White Dragon

One of the most feared creatures of the world, the most powerful dragons are awesome, devastating and can rival even the gods.

Dragons are diverse creatures, appearing in at least twenty-five varieties within five major families. All dragons share certain characteristics (notably the legged and winged shape of their reptilian bodies) but within each family there are even stronger similarities.

Chromatic Dragons are generally evil, greedy, and predatory. They're inclined to worship Tiamat, whom they regard as their progenitor and patron. This family includes red, blue, green, black, and white Dragons. Each variety has its own breath weapon (a blast of elemental substance, from blazing fire to frigid cold) that it can expel from its mouth.

White Dragons are savage, heartless beasts driven by hunger and greed. What they lack in intelligence, they make up for in ferocity. They breathe terrifying blasts of ice and primarily dwell in cold climates.

Lore
Chromatic Dragons bask in the adulation of lesser creatures, but soon grow weary of praise and worship - unless it is accompanied by gifts of precious metals, gems, and magic items. They prefer ancient ruins, deep dungeons, and remote wilderness areas for their lairs. That said, an individual Dragon lives wherever it pleases, as long as its territory does not impinge on another Dragon's. Dragons occasionally deal with other creatures as equals. Powerful empires of the past enlisted entire flights of dragons to lead their armies in war.

White Dragons (also called "ice dragons" or "glacial wyrms") have a reputation as dull, stupid creatures. They do not deserve it. Although White Dragons are remarkably bestial, they are as intelligent as other chromatic Dragons. They care little for intricate schemes or political power, preferring to live as hunters and collectors of treasure. They rely more on instinct than intellect. Although they still live long and look to the distant, future, they do not worry about the future to the extend that their cousins do. They prefer merely to keep themselves comfortably fed and housed.

Like all capable predators, White Dragons are masters of their territories. They know the good hiding spots and optimal ambush points. They hunt not only well, but brutally. They kill swiftly and efficiently. They lack the cruelty of Black Dragons and the ferocity of the Reds. They also lack those Dragons' inclination to engage with or manipulate intruders or neighbors. Unless potential victims quickly offer solid reasons not to kill them, White Dragons slay first, eat second, and never consider asking questions. The few offers known to have saved fast-talking travelers included gifts of gems with promises of more gems to come or, even better, gifts and promises of more meat than the travelers would provide if eaten.

Like all chromatic Dragons, Whites look down on other creatures. This attitude is evidence of its tendency to view all living creatures as potential prey. Prey is, after all, inferior to the hunter strong enough to eat it.

Rarely, if ever, can a community negotiate peaceful coexistence with a White Dragon whose territory borders it. Members of a community might have a slim chance of convincing a Dragon to leave their livestock alone, at least for a while, if they display a significant show of force or give a truly magnificent bribe. Barring these options however, nothing but the Dragon's death can stop it from hunting the people's herd animals - and probably the people themselves. As animalistic hunters, White Dragons have little preference among types of prey. They attack and eat the most convenient creatures worth the trouble of killing. Because farmers' cattle offer a lot more meat, they interest a White Dragon more than the farmers themselves - but a Dragon does not balk at eating available sentient beings. White Dragons prefer frozen foods, burying their prey in snowbanks or walls of ice for days or weeks before consuming it.

The Whites possess a few traits not purely predatory. Like Red and Blue Dragons, they have especially long memories for grudges and insults. they might seek revenge for slights many years after erring parties have forgotten them.

In the campaign
The Company met with a relatively young (though big enough) White Dragon on Mount Jelegstrum, when they were up against the Hellfang Orcs. After the battle for their freedom, the group also released a weakened Dragon who spoke with Vincent Winterbourne in the draconic language. The Dragon claimed his lair was in a high peak, containing powerful magic, but the group refused to follow him and the Dragon flew away alone.

The second instance with a White Dragon was in the lower parts of Gorog Ahmerang, when they met and again spoke instead of fight one. That Dragon was a follower of a man called Nammon, and claimed he was cast out and betrayed by its master. He was seeking revenge. Eventually, he was found impaled on a rock (possibly) by Nammon himself.