Black Dragon [Chromatic]

A black dragon hatches with thin, small, shiny scales that grow larger, thicker and duller over time, improving its camouflage in swamp and marsh. It speaks its own tongue and the evil dragon tongue, and 10% of hatchlings can talk with any intelligent creature, rising 5% per age category.

Black dragons are bullying, hot-tempered and hate intruders, and though less intelligent than most dragons they are instinctively cunning and wicked. They ambush from cover, favoring men, and may shadow a group for several minutes to judge its strength and wealth. Facing a group or a powerful creature, the swamp's own dangers may soften the targets up first, and the dragon breathes before closing in. In thickly wooded wetland it stays in the water or on the ground, since trees and canopy hamper flying. Facing too great a threat, it flies off out of sight, leaving no tracks, and hides in a deep pool or bog.

The breath is a 5-foot-wide line of acid 60 feet long, halved by a save vs. breath weapon. Spells and magical powers work at 5th level plus combat modifier. Hatchlings can breathe water and are immune to acid.

With age come darkness three times daily with a 10-foot radius per age category (juvenile); corrupt water once daily (adult), turning 10 cubic feet per age category foul, motionless and lifeless, with potions and elixirs spoiled on a 1d20 roll of 15 or higher; plant growth once daily (old); summon insects once daily (venerable); and charm reptiles three times daily (great wyrm), like charm mammals but affecting only reptiles.

Swamps, marshes, jungles and rain forests are their home, wherever thick canopy blocks the sun, insects swarm and stagnant mossy pools abound. They swim superbly and love lurking in murky depths, and fly gracefully but prefer to do so at night. Selfish to the core, they are usually met alone; parents defend their young but abandon them to save their own skins.

Lairs are big damp caves or multi-chambered caverns whose entrances older dragons hide with plant growth. Coins are the favorite treasure, and older dragons may seize and interrogate humans about where gold, silver and platinum is kept before killing them.

They eat almost anything but mostly fish, mollusks and other aquatic life, with a taste for eels, especially giant ones. They also hunt red meat, but like to 'pickle' it in lair ponds for days first.