Monster Monday: Zahhak - Snake-Filled Three-Headed Dragon

"When the Hero burst into the throne room, the wicked King Dahag was feeding the snakes sprouting from his shoulders - the snakes it was forbidden on pain of death to speak of or even look at. Dahag's guards rushed forward, shamshirs flashing silver, four-mirrored armor blazing with reflected flames. The Hero kicked over a brazier, scattering hot coals toward the guards, then leapt over the fire and met them blade-to-blade. His sword crackled with magic as he swept it through the servants of the divs, parting mail rings and biting into cursed flesh. 

   "Sword dripping with black blood, the Hero advanced on the throne, there to smite the wicked king. As he raised his gleaming sword, the king exploded. In his place towered a massive black serpent, bloated and venomous, with three swaying dragon heads. The creature that was the king struck. The Hero dodged the first head and parried the second, but the third struck true. Long fangs bit through his armor and acrid poison spread through his body. He rolled forward to avoid the next attack and slashed at the underbelly of the monster, opening up a huge gash in the creature's flesh. Instead of hot blood, dozens of venomous snakes poured out of the wound, swarming around the Hero. 

   "This fight would not be easy. But this was the Hero's last chance to slay the wicked king and forestall a thousand years of unholy terror."

Today's Monster Monday is the zahhak, a three-headed dragon from ancient Persian mythology whose body is filled with venomous snakes. Not only does this beast bleed snakes (metal af), but it can shapeshift into a humanoid form, the better to further its plans of conquest and domination.

Aži Dahāka, also known as Dahāg, appears in the ancient Zoroastrian text Avesta as a three-headed beast who rules the land for one thousand years until the hero Fereydun defeated him and, finding that his wounds unleashed poisonous creatures into the world, bound him within a mountain instead of killing him outright. Aži Dahāka's name, or some variation of it, became the word for dragon in many Persian-influenced Middle Eastern languages.

In the Shahnameh, the thousand-year-old Islamic Persian epic poem, the figure appears as Zahhāk, an evil king cursed with two serpents emerging from his shoulders. The epic tells how Zahhāk overthrew and sawed in half the hero-king Jamshid, took his beautiful daughters captive, and ruled for centuries until he was overthrown by the hero Fereydun.

via Wikimedia

Zahhak enthroned with the daughters of Jamshid, from a 1615 copy of the Shahnameh

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2018 Jonah Bomgaars.

This three-headed serpent spreads its massive black wings,

its skin writhing as if stuffed with a million snakes.

Zahhak         CR 11

XP 12,800

CE Huge dragon

Init +5; Senses low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +24

Aura despair (60 ft., paralyzed for 1d4 rounds, Will DC 18 negates)

DEFENSE

AC 26, touch 9, flat-footed 25 (+1 Dex, -2 size, +17 natural)

hp 149 (13d12+65)

Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +12

DR 10/magic and slashing; Immune paralysis, poison, sleep

Defensive Abilities snake blooded, death throes

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)

Melee 3 bites +18 (2d6+10 plus poison and grab), 2 wings +16 (1d8+3), tail slap +16 (2d6+3)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks swallow whole (4d6 damage plus poison)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10^th)

   3/day – vomit swarm (venomous snake swarm)

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 15

Base Atk +13; CMB +22 (+26 grapple); CMD 33

Feats Alertness, Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Multiattack

Skills Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Fly +13, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (nobility) +18, Perception +24, Sense Motive +24, Stealth +9

Languages Common, Draconic, Abyssal

SQ change shape (humanoid)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Death Throes (Su)

When a zahhak is slain, its body bursts open and 2d4 venomous snake swarms pour out.

Despair (Su)

All creatures within a 60-foot radius that see a zahhak must make a DC 18 Will save or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by the same zahhak’s despair ability for 24 hours. This is a paralysis and a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Poison (Ex)

Bite or Swallow Whole – injury; save Fort DC 21; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Snake Blooded (Su)

Every slashing attack that deals 15 or more damage to the zahhak unleashes a swarm of snakes (venomous snake swarm, CR 4). If the attacker is adjacent to the zahhak, they immediately take swarm damage as the snakes pour over them. Whenever the zahhak takes bleed damage, all snake swarms within 60 feet of it gain fast healing equal to the bleed damage. Any snake swarms generated by the zahhak are not under the zahhak’s control, but they are considered hostile to all living creatures except the zahhak.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm mountains

Organization solitary

Treasure triple

A zahhak is a great, three-headed flying serpent whose body is full of millions of snakes waiting to burst forth and plague the earth. These monstrous dragons are no mere beasts – they seek to dominate all life around them with an unquenchable lust for power. To these ends, a zahhak sometimes takes humanoid form in order to better rule a mortal kingdom, but whatever form they take, there are always two black snakes sprouting from their shoulders.

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Plot Hooks and Encounter Ideas

• Rumor has it that the new Emperor has a secret - two black serpents growing out of his shoulders. Could this be the reason for his wicked ways?
• According to legend, a great black serpent has been imprisoned in the mountains with a great treasure. But the people say that its three-headed figure has been seen flying over the land. Someone must find his legendary prison and determine whether or not its prisoner is still bound therein.

-your snake-blooded d20 despot

🎵Well, I'm snake-blooded, check it and see
I got a bunch of snakes inside of me
Come on baby, let me conquer your lands
I'm snake-blooded, I'm snake-blooded🎵