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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Dragon, Empyreal

Source Monster Core pg. 114
The three major celestial planes—Heaven, Nirvana, and Elysium—each have their own respective dragons. Empyreal dragons have a direct connection to Heaven. Using the blessings of Heaven, empyreal dragons protect others and intercede against wickedness. Empyreal dragons are wise, considerate, and compassionate. When speaking with others, empyreal dragons are patient and understanding.

Members

Adult Empyreal Dragon (Creature 14), Ancient Empyreal Dragon (Creature 19), Young Empyreal Dragon (Creature 10)

Sidebar - Locations Empyreal Dragon Lairs

Although most empyreal dragons keep homes among the environs of heaven, many dragons also choose to keep lairs across the mortal Universe. These lairs are generally in less remote places, with the expectation being that a person would be more likely to stumble upon one and find assistance in times of need. In addition to the traditional riches of a dragon's hoard, an empyreal dragon's hoard contains a multitude of armaments, typically sized to fit the people of the region should they need equipment to face off against evil.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Empyreal Dragon Spellcasters

Empyreal dragon spellcasters tend to cast the following spells.

Young Empyreal Dragon

Divine Prepared Spells DC 29, attack +22; 4th dispel magic, unfettered movement, vital beacon; 3rd bind undead, ring of truth, sound body; 2nd clear mind, everlight, share life; 1st bless, mending, sanctuary; Cantrips (4th) detect magic, divine lance, guidance, shield, stabilize

Adult Empyreal Dragon

Divine Prepared Spells DC 34, attack +28; As young empyreal dragon, plus 6th field of life, dispel magic, spirit blast; 5th breath of life, clear mind, sending; Cantrips (6th) detect magic, divine lance, guidance, shield, stabilize

Ancient Empyreal Dragon

Divine Prepared Spells DC 41, attack +35; As adult empyreal dragon, plus 9th divine decree, overwhelming presence, sunburst; 8th dispel magic, divine inspiration, moment of renewal; 7th energy aegis, planar seal, regenerate; Cantrips (9th) detect magic, divine lance, guidance, shield, stabilize

Sidebar - Related Creatures Yssendri

Originally hailing from the ranks of heaven's greatest armies, the great empyreal archdragon Yssendri eventually retired from direct combat, choosing to focus on more philanthropic ventures. They travel to smaller settlements across the Universe to aid in defending innocents. Recently, they traveled to the desert nation of Thuvia to defend a caravan of merchants from afar.

Dragon

Related Groups Dragon, Adamantine, Dragon, Conspirator, Dragon, Diabolic, Dragon, Fortune, Dragon, Horned, Dragon, Mirage, Dragon, Omen
Dragons come in myriad forms, with many having magical abilities or connections to magic. Some dragons draw greater power from magic than others, allowing them to manifest abilities or alter their physiques with prolonged exposure to magic. These dragons become more powerful as they age and strengthen their connections with their magical origins. Scholars debate the classification of these dragons, with some preferring the name magical dragons and others using traditional dragons due to their connection to specific magical traditions. Regardless of their names, these dragons share a number of characteristics: their ability to tap into magical energies, intensified might and cunning as they grow older, and an inclination to hoard vast amounts of treasure and wealth.

Draconic Spellcasters

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

Sidebar - Additional Lore Draconic Groupings

The broader grouping of dragons is generally sorted into more granular categories, the first of which is based on the four magical traditions. Each dragon falls into one of these large categories, and dragons in a given category share a number of common traits.

Arcane Dragons: These dragons seem to have greater control over magic and their innate abilities. Many arcane dragons have mastery over a certain subset of magic, such as illusions or teleportation. Other arcane dragons have the ability to tap into or manipulate raw magical energies, regardless of their origins. Their bodies tend to be more slender than other dragons due to their reliance on magic for hunting. Their scales generally come in perfect patterns or very organized shapes.

Divine Dragons: While the name might suggest dragons directly related to deific entities, divine dragons instead derive their power from planes other than the mortal Universe. Similar to how a god grants power to a cleric, these dragons receive magical abilities and other influences from another plane. As such, divine dragons are among the most varied of dragons. These dragons generally take on an appearance similar to other native creatures of their influential planes, making it difficult for them to hide their planar connections.

Occult Dragons: At times alien and off-putting and other times alluring and mysterious, occult dragons derive their powers from the inexplicable and unknown. These dragons use magic that seems to exist within the crevices and shadows between other forms of magic. Whether it's due to this strange magical influence or something else, occult dragons are most likely to directly interact with other creatures. While generally sporting similar builds to other dragons, occult dragons make greater use of their wings as supplementary appendages, leaving their forward limbs free to use for other things. Their scales and plating generally feature strange shapes and patterns that are rarely seen in the natural world.

Primal Dragons: While all dragons are fierce and terrifying in their own way, primal dragons seem to embody the most bestial traits among dragons. These dragons derive their power from the magic of the natural world. While primal dragons aren't directly bound to serve nature, many of them choose to act as keepers of their habitats. Primal dragons are generally larger than other dragons and fall back on their instincts more often, making them particularly dangerous when threatened. Their scales typically have less elaborate shapes than other dragons, or will sometimes resemble natural terrain. Some dragons even grow natural features like small plants on their bodies.

Draconic Families: In addition to these classifications, dragons are sometimes grouped into families. These include the enigmatic esoteric dragons, the regal imperial dragons, the space-faring outer dragons, and the mighty skymetal dragons. Draconic families are sometimes made up of dragons with obvious physiological similarities, while other families seem to be made up of dragons of similar color, habitat, behavior, or other traits that make for vague connections. Often, families include dragons of varied magical traditions. As such, the members of a given family are sometimes the subject of debate and scholarly arguments.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Shape-Changing Dragons

Though it's uncommon, some dragons can take humanoid forms. They gain the following ability:

Change Shape [one-action] (concentrate, polymorph); The dragon takes on the appearance of any Small or Medium humanoid. This doesn't change their Speed or attack and damage bonuses with their Strikes but might change the damage type their Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning).