Emerald Dragons

Secretive historians who lurk within the hearts of dead volcanos, emerald dragons are reclusive and cautious beings. They do their best to remain unseen, and even among most draconic worshiping circles they are almost mythical in rarity.

Basic Information

Anatomy

These notable loners have a smooth, polished gleam to their scales that gives them an almost unified appearance. These sloping scales lead up their bodies, ending in almost spear-like points as ridges along their spines and joints. Unlike most gems, the scales of an emerald dragon start as an almost transparent viridian. As they age, their scales harden and become more opaque while they also begin to mold to the muscles of the emerald dragon's body. This eventually gives their gem-like hide the appearance of a seamless suit of spiked armor, giving the emerald a ferocious appearance indeed.

Genetics and Reproduction

The emerald dragons' paranoia and suspicion extends to their mates and young, and even to these precious and beloved family members there are parts of the cavernous lair that are off limits. Female emeralds often change the layout of their lair after giving birth, to ensure that the memories inherited by their young will not be used against them at any point in the future.

Growth Rate & Stages

Emerald dragons have translucent green scales at birth. As they age, the scales harden and take on many shades of green. They scintillate in light, and the dragon’s hide seems to be in constant motion.
They are considered wyrmlings for the first five years, very young until age 15, reach the juvenile stage at 25 years, and become sexually mature at 50 years, being considered fully adult at 100. They are considered mature at 200, old at 400, very old at 600, and ancient at 800 years. Beyond 1,000 they are considered wyrms, and great wyrms after 1,200 years.

Ecology and Habitats

Emerald dragons usually set up traps and alarms around their lairs to warn them of visitors. They often hide from intruders, using special abilities to observe, and seldom come out to speak. If intruders attack or approach the dragon’s treasure, the dragon burrows underneath to surprise its victims, then use breath weapon and claws, seeking to quickly disable as many as it can. If faced with superior forces, the dragon retreats, waiting years for revenge if necessary.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Emerald dragons will eat anything, but prefer lizards.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Emerald dragons love collecting, studying and cataloging things of historical value, and they hire and maintain multiple networks of historians and spies to ensure that they can record history as it happens. More often than not, at least one emerald dragon will have their claw in the funding of an archaeological expedition, and if word reaches them that a group of intrepid adventurers is seeking to plunder an ancient tomb, the emerald will do their best to ensure that at least one member of the expedition is their (often unknowing) agent, so that they receive a full first-hand report. With all of their accumulated knowledge, the emerald dragon makes for a horrifyingly dangerous political enemy, and one of the most useful allies a leader or adventurer could have.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Emerald dragons are inquisitive, particularly about local history and customs. Often, their knowledge of particular areas surpasses that of the best sage. However, these dragons are also rather paranoid, so developing even a passing acquaintance with one can be quite difficult.
Of all dragons, emeralds are by far the most extreme in their isolation and suspicions of other beings, leading them to be the most paranoid breed of dragons. While often they have allies and underlings that they send out into the world, an emerald will not trust any of them with the true location of their lairs, preferring to meet at designated (if still secluded and private) locations that periodically change to ensure that, even if their contact is being followed, no ambushes will be waiting for them. An emerald will not have servants to clean their lair or keep it in order, preferring to do it themselves to ensure that nothing goes missing and that no one will divulge any of the dragon's many secrets.
About the only being other than their mate that an emerald will truly trust is a sapphire dragon. Emerald and a sapphire dragons will commonly team up, with the emerald making a lair above the underground one of the sapphire and covering both the underdark and overland with their watchful vigil. Such alliances are beneficial to both parties, and even the paranoid emerald dragon knows that there are more rewards than there are risks in seeking out and accepting such a partnership. This also has lead to an interesting phenomena; while cases of differing draconic colors interbreeding are heard of, for the emerald and sapphire dragon it is almost commonplace, and often just seen as a natural extension of the alliance. Children of such a pairing are raised by both parents, no matter how contradictory their teachings may sometimes be, and are often some of the most celebrated draconic generals and historians in the mortal world.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Black Dragons
• Gem Dragons
• Gold Dragons
• Red Dragons

Adult Emerald Dragon

Huge dragon, lawful neutral

Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 337 27d12+162

Speed 40ft Fly: 150ft Burrow: 5ft Swim: 60ft

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STR

31 0

DEX

10 0

CON

23 +6

INT

22 +6

WIS

23 +6

CHA

22 +6

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Skills Deception +10, Diplomacy +10, Arcana +10, History +10, Nature +10, Religion +10, Perception +10, Investigation +10

Damage Resistances Fire; Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing From Nonmagical Weapons

Damage Immunities Sonic

Condition Immunities paralyzed

Senses Darkvision 800 ft., Blindsight 240 ft, passive Perception 18

Languages Draconic

Challenge 18

Immunity to sleep. Magic can't put a gem dragon to sleep.
Object Reading (at will). By concentrating for up to 10 minutes on an object touched, the dragon can learn details of an inanimate object’s previous   Objects accumulate psychic impressions left by their previous owners, which can be read by use of this power. The amount of information revealed depends on how long the dragon studies a particular object.
1st Minute
Last owner’s race.
2nd Minute
Last owner’s gender.
3rd Minute
Last owner’s age.
4th Minute
Last owner’s alignment.
5th Minute
How last owner gained and lost the object.
6th+ Minute
Next-to-last owner’s race, and so on.
The power always correctly identifies the last owner of the item, and the original owner (if they keep the power active long enough).
There is a 90% chance that this power will successfully identify all other former owners in sequence, but there is a 10% chance that one former owner will be skipped and thus not identified.
This power will not identify casual users as owners. (Anyone who uses an object to attack someone or something is not thereafter considered a casual user.)
An object without any previous owners reveals no information. They can continue to run through a list of previous owners and learn details about them as long as the power’s duration lasts. If they use this power additional times on the same object, the information yielded is the same as if they were using the power on the object for the first time.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The crystal dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). The crystal dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
at will: legend lore
3/day each: greater invisibility, fog cloud, clairvoyance, nondetection
Thought Shield. The dragon's thoughts can't be read by telepathy or other means unless they allow it. They also have resistance to psychic damage, and whenever a creature deals psychic damage to them, that creature takes the same amount of damage that they do.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

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Actions

Multiattack: The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage.
Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage. Tail: Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage. Frightful Presence: Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 180 ft. of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Sonic Breath (Recharge 5-6): The dragon exhales a blast of concussive force in a 50-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 48 (16d6) sonic damage and is deafened for 1d4 rounds. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not deafened.
Planar Travel. As an action, the dragon can travel between the Material Plane and their home plane.
Id Insinuation (7/Day). By invading the mind of a creature within 40 ft. with their psychic presence, the dragon can isolate parts of its mind, preventing the target from functioning in a coherent manner. The target is confused as long as they concentrate on it plus 1 additional round. A successful Wisdom save (DC 16) negates this effect.
Psychic Crush (2/Day). The dragon's will abruptly and brutally crushes the mental essence of any one creature within 40 ft, debilitating its acumen. The target must make a Wisdom save with advantage or collapse unconscious and dying at -1 hit points. If the target succeeds on the save, it takes 3d6 points of psychic damage.

Reactions

Tower of Iron Will (2/Day). The dragon generates a bastion of thought so strong that it offers protection to them and everyone around them, improving the self-control of all. The dragon and all creatures within 10 ft gain resistance to psychic damage and advantage on Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma saving throws.

Legendary Actions

Can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.
Detect: The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. Tail Attack: The dragon makes a tail Attack. Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions): The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 ft. of the dragon must succeed on a DC 30 Dexterity saving throw or take 20 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
A whirlwind of sand and debris is kicked up, picking up any lose rocks, logs, bits of hail or any other items on hand and slamming them into foes within the tempest. Enemies inside of a 20 foot cube must make a DC 15 dexterity saving throw, and are dealt 10 (3d6) bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage (dragon's choice) on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a failure.
A powerful gust of 30 mph winds blast in one particular direction, making movement and ranged attacks within the area far more difficult. Wind within 600 feet of the dragon blows away from it, forcing creatures within the area to roll a DC 15 strength saving throw at the beginning of their turn or treat the area as difficult terrain. Even flying creatures treat this area as difficult terrain. Ranged attacks made within this area have only half of their normal range. This lair action lasts for either one minute, or until it is used again.
The dragon causes a sudden swell of wind that picks up one creature and tosses them back. One target creature in the dragon's lair must make a DC 15 strength saving throw. On a failure, the creature is lifted up 10 feet into the air and then thrown up to 30 feet in any direction of the dragon's choosing. Treat all movement caused in this manner as falling distance. If a creature collides with a wall, creature or other object in their path, then they are dealt an additional 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage.

An emerald dragon lives within the hearts of dead volcanoes and abandoned mountain fortresses. Often they will not stray far from the surface, and there will be multiple well hidden tunnels throughout their lairs which allow them easy access to the surface, both for hunting and escape purposes. These lairs look to be built from jade, and are often sprawling and confusing for surface and underdark dwellers alike... Exactly how an emerald likes it. The bones of lizards and lizardfolk are sometimes found in carefully concealed groves close to an emerald's true lair, as both of these creatures are an emerald dragon's favorite delicacies.
Finally, emerald dragons tend to make multiple "dummy" lairs that are stocked with small treasure troves and items, meant to mislead and redirect would-be invaders. These dummy lairs might very well resemble lairs of a dragon of a different color, often those of rival dragons, in an attempt to send do-gooders and 'nere-do-wells to take care of the problem for the emerald (quite safely for the dragon).

Regional Effects

A legendary emerald dragon's lair is warped by the dragon's magic, creating one or more of the following effects.
The dragon's cave is covered in glittering and dazzling jade, emerald and beryl. This gemstone extends just below the surface of the earth one mile from the edge of the dragon's mountain or fortress home, giving warning to any miners and architects in the area that they are treading on a dragon's territory. This gem grows around the root systems of plants, and trees or other deep-rooted foliage may plant roots within it without penalty. This gem disappears and becomes regular earth a month after the dragon's death.
The weather of the area is often slightly off from what it normally is. Rains might not be as violent, or they might go unseasonably long. Winds might be dead within ten miles of the dragon's lair, or they might be a swirling tempest that kicks up a dust storm. The emerald dragon can actively control this effect, allowing them to channel and generate even violent lightning storms after concentrating on the effect for almost a day. They can also calm or weaken storms after an hour of concentration, giving them far greater control over the well being of local fauna than most other dragons, and bothering the arboreal green dragons a bit. Weather patterns return to normal the day the emerald dragon dies.
The emerald dragon is connected to all flying vermin within ten miles of their lair, typically insects and birds (often songbirds and cicadas). They may receive telepathic communication from these creatures, and through this network the emerald dragon typically knows the general locations of any potentially hostile creatures that are approaching its lair. This connection causes the insects and birds of the area to be more alert to the presence of humanoids, abberations, monstrosities and dragons. This heightened awareness disappears a week after the dragon's death.

This stat block is for a dragon around 100-800 years. For dragons of different age categories, check out the following:
Newborn Emerald Dragon (0-5 years)
Emerald Dragon Wyrmling (5-25 years)
Young Emerald Dragon (25-100 years)
Ancient Emerald Dragon (800 years or older)