Black dragon
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| Black Dragon | |
|---|---|
| |
| (Creature) | |
| Type | Dragon (water) |
| CR | Varies |
| Environment | Warm swamps |
| Alignment | |
| Source: Pathfinder Bestiary, pg(s). 92-93 | |
Black dragons are vicious swamp- and marsh-dwellers who generally rule as undisputed masters of their watery domains.[1]
Contents |
Appearance
Black dragons are intimidating creatures, they have distinctive large, curving horns which they sometimes break to give a jagged and even more fearsome appearance. Their faces are very individual with unique configurations of small horns and bones. Black dragons impressive head is connects to a relatively short neck and a thick, muscular reptilian body. They have huge wings that flow into the frills that run the length of there body from neck to tail and down the dragons arms and legs as well. Unique amongst chromatic dragons they have webbed feet which allow them to swim with greater agility through their swampy home.[2]
Habitat
Black dragons are regarded as lords of their chosen homes, the darkest, dankest swamps and marshlands that Golarion has to offer. They tend to make their layers in the most remote, unreachable corners of their swamp. While black dragons, like all dragons, favour natural caves for lairs their swamp homes rarely have such shelter.[1] Instead they have to resort to the sheltering beneath crumbling cliffs or in drowned ravines, some even live in locations sheltered only by the think canopy of swamp trees. Black dragon lairs normally use the terrain to their advantage, they are often surrounded by confusing labyrinths of trees, their canopy strung with thick vines to protect against flyers. Those black dragons with access to slaves get them to modify their lair adding traps concealed beneath the swampy waters. Due to the heavy nature of their treasure black dragons often do not sleep with their hoard as their combined weight would sink it beneath the swamp. Instead they search for concealed locations that can support the sheer bulk of their treasure securely.[3]
Ecology
Black dragons are well suited to their environment, although their surroundings rarely survive intact, a compulsive urge to maim and slaughter leaves the area around a black dragon's lair utterly ravaged. Luckily a black dragons highly acidic stomach can make a meal out of whatever little is left. While they can eat swamp plants, small animals, fish or crustaceans black dragons have a fondness for the flesh of sentient life, particular those who beg and grovel for their pitiful lives. When they eat black dragons drip acidic saliva everywhere. Black dragons inevitably kill more than they can eat, their hatred driving them to wreck and destroy.[4] Black dragon's mating rituals are as violent as everything else in their lives. To outsiders they appear as brutal territorial fight with the two dragons sometimes spending days tearing and breathing gouts of acid at each other. This conflict end with one dragon skulking away in defeat while the other bellows it victory for all to hear. The victor is normally the male, the loser skulks off to make a nest while the victor draws attention to himself. Around a year and a half later the mother lays a clutch of eggs. There is no paternal contact with the hatchlings, in fact if the father and mother do meet again there regard each other as rival tearing at each other with a savagery reserved for battle with their own kind.[4]
Known Black Dragons
- The black dragon Seryzilian is one of the most well-known members of his species in all of Avistan. He makes his home in the small swamp north of the town of Karcau in Ustalav. From there he attacks the local countryside but never reveals his identity, preferring to strike terror from secret. Locals assume that the deaths and cattle mutilations must be the work of undead, not believing that a living creature could work without revealing himself. The dragon is aware of a darker force that inhabits his swamp, but so far been unable to contact it[5]
- Esaolathus was quite a clever black who hunted in Taldor.[5]
- Theratylus, who it is assumed died of old age in times past, is the iconic black dragon of old.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Paizo Staff. (2009). Pathfinder Bestiary, p. 92-93. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-183-1
- ↑ Mike McArtor. (2009). Dragons Revisited, p. 5. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-165-7
- ↑ Mike McArtor. (2009). Dragons Revisited, p. 7. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-165-7
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mike McArtor. (2009). Dragons Revisited, p. 6. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-165-7
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mike McArtor. (2009). Dragons Revisited, p. 8. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-165-7
- ↑ Mike McArtor. (2009). Dragons Revisited, p. 8. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-165-7
