A-Z Blogging challenge

D is for Dracolyte

Dracolyte

No. Enc.: 1 (1d8)
Alignment: Any
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 2 (2 claws or weapon)
Damage: 1d6 or weapon
Save: F4
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XII
XP: 460

Dragons are usually sought out for the fabulous riches they amass in their lairs, but not all their wealth comes in the form of gold or precious stones. On occasion some daring adventurers try to subdue one of these mighty wyrms, not to claim its possessions nor to slay the beast, but to learn the ancient secrets of the world and of eternal youth, which these creatures have learned during the long centuries and millennia of their immortal lives. Needless to say, few of them ever gain any valuable insights, as the cunning, age-old dragons do not take kindly to being coerced.

More successful are those, who instead offer a dragon their body, mind and life in service, in return for but a glimpse of the vast stores of knowledge the dragon has acquired. If the dragon deems them useful enough, he will accept the supplicant as one of his thralls. By ingesting a small portion of the dragon’s blood, a profound physical and mental transformation takes place. It creates a telepathic link between dragon and servitor, allowing two-way communication even far removed, as well as allowing the dragon to take over the body of the thrall completely if he so wishes. The skin of the dracolyte changes into a leathery epidermis, the bodily changes granting both improved endurance as well as an unnaturally long lifespan. Some of these changelings undergo even greater alterations (1d6: 1. Draconic head: can breath fire three times a day, 10’ cone dealing 3d6 damage; 2. Draconic wings: can fly 120’ (40’); 3. Draconic talons: deal 2d4 damage; 4. Draconic scales: AC of 0; 5. Draconic tail: gain third attack per round dealing 1d6 damage; 6. roll twice.)

In return for learning snippets of the dragon’s wisdom (a long process, as the wary dragons keep their most prized secrets to themselves), the thrall agrees to act as the eyes and ears of the dragon or his representative, in places where the dragon’s presence would be impossible. Due to their aberrant forms, the dracolyte usually travels in disguise, and rarely socializes but with others of his kind in his master’s lair.