Red Dragon
Red dragons are the largest and most powerful of the chromatic dragons. They have a huge wingspan and a hefty body. They have a smoky, sulfurous odor. During incubation, red dragon eggs must be kept near an intense heat source at all times. The incubation period is about 660 days. The younger of the two parents stays behind after the eggs are placed to guard the eggs and keep the nest of flames alive. The wyrmlings are left to fend for themselves as they hatch. At hatching, a red wyrmling is roughly human-sized and dangerous. They have the ability to breathe fire and delight in inflicting havoc on practically anything that moves. The latter characteristic lasts all the way into maturity.
They look down on all other chromatic dragons, with their contempt proportionate to the variety's overall strength level. All other chromatic dragons encountered by red dragons are either killed, driven away, or intimidated into slavery, depending on the red dragon's mood and personality, with the exception of white dragons, who are permitted to go since red dragons do not believe they are worth the effort to destroy. They come into contact with a variety of metallic dragons as a result of their chosen environment, most notably the silver dragons, who are their worst adversaries, and copper dragons, with whom they frequently battle.
Red dragons have a keen sense of inherent value and can assess the worth of anything at a glance. The acquisition and preservation of riches is the emphasis of a red dragon's adult existence, and they have a proclivity for amassing enormous hoards with astonishing speed. A red dragon will be able to dictate a fair trade value of all the things in its hoard down to the last fraction of a coin at any given time, though it is unlikely that they will let anything go for a fair value.
Red dragons prefer to live in the craters of active volcanoes. They will live in any mountain if a volcano is not accessible, as long as it has a suitable ledge from which the dragon can view its area. Only one entry to a red dragon's lair, well above ground level, is possible. The entry leads to a small tunnel that goes to a pit. A pool of water sits at the bottom of the pit, encircled by many chambers. One houses the dragon's sleeping area, while another houses its treasure.
In battle, red dragons are extremely deadly. They are skilled in magic and fly quickly, but they are awkward and prefer to battle on the ground. They plan combat tactics for years and wait for the perfect opportunity to use them. Most conflicts are ended before they even start because of their fireballs. As a consequence, red dragons start with their formidable breath weapons, then physical blows, and last magical attacks.
Along with their wealth, red dragons may keep women and children in their lairs. They have the 'power of persuasion' on lesser brains. They employ this tactic to induce local inhabitants to sacrifice young girls to them.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
From birth, red dragons can breathe a cone of fire.
Ecology and Habitats
Red dragons prefer mountainous regions, but younger red dragons can be found in hilly plains until they outgrow them and feel the need for a larger abode than a hill can provide.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Red dragons eat just about anything, but have been known to claim that humanoid females and young elves are particular delicacies.
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