Demi-Dragon

A single crimson-scaled runt of a dragon is trapped amidst an orcish warband, waving axes and spears—eager for an easy kill. Fire lights up the forest clearing as the dragon charges fearlessly, driving the startled orcs back as she attacks with a ferocity that belies her modest size.

The azure dragon studies the wizard's arcane runes, his companions waiting close by. Jotting a note down in his beloved journal, he inhales deeply, leeching the magical energy right out of the protective ward. With a satisfied smirk, he leads his companions deeper into the wizard's sanctum.

The dragon presses himself further into the jungle mud, his scales rapidly adapting to hide him from his pursuers. Confident in his camouflage, he watches as they rush past. Soon, he settles in to awaken a new flame within him. His pursuers would return, and he would be ready.

Though each of these demi-dragons tell a different story, they share a similar background—they were once humanoids who later in their lives underwent a metamorphic transformation, changing their body to resemble that of a dragon. Those that are so afflicted are rare, but each has had to learn how to live with the consequences.

Some demi-dragons are ostracized by those around them, while others are celebrated. Some relish their new form, while others loathe what has been done to them, but all are linked by the circumstances surrounding their transformation.

Imitation of Form To most, dragons are a thing to be feared and hated. But to a few, dragons are envied as paragons of power. Among these, there are some who would sacrifice anything if it would let them have that power for their own. Whether driven by fanatical beliefs, a hunger for personal power, or a genuine wish to help others by whatever means are available, some choose to undergo a ritual transformation that changes their body into an imitation of a true dragon, while other individuals concoct detailed magical experiments on unwilling subjects. Regardless of origin, the resulting creature is known as a demi-dragon—a being that was created rather than born.