This one was created for sessions where the party was searching the asteroid belt for specific reasons, I wanted a dragon for that part of the setting that was just completely different to what they had seen, and I wanted it to have attitudes that differed from any others they had heard of. The quicksilvers aren't interested in mankind, they are not concerned with affairs if little scuttling humanoids. What are they interested in? Why would they tell you, what possible interest could they have in telling you that? Its hard to get their attention, its practically impossible to keep them engaged. But the rewards, in terms of the information and access they have to some of the deeper knowledges and mysteries? Well that payoff can be huge.
Quicksilver (Starstone) Dragon
by Cab Davidson
| Dragon, Quicksilver (Startsone) | |||
| Stats | Small | Large | Huge |
| AC: | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| HD: | 8**** | 12***** | 16****** |
| Move: | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon |
| Attacks: | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon |
| Damage: | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon | As Green Dragon |
| No. Appearing: | 1d3 | 1d2 | 1 |
| Save As: | F8 | F24 | F36 |
| Morale: | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | H | Hx2,I | Hx3,Ix2 |
| Intelligence: | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Alignment: | Lawful (Quicksilver) Chaotic (Starstone) | ||
| XP Value: | 2850 | 6000 | 8450 |
| Spells | ||||||
| Levels | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Small | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Medium | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Large | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Breath, Quicksilver: Poison Cloud, dimensions as Green dragon
Breath, Starstone: Poison Cloud + Mental Damage (see below)
In many ways quicksilvers are the strangest of all dragons. They are brightly reflective with shining wings, and unlike any other dragon their skins are smooth and completely lacking in scales, with a constant shimmer, as if a liquid in motion.
Quicksilver dragons have no particular habitat of preference, and are not especially concerned with the affairs of civilised people. In fact it is unclear to sages of dragonkind what motivates them at all. Few cases of quicksilver dragons attacking people have been recorded, and those who have had interactions with them tend to relate a sense of mild disinterest. They will defend themselves and their hoards, though, and if baited into combat they are fearsome foes. Most encounters with them have been in strange locations – they are known to frequent the asteroid belt, they have been seen on the outer worlds of the solar system, and they are occasional visitors to the polar regions of Mystara. But sightings in almost every habitat are known. And it is this eclectic capacity to survive in any habitat that is the motivation for those who seek them out – a quicksilver may be persuaded to divulge information about all sorts of strange and exotic locations. If they can be persuaded to engage at all.
Any metal object, magical or mundane, used to attack a quicksilver dragon may be absorbed. The wielder must make a saving throw vs. wands to retain the item, with a +1 bonus to the roll per +1 magical bonus of the weapon. Said weapons are completely destroyed by the process of absorption. The breath weapon of a quicksilver dragon is a nauseating cloud of toxic gas, inflicting damage equal to that of other dragons.
The gemstone equivalent is the startstone dragon. Light falling upon it seems to sink into its skin, and is refracted out as if the surface is a star like crystalline structure. Like the quicksilver dragon, the starstone dragon is largely disinterested in the affairs of humans and humanoids. But it will sometimes bait said creatures in as prey, to take treasure or simply to taunt them for its own amusement. Again, little is known about the motivation of starstone dragons.
In addition to the ability to absorb metal weapons and breathe dangerous poison clouds, the breath weapon of a starstone dragon has a hideous debilitating impact on the minds of victims. If a fail vs. dragon breath is failed then one point each of intelligence and wisdom is lost, and a further point is lost per day until a cure disease or cureall spell is cast upon the victim.
Quicksilver and starstone dragons can polymorph as if gold dragons. In fact they are the masters of shape changing among dragon kind, being able to transform themselves into not only the form of nearly any other creature, but any object hat is made of metal. They may also take a liquid form, allowing them to seep into the ground, through small cracks, even along and up sheer surfaces.