Pearl Dragon [Neutral]

There is no mistaking a pearl dragon: its scales look exactly like the gem it is named for, and they grow more lustrous every year.

Pearls favor breath and magic, though they will use two claws and a bite if they must. Smaller and weaker than many dragons, they give foes +4 on saves against their fear aura, but they make up for it with both wizard and priest spells. A pearl cannot polymorph unless it carries that spell, but it can blink 6/day at 10th level of ability.

Once every three rounds it can exhale a cloud of scalding steam 90 x 30 x 20 feet; a save vs. breath weapon halves the damage.

Charming riddles let it ensnare any listener within 90 feet who is not fighting or distracted. Every round of listening adds a cumulative 10% chance of an effect like suggestion. Saving vs. spell keeps the mind free for six rounds or more, after which the chance climbs again by 5% per round; two successful saves make that person immune to that dragon.

They settle on steep, rocky shores or sandy beaches, always near the water, and love sea air and open horizons. Pearl hunting fills most of their days, and their lungs have adapted so well that a pearl can stay submerged for an hour. As a result its hoard holds pearls worth as much as 5,000 gp per age level on top of its normal treasure, and all gems in its type U treasure are pearls.

Pearls are semi-nomadic, moving on when food or pearl beds run thin, and the moves are slow because the dragon refuses to leave even one item behind. Like other neutral dragons they keep well clear of civilization and seldom bother ships, though troublesome pirates sometimes get attacked and relieved of their loot. They speak their own tongue and can talk telepathically with any telepath or any creature of Intelligence 18 or higher.

Dragon turtles are their natural foes. Sharks and fish make up most of the diet, with a small whale or a hundred lobsters as an occasional feast. A pearl dragon hide is gorgeous and can fetch up to 60,000 gp.