Silver dragons, sometimes referred to as shield dragons,[9] were a breed of metallic dragon.[4][9]
Description[]
An overview of silver dragon anatomy.
The silver dragon was regal and statuesque.[4]
At first glance, a silver dragon appeared very similar to a white dragon. The wings were more curved than a white's, however, and a silver had two talons on its wings rather than the single talon of most dragons. The silver dragon also had a beautiful frill that began at the top of its head and flowed all the way down its neck and body to the tip of its tail. The frill was silver towards the body, fading to a purple hue at the edge. They had two long, smooth silver horns with black tips, pointing up and back from the head. They also had a pronounced sharp frill under the chin, which had the rough appearance of a goatee. They smelled like rain.[9]
They were very intelligent, more so than most humans, extremely powerful, breathtakingly beautiful, and had lifespans that could reach 4,200 years.[7]
Personality[]
The majesty of an ancient silver dragon reflected their protective nature.
Unlike the gold and bronze dragons, the silver dragon did not usually go out of its way to bring justice to the world. Instead, it waited for others to ask them for help; They would attempt to right an injustice if they saw one, but they had no inclination to intentionally seek evil out and destroy it. Silver dragons were more interested in protecting the humans or elves that came to its care.[9]
One unusual trait they had was the love of human dining;[4][9] moreover, they would use their alternate form ability to take part in large feasts.
Activities[]
A silver dragon enjoyed the company of humans and elves so much that it would often take the form of a human or elf and live among them for the majority of its life. However, it should be noted that silvers, like all dragons, believed themselves the most superior creatures in the world. However, apart from the ability to fly, which they enjoyed greatly, they tended to prefer the physical forms of humanoids for everyday life.[9]
Combat[]
Like most metallic dragons, silvers did not enjoy combat, and were averse to killing. If forced to fight, however, they were as deadly as any other dragon.[9]
Silver dragons had two separate breath weapons. The first was a cone of freezing cold, similar to that of white dragons. The second was a cone of paralyzing gas.[4]
Society[]
Silver dragons were extremely rare and elusive, preferring to take the guise of kind and elderly humanoids or very attractive and young humanoids. They very much liked to associate with elves and humans, not necessarily because they preferred their company over other races, but because they tried to learn from the shorter-lived humans.[9]
Most silvers grouped together in "clans", a loose organization of dragons who chose to live together as a family. Clans took communal responsibility for protecting and raising their wyrmlings. A senior member of the clan might act as a leader, but no true leader actually existed. Silver dragons did not feel the need for a strict social structure, since they were most content to live as honestly as possible.[9]
Silver dragons' favored enemy were red dragons because these chromatic dragons were almost always evil and had a talent for destruction. Additionally, silvers and reds favored the same sort of terrain for lairs, which led to territorial disputes on top of having attitudes and philosophies at odds with the others.[9]
Dragons could live for millennia, while humans only lived a few decades. This vast difference in time led to inherent psychological differences concerning time. Dragons tended to think things through for years at a time, using their razor-sharp intellects to hone a plan to perfection, solve incalculable puzzles, or other such things. Silver dragons, however, noted that humans were able to accomplish much in their short lifespans because of their ambitious drive for success. When a silver dragon could combine its own long-term perspective with a quick and ambitious attitude, the benefit was undeniable.[9]
Some silver dragons served certain deities as servants, including Aerdrie Faenya, Arvoreen, Corellon, Eilistraee, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Labelas Enoreth, Moradin, Sehanine Moonbow, Torm, and Yondalla.[10]
Lair[]
A silver dragon's lair was typically found within an icy mountain.[9]
Family and Parenting[]
A newly hatched silver wyrmling had scales of a bluish gray, which changed to silver over time.[5]
Silver dragon living with non-dragons would grow attached to them and maintain a long-term relationship. As they died, the silver dragon, grieved by the loss, continued to associate with their descendants, remaining a friend through many generations. If the dragon felt they could trust these non-dragons enough, it might even decide to reveal its true self.[9]
History[]
Not actually a silver dragon in any case.
During the Time of Troubles of the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, a brainwashed Luna used shapechange to turn into a silver dragon and attacked her friends Vajra Valmeyjar, Kyriani Agrivar, Onyx the Invincible, and Timoth Eyesbright outside the House of the Moon. However, the spell did not last long, and she quickly reverted to human form.[11][note 2]
Notable Silver Dragons[]
- Adalon
- Asativarainuth
- Azhaq
- Clarion
- Dargentum, also known as "The Darksteel Drake"
- Havarlan
- Jaerlethket
- Kastrandrethilian
- Miirym, also known as "The Sentinel Wyrm"
- Mikkaalgensis, also known as "The Harper Dragon"
- Mithbarakaz, also known as "Mith Barak the Clanless" the Deep King of Iltkazar.
- Otaaryliakkarnos, also known as "Elia" in her disguised form.
- Pharyssolnyth
- Silverywing
- 'Teskulladar, also known as "Manytalons"
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The sample "Young Adult Silver Dragon" on page 87 of Monster Manual v.3.5 mistakenly has the air subtype, but the main stats and all future silver dragons have the correct cold subtype.
- ↑ The cover of "Total Eclipse" depicts a red-colored dragon breathing fire, presumably a red dragon, but the comic itself shows a silver- or white-colored dragon breathing a green substance. The dragon in the comic most closely resembles a silver dragon, so this is assumed here. A silver dragon is also more suitable for an avatar of the goddess Selûne.
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Anauroch: The Empire of Shade • Candlekeep Mysteries
- Referenced only
- Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor • Curse of Strahd
- Novels
- Elminster: The Making of a Mage • The Rage • The Crystal Mountain
- Referenced only
- Tymora's Luck • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
- Comics
- Forgotten Realms (#6 • #7 • #8)
- Video Games
- Baldur's Gate series (Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition)
- Board Games
- Betrayal at Baldur's Gate • Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Tomb of Annihilation
- Card Games
- Magic: The Gathering (CLB)
- Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
- Temple of the Sky God • Tipping the Scales • Where Devils Fear to Tread • When the Lights Went Out in Candlekeep
- Referenced only
- Infernal Insurgency
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 116–118. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- ↑ James Wyatt (October 2021). Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 209. ISBN 978-0786967292.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 85–87. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 86–88. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 79. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 34. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 304–305. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 53–55. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 10–15. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ Dan Mishkin (September 1990). “Total Eclipse”. In Elliot S. Maggin ed. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #22 (DC Comics) (22)., pp. 2–4.
Connections[]
Chromatic dragons: Black • Blue • Brown • Gray • Green • Orange • Pink • Purple • Red • Salt • White • Yellow
Gem dragons: Amethyst • Beljuril • Crystal • Emerald • Obsidian • Sapphire • Topaz • Ruby
Neutral dragons: Amber • Jacinth • Moonstone • Pearl
Lung dragons: Chiang lung • Li lung • Lung wang • Pan lung • Shen lung • T'ien lung • Tun mi lung • Yu lung
Ferrous dragons: • Cobalt • Iron
Planar dragons: Adamantine • Astral • Battle • Blight • Chaos • Ethereal • Hellfire wyrm • Howling • Mirage • Oceanus • Pyroclastic • Radiant • Rust • Shadow • Styx • Tarterian
Spelljamming dragons: Moon/lunar • Radiant • Sun/solar
Epic dragons: Force • Prismatic • Time
Catastrophic dragons: Blizzard • Earthquake • Volcanic
Miscellaneous dragons: Cobra • Dzalmus • Mist • Rattelyr • Song • Vishap
Linnorms: Corpse tearer • Dread • Stygian
Drakes: Ambush • Black firedrake • Dragonne • Elemental (Earth • Fire • Ice • Magma • Ooze • Smoke • Water) • Felldrake (Crested • Spitting) • Greater • Guard • Mind • Portal • Rage • Space • Storm • Vulture
Dragonbloods: Draconic creature • Dragonborn of Bahamut • Dragonspawn
Drow-dragon (shadow) • Drow-dragon (deep) • Half-dragon • Kobold (Dragonwrought • Urd) • Weredragon • Zar'ithra • Zekyl
Hybrid monsters: Dracimera • Dracolisk • Mantidrake • Wyvern drake