Draconomicon™ Chromatic Dragons

Sample file

ROLEPLAYING GAME SUPPLEMENT Bruce R. Cordell • Logan Bonner • Ari Marmell • Robert J. Schwalb

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Design Cover Illustration Bruce R. Cordell (lead), Todd Lockwood Logan Bonner, Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb Graphic Designers Development Leon Cortez, Breanne Miller, Keven Smith Mike Mearls (lead), Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Rodney Thompson Interior Illustrations Devon Caddy-Lee, Miguel Coimbra, Eric Deschamps, Editing Vincent Dutrait, Emily Fiegenschuh, Tomas Giorello, Michele Carter (lead), Lars Grant-West, Warren Mahy, Lee Moyer, Andrew Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Jessica Kristine, Murray, Steve Prescott, Vinod Rams, Tara Rueping, Rick Julia Martin, Ray Vallese Sardinha, Ron Spears, Ron Spencer, Joel Thomas, Francis Tsai, Franz Vohwinkel, Eva Widermann, Sam Wood, Managing Editing James Zhang Kim Mohan D&D Script Design Director of R&D, Roleplaying Games/Book Publishing Daniel Reeve Bill Slavicsek Cartographer D&D Story Design and Development Manager Jason A. Engle Christopher Perkins Publishing Production Specialist D&D System Design and Development Manager Erin Dorries Andy Collins Prepress Manager Art Director Jefferson Dunlap Jon Schindehette Imaging Technician Special thanks to Brandon Daggerhart, keeper of Shadowfell Carmen Cheung SampleProduction file Manager Cynda Callaway

Game rules based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and the later editions by David “Zeb” Cook (2nd Edition); Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison (3rd Edition); and Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, and James Wyatt (4th Edition).

620-21788720-001 EN U.S., CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC, EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS WIZARDS OF THE COAST, BELGIUM 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 & LATIN AMERICA Hasbro UK Ltd ’t Hofveld 6D First Printing: Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Caswell Way 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden November 2008 P.O. Box 707 Newport, Gwent NP9 0YH Belgium Renton WA 98057-0707 GREAT BRITAIN +32 2 467 3360 ISBN: 978-0-7869-4980-9 +1-800-324-6496 Please keep this address for your records

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, d20, d20 System, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster Manual, Draconomicon, FORGOTTEN REALMS, DRAGONLANCE, GREYHAWK, Adventurer’s Vault, Complete Mage, Dragons of Despair, Elder Evils, Exemplars of Evil, Expanded Psionics Handbook, Forge of Fury, Forge of War, Greyhawk Ruins, Hall of the Fire Giant King, Libris Mortis, Martial Power, Sunless Citadel, Tomb of the Lizard King, Tome of Magic, War of the Lance, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Wizards characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events included herein is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.A. ©2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

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1: DRAGON LORE ...... 4 Cliff side Lair ...... 102 Mirage Dragon ...... 196 Origins ...... 6 Vigilant Watchers ...... 106 Wretch Dragon ...... 197 Physiology ...... 7 The Dragon’s Grotto ...... 108 Shadowfell Dragons ...... 198 Life Cycle ...... 13 Feywild Lair ...... 110 Blight Dragon ...... 198 Outlook and Psychology ...... 18 Sylvan Allies ...... 114 Shadow Dragon ...... 199 Society ...... 21 Dragon’s Den ...... 116 Language ...... 24 Where Shadows Fall ...... 118 UNDEAD DRAGONS ...... 200 Religion ...... 26 The Bridge ...... 122 Dracolich ...... 200 Chromatic Dragons in Detail ...... 30 The Dead Travel Fast ...... 124 Bone Mongrel Dracolich ...... 200 Black Dragons ...... 30 Heart of Darkness ...... 126 Stoneborn Dracolich ...... 201 Blue Dragons ...... 32 The Beating Heart ...... 130 Icewrought Dracolich ...... 201 Brown Dragons ...... 33 Something on the Side ...... 132 Dreambreath Dracolich ...... 202 Gray Dragons ...... 35 Volcano Lair ...... 134 Draconic Wraith ...... 203 Green Dragons ...... 37 The Weapon ...... 138 Wyrm-Wisp ...... 204 Purple Dragons ...... 38 The Dragon’s Lair ...... 140 Soulgrinder ...... 204 Red Dragons ...... 40 The Tomb of Urum-Shar ...... 142 Draconic Zombie ...... 205 White Dragons ...... 42 Stairway to Hell ...... 146 Winged Putrescence ...... 205 Beneath the Sands ...... 148 Rotclaw ...... 205 2: DM’S GUIDE TO DRAGONS. . . 44 Abyssal Lair ...... 150 Deathless Hunger ...... 206 Draconic Encounters ...... 46 Isle of Faces...... 154 Rancid Tide ...... 206 Combat Encounters ...... 46 Demon Miners ...... 156 Skeletal Dragon ...... 207 Social Encounters ...... 47 Regnant Fane ...... 158 Razortalon ...... 207 The King’s Vizier ...... 47 Guarded Cavern ...... 162 Bonespitter ...... 207 The Long and Winding Road . . . 48 Inner Sanctum ...... 164 Siegewyrm ...... 207 Draconic Traps ...... 49 Vampiric Dragon ...... 208 Adventures ...... 51 4: NEW MONSTERS ...... 166 Thief of Life ...... 208 Adventure Hooks and Quests . . . 51 Bloodwind ...... 209 False Witness (Level 5) ...... 51 CHROMATIC DRAGONS . . . . .168 Out of the Dark (Level 7) . . . . . 52 Brown Dragon ...... 168 OTHER CREATURES ...... 210 Gathering Storm (Level 13) . . . 52 Gray Dragon ...... 172 Abishai ...... 210 Shipwreck (Level 18) ...... 53 Purple Dragon ...... 175 Draconic Parasite ...... 212 Crossfi re (Level 22) ...... 53 Chromatic Wyrmlings ...... 179 Dragonborn ...... 214 But the Dead Dragons Black Dragon Wyrmling ...... 179 Dragonspawn ...... 218 Shall Rule (Level 26 or 29) . . . 54 BlueSample Dragon Wyrmling file ...... 180 Drake ...... 222 Chromatic Patrons ...... 55 Brown Dragon Wyrmling ...... 181 Kobold ...... 224 Draconic Campaigns ...... 57 Gray Dragon Wyrmling ...... 182 Living Breath ...... 228 Fabulous Dragonslayers ...... 57 Green Dragon Wyrmling ...... 183 Squamous Thing ...... 230 The Dragon’s Hand ...... 58 Purple Dragon Wyrmling ...... 184 DRAGON HALL OF FAME . . .232 Dragon Hoards ...... 60 Red Dragon Wyrmling...... 185 Ashardalon ...... 232 Principles of Hoard Design . . . . . 61 White Dragon Wyrmling ...... 186 Cyan Bloodbane ...... 234 Draconic Artifacts ...... 76 PLANAR DRAGONS ...... 188 Dragotha ...... 236 Ilthuviel’s Blackened Heart . . . . . 76 Abyssal Dragons ...... 188 Gulgol ...... 238 Blue Orb of Dragonkind ...... 78 Frostforged Wyrm ...... 188 Nefermandias ...... 240 Spear of Urrok the Brave ...... 80 Deathmask Dragon ...... 189 Rime ...... 242 Unconquered Standard Astral Dragons ...... 189 Tiamat ...... 244 of Arkhosia ...... 82 Battle Dragon ...... 189 Zebukiel ...... 248 Draconic Rituals ...... 83 Pact Dragon ...... 190 Dragon Components ...... 86 Elemental Dragons ...... 191 TEMPLATES ...... 250 Famous Dragons ...... 88 Blazewyrm ...... 191 Draconic Creature ...... 250 Dragonguard ...... 250 3: DRAGON LAIRS ...... 90 Dragon Eel ...... 192 Tempest Dragon ...... 193 Lair Features ...... 92 ALTERNATIVE POWERS . . . . 251 The Ruins of Castle Korvald ...... 94 Pyroclastic Dragon ...... 194 The Gatekeepers ...... 98 Feywild Dragon ...... 195 Tower of Murderous Ice ...... 100 Faerie Dragon ...... 195

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Come not between the dragon and his wrath. —William Shakespeare

More ink has been spilled on describing drag- ons than on nearly any other creature. These ancient, noble, yet savage beasts are a favorite subject of guide- books, bards’ tales, and ancient tomes and scrolls. Draconic knowledge is gained at risk of life and limb; 1dragons are rapacious, jealous of their secrets, and often hungry. Experts describe dragons as the first sentient race to appear in the world, with life spans stretching into millennia. With such a wealth of experience, dragons embody history. The oldest dragons are repositories of vast knowledge and of the deepest ancient secrets. Dragons are more than just a challenge for knights seeking hoards or glory: dragons are sages, oracles, and even prophets. Dragons’ majesty has clothed them in myth. The appearance of a dragon can portend good or ill for- tune. Pragmatic sages attempt to classify dragons as merely large lizards that have wings and warmSample file breath, but these efforts fail in the true light of the wonder, magic, and fantastic abilities of dragons. Dragons are, by their nature, epic forces.

This chapter covers the following topics: ✦ Origins: The beginnings and history of chromatic dragons. ✦ Physiology: A detailed study of chromatic drag- ons’ anatomy. ✦ Life Cycle: The life of a dragon from egg to ancient. ✦ Outlook and Psychology: How chromatic drag- ons see the world. ✦ Society: A description of dragon social structure. ✦ Language: Draconic language and script. ✦ Religion: Dragons’ favored deities. ✦ Chromatic Dragons in Detail: An overview of the five most common chromatic dragons— black, blue, green, red, and white—as well as the lesser-known brown, gray, and purple dragons. STEVE PRESCOTT STEVE CHAPTER 1 | Dragon Lore 4

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Only the most arrogant enthusiast might claim cer- The Sundering tain knowledge of dragons’ origins, and such a claim During the wars between the primordials and the should be taken with a grain of salt. Legends and gods that followed the world’s creation, the primor- the knowledge that sages do have, however, stretch dial known as the King of Terror attacked and slew back for centuries and hint at what might have been. Io and the dragons defending Io. According to one Sometimes new stories come to light, prompting account, the dragon deities Tiamat and Bahamut rose reassessments of the existing body of knowledge and from the two halves of Io’s corpse. Another legend speculation regarding dragon inception. claims that Tiamat and Bahamut were among Io’s eldest creations and received their father’s divine First Dragons spark upon his death. The five major dragon families (chromatic, cata- Io’s remaining children found their position less strophic, metallic, scourge, and planar; see the secure than they had believed it to be. Forced to adapt Monster Manual for details) share a common origin. to a changing world, they chose diverse philosophies Most accounts begin with mention of the deity Io. and lifestyles to reflect their individual natures. Io, as legend has it, created dragons in his own A number of surviving dragons chose to follow shape but without a divine spark, so that dragons Bahamut, called the Platinum Dragon, and they might frolic and exult in the new world formed by became the first metallic dragons. Over the ages, the primordials. To Io, dragons were the epitome as Bahamut upheld justice, opposed evil, and liber- of mortal form. Though they lived in the world, the ated the oppressed, creatures other than dragons power of the Elemental Chaos flowed in their veins came to honor him as the deity of justice, protection, and spewed from their mouths in gouts of flame or nobility, and honor. In the fullness of time, he has waves of paralyzing cold. They also developed keen become better known for those attributes than for his minds and lofty spirits that linked them, as with all association with metallic dragons. Today, all metallic sentient mortal beings, to the Astral Sea. dragons revere Bahamut as their originator, but not all of them worship him.

Sample file FRANCIS TSAI CHAPTER 1 | Dragon Lore 6

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