Silver Drakeborn [Drakeborn]

The largest drakeborn, a silver drakeborn tops nine feet, with shining silver scales, black eyes and a faint smell of hot metal and smoke. Hatched from corrupted silver dragon eggs, it is second in power only to gold drakeborn. It rarely bothers with armor but may wear a flowing cape and ornamental metal rings on its arms, legs, neck and tail. Alone among its kind it truly flies, nearly as fast as a dragon and just as nimble.

It enjoys cruelty like other drakeborn, but no target is too small or helpless for it. Silver drakeborn fight best in teams, guarding each other's backs and encircling enemies. They are careful: without a strong leader they avoid bad odds and places ripe for ambush, and they never fight to the death, flying off when things go wrong. Their mix of running on all fours, silent gliding and flight is a weapon in itself, especially against foes who do not know drakeborn can fly. One may charge on all fours, then suddenly take off and strike from behind.

Each claw deals 1d6 and the heavy tail 2d6, and the tail can hit enemies on any side. Its weapons include spears, battle axes, long swords and two-handed swords, magical weapons whenever it can get them, and a barbed, notch-edged sword of its own design that deals 1d10. It gets +2 on all saves.

Killing a humanoid its size or smaller lets it take that victim's exact look and voice for as long as it likes, though not its memories, experience or spells, and it still radiates magic. It can return to its own form at any time but needs a fresh kill to change again. This makes it a superb spy and infiltrator; one may abduct a foe, kill him and replace him.

Its death depends on the killer. If a humanoid no bigger than itself strikes the fatal blow, it shifts into its killer's shape and stays that way for three days before decaying into black soot. If the killer was larger or not humanoid, it bursts into flames on the spot, dealing 2d4 to everyone within ten feet, no save.

Bands lair in remote mountain caves. They lack ambition, decide things by consensus and mostly ambush travelers. They love gambling, staking coins, food, liquor or prisoners on endless games of cards and dice. They seize any chance to steal magic and also love gems and jewelry.

Wary of other drakeborn, they keep their distance, though they sometimes follow a strong gold drakeborn or team up with copper drakeborn for a bit of sport slaughtering brass drakeborn. They enjoy strong drink, which, as with brass drakeborn, does not hurt their fighting. They will eat almost anything and especially relish elf flesh.