Dragon Shadow (Basic Lore)

Dragon Shadow (Swarm; CR 12)
Pure Evil - Huge - Dragon
This creature possesses the Swarm role, and therefore counts as 2 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure. This monster frequently has the Swarm role, but may be set to different roles if desired. Dragon Shadows are the Henchmen for Black Dragons, but they may be encountered on their own as well. Regardless of how you meet them, they are potent and dangerous foes. They are often encountered in large numbers, as Black Dragons 'collect' them as trophies, status symbols, playthings, and servants. Dragon Shadows are the partially vanquished shadow-forms of black dragons. These miasmic terrors will eventually re-form into their corporeal bodies, becoming full black dragons again, given 10 or 15 years to recover from whatever event pushed them to this state. Since they are frequently encountered in numbers, they are frequently troops, with all the hazards and terrors of that state. Frequently, Dragon Shadows will be found in the company of a black dragon. These are typically the siblings of the dragon, or other nearby rivals, that the surviving black dragon has beaten nearly to death, and now keeps around as testaments to its power and mercy. The dragon will sometimes use rituals to mentally enslave the Dragon Shadows, binding them into service even after they reform into full dragons. Other times, the dragon will simply kill the reformed dragons as soon as they re-form. Dragon Shadows are powerful adversaries, even without a dragon's assistance. They are clouds of negative energy with a powerful intelligence driving them.