Pearl Dragonet

Pearl dragonets are fortune magic incarnate.

Nobody takes small, round dragonets seriously, but they're lucky to have around. Social and relatively defenseless, pearl dragonets have thrived by providing good luck in exchange for food and protection. This reputation for bringing fortune—which the dragonets encourage—has led to the popularity of good-luck charms featuring this plump dragonet species and the belief that harming a pearl dragonet can incur a lifetime of ill luck.

Pearl dragonets have pearlescent scales and a round body with stumpy legs. Their minute wings cannot support flight, so they rely on magic to fly. They have long tails that can be up to five times the length of their bodies. This odd build exacerbates their ungainly, waddling gait, which is punctuated by head-over-heel rolls and erratic flight paths.

Pearl dragonets are attentive, with an acute ability to understand the world around them. They are commonly found in the mountains of Tian Xia, living close to remote or insular highland communities that show due respect for their insight. Communities seeking to attract pearl dragonets often hang up round, red paper lanterns, though both the dragonets and the villagers take minor offense toward anyone who compares the relative shape of the dragonets and the lanterns.

Though dragonets are smaller and lacking the raw power of great dragons, they are every bit as varied and fascinating as their larger relatives. Like dragons, dragonets have strong ties to magic. These ties influence the contrasting natures exhibited by different dragonet types. For example, @UUID[Compendium.pf2e.pathfinder-monster-core.Actor.Fey Dragonet]{Fey Dragonets} and @UUID[Compendium.pf2e.pathfinder-monster-core-2.Actor.House Drake]{House Drakes} make fascinating pets and companions, and thus are a popular familiar for spellcasters. Tidepool dragonets, on the other hand, are arrogant and untamable.

Assuming dragonets are harmless due to their size, or the fact that they often live near people, is dangerous. Pest drakes, for instance, are weak and shy individually but are inclined to form dangerous swarms when unsettled. By contrast, pearl dragonets are gentle oddities that seem naturally friendly.

Dragonets range in size from little bigger than songbirds to no larger than house cats. Unlike most great dragons, they stop growing after reaching maturity. They vary greatly in intelligence; fey dragonets are known for their tricks and wit, while feral racing drakes have the average problem solving capacity of a pigeon. Each type of dragonet has its own lairing and hoarding habits, and they have unique abilities that reveal their magical nature.