A cursed soul stripped of their true form, with no memory of who or what they once were. Despite their amnesia, something in their presence draws dragons and dragonkin like moths to a flame. The pull may bring friendship, danger, or prophecy, but it is always felt. Those with this background are often scholars, wanderers, or exiles, driven to uncover the truth behind the strange bond they share with the world’s most powerful creatures.

 

Ability Scores: Characters with the Cursed Dragon background often possess a sharp mind, a commanding presence, and keen instincts.

Intelligence reflects the character’s scholarly pursuits and ability to recall fragments of forgotten lore.
Charisma represents the subtle, magnetic influence they hold over others — especially dragons and dragonkin.
Wisdom captures their innate ability to read situations and people, even when their memory fails them.

These characters thrive when combining knowledge with presence, and often discover that their instincts lead them toward truths their conscious mind has yet to grasp.

Feat: You possess a subtle but undeniable aura that resonates with dragons and dragonkin. This effect is not magical charm or compulsion, but rather an instinctive recognition that stirs in such creatures when you are near.

Benefits:
• Dragons, dragonborn, kobolds, and other dragonkin will almost always acknowledge your presence. Their initial reaction will rarely be neutral leaning toward curiosity, respect, or territorial suspicion.
• You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks made to influence dragons or dragonkin after at least 1 hour of peaceful interaction.
• Hostile dragons may still attack you, but they often hesitate before delivering a killing blow.
• You may, at the DM’s discretion, be recognized by a dragon from a previous encounter in your forgotten past.

This connection is a lingering echo of your draconic soul, hidden deep by the curse that has stolen your memories

Skill Proficiencies: Insight – You have an uncanny ability to read people’s emotions, intentions, and unspoken motives. This is as much instinct as it is observation, a lingering trace of a predator’s ability to size up prey or rival.

Perception – Your senses are unusually sharp, picking up subtle changes in the environment. Whether scanning the horizon or sensing movement in the dark, you notice details that others might miss.

Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher’s Supplies – You are skilled at creating precise, elegant writing, diagrams, and magical script. Whether drafting a research journal, transcribing an ancient draconic inscription, or copying a spell into your spellbook, you can produce clear and durable work. This precision allows you to replicate runes and magical symbols exactly as you find them, even when you don’t yet understand their meaning.

Languages: Draconic – You speak, read, and write the ancient tongue of dragons. Though you cannot recall when or how you learned it, the words flow naturally from your mouth and pen, carrying the weight of ages in their syllables.

One Additional Language of Your Choice – You have picked up another language through study, travel, or necessity. Many with this background choose a tongue tied to scholarship or diplomacy, such as Elvish, Celestial, or Infernal, though any choice can reflect your personal history.

Equipment: • Calligrapher’s Supplies – A set of inks, quills, brushes, and paper, used to record your research and transcribe magical runes.
• Dragon-Scale Pendant – A polished scale set into a simple chain or cord. You have no memory of where it came from, yet you feel uneasy when it is not near you.
• Bottle of Black Ink – For your writings, diagrams, and annotations.
• Quill – A finely cut feather quill, balanced for steady handwriting.
• Book on Dragon Lore – A heavy, leather-bound volume filled with myths, historical accounts, and personal notes in the margins — some of which you do not remember writing.
• Belt Pouch – Contains 10 gp.

Spell List

The following spells are thematically linked to the Cursed Dragon background, reflecting your latent draconic essence and scholarly training. These spells are not automatically granted by this background unless your DM allows it, but they can serve as inspiration for spell choices if you gain the ability to cast them through your class or other features.

Spell Level	Spells
Cantrip	guidance
1st	bane, bless, chromatic orb, find familiar, mage armor
2nd	dragon's breath, enlarge/reduce, locate object, see invisibility
3rd	counterspell, fear, fireball, haste
4th	blight, greater invisibility, ice storm, polymorph
6th	chain lightning, disintegrate, harm
7th	fire storm
8th	earthquake
9th	meteor swarm, power word kill, true polymorph

The suggested spell list for the Cursed Dragon background focuses on three themes:
• Draconic Power – Spells that mimic a dragon’s breath, presence, or physical dominance. (Dragon’s Breath, Fear, Fly)
• Arcane Scholarship – Spells that reveal knowledge, unlock secrets, or manipulate magic. (Identify, Detect Magic, Counterspell)
• Elemental Mastery – Spells that call upon the raw destructive power often associated with dragons. (Fireball, Chain Lightning, Wall of Force)

Players are encouraged to flavor their spellcasting to reflect latent dragon instincts, whether through a subtle shimmer of scales, a metallic tang in the air, or the faint echo of a dragon’s roar when a spell is unleashed.

Suggested Characteristics

Characters with the Cursed Dragon background are defined by a strange mixture of scholarly curiosity and an inexplicable connection to dragonkind. Some embrace this pull as a mystery to solve, while others fear it, sensing the danger it invites. Their personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws often reflect a blend of meticulous study, instinctive behavior reminiscent of dragons, and an undercurrent of longing for something lost.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I have an unshakable sense that the world owes me something, though I can’t recall why.
2	I’m endlessly curious about ancient ruins and dragon lore.
3	I speak with calm authority, even when I have no idea what I’m talking about.
4	I find myself perching on high ground without thinking about it.
5	My temper is slow to ignite, but once lit, it burns hot.
6	I examine people as though weighing their worth.
7	I keep my belongings organized as if they were a hoard.
8	I sometimes wake from dreams of flying, heart pounding and hands clenched.

d6	Ideal
1	Knowledge – Unlocking the truth of the world will lead to my own truth. (Neutral)
2	Protection – The strong must shelter the weak from greater threats. (Good)
3	Dominion – Order is best maintained when the worthy rule. (Lawful)
4	Freedom – No being should be bound against their will. (Chaotic)
5	Balance – The world is a cycle; destroy nothing without reason. (Neutral)
6	Vengeance – I will see justice done, even if it takes a lifetime. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	I feel drawn to dragons for reasons I cannot explain.
2	My familiar is my closest companion — it understands me better than anyone.
3	There’s a book I keep returning to; some part of it feels like mine.
4	I owe my survival to someone who took me in after I was cursed.
5	I’ve sworn to find the source of my strange magical pull.
6	A recurring dream shows me a mountain fortress I have never seen — yet it feels like home.

d6	Flaw
1	I have a deep, irrational fear of chains and confinement.
2	I’m prideful even when I have no reason to be.
3	I struggle to see mortals as my equals.
4	My curiosity often overrides my caution.
5	I can be overly blunt — diplomacy is… not my natural instinct.
6	I feel an aching sense of loss that makes me reckless in pursuit of answers.

Contacts

The Cursed Dragons’s unusual aura often leaves a trail of connections, both welcome and dangerous. Some see you as a curiosity, others as a potential ally, and some as a threat. Your contacts might include:
• A learned scholar from the Silver Quill who suspects your true nature but respects your privacy.
• A dragonborn merchant who feels compelled to aid you, though they cannot explain why.
• A kobold clan leader who insists on calling you “Dragon-Blood” and offers their service.
• A rival mage from the Scions of the Shattered Sigil who seeks to recapture or destroy you.
• An ancient dragon who has encountered you before the curse, watching from the shadows to see when you will awaken.

d5	Contact
1	A learned scholar from the Silver Quill who suspects your true nature but respects your privacy.
2	A dragonborn merchant who feels compelled to aid you, though they cannot explain why.
3	A kobold clan leader who insists on calling you “Dragon-Blood” and offers their service.
4	A rival mage from the Scions of the Shattered Sigil who seeks to recapture or destroy you.
5	An ancient dragon who has encountered you before the curse, watching from the shadows to see when you will awaken.