Dragon, Ferrous, Nickel

Nickel Dragon Nickel dragons are the smallest and weakest ferrous dragon, but what they lack in strength and size they make up for in tenacity, viciousness, and unpredictability. Their temperament is belittling and contemptuous, but they aren't nearly as foul-tempered as the black dragons they usually compete with for territory.
A nickel dragon is remarkably crocodilian in appearance, with a squat muscular build, raised eyes, and a long, toothy snout. Two smooth horns, longer than the dragon's head, sweep back and down from the base of the dragon's skull. Two tall frills run parallel to each other, beginning at its large horns and ending about where its wing membrane attaches to its sides, above its legs. It is usually accompanied by the odor of stagnant water.
As a wyrmling, a nickel dragon's scales are charcoal-grey in color. As the dragon ages, its scales lighten, becoming metallic grey by the time it is an adult, and bright metallic white when it becomes ancient.
Lawfully Unpredictable. When it comes to the dictates of their hierarchy and clan, nickel dragons loyally follow all laws set forth for them to uphold. They can be counted on to support such laws and enact the will of Gruaghlothor, but their means are often difficult to predict. It seems that, in most cases, nickel dragons do as their conscience directs, within the bounds of clan and self. Their behavior is often erratic, but once a dragon decides on a course of action, it sticks to that course until it is complete or proven fruitless.
Their unpredictability also makes them effective combatants, as even the most well-informed would-be dragonslayers are always surprised by some act of the dragon's. The long and short of it is that each dragon fights differently, and an individual dragon fights differently every time, never utilizing the same tactics twice in a row (if ever). Even tactics that make no sense, such as retreating at the beginning of a battle or charging when it makes sense to retreat, work to the dragon's favor because of the surprise of its enemies.
One tactic that they seem to universally favor and use several times over is hit-n-run, using their ability to swim and breathe underwater to great effect. The catch is that you can never know for sure when the dragon plans to strike, if it plans to strike again at all.
Corrosive Demeanor. The disposition of a nickel dragon is about as caustic as the gas that it spews from its maw. It enjoys bullying creatures smaller and weaker than itself, often insulting and demeaning those with the intelligence to understand it. Occasionally, a nickel dragon may travel a bit out of its way just to find an opportunity to raid for treasure or scare the tar out of a town's populace.
At their core, nickel dragons are aware of their ancestors' folly in rebelling against Bahamut all those eons ago. As a result, many of their inward thoughts are self-deprecating. They reprimand themselves constantly for past mistakes, and they fear that they deserve the fate that befell them when Gruaghlothor was defeated. Within each of them lurks the knowledge that they are right, but their greatest fear is that other creatures, especially other dragons, will see their faults and know the same thing.
Their hatred of themselves and the perceived stupidity of their ancestors leads them to act out: bullying, insulting, and destroying lesser creatures in an effort to make themselves feel better. Ironically, their constant rumination on past mistakes makes them efficient tacticians and fast learners. A nickel dragon rarely makes the same mistake twice.
Only the least intelligent of creatures dare to insult the dragon, as to do so is to court with death (specifically by an extremely painful cloud of corrosive gas). Pointing out the dragon's flaws is the fastest way to stoke its fury (and forgivable only by death as far as the dragon is concerned), as nickel dragons are self-conscious and aware of every flaw they have.
Swamp Ambushers. The anatomy of a nickel dragon makes it especially fit for swamps and marshes. They can lurk for days beneath murky water or a layer of mud, waiting for prey to come nearby. Their preferred food is giant lizards or other large reptiles, such as alligators.
Black dragons and nickel dragons often come into conflict, because they favor the same territory. Their battles are long and bloody, as both are immune to the other's breath weapon. Though black dragons are slightly stronger than nickel dragons of a similar age, the nickel dragon can often even the stakes with its sheer tenacity and tactical unpredictability.
Tenacious Treasures. Nickel dragons like having treasure as tenacious as they are. That is to say that nickel dragons prefer treasure that is hardy and won't corrode in their presence. Nonmagical metals are swiftly traded away or kept in a vault separate from the dragon's main hoard, to keep them from losing their value. Even precious metals, including coins of all varieties, aren't safe from the dragon's corrosive abilities.
When it inevitably acquires large sums of coins (or other nonmagical metal items such as weapons and armor), the dragon tries to trade them away and acquire treasure that is more resilient. They especially covet magic items and gems for this reason, as both are immune to their corrosion.
A Nickel Dragon's Lair
Nickel dragons usually choose shallow caves in swamps and marshes for their lairs, preferably in or near a body of water. The lair functions as a place to keep treasure and to lay eggs, but rarely more than that, and often has an underwater entrance or a flooded section. A nickel dragon that defeats a black dragon will likely claim the lair as its own.
The dragon itself rarely dwells in its lair, instead dwelling someplace nearby, but always keeping a watchful eye out for treasure hunters and dragon slayers. When other creatures enter, it carefully stalks inside after them, hoping to trap them within. The last part isn't difficult, as the dragon's lair is usually composed of several switchbacks and dead-end tunnels.
The lair is riddled with the remains of past meals and challengers. Bones, weapons, and armor are acid-pitted and fragile, breaking when interacted with, and the stagnant stench that permeates the lair is faintly acrid.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary nickel dragon's lair is warped by the dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects.
* Within 6 miles of its lair, the dragon leaves no physical evidence of its passage unless it wishes to. Tracking it there is impossible except by magical means. In addition, the dragon can create fake tracks in the area leading to any location of its choice (usually away from the lair or into an ambush). * A creature that finishes a long rest within 1 mile of the lair must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature develops large red welts across its body. The welts are ugly and itch terribly, imposing disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and Dexterity ability checks. The welts last for 2d4 days or until cured with lesser restoration or similar magic. * Nonmagical and unprotected metal objects within 1 mile of the lair corrode quickly. After 1 hour, a thin layer of corrosion covers the object. This corrosion can be polished off with 1 hour of work, but otherwise has no detriment.
If the dragon dies, these tracks fade over the course of 1d10 days, but the other effects fade immediately.
Preferred Spells
Nickel dragons tend to prefer the following spells: acid splash, control flames, vicious mockery, absorb elements, entangle, control water, gaseous form, plant growth, protection from energy, water walk, blight, confusion, contagion, and eyebite.
Ferrous Dragons
Few know that the ferrous dragons exist, let along their tragic origins. The chromium, cobalt, nickel, steel, and tungsten dragons are each members of this mostly forgotten category of true dragons. Each is vain and greedy, as dragons are wont to be, and each type sees the circumstance of their species in a different light. All, however, no matter their viewpoints, want only to regain their race's former glory, and depose the metallics from their throne of nobility.
Gruaghlothor's Rebellion. The title of "ferrous" often confuses those who first learn about the dragon type; or at least, those that know anything about ferrous metals. Few of the dragons within this category take after ferrous metals, so why call them ferrous dragons at all? The reasoning is linked to their original place, which was as metallic dragons under the watchful and good-natured deity Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon.
Gruaghlothor the Supreme Dragon was a powerful demigod and one of Bahamut's most powerful and trusted advisors. He chafed under the rulership of the Platinum Dragon, despite having gained his power as a result of Bahamut's trust, and planned to overthrow him and take his place as the sovereign lord of metallic dragons. He sowed the seeds of rebellion in the minds of all metallic dragons, but those seeds only took root in the chromium, cobalt, nickel, steel, and tungsten dragons. The others proved too resolute in their reverence of their deity. He told them the power they would gain with him at their head, tempted them with promises of godhood and lordship that weren't his to give.
Eventually, after many centuries of preparation, Gruaghlothor launched his assault with his army. Bahamut and his faithful dragons retaliated in kind, but the Platinum Dragon attempted to approach his beloved advisor with diplomacy. Gruaghlothor refused all attempts at a peaceful resolution, insisting that Bahamut must be destroyed, and so Bahamut ordered the eradication of those who dared rebel against him. He wounded Gruaghlothor, but the rebellious demigod escaped. His army was destroyed and the survivors fled into the dark corners of the world.
Thusly, the title "ferrous" comes from the metaphorical rusting of the honor and beliefs of the once-metallic dragons, and represents their fall from nobility and honor into bitterness and betrayal. Those that survive insist that Gruaghlothor, the new lord of the fallen ferrous dragons, lives on, waiting for the imaginary moment in which he can exact his revenge.
Creatures of Law. Gruaghlothor's arguements appealed to the dragons that have a strong sense of law. Their plots are well thought-out and methodical, and they rarely act impulsively. Most have lost their good nature as a result of their fall, becoming neutral or evil. Over the millenia and eons since their great defeat, each type has come to hate the other ferrous dragons out of spite, blaming their fall on anyone but themselves. Despite their loathing, they never attack each other because of a decree supposedly from Gruaghlothor himself, stating that they are to preserve their numbers. Infighting is not tolerated. As dragons of law, they obey, albeit begrudgingly.
Within their society, the ferrous dragons follow the vague outline of a hierarchy. Though they hate one another, they respect the hierarchy set forth by Gruaghlothor. Several dragons of the same type and in the same region are organized into clans. Each clan is led by its most powerful member, and each clan leader answers to a sovereign great wyrm. Each species of ferrous dragon is led in this way, and the sovereigns of each type are said to be able to commune with Gruaghlothor himself. No one species has any measure of authority over another, but ferrous dragons always defer to a dragon that is older or of higher rank.
Bitter and Resentful. Each ferrous dragon harbors bitterness within; bitterness toward Bahamut, toward Gruaghlothor, toward the other ferrous dragons, toward the metallic dragons who defeated them, and most importantly toward their own species. Despite this bitterness, some ferrous dragons look forward with hope, determined to regain their place at Bahamut's side through a show of good nature and penitence. Others look forward with violence, desiring to destroy those who saw fit to destroy them.
Relations with Other Dragons. To chromatic dragons, ferrous dragons are still metallic dragons, and the two do not tolerate each other. In general, ferrous dragons get along with (or at least tolerate) gem dragons, but especially with amethyst and emerald dragons.
When it comes to metallic dragons, the ferrous dragon's attitude depends on its type. Tungsten dragons, for example, are noble, and recognize the fault of their ancestors in following Gruaghlothor. They view metallic dragons with the highest respect, but with an air of jealousy, admiring their devotion while wishing that their ancestors had it as well. Steel dragons regard them as metallic only in name, but otherwise ignore them unless confronted with them. Chromium dragons look upon metallic dragons with spite, believing that the ferrous dragons are the true rulers of dragonkind and that the metallics stole that privilege away from them.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Dragon, Ferrous