Good evening! Introducing my current campaign PC, Irae: the wizard Pseudodragon!

Irae, born as a red dragon, lived a life of hoarding, stealing, burning things to the ground, and indulging in life's pleasures. As a hot-headed red, he found himself scuffling with other dragons and anyone who dared to talk down to him, never afraid to stand up for himself and kick down any disrespect directed his way. A natural-born fighter, he started to enjoy the rush of combat and tearing his opponents (and victims) to shreds, and over the centuries, he gained a reputation for never losing a battle he started.

After some time, this power started to get to his head. His strength and power, believing it to be undisputed, saw him through lifetimes of battle and war with the local humanoid population, who were never able to take him down. He established his own corner of the land as his own, demanding exotic food and drink, tithes, trinkets, and gold, as well as entertainment. His hoard grew, and so did his power-hungry ideals, being challenged and stolen from by other dragons, who he stomped down with impunity. Eventually, a notion grew in his fiery, hot head: a dragon so perfect and destined for greatness was a true rarity in this universe, and he must be fated to take place as the next god of all dragons and anything beneath them.

Once this notion blossomed in his mind, he set off to do the only thing he thought was right: to bring down Tiamat, the only thing standing in his way. He would proclaim to all of the lands and the hells his rise to power, and renounce Tiamat as his deity, electing to set fate on its proper course... if only he knew what kind of mistake that would be.

To Irae's surprise, a lifetime of punting weaker dragons around for wealth, fame, and sex isn't a proper metric for one's greatness and power. It's true: he is a force to be reckoned with, and is determined to earn his right to boss other mortals around, but he is nowhere near ancient or powerful enough to begin a claim to godhood. Tiamat, unbelievably offended and furious, struck Irae down without so much as a scratch. To her, the sight of a bratty ancient red dragon touting his bloody claws was amusing, but to treat her with such disrespect was unacceptable. However, she didn't want to outright kill one of her powerful children, so as the sadistic goddess she is, she chose a different path of retribution for the bruised dragon.

In a flash, Irae's life would change forever. He only heard the echoing of a cackling, five-headed dragon goddess before waking up in a new world. He was alive, but at an immense cost: he was turned into a tiny pseudodragon, a mere fraction of his former self, helpless and frail. No longer could he fight for himself, his claws barely capable of cutting fruits, and his once-booming voice came out in a shrimp, nasal grumble. He was humbled by Tiamat in the worst way possible, and he would seek utmost vengeance for having this torment inflicted upon him.

The news spread fast, and Irae could do nothing but watch as his hoard was picked clean, his slaves set free, and his name be wiped from the papers as his reign of terror melted away in an instant. To most, this was too much. However, the stubborn, arrogant red dragon was convinced that this was merely a setback. Nothing could change his mind that he was truly destined to rule all dragons, fancying himself as a much better deity than that wretched, five-headed bitch.

Upon returning to his lair—almost too much to look at, being stolen from so much—he retrieved some coin, some parchment, and most notably, a trinket of his: a ring, shaped like the purest and most perfect creatures: a dragon. He had commissioned the ring, made of pure platinum, for the express purpose of wearing on his finger and waggling it to pretend he was a wizard, mocking the scholars for resorting to magic for combat. Now, he was able to begrudgingly convince himself of what he believed to be a hurdle on the path to redeem fate: he must take up wizardry to realize his true power. After all, it was the only way for a pseudodragon, no taller than a bottle of commoner's wine, to assume power in this world, and the voice in his head telling him to keep going twisted his precognitions into notions for pursuit and passion. This ring, only able to be worn as a neck charm now (NOT a collar), served as a magic focus, and it would be the key to regaining his power.

Of course, the journey to becoming a master wizard was one that took puny mortals a lifetime to travel, but centuries of study and practice were mere stepping stones to him. He refused to be humbled; this tragedy was a mere distraction, a test, and it was one he would not fail under any circumstance. To others, he seemed a lapdog, a wizard's pet, a magic trick... but he will put them all to shame, put them in their place, and remember the names of all who disrespect him on his journey to godhood.

Despite his reputation being tucked away in mere weeks, though, a certain few were curious of the whereabouts of this dragon, and whisperings of his plans from old slaves and servants hit the underground of the world's biggest population centers. In the shadows, a particular individual lurked, one who saw an opportunity in this dragon, and one that he would take up eagerly, whether for his benefit, for Irae's, or both...


This is a small reference fullbody to show his basic design, as I plan to commission a lot more art of this fellow in the future. Roleplaying as him is an absolute treat, and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters I've ever designed. Feel free to ask about him in the comments! <3
Artwork by  jarts! Irae the Pseudodragon wizard belongs to me.