Sage Dragon (Ancient, Spellcaster)

A shining, rune-inscribed scale is all that most people, even adventurers, see of a sage dragon during their lifetimes. Even then, only those familiar with dragon lore will likely recognize the scale as anything other than an elaborate spell scroll. Collectors and scholars of esoteric lore, sage dragons become increasingly reclusive as they age, and, even in their youths, they're prone to work through trusted intermediaries. For those able to locate and gain the trust of such a creature, even the youngest sage dragons are fonts of difficult-to-find knowledge and rare magical techniques. The oldest sage dragons are living combinations of gargantuan libraries and endless grimoires, accumulating the secrets of the Universe, and beyond, in their isolated lairs.

Organized and methodical, with an insatiable curiosity and eidetic memory, sage dragons are the devout researchers of the dragon world. The intellectual pursuits of sage dragons demand extended periods of quiet study, one of the reasons that such dragons live in isolated, hidden locations. Young dragons tend to specialize in a particular area of research. As they age, these research interests also broaden, with an expert in a particular river expanding into topics such as the water cycle, ecology, or the Plane of Water. Sage dragons interested in religious topics often worship Nethys or a god dedicated to knowledge, such as Gruhastha, Qi Zhong, or Ydajisk. Dragons who seek grim rituals or cryptic knowledge might join the church of Abraxas or worship Norgorber in his aspect of the Reaper of Reputation.