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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Dragon, Silver

Source Bestiary pg. 125
Silver dragons are among the most chivalrous of all dragonkind; they wield frost and cold as weapons, can walk on clouds, and dwell high upon snowy mountain peaks or deep in steep, misty valleys. Although they typically make their lairs among the highlands, the pursuit of justice leads silver dragons to travel far and wide—often into the very heart of realms overrun by evil. These exemplars of righteousness are ceaseless in their determination to help the weak, spread honor, and stamp out evil.

Silver dragons are sleek and sinuous. Their hides resemble nothing so much as a suit of gleaming armor, lending further credence to the popular myth that silver dragons are the paladins of dragonkind. The zeal with which they seek out, confront, and defeat evil is unsurpassed even among their metallic cousins, and they adhere to strict codes of honor usually passed down from parent to hatchling. On occasion, they instead learn these codes from trusted mentors, usually other silver dragons or gold dragons. As they age, they become even more dedicated to their codes, often adding new and even more restrictive clauses to the systems that guide their behavior.

Silver dragons are incredibly altruistic and regularly consort with the citizens of goodly societies, of which they consider themselves protectors and guides. In addition to responding to evil threats, silver dragons work to prevent evil from taking root in the first place, and they ensure mortals under their care are well fed, educated, and treated with dignity. Although silver dragons can seem overzealous or even eager to join the fight against evil, they know that the best way to rid the world of corruption is to stamp out strife and disillusionment at their source, not to passively sit back and watch it grow into an unsolvable problem. Silver dragons can be vindictive, but they can also be forgiving; for evildoers who seek to atone for their sins and turn over a new leaf, the support of a silver dragon is both unwavering and invaluable.

Many silver dragons are also drawn to religious endeavors, venerating deities such as Iomedae, Sarenrae, and other deities concerned with justice, virtue, and redemption.

Members

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

Dragon, Metallic

Related Groups Dragon, Brass, Dragon, Bronze, Dragon, Copper, Dragon, Gold
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.