Orc Raider (R)Level 3 SkirmisherMedium natural humanoid XP 150Initiative +5 Senses Perception +1; low-light visionHP 46; Bloodied 23; see also warrior’s surgeAC 17; Fortitude 15, Reflex 14, Will 12Speed 6 (8 while charging)m Greataxe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon+8 vs. AC; 1d12 + 3 damage (crit 1d12 + 15).R Handaxe (standard; at-will) ✦ WeaponRanged 5/10; +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also killer’s eye.M Warrior’s Surge (standard, usable only while bloodied;encounter) ✦ Healing, WeaponThe orc raider makes a melee basic attack and regains 11 hitpoints.Killer’s EyeWhen making a ranged attack, the orc raider ignores cover andconcealment (but not superior cover or total concealment) if thetarget is within 5 squares of it.Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common, GiantSkills Endurance +8, Intimidate +5Str 17 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 10 (+1)Con 14 (+3) Int 8 (+0) Cha 9 (+0)Equipment leather armor, greataxe, 4 handaxesTacticsKhekolak is not greatly experienced, but he has spenta long time deciding what he might do in case ofattack.Round 1: The white dragon bursts out of the trapdoorand flies straight up to a height of 20 feet (ashigh as he can reach in a single move, due to havingto squeeze through the trapdoor). From there, hebreathes on as much of the party as he can withoutcatching his allies in the blast.The orc and the homunculus charge into melee,though they attempt to stay at the periphery of thegroup, leaving room for the dragon to breathe. If at allpossible, they focus on a single PC (flanking if spaceallows), unless doing so causes one of them to beflanked in turn.Round 2: Khekolak drops to the ground andengages in melee with the PCs. The young whiteis looking to prove himself; thus, he attacks thetoughest-looking martial character, rather than amore tactically sound enemy. The orc and the irondefender continue to fight, though the homunculustries to move to the dragon’s side.Round 3+: The white dragon remains in meleecombat (though he switches to his breath weapon inany round when it recharges, and uses frightful presencewhen he can hit the greatest number of enemies)until he is bloodied. On his first turn after beingbloodied, Khekolak takes to the air, hoping to lure theparty after him and move the fight outside or into thecourtyard. When he is out in the open, the dragonattempts to stay near the edge of the party, landing todeliver melee attacks against a lone character, thentaking off once more if the others approach. He continuesto fight, alternating between these hit-and-runmelee attacks and his breath weapon (when possible),until reduced to 10 hit points. If that occurs, thedragon attempts to flee, either flying off into the skyor diving into the hidden passage, whichever seemsmost tactically advantageous.The orc and the iron defender continue to fightuntil slain.Features of the AreaIllumination: This encounter takes place in aruined tower, so the illumination corresponds to thetime of day.Cliff: Anyone who falls (or is pushed) off theedge of the hill falls 30 feet and takes normal fallingdamage.Doorways: The doorways lead to the top of thewall (see area 13). They are brittle and weak; thoughthey are barred, they are treated as standard woodendoors (DC 16 to break through).Precarious Walkways: The open tops of thetowers are wide enough to walk on and even fightfrom, but they are old and crumbling. They are considereddifficult terrain. Maneuvering atop thesewalls requires a DC 11 Acrobatics check.Secret Door: A secret trapdoor in the floor leadsto a narrow underground passage that connects areas3, 10, and 11 to the open pit in area 12. (The passagesare not shown on the map.) Normally, the DCto detect this secret door is 24, but because Khekolakleft it open a crack to peer through, the DC is 22before the fight. After the dragon emerges, the trapdoorcan be found automatically.ConclusionUpon the death or defeat of Khekolak, the town ofYevn Raeach is free of his depredations. The PCs cancontinue exploring the castle ruins, gathering treasuresand facing additional foes, but their ultimateobjective is complete.FROM BELOWIf the PCs approach the tower from the undergroundpassage, roll a Perception check to determine whetherKhekolak hears them coming. (If they make no effort tobe stealthy, assume that he needs to make only a DC 10check.) If the dragon detects their approach, he waits forthem on the surface, prepared to ambush them as soonas they emerge from the trapdoor (or to yank the dooropen and breathe on them if they start messing with histreasure). If Khekolak does not detect their approach,the PCs catch him curled up beneath the trapdoor. Hestill bursts through, taking the fight up into the tower,but the PCs might be able to launch a round of attacksbefore he can do so.THE RUINS OF CASTLE KORVALDCHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs101
CLIFFSIDE LAIRA lair for five 6th-level adventurersFor decades, the most reliable route through theThreshold Mountains was Durgen’s Pass, a highmountain valley defended by dwarf stalwarts andprotected by centuries-old fortifications constructedon either side to stanch the flood of kobold raidersand goblinoid bandits. However, the days of prosperityand safety have ended, the vigilant defenders deador scattered, the walls and keeps torn down, and theroute infested with despicable humanoids—for a newmaster has claimed these heights.HistoryThe Threshold Mountains have an unsavory reputationas a place haunted by tribes of kobolds, goblins,and worse. Descending from their mountain homes,the humanoids harassed the communities on thelower slopes, carrying off livestock and slaves intheir near-constant drive for plunder. The situationchanged when Durgen, a dwarf hero, came to themountains with a company of bold warriors intenton reclaiming a lost dwarven city somewhere in thepeaks. The residents welcomed the dwarves andpromised to support their efforts if they would dealwith the raiders and reopen the pass. After just afew years, the dwarves pushed back the infestation,cleared the route, and established themselves as itsprotectors in exchange for a modest fee from travelersand the ongoing support of the nearby communities.The dwarves’ success ushered in a period ofrelative safety and stability for the area, and commerceflowed through the mountains once more.The ko bolds and other mountain denizens strove toremove the dwarves, sabotaging their work to maintainthe peace, but each time, the creatures’ effortsmet with failure. Nursing their hatred and filled withrage at the dwarven presence, the kobolds hatched anew plan to return the mountains to their rule.The kobolds believed that the only way they coulddefeat the dwarves was to gain the help of somethingfar bigger than themselves. What they needed wasa dragon—specifically, a big, powerful, nasty dragon.To this end, a group set out to steal a dragon egg andbring it back to their mountain caves, where theycould hatch it and raise the creature to serve theirneeds. Against all odds, the kobolds managed to pulloff this feat. They found an egg in a gray dragon’s lairand brought it back to their tribe. However, beforethey could hatch the egg, its vicious mother, Caustrex,noticed its absence. By following the sour stink of thekobolds, she discovered their community and slaughteredthe tribe until only a few remained.Caustrex might have quit her rampage andreturned to her own lair, but she found the mountaincaves to her liking. They were defensible, and theremaining kobolds could prove useful servants. Shespared the survivors in exchange for their fealty butquestioned why they had stolen her egg in the firstplace. The kobolds revealed their sorry tale. Sensing athreat in the dwarves and having no interest in allowingtraffic through her newly claimed mountains,Caustrex flew off to slay the defenders. She madeshort work of them, and soon after, the pass fell oncemore into the hands of the kobolds. The raiding hasbegun anew, this time to do the bidding of the newmistress of the mountains.EnvironmentCaustrex’s lair sprawls through the cliff walls of a boxcanyon in the Threshold Mountains. The dragon’s lairhas the following features throughout except whereotherwise indicated.✦ The canyon floor is relatively clear, but piles ofrubble and scree scattered near the cave mouthsas indicated on the map count as difficult terrain.✦ The various rock formations outside the cavesystem and the cliff walls count as rough surfaces.Climbing them requires a DC 20 Athletics check.✦ The cave interiors are stone but covered in a thinlayer of dirt to provide good footing. However,the complex contains numerous elevation shifts.Climbing to a different elevation requires a DC 10Athletics check.✦ All caves and tunnels are as tall as they are wide.✦ All uninhabited tunnels and rooms are dark.✦ The place stinks of soot and dung, mixed with thedistinctive sour odor of the kobold inhabitants.Approaching the LairWhen the PCs enter the canyon and approachthe cliffs, read:As you follow the swift river into the canyon, a thunderingroar reaches your ears. Beyond two large rock formations,you see a pool of frothing water gathering at the base of acliff wall, fed by a rushing torrent of water that spills downfrom a wide cave far above. Shadows cloak much of thewalls, almost hiding the numerous pocks and dimples inits face.The large towers of rock rise up from the canyonfloor and cast much of the area into shadow. The rockformations form arches that provide shelter from thecaves looking down from above. Kobolds watch from102CHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs
- Page 1 and 2:
DragonsCruelandCunningThe evil and
- Page 3:
CREDITSDesignBruce R. Cordell (lead
- Page 7 and 8:
ORIGINSOnly the most arrogant enthu
- Page 9:
describe every ingredient of a stew
- Page 12 and 13:
In truth, “breath weapon” is a
- Page 15 and 16:
Elder dragons lay eggs less often t
- Page 17 and 18:
Also at this age, dragons begin to
- Page 19 and 20:
OUTLOOK AND PSYCHOLOGYThe true secr
- Page 21 and 22:
20As to where this drive might come
- Page 23 and 24:
these prideful, territorial creatur
- Page 25 and 26:
series of novels, the armies of Tak
- Page 27 and 28:
NamingDragons have a long history o
- Page 29 and 30:
28MeloraMelora is the deity of the
- Page 31 and 32:
observer of the world. When dragons
- Page 33 and 34:
Blue DragonsBlue dragons, also know
- Page 35 and 36:
combat, all for a chance to bite a
- Page 37 and 38:
thrill or challenge for the chase.
- Page 39 and 40:
part with their wealth as any other
- Page 41 and 42:
might lay their eggs in places wher
- Page 43 and 44:
42backgrounds—with the possible e
- Page 45:
CHAPTER 2DM’s Guide to Dragons2Th
- Page 48 and 49:
Tactics: The brown dragon opens wit
- Page 50 and 51:
challenge takes a -2 penalty until
- Page 52 and 53: Countermeasures✦ An adjacent char
- Page 54: within the ranks step forward to ta
- Page 59 and 60: of thieves. Between the thieves’
- Page 61 and 62: The final challenge of the campaign
- Page 63 and 64: a dragon can have acquired treasure
- Page 65 and 66: of 500 casks of dwarven ale doesn
- Page 67 and 68: Defining Art Objects: When designin
- Page 69 and 70: Materials: A quick examination of t
- Page 71 and 72: 70worth a few hundred gold pieces o
- Page 73 and 74: 72there’s no guarantee that the m
- Page 75 and 76: LEVEL 14 (MONETARY TREASURE 12,000
- Page 77 and 78: LEVEL 30 (MONETARY TREASURE 1,900,0
- Page 79 and 80: If the owner deliberately seeks out
- Page 81 and 82: Moving On“I have become one with
- Page 83 and 84: Unconquered Standardof ArkhosiaThe
- Page 85 and 86: determines the DC for the Arcana ch
- Page 87 and 88: Your Arcana check result determines
- Page 89 and 90: that ritual. The brain of a wyrmlin
- Page 91: CHAPTER 3Dragon Lairs3The vampire l
- Page 94 and 95: in a humanoid community, it prefers
- Page 96 and 97: Unless discovered, the homunculi do
- Page 98 and 99: THE RUINS OF CASTLE KORVALDCHAPTER
- Page 100 and 101: THE RUINS OF CASTLE KORVALDJASON A.
- Page 104 and 105: several caves (areas 6 and 7) for i
- Page 106 and 107: CHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs105
- Page 108 and 109: TacticsThe sentries employ common k
- Page 110 and 111: Kobold Wyrmpriest (W) Level 3 Artil
- Page 112 and 113: colored water on the map) is challe
- Page 114 and 115: CHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs113
- Page 116 and 117: Eladrin Twilight Incanter (I) Level
- Page 118 and 119: to the other side of the PCs, if po
- Page 120 and 121: Area 1: The Winding PathQuite a few
- Page 122 and 123: WHERE SHADOWS FALLCHAPTER 3 | Drago
- Page 124 and 125: 3 Bodak Skulks (S) Level 16 LurkerM
- Page 126 and 127: 2 Sword Wraiths (S) Level 17 Lurker
- Page 128 and 129: is finally slain or defeated. That
- Page 130 and 131: HEART OF DARKNESSCHAPTER 3 | Dragon
- Page 132 and 133: JASON A. ENGLEOrukurtz (O)Level 19
- Page 134 and 135: 2 Firebred Hell Hounds (H) Level 17
- Page 136 and 137: EnvironmentHellkiln is a violent is
- Page 138 and 139: CHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs137
- Page 140 and 141: 2 Azer Ragers (R) Level 15 BruteMed
- Page 142 and 143: TacticsInfernus is a formidable opp
- Page 144 and 145: Perception CheckDC 37: A thin seam
- Page 146 and 147: CHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lairs145
- Page 148 and 149: Hellish HalberdLevel 25 Elite Obsta
- Page 150 and 151: Jaws of DeathLevel 25 Elite LurkerT
- Page 152 and 153:
exists on the islands, but only in
- Page 154 and 155:
ABYSSAL LAIRCHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lair
- Page 156 and 157:
TacticsAn attack shocks Anthraxin,
- Page 158 and 159:
2 Goristros (G) Level 19 Elite Brut
- Page 160 and 161:
Five-Headed TrapLevel 30 BlasterTra
- Page 162 and 163:
REGNANT FANECHAPTER 3 | Dragon Lair
- Page 164 and 165:
REGNANT FANETacticsThe guardians fi
- Page 166 and 167:
2 Champions of Tiamat (C) Level 26
- Page 169 and 170:
168Chromatic DragonsBrown, gray, an
- Page 171 and 172:
space for seasonings, including sea
- Page 173 and 174:
172GRAY DRAGONGRAY DRAGONS ARE THE
- Page 175 and 176:
Adult Gray DragonLevel 12 Solo Sold
- Page 177 and 178:
176
- Page 179 and 180:
Ancient Purple Dragon Level 28 Solo
- Page 181 and 182:
180Level 2 Encounter (XP 650)✦ 1
- Page 183 and 184:
Gray Dragon WyrmlingLIKE THEIR ELDE
- Page 185 and 186:
Purple DragonWyrmlingPURPLE DRAGON
- Page 187 and 188:
Red Dragon WyrmlingTacticsA red wyr
- Page 189 and 190:
Planar Dragons188Sometimes chromati
- Page 191 and 192:
190scales tipped in bronze, red, or
- Page 193 and 194:
A blazewyrm values its own life les
- Page 195 and 196:
Pyroclastic DragonNO DRAGON BETTER
- Page 197 and 198:
Faerie Dragon FlitterwingTacticsA f
- Page 199 and 200:
SHADOWFELL DRAGONSThe dragons of th
- Page 201 and 202:
Undead DragonsLong-lived as they ar
- Page 203 and 204:
Icewrought Dracolich Level 16 Solo
- Page 205 and 206:
204to create draconic wraiths, but
- Page 207 and 208:
Deathless HungerA DRAGON’S BODY B
- Page 209 and 210:
SiegewyrmTHE LARGEST OF THE DRACONI
- Page 211 and 212:
Other CreaturesThis section present
- Page 213 and 214:
DRACONIC PARASITEEven dragons are n
- Page 215 and 216:
DRAGONBORNSOME DRAGONBORN FIND TIAM
- Page 217 and 218:
(preferably dealing extra damage wi
- Page 219 and 220:
DRAGONSPAWNDragonspawn are savage m
- Page 221 and 222:
screams with well-placed turns of r
- Page 223 and 224:
DRAKETheir reptilian appearance cau
- Page 225 and 226:
KOBOLDKobolds are devious creatures
- Page 227 and 228:
Dragonkin KoboldsTHESE KOBOLDS TURN
- Page 229 and 230:
LIVING BREATHA POWERFUL DRAGON CAN
- Page 231 and 232:
SQUAMOUS THINGSQUAMOUS THINGS ARE A
- Page 233 and 234:
Dragon Hall of FameOver the history
- Page 235 and 236:
CYAN BLOODBANEOF ALL THE GREEN DRAG
- Page 237 and 238:
DRAGOTHAIN THE SHADOW OF FABLED WHI
- Page 239 and 240:
GULGOLDEEP IN THE SWAMPS OF A MARSH
- Page 241 and 242:
NEFERMANDIASDRY WINDS AND HOT SAND
- Page 243 and 244:
RIMEINHABITANTS OF THE FAR-FLUNG NO
- Page 245 and 246:
TIAMATTIAMAT IS THE EVIL GOD OF WEA
- Page 247 and 248:
246Aspect of TiamatTiamat is able t
- Page 249 and 250:
ZEBUKIELIN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE WA
- Page 251 and 252:
TemplatesAs described in the Dungeo
- Page 253 and 254:
C Acid Spray (immediate reaction, w
- Page 255 and 256:
In place of frightful presence, the
- Page 257:
The high-stakes game of chance pref