This magestic beast, a creation of power, magick and destruction. It is often hunted for its fire and acid proof scales, to be turned into armor and shields. Many try to imprison it to use for their own will. A creature of destruction as it bellows fire from deep within. The ones of first creation were granted the powers to walk amougnst man in his own form as their numbers depleted faster than they could replenish their kind. They hide their identity from prying eyes, for even ones called friend would quickly turn when bags of gold were held before them tauntingly.

Myth and legend

Few creatures of folklore and mythology conjure up the mental images of the dragon. Also known as wurm, wyrm and firedrake, these mercurial creatures pervade almost every pantheon of classical mythology and have become an integral inclusion of an entire genre of fantasy literature.

Descriptions of the beast's benevolence vary from the playful Puff (of Peter Yarrow's song) to the sinister Smaug in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit". Babylonian legends portray the Queen of Darkness as a multi-headed dragon - Tiamat. Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty features a battle between Prince Phillip and the evil Maleficent and the Germanic myth "Die Nibelungen" climaxes with the battle between Siegfried and the giant Fafnir, who has transformed himself into a wyrm in an effort to become more frightening.

Physical characteristics of dragons also vary but several consistencies are usually present. The beasts are typically depicted as huge lizards, larger than elephants on average. Long fangs are generally accepted as are twin horns of varying length. Western cultures generally include large bat-like wings giving the dragon the capability of flight. But eastern dragons, usually wingless, use a more magical means of flying. As well, eastern dragons tend to be more snake-like in nature, albeit with front and rear legs.

Most dragons will be covered in scales, although there are some with a leathery skin. Coloring ranges the entire gamut of the spectrum but red, green, black and gold appear to be the most common. It is also generally accepted that most dragons are magical creatures in nature and have the ability to breathe fire (as a weapon). Some dragons may have a modification in this breath weapon (frost, lightning, gas) but this appears to be purely a fabrication of fantasy role-playing games and the myths they spawn.

The Gold Dragon

Gold Dragons are a scaled and winged dragon. Their scales reflect the very metal component they are named after. Gold dragons have bite/claw/tail attacks as well as the ability to breath fire.

They rarely are seen in true form when walking amoungst men. Having the ability to change shape at will. They hold magical abilites of being able to use spells up to 6th level as well as holding a spell book of their own.

Gold dragons are of good alignment by nature, the degree pertains to how they live their life (ie. lawful vs chaotic or neutral). If they happen across a warrior in need of help, more often than not they will aide the warrior in his battle if they deem the cause worthy and for the good of those involved. They are truthful, loyal and honorable no matter what form they behold though in human form their disposition can be tainted to the degree where they become intolerable and war like in nature, but never would they harm one they consider an innocent ( one who is undeserving of actions taken against them).

It is unknown as to what their lifespan is, those of documentation have spanned centuries before their demise, and most often the cause of death was by the hand of another rather than that of age

Io, Swallower of Shades, shine in the face of your servant, for he worships you in the morning,, he propitiates you in the evening. I breath the air, the North Wind which comes from you. Be content, Lord of the Gods, for you are exalted in the firmament, and your rays over my breast are like the day. -Invocation of Persephariel, Great Gold Wyrm

Io, the Ninefold Drgon, the Concordant Dragon, the Great Eternal Wheel, moves his majestic form silently through the planes and crystal spheres, through the ether and detritus of the worlds, and he is content. Io is the Creator of all dragonkind, father of the Sleeping Deep Dragons whos spirits lie at the core of many worlds still, the god whose blood, thoughts and life force established the ground for creation and sustain it still. Jus as Io's role in the creation of the multiverse cannot be understated, neither can his unimaginable size. A single scale on the Ninefold Dragon is larger than the greatest mortal dragon which has ever flown in his skies. Io remembers everything which has happened in every world which exists, he knows all spells, owns at least one of every magical item which has ever existed, and through his singular skill as an astronomer and astologer, he knows all that the future holds.
So, why do many myths which other races have of creation not feature great Io? Because the nature of his role in creation is deep and implicit in establishing a substrate for other powers. We Dragon-sages make a distinction between the Two Voids; the First Void, wherein only Io had existence, and the Shadow Void, where Io's willingly shed blood created the potential for existence and creation to com into being. Most non-dragon races only know of the Shadow Void, and they do not know of the earlier time out-side time when only the Ninefold Dragon existed.

Some of Io's brood are as follows;

Aasterinian (lesser goddess)
She is a cheeky, deeply chaotic deity who enjoys learning through play, invention and pleasure. She is determinedly CN with tendencies towards good. She enjoys disturbing the status quo, being shocking and innovating, and jolting the staid into action. She would typically appear as a huge brass dragon with a tourqoise sheened forehead bearing a golden star in the center.

Bahamut (listed as a lesser, but should at least be an intermediate bordering on greater god)
Bahamut, Lord of the North wind is an ever watchful good for the cause of Law and Goodness combined. He values wisdom, knowledge, prophecies and song. He is, by dragon standards, niether vain nor covetous of treasure. He has a strong enemy in Tiamat (sometimes known as Takhisis or a variation of that name) and constantly argues the fight against evil with Io. He is one of Io's three direct children, born strictly out of Io's will. He usually appears as a great platinum dragon, and may have a court of five great golden wyrms at his side.
(a side note here, I think Bahamut was the basis for Paladine in the Dragon Lance books, though I can not be absolutely sure)

Chronepsis (listed as an intermediate, but should have been listed as a lesser god)
He is the draconic god of fate, death, and judgement. He possesses an infinite number of hourglasses which trickle out the lifespans of all dragon mortals and deities. He knows the future and fate of all creation at the end of time. He is silent, unconcerned and dispassionate. He typically appears as a small black dragon with decaying skin through which yellowed bones poke out in places.

Falzure (listed as a lesser but should be an intermediate god)
This is the terrifying Night Dragon. He has command of thousands of juju zombie servants who are sent out any creature foolish enough to attempt an approach towards this draconic deity. He is a wretched, creeping thing, no longer able to fly, but is possessed of a terrible beauty as well. He hates Bahamut and Tiamat, but neither of them so much so as he hates Chronepsis. He commonly appears as a vast, sleek beautiful dragon with silver edged scales of midnight blue and vestigial wings.

Tiamat (listed as a lesser but should be an intermediate goddess)
Tiamat is avoracious, supremely vain, and profoundly evil. She proclaims herself the creator of all evil dragonkind and certainly many evil dragons revere her as such. She maintains a firm relationship with the baatezu (devils) supposedly residing within the first level of the nine hells. She keeps an active eager watch over evil dragons, furthering their avoraciosness, hatred of others and many other vices.