Emerald Dragon

Emerald dragons are the most curious, cunning, and manipulative of the Gem Dragons, wielding psionic power to weave illusions to deceive and disorient. They cloak their own presence so they can observe other creatures without being discovered as they collect information on everything from local cultural practices to supernatural occurrences. A wyrmling emerald dragon's scales are a dull, pale green, but they develop into richer and more varied shades of green as the dragon ages. Eventually, the scales become translucent and shimmer in the light, rippling as the dragon moves. The dragon's horns and spines hover above the body, moving and shifting along the back and tail to mirror the dragon's mood. The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples, using their psionic abilities to cloak themselves and watch from afar. When an emerald dragon is old enough, the dragon might take on the guise of a creature that can blend in with the local population, or at least get close without arousing suspicion. Once in a position to observe, the dragon studies the day-to-day life of local folk, with a keen interest in any magical phenomena. Emerald dragons' attentiveness to unusual events makes them particularly useful to their Sapphire Dragon cousins, who hunt down Aberrations and seek evidence of Far Realm incursions into the other planes. These gem dragons often work together, with emerald dragons tracking the source of an incursion while sapphire dragons plan and execute a decisive purge—or recruit agents to do it for them. Emerald dragons' preference for volcanic lairs often puts them in conflict with Fire Giants. Despite their reluctance to reveal themselves to strangers, emerald dragons might approach experienced adventurers in the hopes of pitting them against fire giant rivals. Emerald dragons prize knowledge, particularly local histories that focus on magical events and individuals. They usually know of places of power near their lairs and keep detailed records of how phenomena connected to those sites react to outside influences. They also avidly collect magic items and spells that create illusions, allowing them to better conceal their treasures from prying eyes and divinations.

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