SOCIEDADE

Although individual metallic dragons might encounter each other accidentally, peaceably, or violently, dragon society
is little more than a loose collection of familial relationships. Metallic dragons fulfill their own ambitions and serve
their own purposes. They do not exist within societies so much as let societies take shape around them. Putting aside
legendary occasions when metallic dragons ofmany kinds band together to oppose a common enemy, the closest they
ever come to forming a rudimentary society is represented by their loyalties to children and kin. These lasting
connections have tenuously united even the most territorial metallic dragons together.
The following four sections summarize how metallic dragons think and behave when they interact with other kinds of
dragons or any kinds of humanoids.

OTHER METALLIC DRAGONS

When metallic dragons oppose one another, they remain tense and ready for battle. Whether the confrontation is over
territory, treasure, or a mate, metallic dragons usually defer to (or flee from) more powerful wyrms, and demand
submission from (or attempt to slay) weaker rivals. Evil or ill·tempered dragons are quick to attack when they have the
advantage. Two dragons that recognize each other as equals often settle on cool, wary ciVility, watching carefully for
mistakes or signs of treachery. However, the moment blood is spilled between metallic dragons, they no longer have
any use for words. In any event, dragons won't compromise. A dragon that has the advantage over its rival claims the
entire prize, whatever it might be. A dragon at a disadvantage retreats with nothing.
Negotiations between metallics follow this pattern: First, the two dragons instantly assess each other's age based on
size, because seniority rules supreme. Second, a contest of knowledge ensues, in which the dragons compare what
they know about a sought-after prize. Superior knowledge improves the standing of a dragon to its next older age
category. The metallic dragon that has the oldest "effective age" is considered the rightful victor. Although many
dragons respect this outcome and acquiesce to the superior wyrm, some dragons (usually brass, iron, mercury, or
cobalt) raise the stakes one step further by challenging their rivals to trial by ritual combat, the result of which trumps
all negotiations. Though these battles have been known to result in death, they usually end at first blood.
TERRITORIAL DISPUTES
When a metallic dragon aCCidentally enters the established territory of another, the average wyrm forgives the
intrusion, but still boldly asserts its rightful claim. A more territorial metallic dragon , on the other hand , treats such
an infraction as an opportunity to teach a younger wyrm a lesson-possibly a fatal one. Forgiveness, when offered,
comes because a metallic dragon considers aCCidentally blundering into another dragon's territory to be a mortifying
embarrassment. Metallic dragons consider territory, once staked by a metallic dragon of equal strength, to be
sacrosanct. However, a covetous metallic dragon that desires the territory of a wyrm two or more age categories its
junior considers such a domain ripe for the taking.
Metallic dragons of equal strength meet by invitation only (though older dragons often disregard this formality when
associating with younger wyrms). If a message requests an audience, such as when a young dragon seeks tutelage
from an older wyrm, a gift of treasure should accompany the request. The value of this treasure forever defines the
relationship between the two dragons.
Metallic dragons that encounter each other in the wild outside their respective territories normally acknowledge one
another openly, but travel their separate ways. Although some metallic dragons have been observed giving each other
this respectful distance, many evil or bad·tempered metallic dragons use these opportunities to eliminate younger
dragons that might eventually threaten their resources.
Generally speaking, the purpose of doing so must be extremely important for a metallic dragon to leave its territory
and hoard. All metallic dragons accept that they suffer from a powerful attachment to their hoards. When they meet,
unless they're actively attempting to thin the competition for resources or territory, they clear a path for one another.
They silently acknowledge how vital a purpose must be to lure another dragon from its home. Although a metallic
dragon would never characterize its attachment as a weakness, separating it from its hoard for too long can
nonetheless be a tool of manipulation.

CHROMATIC DRAGONS
With few exceptions, a metallic dragon's rational persona disappears when it spots a chromatic dragon. It engages the
dragon on sight, regardless of the consequences to itself or others. If the chromatic dragon is too daunting for one
metallic dragon to handle, the metallic immediately seeks out allies and returns with greater numbers to assail the
threat.
When battle is joined, metallic dragons fight savagely, eviscerating bellies, gouging eyes, and hamstringing legs. They
slaughter chromatic dragon males, females, and wyrmlings without prejudice. After the slaughter ends, a metallic
dragon resumes its normal personality as if nothing unusual had transpired, despite being covered in blood and gore.
Once, when asked about its astonishing outburst ofwrath, a silver dragon replied, "They cannot be allowed to reach
critical numbers." Despite their drive to kill, most metallic dragons do not crusade against chromatic dragons. They
merely deal with such wyrms as they appear.
Metallic dragons regard stories of cooperation and even forbidden love between the two groups of dragons as tales of
fiction. Denials aside, reliable historical records document occasions when ancient and twilight metallic dragons
cowed or manipulated chromatic dragons into their service, culminating with the chromatic dragons betraying their
own kind, and resulting in the death of even more chromatic dragons.
CATASTROPHIC AND SCOURGE DRAGONS
Metallic dragons no more acknowledge catastrophic or scourge dragons than they would violent storms or enduring
pestilences. In the eyes of metallic dragons, these other dragons fill necessary roles in the cyclical pattern of the world
that metallic dragons witness countless times throughout their lives. Only when catastrophic and scourge dragons fail
to respect this objectivity do metallic dragons take umbrage and offer resistance. A metallic doesn't care if a
catastrophic or a scourge dragon runs roughshod over the world, as long as that dragon's interests aren't in its path.

HUMANOIDS
Metallic dragons see value in cultivating relationships with humanoids. This desire is so profound that after millennia
ofobserving humanoid activities. some metallic dragons (including almost all mercury and steel dragons) have
developed the innate magical ability to assume humanoid shapes. Their motivation is surprisingly simple: All metallic
dragons crave power or wealth, and they frequently crave both. Indeed, whenever they seek influence or treasure,
dragons are straightforward. As humanoids began propagating throughout the world, metallic dragons saw great
potential in the scurrying little creatures, not for the sake of fostering their desperately short existences, but as
creatures that could further the dragons' own agendas. Seeing this potential right away, metallic dragons realized that
their goals could be more efficiently achieved through interaction rather than destruction.
Metallic dragons learned early on that to conduct any meaningful business with humanoids, they needed to relate
(and be relatable) to them. Although that sometimes means assuming a friendly face, it can also mean impressing
them with the majesty of draconic presence. After all, humanoids respond well to fear. In fact, many formidable
metallic dragons greatly enjoy commanding armies of reliable humanoid minions to do their bidding.
Metallic dragons that can shapeshift have two faces: One for the social world (their humanoid guise) and one for the
solitary life (their dragon form). As dragons, they want to be regarded with awe and feared by nations, but also left to
their own devices. In their humanoid forms, they want to be easy to approach, to be respected by merchants, and to
travel without fanfare. When they forge relationships with humanoids, shapeshifting dragons usually do so in
humanoid form.

SOCIETAL ROLES
When they interact with humanoids, metallic dragons can take on many types of roles, from helpful to tyrannical.
ADVISOR
Metallic dragons that treat knowledge as the greatest treasure become sources ofobscure information from which the
rest of the world can benefit. These dragons act as oracles that foresee the future or librarians that share the lore
stored in their minds. A dragon in the business of adViSing humanoids might stay highly accessible to encourage
solicitation of their experiences or skills. Alternatively, a dragon might sequester itselffrom prying questions to
meditate or research in peace. Gaining an audience with such a dragon is difficult, and usually requires braving
treacherous terrain, but the knowledge it imparts is always valuable.
CUSTOMER
Metallic dragons that value quality over quantity rely on humanoids that speCialize in acquiring rare goods.
Humanoid crafters make a higher grade of product, and can make treasure to order. A business that supplies a
dragon connoisseur can earn a profit for countless generations. These transactions are usually conducted in settled or
metropolitan regions. Alternatively, metallic dragons might hire adventuring humanoids to seek out coveted treasures.
In such cases, metallic dragons that can change shape maintain their humanoid disguises while interacting with
people.
GATEKEEPER
Metallic dragons sometimes stake claims to territory along dangerous or well-traveled humanoid routes. Once
established, such a dragon demands tribute from humanoids that want to pass through the region. If they don't pay
the toll, the dragon prevents movement through its domain. If the region is dangerous, the tribute guarantees that the
dragon will protect travelers through the hostile area. Gatekeeper dragons can become integral parts of trading
economies, regarded as yet another levy, tax, or toll.
DEUS
If primitive humanoids want to worship a metallic wyrm as their deity, the dragon won't argue. Evil metallic dragons
prefer having this type of relationship with humanoids, since it requires little effort in exchange for the praise and
wealth that is heaped at their feet. In return for worship, metallic dragons grow fiercely protective of their worshipers.
Dragon· spawn, kobolds, lizard folk, and troglodytes often become metallic dragon worshipers.
GUARDIAN
Metallic dragons that feel inclined to gUide and protect lesser creatures adopt burgeoning centers of civilization, from
small villages to teeming capitals. In exchange for the constant presence of the metallic dragon, the community directs
major portions of its revenue to the dragon's hoard. The investment, however steep, is advantageous to both parties.
With a dragon looking out for the populace, the community is shielded against outsid e threats, and its standing army
(ifit has one) becomes largely redundant. The civilization can focus on its own prosperity. This was the case in the
dragonborn empire ofArkhosia, whose capital city became a meeting place for all metallic dragons. In addition to
dragonborn, metallic dragons are likely to become guardians of dwarves, elves, halflings, humans, and tieflings.
MANIPULATOR
Whether puppeteering the politiCS ofempires or bending the ears of prominent decision makers, metallic dragons
operate behind the scenes, and as a result their influence is often not suspected. These dragons traffic in blackmail,
favors, kickbacks, and (most important) knowledge. Such dragons nest near the humanoid populations they control,
and those that can change shape disguise themselves to blend in among the population. Metallic dragons either worm
into the jeweled capitals of thriving nations or encourage humanoids to build in the dragons' domains, enticing the
people by granting permission to harvest valuable minerals found there. As these settlements grow over time, the
metallic dragon quietly remains in the background, pulling the strings of city leaders as needed.
TYRANT
Some metallic dragons find that nothing motivates lesser creatures more than fear. These dragons behave more like
chromatics, with little regard for lives other than their own. Humanoids serve as mere tools, with a finite ability to
manipulate, extract, and refine valuable minerals out of the ground. They are resources to be expended rather than
individuals to be acknowledged. People in draconic regimes live under the constant threat of death or persecution, but
metallics do recognize that some hope must be allowed. As such, they empower select humanoids with limited
authority, iffor no other reason than to police others of their own kind.

SOCIEDADE
The short view of dragon society is this: By and large, no such thing exists.
Exceptions here and there have turned up throughout history as, on occasion, dragons have sought either to build
their own societies or to insinuate themselves into the cultures of others. For the most part, however, dragons’ solitary
and territorial nature ensures that they eschew societal bonds.
Under most circumstances, what passes for society among chromatic dragons best falls under the label “infrequent.”
So-called dragon society consists of occasional cooperation between a handful of dragons against a larger threat,
adherence to occasional common religious practices, and the occasional observance of vague and ineffectual traditions
governing interaction between dragons when interests or territories overlap.

INTERACTION BETWEEN DRAGONS

When chromatic dragons interact with each other, the meeting comes about because one has encroached on another’s
territory or because multiple dragons have their eyes a single prize, such as a particularly well-located lair, a valuable
item, or a holy relic of Tiamat. Sages estimate that the size of a dragon’s territory encompasses all the ground that
dragon can cover in one day’s flight from its lair. Although that serves as a basis, dragons might claim significantly
less territory than that if they have plentiful hunting closer to their lair, and others claim lands farther out, either
because they cannot find or build lairs near good hunting grounds or because of their pride and greed.

INTERACTION WITH OTHER CHROMATICS

Chromatic dragons come into conflict with one another for a variety of reasons. Although dragons accept a tiny
amount of overlap between territories (albeit reluctantly) if the two dragons are of the same variety, territorial overlap
of more than a sliver of shared space or between dragons of different hues leads to confrontation.
Geographical disputes between dragons can become bloody. In most cases, one dragon or the other could depart to
find hunting grounds elsewhere, but these prideful, territorial creatures never give in without a fight unless one wyrm
is clearly older and more powerful than the other.
More such clashes occur over dragons’ hoards. Every dragon knows that the best place to acquire a lot of wealth
quickly is from the lair of another dragon. Although a few chromatics respect their neighbors’ domains and would
never contemplate such a raid, the majority leap at the chance if they think they stand better-than-average chances of
success.
Other, less common reasons for conflict exist as well. Chromatic dragons war over mates, religious differences, specific
treasures, and insults real or imagined.
When hostile dragons come together, the conflict can take one of two forms. If combat is not a foregone conclusion,
the dragons spend minutes—sometimes even hours—circling one another, taking each other’s measure, and perhaps
bellowing at one another across the intervening distance. (Usually these bellows consist of threats and braggadocio,
but occasionally two chromatics discuss and resolve a point of contention in this way.) If one realizes that it cannot
prevail in the conflict, it breaks off the engagement and retreats, essentially ceding victory.
If the two find themselves evenly matched, and the shouting back and forth does not result in negotiation, the result is
a sudden fury of blood and claw, breath weapon and fang.
The usual such battle ends with a clear victor: the dragon that survives. In some instances, however, the loser
escapes, with the winner too exhausted or injured to pursue. In other cases, no clear victor emerges, and the dragons
break off combat when both are too bloodied and exhausted to continue. When this happens, it can mark the start of
a longterm rivalry, a grudge match that might be carried out in skirmishes between minions, sabotage, and espionage
that can last for centuries.
Still, not all interaction between chromatic dragons leads to conflict. Some dragons band together, despite the racial
predilection for solitude. Most such gatherings are familial, but even groups of dragons without bonds of blood can
find common cause. Chromatic dragons might band together to face encroaching dragons more powerful than any of
them as individuals, or they might join forces to take revenge on legendary dragonslayers. They might come together
for religious reasons, honoring Tiamat or another deity, or they might undertake quests in Tiamat’s name. As
mentioned previously, a wyrmling without a parent might enter into a master-apprentice relationship with an elder
dragon of the same variety. Finally, sometimes two chromatic dragons meet to trade information—perhaps on the
borders of neighboring but not overlapping territories—realizing that as long as they keep off of each other’s lands,
They have more to gain through exchange and mutual defense than they do through combat.
INTERACTION WITH METALLIC DRAGONS
Take everything described above about chromatic dragons’ interactions with other chromatics, and remove any hint of
their working together or respecting common boundaries. That is how chromatic dragons interact with their metallic
cousins.
By and large, chromatic dragons see metallic dragons as born rivals, an inferior species of dragon whose existence is
an insult that cannot be tolerated. Devout worshipers of Tiamat particularly think this way, desiring to purge metallic
dragons, the children of Bahamut, from the face of the world. Any interaction between such chromatics and metallics
ends, if not in combat, at least in threats and promises of violence to come. Cooperation and collaboration do not
exist.
As with all things, exceptions do exist. Some chromatic dragons have better things to do than engage in battle after
battle with other dragons. Chromatics might be cowed into cooperation, or at least peaceful coexistence, by the greater
power of a neighboring metallic dragon. In such cases, metallic and chromatic dragons can both occupy territories in a
given region. Tales even tell of forbidden love between chromatic and metallic dragons, or of the two kinds of dragons
finding common ground in a religious sect— but even if true, such tales are so rare as to be legend.
INTERACTION WITH OTHER DRAGONS
Chromatic dragons feel uncertainty about the nature of the powerful and deadly catastrophic and scourge dragons.
Greed and ambition drive the rages, violence, and destruction of chromatic dragons. With a few exceptions, even the
most rapacious red or black dragons do not understand the mind-sets of creatures that cause death and devastation
without a care for what they gain in the process—yet that’s exactly what they believe catastrophic and scourge
dragons to do. Thus, chromatic dragons engage these other wyrms in battle only when necessary, due to territorial
disputes or conflicts over treasure, and otherwise prefer to ignore their existence.
Chromatic dragons regard planar dragons as part of the extended family, at least those descended from chromatics.
Thus, planar dragons and chromatic dragons get along as well or as poorly as any two kinds of chromatics.

SOCIETAL TRAITS
The previous section contained a number of generalizations: Most dragons prefer isolation. For the most part, dragons
don’t form or join societies. Nevertheless, a few chromatics make efforts to join or establish extended networks or
societies. When draconic societies do arise, they normally take one of the following forms.
FAMILY AND CLAN
The least rare of the chromatic dragon societies is more of an extended family than a society. Although most mated
pairs separate when wyrmlings depart the nest, a few families stay together, either because the region is particularly
dangerous and they wish to protect their offspring, or because they seek to establish a power base for a religious or
political purpose. As these families expand, they occasionally grow into full-fledged clans. Each member, or at least
each immediate family, claims its own domain, and the combined territories can exceed the size of nations. These
clans might engage in internecine squabbles for power, but the clan leader is almost always the eldest—and thus,
strongest—of the bloodline.
Few humanoids hear of these extended clans, at least by name, since the clan members interact with humanoids in
the same manner that lone dragons do—as raiders and predators. One name that has appeared in humanoid records,
however, is that of Irril-Indriss, an ancient blue dragon known to locals as the Thunder King. Irril-Indriss and his
extended family, numbering roughly a dozen dragons, dwell in the peaks of the cloud-wrapped Achlan Mountains and
use the region’s frequent storms as cover for raids against both the coastal highland communities and the merchant
ships that ply nearby waters.
MIXED SOCIETIES
If the familial clan is the most common draconic society, the mixed community is the least common. In a mixed
society, dragons and members of another kind or race—often a race associated with dragons— work together for the
common good, with both races participating fully in the government. Even if dragons hold all the highest positions, the
other native races are full citizens: not slaves or subjects, but partners.
Dragons’ superiority makes these mixed societies not only rare to begin with, but also difficult to maintain. In order
for such a community to last, either the dragons must have a strong sense of purpose and devotion to the society (one
that allows them to overcome their distaste for long-term cooperation with “lesser” beings) or the other race or races
must prove themselves on a regular basis to convince even the most arrogant wyrm that they are worthy of the
dragons’ cooperation.
The dragonborn empire of Arkhosia is the iconic example of this sort of society. Although metallic dragons made up
the primary dragon population of the empire, a significant minority of enlightened chromatic dragons were citizens as
well. Alternatively, for those familiar with the DRAGONLANCE® series of novels, the armies of Takhisis—consisting of
dragons, the humanoid Highlords, and the armies of humans, goblinoids, and draconians—also serves an excellent
example of a mixed society, one driven and held together by religious zealotry.
OVERLORDS
In this variety of chromatic dragon society, a ruling class or order of dragons reigns as tyrants over a population of
other races. Unlike a mixed society, this is not a partnership. The people of the society are second-class citizens at
best, slaves and chattel at worst, utterly subject to the whims of their draconic masters.
The makeup of this government varies. In some cases, a single family, clan, or variety of chromatic dragon makes up
the entirety of the ruling overclass. In others, the dragon lords might be of multiple chromatic varieties—but even
then, one bloodline of one variety holds the pinnacle of power, above the other dragons. Some of these societies have a
sort of middle class—individuals favored by the dragons, who stand above the rest of the populace but still do not
rule. These individuals are usually either dragonborn or dragonspawn (see page 218).
Perhaps the most infamous historical example of a dragon overlord society is the nation of Maru-Qet, an empire ruled
by a pharaonic dynasty of brown dragons until war with a clan of catastrophic dragons reduced it to a blistered
wasteland. (See “Nefermandias” on page 240.) Less famous, but of far greater threat to the people of the modern day,
is the citystate of Pallavarthas. Due to a great ritual performed by exarchs of Tiamat, this doomed city exists on two
planes at once: the natural world and Tiamat’s own astral domain. As the two dimensions merge within the city’s
borders, more and more of its citizens find themselves suddenly in an alien world, pressed into slavery by
dragonspawn overseers.