Dragon, Metallic, Iron
Iron Dragons
* Image: Iron Dragon
Iron Dragons are good natured, but most forget this because they are often brutish, short-tempered, and pessimistic.
Most are driven by their need to be respected, and for some this translates to ruling through fear. They prefer their own company, like other dragons, but older Iron Dragons such as Elders and Ancients may have minions keep up their lairs or guard their hoards. Such minions are usually frightened into service or charmed with the dragon's charm breath.
They are not as bright as other dragons and therefore are relatively easy to trick or manipulate (when compared to other dragons) through bribery or flattery, but if an Iron Dragon finds out it has been manipulated, it always reacts viciously and violently.
However, if you are honest and up-front about your intentions, younger iron dragons can make excellent mercenaries and stalwart allies.
Iron Dragons normally do not care for their Metallic cousins of other varieties, and the others generally return the favor. Though they share the Metallic hatred of the Chromatic Dragons, Irons are the most likely to tolerate sharing a border with a Chromatic Dragon. That is, unless the dragon is Green. Iron and Green dragons do not tolerate each other, as they usually inhabit similar areas, and the Greens especially infuriate Irons because the more dimwitted Irons are easily outsmarted by the conniving Greens.
Iron dragons are solitary (aside from possible minions) and will not seek out other creatures, aside from other Iron Dragons when they feel the need to mate. They follow the mating rituals traditionally followed by Metallic Dragons, raising their young as a couple, but they rarely mate for life.
Terrain and Habitat
Iron Dragons like places with plenty of cover large enough to hide a large predator; their favorite environments are rocky hills or dense forests.
They take particular care in hiding their lairs, which have a reputation for being among of the most difficult dragon lairs to find. If the dragon cannot find a totally inaccessible place (like a cavern reachable only by flight) they will settle for the most difficult terrain and cover they can find. Common places to find Iron Dragon lairs include overgrown forest ravines or briar-choked gulches.
Lairs
An Iron Dragon's lair usually consists of several large chambers with many entrances and exits. Something hides the lair's main entrance, such as overgrown foliage or a large rock that the dragon can push out of the way.
Favored Treasure
Iron Dragons prefer martial treasures like armor and weapons, especially ones won from would-be challengers. They take these as trophies and as marks of their battle prowess. Aside from that, they love the look and feel of silver and gold coins.
Tactics
Iron Dragons always strike from ambush. If engaging in their lair, they will distract enemies with carefully positioned traps (or minions if they have any), and then attack when their enemies are distracted. If they do not believe they will win a fight, they have no qualms with fleeing to saving their own hide.
If they have minions, Iron Dragons most often "coerce" goblins, hobgoblins, or minotaurs to work for them, with promises of loot. However, an Iron Dragon may go back on a deal or leave its "friends" to die if it can save itself.
Diet
Iron Dragons prefer midsized game such as deer and boar. Most will eat sentient creatures if the opportunity presents itself, but only if they are evil or obviously malicious. They especially prefer smaller humanoids that are less able to protect themselves, such as goblins or kobolds. Iron dragons keep from eating good creatures, but occasionally one of them may build a lair along a busy road so it can ambush unsuspecting passersby.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.
* The dragon chooses a point on the ground that it can see within 120 feet of it. Stone spikes sprout from the ground in a 20-foot radius centered on that point. The effect is otherwise identical to the spike growth spell and lasts until the dragon uses this lair action again or until the dragon dies.
* The dragon chooses a point on the ground that it can see within 120 feet of it. It then creates a bright crack of lightning on that point. Every creature within 20 feet of the lightning must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until initiative count 20 on the next round.
* The dragon creates a cloud of fog as if casting the fog cloud spell. The fog lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary iron dragon's lair is warped by the dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects.
* Thunderstorms are common within 6 miles of the lair.
* Creatures that cannot normally speak Draconic have the ability to do so within one mile of the lair.
* Reptiles are unusually active within one mile of the lair.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
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