Chimera (Dungeons & Dragons)
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| Dungeons & Dragons creature | |
|---|---|
| Chimera | |
| Alignment | Chaotic evil |
| Type | Magical beast |
| Source books | |
| First appearance | |
| Mythological origins | Chimera |
| Image | Wizards.com image |
| Stats | OGL stats |
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the chimera is a large magical beast that appears to be an amalgam of several different creatures. A chimera is usually chaotic evil in alignment.
Contents |
[edit] Creative origins
The chimera is based on the chimera of greek mythology as found in the Iliad by Homer.[1]
[edit] Physical description
A chimera has the hindquarters of a goat, the forequarters of a lion, and a set of dragon wings. The beast has three heads: a horned goat, a lioness, and a dragon. The dragon head can be black, blue, green, red, or white, and has a breath weapon appropriate to the color. They rarely mate; their creation is the result of "a dark mystery better left unexplained", according the Second Edition Monstrous Manual.
[edit] Society
Chimeras' dragonish nature often leads them to attack intelligent beings for their treasure and to live solitary existeneces in caves, though some take after the lion and live in prides.
[edit] Gorgimera
The gorgimera is a variant of the chimera, with the hindquarters (and third head) of a gorgon instead of a goat. It's gorgon head likewise has a gorgon's breath weapon.
[edit] Chimeras in Eberron
In the Eberron campaign setting, the chimera is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Deneith.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ DeVarque, Aardy. Literary Sources of D&D. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
[edit] References
- Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989).
- Greenwood, Ed. The Ecology of the Chimera. Dragon #94 (TSR, 1985).
- Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977).
- Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1994).
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