Language

hoards often suffer so much emotional trauma that their spirits become restless even after death (see Ghostly Dragon, page 161).

Second, and more important, dragons derive status among their own kind from the richness of their hoards. Though the primary measure of status among dragons is age, the value of a dragon’s hoard is what determines the relative status of dragons of the same age (when comparing hoard values, dragons consider magic items to be worth one-half their market value). A particularly large hoard can place a younger dragon on equal terms with an older dragon; a small one can demote it to an even lower status than its age alone would indicate.

Dragons with higher status have better access to mates. They have more influence among other dragons, and are more likely to be asked to render assistance or advice. This in turn increases their status even more.

Dragons tend to boast about the value of their hoards among their own kind, which is understandable, since a dragon cannot derive any status from its hoard unless other dragons know about it. Such boasting is not without peril, however, particularly among chromatic dragons, since evil dragons are not above stealing treasure from each other.

Among older dragons, treasure hoarding has an additional practical dimension. As a dragon ages, its magical aptitude gets greater, and the dragon becomes better able to employ the magic items in its hoard to its advantage.pqs

DRAGONS AND THE APPRAISE SKILL

Though most dragons do not have the Appraise skill, dragons can appraise items readily, thanks to their high Intelligence scores. A dragon gains a +2 competence bonus on any Appraise check (or Intelligence check made to appraise an item) that involves studying physical aspects of the appraised item (such as fine details or weight). pqs

The language of dragons is one of the oldest forms of communication. According to the dragons themselves, it is second in longevity only to the languages of the outsiders, and all mortal tongues are descended from it. Its script was likely created long after its spoken form was standardized, since dragons have less need to write than other races. Some

scholars believe the written form of Draconic might have been influenced by dwarven runes, but the wise don’t express this opinion within hearing of a dragon.

Many reptilian races (including kobolds, lizardfolk, and troglodytes) speak crude versions of Draconic, and present this as proof of their kinship with dragons. It is equally likely that these races were once taught or enslaved by dragons, and it is even possible that they took Draconic for their own simply to make a claim to common ancestors.

BASIC DRACONIC VOCABULARY

What follows is a selection of words from the Draconic vocabulary, along with translations and the part of speech of the word (adj=adjective, adv=adverb, conj=conjunction, n=noun, prep=preposition, pron=pronoun, v=verb).

Part of Common Draconic Speech

above svern prep after ghent prep air thrae n and vur conj animal baeshra n armor litrix n arrow svent n ash vignar n axe garurt n bag waeth n battle vargach n beautiful vorel adj bronze aujir n before ghoros prep behind zara prep below vhir prep beside unsinti prep big turalisj adj black vutha adj bleed valeij v blood iejir n blue ulhar adj bow vaex n burn valignat v bravery sveargith n breed maurg v bribe durah v but shar conj cave waere n celestial athear n century ierikc n cleric sunathaer n claw gix n copper rach n cow rhyvos n coward faessi adj crippled thurgix adj dance vaeri n, v danger korth n darkvision sverak n day kear n dead loex adj deity urathear n demon kothar n die loreat v disembowel gixustrat v dragon darastrix n dwarf tundar n earth edar n elf vaecaesin n enchanted levex adj enemy irlym adj, n evil malsvir adj eye sauriv n far karif adj, adv fate haurach n few lauth n fire ixen n flee osvith v fly austrat v food achthend n for ihk prep forest caesin n fortress hurthi n friend thurirl adj, n gem kethend n give majak v gnome terunt n go gethrisj v gold aurix n good bensvelk adj green achuak adj halfling rauhiss n hammer jhank n hate dartak n, v heal irisv v home okarthel n human munthrek n if sjek conj in persvek prep iron usk adj kill svent v leader maekrix n magic arcaniss n man sthyr n many throden n meat rhyaex n mountain verthicha n name ominak n near leirith adj, adv night thurkear n no thric adv nor thur conj ogre ghontix n on shafaer prep one ir n or usv conj orc ghik n peace martivir n pillage thadarsh v platinum ux n rain oposs n red charir adj rest ssifisv v scroll sjir n secret irthos adj, n see ocuir v shadow sjach n silver orn n skin (hide) molik n slaughter kurik v small kosj adj smart othokent adj so zyak adv, conj soar hysvear v song miirik n sorcerer vorastrix n speak renthisj v spear ner n star isk n steel vyth adj stone ternesj n stop pok v storm kepesk n strong versvesh adj stupid pothoc adj sword caex n take clax v talk ukris v thief virlym n through erekess prep to ekess prep tomorrow earenk n travel ossalur v treasure rasvim n tooth oth n ugly nurh adj undead kaegro n, adj under onureth prep valley arux n victory vivex n want tuor v war aryte n water hesjing n we yth pron wealth noach n weapon laraek n white aussir adj with mrith prep wizard levethix n woman aesthyr n wood grovisv n year eorikc n yellow yrev adj yes axun adv yet sjerit adv you wux pron