dragon-magic-oef

CHAPTER 5
DRACONIC
CAMPAIGNS
mobility are less of an advantage, but by the same token, the
PCs have little hope of getting away from him during a fight.
He is likely the most powerful foe they’ve ever faced.
Heldrivor’s only interest is passing through the gate to
the dragonfont, and while he fights the PCs wholeheartedly,
he doesn’t pursue them if they flee. However, if the characters
return to the shrine later, the red dragon sees them
as a persistent threat and chases them if they retreat again.
As a result, most of the fight is likely to take place in the
shrine’s maze.
Heldrivor CR 14
Male young adult red dragon sorcerer 1
CE Huge dragon (fire)
Init +4; Senses blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., low-light
vision (4 × human); Listen +20, Spot +20
Aura corrupting presence (150 ft., DC 21)
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27
(–2 size, +18 natural, +1 insight)
hp 225 (20 HD); DR 5/magic
SR 19
Immune fire, sleep, paralysis; detect thoughts, discern lies
(ring of mind shielding)
Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +16
Weakness vulnerability to cold
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 150 ft. (poor)
Melee bite +22 (3d8+15/19–20) and
2 claws +20/+20 (2d6+10) and
2 wings +20/+20 (1d8+10) and
1 tail slap +20 (2d6+20)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft., 15 ft. with bite
Base Atk +19; Grp +37
Atk Options bull rush (1d20+22 Str check), Combat Reflexes,
Power Attack (–5 attack/+5 damage included above)
Special Actions breath weapon, crush
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 6th):
3rd (3/day)—ferocity of sanguine rage†
2nd (6/day)—dragoneye rune†, web (DC 14)
1st (7/day)—magic missile, ray of enfeeblement
(+17 ranged touch), shield, true strike
0 (6/day)—arcane mark, detect magic, detect poison,
mending, open/close, prestidigitation, read magic
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th):
3/day—detect thoughts (DC 14; replaces normal locate
object spell-like ability)
Abilities Str 31, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Bull Rush, Improved
Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural
Attack (bite), Multiattack, Power Attack
Skills Concentration +20, Intimidate +20, Knowledge
(arcana) +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Listen +20, Search
+20, Sense Motive +27, Spellcraft +20, Spot +20
Possessions combat gear plus ring of mind shielding, rod of
metal and mineral detection, dusty rose ioun stone, 150 pp
(embedded in wings), 3,325 gp (embedded in sides and
belly), 5 star rubies (1,000 gp each, embedded in chest),
65 bloodstones (50 gp each, embedded along spine)
Corrupting Presence (Ex) Whenever Heldrivor attacks,
charges, or flies overhead, creatures within 150 feet that
have 19 HD or fewer become sickened for 2d6 rounds.
Creatures with 4 or fewer HD instead become nauseated
for 2d6 rounds. A DC 21 Fortitude save negates this
effect and renders the creature immune to Heldrivor’s
corrupting presence for 24 hours. Other dragons ignore
the corrupting presence. This ability replaces Heldrivor’s
frightful presence.
Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, 50-ft. cone,
10d10 fire, Reflex DC 24.
Crush (Ex) When flying or jumping, as a standard action,
Heldrivor can land on targets who are three or more size
categories smaller than him, using his whole body to
crush them. Targets must make a successful DC 24 Reflex
save or be pinned, automatically taking 2d8+15 points of
bludgeoning damage in the next round and in each
subsequent round that they remain pinned. See MM 68
for more details.
Hook Arrogant, thinks of everything as a game of hide and
seek
Tactics: Heldrivor treats any fight as a game of hide and
seek, proudly claiming to have “found” foes before engulfing
them in flame or attacking them. His bite is his most
potent weapon, and if at all possible, he threatens multiple
foes with its extended reach. He uses bull rush to push
opponents around the battlefield, particularly when he can
put a vulnerable back-rank enemy within reach by doing so.
When possible, he uses detect thoughts before a fight begins
to gauge enemy strengths.
Developments: If Heldrivor is defeated but escapes, he
becomes an implacable foe, sending minions to harass the
PCs and working against their goals just to stymie them. If
he drives off the characters, it gets him no closer to accessing
the dragonfont. Given as much as a week, he can have his
minions kidnap a good-aligned dragon and force it to open
the gate. However, if the PCs manage to delay him for at least
two weeks, Amaravine finally arrives with enough allies to
convince Heldrivor to flee.
Treasure: Heldrivor has no treasure other than what he
carries and has embedded in his hide.
6. The Dragonfont
This vast, rough chamber of rock seems neither finished nor abandoned,
as the rest of the shrine does. A rich azure light illuminates
the room, emanating from a glowing form in the middle of the
chamber. The form seems to be a dragon made of pure blue energy,
but its shape and size constantly shift and flow. The form seems
almost liquid, and deep within it you can see small motes of bright,
white light. Beyond the glowing form, an enormous draconic skeleton
lays on the floor, unmoving.
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