Tips on using Good-Aligned Dragons...

[Astragoth]

I once encountered a silver dragon at a banquet. She was, in fact, my partner at the table.

I was there to use the library of the duke to look something up, and he invited me for the banquet and arranged a date for the evening, wich turned out to be a educated lady of around 40 years old. We chatted away harmlessly and I only found out two weeks later that I had been discussing the the local laws with a very old silver dragon......

Believe me my character had a few bad nights trying to recollect if I had said something stupid lol

anyhow that was a metallic dragon introduced in a very nice way. Perhaps you can use there polymorph self ability. The players don't need to know they are encountering a dragon, and if they find out, it's up to them to decide how to deal with it.

 

[Olive]

Perhaps have a dragon bound (as in the binding spell) and tortured? So it's in no state to be the dues ex machina, but is still an interesting plot element?

 

[Epametheus]

Here's a simple one -- a dragon with hatchlings.

The dragon will reluctant to go out and take care of business personally because it doesn't want to leave the kids undefended.

The PCs should painfully aware that the babies that the momma or papa dragon is doting over happen to just as big as they are (if not bigger), and probably just as smart and articulate. Hatchlings are fully aware and able to communicate as soon as they're out of the shells.

The dragon won't be doing any deus ex machina stuff because its tied down by the kids, but it should be perfectly happy to work with the PCs (as long as they don't do anything that it would perceive as a threat to the hatchlings).

 

[dreaded_beast]

Steal from a semi-well-known novel(s):

Gold dragon has had mate killed by adventurers and has been driven mad by the experience.

Another dragon (brass?) has had mate killed by adventurers and spends it days looking at dead mate's skull, which has been encrusted with priceless gems and jewels.