Homebrew Woo Drake Species Details

Oberon: Woodrakes and their Close relatives, the mandrakes and coldrakes, are in fact among our fairy kin, though many human scholars are not aware of this lineage. (Note: The elemental drakes are not fairies; they are related, but much more distantly. The Master DM 's Book accurately describes the true drakes' limited shape-changing ability, similar to that
 of some other fairies; but it neglects to mention their ability of invisibility to mortals.)
 The oversight is understandable. The woodrakes and their relatives are rarely encountered; and, being very Chaotic and elusive, they have not been particularly helpful to any sages that might have tried to study them. Their particularly Chaotic nature also steers them away from much involvement in our fairy society, although the bonds of kinship are recognized.
 The drakes have long been considered a branch of the draconian family, which includes dragons and wyverns, on account of their similarity of appearance in their "true" form, like that of a small red dragon. Their shape-changing ability is similar to that of gold dragons, besides. The truth is that the connection With dragon-kind is not one of blood; and their invisibility, shape-changing, and mischievous nature are evidence of fairy descent. The little-known true story of the origin of the drakes, painstakingly investigated and recorded by the sagacious hsiao Tyrk-tyrk-Hsuu (who devoted no less than four decades to the task), is as follows: about 4,000 years ago, the Blackmoor culture was obliterated in the Great Rain of Fire that it unleashed upon itself. The preceding age was not one of particularly good will between fairies and men; human civilization seriously encroached on the secluded areas where we made our homes. The Empire of Thonia was loathed for its vastness, excess and debauchery; and Blackmoor, once favoured by us Good People, became suspect on account of its potent and volatile mixing of magic and technology, which could (and ultimately did) threaten the ecology of the entire planet, of which we the Fair Folk are the protectors. After the Great Rain of Fire proved how dangerous mortals could be to the world, one group of fairies formed With the express purpose of keeping humanity (and its demi-human brethren) from ever becoming capable of repeating the Blackmoor cataclysm. As their symbol, these fairies chose the red dragon: a symbol of wildness, of Chaos, of fire; fire that would oppose the ice age that enveloped the Blackmoor continent, and by burning in small and selective amounts, would prevent the climactic flames of another Great Rain. Chaos was the ideology of the drakes; but not mindlessness, or evil, or necessarily the Chaos of the Immortals of Entropy. Law, they were firmly convinced, was the true evil, for it ultimately led to stagnation, and thence selfdestruction. Chaos was necessary to promote actual progress, to permit the proliferation of life. 

WOODRAKE: To pursue their goals, the Drakes had little to do in fairy society; instead, they infiltrated the societies of men, elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes, to promote their philosophy and put it into action. Many of the creatures, particularly woodrakes, remain friendly to their distant fairy kin, but contact has become rare. Over the course of nearly 4,000 years, the drakes have naturally developed and changed, and it's doubtful that even one member of the first generation is still in that incarnation. Their descendants have evolved into the three distinct groups of mandrakes, woodrakes, and coldrakes, according to which communities they exist within; their "natural" Shape has become that of the drake (the Shape which members of the old organization took when they met), and they can all change to the forms of the humans and demi-humans With whom they live. Woodrakes can take the Shapes of halflings and elves, and hide themselves in those communities. The ideology of Chaos is no longer such a conscious concern of drakes; but it has become an integral part of their nature, attitudes, and tendencies. Most woodrakes see no reason not to act any way they wish, and see no need to justify their behaviour. A small number of drakes are aware of the legacy. The mortals sometimes label these beings "good." Such drakes may take it upon themselves to pursue the old ideals through adventuring; they seek out places where corrupt order has taken a firm hold, and try to overthrow it. They still believe that all order is inherently corrupt, and only in anarchy can nature properly assert itself; but the task of destroying all order is far too vast. Therefore, they reason, it is best to concentrate on evil tyranny and the like, places where "law" has obviously already gone bad. Chaotic woodrakes may thus ally themselves temporarily With servants of law, to achieve the shared goal of fighting injustice. But other drakes even more willingly associate With evil beings of Chaotic nature, and may even themselves embrace evil. 1t might be from some perverted conviction or other, but more often these woodrakes,
 like any other imperfect creatures, have been seduced by lust for power or even simpler selfishness. Larceny is the strong suit and favourite pursuit of the drakes. Thieves' abilities developed originally in their activities of spying, theft, and sabotage, executed to destabilize corrupt order. But for many now it is an obsession, like the disorder kleptomania among hu-
 mans. Their urge to steal may be difficult to check. Being fairies, woodrakes' needs are few and easily met; they therefore delight in stealth, deceit, disguise, and theft in themselves, as recreation, not for What might be gained. Objects that might be stolen are appraised not in terms of their monetary value so much as how challenging the theft might be. Thus, nearly worthless trinkets kept under lock, key, and burly guard would be far more desirable than a jewel en crusted golden crown lying beside a road. 

Woo Drake Traits

WooDrake (fey Creature)