Argentum Dragon (Creature, dragon)

Argentum dragons are not a natural race, but instead were created by red dragons to serve as servitors and guardians protecting the lairs of their masters while the red dragons went forth to pillage and plunder. They were creating by the red dragon sorcerer Akchelaz with the aid of 5 priests of Tiamat, one of each of the 5 main breeds of abashai, and 5 silver dragon eggs all from the same clutch. It took him three generations of tampering (and several more generations of priests, those soft-fleshed bipedal races live such short lives) before he finally had shaped the new race. The first generation was too powerful, free willed and intelligent almost escaping Akchelaz’s control, the second was dumber but still powerful enough to challenge Akchelaz, but the third was relatively weak and docile and these Akchelaz allowed to mature.

When Akchelaz entered his twilight, in a fit of madness he came upon a plan to sacrifice his argentums servants to fuel his transcendence into godhood. Although only 2 of the original 3rd generation had survived they, along with their children and descendants Akchelaz had not done away with, rebelled and in a long battle deep underground they managed to kill the senile dragon, although only a few survived that great battle. These argentums dragons spread out in Akchelaz’s old domain and later throughout the world carving what niches they could amongst the more powerful red and silver dragons.

Argentum dragons look in many ways similar to the silver dragons from which they were formed. They have several similar identifiers in their head and face: similar overall structure, a highly reflective nose plate, a pointed tongue, and two long smooth silver pointing horns. There frill is smaller, beginning further back on the head and without the black tips to the spine that form nodes, and their two large horns are a pristine white-silver throughout without black tips. Their general body structure is also reminiscent of silver dragons, with their wings ending in two alar phalanges like those of silver dragons. Argentum dragons also share some traits with their red dragon creator, notably external ear frills and hornlets under their chins. They differ from both in being stockier with a larger proportional body to wings, tail, and neck, and wider feet.

Argentum dragons are highly loyal and social for dragons; more likely than other dragons to be found in family groups and even extended families have been reported as working together. As a result of their creation as guardians argentum dragons are miserly even by draconic standards, and prone to xenophobic paranoia and distrust. Argentum dragons can be quite merciless at times, although they are more likely to be apathetic towards others than hostile. Argentum dragons are willing to work with, or even for, others unlike most dragons and can sometimes be found hired to guard wizards’ towers, castles, or even merchant caravans.

**Type**: Dragon (Cold)

**Environment**: Temperate and Warm Mountains (interesting note: Fluff says red and silver dragons dwell in the same territory and often fight; environment entry lists them in different climates).

**Organization**: Wyrmling, very young, young, juvenile, and young adult: solitary or clutch (2–5); adult, mature adult, or old: solitary, pair, or family (2-5); very old, ancient, wyrm, or great wyrm: solitary, pair, family (2-5), or enclave (1 very old+ dragon, and 2-4 younger dragons with the possibility of another 4-10 juvenile or younger dragons).

**Challenge Ratings**: Wyrmling 4; very young 5; young 6; juvenile 8; young adult 10; adult 12; mature adult 15; old 17; very old 19; ancient 20; wyrm 21; great wyrm 23

**Treasure**: Triple Standard

**Alignment**: Always lawful (any)

**Special Abilities**

**Breath Weapon (Su)**: An argentum dragon has two forms of breath weapon. The first is line of energy that coalesces and hardens into sharp and jagged metal blades that vanish within moments; this deals slashing and piercing damage as listed above (Reflex save for half), this damage is affected by DR but overcomes it as if silver, cold iron, adamantine, and lawful as well as magic and beginning at the wyrm age category as epic. Their second breath weapon is a cone of freezing gas that causes ice crystals to form on all affected creatures dealing half the listed damage and entangling any creature in the area (Fort save halves the damage and negates the entangling effect), the entangling effect lasts 1d4 +1/4 age category rounds.

**Alternate Form (Su)** 3/day as a standard action a very young or older argentum dragon may assume the form of a dog, riding dog, wolf, or dire wolf and remain in this form until it chooses to assume another form or return to its natural form.

**Spell Channeling Bite (Su)** When an adult or older argentum dragon makes a bite attack as either a standard action or as part of a full-attack action it may also cast one touch spell it knows (expending the spell-slot normally) as part of the action used to attack channeling the touch spell through its bite.

**Fulcrum of Battle (Su)**: The critical hit modifier for all spells cast by an old or older argentum dragon increases to x3 and any creature that rolls a natural 1 on a save versus its line of blades breath weapon takes double damage.

**Arcane Spellsurge (Su)**: 1/round as a free action an ancient or older argentum dragon may expend a spell slot to gain an insight bonus to all attack rolls equal to the level of the expended slot and a +2 bonus to damage per spell level of the expended slot.

**Spells**: A cataclysm dragon casts spells as a magus of the listed level.

**Spell-like Abilities**: 5/day: *See Invisibility* (very young or older); 3/day: *True Seeing* (adult or older), *Freezing Fog* (great wyrm).

**Skills**: Argentum dragons add Appraise, Bluff, and Gather Information to their racial class skill list.