Excerpt from Drakes & Wyverns: A Study of Dragon-Kind's Lesser Cousins by Lord Jacobus Harweldt:
"But of the many species of drake, none can be considered more vexing to herdsman of this region than the cave drake, or 'bat dragon' as it is erroneously called by those less well-versed in dragonology. The cave drake is unusual for living deep underground but emerging to hunt on the surface at night. Its pitch-black scales make it quite difficult for watchmen to spot, giving it easy access to sleeping herds. It seems to have no need of light, preferring to strike dark fields on moonless nights. While darkvision may account for some of its nocturnal acuity, I believe it is able to navigate and locate prey through sound, rather like a bat. Having been given the rare opportunity to study a cave drake cadaver, I can testify that the drake's external ear-like structures not only resemble a bat's ears, but when comparing their ear canals to those of a giant bat (specially procured for this very purpose), a number of striking similarities bear mentioning...
...Those adventurers who finally entered its lair described it to me as a foul charnel house. The floor, they said, was littered with partial cow and sheep carcasses in various states of decay and consumption. It appears that this cave drake had staked out such an ideal hunting ground that it could afford to eat only the choicest parts of its prey, leaving the rest to rot. It was the presence of such a large concentration of decaying flesh that must surely account for the adventurers' encounters with unusually large amounts of vicious subterranean scavengers on their way into the cave. This certainly aids the cave drake in the defense of its lair, helping to ensure that it is not discovered by spelunkers during the day while it slumbers, though how much of this is pure accident and how much the cunning of this draconic beast remains up for debate."
The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2016 Jonah Bomgaars.
This sleek black reptilian creature has
flared bat-like ears and nostrils and leathery wings.
Cave Drake CR 7
XP 3,200
NE Large dragon
(subtype)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, darkvision 60
ft., blindsight 120 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+2
Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 84 (8d12+32)
Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +7
Immune sonic, paralysis, sleep
Weaknesses light blindness
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
(average)
Melee bite +13 (2d6+6 plus 1d6 bleed),
tail slap +8 (1d8+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks sonic burst
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 7
Base Atk +8; CMB +15; CMD 27
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved
Initiative, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Climb +22, Fly +8, Intimidate +6,
Perception +9, Stealth +14; Racial
Modifiers +8 Stealth
Languages Draconic
SQ speed surge
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Sonic Burst (Ex)
As a
standard action, a cave drake can unleash a burst of concentrated sound from
its mouth. All creatures in a 30 ft.
cone take 6d6 points of sonic damage and are stunned for 1 round (a DC 18
Fortitude save reduces the damage by half and negates the stunned condition). In addition, all creatures within a 30 ft.
radius must make an additional DC 18 Fortitude save or be deafened for 1
minute; deafened creatures receive a +2 to saves against subsequent uses of the
sonic burst special ability. Once a cave
drake has used its sonic burst, it cannot do so again for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Speed Surge (Ex)
Three times
per day as a swift action, a cave drake can call on its draconic heritage for a
burst of speed and strength that allows it to make an additional move action
that round.
ECOLOGY
Environment any hills or mountains, underground
Organization solitary, pair, or rampage
(3-12)
Treasure standard
Cave drakes are gaunt draconic creatures
that hunt at night. They are covered in
matte black scales that make them nearly invisible in the dark, and the leading
edges of their wings are coated with specialized serrated scales that cut
through the air and muffle the sound of their wing beats. While caves drakes can see in the dark, they
rely more on their echolocation to sense prey and potential danger. Their flared ears and nostrils, used for
detecting echoes, give their faces a decidedly bat-like appearance. Long hair-like scales - distributed across
their body but clustered especially around their snout and along their spine
and flanks – detect slight disturbances in the air, enhancing the cave drake’s
senses.
Cave drakes live deep in dark caves, but
venture out into the surface world at night to hunt. While hunting, they can deliver a deafening
burst of concentrated sound that stuns their prey, allowing them to swoop in
for the easy kill. The drakes have a
distinct preference for warm blood, using their long needle-like teeth to open
up gaping wounds in their prey. They
take their choicest kills back into their caves with them, where they can feast
at their leisure. Discarded carrion
stimulates the ecosystem of the caves and tunnels surrounding their lairs,
attracting subterranean scavengers and decomposers. The drakes often nest on the walls or
ceilings of their cave lairs, digging in to the stone with their strong talons
and solitary wing-claws. Cave drake eyes
are sensitive to light; they shun daylight and do not attack well-lit
settlements. Some cave drakes even
manage to find hunting grounds in the great caverns of the earth, thus never
having to risk being trapped on the surface at daybreak.
Cave drakes tend to grow to 14 feet in
length and weigh roughly 2,000 pounds.
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-your spelunking d20 despot
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