In this post we look at the blue dragon. A blue dragon generally loves living in the desert, where it can soar on the warm air. They are users of lightning, and illusion, and are very vain, even for a dragon.
Blue Dragon Homes
Deserts, And Loners
Everyone knows blue dragons live in deserts, exclusively. Right? They tend to live under the sand, at least when they aren’t soaring on thermals. Given where they live, it is no surprise that they are loners. Who wants to live under the sand? Well, blue dragons do. Of course, they don’t actually live in the sand. They live in caves under the sand. Caves with at least one water source. Indeed, surface water in the desert often means there is water under the sand, which means there might be a blue dragon living nearby.
Sea Caves
You know blue dragons are blue, like water…Most blue dragons don’t actually live in deserts. There isn’t food. There’s nothing there. Blue dragons live in sea caves, where food is plentiful. These dragons often shoot their lightning into the water, killing all the fish in the area. Easy prey! (I mean, really, does anyone believe this fairytale?)
Illusion Filled Lairs
Blue dragons fill their lairs with illusions. And not just their lairs! They use illusions to convince people that pile of sand over there is actually water. Most blue dragon lairs have two areas where they sleep / live. One of them is real. The other? Well, they do live in the other, but this “living room” is filled with illusions. Part of that is that they dragon likes to create art. The other part is to trick dragon hunters into using their spells and attacks on, well, something other than the dragon.
Actually, Under Cities!
Blue dragons want you to think they live in the desert. That’s why you see them there. Actually, they live under major cities. Why? Because they are great leaders and often rule thieves guilds or similar organizations in cities. Blue dragons are very charismatic, and efficient and effective. They know how to organize others to achieve common goals. Unfortunately for most, those goals are often nefarious.
Mazes
In addition to illusions, more than a few blues build mazes just inside entry ways to their homes. The blue dragon Incubar was surprised and killed by a group of minotaurs when it built its home too close to their village.
Near High Points
One way to find a blue dragon’s lair is to look for the highest points in the desert. Their lair is often under that, or near that. They love to be above others, above the world.
Blue Dragon Traits
Blue dragons are, you know, blue. They also have a large horn just over the tip of their mouth. Everyone knows these things, but in my studies of them, I’ve learned some other things. And, I’ve heard other things that are pure bunk, of course.
Electrical
Yup, they breathe electricity. That’s because they are so tightly connected to that element. Of course, that leads to a few things most don’t know. First, the area around one smells like electricity. The more time a blue spends in an area, the closer you are to one, the more pronounced the odor.
Second, they breathe electricity. Even when they are just sitting around, little sparks of electricity are in its mouth.
Third, and I’ve not seen this but someone I know told me it is true of some blues…..when they take enough damage, electricity flies out of their bodies. Woe to the mightiest of warriors when they hit one hard!
Illusion Using
As we’ve already said, blue dragons are experts at illusions. Some say they are really creating hallucinations, but I’m not sure what the difference is, practically speaking.
Great Flyers
Blue dragons are surprisingly agile in the air. They routinely catch smaller birds in flight, and they fly circles around other dragons and large flyers. (in game terms, they have advantage on attacks while flying, and most flyers have disadvantage while attacking flying blue dragons).
Swimmers, In Sand and Water
Look, I think it is funny people think blue dragons live near water. But, those that say they do say they are great swimmers. That said, I have seen more than one blue swim in the sand like it was water. Nothing is worse than a large blue surfacing from the sand when you don’t know they are around.
Their Eggs Need Heat
The eggs of a blue dragon need heat, which may be one reason they live hot deserts. A new born blue only sticks around for a few months before it goes off on its own.
Storm Chasers
Blue dragons love to fly in thunderstorms. Or sandstorms that are so big they have lightning. You know, there are a lot of storms near coasts, so maybe they do like coastal areas.
Blue Dragon Goals and Motivations
Agent of Tiamat
Blue dragons revere only one God(dess), and that is Tiamat. All other are pretenders, powerful, sure, but not really creators of truly great beings like dragons. An entire cult of blues exists that scouts out cities, fortresses, and powerful groups. All in preparation for Tiamat’s return. The spy ring known as The Blue Spies is made up almost exclusively of humanoids, unknowingly gathering information for the adult blue Yundath.
Love Art and Valuables
Blue dragons love art and similar things. I doubt you can distract one in combat, but you might be able to bribe one. Or make a trade. It would be a good idea to learn about their tastes, though. You probably don’t want to offer an impressionist painting to a realist lover. That said, books are more valuable to them than art. History, lore, studies of beasts, anything that contains knowledge. The ancient blue dragon Thezarn is rumored to have the second largest library on the continent, and is known to lend a book out in exchange for another book. Just make sure to return the one you borrowed!
Highly Organized (some would say lawful)
Blue dragons are master organizers. We once found a lair where every item was sorted alphabetically on shelves. Crazy. The important part of this, for you anyway, is that they are great leaders of other intelligent creatures. They not only know how to organize people to achieve goals as a group, but they are very tactical in battle. I’ve watched more than one blue order servants around in battle, completely obliterating well thought out plans by their enemies.
Very Intelligent (and they want you to know that)
Blue dragons aren’t mindless killing machines. They love to taunt their adversaries, reminding them how much better they are at everything. They also like to play games of strategy, and more than one soon to be dead humanoid has lived by agreeing to play some complex game. Really, they like to talk as much or more as they like to fight or gather art. It is unclear if it is better to win or lose when playing a game with a blue. This is also reflected in their feelings for other beings. They really don’t like stupid.
Copper Gatherers
Copper conducts electricity, and blues love to have plenty of it in their homes. They’ll sometimes trade gold for copper, at a loss. The adventuring group that called themselves Bygone Heroes found out the hard way that blues like to run copper throughout their homes, sending electricity into rooms nowhere near where they are when most of them died in Alumar’s home.
Blue Dragon Abilities and Attacks
Feel free to beg, borrow, steal these ideas to change up the blues in your game. Note that I have a product on DMSUILD about dragons that you might like, Dangerous Dragons.
Features:
Sense Life: Blue dragons can sense the smallest of electrical currents, including those inside living creatures. Because of this, they can sense any living creature within 40 feet, even through sold barriers.
Acrobatic Flyer: Blue dragons have advantage when they make an attack while flying. Other fliers have disadvantage on attacks targeting a blue when both are flying.
Great Diggers: Blue dragons can dig up loose soil and sand at their movement rate.
Sand Swimmer: Blue dragons treat sand as water for the purposes of movement.
Master Illusionist: A creature making a saving throw or ability check against has disadvantage when attempting the rolls where a blue dragon’s illusion magic is concerned. (note: I hope to update this with better wording)
Mimic: A blue dragon can mimic any voice or sound it has heard, other than music. Blues cannot create music.
Actions:
Flyby Claws: The blue dragon flies past another creature and uses a claw attack against it. The movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Copper Lines: The blue dragon breathes lightning onto copper wires in its lair. Any creature within five feet of any wire in the lair must save as if the dragon used its breath weapon on it . On a failed save, a creature takes half damage, on a successful one one quarter damage.
Death Burst: When a blue dragon is reduced to zero hit points, all creatures within ten feet of it are subject to its breath weapon.
Combat Tactics
Blue dragons prefer to fight from the air. They use their breath weapons and flyby attacks. They often fly off for minutes or hours. They have time, unless their prey threatens something they value. They will land to protect valuable art or other belongings.
Another favorite tactic is to hide under the sand, and burst up and attack unsuspecting prey. They use this more when hunting for food than when protecting their home, but it isn’t unheard of to do this to things they aren’t planning to eat.
Famous Blue Dragons
Stormmantle – This dragon grew to an old age but disappeared almost ten years ago. Some say he’s now a dracolich.
Hesiian the Brave – This blue was unusual. It died saving a tribe of kobolds. The site of its death is a place of pilgrimage to kobolds.
ZZZZorm – Don’t mispronounce their name. And don’t call them him. Rumored to live in the desert, not far from the ruling city. Also rumored to lead a guild of assassins.
Currentlin – A young blue, who has gained fame for electrocuting an entire castle in one day. The queen has offered a massive reward, and is rumored to be calling a royal hunt for the criminal.
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