Dragons
Dragons are large, winged, powerful predators with innate magic and fearsome breath weapons. While there are many creatures related to them, some of which have their awesome power, the creatures known as true dragons are the most common and well known of their kin. Once, dragons on Nerilia were divided into families of chromatic and metallic dragons. When the Great Cataclysm came, however, dragons were changed more than any other creatures on the planet. Modern dragons are extremely diverse with unique magical abilities, often relating to their home environments. Most dragons feel an innate desire to collect large hoards of treasure.
Adamantine Dragons
Dragons who dwelt near deposits of the skymetal adamantine during the Great Cataclysm evolved into adamantine dragons. These dragons are born with thick scales, but they are replaced by adamantine plates over time as the dragon either attracts and incorporates it or otherwise grows it on its body. Adamantine dragons are notoriously stubborn, but also loyal as a result.
Adamantine dragons have yellow-brown scales, but the adamantine that grows over them is stark black. They live in rocky terrain and dig out their own lairs, stocking their hoards with gems and precious metals they find along the way. Their breath weapon is a mass of boulders.
Conspirator Dragons
How and why conspirator dragons came to be is unknown. These disturbing creatures can contort their bodies into skin-suit replicas of humanoids, an ability which they use to infiltrate and manipulate humanoid societies for their own agendas.
Conspirator dragons have ochre-colored scales and humanoid faces on the tops of their heads. While they mostly live in humanoid settlements, they tend to keep secondary lairs where they maintain their hoards, which often include secret evidence they can use for plots and blackmail. Their breath weapon is a cloud of poisonous smoke.
Fortune Dragons
Having no ties to any particular branch of magic, fortune dragons can draw magical power from items in their surroundings, especially their treasure. These dragons' hoards cling to their bodies and grant them power. Fortune dragons love new experiences and will greet other creatures with excitement, at least as long as the encounter is exciting.
Fortune dragons are bulky, with deep green scales. They lair anywhere they can safely keep their massive hoards, which are usually filled with relatively worthless items whose only value is empowering the dragon. Their breath weapon is a blast of magically disruptive energy.
Gelus Dragons
The first gelus dragons were the souls of dragons who had signed contracts with Kozrumon and were bound to be part of his knighthood, and while their offspring have no such obligation, many elect to serve Kozrumon anyway. Like the devils, his other servants, gelus dragons are trustworthy and honest, even if many are self-serving.
Like Kozrumon's devil-knights, gelus dragons are constantly covered in mystical knightly armor, which only fades when the dragon dies, revealing the white or blue scales beneath. Those who serve Kozrumon live in or near his Gelus fortress, but the rest tend to lair within icy caverns in snowy mountains or abandoned humanoid forts. Their hoards tend to have a more military bent than most dragons, containing many magic weapons and offensive items. Their breath weapon is a cloud of frost.
Horned Dragons
The forest-dwelling horned dragons are defined by their distinctive horns. They have less sophisticated magic than some other dragons, and thus they often rely on their impressive natural weaponry instead. Despite their animalistic appearance, though, horned dragons are intelligent and their actions are deliberate.
Horned dragons' scales are yellow-green like the leaves of a forest, and they have large limbs and short necks, making them well-suited to physical confrontations. Their hoards are well-kept and organized, and contain lore and artifacts from across the world. Their breath weapon is a cloud of toxic gas.
Maw Dragons
Whether maw dragons came about because their ancestors lived in or near the Maw or are the demonically-reborn souls of sinful dragons is a subject of debate. Regardless, maw dragons, like the demons of the Maw, seek to tempt mortals into sin and bring ruin to those they cannot. While they do not necessarily serve Dakoleth, the Demon Lord ruler of the Maw, his influence has affected them, as their fire is of similar magical makeup to his own.
Maw dragons have white scales with pink skin underneath, especially on their underbellies. Most live in the Maw itself, and those that don't will still prefer lairs with similar amounts of verticality. Their hoards often include memorabilia from mortals that they successfully tempted into sin. Their breath weapon is white demon-fire.
Mirage Dragons
Evolved from dragons who dwelt near misty, fog-shrouded lakes, mirage dragons have a natural penchant for illusion magic and deception. Largely egotistical, they enjoy watching their own reflections and care little for others.
Mirage dragons have irridescent scales that confuse the eyes and frills along the length of their bodies. They lair near still lakes which serve as natural mirrors, and all of the treasures in their hoard are polished to a reflective shine. Their breath weapon is a cloud of fog that induces hallucination in its targets.
Omen Dragons
Created due to their proximity to the prophecy deity Yher, omen dragons can always see the future, though their visions become more vague the farther they are in time. While they have expanded in the centuries since the Great Cataclysm, they still possess the same desire to share their vision as Yher, and they are not discerning about who they share them with.
Omen dragons are red with rough gold highlights. They have antler-like horns, and the insides of their wings reflect visions of the future. They keep multiple lairs, each with their own small hoards, and these hoards contain many items that the dragon recognizes as somehow important to the future. Their breath weapon is a mist that overwhelms creatures' minds with glimpses of possible futures.
Spined Dragons
Like horned dragons, spined dragons take a more simplistic approach to combat than many of their kin, but rather than physical might, they rely mostly the overwhelming power of their breath weapons, with little nuance. They are naturally solitary, but are known to lash out at seemingly innocent targets if they are angered, usually by someone or something disturbing their home.
Spined dragons have dark scales, usually black, green, or blue, and their most distinctive feature is the set of plate-like spines—similar to those of a spinosaurus—running from their necks to their tails. They tend to lair in hard-to-reach locations, and their hoards contain little that is manufactured by humanoids, instead often being made up of hunting trophies and natural treasures. Their breath weapon is a forceful blast of blue fire, and when they use it their spines and eyes glow with power.
Umbral Dragons
The sadistic umbral dragons embody the power of shadow, and evolved from dragons who dwelt in the dark places of the world. Their favorite food is undead flesh, and their activities can be a blessing to settlements plagued by undead, but they eat living creatures just as readily. They have no interest in fighting fair, and use the stealth their black scales and sleek form provides them to strike from hiding while leaving their servants to fight head-on.
Umbral dragons have a great interest in the traditions of the dead, and will decorate their lairs with various heirlooms they've obtained. They have two breath weapons: either damaging void energy or enervating shadows. Their physical attacks are extra effective against undead, even incorporeal creatures like ghosts, and their bite can drain vitality from the living.
Elemental Dragons
The family of the elemental dragons is descended from dragons who dwelt in places of pure elemental power and were shaped by it.
Brine Dragons
Having the power of elemental water, brine dragons are meticulous forces of order. They enjoy creating and ruling communities with strict law, and don't care for good or evil. Their subjects may see them as benevolent or tyrannical.
Brine dragons tend to lair outside of the communities they build. Their breath weapon is a spray of corrosive salt water.
Cloud Dragons
Creatures of the air, cloud dragons are fanciful and impulsive. They enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people, and their ever-changing interests make them hard to predict. They generally pay no mind to other creatures' perceptions of right and wrong, and as such are just as likely to steal a desired object as bargain for it.
Cloud dragons lair in high mountains where they can hide their bizarre hoards for long periods of time. Their breath weapon is a miniature storm cloud, and they can walk on and turn into clouds at will.
Crystal Dragons
The beautiful and vain crystal dragons are creatures of elemental earth. They take pride in their beauty and are quick to anger when their appearance is insulted. Despite this, they are good-natured and enjoy making friends with those around them.
Crystal Dragons make lairs underground, and, like mirage dragons, cover them with reflective surfaces through which to admire themselves. Their breath weapon is a flurry of sharp crystals.
Magma Dragons
Empowered by fire, magma dragons are brash, unpredictable, and prone to violent outbursts. They are mostly solitary due to their domineering nature.
Magma dragons lair in volcanoes or in underground fault lines and magma lakes, which they can swim through with ease. Their breath weapon is a blast of magma.
Imperial Dragons
These wingless, serpentine dragons are connected to elemental energy, but, unlike primal dragons, they embody a natural cycle of the material plane consisting of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. They appeared after the Great Cataclysm, and many debate whether they were mutated from other dragons or they managed to come to Nerilia from another plane despite the world being disconnected from them. Regardless, imperial dragons have a natural desire to influence and guide humanoid civilizations, and they established some of the first new societies after the Cataclysm.
Forest Dragons
Forest dragons are guardians of nature, though what exactly that means depends on the individual dragons. Many see the natural world as their property, and any encroachment on their territory as vandalism. Forest dragons feed fire, are fed by water, counter earth, and are countered by metal. Their breath weapon is a swarm of insects.
Sea Dragons
Able to control the weather, most sea dragons are likely to yield to requests for help from humanoids. They feed wood, are fed by metal, counter fire, and are countered by earth. Their breath weapon is a surge of water.
Sky Dragons
Despite their name, sky dragons are affiliated with metal. They are highly religious and value tradition, and many humanoids seek their counsel on spiritual issues. Sky dragons feed water, are fed by earth, counter wood, and are countered by fire. Their breath weapon is a ball of lightning.
Sovereign Dragons
Once creatures of the earth, sovereign dragons are suspected to have given up their elemental connection in exchange for the strange magic they use to choose rulers. Impartial and charismatic, their authority is rarely questioned. Sovereign dragons' breath weapon is a psychic roar.
Underworld Dragons
Affiliated with fire, underworld dragons embody the heat hidden within the earth. They feed earth, are fed by wood, counter metal, and are countered by water. Their breath weapon is an explosive blast of fire.
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