Chromium Dragon

Chromium dragons are a type of ferrous dragon that re-emerged on Zihæt in the 48th century.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The scales of a chromium dragon shine like tarnished silver. Upon reaching adulthood, the scales brighten to take on the appearance of polished silver. As a chromium dragon reaches old age, its scales become shiny like chrome, reflecting the dragon's surroundings like a warped mirror.
Its frill running down its back is similar to that of a silver dragon's, only not as tall and with more pronounced spines. it has a short crest on its snout and a mane of short horns behind its head.
Its wings are wide, and its profile is sleek from any angle, with lithe limbs and its natural armor shaped like bands wrapped around its muscular body. Its many needle-like teeth are smaller than those of other dragons, but no less painful.
Chromium dragons are often mistaken for silver dragons. They are quite similar in appearance, but the main differences are that the older chromium dragon's scales are highly reflective, and their crest and horns have a different shape.

Biological Traits

Breath weapon. A chromium dragon can breath a line of solid ice (cold).
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Immunity. Chromium dragons are immune to cold.

Growth Rate & Stages

Age Category

Age (in years)

Size

Wyrmling

0-5

small

Very Young

6-15

medium

Young

16-25

medium

Juvenile

26-50

large

Young Adult

51-100

large

Adult

101-200

large

Mature Adult

201-400

huge

Old

401-600

huge

Elder

601-800

huge

Ancient

801-1000

gartantuan

Wyrm

1001-1200

gartantuan

Great Wyrm

1201-????

gartantuan

Ecology and Habitats

Chromium dragons live in subterranean or mountainous arctic climates, often creating caves for lairs. A chromium dragon's favorite defense is a pit filled with sharp icicles covered by a thin layer of ice designed to break with the smallest amount of pressure. Chromium dragons sometimes settle in more idyllic settings such as hills or plains, provided there is enough snow around to mask their presence.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Although they prefer meat, chromium dragons can eat anything, even surviving on nothing more than ice and snow.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They have the ability to see in the dark up to 60 feet away from them. They can see in dim light within that radius as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can't discern color in the darkness, only shades of grey.
They can perceive its surroundings within 10 feet without relying on sight.
All ferrous dragons can sense the location and amount of any non-precious metal (e.g. those other than gold, copper, etc.) within a distance of 30 feet as a wormling, and extending an additional 30 feet with each stage of growth.

Civilization and Culture

History

Ferrous dragons. These metallic dragons were once a dominant force on other worlds, but have been unknown on Zihæt until they re-emerged early in the 48th century. By nature they are heirarchical and have a strict code of conduct, though it may not seem so to others. Ferrous dragons on Zihæt are not burdened by the norms of their society on other worlds, and as a result can often exhibit strikingly different personalities and characteristics than the legends would suggest.

Common Myths and Legends

Greedy and spiteful.Also known as chrome dragons for their silvery color, chromium dragons are as greedy and spiteful as they come. Only red dragons match or exceed their greed and love of riches, but these dragons are a bit more subtle than their red cousins. That is, until combat breaks out. Where reds simply destroy, chromium dragons take their time, enjoying inflicting as much pain as possible.
Hateful and Merciless. Chromium dragons outside Zihæt are filled with resentment and hatred for what befell them after they listened to Gruaghlothor's promises of rulership and wealth. They blame all other creatures and events that led up to their fall, but they refuse to blame themselves. After all, they, their motives, and their performance during the war was faultless. Therefore, by definition it must have been the combined faults of everything around them that brought their dreams of riches crashing down around them, left to rust like their fallen reputation.
Since then, that hatred has only grown and is ingrained within the subconscious of each chromium dragon. Hatred toward everything. No matter what the subject, a chromium dragon can somehow construe it as a factor in the war between the ferrous and metallic dragons, and therefore as something to be punished and destroyed. Their logic in this realm is often flawed, but their hatred blinds them and they refuse to see it any other way. They fall upon their enemies (which, as far as they are concerned, includes anything that can't grant them wealth or revenge) coldly and without mercy.
They tear apart each enemy as if that creature alone had been the cause of their defeat, and nothing will satiate them but that creature's eventual and painful demise.
Cruel and Vengeful. Out of their spiteful hatred has grown a cruelty to rival even that of the black dragons'. A chromium dragon can't imagine a punishment long and painful enough for a creature to atone for its sin (which in the dragon's eyes is simply existing). They toy with their prey when they can, watching it run and allowing it a glimmer of hope before again diving from the sky to freeze off its legs (or some other act of cruelty). Its freezing breath proves useful for drawing out the end of a fight, the dragon allowing its opponent to wear itself out before unleashing a barrage of merciless melee attacks.
If it is defeated or wronged in some other way, the dragon becomes obsessed with obtaining revenge. They aren't as patient as other kinds of dragons and often act out of passion, stopping at nothing to destroy those who wronged it.
Obsessive Hoarders. Chromium dragons collect anything and everything of value. Their hoards rival even those of red dragons in terms of sheer size, and they don't discriminate when it comes to riches. They accept everything from gems to coins to weapons and armor to books to tapestries to fine dwarven ale, and everything in-between. Its favorite treasures, however, are those won from challengers or silver dragons. If the dragon kills an especially powerful foe, it might choose to preserve the corpse or take some sort of souvenir from the broken carcass as a momento.
The one "treasure" that it cannot stand is slaves and servants. Other dragons love having creatures fawn over them for nearly any reason, but chromium dragons abhor attempts to get on their good side. They see such flattering only as an attempt to manipulate them, which they take offense to and then punish without mercy. Even if a creature is somehow able to convince a chromium dragon to accept its service, the dragon perceives everything the poor creature does as wrong, insignificant, and undeserving of anything other than the dragon's wrath. The relationship inevitably ends with a slow and painful death for the creature and an early dinner for the dragon.

Origin/Ancestry

Ferrous Dragon

Conservation Status

No living ferrous dragons existed on Zihæt until 4706. The few ferrous dragons eggs that do exist are under the watchful eye of Chryseis.

Geographic Distribution

• Dragonshome Islands

Related Ethnicities

• Dragonkind