Song dragons were a type of dragon. They lived among humanity in the guise of human women.[1]
Physical description
Song dragons resembled copper dragons in general shape, but they were more slender and possessed iridescent silver-blue scales. This made them bright and impressive in appearance.
A song dragon possessed a unique alternative form, that of an attractive human woman aged between 20 and 30 years old.[1]
Despite this restriction, song dragons could be male or female.[note 1]
Personality
Song dragons eschewed the company of other dragons, choosing instead to live amongst humankind, aided by their alternate forms as young human women. Many were also talented actors. This made it extremely difficult to tell them apart from actual humans. They would reveal their real identities only when in great danger.
They sought to protect and preserve the environment. To this end, they usually worked with or served the Harpers, good mages, and other people and organizations of similar inclinations.
However, to human civilization, they were rare and surrounded in mystery.[1]
Habitat
Song dragons lived throughout the lands of the Realms. They were most common in the Moonshae Isles.[1]
History
The prevalence of song dragons in the Moonshae Isles caused some researchers to theorize that they originated there.[1]
Essembramaerytha, as "Essembra", was a famous adventuress of the Dalelands in the 10th century DR. The town of Essembra in Battledale was named for her, standing on the spot where she was supposedly born.[4][5]
Once, a pair of accidental sightings of women transforming into song dragons triggered a panic, as rumors spread that evil mages were turning their enemies into dragons.[1]
One notable song dragon, Ammaratha Cyndusk, adopted the pseudonym Maerjanthra Shalace. She was so skilled at portraying a human that she fooled Elminster. He eventually had a child with her, and only found out that Ammaratha was a dragon well after the daughter was fully grown.[6]
Combat
A song dragon could breathe a cone of electric gas at its foes.
In battle, they fought with their sharp claws as dragons or slashing blades as humans. They attacked quickly and without mercy. They often sang joyfully as they fought, unless silence was wiser.[1]
Powers
Song dragons could use a magical ability, similar to polymorph self, at will to adopt the form of a human woman. Each dragon had only a single unique human form. The change took a dozen seconds to adopt human form, and half that to change back, but rendered the song dragon immobile. It destroyed clothing, bonds and anything else confining the song dragon or human.
In human form, they lacked the dragon's physical traits and breath weapon. Regardless of form, they maintained full knowledge and awareness, and could use all their magical spells and abilities.
A song dragon had the innate ability to speak any language as with the tongues spell. It also had continuous true seeing. Depending on age, a song dragon could also cast the spells light, darkness, blink, feather fall, ploymorph any object, heal, plane shift, and teleport. It also cast the spells of a cleric and the Healing, Travel, and Trickery domains as arcane spells.[1]
Known song dragons
The following were song dragons:[5]
- Alrue Crownshield
- Ammaratha Cyndusk
- Araemra, or "Longtalons"
- Essembramaerytha, or "Essembra"
- Faelrae Garthammus
- Ilden Garthammus
- Karasendrieth
- Meliordianix
- Taraunramorlamurla, or "Serenescales", "Taunamorla Esmurla", or "Keeper of Secrets"
Notes
- ↑ The song dragon Ilden Garthammus is listed being male, implying that male song dragons do exist.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 44–45. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
- ↑ Richard Baker and James Wyatt (2004-03-13). Monster Update (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Player's Guide to Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-10.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 139. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 97. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "DoFp97" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Ed Greenwood (May 2005). Elminster's Daughter. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786937684.
Further reading
- James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 44–45. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
- Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 139. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- Ed Greenwood (May 2005). Elminster's Daughter. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786937684.