Dragons of Belladonis (Poisoned World 3.5)
A project I've been meaning to start for awhile. I had Zaydos help me create most of the first two of the dragons, the earthquake and tsunami, but as I looked at them I saw things that I wanted to change.
Most notably is the number of age categories. I see some of them as redundant, so the total will be reduced. Another problem is with hit dice. I dislike the massive hit dice that most dragons have, I feel that it makes them more difficult to work with overall. Im gonna try to aim for a more powerful, lower hit dice dragon with a lot more bite to it, so to speak.
Perhaps it wont work, perhaps it will. I want to discuss it here to see if what im trying to do is even worth it, while polishing the concept of the dragons in my mind.
True Dragon Basics:
In the works, give me some time...
Draconic Toughness (Ex):
All dragons add their Constitution modifiers twice for each level of their HD for bonus hit points.
Age Categories:
Dragons in Belladonis do not reach the epic heights in hit dice that normal dragons do. Most species will not go above 30 hit dice (most settling near the low 20s). That being said, they have only seven age categories, rather than ten. How this will effect CR will remain to be seen and discussed.
Immortality:
These dragons age until Great Wyrm, then cease to age or grow any further. Most go into a near permanent slumber, although some remain awake. However, if the dragon wishes to, it can simply will itself to die. Dragons that do this crumble to nothing but bones, leaving behind their treasures.
Alignment:
Dragons in Belladonis are always chaotic evil. They were created by the Dragon God, known as the Devourer, to consume and corrupt the natural world.
The Six Aspects:
Each dragon type represents a type of Natural Disaster. Of the varieties, there are several types:
Plague Dragons, who bring sickness and death to the world, raising vast plague-ridden undead armies to slaughter the countryside.
Tsunami Dragons, who drown the coastal regions and wipe away islands, devouring those foolish enough to cross the seas.
Pyroclastic Dragons, who cause the mountains to crack and erupt, burning the landscape with lava and filling the air with volcanic ash.
Earthquake Dragons, who violently shake the landscape, burying the cities of old under crushing layers of mud, rock and earth.
Hurricane Dragons, who churn the green skies of Belladonis to cause storms to rage unending, ripping and hurling anything that which cannot hold tight to the earth in its wake.
Radiation Dragons, who seek to sicken, mutate or kill every lifeform in existence (other dragons included), who's madness is beyond the other dragon species.
The Pact:
Dragons have made a pact, although the details are mostly unknown, a few things are known. Dragons do not aid, care for or protect non-dragons. They do not interbred with non-dragons. They do not knowingly allow non-dragons to learn of their secrets or magic. They do not show mercy to non-dragons.
Those careless dragons that break these 'tenets' are hunted and killed by the other members of their species (and sometimes by those outside their species). Sometimes its done through torture or mutilation, sometimes with outright slaughter, but never are they spared.
Because of this, no 'half-dragons' exist, nor does any form of draconic bloodline. The only exception to this is the Kobolds, which are direct creations of the dragons, and seem to be the only favored race among the humanoids.
The most taboo and secret of knowledge is always draconic in origin, since its such a guarded secret. Dragons who learn of their secrets being stolen fly into a blood-frenzy, slaughtering entire nations until nothing remains standing taller than a tindertwig, or in the case of the pyroclastic dragons, it would be a burnt tindertwig.
Draconic Magic:
These dragons cast divine spells drawn from the druid spell list, plus a few domain lists, but know and cast as a sorcerer does.
Tsunami and Earthquake Dragons
Tsunami Dragon
Dragon (Water)
Environment: Any Aquatic
Organization: Solitary (Any Age); Pair (Any Age); Clutch: 2-5 (Wyrmling or Young); Family: 2-5 (Wyrmling through Juvenile) and 1-2 (Adults).
Challenge Rating: Wyrmling; Young; Juvenile; Adult; Old; Ancient; Great Wyrm
Treasure: Triple Standard.
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil.
Tsunami Dragon
{table]Age| Size| Hit Dice| Str| Dex| Con| Int| Wis| Cha| BAB/Grp| Atk| Fort| Ref| Will| Breath Weapon Damage| Breath Weapon DC| Frightful Presence
Wyrmling| T| 3d12+12 ()| 10| 16| 14| 10| 8| 10| +3/-1| +5| +3| +3| +3| –– |–– |––
Young| S| 6d12+48 ()| 15| 16| 18| 12| 10| 12| +6/+2| +9| +5| +5| +5| 5d10 |17 |––
Juvenile| M| 9d12+108 ()| 20| 14| 22| 14| 14| 14| +9/+14| +14| +6| +6| +6| 8d10 |20 |––
Adult| L| 12d12+192 ()| 25| 14| 26| 16| 18| 16| +12/+23| +18| +8| +8| +8| 11d10 |24 |19
Old | H| 15d12+300 ()| 30| 12| 30| 18| 22| 18| +15/+33| +23| +9| +9| +9| 14d10 |27 |21
Ancient| G| 18d12+432 ()| 35| 12| 34| 20| 26| 20| +18/+42| +26| +11| +11| +11| 17d10 |31 |24
Great Wyrm | C| 21d12+672 ()| 40| 10| 38| 22| 30| 22| +21/+52| +28| +12| +12| +12| 20d10 |36 |26
[/table]
{table]Age |Speed |Init |AC |Special Abilities |Spellcasting |SR
Wyrmling |30 ft., swim 60-ft |+3 |19 (+3 Dex, +2 size, +4 natural) |Amphibious, Immunities and Wavesense |–– |––
Young |30 ft., swim 60-ft |+3 |22 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +8 natural) |Stormy Waters |2nd |18
Juvenile |40 ft., swim 80-ft |+2 |24 (+2 Dex, +12 natural) |Control Water (At Will – SLA) |5th |22
Adult |40 ft., swim 80-ft |+2 |27 (+2 Dex, -1 size, +16 natural) |Aura of the Drowned |8th |26
Old |50 ft., swim 100-ft |+1 |29 (+1 Dex, -2 size, +20 natural) |Capsize, Control Weather (3/Day – SLA) |11th |30
Ancient |50 ft., swim 100-ft |+1 |31 (+1 Dex, -4 size, +24 natural) |Dark School, Tsunami |14th |34
Great Wyrm |60 ft., swim 120-ft |+0 |30 (-8 size, +28 natural) |Deluge |17th |38
[/table]
Immunities:
A tsunami dragon is immune to Desiccation and Cold damage, as well as the damaging pressure effects from being deep within the sea.
Wavesense (Ex):
A tsunami dragon's sensitive "whiskers" allow it to sense the location of creatures by their electrical impulses and their movement through the water. This functions as tremorsense out to 60-ft per age category the dragon has obtained, and blindsight out to 20-ft per age category, but only functions when the tsunami dragon is in the water and only detects creatures in the same body of water.
Spellcasting:
A young or older tsunami dragon casts spells as a sorcerer of four levels lower than its current hit dice, using spells drawn from the druid’s spell list, as well as any spells from the Chaos, Cold*, Destruction, Dragon*, Evil, Ocean*, and Storm* domains. Domains marked with * are drawn from the spell compendium.
Breath Weapon (Su):
A young or older tsunami dragon has a single breath weapon, a line of desiccating salt. This deals one-half desiccation damage and one-half slashing damage to all creatures in its path. Desiccation damage deals no damage to nonliving creatures and any effect that prevents desiccation damage (as introduced in Sandstorm) prevents the desiccation damage. It deals an additional damage per die to plants and any creature with the aquatic or water subtype. A successful Reflex save halves this damage.
Stormy Waters (Su):
A young or older tsunami dragon carries with it an aura of unrest in the sea. Any sizable (as defined by the DM, but generally must be at least 20-ft in every dimension) body of water within 60-ft of the tsunami dragon per age category is continuously churned and stirred with unrest. This causes it to be treated as a stormy sea, and difficult terrain for any creature swimming through the area. Any square adjacent to the tsunami dragon remains calm and unaffected by this ability, allowing it to ignore the effects of the rough and stormy waters.
Aura of the Drowned (Su):
An adult or older tsunami dragon causes creatures within its range to lose the ability to breathe air. Any creature caught in this range must make a will save or lose the ability to breathe air for as long as they remain in the aura and for a number of rounds equal to half of the tsunami dragon's HD (Round Down) thereafter. Any creature not already holding its breath when they are hit by this effect immediately must begin making Constitution checks as if they had held their breath for 2 rounds per point of their Constitution already. A creature suffering from this effect may re-roll their Fort save against the effect as a Full-Round Action. Leaving and then entering back into the aura resets the duration, but has no other effect. A creature able to breathe water may continue to do so normally.
Capsize (Ex):
A submerged tsunami dragon of old size or older that surfaces under a boat or ship has a chance to capsize the vessel based upon its own and the vessel’s size.
{table=Head]Dragon Size| <20-ft| 20-60-ft| >60-ft
Huge| 70%| 40%| 25%
Gargantuan| 80%| 60%| 50%
Colossal| 90%*| 80%| 75%
[/table]
*: Vessel may instead remain completely on the dragon’s back.
Dark School (Ex/Su):
An ancient or older tsunami dragon seems to attract horrible sea creatures; two waterveiled assassins (MM4) or four elder water elementals (MM1) always accompany it. In addition to their normal abilities, these creatures may move freely through the stormy waters which surround a tsunami dragon. These creatures are fiercely loyal to the tsunami dragon, and while not truly magically compelled, they resist magical charm effects as if charmed by the tsunami dragon. If they are slain, they are replaced after 1d4 days; if they are separated from it (by more than 1 mile), they return to their home plane after 1d4 days and are replaced after another 1d4-1. The arrival of these creatures is a supernatural calling effect.
Tsunami (Ex):
An ancient or older tsunami dragon can swim inland from the sea at top speed, hugging the sea floor until it reaches land. When the tsunami dragon reaches the shore, it can stop its movement, letting the wave sweep inland at heights of up to 360 ft., dealing massive amounts of crushing damage as the water comes plowing inland. This effectively deals crushing damage equal to twice its breath weapon’s damage, ignoring any hardness or damage reduction, striking anything within a 120 ft. cone starting from just in front of the dragon’s position.
Deluge (Su):
A great wyrm tsunami dragon wears destruction like a cloak. As long as a wyrm tsunami dragon is no more than 360-ft above (pre-existing) sea level, the sea level around the tsunami dragon increases up to that maximum height. This allows the tsunami dragon to flood low lands and drown coastal cities. If no water is present nearby, water will rise up out of the ground to cover the area if it is less than 360-ft above sea level. When a tsunami dragon is at sea, this creates a small hill of water atop the ocean 360-ft tall at its peak and 750-ft in diameter.
Skills:
Hide, Spellcraft, and Swim are class skills for a tsunami dragon, in addition to those common to all true dragons.
Spell-like Abilities:
At will – Control Water (juvenile or older)
3/day – Control Weather (old or older)
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Earthquake Dragon
Dragon (Earth)
Environment: Warm and Temperate desert, hills, mountains, or underground.
Organization: Solitary (Any Age); Pair (Any Age); Clutch: 2-5 (Wyrmling or Young); Family: 2-5 (Wyrmling through Juvenile) and 1-2 (Adults).
Challenge Rating: Wyrmling; Young; Juvenile; Adult; Old; Ancient; Great Wyrm
Treasure: Triple Standard.
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil.
Earthquake Dragon
{table]Age| Size| Hit Dice| Str| Dex| Con| Int| Wis| Cha| BAB/Grp| Atk| Fort| Ref| Will| Breath Weapon Damage| Breath Weapon DC| Frightful Presence
Wyrmling| M| 4d12+16 ()| 14| 14| 14| 8| 8| 12| +4/+6| +6| +5| +5| +5| –– |–– |––
Young| L| 8d12+80 ()| 20| 14| 20| 10| 10| 14| +8/+17| +12| +6| +6| +6| 7d10 |19 |––
Juvenile| H| 12d12+192 ()| 26| 14| 26| 12| 14| 16| +12/+28| +18| +8| +8| +8| 11d10 |24 |––
Adult| H| 16d12+352 ()| 32| 12| 32| 14| 18| 18| +16/+35| +25| +10| +10| +10| 15d10 |29 |22
Old | G| 20d12+560 ()| 38| 12| 38| 16| 22| 20| +20/+46| +30| +12| +12| +12| 19d10 |34 |25
Ancient| G| 24d12+816 ()| 44| 12| 44| 18| 26| 22| +24/+53| +37| +14| +14| +14| 23d10 |39 |28
Great Wyrm | C| 28d12+1120 ()| 50| 10| 50| 20| 30| 24| +28/+64| +40| +16| +16| +16| 27d10 |44 |31
[/table]
{table]Age |Speed |Init |AC |Special Abilities |Spellcasting |SR
Wyrmling |30 ft., burrow 20-ft |+2 |20 (+2 Dex, +8 natural) |Breathless, Immunities and Tremorsense |–– |––
Young |30 ft., burrow 20-ft |+2 |23 (+2 Dex, -1 size, +12 natural) |Stone Digger |–– |––
Juvenile |40 ft., burrow 30-ft |+2 |26 (+2 Dex, -2 size, +16 natural) |DR 5/––––, Earth Tremors |4th |18
Adult |40 ft., burrow 30-ft |+1 |29 (+1 Dex, -2 size, +20 natural) |Mudslide (At Will – SLA) |8th |22
Old |50 ft., burrow 40-ft |+1 |31 (+1 Dex, -4 size, +24 natural) |DR 10/––––, Earth Glide |12th |26
Ancient |50 ft., burrow 40-ft |+1 |35 (+1 Dex, -4 size, +28 natural) |Earthquake (See Text; 3/Day – SLA) |16th |30
Great Wyrm |60 ft., burrow 50-ft |+0 |34 (-8 size, +32 natural) |DR 15/–––– |20th |34
[/table]
Breathless (Ex):
An Earthquake Dragon does not need to breathe. Because of this, the dragon is immune to inhaled poisons or diseases, stench or any other inhaled effect. Furthermore, the earthquake dragon does not have scent special ability, as other dragons usually do.
Immunities:
An earthquake dragon is immune to acid and crushing damage, as well as the damaging pressure effects from being deep underground.
Breath Weapon (Su):
A young or older earthquake dragon has a single breath weapon, a cone of invisible energy. This deals force damage to all creatures in its path, and a successful Reflex save halves this damage. In addition, any creature caught in this cone must make a Fort save or be knocked prone and is unable to stand or fly for a number of rounds equal to the dragon's age category. A flying creature plummets to the ground at a rate of 300-ft per round (even if under the effects of a Feather Fall spell or other effect that would reduce their falling speed) and upon striking it is knocked prone as previously described. A creature under this effect can attempt a Strength check (DC = Breath Weapon save DC) 1/round to stand (but not fly) as a swift action. In addition, they gain a +5 bonus to this Strength check for every previous attempt they have made to shrug off the binding effect. A second use of this breath weapon while a creature is still affected by a previous one resets this bonus and the duration but they do not have to make two different Strength checks to stand.
Spellcasting:
A young or older earthquake dragon casts spells as a sorcerer of eight levels lower than its current hit dice, using spells drawn from the druid’s spell list, as well as any spells from the Cavern*, Chaos , Destruction, Dragon*, Earth, Evil, and Slime* domains. Domains marked with * are drawn from the spell compendium.
Stone Digger (Ex):
A young or older earthquake dragon can dig through solid rock, though it does so at 1/2th its normal burrow speed.
DR X/–––– (Ex):
A juvenile or older earthquake dragon has a hide so tough that most physical attacks seem to bounce off. The DR X/–––– is equivalent to 5. This DR does not stack with the Earthquake Dragon's DR Y/magic, merely replaces it. This improves by 5 when the dragon reaches old age and again upon becoming a great wyrm.
Earth Tremors (Su):
A Juvenile or older Earthquake Dragon can send out powerful tremors through the ground. To do this the Earthquake Dragon must be in contact with the ground, and it has a range of 100-ft times the Earthquake Dragon's age category squared, and requires a full round action. Any creatures standing within the area must make a DC 20 Balance check or fall, and any structures within the area take 2d6 damage per age category. Once it has used this ability, an Earthquake Dragon must wait 1 minute before using it again.
Earth Glide (Ex):
An old or older earthquake dragon can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing earthquake dragon flings the dragon back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.
Earthquake (Su/Sp):
An ancient or older earthquake dragon can cause terrible earthquakes that can be felt for hundreds of miles around, and near its epicenter may have noticeable effects identical to those of a non-magical earthquake. To do so requires the dragon to maintain concentration (counts as a 9th level spell for DCs), spending a full round action each round, and requires one full minute to activate. After activating this ability, the dragon becomes fatigued for 1d4 minutes. In addition, they may use Earthquake as a spell-like ability 3 times per day.
Skills:
Balance, Climb, and Jump are class skills for an earthquake dragon, in addition to those common to all true dragons.
Spell-like Abilities:
At will – Mudslide (Stormwrack) (adult or older)
3/day – Earthquake (ancient or older)
Pyroclastic and Hurricane Dragons
Pyroclastic Dragon
Dragon (Fire)
Environment: Warm mountains or underground.
Organization: Solitary (Any Age); Pair (Any Age); Clutch: 2-5 (Wyrmling or Young); Family: 2-5 (Wyrmling through Juvenile) and 1-2 (Adults).
Challenge Rating: Wyrmling; Young; Juvenile; Adult; Old; Ancient; Great Wyrm
Treasure: Triple Standard.
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil.
Radiation and Plague Dragons
