Ghost Dragon

A ghost dragon is a menacing, translucent shape with the build of the dragon it once was, yet every one is the same roiling, murky gray, and it speaks only in hushed whispers.

Only ancient dragons have the will to persist past death this way, and only when they are killed and their hoards carried off, often while defending them. A dragon's bond to its treasure runs deeper than any human or dwarven greed, so the spirit haunts the lair until it has gathered riches equal to what was stolen, then departs in peace.

Ghost dragons never leave their lairs. Less aggressive than the living but far more obsessed, they behave more like revenants than ghosts, though they want treasure, not vengeance, and they consider anything valuable that enters the lair theirs. Intruders are told to hand over coins, jewelry, magic and the like; polite ones may keep 10% (the dragon's 'tithe') and get answers about nearby monsters or events from the dragon's lifetime. Refusal brings a savage attack.

The dragon never ambushes. It first reveals its aura to get attention and give visitors a peaceful choice. Everyone in the lair, even normally fear-immune beings like paladins, must make two saves at -4: one vs. petrification to avoid aging 1d3x10 years, and one vs. spell or cower helplessly for 10 rounds (one turn). Visitors who refuse, attack, try to leave or, worse, try to steal from the remaining hoard are attacked with whatever combination its brilliant mind judges best.

Its claw/claw/bite/tail slap can deal up to 104 points per round. Each hit forces a save vs. death magic against draining two levels, and the struck limb (chosen randomly) shrivels uselessly, as from a staff of withering, unless the victim saves vs. spell.

It can breathe three times, then needs 12 rounds to recover before three more. The breath is a gray fog 50 feet long, 30 high and 40 wide that ages victims: humans, halflings, half-elves and most humanoids 1d100 years; dwarves 3d10x10; gnomes 6d10x10; elves 1d100x10.

Spells from non-ethereal casters and weapons below +3 cannot touch it. Charm, hold, sleep and every other mind-control effect fail even when cast from the Ethereal Plane. Priests cannot turn or control it, and holy water is useless. Slain by damage or magic, it re-forms after 48 hours and returns to rebuilding its hoard, and its XP value reflects this odd nature. Paying up is often the wiser course.

The one permanent cure is treasure. Once it holds wealth equal in gp value to its lost hoard (not necessarily the same items), it whispers 'thank you' and vanishes from the Prime Material forever, leaving the pile behind for anyone to take.

Each ghost dragon haunts the forlorn ruins of its own emptied lair, always somewhere dark, underground or indoors where a living dragon might have kept its prizes. It enjoys an occasional chat with visitors but can never be argued out of what it needs. Since most linger for centuries or millennia, they are rich sources of history for anyone willing to pay. Rumor says living dragons pity them and steer unwary adventurers their way to help refill their hoards.

As incorporeal undead, these spirits need neither food nor sleep and have left the natural order behind. Economically they matter a great deal: their tithes steadily strip coin and spare magic from the surrounding region, which makes one a handy tool for a DM curbing runaway inflation. And once a ghost dragon passes on, everything it gathered is there for the bold to claim.