Drakes from Dragon 146

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DRAKES

Drakes are lesser varieties of dragons, though still formidable in power. The four types of drakes presented here are relatives of the faerie dragon. They are as similar to ordinary dragons as they are different from them. Each of these drakes gains powers as they age, in the same manner as dragons. They do not have most other dragon characteristics, unless otherwise noted. They advance at a much slower rate than other dragons.
These drakes are capable of becoming familiars, but are not likely to be a familiar to a caster of less than 12th level. They can become familiars in the standard way, although wizard needs to have the Improved Familiar feat. Wizards, and other creatures with arcane spell-casting ability, may also acquire one of these special familiars through magic like the wish spell. Faithful servants of particular deities have also gained drakes as animal companions, as a gift from their god. It is not uncommon to find a dragon with a drake as a familiar.
As familiars, these drakes are more powerful than most familiars, but they are also more intelligent and likely to follow their own whims at times, especially if the master is abusive. These drakes usually only become familiars before they reach the Adult stage. Upon becoming an Ancient drake, any drake still serving as a familiar will likely desire to return to its tribe to serve as a patriarch.

The crystal drake, demon drake, faerie drake, and shadow drake first appeared in Dragon Magazine #146 (David E. Cates, “Dragons Are Wizards’ Best Friends”, 1989).


The following tables are to be used with the accompanying text:

 

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CRYSTAL DRAKES

CRYSTAL DRAKE
Dragon (Earth)
Speed: 20 ft, fly 50 ft (perfect)
Attacks: 1 bite, 2 claws
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, gem eating, spells
Special Qualities: Ethereal jaunt, reflective scales, detect gems, scent

Climate/Terrain: Any desert and underground
Organization: Solitary or clan (1-6)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling, very young 1; young 2; juvenile 3; young adult 4; adult, mature adult 5; old, very old 6; ancient 7; wyrm, great wyrm 8
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic good

Crystal drakes are an offshoot of the faerie dragon, well noted and often hunted for their crystalline hides. These little drakes are nomads and wander throughout many climates, occasionally settling in caves and caverns in barren deserts, or anywhere that gem deposits may be found. Clans sometimes do settle on the elemental plane of Earth, where an elder will lead them in search of gems.
Crystal drakes appear similar to gem dragons, with scintillating gem-like hides, but because of their smaller size hunters often pursue them for their skins. These unscrupulous souls make flashy, sparkling leather apparel out of these hides, which are worth a small fortune. These hides can also be used to make a robe of scintillating colors.
Crystal drakes are pranksters, though not as notorious as some other drakes and dragonets. Their jokes are more low-key, and are performed carefully so as not to draw attention to their lairs. They are very wary of travelers, as poachers come in many shapes and sizes. They do sometimes trade with travelers who are carrying gems and jewels, as gemstones of all sort serve as these drakes’ foodstuffs.
About half of the members of a drake clan acquire spellcasting ability on reaching the juvenile stage. Most of them become arcane spellcasters, while some of them serve as shamans of the lair, and can cast divine spells and illusion spells. Further, some drakes cast only illusion spells, while some cast only druidic spells. Crystal drakes with no previous spellcasting ability that reach the old stage, gain the ability to cast divine spells as a 1st level cleric, thereafter attaining one additional spellcasting level per age category.
Crystal drakes are unusually fond of all sorts of crystals, gems, and jewels, as they are a necessary part of the drake’s diet. They store gems in two cheek pouches, similar to hamsters’, in which they can store up to four gemstones each. The drake’s hide loses its reflective sheen, and the powers associated with it, if it does not eat at least 5 gp worth of gems per week. The drake will also lose 1 point of natural armor if its diet is gem-deficient, to a minimum of –5 natural armor. These powers return over a number of weeks equal to those spent in starvation, if the gem diet is renewed.
All crystal drakes speak Draconic and Terran, and a few other languages based on their surrounding neighbors.

Breath Weapon (Su): A crystal drake has one type of breath weapon, a line of acid. They can spit this acid 4 times per day, with great force and accuracy (-4 penalty to saving throws). This acid causes double damage against Earth creatures, and non-magical material made of earth, stone, or mineral.
Gem Eating (Su): A crystal drake gains special powers from ingesting certain types of gemstones. (See the table below, “Crystal Drakes’ Special Gem Powers”.) To have the desired effect, the drake must consume the minimum listed value of that particular gem. Only one of these effects can function at one time, and if a new gem is ingested before the end of the previous one’s duration, then the older effect ends in favor of the newer one.
Ethereal Jaunt (Su): A crystal drake of ancient age or greater has this ability, like the spell as cast by a 10th-level sorcerer. These drakes can use this power once per week, and can transport up to four additional crystal drakes with them. They can use this power as a stepping-off point to travel to the plane of Earth, or to escape and hide.
Reflective Scales (Ex): A crystal drake’s hide provides it with protection from certain spells and effects. Color spray, energy drain, hypnotic pattern, as well as all electrical attacks and spells are instantly reflected back on the caster. Magic missiles are likewise reflected at the caster, if the drake succeeds at a Fortitude save, though the spell will harm the drake if it fails the save. Eyebite, prismatic sphere, prismatic spray, prismatic wall, and rainbow pattern have no effect at all on crystal drakes. Light and daylight spells do not blind crystal drakes, though anyone within 20 feet of the drake when the spell is cast must make a saving throw against the spell or be blinded for 2d6 rounds.
Detect Gems (Ex): A crystal drake can detect gems through its keen senses of taste and smell. They can detect all precious stones within a 10 foot radius.

 

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DEMON DRAKES

DEMON DRAKE
Dragon (Fire)
Speed: 20 ft, fly 60 ft (perfect)
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 butt; or 2 claws, 1 bite
Special Attacks: Breath weapons, spells
Special Qualities: Improved invisibility, immune to fire, Darkvision 120 ft

Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm mountains and underground
Organization: Solitary or clan (1-4 plus 50% quicklings)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling, very young 1; young, juvenile 2; young adult, adult 3; mature adult, old 4; very old 5; ancient, wyrm 6; great wyrm 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic neutral (evil tendencies)

Demon drakes seem to be miniature versions of red dragons to the untrained eye. Their heads are adorned with small, sharp horns, and their mouths appear to be fixed in a permanent evil grin. Male demon drakes are red all over, though their orange underbellies distinguish females from the males.
Demon drakes choose desolate, barren landscapes for their lairs, preferring volcanic regions, but settling for isolated caverns nearby. These drakes need to consume a few ounces sulfur every week, or their breath weapons fade away. Clans of these drakes are often allied with nearby salamanders, aiding each other in time of need. Demon drakes seem to have a special affinity with quicklings, and often allow the little fey to ride them into battle.
Their appearance tends to cause them to be seen as vicious, though demon drakes are not truly vicious except when defending their lairs. They are more good-humored, like their faerie dragon cousins. Demon drake pranks tend to cross the line of what may be considered simple jokes, and are even harmful to their victims sometimes.
Demon drakes have a small amount of spellcasting ability, and all are able to cast illusion spells. Each clan has a lair shaman who also casts divine spells at the same level as arcane illusions. As they age, demon drakes gain a limited access to other types of spells, not necessarily choosing these spells for their potential mischief. Demon drakes gain one new arcane spell for every new age category upon reaching old age, and one new divine spell for every new age category upon reaching ancient age. Demon drake elders also may know three special unique spells that are used for special (i.e., brilliant and deadly) practical jokes, and teach these to truly inspired young pranksters.
Demon drakes speak Draconic, Sylvan, Elven, and Ignan.


Breath Weapons (Su): A demon drake has one type of breath weapon, but two applications for it. Its major breath weapon is a cone of fire, 8 feet long. This attack can only be used 4 times per day.
The minor breath weapon is also a cone of fire, 4 feet long, and can be used at will.
Improved Invisibility (Su): A demon drake can turn invisible and attack as if using the spell improved invisibility. The effect can be dispelled, but the demon drake can create it again as a free action on its next turn. They can only use this ability on themselves, twice per day.


Unique Spells for Demon Drakes

Pretty – Oops!
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Wiz 1, Trickery 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One creature or object of Small size or smaller
Duration: 1d4+4 hours
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell is used to mask small creatures and items as props for practical jokes. The subject of the spell will be cloaked in an illusion of the caster’s choice. If cast on a living creature, that creature is entitled to a Will save. If the creature fails the saving throw, it is paralyzed for the duration of the spell, 5-8 hours. The creature will receive another saving throw at the start of the 5th hour, and every hour after that. If one of these secondary saves is successful, or if the creature is still paralyzed when the spell expires, the creature will immediately recover.
If the object of this spell is touched or takes damage, the illusion will automatically be dispelled, although paralyzed creatures will remain paralyzed as stated above. Divination spells meant to detect illusions will reveal this magical disguise.
The caster must focus on the intended illusionary form for the subject to take, as the spell is cast. This form should be approximately the same size and shape as the subject of the spell. Thusly, a poisonous snake can be disguised as a jeweled dagger, a hornet’s nest as a sealed container with some desirable contents inside, or a cockatrice could be made up to look as a sleeping lapdog. Note that any illusions do not move from the location in which they are placed, although they may appear to make small movements (turning head, twitching ears, blinking eyes, etc).
Material Component: A piece of wool, bird down, or similarly fluffy item.

Slither – Hiss!
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Wiz 2, Trickery 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Area: 10 foot diameter sphere
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: Will disbelief
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell, a derivative of the magic mouth spell, is used to guard natural cavernous lairs from intruders. Like magic mouth, it can be programmed to activate against specific types of intruders, or when specific events happen.
When the spell is activated, it causes a rustling, slithering sound that seems to come from farther inside the cave, or coming from another direction such as the one in which the intruder is traveling. This sound will be heard regardless of any noise made by the intruder. This sound appears to be the noises made by the movements of a large, serpentine beast. Every intruder creature is entitled to a Will save, with success allowing disbelief. Those that fail the save believe that a large creature is lurking nearby in the shadows, and become uneasy. If these victims remain in the spell’s area of effect for 1d4 rounds, they will be subjected to the effects of a scare spell, as an after-effect.
Material Component: Lizard skin or snake skin.

Pretty – Boom!
Illusion (Glamer) [Force]
Level: Wiz 3, Trickery 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Targets: One gemstone
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: Reflex half (see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell is used as a trap to draw victims in and cause them harm. When cast on a gemstone, the gem takes on the appearance of a much more valuable stone, one 10-100 times greater in value. At the end of the spell’s duration, the gem can be set to explode with great force, causing 3d4 damage to all within 5 feet of it. Those within a 10 foot radius also take damage, but the damage is halved on a successful Reflex save. This burst of pure force produces shrapnel-like shards that damage exposed equipment (backpacks, clothes, scrolls, and other light materials) as well as beings. If the gem is placed in a bag of holding or a portable hole, that item and everything in it is destroyed when the gem explodes, but the explosion causes no damage outside of the extra-dimensional space.
This spell can only be dispelled before the gem explodes by dispel magic, limited wish, or similar magic, or by a command word given by the caster. The caster has the option of causing other effects instead of the explosion. Alternately, the caster may have the gem evaporate into a stinking cloud effect, or explode with minimum damage but a great sonic effect, creating a cloud of sulfurous smoke that lasts for 10 minutes.

 

[BOZ]

FAERIE DRAKE

FAERIE DRAKE
Dragon
Speed: 15 ft, fly 60 ft (perfect), swim 20 ft
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: Claw 1d2, bite 1d4
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, spells, immunity, spell-like ability, invisibility
Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 ft, scent

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Clan (1-8)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 2; very young 3; young, juvenile 4; young adult, adult 5; mature adult, old, very old 6; ancient, wyrm 7; great wyrm 8
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral (with chaotic tendencies)

Faerie drakes are closely related to faerie dragons, being the most like them of the drakes, but also quite different from them. They are larger than faerie dragons, with their own distinctive appearance and powers. These drakes resemble miniature chromatic and metallic dragons of the different varieties, with varying markings, prehensile tails, and a metallic sheen on their scales. Males are differentiated by their wing tips, which are darker than their body color, and their stronger metallic sheen, while female faerie drakes have wing tips a shade lighter than their body color.
All faerie drakes have innate spellcasting abilities, and are among the more powerful spellcasters of the drakes. They prefer practical spells that have use in everyday life, but they try to learn other spells nonetheless. They tend to associate with wizards and druids, to spy on them and learn their secrets. Only drakes of young adult age and older have access to offensive spells.
Faerie drakes come in ten different varieties, in the same manner as chromatic and metallic dragons. Thus, there are black, blue, green, red, and white faerie drakes, just as there are brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver. All of these are faerie drakes, and conform to the same basic type and neutral alignment. Color does matter, however, as this determines what breath weapon and immunity the drake has. The color of the drake’s wing markings is also important, as it displays which defensive spell-like ability that drake has.
Faerie drakes spend a lot of time in the water, and are fond of swimming, diving and fishing. They can stay submerged for up to 30 rounds, or 60 rounds if not moving, though they possess great water speed and maneuverability. Though they love the water, they are even more at home in the air where they can fly nearly perfectly.
Faerie drakes speak Draconic, Sylvan, and Elven.

Breath Weapon (Su): These faerie drake’s breath weapons is related to its body color (as listed on the chart below). These breath weapons function in the same manner as the similar dragon’s breath weapon.
Spell-Like Ability: The color of the faerie drake’s wing markings reveals its spell-like ability (as listed on the chart below).
Improved Invisibility (Su): A faerie drake can turn invisible and attack as if using the spell improved invisibility. The effect can be dispelled, but the demon drake can create it again as a free action on its next turn.

 

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SHADOW DRAKE

SHADOW DRAKE
Dragon (Shadow)
Speed: 20 ft, fly 60 ft (perfect)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: Bite 1d4
Special Attacks: Spells, darkness, shades, greater shadow conjuration
Special Qualities: Shadowmeld, rope trick, ethereal jaunt, dimension door

Climate/Terrain: Any forest and underground
Organization: Clan (1-3)
Challenge Ratings: Wyrmling 2; very young 3; young, juvenile 4; young adult, adult, mature adult 5; old 6; very old, ancient 7; wyrm 8; great wyrm 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral (chaotic tendencies)

Shadow drakes are shy yet curious drakes, preferring solitude or the company of fey. They resemble small shadow dragons slightly, but have an ash-gray color. They enjoy the solitude of dark caves, but will often live in dark, shadowy forests if they are quiet enough. Their diet consists of fruits and honey, often supplemented with small vermin and rodents. They love jewels of all sorts, to the point of madness.
Shadow drakes are extremely curious about humanoid civilizations, and even creep into cities at night. They often form temporary relationships with spellcasters, particularly illusionists. They tend to gravitate towards gnomes, elves, and humans when exploring civilized areas.
The powers of a shadow drake seem to be derived entirely from darkness and shadows. Some are also able to cast illusion spells, which they often learn from gnome illusionists. These spells are mostly for defense, and never include any spells that create light or colorful effects, as shadow drakes are not fond of light.
Shadow drakes are almost invisible and inaudible in shadows, and love to use this stealth to advantage. They can swoop in silently from the shadows, surprising their foes, attacking with retractable talons. Shadow drakes also gain three special powers when in areas of magical darkness.
Shadow drakes speak Draconic, Sylvan, Common, Elven, and Gnome.

Shadowmeld (Ex): A shadow drake has the innate power to blend into shadows, when in darkness or heavy shadow. The drake becomes effectively invisible, even to darkvision. When in shadows, this also bestows a benefit of +8 to Hide and Move Silently checks to the drake.
Darkness (Sp): A shadow drake can create darkness as the spell, twice per day, lasting 24 hours. Shadow drakes may also use a lesser version of darkness at will, though this lesser version lasts only five minutes, and has a 10 foot radius. If either of these powers are cast directly on a creature’s eyes, that creature must make a Will save or be blinded for its duration.
Shades (Sp): A shadow drake may use this power when in an area of magical darkness, once per day. The drake can use this power only to make a shadow duplicate of itself, without any magical abilities. This duplicate is absolutely identical to the original in appearance.
Greater Shadow Conjuration (Sp): A shadow drake may use this power when in an area of magical darkness, twice per day. The drake can conjure any shadowy creature that it can imagine, not just a duplicate of itself, with this power.
Rope Trick (Sp): A shadow drake may use this power when in an area of magical darkness, twice per day. The drake may hide in the extra-dimensional space for the entire duration of the spell, even if the magical darkness is dispelled.
Astral Projection (Su): A shadow drake of ancient age or greater has this ability, like the spell as cast by a 10th-level sorcerer. These drakes can use this power once per month, and can only transport themselves.
Dimension Door (Su): A shadow drake of very old age or greater has this ability, like the spell as cast by a 10th-level sorcerer. This spell functions to allow the drake to travel from one area of magical shadow to another, within a one-mile radius.

 

[Krishnath]

Thanks! Now get to work on those illithids

 

[BOZ]

i'm at something of an impasse. there's not much more i can do with them, due to my general lack of knowledge of psionics. i'm sure, that if i sat down for a few hours, i could probably figure out just how to translate the standard psionics into spell-like abilities. but when am i going to find that time, or if i'm ever going to find that time at all, is a good question. so, until i find some inspiration, or someone comes along who knows a lot about that sort of thing, i'm considering them on hold. if scott or anyone wants to use them in the meantime, as-is, that's cool by me.

 

[Krishnath]

To bad , but I can live with that. Any chance of doing Orbus and the Elder Orb in the meantime Or if you could find the time to convert Falazure (the night dragon) and Chronepsis (draconic deity of fate, death and judgement), or would that be to difficult? It's kinda hard to construct a draconic pantheon without those two. I'm not really interrested in Io, mostly because I consider him/her an overdeity much like Ao from forgotten realms.

 

[BOZ]

i could and would do any or all of these things, should i be able to find the time for it.

 

[Krishnath]

I'm sure you'll do your best. In the mean time, got any good ideas for a granted ability to a Void domain? (you know, Void as in nothingness.)