There are more Dragons under the sun than ever possibly dreamt of. Past articles in this series have seen grand heroes and dastardly villainous breeds of dragons for dungeon masters to insert into their games.

Among the metallic dragons, we've read about the sagacious and thoughtful titanium dragons and compared them to the wandering cobalt dragons. Now we look to societies' fringes. To wild lands where tribes of destructive peoples roam free. On any warzone where the cause is righteous, the steel dragons stake their claim.

It's important to note that though this is a metallic dragon, this dragon does not have the 'good' alignment. This may be a controversial decision but this does not mean steel dragons are outside the good alignment. If they fight for virtue and safety, that draws them back to goodness. If they find themselves revering a society built on conquest, then they can be a ruthless, evil tactician for an expansionist empire.

A lookout over the city he was born to - Steel Dragon by Chris Seaman

Steel Dragons

The proud forms and gleaming grey of the steel dragons strike a very different silhouette than the silver dragons. The arrow like head, with the sharp beak for a muzzle. Each part of them is sharp with many wrought spines on their joints. Instead of solid wings, they have a series of immense, thirty foot long blades which work generally better for soaring at high altitude and long distances.

Their immense bulk, and wide gaze make them particularly keen lookouts. While most dragons brood well within their lairs, steel dragons sit at the openings, looking out for any and all intruders on their land. It's been said among more colloquial draconological societies, that it takes less time to wear down a mountain from the wind than to lose a steel dragon's patience.

Unyielding Spirit

Steel dragons have a unifying sense of self-righteosusness granted by being one of the oldest breeds, aside from gold and silver dragons. Considering themselves killjoys is a strong understatement.

Ancient Steel Dragon Stats generated with https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/

A steel dragon born on the fringes of a humanoid kingdom will spend their formative years learning the laws of that land. It will patriotically defend the laws of that land, with its life, until the day it dies. It will ardently support the ruler of that land as long as that ruler complies with the laws the dragon has chosen to uphold. If the regime falls or the system of government diverges from what the dragon has come to expect, it will become the dragon's mission to restore the land to its former rule.

In the far more likely event that the steel dragon was not born in the fringes of society, they'll grow learning their own moral code naturally. It's just as likely for a steel dragon to learn virtue and fairness from an itinerant knight who showed it a good deed, as one who approves of might and conquest after emulating a barbarian queen slaying her foes.

Steel dragons are made all the more unique by the variety of things they choose to fight for, but they all fight for something and would sooner die a zealot than be convinced of another opinion or be made to feel like a hypocrite.

Steel Dragon Lairs

Steel dragons roost in high altitude or open expanses that grant them good visibility over their surroundings. High mountains, grand hills overlooking plains, or tall towers in liked civilisations all make for ideal homes.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the dragon takes a lair action to take one of the following effects:

Young Steel Dragon and Steel Dragon Wyrmling Stats

Magical fog billows around one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be blinded by the dragon until initiative count 20 on the next round.
A tremor shakes the lair in a 60 foot radius around the entrance of the lair. Each creature other than the dragon in that area must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

Region Effects

Charisma (Persuasion) checks within one mile of the dragon's lair are made with disadvantage. If a character would apply their proficiency bonus to this check, that bonus is ignored.
Rocky fissures and gaps in the earth within one mile of the lair form portals to a random point six miles away, to deter trespassers.

Solid as Steel

With dragons as we know them, varied and diverse as the people they walk with and fly over, we have to wonder what other breeds lurk on the fringes of our world. Now we here at Apotheosis want to hear from you. Where would a steel dragon appear in your games? Would they be beacons of reason, fairness, and justice? Or are they zealots of misguided ideas that they can’t otherwise escape from? Let us know in the comments below or on our discord server.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com, he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes, or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere. Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

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Steel Dragons - Bastions of their Ideals