her like a disapproving father "is clearly not your aim. Speak not of this again." The leader of the three throws her hands up in disgust and gestures to her siblings to leave. As they storm back out the door and take flight, the three fume with frustration, with anger never experienced before. The siblings look at each other, knowing that each shares the same conviction. One by one they dive through the magnificent skies of Arcadia and plunge into the material plane where their quarry hides. The three swiftly catch the man cowering under a tree, hiding from his pursuers. Like the sword of the great warrior Damocles, the angels descend upon him. First, the eldest strikes, delivering a wicked blow that brings the man to his knees. The middle strikes next, knocking him to the ground. Finally, the youngest attacks, hammering the man's face into the earth. Standing over this beaten man bleeding in the dirt, the trio of angels look at each other. Their rage had not been abated; in fact it seemed to have grown. Below that feeling was something else, something primal and powerful. Joy, sadistic pleasure derived from their gleeful torture, giving him what they believed he deserved. As the night progressed, the angels grew ever more brutal with their attacks. They built off one another's progressively more brutal assaults. The first fashioned a rope from her hair, using it to lash and restrain their target. The second employed healing magic to allow for ever more brutal assaults. The third turned their weapons into the cruelest implements of torture. When the sun finally dared to peek above the horizon, the eviscerated corpse of the man lay dead on the earth. The three angles looked at each other, exhilarated, their pearlescent wings stained crimson by blood. There was no remorse in their eyes, no hint of guilt, but no satisfaction either. The hatred, a feeling nigh alien to them for centuries, still lurked in their hearts, muted but unremitting. One by one they took wing, returning home only to speak of this night in hushed whispers. But, as they ascended, gravity pulled back. Despite their efforts they were pulled earthward, slowly at first, but soon they were in free fall. Bracing for a crash the three hurdled through the ground, continuing ever downward. When they opened their eyes the three found themselves in a realm of fire and brimstone. Horrific screams could be heard in the distance and untold monstrosities lurked in the shadows. They knew they should be afraid, they should clutch their weapons and steel themselves for battle, but something deep within told them this was no longer hostile territory. With eyes that now burned with hellfire they examined each other and their new home. It was in that moment that they understood who they truly were. The feeling inside of them, the feeling that drove them wasn't mere anger or hatred. It was fury. -From *The Legend of the Erinyes" Littering the skies of Baator, Erinyes, also known as furies, are a common sight to any planar traveler. All are descended from three angels who fell from Arcadia eons ago and all still bear their likeness to this day. Erinyes are said to be beings of vengeance, but in the eons since the species was first born they have grown into much more. Physiological Observations While almost all devils are twisted, horrific monstrosities, Erinyes appear to be beautiful men and women. They tend to be of an average height of 6ft with well-toned bodies. Almost angelic in a sense, the dark coloration of their wings and their fierce red eyes belie their true nature. The youngest Erinyes have wings of blood red that gradually darken to black as they age. Once an Erinyes ages beyond a certain point, their wings begin to gradually shed feathers until only bone remains. These Erinyes are by far the oldest, most dangerous, and most sadistic of their kind. Erinyes tend to be outfitted in a manner that gives them a more intimidating visage. Spiky plate mail and helmets adorned with horns are incredibly common along with their flashy weapons. Erinyes typically use wicked serrated blades and longbows with barbed arrows. Often, Erinyes carry ropes woven from their own hair that are able to act autonomously in a manner not dissimilar to a serpent. Erinyes have developed numerous ways to utilize these ropes in combat. Most devils come into existence from the forsaken souls of the dammed. Erinyes however, are born in a manner most mortals would consider natural. An Erinyes' parent can be another Erinyes or one of the greater devils who tend to be fond of them. In a world full of bleak scenes and revolting creatures, an Erinyes' beauty provides welcome respite. There is much philosophical debate over whether or not Erinyes are born innately evil. There is a common belief among many extraplanar scholars that Erinyes are born walking the line of good and evil. Their immediate parentage points them towards ill but their ancestry towards righteousness. Regardless of whether or not this is the case, any semblance of benevolence is swiftly and mercilessly beaten out of young Erinyes by their parents. 141

Erinyes mature at about the same rate as humans, but their childhood is one of suffering and rigid order. When their parents and devilish society at large aren't literally beating their worldview into them, young Erinyes spend their time learning and training. By the age of 10 years (as measured on the material plane) Erinyes are formidable warriors and possess a working knowledge of magic and the planes. It is at this point that these young Erinyes enter the forces of Baator proper to begin their eternity of service. There have been attempts by various good natured individuals to rescue Erinyes before they reach this point hoping to usher them to good. Unfortunately, these good intentioned missions are almost always deadly failures. Behavioral Observations There are many different types of Erinyes with a diverse spectrum of personalities and worldviews. That said there is one key principle that unites these vile creatures: the desire to punish wrongdoers. To some, it is a passing fancy, something not to be pursued with zeal but enjoyed as it comes. To others it is an obsession chased at every opportunity. While this may sound borderline virtuous, even a cursory examination of their methods and motivations reveals them to be as malicious as any denizen of the Nine Hells. True good comes from justice and penance, not punishment. Those of a pure heart do not seek to make wrongdoers suffer but rather to restore a karmic balance and (hopefully) to reform the wrongdoer into someone worthy of redemption. Punishment is often the means with which this end is reached. To an Erinyes however, punishment is the end. The thrill of vengeance, the joy of making others suffer is drives them. The twisted sense of justice is but a thin justification for their wicked hearts. These seemingly conflicting ideals are a carryover from their angelic heritage twisted by the cruelty of Baator. A criminal who repents for his sins and has a true change of heart will receive no mercy from an Erinyes. Erinyes are also bound to a deep sense of honor reinforced by both the strict hierarchy of hell and their ancestry. They make soldiers that are brutally efficient and, most importantly, loyal to the end. It is exceedingly rare for an Erinyes to engage in an act of deception, they prefer to act frankly and decisively. This is one of the man distinguishers from succubi. Societal Observations Erinyes exist in a strange place within the fiendish caste system. While most devils are born at the very bottom and constantly attempt to claw their way up the ranks, Erinyes are born about halfway up the ladder but have almost no hope of promotion. This strange placement coupled with their sense of honor makes them favored agents of greater devils, as Erinyes are powerful enough to be quite useful but are not a threat to one's status. Thus, many Erinyes are privy to information or powers that their masters would usually keep to themselves. Some leverage this to gain more influence within the infernal hierarchy or preferred appointments. The one chance an Erinyes has for promotion is to become a pleasure devil. These greater devils occupy some of the highest levels of Baator and almost exclusively spend their time corrupting virtuous mortals. Only Erinyes that operate on the material plane (known as Alecto) are eligible to be promoted. Many actively resist promotion as it precludes them from engaging in the activities they revel in such as combat, command, and torture. These Erinyes get much more satisfaction out of their current lot than they would from promotion. However, those that truly excel at condemning the souls of mortals, strive for a chance to become something greater. Erinyes Specialties Erinyes can be roughly divided into three main disciplines within the Nine Hells. The first are the Alecto who work on the mortal plane. These individuals engage in many activities, almost all of which involve collecting souls for their masters. They have been known to hunt down wrongdoers on the path to atonement to slowly and mercilessly cut their journey short assuring their soul makes its way to the Shelves of Despond. The Alecto are also the Erinyes who coerce individuals to the lure of evil. Whether it is taking the form of an individual so alluring one is willing to sell their soul for a night with them or taking a position as a trusted advisor coaxing a leader down a darker path. However, it is rather uncommon for an Erinyes to have the patience for such slow subversive methods as most prefer to act more decisively. The few devious Erinyes who revel in this work are the select few who are able to ascend to the rank of pleasure devil. The job many Alecto take the most pleasure in carrying out is the execution of Faustian pacts, particularly those that involve vengeance, punishment, or the dreaded "Curse of the Erinyes". Taking after their progenitors, Erinyes are adept at exacting vengeance and punishment. They delight in creative and gruesome ways to cause agony to extract every last bit of suffering from an individual before sending them below to begin the process anew. Often, a jilted lover or irked business partner will call an Erinyes down only to be horrified at the sheer depraved lengths Erinyes are willing to go when exacting said revenge. Megaera is the second class of Erinyes. Their vocation is coveted by the vast majority of Erinyes. Megaera are always selected from members of the other two groups who prove themselves to be particularly adept at torture. These individuals spend their time tormenting the souls of a select group of the dammed. Megaera have a particular talent for inflicting what they call "justice" upon those who commit particularly barbaric crimes. Slowly, and for as long as possible, Megaera sadistically torment these souls driving them slowly mad. Megaera are by far the most dangerous and cruel Erinyes to encounter. Fortunately, unless your soul has been condemned it is extremely unlikely to meet one. 142

Tisiphone is the final designation of Erinyes. They are the guardians, the vanguards, and the soldiers. Tisiphone are the Erinyes one sees patrolling the skies of the nine hells, leading contingents of lesser devils on the fields of war, called to the side of greater devils in combat, and even serving as infernal lawyers in the Diabolical Courts of Abriymoch. Tisiphone are the most numerous of Erinyes as they serve a relatively unique niche within Baator. As only a select group of Alecto are even eligible for advancement within the hierarchy, greater devils place much trust in the Tisiphone, using them for special tasks and important duties. Tisiphone are, in turn, more loyal and reliable than any other devil. While the most exceptional of Tisiphone do not get promoted, they are assigned to the most coveted of positions, such as high level commanders or interdictors. The Curse of the Erinyes One of the greatest horrors a mortal can call down upon another is the Curse of the Erinyes. Unlike the majority of curses, the Curse of the Erinyes can only be invoked through a direct pact with an Erinyes. Once the agreement has been reached the invoker's soul is forfeit and the Erinyes who made the pact will descend upon its target. The process is slow, horrific, and almost undetectable as only a minor tracking curse can be identified by even the greatest clerics. First the Erinyes bring misfortune upon their quarry. Slowly, their trust in their friends, family, society, and even reality itself is eroded. Second, an unnatural hunger sets in coupled with revulsion for food. No amount of consumption will sate this hunger and often, food only exacerbates the suffering. Third, sickness finds its way into the target's life. It doesn't always descend upon the target of the curse however, those they care about could instead be struck deathly ill. Fourth, madness descends upon the target. The process is slow and surreptitious as Erinyes take great care to personalize the creeping onset of madness, consuming even the strongest of will. Unlike magical insanity, this madness is not easily reversed for the process is insidious in its mundanity. Finally, death comes for the target. It is not swift, it is not peaceful, and it is not merciful. Death is usually the most torturous part of the endeavor. Truly a fate no soul with an iota of a conscious would honestly wish upon another. The entire process can take months if not years, turning the very world into the subject's own living hell. If an Erinyes is successful in their endeavor, they will collect both the souls of both he who called down the curse and he who it was called upon. The Erinyes often makes sure the two individuals meet upon their arrival to the river Styx. It is possible to remove the curse of the Erinyes, but it is a task only completed by the cursed. Unlike many other curses, the Erinyes must be warded off for it will not relent. One must first complete a right of purification and, if a patron of good answers the call, a grand task of atonement must be undertaken to ward off the tormentor. The few who successfully ward off the curse may gain the favor of their patron to champion the cause of good. Variants White Winged- These Erinyes do not inherit the tarnished wings of their parents. Their wings retain the milky hue of angels making them natural deceivers. From a young age these Erinyes are pressured into using their appearance to take advantage of those foolish enough to trust them. These individuals are arguably the most dangerous of all Erinyes as their skills of manipulation and subterfuge become incredibly potent over the eons. Redeemed- Every now and then an Erinyes will reject their parentage and seek to redeem themselves in the eyes of good. These individuals steal away from the deep reaches of Baator and seek forgiveness. The denizens of the upper planes are not fools however and it may take thousands of years to gain their trust. Redeemed are most often encountered on the neutral or material planes where they prove their worth through selfless acts. Wings of Hades - The most powerful and dangerous of all Erinyes. Wings of Hades are ancient creatures having survived and grown through thousands of years in the lower planes. These beings surpass the caste system of the Nine Hells to exclusively hunt the denizens of the upper planes. Wings of Hades have all but lost the beauty of their brethren. Their feathers have fallen from their wings, their skin has hardened into a wrinkled carapace, and hair has grown long and bedraggled. Their hair now attempts to grab and drain the life out of anything that gets too close. Those who have made allegiances within the upper planes must be wary; the Wings of Hades are one of their greatest threats. 143

DM's Toolkit Erinyes are interesting creatures. While they're unilaterally described as attractive to humans and the like, they are not usually described as seducers. Furthermore, their origin in Greek mythology has nothing to do with seduction or temptation. These are beings of punishment and vengeance. If you need a sexy demonic seducer, the succubus and incubus fill the role perfectly. It is a disservice to Erinyes everywhere to just treat them like succubae. The Curse of the Erinyes can make for an interesting plot development. It places the target on a timer to complete whatever task set before them and it should make them loathe whoever placed the curse upon them. If a player sets you up to place it upon them, it can be a great way to guide the party in a particular direction. It is very likely any extraplanar travelers will encounter an Erinyes at some point. They are often used as couriers, scouts, soldiers, and guards. Of all the devils, Erinyes are some of the most combative and will likely treat the party with disdain at best. Erinyes on the material plane tend to be less subtle than most other devil agents. While a more cunning devil will be the grand vizier manipulating the king into allowing horrible individuals to influence his kingdom, an Erinyes may be the king's head general yelling "THIS MEANS WAR!" Make good use of the ropes Erinyes carry with them in combat. Having a tool constantly attempting to ensnare, trip, and hinder attackers can turn the tide of a fight. 144

Ettercap "The Webbed Woods? Now why would you want to go there? No spider alive or dead should spin webs of that size and strength. Hells, ain't nobody seen a spider in those woods for centuries, and yet those webs remain." --Crazy Gregory "Rutger still tells stories of what he seen in there, hunched, fat, purple-skinned men with spiders for heads and fangs for fingers, spittin' web and riding giant spiders up and down the trees. Don't pay him no heed; ol' Greg's never been quite the same since his wife passed, not that he made much sense before." --Carroway Saddlebaum, farmer Introduction The ettercap. Believed by some to be descended from a cult of arachnid worshipping druids, these humanoid aberrations possess a low, primal intelligence and hunt prey instinctually. Some have argued that, very rarely, an abnormally intelligent ettercap is born which can learn to communicate, and even study magic. A true scholar cannot rely on such an abnormality to be replicated, so, for now, this can be regarded as conjecture. Physiological Observations Ettercaps stand as tall as a man and weigh as much. Their lifecycle mimics that of a human, perhaps lending weight to the aforementioned idea of their origin. That, however, is where the similarities end. The most commonly known is the forest ettercap. Their thin, lean, digitigrade legs support a bulbous, distended, oversized abdomen, from which they project their webbing. A hideous, fanged, spider-like face protrudes from its hunched, hulking upper body, with long, muscular arms that finish in large, black claws. Their skin maintains a greyish-purple hue, with a light, ivory chest and underbelly. These ettercaps possess a necrotic venom, which rapidly rots infected flesh. Desert ettercaps dig burrows deep underground from which they launch lightning strikes at unsuspecting passersby. These monstrosities forego the mauve skin of their woodland cousins for a sleek, shiny, jet black tone, making an all ready terrifying creature more sinister. Rather than bulbous and soft, desert ettercaps have a chitinous, shell-like hide and a much more muscular physique, as they require less of their bodymass devoted to web production. Instead of building elaborate traps and snares, their use of webbing amounts to what we would see as bedding and security. Their sandy burrows are lined with their silk for ease of movement, while the area surrounding its den is a complicated sequence of trip wires, allowing the ettercap to pinpoint the location of its victim beyond its tremorsense. Neurotoxic venom paralyses prey, allowing for their oversized fangs to tear the body apart for later consumption. Leaping ettercaps range from green to yellow hues and live in foothills and grassy plains. Blending in with their environment and smaller than other ettercaps, their primary attributes are patience and stealth. Without any sort of webbing, their lithe, thin bodies are built to hunt. With oversized legs and smaller arms, leaping ettercaps are not well suited to fighting or chasing. The venom of the leaping ettercap acts as a sedative, and once its prey has been bitten, the ettercap will allow it to flee, tracking the victim until it passes into slumber. Once it has re-captured its prey, the sleeping creature is dragged back to its den, in which it never awakens. The hunter ettercap can be any of several shades of brown. The only ettercap to possess fur, the hunter has particularly powerful forearms that allow it to sprint, not unlike an ape. The most energetic of their brethren, slowly creeping to their target before sprinting at great speeds to catch prey off guard. Their primary offensive tactic seems to be crushing prey against their enormous girth. Paralytic venom and powerful hooks ensure that once ensnared, its meal cannot escape. There have been sightings of ettercaps adapted to swimming; a frill jutting from and following the spine, webbed toes, and in place of the usual scythelike claws are three-pronged, webbed, chitinous spears. The habitat of these horrendous creatures has not been located; all we know of them is from half-drunk accounts of frightened fishermen. Social Observations Ettercaps are solitary, cowardly creatures who only socialize to mate. The females tend to be more intelligent than the males, and usually dominate them in mating rituals. Not uncommonly, the male is killed during the act, to be eaten by the mother, or cocooned and saved for her offspring. The only companions an ettercap possesses are the natural spiders with which it shares its lair, tending to them as a shepherd to his flock. Occasionally, ettercaps will keep giant spiders as pets in a twisted mimicry of the relationship between a hound and its master. More cautious than aggressive, multiple ettercaps may take up residence within another's territory as long as there is enough prey for both of them. When short on food, ettercaps are not above resorting to cannibalism, especially the hunter variety. Behavioural Observations Ettercaps hunt much as spiders do, laying traps and weaving mazes of webs, patiently stalking its prey from afar. Cowardly, ettercaps will flee if its intended prey proves to be too much of a threat, content to let the thing wander until a better opportunity to strike presents itself. Those who seem to evade the traps of the ettercap may find themselves the victim of a web garrote or venomous bite, both methods attempting to subdue its prey without great risk to itself. The digestive system of the ettercap is much more complex than our own. With the exception of the hunter ettercap, digestion occurs outside of the body. Thus, the hunter is the only ettercap at risk of parasites or food poisoning. Once prey has been successfully subdued, the ettercap returns to its nest where it weaves a cauldron-like cocoon for its meal. Digestive enzymes are then vomited into this cocoon where the victim is dissolved into a drinkable soup which is then drunk by the ettercap. 145

Interspecies Observations Ettercaps view nearly all other species as the same: food. The only exception to this is the fey, for which ettercaps possess a particular enmity and singular hunger. They enjoy nothing more than devouring a captured pixie or sprite, even going so far as smothering a dryad's tree completely with web, in some misguided attempt to catch and eat it. The only species with which ettercaps seem to have a positive relationship are spiders. It is unknown for what purpose ettercaps seem to domesticate both the common and giant spider, as their intelligence is unlikely to be able to allow for any sort of husbandry. It is possible they feel some primal kinship with arachnids. It is unknown how ettercaps would react to a servant of Lolth. Perhaps we are lucky that no drider has subverted a number of ettercaps to its worship. Such an organization would surely be a blight on whichever land it existed. DM's Toolkit The ettercap makes for an interesting encounter. Perhaps some children of a nearby town have disappeared after wandering too close to an ettercap's territory, there is a very limited window of opportunity to rescue them and provide an anti-venom or magical healing before they are killed and eaten. Perhaps the PCs are forced to travel through ettercap infested land in order to reach their destination, being stalked from the shadows as they travel. Perhaps they are caught unaware as they wander over the den of a burrower hidden in the sand. Mechanically, a battle with and ettercap allows the DM to combine elements of deadly traps, mazes, and combat all in one encounter. Cowardly as they are, be sure to only reveal the ettercap when it is convinced the fight will be in its favor. Play with the predatory nature of it in its habitat. Tell the players they see hulking shadows scurrying up the trees and behind cocoons of web. Let them get deeper into the web labyrinth before they realize they are lost. Describe the bones and equipment strung between the trees. Entice them with magical items that are theirs for the taking if they can only pry them free of the web. Play with some variants on the standard ettercap. Maybe the venom grants the restrained condition on a failed save, instead of bonus damage. I spent a lot of time researching realworld spiders for inspiration. (GOODBYE SLEEP) Many spiders have unique hunting and trapping methods. Maybe your ettercaps forego webbing entirely. Maybe they possess powerful legs for leaping strikes. There is one thing all spiders have in common, though: patience. The longer the ettercap waits to strike, the more terrifying it becomes. 146

Ettin "They're a funny and stupid sort. Don't worry about MekTar he'll be no trouble for us to get around* -- last words of Radial the Human Mage Introduction Ettin are a strange creature that's hard to pinpoint a classification. They resemble orc, giants, and ogres in some strange compilation where an extra head was forgotten by the gods. Large lumbering giants standing around 15 feet tall make for a menacing sight for any adventurer. They smell are dirty and seemingly lazy. Ettin are not afraid to bully smaller creatures for mundane tasks but seem to be solitary most of the time. In short they're not pretty and not pretty smelling. Ettin are solitary for their awful demeanor and even more awful manners. There are not many creatures who can stand to be around them even their own kind it seems. Yet there seems that there should be more to them than mindless brutes, hence my investigation. The findings were surprising to say the least. Physiological Observations Ettin as mentioned before giants standing at 15 feet tall with many orc features and two distinct heads. They have the pig like noses and greenish to light brown skin coloring much like orcs but long flowing wild thick hair like that of an ogre. They normally don't wear much than a loin cloth in comfortable temperatures made of hides and skins seemingly hastily stitched together. The two headedness of Ettin is their most striking feature and it seems greatest disadvantage. They are unique in features for each head like that of the uniqueness between any face. It seems that they are always the same sex with no reported male and female heads reported. In that they are separate with unique personalities and preferences. The unfortunate part is that they share the same body from the necks down. Each head controls their respective sides of their bodies and it seems to make them uncoordinated and clumsy creatures indeed. They can fight well enough when they do fight seemingly coordinated actions. When they work in unison the Ettin can be a powerful enemy to any creature. While not engaged in a singular goal the ettin are combative with each other. They sneer and make backwards comments and harsh jokes at each other in open contempt. They constantly argue and mutter with each other. Having grown up together it would be thought that they'd learn to live with another but only seem to grow up in contempt for only being half in control of their body. The profanity and slurs that they speak to each other in are enough to make a denizen of the lower planes blush at times. Most Ettin are unbathed and poorly dressed slobs. They reek of past meals spilled on themselves and gory matted hair and clothes from past battles. They hardly care to clean up for any reason or even get up unless to find food or necessity demands so. They are foul in personality and presence making them ugly creatures in and out. They live in many regions of the world like orcs or humans with no real preferred climate or habitat. They seem to prefer a solitary cave, glade or anything really away from other sentient beings. They are not overly territorial and share their home with animals sometimes taking kindly to them as pets but often the bickering keeps most animals away. Ettin do not value good or treasures like many sentient races do, or even community like most. Above all they value privacy. They do like a more comfortable living and will strike deals for their considerable strength to gain wealth but never for any extended amount of time. Dealing with constant harassments and annoyances they are quick to anger and violence. Their unbridled rage is almost uncontainable and makes them extremely dangerous to those in their path. They are good for brutes or guards to potential employers and do their jobs very well but can be unpredictable enough that this is rare. Ettins will live between 60 and 70 years until they can no longer hunt for themselves or force others to do so. Ettin names are self-given and typically central to the head. UrukDahk is an Ettin comprised of the individuals UruK and his sibling Dahk is one example. Social Observations Ettin are extremely solitary to other members of their race unless they are somehow in debt to or in league with a greater force or for mating. They are possibly even fouler in behavior to other members of their kind than themselves making for an unpleasant sight for anyone or anything to behold. Mating seems to only occur out of sheer reluctance of nature's call. The female's being the more dominant sex always seek out a male for bearing children and bully them or physically force them into the act. During pregnancy and early childhood the female relaxes and makes the male tend to her every need. Food, drink are demanded and then the male is sent off from her sight until needed again. Children are seen as a necessary burden of their existence and once only a few years old are sent off into the wilds to deal with life as it comes. Not many children would describe themselves as loved or even cared for in their early years by their parents just given the means to survive. No discipline guidance or care is offered before the family departs to go to their solitary existences. Ettin children often do survive on their own given their considerable strength and size being almost 2 Ω feet tall at birth. Once they are only 2 to 3 years old and capable they take off hunting and foraging on their own in search for a suitable cave or similar secluded area to call their own. This is a forced departure when the mother sends the father and child away to be on her own once again. Ettin fathers are far from caring to their children and openly contempt them for being the reason of their forced labors. They long to be rid of the responsibilities and depart as quickly as possible, usually after the first year. The mother then will indenture the child to do her bidding, once the father escapes. 147

Intra-species Observations Ettins seems to be aggressive with almost any other sentient creature in attitude but don't attack on site. They more consider the options of food and who gets what part. They are not picky eaters and eat almost anything they can when given the opportunity. They do parley for food or wealth and do so only when bested or they believe themselves in danger. Ettin are excellent fighters as mentioned as they seem to come to a clarity and coordination in battle. It seems to come naturally to them when the stakes are a bit higher. They move in coordination and attack with an uncanny efficiency given the ability to process information in battle twice as much as a single individual. It's not uncommon for Ettin to be using a weapon in each hand with great efficiency. They are often taken advantage of other creatures who know how to play each head against each other making the argument more of the focus than the common task or enemy the Ettin shares. Tales of adventurers escaping the dinner table using this tactic are not unheard of and in-fact a children favorite for some human communities. The Ettin's Dilemma I have observed another side to Ettins and their ways that may go against all previous conventional wisdom. As previously described Ettin seem to live very solitary and miserable lives with only desiring to be left alone. They are harsh angry and aggressive to most beings including their attached siblings wanting no contact with any other creatures and over indulging in self pleasures when possible. Having studied many beings across the realms this seems as an odd state of being so I looked to other creatures of similar behaviors and my results were astonishing. It seems that Ettin are products in demeanor of harsh mental and physical abuse. This behavior can be seen in almost all sentient races who have suffered as such from an early age. I do not know the cause of such an upbringing only to theorize that parents seem to conduct themselves as their parents did. This perpetuation that plagues most Ettins is deep and long running that further perpetuates in each generation. This explains the harsh and solitary behaviors and even the bad hygiene in a self loathing that's been instilled from an early age that seems to be lashed out uncontrollably at any and all directions including their sibling. I came to this question as I had found a fully functioning Ettin who was not abused but cared for by a surrogate elven community from childhood. I do not know what drove the Elves to put aside the preconceptions and accept an Ettin into their community when they rarely do so for other races such as dwarves or humans but the differences were astonishing. Further investigation is needed on this matter but interviewing the typical Ettin is far from easy and talking about such personal endeavors seems far from their interest. For now I only know of RabThom the goodly Elvish raised Ettin, there must be more out there. Having no other subjects to base this on but it seems that Ettin who are raised with a healthy upbringing are more akin to an orc. While crude and violent they are not necessarily evil and they seem to relish battle. RabThom enjoyed how when focused on a singular goal such as battle he felt the best and was a very apt forest guardian. Rab informed me that he controlled the left side while Thom controlled the right, yet in battle both could at will move any part needed and rarely did they disagree in such a situation. They trusted their limbs to their respective brother while they focused on another aspect of the fight. RabThom had his disagreements but more akin to that of siblings who care for another and who are very close then that of hated enemies. RabThom also was a very well dressed and bathed creature in comparison to most humans which may have been a personality trait or something garnered from the elves. Variants As with many creatures in the world Ettin come in a few variants depending on some differences Abused Ettin - As described for the most part of ettin upbringing and society. They live all around and are aggressive harsh and violent thinking beings more concerned with themselves then most anything else. Adjusted Ettin - As described above for RabThom they are far more agreeable mild mannered and thankfully well hygiene minded individuals. They seem to still enjoy battle instinctually but not so much so to attack anything and anyone without good reason. Tri-headed Ettin - A very rare occurrence that seemed to be an even better killing machine with a head controlling each arm and the other controlling the legs. But with more arguing it seemed as a downside outside of their common goal. DM's Toolbox Ettin are a good fantastical creature to use and work well as a tougher challenge when paired with orcs or goblin kin. Ettin are typically depicted as a dumb smelly brute but as a DM you can adjust that to anything you need in your campaign. Keep in mind that an Ettin is actually 2 individuals (or 3) in the same body and using that can make for an interesting encounter both in and out of combat. 148

Faerie Dragon " . . heehee . ." There it was again! Borgog snapped his head around looking for the source of the sound but the giant could see nothing but gravel and shrubs. Puzzled, he turned his attention back to the large fruit cake sitting on the pathway. Suspicion winked in the back of his mind but Borgog's hunger brushed it aside. He was glad to finally catch a break after his run of bad luck. There had been the leg of lamb a few days ago that had somehow turned to stone in his mouth, shattering his canines. Then the dead Halfling he'd stumbled upon yesterday that had the taste and texture of night soil. And all the while, that constant giggling noise. Introduction Faerie Dragons (Draco Lascivus) are curious creatures that straddle the Material realm and the Feywild. While generally possessing a playful and generous nature, if threatened they doggedly stalk and torment their victims with a variety of malicious illusions. Physiological Observations Diminutive and agile, Faerie Dragons can live almost a century. Born with a pinkish hue to their scales, they change in color as the creature ages. The color of the scales moves through the color spectrum while the creature matures, settling on a vivid violet around the halfcentury mark. The anatomy of the Faerie Dragon go some way toward proving that the creature is Draconic in nature, rather than Fey. They possess all the identifying features of the Draco family; interleaving scales, leathery wings extending from above the shoulder, and most tellingly a shriveled breath gland. The gland expends a gas known to induce hysterics in humanoids. The numbing and euphoric properties of the gas make it extremely appealing to narcotic aficionados, but healers have also been known to pay rich bounties for samples of it. The creature's magic is organic in nature and grows as the creature ages similar to the greater Dragons. Perhaps due to its small stature, the creature relies on illusory magic to evade and confuse predators. Faerie Dragons can turn invisible at will, but this feature is not reliant on magic. The creature's scales seem to possess a chameleonic quality, folding and reflecting light in such a way that it appears to pass clean through the creature. Social Observations When conversing with a Faerie Dragon, be wary of the creature's playful nature. They are unable to resist the opportunity for mischief, and will invariably give a misleading answer rather than be helpful. An adventurer willing to decode their riddles and misnomers will be able to extricate a large quantity of information from them, whereas impatience and literal translations will only lead to frustration. Behavioral Observations While their larger cousins prefer to amount expansive hoards of treasure and magical items, Faerie Dragons seem to lack the attention span for material objects. A traveler that offers up a shiny ring in exchange for information may well find the ring discarded in the bushes only days later. They value precious stones and children's sweets with equal regard, temporary playthings who's only worth is their novelty. The true hoard of a Faerie Dragon contains of riddles, jokes, and gossip. They have a lasting memory for such information. Wizards take note, while their obvious intelligence and inherent magics makes them seem like ideal familiars, take heed. They lack the patience for higher learning, and their loyalty is directly linked to the amount of attention they are given. Intra-species Observations Extremely talkative, Faerie Dragons are never found far from intelligent creatures. They are particularly drawn toward peaceable societies appearing to favor Halflings and Gnomes. Faerie Dragons rarely stay in one area for any length of time. They grow bored with the slow rate of change of most societies, but will make a habit of visiting a town every few years. The creatures seem especially drawn to adventuring parties as they have similarly short attention spans. They may not always make their presence known to the party, simply following them curiously and occasionally pranking them with tricky illusions. Variant Species A small colony of Faerie Dragons in the Tolgey region have been observed to have taken on a permanent state of invisibility. The high number of strange and dangerous beasts in the region is believed to have driven this adaptation. These Faerie dragons can only be spotted by their grinning teeth floating in mid-air. Like everything else in the region, they are suspicious of humanoids and their default reaction is typically malicious. 149

DM's Toolkit Faerie Dragons have very low HP, and extremely limited ability to deal damage. Where they do excel is through the wide variety of spells they possess, as well as their euphoria breath. They can turn a mundane encounter into a chaotic one by directing their illusions at both the players and the monsters, giggling all the while. Scaling the Faerie Dragon for different level parties is pretty much done perfectly in the Monster Manual. Just move along the Rainbow a few steps, and maybe add a handful of HP. Don't underestimate the power of Polymorph, it scales to fit any CR level. Roleplay encounters are where these creatures really shine. Illusory pranks, riddles, and trading songs for information can all make great interludes from the overbearing presence of gritty reality. Further Inspiration I like to portray Faerie Dragons as mischievous and playful; the fun side of Chaotic Good. If you worry about this being a little too light for your campaign, malice intentions and survival instincts can be amplified. The list below is not comprehensive; it is merely a sample of characters displaying a different aspect of the trickster personality that you may like to use for inspiration. Bugs Bunny Jerry (Tom and Jerry) Scooby Doo Puck (A Midsummer's Night Dream) Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) The Riddler (Batman) 150