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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8792594" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Enter the paper dragon. This is another creature that theoretically can be used quite seriously, or at least not as a pure joke. It’s also a creature that could make for a decent enough familiar, at least for a caster brave enough to deal with its dietary habits.[ATTACH=full]263328[/ATTACH]Art by Mark NelsonAnimated Object, Paper DragonNot Necessarily The Monstrous Compendium, Dragon Magazine #156Created by Kay I. LilleyPaper dragons are tiny, no more than six inches long, and resemble nearly two-dimensional, colorful illustrations of dragons. The first paper dragon was created by a wizard to be a guardian of their library, but something went wrong—it came alive, and it developed a taste for what it was meant to guard. The dragon consumed the wizard’s library down to the last spell scroll, then fled, and made more of its kind, which continue to plague spellcasters to this day.Friendly But Destructive. Paper dragons are friendly, playful, and have a nearly child-like curiosity to them. However, they are also a major nuisance. Although they technically don’t need to eat, they love the taste of magical books and scrolls, and to a lesser degree, magical inks as well. The more powerful the spell on the scroll, the better it tastes. They have next to no self-control, and even the most well-meaning dragon is like a kid in a candy shop when in the presence of scrolls. Because of this, most wizards will gladly pay a lot of coin to paper dragon hunters.If unable to find scrolls on which to snack, paper dragons will eat books of every kind. They prefer illuminated manuscripts or other heavily-illustrated tomes to “boring” books of just text. They also enjoy drinking ink—the rarer the better—which has a somewhat intoxicating effect on them.Self-Replicating. Paper dragons are semi-alive and unlike most constructs, are capable of reproduction. They don’t do so the normal way, however. If one can find a spell scroll of at least 4th level or higher, and can restrain itself from gobbling it down, the dragon can then paint over the words with an image of a dragon, and the result is a new paper dragon.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Paper dragons are tiny, animated illustrations of dragons. They are normally quite friendly and curious.DC 15. These creatures are considered nuisances by most wizards and scholars because their favorite foods are spell scrolls.DC 20. A paper dragon can be permanently destroyed with dispel magic, requiring a DC 19 check.Paper Dragon EncountersCR 0-1 Paper dragonDragon AppearanceAs an animated illustration, paper dragons don’t always resemble true dragons.1. “Normal” dragon (chromatic, gem, metallic, etc.)2. Many-headed, wingless dragon, wearing a crown on each head.3. Serpentine dragon with feathered wings.4. Wyvern with fancy frill down its neck, back, and tail.5. Griffen-like dragon with bat-wings and barbed tail.6. Scaled wolf-like dragon with snake-headed tail.7. Two-legged dragon with humanoid head that wears a scholar’s hat.8. Chimera with dragon-like horns on each head.9. Serpentine dragon with head on each end.10. Wingless, crocodilian dragon with three pairs of chicken legs and a long, forked tongue.Behavior1. Eating a scroll.2. Reading a book, trying to decide if it’s tasty enough to eat.3. Getting drunk off ink.4. Rummaging through backpacks, looking for scrolls.NamesDarrow, Grimani, Kells, Lindisfarne, VrelantPaper DragonTiny construct (dragon)Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)AC 14HP 7 (2d4+2; bloodied 3)Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.STR 4 (-3) DEX 18 (+4) CON 12 (+1)INT 12 (+1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 13 (+1)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC 14Saving Throws Dex +6Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +3Damage Vulnerabilities magical slashingDamage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercingDamage Immunities poisonCondition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fatigue, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisonedSenses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13Languages —False Appearance. While motionless, the dragon is indistinguishable from an illustration of a dragon.Familiar. The dragon can communicate telepathically with its master while they are within 1 mile of each other. While the dragon is within 10 feet of its master, its master shares its Magic Resistance trait.Flyby. The dragon doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of a creature’s reach.Immutable Form. The dragon is immune to any effect that would alter its form.Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.Paper Thin. The paper dragon can pass through an opening of any size without squeezing.ActionsMultiattack. The dragon makes one bite attack and one claws attack.Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute, and while poisoned, the creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, it can’t add its Strength modifier to its damage, and its speed is reduced by 20 feet. A creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 slashing damage.Devour Scroll. The dragon eats a spell scroll. It regains all lost hit points and can use its action at any time afterwards to cast the spell written on the scroll, as if it were reading the scroll. It can cast the spell no matter what spell list it is on, and it does not need to make a spellcasting ability check to do so. If the scroll was cursed, the dragon isn’t harmed by the curse. If the dragon eats a scroll before it casts the previous spell’s scroll, it loses the previous spell.Bonus ActionsNimble Escape. The dragon takes the Disengage or Hide action.ReactionsUncanny Dodge. When an attacker the dragon can see hits it with an attack, the dragon halves the damage against it.Variant: Tome-EaterMost paper dragons consume only spell scrolls. One who gets its claws on a spell book eats it one spell at a time, with each spell acting as a single scroll. However, a paper dragon may discover a more magical book, such as a tome of clear thought or a manual of guardians. In this case, the effects gained by eating that book are permanent. A dragon who ate a tome of clear thought would have its Intelligence score increase by 2; a dragon who ate a manual of guardians would learn how to make a specific type of guardian, and would not need to sprinkle the book’s ashes over a guardian it makes; and a dragon who ate a copy of How to Make Fiends and Influence People would gain a permanent cambion servitor.</blockquote>

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