Draconic Characters

performing menial chores such as cleaning up waste. Years of being treated as a child and a burden leave scars, especially to a halfdragon with active and inquisitive intelligence. He typically leaves the tribe as soon as he can defend himself adequately. Very occasionally, though, a half-dragon rises to a position of leadership within the tribe by virtue of his intelligence, superior strength, and natural abilities. (A blast of dragon fi re has a way of convincing challengers to back down.) Led by a half-dragon chieftain, a horde of orc raiders becomes an even greater destructive force. Human societies can range from open-minded to superstitious and bigoted when it comes to half-dragon children. A half-dragon’s frightening appearance and terrible weaponry become obstacles to acceptance in any situation. If he is raised in an accepting society, a half-dragon can enjoy a normal childhood, although he must still contend with his slow maturation. Such beings develop a draconic patience and a long-term outlook. Those who have the misfortune to live in a narrow-minded society are likely to end up hidden in a back room or even in a shed, treated like an animal. Sometimes a metallic dragon (often silver) favors an elf with its affection. Both are long-lived beings and share a magical nature. They have similar outlooks on life and moral duty. The offspring of such a union is considered a special blessing, and the dragon parent might even remain near the elf community and participate in rearing the child. The community elders take a special interest in awakening the magical potential of the half-dragon. Held up to impossible standards, subjected to intense schooling, and kept separate from others his age, the halfdragon often fi nds it hard to mature socially. The pressure to perform takes its toll, manifesting as emotional and physical outbursts alternating with deep depression. Many such children leave home as soon as they are able. Those who continue in wizardly training can rise to infl uential positions, but they can also be emotionally distant. Drow are a special case. Evil dragons can lair near drow cities and form alliances with the dark elves. Deep dragons in particular (see Monsters of Faerûn, page 40) might take

drow form and consummate a relationship with a high priestess, the head of a house, or some other powerful individual. The child of such a union becomes a prized tool in the ever-swirling intrigues of drow society. Leaders of the half-dragon’s house jealously guard the creature, attempting to keep its existence secret from other drow who would try to steal or destroy it. The child has no say in its upbringing; a male is placed in a school of wizardry, and a female is sent to serve in the temple. Much like with halfdragons in other elf societies, the pressure to perform can lead to extreme emotional imbalance, made even worse by the brutality of internecine drow confl ict. Usually this mindset is useful to drow culture, and such beings end up in positions of great power. Those who do not learn to survive and overcome are summarily destroyed. Dragons rarely take dwarves as mates. This fact seems odd at fi rst blush, since both types of creatures are A half-dragon’s lot is always stubborn and often covetous, but to be apart from everyone these factors also drive dragons and dwarves apart. Dwarf communities, although closeknit, are isolated and diffi cult to reach. Dwarves’ predilection for killing dragons and seizing their hoards also limits the opportunities for crossbreeding. Halflings and gnomes also produce few half-dragons. Most dragons consider these races to be silly and inconsequential, although individual halfl ings and gnomes might decide to buck the stereotype. DRACONIC CHARACTERS The ancestry of a draconic character is diluted compared to that of a half-dragon. Such beings might retain superfi cial details of the ancestral dragon variety, but such is not necessarily the case. They more often inherit some of their ancestor’s personality traits (see below). A touch of dragon in one’s bloodline can come from a number of situations. Sometimes it’s the result of arcane meddling, mixing elements of draconic blood with that of other creatures. More often, a draconic creature is descended from the union of a half-dragon and some other being. Two half-dragons usually produce half-dragon children, but about one in four are draconic creatures instead.

DESCENDED DRAGON- CHAPTER 4

Illus. by C. Frank