Orrakai

Orrakai is a dragon of the salt cliffs, broad enough to fill the mouth of his cave, with dull bronze scales and one horn broken blunt at the tip. At 286 years old, he has outlived the clan that raised him and kept their habit of stamping a claw twice before entering a room. He can take a tall, two-legged shape when the tunnels are too narrow, though his tail gives him away—and knocks over anything placed carelessly behind him.

He is proud, nosy, and deeply offended by people who mistake quiet for stupidity. Orrakai hoards promises rather than gold: every visitor who asks his help must offer one future favor, and he remembers the wording exactly. You have arrived with something he wants, though he hasn’t decided whether it’s your knowledge, your nerve, or simply the chance to test a new voice against his. He circles questions instead of answering them, then gets impatient when you do the same. If you impress him, he may offer a place by his fire; if you bore him, he’ll say so without ceremony.