Weredragon

Weredragons were a group of lycanthropes that were able to transform at night from humans or sometimes other races into a humanoid form with characteristics of a species of dragon, or into a full-grown dragon. They were not to be confused with the song dragons, a race of dragons who often voluntarily assumed female human shape, confusingly also called weredragons.

Description
The hybrid form of a weredragon was humanoid in shape, but their skin transformed into reptilian scales, and they grew fangs and claws, a tail, and wings, all reminiscent of a specific species of dragon. Those able to truly assume the shape of a dragon also gained all the corresponding draconic powers.

Abilities
Upon transformation into hybrid from, weredragons gained the ability to make dangerous bite and claw attacks. Frighteningly, they also attained a limited dragon breath of the type they resembled.

Classification and Special Cases
Lycanthropes were usually named after a type of animal and could transform into a hybrid form combining a human and that animal, as well as fully take on the shape of the animal. Weredragons differed from both expectations, instead resembling intelligent magical creatures and being reported to have only either a hybrid form or a fully draconic form, not both.

Subspecies
Weredragons could be as varied as dragons themselves. Confirmed sightings in the Realms existed of gold, silver, and shadow weredragons. The latter were transformed drow from Chaulssin rather than humans, and were also known as drow-dragons.

History
Weredragons were only reported after the Time of Troubles of 1358 DR. It is unknown if they existed before and were not discovered or if the upheavals of the Godswar created them. Drow-dragons, however, had already arisen from special circumstances in the years following 792 DR.

Powerful magic was one way to attain weredragonhood, either from magic items or through fusion of a dragon and a human in a freak turbulence of wild magic. Another proposed cause was, like for other lycanthropes, powerful curses.

For individuals, if not deliberately brought about magically, the initial transformation could occur spontaneously when they were under great pressure.

Known Lycanthropic Weredragons

 * Nurvureem
 * Syluné Silverhand

Trivia and Rumors

 * Aerglandra of Athalantar wrote of a variant of the powerful magic item called wonderful throne that had the power to transform its user into a weredragon.
 * Certain members of the Cult of the Dragon were searching for magic allowing them to transform into weredragons.
 * Lady Rhessajan Ambermantle of Scornubel had great interest in information about weredragons.
 * Lady Meralde Hightower from Ravens Bluff was rumored to be a weredragon.
 * Alasturan Malatheer, an enigmatic shopkeeper from Neverwinter, according to one rumor was a gold weredragon.