Tin Dragons - Inventors of the Arcane

Dungeons and Dragons will probably always be my favourite game in this or any reality. The limitless stories that can be told bring people back to the days around a fire roasting our hunts. We add the rules and dice to bring a layer of real world chaos and chance, and it always leads to some unforgettable moments.

The creature that draws most in, is the one on the title. Dragons appear in the myths and cultures of almost all regions in our world. They're always magical and powerful, to either be feared or respected.

A tin dragon out of their comfort zone - Mizael Vulom by IrenBee

I've covered dragons at length on this blog, many other kinds of dragons that could fly free across the world. I thought my dragon quest was over, until an unexpected meme made something abundantly clear. Brass and Bronze, both current metallic dragon breeds, are alloys of copper mixed with zinc and tin respectively. Where are these two elusive dragon breeds?

Tin Dragons

The wonders of electricity are still a mystery to most cultures and worlds in Dungeons and Dragons. Automata and machines run on magical energy, and certain kinds of engineering exists. However, the technology in most worlds is pre-industrial revolution. Why would you need to invent something in a high magic world. Tin dragons are those inventors, who seek to expand the world with construction and science, instead of conjuration and magic.

Tin dragons have the same muted, dull sheen of metal that at first make people think they're silver dragons. Unlike those silvery cousins, the silver dragon is defined by immense horns on their brow, and a red or pink tinge to their scales as they age.

Ancient Tin Dragon Stats Generateed With Homebrewery

The tin dragons are the inventors in the world of magic. Known as the patron of artifice, tin dragons are masters of engineering and invention. Their intensely sharp claws can cut metal and wood to shape for whatever creative project they're working on. These tin dragons have broad, general knowledge on how to use the materials at hand, but many specialise. A thing that unites them is their desire to make moving things. They're often called puppeteer dragons, simply for their love of making their inventions move.

Adult Tin Dragon Stats

The endless curiosity of the tin dragon is the biggest part of their legend. Similar to the titanium dragon, who's verve for magical study draws them on, the tin dragon is pushed by an interest in science and invention. Their wildly different world views can bring them into conflict, but their mutual understanding and shared thirst for knowledge keeps them both noble.

Whir of Invention

The good aligned tin dragon can be a wealth of stories in the hands of a good GM. At the very least, their hoard of mechanical devices and magic items are open to adventurers who did the dragon a great service. Further still, I can see a particularly hair-brained, mad scientist type tin dragon being a real patron for adventurers – commissioning quests for rare materials and machines that please the inventor greatly.

Now we want to hear from you. What other breeds, colours, or metals of dragons do you imagine out there? How would you use tin dragons in your games? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

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. Find where he dwells by climbing his Linktree.