Orange dragon

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Orange dragons were a species of chromatic dragon that inhabited tropical swamps, rivers, and lakes.

Description
Oranges dragons were born with brilliant orange scales and most retained this coloring into adulthood, with some developing splotches of more reddish or yellowy coloring. Their scales did grow larger and thicker as they aged. Adult orange dragons were typically around long.

Personality
Orange dragons were highly intelligent but, like all chromatic dragons, evil.

Abilities
Naturally, orange dragons were equally capable on land or in water, and were only slightly less capable in the air. And they were resistant to magical fire and metallic poisons, and immune to natural fire. Their most well-known and deadly ability was their breath weapon: a stream of liquid sodium (though most only knew it as a silvery metallic liquid) mixed with the dragon's oily saliva. Seconds after they disgorged it, the saliva dried and the sodium burst into flame on contact with air. If the victim tried to rinse the liquid off, they found that it exploded on contact with water, causing even more damage and setting everything in the general vicinity on fire. Only oil could safely "insulate" the liquid sodium from air and water, though that posed major risks as well.

Like other dragons, orange dragons could innately cast spells, gaining pass without trace thrice each day as young, neutralize poison thrice each day as juveniles, raise water twice each day as young adults, heat metal once per day as mature adults, suggestion once per day as very old dragons, and hallucinatory forest once per day as wyrms.

Combat
Orange dragons were well-suited to ambush, but were impulsive enough to be just as likely to attack boldly. One of their preferred tactics was to use their breath weapon on a body of water right beside a camp or boatload of potential prey, blowing the area to smithereens.

Ecology
Orange dragons inhabited tropical forests, where they laired beside and hunted in rivers, lakes, and swamps; accordingly, they were excellent swimmers. They favored their damp environments in part because it meant the fires caused by their breath weapon didn't spread. Within their habitats, they sometimes came into conflict with bronze and black dragons, though black dragons typically preferred to avoid the larger, stronger, and more dangerous orange dragon. In other cases, a black dragon might (grudgingly) accept a subordinate role; orange dragons were known to ally with other evil inhabitants of their territory, with the dragon providing protection and the subordinates providing information and obedience. Bronze dragons, however, typically won otherwise even fights with orange dragons.

Orange dragons preferred to prey on rain forest animals and fish, and enjoyed supplementing their diet with tropical fruits. They enjoyed hunting humans and elves for sport as well as food. If necessary, orange dragons could and would eat insects and fungus. Thanks to their natural resistance to poison (and, presumably, disease), they could drink from pools of water both stagnant and fresh.

This was a solitary species except when mating and raising young, at which times both parents helped protect the nest and hunt for and teach the hatchlings.

Ettercaps were known to prey on hatchling orange dragons and prized their flesh.

Connections
Rote Drachen