Blackdirge's Wrathful Wyrms (Updated 07/25/04)

BLACKDIRGE

Adventurer
Hi all, got an idea for a new thread.

Some of you might be familiar with my other thread in the rogues gallery, which supes up various monsters with the addition of templates, class levels, and such. This thread will be very similar, but will focus solely on dragons. I plan to at least cover the five chromatic and five metallic dragons in the MM, but may expand to cover dragons from other WoTC products.

Each writeup will give a complete stat block, a short history, a description of the beast presented, and details on tactics and the dragon's lair. In addition, full details of the dragon's horde will be provided.

I will try to present a wide variety of challenge ratings and as always I welcome suggestions and requests.

Dirge
 
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Ok, let's be alphabetically correct and start with Black.

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Thenebrenar

Young Black Dragon Wight Cleric 5
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 15d12 (135 hp)
Initiative: +3 (Dex)
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), fly 150 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.
AC: 26 (+3 Dex, +13 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+18
Attack: Bite +18 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain)
Full Attack: Bite +18 melee (1d8+5 plus energy drain), 2 claws +16 melee (1d6+2 plus energy drain) and 2 wings +16 melee (1d4+2 plus energy drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, energy drain, spells
Special Qualities: Blindsense 60 ft., create spawn, darkvision 120 ft., immunity to acid, sleep, and paralysis, low light vision, undead traits, +4 turn resistance
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +15
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con --, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 16
Skills: Concentration +15, Escape Artist +13, Hide +15, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (religion) +17, Listen +14, Move Silently +15, Search +12, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +12, Spot +14
Feats: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Flight, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Warm Marshes
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Cleric Spells: (5/4+1/3+1/2+1) DC = 14 + spell level. Domains: Death, Evil

Breath Weapon (Ex): 60 ft. line, damage 8d4 acid, Reflex DC 25 half.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by any of Thenebrenar’s natural attacks gain one negative level. The DC is 25 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. For each such negative level bestowed, Thenebrenar gains 5 temporary hit points.

Create Spawn (Su): Any creatures slain by Thenebrenar’s energy drain becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of Thenebrenar and remain enslaved until death. Most do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.


Most dragons do not consider the transition to undeath until they have amassed a considerable amount of power in life. Lichdom is the usual aim for those wyrms seeking to enter the kingdom of the dead, but sometimes, even dragons can fall prey to unfortunate happenstance.

Thenebrenar was a young black dragon that had recently been driven from his mother’s swamp. In his search for a lair of his own he stumbled upon a suitable bog in the middle of the Vast Swamp on the eastern border of Cormyr. The bog, unfortunately, was currently home to a small pack of wights, and Thenebrenar who had little experience with undead, immediately set about clearing his prospective home of unwanted occupants.

In a fearsome battle, the young black dragon destroyed the master wight and his spawn, but not before the fell undead had drained a considerable amount of his life force. Exhausted and near death, Thenebrenar sought shelter at the bottom of the bog that was now his. He would not recover, his wounds were too great, and the wights had drained him considerably. When at last Thenebrenar awoke, he had made the transition to undeath, a free willed wight with all the strengths and weaknesses of life beyond the grave.

At first Thenebrenar was undeterred by his new form. Undeath negated the necessities of eating, rest and other inconvenient bodily functions. He was stronger, quicker, and even his mind had grown keener and more observant. But, realization slowly dawned on Thenebrenar, that he would never reach true draconic power, the power that came with advanced age. He could never progress beyond what he currently was, he would ever be trapped in the body of a young black dragon.

Thenebrenar despaired for months, seeking a way to overcome his undeath and rejoin the living, but he lacked the knowledge or the power to do so. But the draconic spirit is not easily overcome, and Thenebrenar was no exception to this rule. New purpose arrived in the form of faith. The draconic deity of death and decay, Falazure, made it known to Thenebrenar that he wished the undead dragon to join the ranks of his faithful. Thenebrenar was offered the chance to increase his own power by supporting the aims and goals of Falazure, a bargain he eagerly accepted.

In the years since his transition to undeath, Thenebrenar has grown in power and has even become a cleric of Falazure. The undead dragon has extended his influence throughout the swamp and now controls a large portion of it. A veritable army of undead serves Thenebrenar, from wights he has created from slain adventurers, to mundane zombies and skeletons created by his own spells.

Thenebrenar has come into conflict with other black dragons twice and has prevailed both times. He has been sure to utterly destroy the carcasses of these enemy dragons, lest they too rise as wights and challenge him for control of the swamp.

Appearance

Eternally trapped in the third age of a dragon’s life cycle, Thenebrenar has had to rely on assets other than physical might to best his enemies. At just over 15 feet in length, he is by no means a large dragon, and his dry, shriveled flesh makes him appear even smaller than he actually is. Thenebrenar’s undeath is readily apparent to those versed in necromantic lore, as his entire body is gaunt and shrunken, as if it were merely an empty husk. The flesh around Thenebrenar’s head has almost completely rotted away, exposing much of his skull, and the eerie green pinpoints of light that flicker in his empty eye-sockets are enough to spook even the most seasoned adventurer.

Tactics

Thenebrenar relies heavily on his undead minions when confronting enemies. He will allow his wights and zombies to weaken opponents while he hovers above, using his breath weapon and spells to aid his servants. Usually this tactic is more than sufficient to ensure victory, and slain enemies can easily replace any undead lost in battle.

Against more powerful opponents, especially good clerics and paladins with the ability to turn undead, Thenebrenar will take a more direct approach. After bolstering his physical abilities with spells such as bull’s strength and shield of faith, the undead dragon will enter melee with terrible fury and efficiency. Because of his multiple attacks and the ability to drain life energy with each one, Thenebrenar can often completely drain an opponent within seconds. He will focus attacks on clerics and paladins first, hoping to remove their divine support from combat, and save himself from the humiliation and possible destruction of being turned.

Lair

Thenebrenar’s lair lies at the bottom of a deep bog; here he stores his respectable horde and plots to expand his influence within the swamp. He has little need for anything more grandiose, as few would brave the murky depths of his sunken home to engage him face to face. Thenebrenar uses no traps or warning spells around his demesne, relying on his patrolling undead to seek out and warn him of intruders.

Hoard
Coins: 878 pp, 8,302 gp
Goods: 5 moss agates (10 gp each), 7 freshwater pearls (10 gp each), moonstone (30 gp), 2 amethysts (100 gp each), 4 pink pearls (100 gp each), 3 red garnets (130 gp each), black pearl (600 gp), 5 black opals (1300 gp each), flawless blue diamond (8000 gp).
Items: Arcane scroll of ghoul touch, bear’s endurance, and arcane lock (3rd level), potion of cat’s grace, arcane scroll of erase (1st level), +2 fullplate, +1 quarterstaff, Murlynd’s spoon, +2 large steel shield of moderate fortification.
 

Nice work!

Don't suppose you want to look at the dragon my PCs are about to fight do you? I could use soem advice...
 

Oh boy!! More of Blackdirge's goodies! :D !

Well, if you are interested, it would be cool to have a mother / son team. I will be needing a Adult Red Dragon and her Young Adult Red Dragon son as a pair of trouble makers I have introduced once to my party.

No rush, it will be months if not a year plus before they are ready for that fight.

Thanks
 


JDragon said:
Oh boy!! More of Blackdirge's goodies! :D !

Well, if you are interested, it would be cool to have a mother / son team. I will be needing a Adult Red Dragon and her Young Adult Red Dragon son as a pair of trouble makers I have introduced once to my party.

No rush, it will be months if not a year plus before they are ready for that fight.

Thanks

I'll give it some thought. Let me know when you need them.

Dirge
 



Awsome! Another 'Dirge thread. This might just be the spur that gets me to update my own monster thread. Gotta "keep up with the Dirge's," you know.
 

Ahh, the Dirge is back with some more fun. As dragons are my favorite monsters, I'm expecting many good things. Perhaps, I could persuade you to do a Half-Earth(MOTP template...hopefully will also be in Planar HB) Adult Green or Black Dragon?
 

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