Amber dragons were a lesser species of gem or neutral dragon that lived only in dense forested areas.
Description
Ambers were smaller and weaker compared to other species of gem dragon. They had thick, bark-like skin that ranged from shades of dull gray to dark brown. Their eyes were richly colored like their namesake, amber, and they had a horned beak-like prow that was 1 foot (0.3 meters) in length. Their teeth were cartilaginous and not well-formed for biting offensively. In addition, their feet ended in sharp scythe-like claws.
Personality
Amber dragons were exceptionally intelligent creatures. Compared to all other neutral-aligned dragons, they were perhaps some of the most aloof and solitary. Their mood also tended to reflect the capricious nature of the elements, as they were closely attuned to their natural surroundings. They also held similar philosophies to those of druids.
Unlike many species of dragon, these creatures held disdain towards gold and other metallic treasures. They were not known to hoard material objects.
Biology
The unique dragon breath of these creatures was a spray of sticky, scalding sap. They were capable of exhaling this breath at a distance of up to 30 feet (9.1 meters), in a conical fashion that was 50 feet (15 meters) wide at its terminus. This sap rapidly hardened around those soaked in it, trapping them in an immobilizing resin shell.
Abilities
Amber dragons possessed a form of telepathy that allowed them to speak with druids and creatures that dwelled within forests, such as brownies, elves, gnomes, and sprites.
They also possessed a great innate spellcasting ability, being capable of casting a variety of spells that were common of druids. They could magnetize other creatures with metal armor or weapons, hindering their combat capabilities.
Combat
Instead of fighting with their jaws like other dragons, an amber would thrust at opponents with their prow and slash with their scythe-like claws. However, due to their relative weakness they tried to avoid combat.
Society
Diet
Amber dragons were a herbivorous species, who feasted upon the thick sap of coniferous trees. They extracted this sap by plunging their horned prows beneath the bark of these trees. This left a distinctive triangular mark that druids and rangers familiar with amber dragons could use to detect their presence.
Lairs
Unlike many species of dragons, these creatures did not make permanent lairs, instead roving through their large forested habitats. this could encompass an area as large as 900 square miles (2,300 square kilometers).
Homelands
Amber dragons were typically found in dense, coniferous forests.
Languages
In addition to Draconic, amber dragons were capable of speaking many variations of Drudic.
Relationships
Despite sharing many of their philosophies and magical abilities, amber dragons merely tolerated the presence of druids. An alliance between them was not a common occurrence.
Amethyst dragon
Amethyst dragons were a breed of gem dragon known for their wise and regal manner and their similarity to amethyst.
Description
Amethyst dragons had skin that was lavender in hue and scales shaped like naturally formed mineral crystals. On a hatchling, these scales were small, translucent, and light purple, but as they aged they became steadily darker and more crystalline in appearance. An adult appeared a sparkling lavender. A hatchling had a 2‑foot-long (0.61‑meter) body and 4‑foot-long (1.2‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of 53 to 68 feet (16 to 21 meters) and a tail length of 46 to 56 feet (14 to 17 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 132 feet (40.2 meters) long in the body, with tails 100 feet (30 meters) long.
A dragon egg could be identified as amethyst by the purple tinge seen when held in front of an intense white light, though it shared this trait with shadow dragon and deep dragon eggs.
Personality
They were considered wise and majestic even by dragon standards. They favored talking things out rather than fighting, but considered retreating, ambushing, and hiding to be dishonorable.
Abilities
Different kinds of dragon breath were reported for amethysts. Some shrieked like a banshee, with its attendant lethal power, but they could only do so twice a day. Others projected a line of force with concussive effect that could either stun or injure beings caught within. Finally, sometimes in addition to a line of force, once per day an adult could spit a kind of explosive crystal or faceted gem of violet with a lozenge shape. They could launch it up to 75 feet (23 meters) and with perfect aim, usually into the ranks of their foes. It exploded on impact with concussive force, harming all in a radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters) or 60 feet (18 meters). It could knock down creatures smaller than the dragon and knock them unconscious for a few hours.
Amethyst dragons were highly resistant to, if not entirely immune, to force-based spells, like magic missile, wall of force, Otiluke's resilient sphere, the Bigby's hand spells, and similar magic items like beads of force.
In addition to common dragon and gem dragon immunities, amethyst dragons were reported to be immune to poisons and to have an innate ability to breathe underwater they were born with, though this latter ability was later believed to be unique to topaz dragons.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of gem dragons, amethysts gained an array of magical powers as they aged. In one version, young dragons could walk on water six times a day; juveniles could neutralize poison six times a day; adults could shapechange into an animal three times a day (bird, reptile, or mammal, but only once of each type); old dragons could use Otiluke's resilient sphere thrice a day; very old dragons could create a reflecting pool; and venerable dragons could control weather once a day. Alternatively, juveniles could stomp their feet on the ground to create a shockwave that would knock over those within 20 feet (6.1 meters) in front of them, thrice a day. An adult gained the power of invisibility once a day. An old dragon could alter its body equilibrium to match that of solids or liquids, allowing them to walk (not run) on water, quicksand, and even spider's webs if there were any large enough, without sinking or breaking the surface, and reduce their weight in a fall, once a day. Ancient dragons gained the power of suggestion once a day.
In particular, amethyst dragon could use a unique form of telekinesis, enabling them to lift up to 10 tons (9,100 kilograms) or hurl creatures as large as ogres, or engage in physical combat from afar. It was also useful in reshaping their environments.
Similarly, amethyst dragons could acquire and cast new spells of their own, whether arcane or divine, but they were most noted for their talent in psionics. Those who were so gifted learned the psionic attacks psionic blast, ego whip, or psychic crush and the psionic defenses mind blank or mental barrier, thought shield, or tower of iron will. For general powers, they favored psychokinesis as their primary discipline and psychometabolism as a secondary discipline, followed by telepathy. Common psychokinesis powers were control body, detonate, inertial barrier, molecular agitation, project force, and telekinesis; psychometabolism powers were cell adjustment, complete healing, energy containment, expansion, metamorphosis, and reduction; and telepathy powers were contact, domination, ESP, identity penetration, mindlink, mindwipe, and truthear. They also learned metapsionics powers like empower, magnify, psionic sense, psychic drain, psychic surgery, and ultrablast.
They were skilled in deception and stealth.
Society
Amethyst dragons were good parents to their young, but felt they should be independent and learn to look after themselves by the time they were young adult dragons. Families raised clutches of two to five offspring, and they were likely to be encountered alone or in such clans.
While they thought copper dragons and silver dragons were foolish and they disliked red dragons and white dragons, they were not fundamentally opposed to any creature. In fact, on occasion, amethyst dragons could mediate in conflicts between feuding dragons and even warring nations of humanoids.
They favored a diet of fish and gemstones but could subsist on elemental matter such as earth.
Amethyst dragons spoke Draconic and both their own language and a language shared among all gem dragons. Moreover, almost one in five hatchlings could communicate with any sentient being, and the others gained this power as they aged, with nearly half possessing it by the time they were mature adults and nearly three-quarters when great wyrms.
This study of the planes and their properties also made amethyst dragons keenly aware of the Far Realm and of its warping effects on the Material Plane. As they found the Far Realm's corruptive touch loathsome, amethyst dragons were staunch opponents of the creatures native to or twisted by it, most notably including aberrations. A notable exception to this enmity existed in the form of flumphs, which amethyst dragons were instead intrigued by and fond of. As the benevolent flumphs often dedicated themselves to opposing the activities of malevolent aberrations such as mind flayers, amethyst dragons viewed them as a reminder that allies can be found in the strangest of places.
Like the rest of the gem dragons, amethyst dragons were rarer in the Realms than the common chromatic and metallic dragons.
Lairs
On the Material Plane, amethyst dragons enjoyed making their lairs on the shores of lakes and pools such as tarns lying in remote places in highlands and mountains. They might even dwell in caves below the water in such places.
However, a majority of amethyst dragons resided on the Elemental Plane of Earth, in caverns carved out of the endless rock. These comprised numerous tunnels and chambers bedecked with crystals of all the colors of the rainbow.
Combat
Amethyst dragons avoided combat if they could and preferred to parley instead, but if this failed or they were forced, then they would fight. Nevertheless, they refused to hide from or ambush their foes, and saw retreating as dishonorable. Young ones were more likely to fly away from a fight, and adults only when defeat or death seemed inevitable. While some might think them cowards, they were merely cautious. They rarely retreated when they were defending their lairs or their young.
Once battle was joined, the amethyst dragon opened its breath weapon, followed by its magic and psionics. Younger dragons favored their breath, magic and psionics, and aerial assaults, while the older and bigger dragons got physical and used their weight with grabs, snatches, and crushes. Adult amethyst dragons preferred to use their invisibility and other powers to catch their opponents off-guard. Their telekinesis power or their explosive breath could be used to manipulate their environment or cause a landslide.
Usage
Amethyst dragon scales were known as "teyastones". Band of rangers often carries a teyastone to bring them luck and as a symbol of the love they held for each other.
Beljuril Dragon
Beljuril dragons were a rare but powerful species of gem dragon that lived only in seismically active areas. Their namesake and favored gemstone was the beljuril.
Description
Beljuril dragons were dark grey when they hatched, but slowly developed a lava-like coloration, with grey or black plates interspersed with red and yellow outlines. Older beljuril dragons lost this coloring, instead developing dark grey and violet scales streaked with incandescent blue and green. They ranged in size from 11‑foot-long (3.4‑meter) wyrmlings to 200‑foot-long (61‑meter) great wyrms.
Personality
Beljuril dragons were reclusive by nature, being limited to seismically active regions as they were. However, younger beljuril dragons tended to be curious about any and all visitors. Beljuril dragons were almost never violent unless attacked, or the rare times an older one sought a new territory.
Abilities
Beljuril dragons possessed two breath weapons: the first was a silent, cold blast of energy that discharged as a bolt of green, violet, or blue light that crackled and flashed. It absorbed heat, light, and vibratory energy and released a massive electrical blast. Interestingly, it sometimes left behind a handful of beljurils; the dragons could only use it in a seismically active environment. The second breath weapon was a gout of lava. Beljuril dragons were wholly immune to any and all fire- or heat-based effects.
Like other gem dragons, beljuril dragons were naturally psionic. They typically had the psychokinetic sciences of molecular rearrangement and telekinesis, the devotions of control flames, control wind, inertial barrier, molecular agitation, and molecular manipulation, as well as the psychometabolic sciences of energy containment and metamorphosis, and the devotions of cell adjustment, chemical stimulation, lend health, and suspend animation.
Combat
Beljuril dragons rarely started combat, and their inhospitable habitat protected them from most threats.
Ecology
Beljuril dragons fed upon seismic energy, and were consequently limited in habitat to seismically (volcanically) active areas. They made their homes in the lava lakes and surrounding caves that formed at the top of volcanoes: a fearsome and wondrous environment where curtains and fountains of fire sometimes appeared, over a black crust of dried lava that tore because of movement in the liquid beneath. They rarely left their lakes, except when an eruption was imminent, when they took flight to find a new lake.
The treasure they "kept" in their lairs consisted of molten silver and copper in the lakes, sometimes with gold deposits underneath, or other rare ores drawn up from the mantle of the world. The solid rock around their lairs was always studded with beljuril crystals (they filtered seismic energy through the stones while feeding), as well as quartzes or rainbow obsidian some 60% of the time. Many beljuril mines were found over old beljuril dragon lairs.
Adult and older beljuril dragons would leave their homes to collect meteorites, which they used to aid them in spellcasting and arcane rituals. The only magical items ever found in a beljuril dragon's lair were those that could withstand the immense heat.
Beljuril dragons were natural loners. They laid and buried their eggs deep within the ground, and new dragons only hatched at the same time a new volcano formed. Interestingly, wyrmlings hatched with unusually hard scales (due to the heat and pressure of where they hatch), but lost that hardness from youth to young adulthood, when frequent growth spurts necessitated frequent shedding.
Beljuril dragons spoke their own dialect of Draconic, as well as the dialect common to the gem dragons.
Crystal Dragon
Crystal dragons were a breed of gem dragon known to be the friendliest of their kind and to enjoy conversing with other creatures. They were named for the similarity to crystal.
Description
Crystal dragons had a milky-white coloration; their scales were glossy white as a hatchling and became translucent as they aged. Moreover, their scales reflected the light that fell on them. Under the light of a moon or stars, they luminesced and sparkled, and in bright sunlight they had a dazzling brilliance.
A hatchling had a 1‑foot-long (0.3‑meter) body and 1‑foot-long (0.3‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of 28 to 38 feet (8.5 to 12 meters) and a tail length of 30 to 40 feet (9.1 to 12 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 92 feet (28 meters) long in the body, with tails 91 feet (28 meters) long.
Personality
They were the most amiable of the gem dragons. Although crystal dragons rarely went looking for companionship, they eagerly welcomed visitors to converse with, especially if they were interesting or appeared friendly and not trying to rob them. Otherwise, they tried to avoid meeting them. Crystal dragons were non-aggressive and would rarely start a fight without a good reason. They would much rather talk things out. In fact, they would even use charm person near the start of any conversation to avoid any risk of battle later.
Crystal dragons had an endless curiosity about the world, which they tried to satisfy by talking with people about it. A favorite pastime was to emerge at night, lie on the ground, and watch the stars.
They also loved having fun and making mischief, often in the snow. Crystal dragons would hurl snowballs at unsuspecting targets, fashion splendid sculptures from snow and ice, and construct snow forts and even amazing palaces on mountaintops.
Abilities
The breath weapon of a crystal dragon was a cloud of glowing shards, forming a cone of light up to 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) in length for an adult. The shards struck and harmed all those caught in the blast, but the real danger was the dazzling and brilliant white light they emitted, which blinded opponents caught within for for up to an hour in early cases, a matter of minutes, or up to two dozen seconds in later cases. Even creatures outside the blast, up to 60 feet (18 meters) away, could be dazzled by the glare, hampering their vision, especially if they were nocturnal or subterranean dwellers. The crystal dragon's breath was as bright as daylight and could be observed for miles around.
Crystal dragons were naturally immune to light-based spells and similar attacks and to natural cold or to all cold and cold-based spells.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of gem dragons, crystal dragons gained an array of magical powers as they aged, though accounts of these varied. In one version, they could charm person from hatching as often as they needed, juveniles could create a color spray thrice a day, and mature adults could make a suggestion thrice a day. Very old crystal dragons gained a power called luckscale—once a day, they could enchant one of their own scales as if it was a stone of good luck for 9 to 12 hours according to its age. Finally, a wyrm could control winds thrice a day. Alternatively, adults could charm person thrice a day, old dragons could create a color spray thrice a day, ancient dragons could dominate another's mind once a day, and great wyrms could control winds once a day, though psionic crystal dragons could control air instead.
Similarly, crystal dragons could acquire and cast new spells of their own, whether arcane or divine, but they were most noted for their talent in psionics. Those who were so gifted learned the psionic attacks ego whip, or id insinuation and the psionic defenses mind blank or thought shield. For general powers, they favored the disciplines of clairsentience or telepathy Common clairsentience powers for crystal dragons were clairaudience, clairvoyance, and precognition.
They were skilled in acquiring information, swimming, and leaping.
Society
Although they were a little irresponsible with their young, crystal dragons were fairly good parents. Families raised clutches of two to five offspring, and they were likely to be encountered alone or in such clans.
They favored a diet of gemstones and metal ores over any other foods, but could subsist on elemental matter such as air.
Crystal dragons spoke Draconic and both their own language and a language shared among all gem dragons. Moreover, almost one in ten hatchlings could communicate with any sentient being, and the others gained this power as they aged, with one in four possessing it by the time they were mature adults and nearly two-thirds when great wyrms.
Like the rest of the gem dragons, crystal dragons were rarer in the Realms than the common chromatic and metallic dragons.
Relationships
There were on occasion conflicts between crystal dragons and white dragons. Some white dragons would hunt down crystal dragons and a few crystal dragons would adopt young white dragons or even steal their eggs. This was apparently in an effort to raise them to be friendlier dragons, though if successful, such dragons were incredibly rare. When they fought, the white dragon was typically seen as the aggressor.
However, despite their general friendliness, crystal dragons carried a strong animosity toward giants of all kinds. Giants would sometimes attempt to enslave crystal dragons and even allied with white dragons to discover crystal dragon lairs and capture their young.
Lairs
Crystal dragons who dwelt on the Material Plane preferred to live atop cold high mountains, usually on the very peaks and crags. They favored cold open spaces with clear skies for their stargazing but this did keep them well apart from other beings.
In fact, a good number of crystal dragons resided on the Elemental Plane of Air, the most open-skies place of all.
Combat
If attacked by visitors, a crystal dragon would try to retreat as quickly as it could—not to run away but to observe its foes using its powers and plan its response. Otherwise, it had no qualms about fighting back. It opened battle with its breath weapon, to disorient and weaken attackers, before it flew into the air where it could use its magic and psionics and anything it had for attacking from range. Biting and clawing enemies were a crystal dragon's last resort.
Usage
When enjoying the company of especially friendly visitors, a very old or older crystal dragon might gift them with one of its luckscales, though its enchantment only lasted a matter of hours.
Emeral Dragon
Emerald dragons were a breed of gem dragon known to be inquisitive, often more knowledgeable than most sages, and for their striking emerald color.
Description
When a wyrmling, an emerald dragon had translucent sea-green scales. As it grew older, its scales hardened and developed countless different shades of green, with everything from a minty hue to a deep emerald. These scales scintillated in any light and, owing to the wide range of shades, its hide appeared to be constantly moving. Conversely, their pupils faded with age, so a great wyrm's eyes were naught but blank green glowing orbs. On the whole, however, they were quite beautiful.
A hatchling had a 3‑foot-long (0.91‑meter) body and 2‑foot-long (0.61‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of 45 to 54 feet (14 to 16 meters) and a tail length of 35 to 42 feet (11 to 13 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 108 feet (32.9 meters) long in the body, with tails 84 feet (26 meters) long.
Personality
Emerald dragons were deeply inquisitive, with a keen interest in local customs and history. They often exceeded the greatest human scholars for knowledge in particular fields of study. Nevertheless, they would rather only observe, not get involved.
However, they also tended to be paranoid and distrustful of visitors, and their lairs often had many traps. They were reclusive and did not like anyone going anywhere near their hoards. Hence, it was very hard to make even a casual acquaintance with an emerald dragon, let alone learn what they knew.
Abilities
In place of dragon breath, emerald dragons could instead make a loud keening wail. Its sonic vibrations were powerful enough to cause pain and injury to those who could not evade or resist, and leave them deafened and disoriented and possibly stunned. In one version, this sonic assault could affect all in hearing range, which was 120 feet (37 meters) from its mouth for an adult and its effects could last up to an hour, but only made twice a day. In another, it was a more limited cone of sonic energy extending to 50 feet (15 meters) with effects lasting only up to a minute for an adult, but made much more frequently. Ironically, the deafness meant one could not be stunned or deafened by the dragon again.
Hence, emerald dragons were naturally immune to sonic spells.
The ever-shifting green shades of its scales could be quite distracting to those who saw it, and emerald dragons knew it. By undulating its body and rippling its scales in certain ways, it could hypnotize creatures watching it. After three minutes of dealing peaceably, an emerald dragon could take one by surprise with a sudden attack or flight, if it chose.
They might also generate a cloud of fog to blind opponents.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of gem dragons, emerald dragons gained an array of magical powers as they aged, though accounts of these varied. In one version, they could flame walk from hatching as often as they needed, young dragons could create an audible glamer thrice a day, juveniles could cast hypnotism thrice a day, adults could produce Melf's minute meteors thrice a day, mature adults could hold person thrice a day, and venerable dragons could animate rock once a day and great wyrms could place a geas once a day. Both hypnotism and geas were accomplished via the precise rippling of its scales. Alternatively, young dragons could cast improved invisibility thrice a day, juveniles could produce a fog cloud thrice a day, adults could cast legend lore whenever they liked, old dragons could use clairaudience/clairvoyance and nondetection both thrice a day, and ancient dragons could sculpt sound thrice a day. Finally, great wyrms could use shield of prudence thrice a day, extending their senses into the future a few moments, granting them greater ability to defend themselves against surprise attacks. Psionic emerald dragons could use object reading rather than legend lore, control sound instead of sculpt sound, and augmented invisibility instead of improved invisibility.
Similarly, emerald dragons could acquire and cast new spells of their own, whether arcane or divine, but they were most noted for their talent in psionics. Those who were so gifted learned the psionic attacks psionic blast, id insinuation, or psychic crush and the psionic defenses mind blank, tower of iron will, or thought shield. For general powers, they favored the disciplines of clairsentience or telepathy. Common clairsentience powers for crystal dragons were aura sight, object reading, and precognition and common telepathy powers were contact, mindlink, ejection, ESP, life detection, probe, sight link, and sound link.
They were skilled in acquiring information, hiding, and swimming.
Society
Emerald dragons were especially protective as parents. They took good care of their young and wished them to stay in their lairs with them for as long as was possible so they could protect one another. Families raised clutches of two to five offspring, and they were likely to be encountered alone or in such clans.
They were omnivorous, but favored the flesh of giants and lizards.
Emerald dragons spoke Draconic and both their own language and a language shared among all gem dragons. Moreover, more than one in seven hatchlings could communicate with any sentient being, and the others gained this power as they aged, with almost half possessing it by the time they were mature adults and over two-thirds when great wyrms.
Like the rest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons were rarer in the Realms than the common chromatic and metallic dragons.
Relations
Emerald dragons were afraid of red dragons for their rapacious greed and were openly aggressive to fire giants.
They would occasionally have sapphire dragons as their neighbors.
Lairs
Emerald dragons preferred to live underground. Their favored spots for their lairs were the cones of volcanoes that were dormant or extinct, or at least rarely active. Although reclusive, they did prefer to dwell in areas close to some sort of civilization and people of any race, though not where they were likely to make their presence known. Even when on the Inner Planes, they kept an eye on their favorite places back in the Material Plane.
Tactics
Distrusting all visitors, emerald dragons surrounded their lairs with alarms and concealed traps, both physical and magical, to give them timely warning. If intruders were not discouraged, the emerald dragon hid itself or turned invisible and used its powers to spy on them and rarely opened conversation. It would reveal itself only if the trespassers discovered the dragon, its hoard, or its hatchlings. The emerald dragon would often burrow underground to take intruders by surprise then attack with claws and wail to disable as many as possible. They could use their sonic breath or animate rock to cause mudslides, rockslides, or avalanches to bury foes. Alternatively, they obscured their vision with a fog cloud before charging in or snatching foes while on the wing. Emerald dragons were very reluctant to get into melee with their foes, and would much rather weakened them as much as they could from a distance first.
If encountered at sea for some reason, an emerald dragon brewed up a storm somehow or smashed ships with its tail, starting with the masts before targeting the hulls. If feeling almost merciful, it would cause them to be becalmed or lost in fog or it would break a few masters, forcing the ship to limp back to port. If not, it would force a ship to a place it chose, interrogate the crew and examine the cargo, then take all it desired or ransom the ship, cargo, and, presumably, crew.
Finally, if outnumbered or outmatched, an emerald dragon retreated and began plotting its revenge, and this could take years to play out.
Jacinth Dragon
Jacinth dragons were exceptionally solitary gem dragons and the rarest of dragon species.
Description
Jacinth dragons were covered in sparkling scales of various shades of flame-orange that seemed to be in constant motion. They were smaller than other dragons, ranging from as little as 2 ft (0.61 m) in length, to as much as 73 ft (22 m) in length as great wyrms.
Personality
Jacinth dragons were solitary to the extreme, avoiding all other forms of life.
Abilities
Jacinth dragons spoke only their own dialect, but could telepathically communicate with other telepathic or exceptionally intelligent creatures. Because of their relatively small size, their fear aura was less powerful than that of other dragons, but outside of combat, these dragons could use a combination of riddling talk and personal charm to entrance other creatures. They also had the ability to use the shifting colors of their scales to produce a hypnotic effect; on bright, sunny days, their hide reflected light so brightly that it blinded viewers.
Their breathe weapon was a cone of scalding air some 50 ft (15 m) long and 20 ft (6.1 m) wide at the far end, which set anything easily flammable within the cone on fire. They had superior magical abilities to most other dragons, being able to cast both wizardly and priestly spells. They could also innately blink six times each day.
Combat
Jacinth dragons typically relied on their breath weapons and spells in combat, but would use their claws and fangs in melee as well.
Ecology
Jacinth dragons lived in hot, dry deserts far from any other creatures. They were capable of going for weeks without food or water. They enjoyed their solitude, but were sometimes overly curious of visitors. Otherwise, they were only known to interact with other people when they went searching for their preferred treasure: jacinth. Beyond that rare gem, they kept little other treasures.
Jacinth dragons were the rarest of dragon species, and no more than a dozen at most lived on any given world. The only creatures known to attack them were adventures, but the hide of a jacinth dragon had never been taken.
Jade Dragon
The Jade dragon is the Oriental cousin to the emerald dragon of the western world. This dragon is usually considered mythical by humans and is sought by only a few adventurous thrill seekers. Slightly more powerful than its western cousin, this creature looks the same as other Oriental dragons. The hide of a jade dragon is made up of several different shades of green, swirled about in a random pattern.
Jade dragons speak their own language, and they can communicate telepathically with any other creature having that ability, as well as creatures with Intelligences of 18 or higher.
Combat
Jade dragons use their breath weapons and magical abilities to defend themselves if possible, but they can also employ two claw attacks and a bite if forced into melee. Although they are smaller and weaker than their more common relatives, they enjoy excellent spellcasting abilities, possessing both wizard and cleric spells.
Abilities
A jade dragon is able to breathe a powerful sonic wail. All those within a 90-foot radius suffer damage and must successfully save vs. breath weapon or be deafened for 1d6 x 10 rounds. Even if the save is successful, the victim is deafened for 2d6 rounds. In addition, all victims must make a successful Constitution saving throw in order to avoid being knocked unconscious for 5d4 rounds.
Using riddling talk and personal charm, jade dragons can entrance those who are not involved in combat or otherwise distracted. Anyone within 90 feet who listens to a jade has a 10% cumulative chance per round to become affected as by a suggestion spell. A successful save vs. spell indicates that the character can resist the charm for at least six rounds, after which there's a 5% cumulative chance to be charmed. Those who successfully save twice can't be charmed by that dragon. Due to its relatively small size, the fear aura of a neutral dragon allows a +4 bonus to opponents' saving throws. Also, neutrals cannot polymorph themselves unless they carry the spell of the same name. However they do have the innate ability to blink six times per day.
Ecology
Jades live entirely on forest vegetation and animal life, and will not eat humans. No jade dragon hide has ever been sold, so its value is unknown. The few jade dragons that have been seen were reported to be exquisitely beautiful, and there are many who would pay great sums to acquire such a hide.
Lairs
Jade dragons make their lairs in dense forests, as they are avid collectors of rare woods. Life other neutral dragons, they are extremely reclusive creatures, preferring remote lairs, and they aren't very hospitable to unexpected visitors. They love treasure, especially jade, and will bargain for precious and semiprecious stones.
Moonstone Dragon
Moonstone dragons were a species of gem or neutral dragon.
Description
They were the largest of the gem dragons, being at least 18 feet (5.5 meters) at hatching and growing to as much as 139 feet (42.4 meters) in length as great wyrms; despite this, they were graceful and elegant creatures. Their scales were an opalescent pale silver with a hint of blue in moonlight, and ruffs of emerald-green fur ran down their chin and chest, back and tail. One short horn curved forward from the nose, while a longer one curved back from the head, together forming a shape reminiscent of a crescent moon.
Personality
Moonstone dragons cared little for the affairs of humans or other material species. When young, they were impetuous, mischievious, and playful. Though they eventually matured into wise and gentle storytellers and teachers, if sometimes pompous, and always curious.
Abilities
Moonstone dragons were a rare and magical species. Like other neutral gem dragons, they knew both wizardly spells (normally of illusion and enchantment schools, and alteration spells of dim light and darkness, as well as various dream-related spells) and priestly spells of the all, healing, necromancy (good only), and divination spheres. They could also use faerie fire at will and calm emotions, dispel magic invisibility and revivify as much as twice each day. They themselves were immune to charm magic. Within their lair, a moonstone dragon could compel an enemy to dance, effectively incapacitating them.
Moonstone dragons were variously reported as having one or two of three different breathe weapons:
A cloud of light motes some 30 ft (9.1 m) long and wide, and 20 ft (6.1 m) high, that dispelled all spells and potion effects within except those needed for a creature to live, and which put those creatures caught within to sleep (even if they were normally unable to sleep or be put to sleep). When they awoke, they would only have fleeting memories of the dragon.[2]
A 90‑foot (27‑meter) cone of mist that simply knocked all creatures caught within unconscious unless they were particularly hardy.
A 120‑foot-long (37‑meter) beam of radiant energy resembling moonlight that injured any foe that could not get out of the way quickly enough.
Moonstone dragons, unlike most other dragons, had an aura that induced awe rather than fear, causing those affected to stand quietly and stare, and to have no clear memory of the encounter afterwards. They could also become ethereal at will, and the magic inherent to them overcame most damage resistances of less than artifact-level power.
Moonstones dragons were perhaps most well-known for their odd dream-magic: they were reported to appear in people's dreams and speak with them, always in the native tongue of the dreamer, and were known to offer guidance on matters related to faeries, shadows, lunar matters, healing, or suchlike (some claimed this ability only worked on creatures within 6 mi (9,700 m) of their lair, while other stated it was because they could enter the dreamscape at will). They could also banish enemies within their lair into a dream-place, and odd and disorienting dream-visions flitted around their lairs.
Combat
Moonstone dragons would use their teeth, claws, and tail as weapons in combat, as well as their extensive magical abilities.
Moonstone dragons were, for all the power, vulnerable to elemental attacks, and bright light injured them such that if sufficiently hurt by it, they faded into the Border Ethereal and could not leave that plane until they healed—a process which was inordinately long and slow.
Society
They were obscure and secretive dragons, sometimes claimed to guard sylvan regions, and other times reported to have been seen at the celebrations of faerie courts in deep forests. They were, variously, said to try and influence the Material plane through use of agents, to inspire artists and poets, encourage great thinkers, or spur on adventurers to do heroic deeds.
Moonstone dragons did not prize gold or copper, but instead made their hoards out of silver, platinum, and mithril. They also valued art and other things that were less easily quantified as valuable: a heartfelt song, a story of happy times, a painting of a favored place, or even a lock of a loved one's hair.
Ecology
Moonstone dragons were thought to live on moonbeams and nectar as their food and drink; for certain, they were not carnivorous.
They lived in the Feywild and in the Border Ethereal plane, where they were said to make their lairs in faerie mounds or hidden woodland caverns. Among dragons, they were more likely to make several lairs due to their whimsical nature. Portals between the Feywild, Border Ethereal, and Material plane often formed within a few miles of their lairs.
Rumors & Legends
Among the stories that surrounded these rare creatures, it was variously said that:
They first hatched from the eggs of a clever dragon who fled to the Feywild to hide her clutch.
Their tears were drops of mithril, and elves used them to fashion chain mail.
When one died, it vanished into moonbeams.
When one died well, its heart turned into a lump of pure adamantine.
If one killed a creature unjustly, then it turned into sand and its spirit was destroyed.
Obsidian Dragon
Obsidian dragons were the most intelligent of the gem dragons, and also the most dangerous.
Description
Obsidian dragons ranged in size from small wyrmlings to gargantuan great wyrms. As hatchlings, their scales were rough, dark grey, and distinct from each other, but as they grew, their scales changed to solid black and smooth to point that individuals scales were difficult to distinguish.
Personality
Obsidian dragons, though extremely intelligent, were also arrogant, quick to anger, and cruel, being known to toy with their prey before finishing it.
Abilities
Like other true dragons, obsidian dragons radiated a fear-inducing aura. They were creatures of fire, immune to its effects but vulnerable to those of ice and cold. They also possessed the ability to innately shift themselves from the Material Plane to the Inner Planes at will. The breath weapon of obsidian dragons was a cone of fire.
By the time they were young, obsidian dragons would begin to develop natural psionic powers, at first being able to use firefall, and then biofeedback as juveniles, burning ray as young adults, whitefire as adults, wall of ectoplasm as mature adults, ectoplasmic armor as old dragons, flaming shroud as very old dragons, and plane shift as ancients, of which they could use thrice each day. They gained the use of mind store as wyrms and genesis as great wyrms, both of which they could only use once each day.
Additionally, obsidian dragons manifested mind thrust/thought shield as their attack/defense modes, and gained powers similarly to a psion of the Metacreativity discipline.
Combat
Obsidian dragons were unafraid of combat, making rapid analyses of their opponents in seconds and attacking accordingly; or, more rarely, retreating to avoid or ambush foes too powerful for them to quickly overpower. They preferred to start combat using their breath weapon and ranged attacks, before closing to use physical attacks to finish enemies off. A tactic they particularly favored was snatching an enemy and plane shifting to the Plane of Fire or their demiplane (if the latter's environment was hostile enough).
Ecology
Obsidian dragons preferred warm mountainous or underground environments (such as by volcanoes); many were known to make their lairs in coal mountains found in the Elemental Plane of Fire. The exception to this were the great wyrms, who used their genesis power to make their own demiplanes.
Pearl Dragon
Pearl dragons were a species of gem dragon easily identified by their pearl-like scales.
Description
Pearl dragons were most known for their pearl-like scales, which grew increasingly lustrous as they aged. They were smaller than most other dragons, ranging in size from as little as 2 feet (0.61 meters) in length as hatchlings, to as much as 86 feet (26 meters) in length as great wyrms.
Personality
Pearl dragons were reclusive by nature and rarely aggressive or violent.
Abilities
Pearl dragons spoke only their own dialect, but could telepathically communicate with other telepathic or exceptionally intelligent creatures. Because of their relatively small size, their fear aura was less powerful than that of other dragons, but outside of combat, these dragons could use a combination of riddling talk and personal charm to entrance other creatures.
Pearl dragons had a breath weapon in the form of a cloud of scalding steam that could be as much as 90 feet (27 meters) long, 30 feet (9.1 meters) wide, and 20 feet (6.1 meters) high.
They had superior magical abilities, being capable of casting both wizardly and priestly spells. They also could blink six times per day.
Combat
Pearl dragons tended to rely on their breath weapon and spells in combat, but were still willing to use their claws and fangs in melee if necessary.
Ecology
Pearl dragons lived on both rocky coastlines and sandy beaches, but always by the sea; they loved both the salty air and open expanse of it. They were somewhat nomadic, moving from one place to another when the food or pearl supply of their territory ran low. Such movement was a slow process, because pearl dragons never left even one treasure behind. They spent most of each day hunting for pearls, and their hoards would contain pearls worth tens of thousands of gold pieces. Because of their pearl-hunting activities, pearl dragons had enlarged lungs and could comfortably stay underwater for up to an hour.
Diet
Pearl dragons primarily ate sharks and other fish, as well as small whales or hundreds of lobsters as a treat.
Relationships
Pearl dragons typically stayed at a safe distance from human civilization and rarely attacked sailing ships. However, they were known to attack pirate ships that bothered them, and take all the treasure found therein. They were natural enemies of dragon turtles.
Usage
Their hides were known to sell for as much as 60,000 gold pieces.
Ruby Dragon
Ruby dragons were a rare species of gem dragons who often were confused with red dragons, however, unlike their chromatic cousins, ruby dragons were creatures that followed laws and stayed away from moral extremes.
Description
Ruby dragons had fine ruby-red shimmering and glistening scales, indistinguishable from those of red dragons from a distance of 120 feet (37 meters) or further. Upon closer examination, their gem dragon nature became immediately apparent.
Abilities
Like other dragons, rubies' main weapon was their breath. Unlike their red kin, ruby dragons' breath was a wave of intense metal-melting magic heat that melted and ignited anything and anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the breath's way. The intensity of the heat increased as a ruby dragon aged. Items made of light materials, such as paper, were incinerated instantly, leather was destroyed within 6 seconds, non-metallic items were destroyed within 12 seconds, and metals melted after 18 seconds. The heat of a ruby dragon's breath was intense enough to melt even enchanted metallic items, however, it took them 24 seconds or more to be destroyed. Magic items with resistance to fire were just as vulnerable to this type of breath as other magic items, however it took twice as much time to become unusable. Even if affected magic items were quickly cooled, there was a chance parts of the enchantments were nullified.
With age, ruby dragons became completely immune to mundane and magical flames and heat. Their jeweled hides granted ruby dragons good protection and resistance to cold.
Ruby dragons were able to take on humanoid shapes, seemingly for an indefinite amount of time. Some, if not all ruby dragons, could use the Art innately. Some of the spells they could cast included shocking grasp, summon swarm, and produce flame.
Personality
Older ruby dragons enjoyed bathing in molten rock of lava and strolling along scorching magma.
Combat
When forced into confrontation, ruby dragons used their deadly super-heated breath, as well as their raking claws and powerful crushing jaws.
Society
Ruby dragons could be found in solitary existence as well as in tightly-knit clans and inhabited the same terrains as their red dragon cousins. Ruby dragon were known to build joined conclaves with red dragon on the tallest secluded mountaintops. However, ruby dragons were more likely venture into higher altitudes than red dragons. Most ruby dragons spoke their own language, the shared tongue of all gem dragons, and the language of red dragons.
These voracious gem dragons consumed meat as well as gemstones. Because of that almost compulsive love for consuming the most dense and precious of gems, ruby dragons ofter attacked dwarves with glee, hoping to find delicious gems among their possessions. Ruby dragons valued gems above all else and happily accepted such gifts, bribes, and offerings.
Ruby dragons could cross-breed with amethyst dragons.
Sapphire Dragon
Sapphire dragons were the most territorial and antisocial of gem dragons. Militaristic and warlike, they loved to discuss military matters and strategy. They preferred to lair in deep, rocky caves and often kept large spiders in their home as a food source.
Description
Sapphire dragons were covered in scales of various shades of blue, which sparkled with starburst patterns under sunlight. They were sometimes mistaken for blue dragons. Some of their extremities, such as their tail barbs and the tips of their horns were physically disconnected from their bodies, held aloft by the dragon's psionic force. These appendages moved or shifted in response to the dragon's mood. An amused sapphire dragon might have its horns oscillate up and down, while an angry dragon would have its appendages flare and widen threateningly.
Combat
Sapphire dragons breathed a cone of extremely high-pitched sonic energy, which harmed opponents and caused them to panic and to become incapacitated for a few seconds.
They were also known to employ their considerable psionic abilities in combat, flinging enemies away, teleporting over short distances, and charming their opponents.
Society
Diet
The favorite food of sapphire dragons consisted of giant spiders, which they greatly enjoyed hunting within their lairs. Older and more powerful sapphire dragons had the power to attract giant spiders to their lairs from within a 6‑mile (9.7‑kilometer) range.
Lairs
It was common for sapphire dragons to establish large, labyrinthine lairs as vast cave systems within mountains, filled with secret passages and chambers. A powerful dragon's lair was warped by the creature's magic, often turning the substance of the stone into crystalline formations, with numerous underground sapphire veins. Sometimes, there was no way into or out of a sapphire dragon's lair without the need to dig or to use magic.
Within its lair, the dragon used its natural ability to psionically manipulate rock, as well as its burrowing capabilities, to create a vast network of tunnels and chambers separated by thin walls. This complex structure allowed the dragon to move around its entire lair virtually undetected by intruders.
Typical sapphire dragon hoards were well catalogued and organized. In addition to the typical gold and gems, they included large quantities of magic weapons and armor, as well as treatises on military history and strategy, which usually occupied a central and prominent location within the hoard. It was not rare for a sapphire dragon's treasure to include ancient and powerful relics.
Relationships
The strong psionic powers of sapphire dragons often put them at odds with aberrations such as aboleths and mind flayers. They were particularly adept at finding areas that had been strongly influenced by the Far Realm and combating the creatures that spawned in those areas.
As a result of their territorial behavior, sapphire dragons often antagonized drow and dwarves. On the other hand, they often befriended rock gnome and svirfneblin communities, using their psionic influence to turn their settlements into military communities dedicated to protecting the dragons' lairs.
Topaz Dragon
Topaz dragons were a breed of gem dragon known to be selfish and unsociable and for their similarity to topaz.
Description
When a wyrmling, a topaz dragon had scales that were dull yellow with orange highlights. As it grew older, its scales hardened and turned translucent and faceted while they brightened in color, with individual scales becoming indiscernible. By adulthood, they were light orange in hue and sparkled under the sun and from far off they appeared as if carved from pure topaz. Conversely, their pupils faded with age, so a great wyrm's eyes were naught but fiery glowing orbs.
A hatchling had a 2‑foot-long (0.61‑meter) body and 2‑foot-long (0.61‑meter) tail, while an adult had a body length of 44 to 53 feet (13 to 16 meters) and a tail length of 23 to 29 feet (7 to 8.8 meters). The biggest great wyrms grew to 92 feet (28 meters) long in the body, with tails 40 feet (12 meters) long.
Personality
While not really malevolent, they were selfish and unfriendly, with no interest in meeting others or in having others meet them. They often behaved erratically and this made them unpleasant and even dangerous to deal with.
Abilities
Topaz dragons breathed a cone of dehydration, ironically resembling a blast of water. For an adult, this could be some 70 feet (21 meters) long and up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) wide or 50 feet (15 meters) long and up to 50 feet (15 meters) wide. This would dry objects and vaporize many cubic feet of water and water-based liquids, causing salt and other suspended compounds and particles to precipitate out. Living creatures caught in the blast would be severely dehydrated, losing much of their strength and needing extensive care and rest to recover, and potentially even falling into a coma and dying.
Topaz dragons were naturally immune to cold spells and could breathe water as well as they could air.
Like any dragon, and in addition to the common powers of gem dragons, topaz dragons gained an array of magical powers as they aged, though accounts of these varied. In one version, young dragons could cast protection from evil or protection from good thrice a day, juveniles could cast blink thrice a day, adults could create a wall of fog thrice a day, mature adults could cast airy water thrice a day, and old dragons could part water once a day. Alternatively, adults could create a fog cloud thrice a day, old dragons could control winds thrice a day, and ancient dragons could control weather once a day. If psionic, juveniles could featherfall, old dragons could control air rather than control winds, and great wyrms could shape change.
Similarly, topaz dragons could acquire and cast new spells of their own, whether arcane or divine, but they were most noted for their talent in psionics. Those who were so gifted learned the psionic attacks mind thruster and id insinuation or ego whip and the psionic defenses mind blank or thought shield and mental barrier. For general powers, they favored the disciplines of psychometabolism Common psychometabolism powers for topaz dragons were biofeedback, body equilibrium, cause decay, chemical simulation, energy containment, life draining, and metamorphosis and common psychokinesis powers were animate object, control wind, molecular manipulation, soften, and telekinesis.
They were skilled in swimming, hiding, and survival.
Society
Topaz dragons were disinterested in parenting. They would even abandon their own offspring in order to save themselves.
Lairing near the coast as they did, they favored a seafood diet, preying on fish, shark, and particularly giant squid.
Topaz dragons spoke Draconic and both their own language and a language shared among all gem dragons. Moreover, more than one in eight hatchlings could communicate with any sentient being, and the others gained this power as they aged, with almost two-fifths possessing it by the time they were mature adults and two-thirds when great wyrms.
Like the rest of the gem dragons, topaz dragons were rarer in the Realms than the common chromatic and metallic dragons.
Relationships
Occupying the same or similar environments, topaz dragons and bronze dragons regularly quarreled. Topaz dragons disliked the bronze dragons and typically attacked on sight. Their battles were invariably violent and lethal.
Lairs
Topaz dragons made their lairs by the sea, in bleak and rocky coastal areas such as secluded beaches, caves above or below the waterline, or structures they built themselves. At these places, they liked to sun themselves on rocky outcrops, under the wind, sea spray, and crashing waves, and from where they could keep an eye out for prey.
In spite of this, topaz dragons did not actually enjoy the water as their bronze dragon neighbors did. In fact, they had little liking of it and swam only as necessary for hunting and battle. They kept their lairs scrupulously dry, even when on the Plane of Water, no matter how difficult that may seem.
Lands
Topaz dragons were most often found in the Elemental Plane of Water, and they only made short visits to the Prime Material Plane.
Tactics
While they did not like visitors or trespassers to their lairs, topaz dragons also did not like fighting. In fact, while they avoided conversing at the best of times, they would do so to prevent a fight and to conceal their magical and psionic preparations. When trespassers proved hostile, or just uninteresting or annoying, the topaz dragon would strike first if it could. They opened battle with their psionic powers and their magic as needed, and loved fighting with fang and claw. If outside, it would use its powers to control wind and weather, before entering melee. If inside, it often began with its dehydrating breath instead. Otherwise, they saved their breath until they were hurt.
If outmatched, a topaz dragon might propose or pretend to surrender to buy itself time, and if overwhelmed it would retreat. However, some retreats were feigned, and the topaz dragon would return to surprise its attacker.
Usage
A talon of a topaz dragon was reported to be one of many draconic material components in Ossavitor's Way, a magical means by which a dragon could attain immortality.
The brain and/or cranial fluids of a topaz dragon was one proposed ingredient in the long-sought-after universal material component.
