This egg was found in the tunnels dug into Azure Peak by Arcanisloexia and her kobolds. The queen had plans to corrupt this egg and create an abomination out of the dragon waiting to be born. She has had it in her possession for close to 2 years. The egg is now 43 days of incubation away from hatching.
The egg itself was one of many taken by the servant's of Tiamat who raided a temple to Chronepsis in Aiurdan. It was given to Arcanisloexia as she has been showing much promise as of late.
Arcanisloexia, The Frigid Bitch Queen, Honored Servant of Tiamat
Statistics for Dragon Eggs and Wyrmlings
Table 1–1: Dragon Egg Characteristics
| Color | Ready to Lay | Total Incubation | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 120 days | 480 days | Tiny |
| Blue | 150 days | 600 days | Small |
| Brass | 120 days | 480 days | Tiny |
| Bronze | 150 days | 600 days | Small |
| Copper | 135 days | 540 days | Tiny |
| Gold | 180 days | 720 days | Medium |
| Green | 120 days | 480 days | Small |
| Red | 165 days | 660 days | Medium |
| Silver | 165 days | 660 days | Small |
| White | 105 days | 420 days | Tiny |
Dragon Egg Game Statistics
| Egg Size | Length* | Weight | Hit Points | Hardness/ Break DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | 1 ft. | 1 lb. | 8/10 | 12 |
| Small | 2 ft. | 8 lb. | 10/15 | 13 |
| Medium | 4 ft. | 60 lb. | 10/20 | 15 |
*A dragon egg has a maximum diameter equal to about 1/2 its length.
RULES: INCUBATING DRAGON EGGS
Once laid, a dragon egg requires suitable incubation conditions if it is to hatch. The basic requirements depend on the
kind of dragon, as described below. The embryonic wyrmling
inside a dragon egg can survive under inadequate incubation
conditions, but not for long. For every hour during which incubation
conditions are not met, the wyrmling must make a
Constitution check (DC 15 +1 per previous check; an embryonic
wyrmling has the same Constitution score as a hatched
wyrmling) to survive.
An embryonic wyrmling inside a dragon egg becomes
sentient as it enters the final quarter of the incubation period.
Dragon egg incubation conditions are as follows:
Black: The egg must be immersed in acid strong enough to
deal at least 1d4 points of damage per round, or sunk in a
swamp, bog, or marsh.
Blue: For half of each day, the egg must be kept in a temperature
of 90°F to 120°F, followed by a half day at 40°F to 60°F.
Brass: The egg must be kept in an open flame or in a
temperature of at least 140°F.
Bronze: The egg must be immersed in a sea or ocean or
someplace where tidewaters flow over it at least twice a day.
Copper: The egg must be immersed in acid strong enough
to deal at least 1d4 points of damage per round of exposure, or
packed in cool sand or clay (40°F to 60°F).
Gold: The egg must be kept in an open flame or in a temperature
of at least 140°F.
Green: The egg must be immersed in acid strong enough
to deal at least 1d4 points of damage per round, or buried in
leaves moistened with rainwater.
Red: The egg must be kept in an open flame or in a temperature
of at least 140°F.
Silver: The egg must be buried in snow, encased in ice, or
kept in a temperature below 0°F.
White: The egg must be buried in snow, encased in ice, or
kept in a temperature below 0°F.
RULES: HATCHING DRAGON EGGS
To hatch, a wyrmling needs to break out of its shell. From its
position inside the egg, the wyrmling cannot bite the eggshell,
and the wyrmling’s claws are too weak to overcome the shell’s
hardness. To escape the egg, the wyrmling must break the
shell by making a DC 20 Strength check. Fortunately for the
wyrmling, it can simply take 20 on the check, breaking the
shell in about 2 minutes.
To determine the day on which the eggs in a clutch hatch,
roll 1d10. On an odd number, the eggs hatch 1d10 days earlier
than the norm (see Table 1–1). On an even number, the eggs
hatch 1d10 days later than the norm.
If the egg has been tended by at least one of the wyrmling’s
parents, it needs to make no further checks to survive.
If incubation conditions have been less than ideal, however,
the wyrmling must make a Constitution check to survive. The
table below provides a list of circumstances and the DC of the
Constitution check to survive despite the bad conditions.
In the case of a disturbed nest or an egg removed from a
nest, the creature tending the egg may make a Heal check, with
a +1 bonus if the creature has 5 or more ranks of Knowledge
(arcana). The wyrmling can use either its own Constitution
check result or the Heal check result, whichever is higher.
Opening an egg before the final quarter of the incubation
period causes the wyrmling inside to die. If the egg is opened
during the final quarter of the incubation period, the wyrmling
can make a check to survive, but if successful it takes
nonlethal damage equal to its current hit points. This damage
cannot be healed until the wyrmling’s normal incubation period
passes, and the wyrmling remains staggered for the entire
period. During this period, a prematurely hatched wyrmling
must be tended in the same manner as an unhatched egg in
order to survive.
| Circumstance | Constitution Check DC |
|---|---|
| Undisturbed nest | — |
| Nest disturbed, but restored by parent | 10 |
| Nest disturbed, but restored by dragon other than parent | 15 |
| Nest disturbed, but restored by nondragon | 20 |
| Removed from nest, tended by dragon | 20 |
| Removed from nest, tended by nondragon | 25 |
| Egg opened prematurely | +5 |
Hatching Dragon Eggs
When a dragon egg finishes incubating, the wyrmling
inside must break out of the egg. If the parents are nearby,
they often assist by gently tapping on the eggshell. Otherwise,
the wyrmling must break out on its own, a process
that usually takes no more than a minute or two once the wyrmling begins trying to escape the egg. All the eggs in a
clutch hatch at about the same time.
Properly tended and incubated dragon eggs have practically
a 100% hatching rate. Eggs that have been disturbed,
and particularly eggs that have been removed from a nest
and incubated artificially, may be much less likely to produce
live wyrmlings.
WYRMLING (AGE 0-5 YEARS)
A wyrmling emerges from its egg fully formed and ready to
face life. From the tip of its nose to the end of its
tail, it is about twice as long as the egg that held
it (the actual size of the wyrmling depends on
the variety of dragon; see Chapter 5).
A newly hatched dragon emerges from
its egg cramped and sodden. After
about an hour, it is ready to fly,
fight, and reason. It inherits
a considerable body of practical
knowledge from its
parents, though such inherent
knowledge often lies
buried in the wyrmling’s
memory, unnoticed and
unused until it is needed.
Compared to older dragons,
a wyrmling seems a little
awkward. Its head and feet seem
slightly oversized, and its wings and tail are
proportionately smaller than they are in adults.
If a parent is present at the wyrmling’s hatching, the
youngster has a protector and will probably enjoy a secure
existence for the first decades of its life. If not, the wyrmling
faces a struggle for survival.
Whether raised by another dragon or left to fend for itself,
the wyrmling’s first order of business is learning to be a
dragon, which includes securing food, finding a lair, and
understanding its own abilities (usually in that order).
A newly hatched wyrmling almost immediately searches
for food. The first meal for a wyrmling left to fend for itself is
often the shell from its egg. This practice not only assures the
youngster a good dose of vital minerals, but also provides an
alternative to attacking and consuming its nestmates. Wyrmlings
reared by parents are often offered some tidbit that the
variety favors. For example, copper dragons provide their
offspring with monstrous centipedes or scorpions. In many
cases this meal is in the form of living prey, and the wyrmling
gets its first hunting lesson along with its first meal.
With its hunger satisfied, the wyrmling’s next task is securing
a lair. The dragon looks for some hidden and
defensible cave, nook, or cranny where it can rest, hide, and
begin storing treasure. Even a wyrmling under the care of a
parent finds a section of the parent’s lair
to call its own.
Once it feels secure in its lair and reasonably
sure of its food supply, the wyrmling
settles down to hone its inherent abilities.
It usually does so by testing itself in any way
it can. It tussles with its nestmates, seeks out
dangerous creatures to fight, and spends long
hours in meditation. If a parent is present, the
wyrmling receives instruction on draconic
matters and the chance to accompany the
parent during its daily activities. Wyrmlings
on their own sometimes seek out older
dragons of the same kind as mentors.
Among good dragons, such relationships
tend to be casual and often last for
decades (a fairly short period by
dragon standards). The youngster
visits the older dragon
periodically (monthly, perhaps
weekly) for advice and information.
Evil dragons, too, often
counsel wyrmlings that are not
their offspring—evil dragons
lack any sense of altruism,
but usually understand the
role of youth in perpetuating the species.
No matter what kinds of dragons are involved,
such mentor-apprentice relationships require the
younger dragon to show the utmost respect and deference
to the older dragon, and to bring the mentor gifts of food,
information, and treasure. Should the older dragon ever
come to view the apprentice as a rival, the relationship ends
immediately; when evil dragons are involved, the ending is
often fatal for the younger dragon
