Dragon Overview [Savage Coast]

Dragon legends fill the frontier coast even though dragons themselves are scarce. Some tales say the dragons' fall gave rise to the crimson curse; others say the curse chased them off. Fewer species live here than elsewhere on this world, but the survivors are better known. Familiar dragons such as black, red, gold and crystalline follow their normal descriptions except for the attitudes below, and locals also tell of kinds found nowhere else.

Over 1,500 years ago, before the curse, all dragon types lived here. Then came what the informed simply call 'the conflict', a war against the araneas, spider-folk disguised as humanoids in a wizard-governed nation, sparked by their abuse of a peaceful chameleon-like folk. A great dragon god led the dragons until aranean magic wore it down and forced it to retreat. Little came of the war but enduring hatred. The dragon god's last act shaped the curse into its present form, which aranean sorcery then penned in a remote, sparsely settled corner of the frontier baronies.

An uneasy standoff followed, with raids from both sides and no victory. Many dragons, uneasy about the curse, drifted away, and by then the curse had already produced the crimson dragon. Ordinary dragons remain far rarer here than in other lands. A few stay to continue the feud, but most treat the coast as a land of opportunity.

The local swashbuckling spirit has infected its dragons. Some mock heroic posturing and love making brave folk look cowardly and bold ones foolish; others enjoy the drama and hone their own showmanship to boost their fame. Either way, adventurers gain time to react, since a single breath from the sky has no style and shames no one. Battles of wit or steel, played like cat and mouse, are the norm here.