"Most dragons who choose to live among humans actually hold you and your civilizations in high regard; your ability to smash everything your neighbors--or even yourselves--build and then pick up the pieces and forge something new impresses and fascinates many of us. We choose to be as much a part of your civilizations and cultures as we can be."
--Brigid the Red, a dragon living secretly among humans
This post is the second part in a series.
DEALING WITH DRAGONS:A Practical Guide to Approaching Draconic Entities in Humanoid Form(Part Two)
An Instructive Text for Adventurers of All Experience Levels, By Brigid the Red
Approaching Chaotic Dragons: Red and White
Red and white dragons are chaotic and encountering either in humanoid form is extremely dangerous. They regard most humanoids as beneath them—potential servants, sources of amusement, or obstacles to be removed. Note that many humans regard red and white dragons as "evil." As a red dragon myself, I take some degree of exception to that. The fact is that dragons are beyond human morality and cannot be held to the everchanging definitions of "good" and "evil."
Red Dragons: Pride and Dominance
Red dragons are the most arrogant creatures in existence. In humanoid form, they typically adopt personas of nobility, wealthy merchants, or powerful officials—positions that reflect their self-perceived superiority. They expect immediate deference and become enraged by perceived slights.
Tactical Approach: When you realize you're dealing with a red dragon, your primary objective is survival through ego management. Reds respond to flattery, but it must be sophisticated and believable. Crude praise insults their intelligence. Instead, acknowledge their obvious superiority through your behavior: defer to their opinions, seek their counsel, position yourself as someone who recognizes quality and power when you see it.
Never contradict a red dragon directly. If you must disagree, frame it as seeking clarification of their wisdom: "I may have misunderstood your brilliant strategy, but could you explain how..." This allows them to "correct" you while maintaining their superiority.
Reds respect strength but despise weakness. Present yourself as competent and useful, but never as a rival. You're a valuable tool, not an equal. If negotiating, offer them something that enhances their prestige or wealth. They're greedy, but they value reputation and dominance more than gold.
Immediate Threat: Red dragons have explosive tempers. If you've angered one, you have seconds to de-escalate. Immediate, genuine submission may save you. Groveling is not beneath you when facing a creature that can incinerate you with a breath.
White Dragons: Savage Simplicity
White dragons are the least intelligent and most bestial of true dragons. In humanoid form, they often appear as brutal warriors, enforcers, or isolated hermits. They're direct, violent, and have little patience for social niceties.
Tactical Approach: Whites respect physical strength and direct communication. Avoid complex negotiations or subtle manipulation—they'll see it as weakness or deception and respond with violence. Speak plainly. If you have business, state it clearly and quickly.
Show no fear, but offer no challenge. Whites interpret fear as an invitation to attack and challenges as threats requiring immediate response. Maintain neutral, confident body language. If they're in a position of authority (a guard captain, for instance), follow their orders without question or hesitation.
Paradoxically, white dragons are among the most artistically inclined of dragonkind, often spending weeks or months shaping remote ice cliffs into abstract sculptures. Those who dwell among humans mostly do so to enjoy all manner of the artistic creations that humans have to offer..
Exit Strategy: With both red and white dragons, always know your escape route. If the situation deteriorates, your goal is distance and obstacles between you and them. Reds will pursue if their pride is wounded; whites will pursue if they're hungry or angry. Neither forgives easily.
Red Dragons: Pride and Dominance
Red dragons are the most arrogant creatures in existence. In humanoid form, they typically adopt personas of nobility, wealthy merchants, or powerful officials—positions that reflect their self-perceived superiority. They expect immediate deference and become enraged by perceived slights.
Tactical Approach: When you realize you're dealing with a red dragon, your primary objective is survival through ego management. Reds respond to flattery, but it must be sophisticated and believable. Crude praise insults their intelligence. Instead, acknowledge their obvious superiority through your behavior: defer to their opinions, seek their counsel, position yourself as someone who recognizes quality and power when you see it.
Never contradict a red dragon directly. If you must disagree, frame it as seeking clarification of their wisdom: "I may have misunderstood your brilliant strategy, but could you explain how..." This allows them to "correct" you while maintaining their superiority.
Reds respect strength but despise weakness. Present yourself as competent and useful, but never as a rival. You're a valuable tool, not an equal. If negotiating, offer them something that enhances their prestige or wealth. They're greedy, but they value reputation and dominance more than gold.
Immediate Threat: Red dragons have explosive tempers. If you've angered one, you have seconds to de-escalate. Immediate, genuine submission may save you. Groveling is not beneath you when facing a creature that can incinerate you with a breath.
White Dragons: Savage Simplicity
White dragons are the least intelligent and most bestial of true dragons. In humanoid form, they often appear as brutal warriors, enforcers, or isolated hermits. They're direct, violent, and have little patience for social niceties.
Tactical Approach: Whites respect physical strength and direct communication. Avoid complex negotiations or subtle manipulation—they'll see it as weakness or deception and respond with violence. Speak plainly. If you have business, state it clearly and quickly.
Show no fear, but offer no challenge. Whites interpret fear as an invitation to attack and challenges as threats requiring immediate response. Maintain neutral, confident body language. If they're in a position of authority (a guard captain, for instance), follow their orders without question or hesitation.
Paradoxically, white dragons are among the most artistically inclined of dragonkind, often spending weeks or months shaping remote ice cliffs into abstract sculptures. Those who dwell among humans mostly do so to enjoy all manner of the artistic creations that humans have to offer..
Exit Strategy: With both red and white dragons, always know your escape route. If the situation deteriorates, your goal is distance and obstacles between you and them. Reds will pursue if their pride is wounded; whites will pursue if they're hungry or angry. Neither forgives easily.
Engaging Lawful Dragons: Blue and Green
Blue and green dragons are lawful, which makes them far more dangerous than their chaotic counterparts in social settings. They're patient, calculating, and always playing a longer game than you realize.Blue Dragons: Military Hierarchy
Blues are militaristic and obsessed with order, hierarchy, and long-term strategic planning. In humanoid form, they gravitate toward military command, government positions, or organized crime leadership. They build networks of power with themselves at the apex.
Tactical Approach: Blues expect formal recognition of hierarchy. Determine where you fall in their perceived order and behave accordingly. If you're beneath them (and you almost certainly are), show appropriate respect through formal address, proper protocol, and acknowledgment of their authority.
Blues value competence and loyalty. Present yourself as someone who understands chain of command and follows orders precisely. They despise chaos and unpredictability. If you're negotiating, come prepared with organized proposals, clear terms, and logical arguments. Blues respect professionalism.
The Key Challenge: Blues are schemers who think in terms of campaigns, not battles. If a blue dragon is interacting with you, it's because you serve a purpose in their larger plan. Your goal is to understand that purpose without revealing that you're trying to understand it. Ask careful questions. Observe who else they're connected to. Never commit to anything without understanding the full scope of what you're agreeing to.
Blues honor agreements to the letter but will exploit any ambiguity. If you make a deal with a blue dragon, have it witnessed and recorded. Specify every term explicitly. They'll follow the contract exactly—which means they'll use every loophole you leave them.
Green Dragons: Masters of Manipulation
Green dragons are the most dangerous conversationalists you'll ever encounter. They're master manipulators who thrive on intrigue, deception, and turning people against each other. In humanoid form, they appear as charming diplomats, cunning advisors, or influential socialites.
Tactical Approach: Assume everything a green dragon tells you serves their agenda. They're not necessarily lying—greens are skilled enough that they rarely need to lie outright—but they're shaping your perception of reality to benefit themselves.
Listen more than you speak. Greens gather information through conversation, using it to identify your weaknesses, desires, and pressure points. Every question they ask is strategic. Answer carefully and reveal as little as possible about your true motivations, allies, or resources.
Stay Alert: Greens excel at making you think their ideas are your ideas. They plant suggestions so subtly that you believe you reached the conclusion independently. After any conversation with a suspected green dragon, review what was discussed with trusted allies. Ask yourself: "Whose interests does this serve?" If the answer is unclear, assume it serves the dragon.
Never accept a green dragon's version of events without independent verification. They're skilled at presenting themselves as the reasonable party in any conflict, painting others as unreasonable or dangerous. They may even tell you they're trying to protect you from someone else—who is likely either innocent or another of the dragon's pawns.
Universal Protocol for Lawful Dragons:
Both blues and greens value order and agreements, which means you can negotiate with them—but you must be extraordinarily careful. They will honor the letter of any agreement while violating its spirit. They're playing a game where they're always three moves ahead. Your best strategy is to avoid becoming entangled in their schemes entirely. If you must deal with them, keep interactions transactional, limited in scope, and documented.
Interacting with Good Dragons: Silver and Gold
Silver and gold dragons are lawful good, which means encountering one in humanoid form is actually fortunate—assuming you're not evil yourself. However, "good" doesn't mean "safe." These dragons are still immensely powerful beings who will judge you by their exacting standards.Silver Dragons: Protectors and Champions
Silvers live among humanoids specifically to protect the innocent and fight evil. In humanoid form, they often appear as knights, city guards, adventurers, or community leaders. They're noble, courageous, and genuinely care about the people around them.
Tactical Approach: Honesty is paramount. Silvers have exceptional insight into character (high Sense Motive bonuses) and despise deception. If you've identified a silver dragon, you can approach them directly—but only if your intentions are honorable. Explain why you're there, what you need, and be truthful about your capabilities and limitations.
Silvers respect courage and integrity. They'll help those who genuinely need it, especially if you're fighting against evil or injustice. However, they have no patience for cowards, bullies, or those who exploit the weak. If you've done questionable things in your past, acknowledge them honestly and demonstrate that you've changed.
Gold Dragons: Righteous Judges
Golds are the most powerful and righteous of metallic dragons. They intervene against tyranny, corruption, and great evils. In humanoid form, they often occupy positions of significant authority—judges, high-ranking clergy, or respected sages. They embody justice and virtue.
Tactical Approach: Golds will test your character. If they suspect you know what they are, they may create situations to observe how you behave when you think no one important is watching. Treat everyone with respect. Act with integrity. Demonstrate that your principles aren't situational.
When dealing with a gold dragon directly, be completely honest about your goals and methods. Golds can detect lies with near-perfect accuracy and consider deception a serious character flaw. If you've made mistakes, own them and explain what you've learned. Golds value growth and redemption.
What Good Dragons Expect
Both silvers and golds expect you to act honorably. They'll offer assistance if your cause is just, but they won't tolerate manipulation or exploitation of their good nature. If you betray their trust, you've made an enemy far more dangerous than any evil dragon—because good dragons have the moral authority and power to destroy you utterly, and they'll do so without hesitation if you prove yourself irredeemably evil.
The Blessing of Good Dragons
The Blessing of Good Dragons
If a silver or gold dragon reveals themselves to you and offers alliance, you've gained one of the most powerful allies possible. Honor that relationship. These dragons remember their friends for centuries and will move mountains to protect those they deem worthy.
Conclusion: Survival and Secrets
You now possess dangerous knowledge. Dragons walk among us, hidden in plain sight, pursuing agendas that span decades or centuries. Some protect civilization from the shadows. Others manipulate it for personal gain. A few simply observe, gathering knowledge and treasure while waiting for the right moment to act.Your survival depends on three principles: respect, honesty, and discretion.
Respect their power and intelligence. Even the weakest adult dragon can kill most adventuring parties. In humanoid form, they're no less dangerous—just more subtle. Regard every dragon encounter as potentially lethal, because it is.
Be honest in your dealings. Dragons see through deception, and the attempt insults them more than the truth ever could. If you must keep secrets, do so through silence, not lies.
Exercise absolute discretion about what you know. Revealing a dragon's cover to others is extraordinarily dangerous—not just to the dragon, but to you. Good dragons may see you as a security risk. Evil dragons will eliminate you to protect their position. Even telling other adventurers "that merchant is actually a dragon" can have catastrophic consequences if word spreads.
Some secrets are meant to be kept. The dragon living as a human magistrate may be administering justice more fairly than any human could. The "merchant" accumulating wealth may be funding orphanages and hospitals. Or they may be plotting something terrible. Either way, it's not your secret to reveal.
If you must act against an evil dragon in disguise, do so carefully and with powerful allies. Gather evidence. Build a coalition. Strike decisively when you're certain of victory. Half-measures against dragons are fatal.
Remember: the dragon knows you know. They're watching to see what you'll do with that knowledge. Choose wisely. Your life, and the lives of everyone around you, may depend on it.
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