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Shadow dragons were evil true dragons that were either native to the Shadowfell,[2] or transformed by years spent there.[1]

Description[]

Physically seeming insubstantial, shadow dragons had dark and translucent scales which helped them camouflage into the darkness around them. Shadow dragons were often mistaken for black dragons, but their horns pointed backwards. A long fringe of spines emerged from the back of a dragon's neck and its powerful tail featured a swimming fin.[2] An average shadow dragon was 20 ft - 30 ft (6.1 m - 9.1 m) in length.[7]

A dragon egg could be identified as that of a shadow dragon by the purple tinge seen when held in front of an intense white light, though it shared this trait with deep dragon and amethyst dragon eggs.[9]

Personality[]

Shadow dragons were crafty and devious,[3] eclipsing even red dragons in their mental capabilities[10] and were on par with gold dragons, the smartest of the metallic dragons.[11][12]

Abilities[]

Shadow dragons were physically weak compared to other dragons. For example even at great wyrm stage shadow dragons were, in regards of raw physical strength, below a white dragon, the weakest of the chromatic dragons, at the same stage.[13][12]

They had the frightful presence like other dragons and a number of abilities that allowed them to be stealthy and also to move fast. Starting with a predisposition towards mundane hiding, sneaking and jumping.[5] They weren't exactly fast flyers but could move unusually fast on feet for dragons.[4]

Senses[]

Like any other true dragon, shadow dragons had sharp hearing and sight, which was capable of low-light vision and darkvision. They also had blindsense.[14]

Breath[]

A shadow dragon's breath was a cone of shadows. Creatures caught in it lost parts of their vitality, skills and spells, possibly permanently, all while temporarily empowering the dragon.[12] They could train their breath weapon to turn those they killed with it into spectral creatures who were then permanently enslaved by the shadow dragon.[15]

Magic[]

As they aged, shadow dragons learned an increasing number of magical abilities to hide from enemies and enhance their movement. They could hide away into shadows, even those in otherwise well-lit areas, and learned over its ages to cast mirror image, dimension door; nondetection and shadow walk.[4][3]

Once at great wyrm stage, they could fill a large area with darkness. Once this ability was used, a battle was in danger of becoming a one sided matter in favor of the shadow dragon. The darkness was impossible to disperse with light, magical or not. Creatures without ties to the Plane of Shadow were practically blind as long as they remained in the area that encompassed a radius of 100 yards (91 meters). Those with ties to the plane were largely unaffected. This ability was usable multiple times.[4]

Like many other true dragons, they developed sorcerer abilities with at least the potential to learn spells usually only open to divine casters as well as from the chaos, evil and trickery domain.[16]

Combat[]

A shadow dragon would stalk its prey from the shadows,[2] preferring to use its abilities to blend with the darkness and to confuse its enemies.[3] It fought in many of the ways typically done by true dragons — biting, clawing, bludgeoning with its wings and/or its tail, crushing on an enemy and sweeping with its tail.[17]

A shadow dragon had very strong spell resistances and very hard scales. As it grew, it gained an increasingly stronger resistance against spells and non magical physical attacks. Their scales were hard even among dragons and grew only harder with age. All shadow dragons owned an outright immunity against life sapping effects.[4]

History[]

Around 1372 DR, a number of shadow dragons joined forces with the Cult of the Dragon and there were a number of known shadow dracoliches associated with the cult.[3]

Society[]

Homelands[]

Many shadow dragons inhabited the dark places of Faerûn, such as ruins or abandoned keeps.[2] These dragons from the Plane of Shadow were seen in the Frost Hills and the Thunder Peaks.[3] They could also be found in the Dragon Eyrie.[18]

They were found in the Underdark, particularly in the Middledark and Lowerdark.[19] They preferred depths of at least 10 miles (16,000 meters) below the surface where the connections to the Plane of Shadow were stronger.[3]

Relationships[]

Shadow dragons were a favored monster of the drow god Vhaeraun, serving him and sometimes being sent by him to aid his followers.[20] The same was true for the Chultan demigod Eshowdow.[21]

Shadow dragons were related to three drow offshots. A special form of half-shadow dragon, zekyl, shadow draconic drow, zar'ithra, and the draa'zekyl or drow-dragon.[22]

Sorcerers were sometimes known to form dragonpacts with them. The pact was called Elusive Disciple of Dusk and gave the sorcerer abilities to flee safely.[23]

Notable Shadow Dragons[]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 84–85. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Bruce R. Cordell, et al. (November 2008). Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 199. ISBN 978-0-7869-4980-9.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 42–44. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 191–192. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Richard Baker and James Wyatt (2004-03-13). Monster Update (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Player's Guide to Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-10.
  6. Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 85. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 58. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  8. Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 59. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
  9. Ed Greenwood (January 1996). Volo's Guide to the Dalelands. (TSR, Inc), p. 193. ISBN 0-7869-0406-2.
  10. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  11. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 191. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
  13. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 77. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  14. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  15. Eric L. Boyd (2007-04-25). Dragons of Faerûn, Part 3: City of Wyrmshadows (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Dragons of Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. p. 6. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  16. Andy Collins, James Wyatt, and Skip Williams (November 2003). Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 192. ISBN 0-7869-2884-0.
  17. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 68–69. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  18. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  19. Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 114–116. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  20. Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 15. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  21. Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 81. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  22. Eric L. Boyd (2007-04-25). Dragons of Faerûn, Part 3: City of Wyrmshadows (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Dragons of Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 2–4. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  23. Owen K.C Stephens, Rodney Thompson (September 2006). Dragon Magic. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-3936-2.
  24. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  25. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  26. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 154. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  27. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 156. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  28. Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  29. BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
  30. 30.0 30.1 Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 157. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  31. John Terra (November 1997). Four from Cormyr. Edited by Kim Mohan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 107. ISBN 0-7869-0646-4.

Connections[]

The Family of Dragons

Metallic dragons: GoldSilverBronzeCopperBrassElectrumMercuryPlatinumSteel

Chromatic dragons: BlackBlueBrownGrayGreenOrangePinkPurpleRedSaltWhiteYellow
Gem dragons: AmethystBeljurilCrystalEmeraldObsidianSapphireTopazRuby
Neutral dragons: AmberJacinthMoonstonePearl
Lung dragons: Chiang lungLi lungLung wangPan lungShen lungT'ien lungTun mi lungYu lung
Ferrous dragons: • CobaltIron
Planar dragons: AdamantineAstralBattleBlightChaosEtherealHellfire wyrmHowlingMirageOceanusPyroclasticRadiantRustShadowStyxTarterian
Spelljamming dragons: Moon/lunarRadiantSun/solar
Epic dragons: ForcePrismaticTime
Catastrophic dragons: BlizzardEarthquakeVolcanic
Miscellaneous dragons: CobraDzalmusMistRattelyrSongVishap

Draconic transformations: AirAscendantBrainstealerElder brainHidecarved


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