Homebrew Astral Dragon Wyrmling Species Details

Astral dragons are a species of esoteric dragon native to the astral plane, they traverse across the astral and physical planes looking for their mate to receive blessings unto themselves.

Abilities

Astral dragons could see through the blur of the Astral Plane for up to 10 miles (16 kilometres), and could plane shift at will. They were able to fly on the Prime Material Plane thanks to an organ in the head, although they were not easily able to walk under the effect of gravity.

Combat

In battle against creatures not native to the Astral Plane, the astral dragon would prioritize attacking spellcasters, since they might be responsible for keeping their companions in the Astral Plane, so killing them would defeat the entire group.

Although an astral dragon had no psionic abilities, it could sense psionic abilities in others, up to around 240 feet (73 meters).

Birth and development

Astral dragons, like some other dragons, had a desire for treasure, and sought to acquire it by traveling the planes. A favourite target was githyanki, since they tended to have magical, gem-encrusted armour, but an astral dragon also enjoyed treasure acquired from astral travellers. Magical treasure recovered from an astral dragon's lair on the Astral Plane appeared normal unless it was returned to the Prime Material Plane.

Every few hundred years a female astral dragon could lay one egg, which was about 5 ft (150 cm) in diameter and the same colour as the rest of the Astral Plane, making it difficult to see. This egg grew, over many years, until it was 10 ft (300 cm) in diameter, at which point a hole opened at one end. The egg itself became the hatchling's lair, and it continued to grow to a maximum of around 30 ft (9.1 m) in diameter, at which time it was very thin (although still strong).

A young astral dragon used the egg for storing treasure, much like a regular lair, and established a mental link back to the egg, to find it later. Once adulthood was reached, the egg was abandoned in favour of a larger lair, and these eggs were often taken over by other species.

Younger astral dragons spent more time on the Prime Material Plane than their adult counterparts, and the older the dragon became, the more time they spent on their native Astral Plane.

Astral dragons only grew to around 5 ft (1.5 m) in length ordinarily, but that changed when two of them mated, at which the pair increased in power and size (growing to 50 ft (15 m) in length), and a magical chain appeared which bound the two together. The chain could extend up to 100 ft (30 m) and said to be a sign of their devotion to one another. Astral dragons considered this chain a blessing. Additionally, mated astral dragons made huge palace-lairs which they rarely left, but were close to demipowers in might in their domains. To gather information, they would send out kodragons instead.

Diet

The astral dragon did not require very much food, but they did enjoy eating, preferring githyanki where possible.

Disease

Some astral dragons contracted a disease known as astralomitis, which inhibited their ability to travel the planes, and was more common amongst astral dragons who switched between planes frequently. If a dragon was on a non-native plane when struck by this disease, it was unable to return, and there was a chance that insanity would ensue. It lost the ability to cast any spells in this state, but ferociously attacked any creatures nearby. This state could last for up to five days, and resulted in the death of the dragon. If it could return to the Astral Plane by this time, the insanity slowly diminished, but it was left unable to switch planes. The disease had no known cure except for a wish spell.

Treasure

Astral Dragon Wyrmling Traits

Your astral dragon wyrmling is born with the following blessings.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Age

Since astral dragons roam the astral planes hunting those who come to close, the true lifespan of an astral dragon is unknown.

Size

Astral dragon wyrmlings range 1 to 5 feet long. Your size is Tiny.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Astralvision

Accustomed to astral plane, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.

Psionic Sense

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Astral Ancestry

Your astral dependency sustains you so that you age slower and mature slower as a dragon.

As such evolution is slowed.

Wyrmling > Very Young > Young > Juvenile > Young Adult > Adult > Mature Adult > Old > Very Old > Ancient > Wyrm > Great wyrm.

Plane Shift

You gain access to the spell plane shift freely, however you can only go yourself into the astral plane and the location will be relative to the prime material plane.

Must not be touching a creature during time of shifting.

Flight

They were able to fly on the Prime Material Plane thanks to an organ in the head, although they were not easily able to walk under the effect of gravity.

Astral Dragon Wyrmling