Steel Dragon

Steel dragons, sometimes known as Waterdeep dragons, were metallic dragons who were rarely seen in their natural form, instead living clandestine lives in human cities, observing art, culture, history, and politics.

Description

Steel dragons in their natural forms were especially feline in their movements and stature. They had scales that shone like burnished steel as adults and usually smelled like wet metal. Younger dragons' scales were a darker blue-gray and less lustrous. Their wings consisted of overlapping blades that looked like feathers, and the scales on their chests resembled shields.

Their faces were particularly expressive, sometimes giving the illusion of a human-like face. They had many long spines surrounding their faces, which gave the appearance of hair.

In humanoid forms, steel dragons usually kept their true identities secret; however, they always had at least one visual indication of their true nature in the form of steel-gray hair, eyes, tattoos, or another feature.

Abilities

Steel dragons were immune to acid and resistant to poison and especially magic. They had innate abilities to enchant and charm individuals.

Personality

Steel dragons, as a rule, were amiable, curious, and witty. They would rather spend their time among human cultures than in their own true forms.

However, they had difficulty when dealing with all kinds of absolute authority, even authority that was used for good. This put steel dragons at odds with other kinds of metallic dragons that used their power and experience to justify their actions, specially bronze dragons and gold dragons; this also made them bitter enemies of chromatic dragons. For those same reasons, steel dragons usually worked within their chosen communities to promote freedom and undermine authoritarian forces.

Steel dragons liked the company of humans, elves, half-elves and dwarves, and they usually supported adventurers that opposed tyrants.

Favored treasure

They preferred to invest in property and business unlike other dragons, who preferred to hoard monetary treasures. Some steel dragons did hoard items, but they preferred to hoard works of art, antiquities, books, finery, magic items or servants.

Combat

Similar to brass dragons, most steel dragons would rather talk than fight, yet like all dragons, they could be formidable opponents. In combat, they avoided melee and instead relied on their magic. A steel dragon could cast the spells of clerics as arcane magic and also could use the spells usually considered a part of the knowledge and trickery domains. If truly losing a battle, a steel dragon was likely to teleport away.

A steel dragon could breathe both a line of acid and a cloud of poisonous gas.

Society

Unlike most other dragons, steel dragons did not live in caves, preferring castles, towers, palaces, mansions, and the like.

While they preferred to eat in their human forms, doing so would not provide them enough nourishment to survive, so they would have to make excuses to go hunting secretly in their dragon forms every three tendays or so.

According to Elminster steel dragons were also called "Greyhawk dragons", and according to Mordenkainen, that was the proper name of the species.

Notable Steel Dragons

The city of Waterdeep was known to be home to at least three steel dragons:

• Auntyrlothtor
• Jalanvaloss
• Quituryte

Other known steel dragons were

• Stalagma
• Steelheart
• Velsaertirden

In addition, a female steel dragon named Razylymingeir lived in Darmshall, and one named Zundaerazylym dwelt in Neverwinter.[5] A male steel dragon in disguise of a windsoul genasi lived in Akanûl.[

A consortium of half-steel dragons called the Confluence was based out of Waterdeep.

History (DND2 version)

Steel dragons love the companionship of humans and demihumans, thus explaining their preference for cities. They are highly magical and intellectual.

Although considerably smaller than many of its kin, the steel dragon shares the strength and robustness typical of other dragons. Its scales are a bright metallic grey reminiscent of brushed steel, ranging to a darker hue—almost like blued gunmetal—on the creature's underside and toward its tail. The membranes of its wings have the sheen of fine silk.

Steel dragons speak their own tongue, the tongue common to all non-evil dragons, and all commonlyused human and demihuman tongues.

There is almost certainly a close relationship between the steel dragon and the Greyhawk dragon of Oerth.

At heart a peaceful creature, the steel dragon avoids combat where it can. If conflict is inevitable, however, it fights with great intelligence and lethality, using a claw/claw/bite attack routine.

The steel dragon is immune to wizard spells of 1st through 4th level. Against all other magical effects, it has a magic resistance of 75% (regardless of age). It can use all magical items permitted to the wizard class.

Habitat/Society

: Because of its love for and fascination with humanity and demihumanity, the steel dragon often lives polymorphed into human form. Its favored habitat is a large city, where it frequently owns a big house. Steel dragons are sometimes the centers of artistic and intellectual gatherings—poetry readings, discussion groups, etc. In their human identities, these artistically inclined dragons are sometimes well-known among the intelligentsia and patrons of the arts. They keep their true nature secret.

Most steel dragons, however, are less outgoing. Although by no means antisocial or reclusive, they limit themselves to a small group of friends and acquaintances. These confidants can come from all walks of life, but they are usually selected on the basis of their access to interesting and hard-to-obtain information. Steel dragons with this outlook often become clearinghouses or brokers of valuable information and intelligence.

Most steel dragons, however, are less outgoing. Although by no means antisocial or reclusive, they limit themselves to a small group of friends and acquaintances. These confidants can come from all walks of life, but they are usually selected on the basis of their access to interesting and hard-to-obtain information. Steel dragons with this outlook often become clearinghouses or brokers of valuable information and intelligence.

Food is usually the creature's biggest problem: Although it might take the form of a man or woman, it must eat enough to maintain its true bulk. Every two weeks or so, it drops out of sight and travels to nearby wilderness areas (where it might claim to own a hunting lodge). Here it hunts, making up for its enforced fast (at least, by dragon standards) in the city. Like other dragons, the steel variety is omnivorous, but it prefers fresh meat. It never eats domesticated herds, preying instead on wild animals—particularly those baneful to humankind.

Steel dragons are very rare creatures. Even the largest city might have only one or two living (secretly) in its midst. Although they take stringent precautions to prevent their true nature from being discovered, one steel dragon can recognize another on sight. Dragons in the same city are usually on good terms, visiting each other's homes, and occasionally going on "hunting trips" together. Every 12 years, a steel dragon seeks a mate. Ideally this mate is from the same city, although steel dragons have been known to range far and wide searching for just the right companion. The couple retires to the wilderness, where they raise a single offspring. Once the youngster is old enough to fend successfully for itself—about 15 years—the parents return to their separate lives, although they will usually remain close; they are always ready to help the offspring if it gets itself into serious trouble. The creatures rarely select the same mate twice.

Ecology: Steel dragons can be found—if they wish to be found—in any large town or city. They are at the top of the food chain, with no natural enemies. In cities, they rarely work as artisans, preferring to act as collectors and disseminators of information (like sages).