chromatic dragons.pdf - Free

➃➂➀➄➁➅ ➆ ➇and other powers. It is a dragon’s most magicalaspect. Without the mystical energy distributed bytheir hearts, dragons might be merely intelligentlizards. This energy suffuses the entire body throughthe blood. For parts of the body that require morefocused power, the fundamentum (see below) is amore direct conduit.A dragon’s blood is somewhat thinner than humanblood and is darker, appearing black in dim lighting.The blood’s temperature depends on the varietyof dragon. Red dragon blood gives off steam, whitedragon blood is barely above freezing, and so forth.Fundamentum (6): The fundamentum is anorgan unique to dragons. Once thought to be thesource of a dragon’s breath weapon, the fundamentumis an enormous blood vessel, like an extremely large,complex artery. The fundamentum channels theenergy-rich blood from the heart directly into theupper stomach of a dragon’s gizzard.When examined outside a dragon, the fundamentumlooks something like a rubbery hose, with amuscular outer layer capable of pumping blood similarto the way the heart does. This outer layer allowsthe fundamentum to constrict and open rapidly fromone end to the other, propelling a wash of blood intothe upper stomach.Gizzard (7): The gizzard of a chromatic dragoncontains two hollows: a smaller “upper stomach” andthe gizzard chamber. Elemental energy, transferredfrom the heart through the fundamentum, remainsin the upper stomach until needed. This energy eitheraids in digestion—in which case it flows into the gizzardwhenever food arrives from the esophagus—or itcomprises a dragon’s breath weapon.10A dragon’s bloodied breath ability derives from the factthat the breath weapon is fueled by the same energy thatfuels the beast’s digestive process. When a dragon is badlyinjured, its body releases a surge of adrenaline directly intothe bloodstream, which in turn sends a rush of elementalenergy coursing through the creature’s organs.To prepare for the incoming flux of power, a dragon’sdigestive tract purges the energy already held within. Inessence, a dragon vomits bloodied breath from within itsCHAPTER 1 | Dragon LoreBLOODIED BREATHgizzard rather than from the upper stomach that usuallystores the energy.The gizzard takes a few moments to “refuel,” since,during combat, nearly all the energy pumped from theheart goes to the breath weapon. Hence, bloodied breathrecharges only after a short rest. A dragon must go afew minutes without using its breath weapon before theupper stomach once again begins feeding energy intothe gizzard.VINOD RAMS (2)