dragon-magic-oef

CHAPTER 4
DRACONIC
BEASTS
Illus. by J. Zhang
124
the union is rarely pleasant. Following their mating, the
two velrocs typically fight over the eggs they produce,
each wanting to be the sole parent. By the time the
eggs finally hatch, one velroc has killed or driven
off the other. The victor provides food to the
young and teaches them how to hunt over the
course of several weeks. After that, the parent
usually abandons its offspring for fear that
they might try to kill the elder velroc for
dominance.
Upon reaching adulthood, most velrocs
strike out on their own and try to claim
as much territory as they can reasonably
defend. All other creatures are potential
enemies, particularly those that are also
territorial. Velrocs regard other sentient
beings as little more than beasts, and
many settlements have been destroyed by
a velroc seeking to seize more land. However,
there is one exception—velrocs will
not challenge true dragons over territory.
Rather, they seek to avoid dragons within their domain to
prevent conflict.
Environment: Velrocs prefer mountainous environments
and open plains where they can spot prey and swoop down
on it easily. A velroc’s hearing is better than its eyesight, so
they prefer to hunt at dawn and dusk, using their low-light
vision and enhanced hearing to their advantage. Most velrocs
nest in spacious areas where mountains or hills obscure the
sun during twilight hours, giving them a longer period of
time in which to hunt.
Typical Physical Characteristics: Most velrocs are about
the same size as juvenile or young adult dragons. Standing at
full height on its haunches, a velroc ranges from 10 to 14 feet
tall, with a wingspan of over 18 feet fully extended. Their
scales can be any color in the spectrum, though some velrocs
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VELROC LORE
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn
more about velrocs. When a character makes a skill
check, the following lore is revealed, including the
information from lower DCs.
Knowledge (arcana)
DC Result
22 Velrocs are tall, two-legged creatures resembling
dragons that hunt in open grassy areas, carrying off
small horses and people unlucky enough to travel at
dawn or dusk.
27 Velrocs are intelligent and often speak while swooping
down for the kill, taunting victims before carrying them
off to be devoured.
32 Velrocs don’t just resemble dragons—they are dragons
(reveal all traits of the dragon type) and are particularly
violent and vicious predators.
37 Velrocs have special powers to alter the way magic
works around them, giving them the ability to attack
even the most well-prepared spellcasters.
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Velroc
have mottled patterns that give their scales the appearance of
oil floating on water.
SOCIETY
Velrocs have no real society due to their highly territorial
nature. Males and females are equally powerful, and gender
plays little role in their interactions. On the rare occasions
where multiple velrocs come together to accomplish a
common goal, their dealings are marked by duplicity and
betrayal. Velrocs are prone to angry outbursts and have a hard
time holding onto their tempers in situations when it would
benefit them to do so. As a result, the creatures assault one
another almost as frequently as they betray one another.
TYPICAL TREASURE
Like other dragons, velrocs favor gold and jewels as treasure.
Award typical treasure as for a dragon of a comparable
Challenge Rating that is native to the area.
ADVANCED VELROCS
Velrocs of up to 20 Hit Dice are Large, while those that grow
to 21 to 30 Hit Dice are Huge (and are treated as Gargantuan
for the purpose of their Snatch feat). Usually, Huge velrocs are
found in areas with a strong presence of wild magic, which
encourages them to evolve beyond their peers.
VELROCS IN EBERRON
Unlike most other dragons in Eberron, velrocs can be found
almost anywhere on the continent. Particularly troublesome
on Khorvaire, velrocs take pleasure in wreaking havoc with
the magic used throughout the continent. Some velrocs enjoy
interfering with transit lines (such as the lightning rail), though
few venture anywhere close to major cities and outposts.