[RPG] Where did the Chromatic/Metallic Dragons come from

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In the AD&D Monster Manual, the Chromatic (evil) and Metallic (good) dragons are introduced. Each color of dragon has a different habitat, personality and breath weapon. (Or two breath weapons, in the case of the Metallic dragons.) Where did these various traits come from? Were they exclusively created for D&D, or were they inspired by a certain fantasy work?

As an example, the Brass dragon has two breath weapons: cone of sleep gas and a line of fire. They are said to be very talkative, they live in deserts, etc. Is that based on a specific folklore, mythology, a work by a certain author, or was it pulled from thin air?

Best Answer

Gary Gygax answered this question in an EN World interview, and at more length in Slayer's Guide to Dragons.

Originally there were the five chromatic and evil dragons, each with a color that suited their breath weapon, and a sixth good dragon patterned on the Oriental model of that imaginary creature. As it was both or different origination and alignment I decided to empower the gold dragon so as to more closely resemble the potent Oriental sort. So it got more of everything, including two breath weapons.

There came a time thereafter when more metallic dragons were desirable so as to expand the roster of good, Oriental-type ones. Thus all of them were modeled on the gold dragon template, had two breath weapons.

Logically, with metal value being used as the basis for potency, platunum (Bahamut) being the highest, then gold and silver, the sequence should have been platinum-gold-electrum-silver-copper-bronze. However, I thought bronze looked more potent than copper, and skipped then to brass—that metal conveying some not-so-benign connotations.

See http://rpg.crg4.com/originsD.html#dragon for the longer quote.

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