Dragon

Lairs... the places where dragons are most often found.

Sleeping in the open is rarely safe for a male dragon as they stalk and hunt each other whenever possible.  Draconic cannibalism is as much for the pleasure of domination as a point of social standing.  Draconic vengeance requires a very personal meal.  The remains and proof  of such are left for the draconic peoples to know.

A lair is not only a place to put all your best stuff, it’s also the best place for you to run to when threatened by another dragon.

A dragon will usually keep only a single lair.  Having two lairs means having more places to watch for burglars.  Traveling great distances back and forth between the two leaves you exposed to robbery.

As much as dragons need to leave their lairs to slay each other, they prefer to stay close by.  A lairing male dragon’s territory is most often dictated by how far he can travel out and back in a days time.  The lair must be defended.

It’s a purposeful tight fit at that.  A dragon typically will only flee to his lair when threatened by a larger dragon or some other powerful foe that’s able to out fly, out track, out maneuver and outfight a dragon.  The restricted space becomes advantageous to the smaller of the two draconic combatants.

With the wonderful gifts he will offer the mate he courts all kept deep inside his lair, it’s secrets must be kept perfectly hidden so that smaller dragons cannot slip inside to usurp his heap or attempt to steal his treasures.

Often useful magical treasures remain hidden but with “draconic force” they are activated from a distance.  This allows him to set off traps or restoratives to his benefit and as he pleases.  Often they will act as alarms, indicating where interlopers are or how deep into the lair they’ve reached.

Contrary to common belief, a dragon’s true lair is more of a tortoise burrow than a rabbit warren.  There is only a single exit.  The dragon feels his best chance in a desperate situation is to rely on his own strength and preparations.  They invariably flee deeper into their lair when in danger.

Although the dragon will retreat if forced or if it is advantageous, his ego urges him back into battle.  He cannot live with the shame of his own serpentine cowardice.  His mind possesses most any and all proficiencies available, he should be able to think or work his way out of any situation- he’s a dragon for Christ’s sake!

Seething with beastly and magical force, even moments of rest and contemplation can restore a dragon's resolve and return him to battle renewed and furious.

The only thing they aren’t good at is flying.  Most male dragons fly about as well as a kite.  That’s fine when you don’t have a flying threat but they are better off fighting on the ground if they must.

The fighting dragon changes between five postures as he battles, each posture offering a list of attacks, abilities, buffs and nerfs that makes one form better than another in various combat situations.

In addition, holding on to hp allows him to hold his posture and below a hp threshold he cannot hold a more costly posture.  Some postures even restore lost stamina.

Changing posture costs an action or all of his movement that round but movement actions such as leap or body slam may be used as actions or movement.

The dragon possesses breath weapons, claw, bite, grab, wing, tail and grab assaults in addition to his other skills and proficiencies.

The dragon is a living war machine.  He is not invincible, he is not invulnerable.  It’s his bulk and endurance that makes the serpent unstoppable in combat.

Here we see a typical adult male at the median size of thirty foot long and fifteen foot tall with a forty five foot wingspan that cannot be used to much advantage underground.

His steel like scales account for a deflection, evasion and cover akin to a skilled fighter in armor but moving twice as fast.  When a man fights a dragon, he mostly fights it’s hands as the beast attempts to out flank him and seize him with claws and fangs that leave wounds akin to sword blows.

**Slaying a dragon really just means beating him back into his lair three or four times or cornering him and beating five hundred or so hit points out of his armored hide. It should take less than two minutes of battle if you can last it.  Just don’t let up and don’t let him get his wings spread outside again.**

**Five hits averaging twenty hp each per round for about five  or ten rounds should do it.**

**The Dragon**

Eva 2 Def 3 cover10% Mv 30ft/rd (twice a mans)

HP 200 -hp200. 30ft long 15 ft tall 45ft wingspan

Penetration 4

Restorative Recovery

Retreat Restore 150hp twice before needing rest

Resting in Posture 10hp/rd

Contemplative in Posture 5mp/rd

Draconic Zeal suffers no ability or movement penalties in combat for having no hp.

Stat spread 17 + 1d6

Attacks

Tail lash add stumble

Grab grappling action

Claw action

Bite counter strike

Bite reaction

Body slam movement act

Leap movement act

Magic

MP 60

Breath 10yd 4d6 instant 15mp

Breath 15’ cone 30’ long 2d6/turn 5tn vs dive/save 20mp

Gust Wind congested terrain, field 1rd 15mp

Ancient sight genius level arcane lore ID 12mp

Dispel Enchanted D90, touch cost 5mp 30HP!

Smokescreen blind dumb slow, field 1rd 10mp

Draconic Vision conceal stealth cover down

**Feline posture-**

Beast mode requires 3/4hp or higher

**Crawling posture -**

Reptilian clawed crawl possible above 1/4hp

**Upright posture -**

Parlance stance  open anytime above 0hp

**Skulking posture -**

Ground hugging belly crawl anytime above 0hp

**Felled -** Recoiling below 1hp

Backpedaling bellycrawl, a coiled serpentine retreat posture

**Abilities**

Draconic voice

Tail lash add stumble

Grab grappling action

Claw action

Bite action

Bite reaction

Body slam movement act

Leap movement act

Block deflection reaction 1/rd action 3/rd

Change Posture movement action

Intimidate master level- terrify vs cha or bra

Improvised thrown weapon. 2d6 20yd R5

Draconic Breath

Draconic Vision

Lairs- get to know your neighborhood

Customizable homes for the elite are clawed into native earth, ice or stone.  Very nice but for better or worse you could have tenants.  Caves of any size could connect to intentionally tunneled mines or naturally occurring caverns.  These may be populated and they may even contain wild beasts who protect their territory for the dragon like trained guard dogs.

A keep or fortress built by humans is built small enough to defend easily.  The routes around the dragon's den can be closed off and the path made easily defended from larger dragons.  Heightened defenses are often sought out by smaller dragons.  Traps and trips can be made of the arms and supplies there and set off automatically or intentionally.  This is a place for cunning.  Reserve your flame for close quarters.

A temple or settlement from an ancient era may grant a dragon not only a feeling of home but a sense of wonder.  Small and compact or expansive in scope, the dragon prepares his place independent of the situation. This lair may be unexplored even by the dragon who resides there.  Lost magical neighbors may still reside there or they may have left things there that are still useful.  Magical treasures are the most precious.

Dragons Lair

Hero players will each be given a pool of 125xp and 50 hp to spend on their characters.  Each knows they are choosing to go into an active dragon's lair.

All the legends are true, but these legends must be slain to free humanity from bondage.  The dragon cult on the other hand slays dragons so that they can resurrect them as draco liches.

Their god is an undead dragon seeking to return to the world of men.

The dragons lair has traps and treasure within.  Choose five traps.  Each awards the party a treasure.  Choose one ambiance monster and populate any but your final room.

Pit trap - fall targets all melee attackers

Awa or spe check

Magic armor

Cage trap - single target don’t move

Awa or spe check 1d6+4 rd

Regen potion

Spear spring - targets the front or rear line

Agi or spe check

Magic spear

Ballista trap - heavy damage single target

Awa or agi check

Capture ballista

Cave in - whole party don’t move damage

Awa spe dive save

Magic shield

Dispel field - 9mp dispel

No dive save

Capture dispel rod

Lightning rod - 1-3 targets distribute dmg

No dive save

Capture lightning rod

Charm bracelet - charm target

Cha or brain check 1d6-1rd

Resist draconic voice except on a crit

Crown of domina - 2rd dominate target

Cha or sta check

Ignore draconic voice, party resists

Choking cloud - irritated senses

-3 penalty on all checks 1d6+4 rd

Resist 1hp per die of dragon breath

Life draining spirits take mp

Owlbears protect their nest

Animated plate mail guards his post

Kobold traps cause fumbles on rolls of 2

Spider webs create difficult terrain