Month of the Dragon: Iconic Gold Dragons

In addition to the 10 facts about each type of dragon, I’m crafting three unique draconic NPCs for each type. Each NPC will have a bit of personality and history, a lair description, a unique ability, and a hoard.

Asteria Furvus
Young Gold Dragon

• Age: 45 years
• Bio: Asteria, sometimes called Asteria the Skyminder, hatched with black scales with a gold edge. A rare condition among gold dragons, her black scales were a cause of concern and confusion when she was a hatchling. The wyrmling was taken to live with a centaur astronomer, and as she aged, Asteria’s scales began to be spotted with gold flecks like the maps of the night sky her guardian used to teach her. Mostly concerned with the movements of heavenly bodies, Asteria does not fully understand other creatures but is generous with her knowledge of the stars.
• Alternative Characterization: Asteria’s study of the night sky borders on obsession, and even her centaur guardian has concerns about just what she sees when she stares into the dark between the stars.
• Lair: Asteria resides in an observatory on the north face of a mountain. Though the observatory itself is visible, its primary entrance is concealed under a waterfall.
• Unique Ability: Teleport (Recharge 3-6). Asteria magically teleports, along with any equipment she is wearing or carrying, up to 40 feet to an unoccupied space she can see.
• Hoard: A robe of stars, approximately 4,000 gp in coins, an ornate astrolabe worth 500 gp, and an assortment of gems with a total value of 1,000 gp.

Wayland the Armorer
Adult Gold Dragon

• Age: 900 years
• Bio: Wayland has spent most of their life honing the art of the dragon-forge. Wayland’s hidden home has become a site of pilgrimage for those seeking to advance their work as blacksmiths, though the dragon rarely deems visitors worthy of lessons. Wayland has only ever made one weapon, a blade, which has either been lost or destroyed, but their armor has been worn by a few worthy heroes throughout history.
• Alternative Characterization: Ill-tempered and cynical, Wayland challenges would-be heroes that come begging for armor. They would rather see a worthy quest fail than allow someone that does not live up to their standards walk away in dragon-forged mail.
• Favored Form: Wayland appears to humanoids as a well-muscled, black-haired high elf. When in this form, they prefer the simple adornments of a blacksmith.
• Lair: Deep in a forest valley, Wayland lairs in a cave overlooking a wide lake. It has entrances 100 feet above and below the waterline. Adventurers are often drawn close by the sounds of Wayland’s forge.
• Unique Ability: Armor Class Increase. Wayland’s AC is 21.
• Hoard: A set of dragon-forged mail, 200,000 gp in coins, and a collection of gems and jewelry with a total value of 10,000 gp.

Sir Ged of the Isle
Ancient Gold Dragon

• Age: Unknown
• Bio: Legends say that Sir Ged is the oldest of all the dragons, save for their gods. He has had many names down through the ages and has fought alongside heroes in the past. Now, he serves as a guardian over an uncertain artifact. Ged is a mighty warrior but also a proficient healer. His children are among the few creatures that know where to find Ged’s sanctuary and sometimes bring wounded heroes to him for his knowledge.
• Alternative Characterization: Some of his fellow gold dragons worry that Ged has become too obsessed with the artifacts he guards.
• Favored Form: Ged rarely takes humanoid form now, but his title comes from feats accomplished in the form of an eladrin knight.
• Lair: Ged’s lair is an island off the coast where waterfalls cascade down the side of a dormant volcano. Ged shares the island with a small monastery.
• Unique Ability: Healing Breath (Recharge 5-6). Ged exhales gas in a 90-foot cone. Each creature of his choice is healed for 71 (13d10) hit points and gains +1 to their AC for 1 minute.
• Hoard: An artifact (an Orb of Dragonkind), a blade made of mysterious metal with a gold hue and a runic inscription on the hilt (a sword of answering), a set of dragon-forged mail, 322,000 gp in coins, and a collection of gems with a total value of 25,000 gp.

Dragon-Forged Mail
Armor (chain shirt), legendary (requires attunement)

Made from a composite of mithral, adamantine, and a mysterious gold-hued metal, this chain shirt is light in the hand and wondrous to behold. While wearing it you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +3 bonus to AC.
• You are considered proficient with this armor, even if you are not proficient with medium armor.
• You are resistant to fire damage.
• Any critical hit against you become a normal hit.