Dragon, Mist

Mist dragons are solitary and philosophical. Their favorite activity is sitting quietly and thinking. They hate being disturbed and dislike conversation.

At birth, a mist dragon's scales are shiny blue-white. As the dragon ages, the scales darken, becoming blue-gray with metallic silver flecks that sparkle in sunlight.

Mist dragons speak their own tongue and a tongue common to all neutral dragons. Also, 15% of hatchling mist dragons can speak with any intelligent creature. The chance to possess this ability increases 5% per age category.

Combat: Mist dragons try to avoid encounters by assuming mist form. In combat, they quickly use their breath weapons, then assume mist form and hide in the vapor-where they launch a spell assault.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A mist dragon's breath weapon is a cloud of scalding vapor that is 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. Creatures caught in vapor suffer can roll saving throws vs. breath weapon for half damage. In still air, the vapor persists for 1d4+4 rounds; on the second round, it condenses into a clammy, smothering for that blinds air-breathing creatures for 1d4 rounds and inflicts 3d4 points of drowning damage per round for as long as the creature remains in the cloud (a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon negates both effects).

A mist dragon casts its spells and uses its magical abilities at 6th level plus its combat modifier.

Mist dragons are immune to fire and heat.

Mist dragons can assume (or leave) a cohesive, mist-like form at will, once per round. In this form, they are 75% unlikely to be distinguished from normal mist; in mist form, their Armor Class improves by -3 and their magic resistance increases by 15%. They can use their spells and innate abilities while in mist form, but they cannot attack physically or use their breath weapon. Mist dragons in mist form can fly at a speed of 9 (MC: A). As they age, they gain the following additional powers:

Very young: water breathing twice a day; Young: wall of fog twice a day; Juvenile: create water twice a day (affects a maximum of three cubic yards [81 cubic feet]); Old: solid fog twice a day; Very old: predict weather twice a day. Ancient: airy water twice a day.

Habitat/Society: Mist dragons live near waterfalls, rapids, coastlines, or where rainfall is frequent and heavy. Their lairs are usually large natural caverns or grottoes that are mist-filled and damp. Forest-dwelling mist dragons greatly resent the green dragons' advances before losing all patience and launching an all-out campaign. Mist dragons might have bronze dragons for neighbors. This, however, seldom leads to conflict as both dragons are content to leave the others alone.

Mist dragons are loners, and 90% of all encounters are with individuals. Group encounters are with parents and offspring.

Ecology: Mist dragons can eat almost anything, including woody plants and even mud. However, they draw most of their sustenance directly from natural mist or spray. They often lie in misty or foggy places, thinking and basking in the moisture.