Arcane Dragon

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Arcane Dragons are a family of dragons in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Created in May 2006 for Dragon Magazine #343's Creature Catalog V, Arcane Dragons are a 3e invention made to recognize something; that despite the long association of dragons with arcane power, only the Gold and Silver Dragons come anywhere near the inherent potency of humanoid wizard, with most species learning a small handful of inate spell-like abilities over their long life. Arcane Dragons, then, truly embody the concept of the magical, spell-casting dragon, trading physical potency for expanded magical affinities; all Arcane Dragons are powerful spellcasters, even beyond their innate spell-like and supernatural abilities.

Arcane Dragons should not be confused with the Occult Dragon of the Esoteric Dragon family.

Hex Dragon

Possibly distant relatives of the Black Dragon, Hex Dragons are a cruel and manipulative breed, infamous for their love of corruption, betrayal and decay. Making their lairs in caverns, dark forests and fetid swamps, they are the witches of the dragon world, embodying the sinister and corruptive aspects of magic. These dragons have long, segmented bodies, with mouths filled with a multitude of small but needle-sharp teeth. Their eyes are emerald green, and smoulder within sunken pit-like eyesockets beneath a pair of corkscrewing horns that rise from their crowns. Wyrmling hex dragons are surprisingly flabby, with corpse-pale scales that give them an almost maggot-like appearance. As they age, though, they darken in color to a deep eldritch purple, with fat melting away to be replaced by wiry muscles; an adult hex dragon is lean and strong. Hex dragons are marked by myriad arcane runes, which form on their scales shortly after hatching and become increasingly luminiscent as the dragon ages, until they burn with eldritch fire. A hex dragon's voice is described as being high-pitched, melodious, and sweet as poisoned honey.

Hex dragons frequently work with the undead, and also make use of their inherent skill as Enchanters to enslave living subjects. Younger hex dragons unable to access caverns to dwell in have their minions craft them large huts, lavishly furnished and decorated with macabre imagery; unless the hex dragon eventually discovers a sufficiently inviting cave, these huts will grow with the dragon's powerbase, eventually forming small cities in the middle of nowhere. Cavern lairs are decorated with the same grisly imagery in the form of frescoes and pilasters. Regardless of whether the hex dragon lives above or below ground, its lair is a hellish place filled with strange odors, smoking vats & braziers, pickled specimen jars, and mummified corpses.

Whilst able to eat practically anything, hex dragons are notoriously fussy eaters, often turning the act of dining into a ritual - such as only consuming specific organs from specific creatures during specific phases of the moon.

All hex dragons automatically know all Enchanter and Necromancer spells available to Sorcerers, as well as all spells associated with the Knowledge Cleric Domain. Their caster level increases with their age category. In addition to these spells, hex dragons possess a Breath Weapon in the form of a line of putrid venom, the Vile Resistance extraordinary ability (immune to disease & poison, +4 on saves vs death effects, enchantment spells, and negative energy damage), and the Retributive Curse supernatural ability, which enables them to deliver all manner of painful maladies against their attackers, with their options only growing nastier as the dragon ages - Great Wyrms can obliterate a victim in retaliation every turn!

Tome Dragon

With unclear origins, Tome Dragons are the sages of the dragon world, embodying the studious and esoteric aspects of magic.

All tome dragons automatically know all Conjurer and Diviner spells available to Sorcerers, as well as all spells associated with the Knowledge Cleric Domain.