Adamantine Dragons

Amethyst dragons were a breed of gem dragon known for their wise and regal manner and their similarity to amethyst.
Amethyst dragons shared a profound fascination of foreign worlds and dimensions, and many became scholars of planar lore. These individuals were often particularly interested in the opposing forces of good, evil, chaos, and law emanating from the Outer Planes, and in the manner in which individual dragons manifested echoes of themselves across the worlds of the Material plane. Over their lives, these amethyst dragons developed considerable knowledge and understanding of these matters, which they often shared with those willing to listen to their counsel.
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.

Basic Information

Anatomy

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.

Biological Traits

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, pionic sense, psychic drain, psychic surgery, and ultrablast.
They were skilled in deception and stealth.

Genetics and Reproduction

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.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They favored a diet of fish and gemstones but could subsist on elemental matter such as earth.

Behaviour

They were considered wise and majestic even by dragon standards. But they were aloof and paid little heed to conflicts between good and evil or chaos and law, as they believed them to be but petty squabbles. They favored talking things out rather than fighting, but considered retreating, ambushing, and hiding to be dishonorable.

Additional Information

Social Structure

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.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Amethyst dragon scales were known as "teyastones". The Sisterhood of the Oaks, a band of rangers dwelling in the Chondalwood in the mid-to-late 14th century DR, each carried a teyastone to bring them luck and as a symbol of the love they held for each other.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Like the rest of the gem dragons, amethyst dragons were rarer in the Realms than the common chromatic and metallic dragons.
Favored climate: Temperate, cold
Favored terrain: Mountain lakes, underground

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.

Lands

Amethyst dragons could be encountered around the Stonelands, and less commonly in the neighboring Goblin Marches; around Highstar Lake on the High Moor; and in the rivers and lakes of Rashemen.

Average Intelligence

Genius

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

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.

History

During the Dracorage of 1373 DR, amethysts and other gem dragons used their power to shift between planes to escape Toril entirely. They waited out the rage and afterward returned one by one to resume where they left off, but many encountered difficulties.

Historical Figures

Aleithilithos, a thane of the gem dragon deity Sardior, the Ruby Dragon.
Nyadnar, who masqueraded as a powerful human sorceress in Zazesspur in Tethyr.
Felrivenser, known also as Gembright, an ancient wyrm known in the time of Netheril.
Her distant descendant Chassabra transformed herself into an amethyst half-dragon.
Eldenser, the Worm Who Hides in Blades, a great wyrm who possessed swords through the North.
Sh'derra D'zeer, a young amethyst who resided within Highstar Lake.
Amaeraszantha, who protected the underground village of Tempus's Tears while lairing in the ruins above.
Amrennathed, "Queen of the Mountain", who dwelled in the Mountains of the Alaoreum in Turmish.

Common Myths and Legends

Patron deity: Sardior

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

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.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Gem dragons
• True Dragons

Average Height

Wyrmling Medium
Young Large
Adult Huge
Ancient Gargantuan
Greatwyrm Gargantuan

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

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.