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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Dragon, Bronze

Source Bestiary pg. 119
Bronze dragons are among the most common of metallic dragons and the most likely to ally with mortals on worthy quests. However, they are naturally scholarly creatures who would rather remain in their lairs studying esoteric lore than go off on a wild adventure. These aloof and stoic dragons also act as preservationists, guarding storehouses of ancient lore from destruction or perversion. Bronze dragons are principled and protective, but while their silver cousins are quick to crusade for justice, bronze dragons prefer to find an important location worthy of their protection and guard it against any attack or unwelcome intrusion.

Bronze dragons' mastery over water and affinity for electricity means they are a boon to sailors caught in thunderstorms. A bronze dragon's enemies quickly discover neither cloudy sky nor turbulent sea provides shelter from their wrath. Bronze dragons lair along shorelines, often in partially submerged sea caves.

While all dragons keep hoards of treasure, the hoard of a bronze dragon more resembles a vast library—with the shelves kept carefully above the waterline, of course. In addition to their collections of esoteric lore, bronze dragons keep treasures associated with the sea, such as beautiful scrimshaw, flawless pearls, and equipment inlaid with mother-of-pearl and abalone shell.

Members

Adult Bronze Dragon (Creature 13), Ancient Bronze Dragon (Creature 18), Young Bronze Dragon (Creature 9)

Dragon, Metallic

Related Groups Dragon, Brass, Dragon, Copper, Dragon, Gold, Dragon, Silver
Paragons of virtue, nobility, and grace, metallic dragons are benevolent entities revered as mythic beings akin to gods in both their power and majesty. Few have ever seen a metallic dragon firsthand, but tales of their intervention in mortals’ lives—and of their passing—always spread far and wide. Named for the way their scales resemble the shining metals humanoids use in commerce, warfare, and industry, these immense beings are diverse in their interests and abilities, and they don’t seem to mind being associated with such mundane materials. After all, to compare a gold dragon to a gold coin is like comparing an ocean to a glass of water—though they may seem similar at first glance, the raw power, breadth, and grandeur of one simply overwhelms the other.

In addition to metallic dragons and their chromatic counterparts (page 104–115), other types of dragons roam the world and the rest of the multiverse. In the legendary lands of Tian Xia on the other side of the globe are the imperial dragons, serpentine beings who protect the cosmic balance and defend their ancient homeland. Outside the Material Plane, primal dragons such as the domineering brine dragon and reclusive cloud dragon shape the nature and goings-on of the Elemental Planes. Countless other types of dragons are sure to exist, including dragons on far-fiung planes of existence and, it is rumored, primeval dragons who soar between the stars.

Shape-Changing Dragons

Some dragons can take humanoid form, allowing them to infiltrate settlements or influence others without revealing their true nature. They gain the following ability:
Change Shape [one-action] (arcane, concentrate, polymorph, transmutation); The dragon takes on the appearance of any Small or Medium humanoid. This doesn’t change its Speed or attack and damage modifiers with its Strikes, but might change the damage type its Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning).

Metallic Dragon Spellcasters

Each type of metallic dragon features a sidebar on spellcasting dragons of that kind. To make a metallic dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon’s Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give it the spells outlined in its sidebar. You can swap out any number of these with other arcane spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each level. You might also want to increase the dragon’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect its mastery of magic.

Metallic Dragons on Golarion

Metallic dragons are found throughout the Inner Sea region, especially in pockets of wilderness where they can carve a hideout and then take action on political and social issues, both in their local area and on a wider scale. Their everlasting war with chromatic dragons keeps them in close proximity to their evil brethren; in regions where metallic and chromatic dragons’ territories intersect, humanoid settlements get caught in the crossfire, and villagers and city-dwellers alike rightfully fear for their own safety.

Silver dragons lair in abundance around the cold wastes west of Mendev, as a consequence of the days when they joined thousands of crusaders who marched headlong into the demon-infested Worldwound. Bronze dragons are abundant in Taldor, and many copper dragons lair in the wilds of Andoran, where they wage war alongside other freedom fighters to overthrow devils in the neighboring empire of Cheliax. Perhaps the most extreme example of a metallic dragon taking part in human affairs is on the island nation of Hermea, where Mengkare—an ancient gold wyrm—has begun a grand social experiment he calls “the Glorious Endeavor.” Ostensibly intended to create a future utopia on Golarion, this highly controversial experiment is instead regarded by many as a cruel and unusual form of eugenics.