Red Dragon

Red dragons, referred to by sages as D. conflagratio horribilis, were covetous, evil creatures, interested only in their own well-being, vanity and the extension of their treasure hoards. They were supremely confident of their own abilities and were prone to making snap decisions without any forethought. The largest and most powerful of the chromatic dragons, red dragons were also the most fearsome and cruel. These dragons delighted in ruin, death and destruction. They breathed a cone of fire.
The most covetous of the true dragons, red dragons tirelessly seek to increase their treasure hoards. They are exceptionally vain, even for dragons, and their conceit is reflected in their proud bearing and their disdain for other creatures. The odor of sulfur and pumice surrounds a red dragon, whose swept-back horns and spinal frill define its silhouette. Its beaked snout vents smoke at all times, and its eyes dance with flame when it is angry. Its wings are the longest of any chromatic dragon, and have a blue-black tint along the trailing edge that resembles metal burned blue by fire.
The scales of a red dragon wyrmling are a bright glossy scarlet, turning a dull, deeper red and becoming as thick and strong as metal as the dragon ages. Its pupils also fade as it ages, and the oldest red dragons have eyes that resemble molten lava orbs.
Mountain Masters. Red dragons prefer mountainous terrain, badlands, and any other locale where they can perch high and survey their domain. Their preference for mountains brings them into conflict with the hill-dwelling copper dragons from time to time. Arrogant Tyrants. Red dragons fly into destructive rages and act on impulse when angered. They are so ferocious and vengeful that they are regarded as the archetypical evil dragon by many cultures. No other dragon comes close to the arrogance of the red dragon. These creatures see themselves as kings and emperors, and view the rest of dragonkind as inferior. Believing that they are chosen by Tiamat to rule in her name, red dragons consider the world and every creature in it as theirs to command.
Status and Slaves. Red dragons are fiercely territorial and isolationist. However, they yearn to know about events in the wider world, and they make use of lesser creatures as informants, messengers, and spies. They are most interested in news about other red dragons, with which they compete constantly for status. When it requires servants, a red dragon demands fealty from chaotic evil humanoids. If allegiance isn't forthcoming, it slaughters a tribe's leaders and claims lordship over the survivors. Creatures serving a red dragon live in constant terror of being roasted and eaten for displeasing it. They spend most of their time fawning over the creature in an attempt to stay alive.
Obsessive Collectors. Red dragons value wealth above all else, and their treasure hoards are legendary. They covet anything of monetary value, and can often judge the worth of a bauble to within a copper piece at a glance. A red dragon has a special affection for treasure claimed from powerful enemies it has slain, exhibiting that treasure to prove its superiority. A red dragon knows the value and provenance of every item in its hoard, along with each item's exact location. It might notice the absence of a single coin, igniting its rage as it tracks down and slays the thief without mercy. If the thief can't be found, the dragon goes on a rampage, laying waste to towns and villages in an attempt to sate its wrath.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Red dragons were physically distinguished by their enormous size and wingspan. They had two large horns upon their heads, which pointed backwards toward their wings. They smelled of smoke and sulfur.

Like all chromatic dragons, reds lived their lives in cycles of activity and hibernation. While these cyclical rhythms weren't as extreme as green dragons, red dragons sealed themselves within their lairs for upwards of ten years at a time. During their active periods they were known as voracious over-hunters, whose hunger ensured that the populations of any nearby creatures did not grow beyond ecological stability.

Genetics and Reproduction

Mating was initiated by the female every century or so when she felt the urge to have children. She looked for the nearest red dragon with the most wealth and power. As such, males never denied their advances. It was a sign of prestige among other males to be requested to mate.
After mating, the male then abandoned her while she hatched her eggs. She jealously guarded the clutch, occasionally with the assistance of an infertile female, but rarely laid down her own life for her hatchlings. An average red dragon clutch had four eggs and had an incubation time of 270 days.
Once her young reached the young adult stage of development, or sometimes earlier, the mother's natural instincts overruled her maternal ones and she forced all of her young from her territory.

Growth Rate & Stages

Medium 5 years or less
Young Large 6–100 years
Adult Huge 101–800 years
Ancient Gargantuan 801 years or more

Ecology and Habitats

Lair

Red dragons made their homes in mountainous lairs particularly throughout the peaks of northwestern and northern Faerûn, surrounding the great desert of Anauroch. They were particularly abundant around the snow-capped mountains of the Spine of the World.
Some red dragons have been spotted as far south as the Sunset Mountains, or even Tethyr, though they generally avoided any rangers near "civilized" lands.

Habitat

Red dragons loved to make their lairs in deep, underground caves in mountainous regions. Many preferred to dwell in volcanoes, where the intense heat kept others at bay. Almost all red dragons simply required a high perch. The higher the better as they believed that their domain encompassed all that they could see.
Young red dragons, especially wyrmlings were easy prey for predators and hunters due to their bright, glossy scarlet scales, so they tended to stay underground in the darkness until they felt that they could defend themselves properly.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

It was said the flesh of red dragons tasted extremely spicy. To be properly prepared, it had to be exposed to open air for at least two days and aged for some time. Anyone who ate red dragon meat that was not treated in this manner was susceptible to horrible cramps and extreme pain. In addition, the bones and scales of all dragons can be used to craft powerful magical equipment with the correct know-how (for example, dragon scale mail). The equipment would usually be imbued with the elemental powers of the dragon it came from, so in the case of red dragons, such equipment would either protect from or deal fire damage.

Scientific Name

Draco conflagratio horribilis

Average Height

• Wyrmling: 5 ft.
• Young: 9 ft.
• Adult: 14 ft.
• Ancient: 18 ft.

Average Weight

• Wyrmling: 350 lb.
• Young: 2,700 lb.
• Adult: 22,000 lb.
• Ancient: 165,000 lb.

Average Length

• Wyrmling: 18 ft.
• Young: 33 ft.
• Adult: 58 ft.
• Ancient: 88 ft.