A silver dragon (Draco Nobilis Argentum), also called a shield dragon, is a species of metallic true dragon.
Appearance[]
An overview of silver dragon anatomy.
A silver dragon is a winged reptilian four-legged creature, well-muscled, with a long tail that can make up to one-third of their total length.[11] The silver dragon is regal and statuesque.[3]
When they first hatch from a large egg, silver dragons are known to be upwards of 8 feet long, and grow quickly.[8] Like all true dragons, silver dragons grow larger with age. The largest are known to be 148 feet long, not including their tail, which might be as much as 67 feet long.[11] They stand up to around 22 feet tall from head to foot, with a great wingspan of around 150 feet.[8] At first glance, a silver dragon appears very similar to a white dragon.
The wings are more curved than a white's, however, and a silver dragon has two talons on its wings rather than the single talon of most dragons. Its wings are especially wide and sleek, as if intended to protect smaller creatures beneath them.[9] They are broadest along the trailing edge, and the wing membrane attaches at the tail behind the dragon's rear legs. From the ground, this gives them a similar silhouette to the red dragon, and only an expert can reliably tell the difference.[8]
The silver dragon also has a beautiful tall, spined frill that begins at the top of its head and flows all the way down its neck and body to the tip of its tail, aiding its ability to maintain attitude control in flight. The frill is silver towards the body, fading to a purple hue at the edge. Its face resembles a shield-like plate, and also has a pronounced sharp frill around its ears and under the chin, which has the rough appearance of a human's goatee beard. It has a pointed tongue.[8] They have two straight, long, smooth silver horns with black tips, pointing up and back from the head. They smell faintly of rain.[9] At least one ancient silver dragon is known to possess unusual rust-colored frills.[12]
At birth, a silver dragon hatchling has bluish-grey scales with silver highlights that turn gradually brighter as the dragon approaches adulthood. The shiny scales of adult silver dragons are so small that from a distance, they almost appear to be made of solid metal.[11] The pupils of a silver dragon's eyes fade with age, until the most ancient dragons' eyes resemble orbs of quicksilver.
Personality[]
Silver dragons are lawful good in alignment. They enjoy association with humans more than most other species of dragon, and often use magic to assume human form. They are kind and helpful to others, and happy to assist those who need their help,[11] although out of respect for human cultures' the right of self-determination they rarely intervene until asked. One unusual trait they have i the love of human dining;[3][8] moreover, they use their alternate form ability to take part in large feasts.
They despise cruelty and injustice, and work to protect and care for the innocent.[8] They dislike arrogance in others.[12] However, unlike the gold and bronze dragons, the silver dragon does not usually go out of its way to bring justice to the world. Instead, it waits for others to ask them for help; they would attempt to right an injustice if they saw one, but they have no inclination to intentionally seek evil out and destroy it. Silver dragons are more interested in protecting the humans or elves that came to its care.[8]
A silver dragon enjoys the company of humans and elves so much that it will often take the form of a human or elf and live among them for the majority of its life. However, it should be noted that silvers, like all dragons, believe themselves the most superior creatures in the world. However, apart from the ability to fly, which they enjoy greatly, they tend to prefer the physical forms of humanoids for everyday life.[8]
They enjoy flying, feeling at home among the wind and clouds.[8] Silver dragons often travel great distances, hoping to place themselves where they will can protect the most people.[12] They are exceptionally honest and true to their word, even if keeping their word risks their life or puts them in conflict with other good-aligned creatures.[13].
Like most dragons, they are exceptionally fearless and able combatants. However, they dislike harming creatures, and will go to great lengths to avoid fighting unless necessary. They like to use magic to hinder opponents. If forced to fight, they take to the air and cast reverse gravity to cause land-based opponents to fall upward toward them, where they can be plucked out of the sky; against aerial opponents, silver dragons hide among clouds and lie in ambush.[11]
When direct fighting is necessary, they tear into battle bravely and straightforwardly, preferring to fight in melee than risk injuring comrades with their cold breath weapon. The most ancient of silver dragons are terrifying and utterly unstoppable.[12]
Abilities and traits[]
A silver dragon has two breath weapons: frost-breath, and a non-lethal cone of paralyzing gas. They are themselves immune to cold, and can live comfortably upon high snowy peaks.[11]
Silver dragons are well versed in magic. Some are known to possess spellbooks.[7] Silver dragons are known to use magic to create gusts of wind, a wall of fog that produces snow or hail, and a freezing fog that obscures vision.
Those silver dragons sufficiently practiced in magic use it to assume human form. Often, they choose the form of a wise old man or beautiful woman.[14] Silver dragons possess the ability to walk upon clouds as if they are solid ground, and at a young age learn to walk upon ice as if it was dry ground.[11]
A silver dragon's hide, even the youngest, is as tough as a heavily-armored human. The more ancient of dragons strike fear into their enemies when they enter the battlefield.
Like other species of true dragon, silver dragons live for centuries, and grow larger and more powerful as they age. They are known to live for over 1,200 years, with some reaching a little over 4,200 years.[5] True dragons of that age are terrifying to behold.
Environment[]
Silver dragons typically inhabit exceptionally high places, typically snowy mountain peaks, upon clouds, or behind winds.[14] They can make their lair among the highest clouds, using magic to make solid patches to store eggs and treasure.
A few make their homes in more exotic locales, such as the Elemental Plane of Air, or other extraplanar realms where they can enjoy unlimited flight. Nymbrixion, the Shield of Law, is one such dragon. Silver dragons are among the inhabitants of Edill, a bright aquamarine gas giant planet in Oerth's solar system.[15]
They are omnivorous, and enjoy human food. They need to eat relatively little, and even in dragon form most silver dragons only hunt three or four times per month.[13].
Treasure[]
Hoard[]
Like most true dragons, silver dragons have an exceptional desire to amass treasure.
Silver dragons who spend much of their time in humanoid form prefer to carry their treasure in portable form, such as gemstones and art objects.[8] They are fond of priceless antiques and crafted things of great beauty.
They have a particular fondness for relics of human history. A silver dragon who collects ancient coins values them as much for their historical provenance as their precious metal. Some collect the crown jewels or thrones of fallen empires, or entire sunken ships.[1]
Harvesting[]
Among those cruel adventurers who slay dragons for profit, the silver dragon's horn is worth nine hundred gold pieces, and used to craft wands of hold person. The egg shell of a silver hatchling can be alloyed with steel to craft armor which makes the wearer resistant to cold.[16]
History[]
Silver dragons have subtly influenced other cultures throughout history. They do not particularly value fame themselves, but have served as advisors to princes and temples.
Many human cultures have used dragons as part of their heraldry. Silver dragons are used to represent the virtues of honor, duty and sacrifice.[17].
Society and culture[]
Relationships and family[]
Silver dragons are extremely rare and elusive, preferring to take the guise of a kind and elderly humanoids or attractive and young humanoids. They very much like to associate with elves and humans, not necessarily because they prefer their company over other races, but because they try to learn from the shorter-lived humans.[8]
Most silvers are grouped in "clans", a loose organization of dragons who chose to live together as a family. Clans take communal responsibility for protecting and raising their wyrmlings. A senior clan member might act as a leader, but no true leader exists. Silver dragons do not feel the need for a strict social structure, since they are most content to live as honestly as possible.[8] Like all dragons, adult silver dragons usually meet others of their kind only to mate, fight, or settle important disputes. Silver dragons' favored enemy is the mighty red dragon because these chromatic dragons are almost always evil and have a talent for destruction. Additionally, silvers and reds favor the same sort of terrain for lairs, leading to territorial disputes on top of having attitudes and philosophies at odds with the others.[8] Often, the silver is victorious by working together with other dragons or human allies.[9]
Dragons may live for millennia, while humans only live a few decades. This vast difference in time leads to inherent psychological differences concerning time. Dragons tend to think things through for years at a time, using their razor-sharp intellects to hone a plan to perfection, solve incalculable puzzles, or other such things. Silver dragons, however, note that humans are able to accomplish much in their short lifespans because of their ambitious drive for success. When a silver dragon could combine its own long-term perspective with a quick and ambitious attitude, the benefit is undeniable.[8]
Many silver dragons enjoy assuming human form, and often spend large amounts of time living among humans, a trait shared with the rare Greyhawk dragon. They enjoy human food, and human company.[11] Some even marry human women and have children, speculated to be the origin of some sorcerers' magical ability. Most live at least one full humanoid lifespan within that society, and silver dragons consider this a rite of passage for young dragons.[18]
Silver dragons typically mate for life, whether with humans or silver dragons, though never from among their clan.[8] Not all silver dragons are monogamous, however; for example, Falx Templamut has two wives, Big Alice (a rare example of a silver dragon preferring a human name to a draconic one) and Sillitellimut[19][notes 2]
Where they have friendships with humans, it is usually also for life, and may carry on to that person's offspring for generations. They dislike dishonesty, and always reveal their true identity to the most trusted of friends.[8]
Silver dragons are more likely than other dragon species to entrust their hatchlings to the care of humans. They may give an egg to a church or an order of knights, or some other righteous organization that owes it a favor for service tendered in the past.[18] Silver dragon eggs take almost two years to hatch.
Religion[]
Some silver dragons serve certain deities as servants, including Aerdrie Faenya, Arvoreen, Corellon, Eilistraee, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Labelas Enoreth, Moradin, Sehanine Moonbow, Torm, and Yondalla.[20]
Silver dragons typically have reverence for Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, god of metallic dragons. A few dedicate themselves to another of the obscure draconic deities.
As many as 10% of silver dragons are dedicated clerics to Bahamut and receive some divine spells. Younger silver dragon clerics wear a silver claw as their holy symbol, while those older dragons wear a symbol made of platinum instead.[21]
The contemplative silver dragons of Edill, the gas giant in the solar system of Oerth, revere the goddess Rais.[22]
Silver dragons conduct formal marriages among their kind, but this is largely ceremonial.
Language[]
Silver dragons speak Draconic, the language of all dragons, although their dialect is particular to their species. They learn this ancient language innately.
They are highly intelligent, and their time spent interacting with humans allows them to learn many languages. Given enough books, silver hatchlings will quickly decipher that written language. They quickly learn to read, and are eager to absorb knowledge. Given access to a library, they will be well-educated by the age of two years.[18]
Notable silver dragons[]
- Falx Templamut, grandson of Bahamut
- Lashonna, a vampiric silver dragon servant of the wormgod Kyuss
- Nymbrixion, the Shield of Law
- Silvara, a silver dragon from the world of Krynn
- Yllosavax, a silver dragon of Eberron who observes the discovery of magic
Publication history[]
Original D&D[]
The silver dragon first appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975).
Basic D&D[]
Silver dragons appear in the Monster & Treasure Assortment (1977). The metallic dragons rarely appear in the D&D basic line.
AD&D 1st edition[]
The silver dragon appears in the AD&D Monster Manual (1e) (1977), p.34.
AD&D 2nd edition[]
The silver dragon appears in the AD&D 2nd edition Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989).
D&D 3rd edition[]
The silver dragon appears in the D&D third edition Monster Manual (3.0) (2000) and Monster Manual (3.5) (2003), p.86-88.They are further detailed in the Draconomicon (3e) (2003), p.53-55.
D&D 4th edition[]
The silver dragon and its metallic kin did not appear in the original Monster Manual for D&D 4th edition, but later appeared in Monster Manual 2 (4e) (2009). Statistics for individual dragons appeared later that year in Eberron Campaign Guide (2009) and Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons (2009), and in Dragon Magazine #172 and #173.
D&D 5th edition[]
The silver dragon appears in the Monster Manual (5e) (2014), p.116-118.
Creative origins[]
The silver dragon was an invention of D&D creator Gary Gygax.
Gygax initially created the five chromatic dragons—red, green, white, black and blue—ultimately as variants on the fire-breathing dragon featured in stories such as The Hobbit (1937), itself inspired by Norse mythology. Next, he added the gold dragon, inspired instead by the dragons of oriental mythology, and having two breath weapons to reflect his belief that the oriental dragons were more powerful.[23][24]
In turn, this suggested the creation of a set of five metallic counterparts to the five chromatic dragons, matched to valuable metals: gold, silver, bronze, copper, and brass, with platinum ultimately becoming their deity Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, as an equivalent to Tiamat.
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The sample "Young Adult Silver Dragon" on page 87 of Monster Manual (3.5) (2003) mistakenly has the air subtype, but the main stats and all future silver dragons have the correct cold subtype.
- ↑ Sillitellimut is potentially a corruption of Sjirirthirimut, meaning "scroll-knowledge, of the clan of Bahamut". See Races of the Dragon (2006), p.148.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Monster Manual (5e) (2014), p.116-118.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Monster Manual (4e) (2008), p.85-87.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Monster Manual (3.5) (2003), p.86-87.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Monstrous Manual (1993), p.79.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Draconomicon (3e) (2003), p.14.
- ↑ Dungeon Master's Guide (5e) (2014), p.304-305.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Monster Manual (1e) (1977), p.34.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 Draconomicon (3e) (2003), p.53-55.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Monster Manual (3.5) (2003), p.86-88.
- ↑ Fizban's Treasury of Dragons (2021), p.209.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Monster Manual 2 (4e) (2009), p.85-87.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons (2009), p.38.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Supplement I: Greyhawk (1975), p.36.
- ↑ SJR6 Greyspace (2e) (1992), p.33-38.
- ↑ Cutting up the Dragon: Useful Bits from Formidable Foes, Dragon #332 (Jun 2005), p.47-57.
- ↑ Draconomicon: Metallic Dragons (2009), p.9.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Dragons: The Perilous Burden, Dragon #320 (Jun 2004), p.47-51.
- ↑ R-1 To the Aid of Falx (1982), p.2.
- ↑ Faiths and Pantheons, Web enhancement (2002), p.10-15.
- ↑ "Dragons and their deities", Dragon #86 (Jun 1984), p.36-37.
- ↑ SJR6 Greyspace (2e) (1992), p.92.
- ↑ "If you read the intro to the SLAYER’S GUIDE TO DRAGONS fromMongoose, you’ll see therein how I came up with the chromatic dragons. Some colors other than red were needed, hues that would be harmonious with their breath wespons. When I’d done the four new additions to the CHAINMAIL red dragon, it seemed a good plan to have a LG dragon, one of gold color that was based on the Oriental model. From that I worked on the rest of the metallic species." Q&A with Gary Gygax, page 12. ENWorld, Sep 12, 2002.
- ↑ "As it was bpth or different origination and alignment I desiced to empower the gold dragon so as to more closely resemble the potent Oriental sort. So it got more of everything, including two breath weapons." Q&A with Gary Gygax, page 94. ENWorld, Jan 31, 2004.