Fire lizards are also known as “false dragons” and are thought to be an evolutionary dead-end on the dragon family tree. These giant lizards have a tough scaled hide very similar to a dragon but lacking the long life, wings, and horns of their fire-breathing cousins. Colouration tends to be a rather neutral grey with patches of a dark brownish red on the dorsal surface, and a lighter red on the ventral surface. Fire lizards darken in colour as they age. Curiously, red dragons avoid confrontation with fire lizards and will not even lair in the same area fire lizards frequent.

False dragons are normally slow-moving creatures and spend 50% their time sleeping in their subterranean lairs. When they emerge every two weeks or so to feed, however, they are aggressive foes.

In combat a fire lizard will attack with two raking attacks from its front legs followed by a bite attack. It also has a breath weapon it can use at will, a cone shaped gout of flame 10-ft wide at the terminus with a range of 150-ft, causing 2d6 points of damage. A saving throw vs breath weapons is allowed for half damage.

Fire lizards have an affinity for shiny objects and their lairs tend be littered with coins and gems. A lair also has a 15% chance of containing 1d6 eggs, but the fire lizard is largely indifferent as to their fate. The first hatchling will generally eat the others as they emerge. A fire lizard egg can fetch as much as 5,000 gp from an interested party.

Treasure: None carried. In lair: 1d8×1,000 cp (45%), 1d6×1,000 sp (30%), 1d6×1,000 ep (25%), 1d4×1,000 gp (33%), 1d4×100 pp (10%), 2d4 gems (30%), 1d6 jewellery (20%), Magic Sword/Armour/Weapon (12%), 2d4 potions (50%), 1d6 scrolls (40%)