Pathfinder 1e Monster / NPC: Pyrausta

Though perhaps the smallest of dragons, pyraustas are not insecure about their size, for they lack the inflated egos so common among their larger kindred. Instead, pyraustas delight in being what they are, and live in the here and now. Though their natural life spans are similar to a human’s, their dependence on flame to keep their hearts beating means the average pyrausta meets its end much sooner.   A typical pyrausta’s body is 9 inches long, though its wingspan is longer, and it weighs 1 to 2 pounds.

Some scholars believe that pyraustas, sometimes called “insect dragons” or “true dragonflies,” are spawned from the very hearts of volcanoes, where flickering flames are common. In truth, young pyraustas are conceived in the warmest months of the year, when swarms of the creatures gather high in the night skies and perform elaborate courtship rituals with their colorful flames, frolicking playfully in mid-flight. These swarms are often mistaken for fireflies, auroras, or other phenomena. A pyrausta’s flame and its heart are one, and its fiery breath changes color depending on the creature’s emotions. Pyraustas use their inner flames primarily to express themselves, creating vivid pyrotechnic displays to communicate their feelings. They can also use this flame as a weapon if necessary, but prefer not to.   ELDER PYRAUSTAS Pyraustas who outlive the short life spans their frailty often imposes on them can grow to become far larger and more dangerous than their younger kin. They gain the giant and advanced simple templates, and the range of their breath weapons increases to a 15-foot cone. Elder pyraustas don’t usually grow arrogant as their might increases; they instead either offer wisdom to other pyraustas, settling disputes and acting as guardians and mentors to their younger kin, or else travel far and wide, bridging the gaps between disparate pyrausta communities.