Brass Dragon, Juvenile

Metallic dragons make up the good branch of dragonkind, but they are every bit as aggressive as their evil cousins when threatened or challenged. They also tend to be covetous and proud.

Brass dragons are notoriously talkative. They may have useful information, but usually share it only after long rambling and hinting for a gift.

At birth, a brass dragon’s scales are a dull, mottled brown. As the dragon gets older, the scales become more brassy until they reach a warm, burnished appearance. The grand head-plates of a brass dragon are smooth and metallic, and it sports bladed chin horns that grow sharper with age. Wings and frills are mottled green toward the edges, darkening with age. As the dragon grows older, its pupils fade until the eyes resemble molten metal orbs.

Brass dragons love intense, dry heat and spend most of their time basking in the desert sun. They are accompanied by a tangy metallic or sandy odor. They lair in high caves, preferably facing east to enjoy the morning warmth, and their territories always contain several spots where they can sunbathe and trap unwary travelers in conversation.

Brass dragons can and will eat almost anything if the need arises, but they normally consume very little. They are able to get nourishment from the morning dew, a rare commodity in their habitat, and have been seen carefully lifting it off plants with their long tongues.

Because they share similar habitats, blue dragons are brass dragons’ worst enemies. The larger blues have the advantage in one-on-one confrontations, so Brass dragon usually try to evade them until they can rally their neighbors for a mass attack.

Brass dragons would rather talk than fight. If an intelligent creature tries to leave without engaging in conversation, the dragon might force compliance in a fit of pique, using suggestion or a dose of sleep gas. A creature put to sleep may wake to find itself pinned or buried to the neck in the sand until the dragon’s thirst for small talk is slaked. When faced with real danger, younger brass dragons fly out of sight, then hide by burrowing into the sand. Older dragons spurn this ploy but still prefer to have the advantage in combat.

Breath Weapon (Su): 60-ft. line, damage 4d6 fire, Reflex DC 18 half; or 30-ft. cone, sleep (no HD limit) 1d6+4 rounds, Will DC 18 negate. Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later.

Blindsense (Ex): Dragons can pinpoint creatures within a distance of 60 feet. Opponents the dragon can’t actually see still have total concealment against the dragon.

Keen Senses (Ex): A dragon sees four times as well a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Speak With Animals (Sp): At will—as speak with animals. Caster level 4rd.

Endure Elements (Sp): 3/day—as endure elements. Caster level 4rd; Will DC 12.

Spells: As 3rd-level sorcerer. *Can also cast cleric spells and those from the Chaos and Knowledge domains as arcane spells.

Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6; save DC 11 + spell level): 0—detect magic, disrupt undead, light, read magic, resistance; 1st—magic missile, protection from evil, shield.

Feats: This dragon has 5 feats available.

Skills: These skills are considered class skills for all dragons: Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot and Use Magic Device. These skills are considered class skills for brass dragons: Bluff, Gather Information and Survival. This dragon has 112 skill points available.