Salt dragon

The salt dragon is perhaps not the most evil creature on Vox, but it is certainly the most spiteful. Salt dragons enjoy tormenting lesser creatures and take any attempt to defend one's self from their depredations personally. Of the five breeds of dragon native to that world it is the smallest and weakest, at least physically. They have spindly bodies that seem shrink-wrapped over their skeleton, with long limbs, a long neck, and a very long tail. Their body is covered in fine white scales with a crystalline structure and chemical composition similar to rock salt. The scales are not especially tough but elongate constantly, wearing down naturally over their bodies and breaking off in combat - often in its foes, which is extremely painful. The only scales that do not wear down are the toughened scutes along their neck and belly, which turn pink over time from trace impurities - these also accumulate in their claws, dyeing them a deep red. They smell very strongly of ammonia.

Salt dragons augment their physical weakness with magical ability, with a focus on necromancy. The breath weapon of salt dragons is a cone of desiccating, salty air that strips the moisture from living creatures. Creatures slain by their breath rise as salt mummies under the dragon's control. The composition of their scales gives them a dangerous weakness, in that they are very susceptible to acid-based attacks. However this is not without risk - the resultant chemical reaction creates a cloud of toxic vapor that can quickly spread over a large area. Salt dragons are immune to poison so this is not much of a concern for them, but it can quickly down an unprepared adventurer. Salt dragons dislike fresh water but are not harmed by it, and are often found on sea cliffs where they can bask in the spray. Some salt dragons prefer to stalk salt marshes, badlands, and geothermal springs, while others are found below ground in vast salt caves.