Magma-Blooded Drake
"Its breath was fire, yes — but its eyes? Those held the fury of the mountain itself." — Kaedra Ironwake, Rune Marshal of the Emberward Plate
General Information
Classification: Elemental DragonkinHabitat: Subterranean lava tubes and molten chasms beneath the Rodiac Highlands
Size: Large – 20–25 ft from snout to tail
Temperament: Aggressive, territorial, heat-seeking
Physical Description
The Magma-Blooded Drake is a quadrupedal dragonkin with obsidian-cracked scales and glowing orange veins pulsing with liquid flame. Its breath weapon is not fire, but superheated plasma vapor that can melt armor and slag stone. When wounded, it bleeds molten rock that hardens into armored plates.Behavior and Traits
- Highly territorial — particularly around forge sites and ley-heat vents
- Drawn to enchanted metals and magically active minerals
- Emits tremors when burrowing through volcanic rock
- Can "ignite" the ground it walks on, causing minor eruptions
Ties to the Forge
Scholars believe Magma-Blooded Drakes were once created or summoned during the early forging rituals of the Stonecarver's Forge. Some dwarves revere them as elemental tests — beings meant to guard sacred flame and punish the unworthy.Combat Capabilities
- Plasma breath weapon (30 ft cone)
- Lava-burst slam attacks
- Resistance to fire, immunity to nonmagical weapons
- Can hurl molten rock as projectiles
- Explodes in a fiery burst upon death
Legends and Rumors
- The drake known as Cindertooth has slain three dwarven kings and still nests near the Heartflame Crucible.
- A rare subspecies, the Runeflame Wyrm, is said to have gemstone eyes that grant visions of the elemental planes.
- Drake scales are prized in the crafting of heat-proof armor and magical blast shields.
Comments