Gold Dragon

Gold dragons are the weakest physically of the metallic dragons, with wirey limbs thin and guant and an almost skeletal resemlance with how the skin and scales of their face are pulled against the bone. Though they are physically weak, they are extremely magic attempt and have the strongest fire-based breath weapon of the metallics. Gold dragons are born sorcerers with the ability to manipulate and spawn fire to bend to their will as well as lightning, smoke, and lava. They were particularly loyal and honored the laws of both draconic and humanoid societies with a paticular fasination of spellcasters, they would often chose certain gifted individuals and teach them the ways of draconic magic; it was more often that Skalfelg, "lesser upright dragon", were chosen for these lessons.

## Description

Gold dragons have vibrant glimmering scales of gold ranging in color from dark and rich to lighter and paler. Those whose scales more closely resembled the color of true gold were prized in gold dragon society and were courted often by others gold dragons who wish to pass on such beautiful scales to their children. Their eyes were also gold in color though this was always faithful to the color of true gold with the sclera being a buring orange in color and the iris being golden. The way to tell golden dragons apart from others were the placement of their head horns which rest above and behind the ear holes, these horns were thicker than the thin spines that lined their back like a porcupines but were still rather thin especially closer to the tip.

Another distinguishing feature of the gold dragon were the quill-like spines which grew out from the base of their neck to the tip of their tail, these spines function much like a porcupines with the dragon able to releash them in the direction of a threat to attempt to neutralize or slow them down. Though these spines are thin in comparison to the dragon to smaller creatures they were still quite large being 5 feet long with a 1 1/2 diameter, they often acted as a bullet wound would though more often than not the quill would pierce straight through to the other side.

A newly hatched gold dragon had pale yellow skin remenisant of a summer sunrise, as they aged their scales would typically grow darker in color until it reached the final color during juvinilehood.

### Abilities

While they are extremely adept at casting fire, lava, and lightning based magics, they are not, by any means, limited to these three. Though these are less powerful they can cast any number of spells that are not fire, lava, or lightning based so long as they have learned such a spell and have the nessesary components. In addition to the spellcasting abilities they are able to relieve the spines along their backs, from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, in order to damage nearby enemies. With how thick and long the spines are they can deal good amount of damage especially to those of much softer skin the spines may pierce directly through the individuals body.

#### Breath Weapon

Similarly to the red dragon a gold dragons breath weapon is commonly called cone fire or cone of fire, it is as its name implies, a cone of fire 30 feet out and 15 feet wide which burns and melts all it comes into contact with.

### Lair

Gold dragons prefer for their lair to be upon a high peak of a mountain within a deepset cave carved to smooth perfection with the dragons spellcasting abilities with the lower portion of the entrance being a smooth wall up to 20 feet high so that any non-flying creatures would have to attempt to scale into the dragons lair rather than just walk right in. The interior of the lair resembles moreso a commoners home with a firepit in the center enchanted to always be lit and providing heat, a large pallet made of leaves which is kept clean by the dragons servants, and piles upon piles of the various treasure the dragon has collected.

They had a telepathic connection with any who entered their lair, able to talk to them without words and command them via this telepathic bond if the creatures will was weak enough. In addition, they could sense certain items they deem valuable; such as fine pieces of art, raw gems, and expensive metals; within a 10 mile radius and they could sense when another dragon entered their territory.

## Reproduction and Family

Gold dragons are fiercely protective of their children and young, even if it is a dragon of another color they see the value in protecting all of dragonkind and so gold dragons will often act as adoptive parents for abandoned wyrmlings. Gold dragons are typically solitary from a very young age and as such they don't mate until adulthood but when they do they often mate for life, choosing an individual based on the color of their scales but also their overall personability and prowess in magics.

Before reaching mating age gold dragons will live by themselves or in a small nest of 3-5, these nests are typically temporary and made up of friends before they branch off to find a mate. Older dragons of mating age will live with their mate or in a nest of 3-5 adults and their children as well as a few guard drakes and other such servants.

There are dragons which live in a nest of 3 who foster and adopt other gold and non-gold dragons, caring for them as they would their own family and ensuring that they experiance as much of the world as they can within their territory.