Chromatic Dragon Red

Red dragons, referred to by sages as draco conflagratio horribilis,[2] and sometimes flame dragons, fire wyrms, and mountain dragons,[3] were a breed of chromatic true dragon.

Basic Information

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 male with the most wealth and power. As such, males never denied their advances, as it was a sign of prestige among other males to be requested to mate.[12] Avoiding inbreeding, they knew one another's genealogies via their reputations.[27] Nevertheless, red dragon courtship was a risky matter, as the majority of potential suitors were still considered also as dangerous rivals. Females conducted much of the courting, though it was not unknown for males to try as well, and it typically saw the younger, though still high-status, usually female dragon carefully approaching the elder, usually male dragon. Rarely did two red dragons fight over a potential mate; such a battle would inevitably be deadly, and when a superior suitor pressed their case, all but the most unwise lesser would give up.[10] Females tended to be the aggressors in mating.[9]
Draconomicon cover art A red dragon mother dotes over her clutch and her hoard, while the father brings home a horse for supper.
After mating, the male would leave the female and not return,[12] or else the elder then left the younger to protect the eggs.[10] A typical red dragon female produced two[3] to four eggs,[3][44] and could control the number of eggs to limit the number of offspring, primarily to reduce the number of potential competitors in future.[30] They had an incubation time of 270 days[44] to 660 days or 22 months, and they were laid after approximately 165 days or 5.5 months. All were viable if laid under ideal conditions,[3][45] namely deep underground and close to a natural heat source, for example, in a volcano's empty lava tubes.[14] It should be kept within an open flame or at a temperature of no less than 140 ℉ (60 ℃)[45] but it could even be immersed in a pool of lava.[46]
The female jealously guarded the clutch, occasionally with the assistance of an old or infertile female. She rarely laid down her own life for her hatchlings,[10][12] but would fight harder to protect them.[9]
However, once hatched, even the wyrmlings were left to take care of themselves.[10] Often, within the first few months, they would fight and kill one another until only one remained; otherwise, they would remain cooperative until they came of age. They remained close to the hatchery for a few years before spreading out to find more food and their own lairs.[14] Hence, a full surviving clutch typically included two to five offspring from several matings, ranging in age from wyrmlings to young adults.[7] 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, as she saw them as competitors.[8][12] In fact, on occasion, after the young left the nest, the mother entered a temporary state of insanity in which she would attack, slay, and devour her former mate, if present, and any young that dared returned.[9] There was never any familial or generational loyalty.[12]

Growth Rate & Stages

Aging Under the categories of dragon aging, the offspring were counted as wyrmlings for the first 8 years and as young dragons for up to 200 years.[3]
After 600 years or older, they started feeling the effects of age. They slept for increasingly longer periods, the range of their infravision and detect hidden or invisible creatures spells steadily shortened, and the chances of spell failure grew. After 700 years, these effects became pronounced and death of old age was a risk. On waking, an ancient red dragon could be very disoriented.[9]
A red dragon became an elder at 950 years and an ancient dragon at 1,900 years. The oldest known red dragon lived to about 2,500 years.[3]
When a red dragon was dying of old age, a few weeks before they expired they suffered a sudden senility or insanity. They became so unpredictable in this time they were especially dangerous.[9] Otherwise, most would launch a suicidal attack against an old enemy, choosing to go down fighting and go out in a blaze of glory.[44]
Like other dragons, they shed their skins as they advanced into each new stage of life. Red dragons would consume their old skins to regain specific nutrients.[9]
Illness While dragons could suffer the same range of mental illnesses as humans and other races, red dragons were more likely to display the signs of megalomania. Given the typical red dragon personality, this was extreme—the megalomaniacal red believed wholeheartedly they were nothing less than the most intelligent, most powerful, most important, and most beautiful of all creatures in all of existence.[47]
Death When a slain red dragon underwent environment diffusion—an uncommon occurrence by which a deceased dragon's body decayed and affected the local environment[48]—there were two possibilities according to the landscape. In a mountainous or stony landscape, the ground split open where it had died, creating one or several small volcanic vents that spewed acrid smoke or else large sulfurous geysers. Otherwise, in less rocky or more fire-prone lands, a wildfire started, one that never spread beyond the site but also which never went out, no matter the weather or lack of fuel.[3]

Dietary Needs and Habits

They were carnivorous by choice, with a particular taste for young humans and elves, especially young women, an appetite for which they were notorious.[7][8][9][10] They insisted that it just tasted better.[10] It was not unknown for a red dragon to intimidate or charm the people of a local village into periodically sacrificing their young folk to them[7][8][10] or else to kidnap young humanoids for later consumption. Otherwise, they made do with other humanoids, animals, and other dragons, again with a predilection for younger, tender flesh.[3] Some dined on herds of domesticated livestock, appreciating the convenience, but preferred humanoids do the actual work.[30] In any case, they preferred meat charred by flame, both liking the taste and finding it easier to digest.[31]
Despite this, similar to most other dragons, red dragons could consume and live on just about anything, including vegetation and minerals.[3][8] They just didn't want to, more than any other carnivorous dragon, so much so that a few would rather starve almost to death than eat anything other than meat.[3] Strangely, red dragons were shy about discussing their dietary practices—the best way to find out was to ask them, at which they would threaten to eat the questioner.[9]
Red dragons, as with some other dragon breeds, were unable to chew their food. Hence, to aid digestion, they swallowed small stones, pieces of metal, and even coins, which went into a small second stomach like a bird's gizzard. These stomach stones ground down their food and were eventually expelled in waste.[9]
Red dragons were careful to bury their dung safely outside their lairs. It held small pieces of metal and stone and significant quantities of sulfur and potassium nitrate[9]—two ingredients of blackpowder.[32][33][note 2] Such sites were revealed by the sharp smell, but sparks, flame, or a red dragon's fire breath could cause them to explode unexpectedly. Canny red dragons used their waste pits as traps for attackers, by persuading them to dig there or breathing flame when they were in range.[9]
They drunk alcohol where they could get it, but this did not cause inebriation, no matter the amount. They drank only small quantities of water as needed, for flesh contained enough moisture to meet their dietary needs.[9]
Themberchaud DICELINGS Themberchaud, a red dragon fattened on the slaves of Gracklstugh.
Owing to their magical metabolism, red dragons could go long periods without food, such as when sleeping, but they woke up ravenously hungry. It was reputed they could eat up to twice their body weight.[9] Indeed, for example, a young red of body length 40 feet (12 meters) and weight 5,000 pounds (2,300 kilograms) would ideally consume 10% of its own body weight, 500 pounds (230 kilograms), each day. This could be accounted for by three knights or one good-sized ogre. However, as with most dragons, they could fast for months at a time, then gorge themselves into a state of lethargy once more, catching up on what they'd missed. Continuing the example, after 20 days, the young red might feast on twenty times its daily amount of food, 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms), which could be supplied by a whole adventuring company, equipment included.[16] But they typically ate much more than they required.[13]
During their active periods, they were known as voracious hunters, whose hunger ensured that the populations of any nearby creatures did not grow beyond ecological stability. Fortunately, like other dragons, they were wise enough to hunt much further afield than their own territories and went into long periods hibernation to allow populations to recover. This was not done out of concern for the ecology, but enlightened self-interest, to save themselves starving.[30]

Behaviour

“ To have is nothing, to keep is all. ” — A red dragon saying[12] Out of all dragon kind, reds were the most avaricious and were constantly looking to expand their hoards with treasure, no matter whose it already was,[1][3][4][7][8][9][10][13] and they were the most obsessive collectors.[8][10] They valued material wealth more than anything else—if it was worth something, they wanted it.[4][10] They adored gold more than any other precious metal, loving its look and sound, and gathered gold pieces and treasures to make up much of their hoard. They also collected gems of red and fiery hues, like rubies and fire opals. They did prefer things made of metal or stone that would withstand the heat of their lairs and flame and last through the ages; flammable goods of cloth, leather, or paper were less desirable.[18] Females had a greater preference for treasures with reflective surfaces and they generally had little interest in art.[9] Other than that, they were so greedy they generally didn't care what they collected, and while individual red dragons could have certain preferences, there were no common trends across the species.[3] They accumulated amazing hoards and showed them off in pride as a show of their own superiority, with a particular love for anything taken from a slain rival.[4][18] Treasure placement, however, was practical and tactical: coins comprised its bed, gems and shiny things were placed in very visible locations but they didn't surround themselves with mirrored surfaces, and humanoid-usable things like armors were stored well back, so as to lure thieves deeper in. Valued trophies were stored and displayed and gloated over separately. Massive stones could be used to seal particular treasures in hollows.[9] They knew the value, origin, and precise location of every piece of treasure in their hoards, and remembered well how and when they'd claimed it.[4][8][10][18] Losing even one coin or tiny trinket could cause a red dragon to fly into a rage and hunt down and mercilessly destroy the supposed thief. If they could not, then they would rampage across the land, slaughtering all they encountered and devastating local settlements where a thief might hide they could calm down.[4][10]
Red dragons were known for their swift and fiery tempers—if angered, they would explode into a destructive rage and become even more impulsive and vengeful.[4] They never forgave even the most minor offense, theft, or infraction, and would kill the offender or, if they were unavailable, instead raise havoc to inflict their outrage on everyone else. They would kill even on a whim.[3][13] Such rages were in part due to their fragile pride and feeling that any loss, insult, or defeat meant a loss of status if not addressed—causing chaos and destruction assuaged wounded pride and mitigated lost status.[10] Their rage could only be quelled with blood and death or great tributes of riches.[3]
“ How can one imagine anything more magnificent than... a dragon, the paragon of creation? ” — Bheilorveilthion, a red wyrm of another world[19] They were incredibly vain, even by dragon standards,[4][7][8][10] and were supremely arrogant. They thought themselves chosen by Tiamat herself to reign in her stead, with all the world their dominion and all the beings in it their subjects, while all other breeds of dragon were inferior.[4][8] Red dragons believed they were the pinnacle of draconic nature and all other dragon species had departed from this purity. They valued vengefulness, rapaciousness, avarice, and ferocity above other traits and recognized these traits in themselves with pride.[10][12] Thus, maintaining their status among their fellow red dragons was their main focus.[9][10]
Preferring their own company and engaging with others only when it had purpose, they were solitary creatures and cared little for news of other types of dragons, though they did look for news of other red dragons in their area[3][4][8][10][12] and of affairs in the world in general. They used other charmed creatures as messengers, informants, and spies to bring them information, paying particular interest in the deeds of fellow red dragons, with whom they always competed for status.[3][4][8][10] If they believed their own achievements and possessions to be greater than these other red dragons, then they stayed in their lairs, smugly congratulating themselves. However, if they learned that the achievements or possessions of the other red dragons were greater than their own, then they would fly into a jealous rage, decimating the surrounding area until they believed that they had outdone their rivals. The dragon became much less cautious and foolish during this time and much more likely to underestimate their foes.[12]
In turn, a red dragon would take efforts to ensure that they were seen as superior to every other red dragon in the area. They would often burn down only half a village or let a single adventurer flee from a battle so that word of their power spread throughout the region. They would also boast about their magnificent hoards. However, not only would this anger other red dragons and attract rivals looking to gain status but it was also like a shining beacon to adventurers, dragon slayers, and treasure hunters.[10][12][20]
Red dragons believed that if a being was not strong enough to protect what it had, then it did not deserve to keep it. This applied not just to treasure, but to life. They despised weakness among their own kind. If one ever found out that another of their kin showed any signs of fragility, either by getting badly wounded or becoming senile or weak in old age, then local red dragons would descend on the lair, stripping it clean and usually killing the owner.[10][12]
Tchazzar Tchazzar reigned as a king and was worshiped as a god in Chessenta.
Reds were also highly territorial.[4][8][10][12] They were constantly on the lookout for intruders in their territory, and especially other dragons encroaching on it,[8][10] which was cause for death.[3] Entering an area a red considered its domain was just asking to be attacked, especially if it was a rival dragon.[10][12] If the trespasser was another red dragon, then conflict was inevitable and the fighting the most vicious, as neither would dare show weakness to the other as a point of pride. Thankfully, most other species were smart enough to flee if they realized the area belonged to a red dragon. Rarely, red dragons would adopt a protective yet patronizing manner towards creatures they saw as inferior that lived within their self-imposed borders.[12] A few liked to set themselves up as rulers of communities within their territory, enjoying the feeling of power, but they reigned as tyrants, demanding obedience and using threats to gain it, and killing or destroying those that did not comply.[3][21] In their view, humanoids were a renewable resource. Communities in or around a red dragon's territory could appease it with tributes and sacrifices.[3] Some even required worship, but others preferred more covert means of control, wherein they were the secret puppet-masters pulling the strings in a network.[21]
Red dragons hated any authority other than their own. They never asked elders for advice or information, even if doing so would save their lives as, to them, admitting they needed something their elders had was the same as putting themselves under their authority.[12]
Red Dragon "The Cat and the Canary": A red dragon plays with the last survivor of a burning town.
Red dragons had a habit of playing with their food. For example, some would enjoy talking to their victims before they ate them. They also disliked getting wet. In fact, in many ways, they were most like housecats.[9]
A female red dragon was, if anything, even more willing to fight, particularly other female red dragons, with food and treasure as secondary priorities. They were less likely to surrender or yield if defeated. They were also more intolerant of other creatures and more territorial, and while a male might accept a bribe to let a victim escape, a female red would decline, eat the victim, and take the bribe. However, she could be impressed by flattery.[9]
It was of course possible for a red dragon to not conform to the above evil habits. For example, a young red might find itself sickened by the cruelty its older kin inflicted on innocents and, after some contemplation, depart for a remote area where it could make a life on its own terms (becoming chaotic neutral) or even try to stop or undo them somehow (moving toward neutral or even lawful and good). These rogue red dragons were rare, and were liable to be attacked by their fellows, though no more so than normal.[22]