River Dragon

These cruel river dragons crawl from their wet shells an icy blue color highlighted by tiny white spines in rows along their backs and limbs. Their long sinuous bodies are powerfully muscled making them excellent swimmers. As they age and spend long periods lying amongst the rocks and mud at the bottoms of progressively deeper rivers their hides take on the coloration of the river they inhabit, be it mossy, muddy, or rocky as they become impregnated with those materials.

River dragons live in rivers; from cold mountain headwaters at young ages to wide deltas once older. They spend their long lives hiding underwater, controlling currents, overwhelming boats and capriciously drowning people. They tend to bury their hordes in caches and caves they dig at the bottom of their rivers and in cavernous aquifers.

Occasionally they will encounter another river dragon as they age and move slowly from their mountaintop springs to deeper waters. When these encounters take place they will generally fight for dominance and control of the river. Losers are slain if they cannot escape back upriver. On the occasions when they are of opposite sexes, mating may occur before or after the fight for dominance, and the victor will send the loser upriver to hide the eggs amongst the stones at the springs and headwaters of the river.

River Dragon, Young - Level 8 Controller
Large natural magical beast (dragon) - XP 350
Initiative + 7 Senses Perception +5; darkvision
HP 89; Bloodied 44
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflex 20, Will 20
Resist 5 cold
Speed 4, Swim 8

Powers
Bite(melee; standard; at-will)
+13 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). Cannot make bite attacks while grabbing a creature this way.

Breath weapon (close blast 5; standard; recharge 5,6)
+12 vs. Reflex; 3d8 + 5 cold damage, and the target is pushed 3 squares.

Maelstrom (area burst 2 within 10; standard; encounter)
+10 vs Reflex; 1d8 + 5 cold damage, and all affected creatures are immobilized (save ends) in powerful eddies. Each round they start their turn in the eddy, they take ongoing 4 cold damage.

Change Shape (minor; at-will) * Polymorph
A river drake can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual.

Alignment Evil - Languages Draconic, Common
Skills: Athletics +14, Bluff +12, Stealth +12
Str 20 (+9) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 12 (+5)
Con 17 (+7) Int 15 (+6) Cha 17 (+7)


Tactics: River dragons are rarely found out of their rivers, and use the water as cover from which to make quick strikes and then fade away.

River Dragon Lore: The following can be learned with an arcana check:
Arcana DC 10: These aquatic dragons are known to attack anything on their rivers without provocation.
Arcana DC 15: Highly adapted to the cold waters in which they are hatched, these dragons have some resistance to the cold. They can also control the waters of their rivers.
Arcana DC 20: These cruel dragons have the ability to mimic the shapes of people to trick their prey.

Barael

History: Barael has lived a long life of adventure. Born near the Linglew Wood to a woman who had traveled there to learn elven magic, he was a young man when Soguer fell. After many years wandering across the world, in and out of groups of companions, he found himself at the Temple of the Stars in the north of the Middle Kingdoms, where he fell in love with one of the priestesses there. In the years that followed he defended that place against the Anmagus Crusade and became a bitter enemy of the Shan'n'nur Inquisition.

Barael ✦ Level 19 Fighter (Kensei)
Medium natural humanoid (half-elf) ✦ XP 2,400

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Initiative +10 Senses Perception +11, low-light vision
HP 136; Bloodied 68; Healing Surge 34; Healing Surges: 11
AC 34; Fortitude 30, Reflex 28, Will 27
Resist 5 fire and necrotic
Speed 6
Action Points 1

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Powers

Basic Melee ✦ At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Barael's Blade +23 vs. AC; 1d10 + 14

At-Will Powers
Magic Missile ✦ At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
+17 vs. Reflex, 2d4 + 8,
Precise Strike ✦ At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon

Encounter Powers
Ray of Frost ✦ Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Thunderwave ✦ Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Griffon's Wrath ✦ Encounter ✦ Standard, Melee
Spectral Ram ✦ Encounter ✦ Standard, Ranged 10
Storm of Blows ✦ Encounter ✦ Standard, Melee
Force Volley ✦ Encounter ✦ Standard, Ranged 20

Daily Powers
Victorious Surge ✦ Daily ✦ Standard, Melee
Dragon's Fangs ✦ Daily ✦ Standard, Melee
Disintegrate ✦ Daily ✦ Standard Ranged 10

Utility Powers
Boundless Endurance ✦ Daily ✦ Minor, Stance
Unbreakable ✦ Daily ✦ Immediate Reaction, Personal
Into the Fray ✦ Daily ✦ Minor, Personal
Blur ✦ Daily ✦ Minor, Personal
Stoneskin ✦ Daily ✦ Standard, Touch

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Alignment Neutral Languages Common, Elven, Dwarven
Feats Arcane Initiate, Ritual Caster, Novice Power, Acolyte Power, Adept Power, Expanded Spellbook, Weapon Proficiency Bastard Sword, Weapon Focus Heavy Blades, Inescapable Force, Armor Specilization (Scale), Iron Will
Skills Arcana +18, Athletics +18, Diplomacy +12, Endurance +16, Insight +13, Streetwise +16
Str 20 (+14) Dex 13 (+10) Wis 14 (+11)
Con 14 (+11) Int 20 (+14) Cha 13 (+10)

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Equipment: Barael's Blade (+3 Witchblade), Black Iron Wyrmscale Armor +4, Orb of Reversed Polarities +3, Bracers of Defense (level 7), Winged Boots, Elven Cloak +4, Spellbook, Holy Symbol of Boccob, Adventurer's Backpack.



STATS as a 19th level NPC
19th level Fighter, Half-elf

Initiative +10 Senses Perception +11, low-light vision
HP 165; Bloodied 82; Healing Surge 41; Healing Surges: 11
AC 36; Fortitude 33, Reflex 30, Will 28
Speed 5
Action Points 1

Combat Challenge

Powers

At-Will
Basic Melee: witchblade + 21 vs AC, 1d10+12
Magic Missile: +20 vs Reflex, 2d4 + 11

Encounter
Thunderlance
Force Volley

Daily
Disintigrate
Greater Invisibility
Stoneskin

Skills: Arcana +18, Streetwise +15
Str 21 (+14) Dex 12 (+10) Wis 14 (+11)
Con 13 (+10) Int 19 (+13) Cha 11 (+10)
Gear: Scale Mail, +3 Witchblade, holy symbol of Boccob, spellbook

Barael's Blade

Witchblade - Level 9+
This sword is infused with arcane energy, and can cut the very fabric of magic.

Lvl 9 +2 4,200gp
Lvl 14 +3 21,000gp
Lvl 19 +4 105,000gp
Lvl 24 +5 525,000gp
Lvl 29 +6 2,625,000gp

Weapon: Light or heavy blade
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d6 force damage per plus

Power- Eldrich Parry (Encounter): Immediate Interrupt. When targeted by a power with the arcane keyword, use your melee basic attack bonus with the witchblade + 10 as your defense against the attack.

Power - Sever Spell (Daily): Standard. Intelligence vs. the Will defense of the creator of a conjuration or zone.
Hit: The conjuration or zone is destroyed. All its effects end, including those that normally last until a target saves.

History: Forged by the Crow Mage from shards of darkness, infused with the finest dwarven steel, and honed by his half-breed apprentice to near-vorpal sharpness, this blade was wielded by Barael, the famous bastard child of King Elespor Galdius.

It is said that it takes a warrior's hand and a wizard's mind to wield this blade and those crafted in it's image. The original Witch-blade has many special properties, and is a hand-and-a-half sword. It has the same dispelling and counterspelling properties that all witch-blades share. In addition, Barael's blade has a deadly thirst for the blood of those who lead the worship of abominations, such as the Spider Priests of the Shona'qua dark elves whom Barael repelled from the mountains of Abernath.

As its fame grew, the cultists of Shan'n'nur attempted to wrest this blade from Barael's possession in order to learn the secrets of it's construction. For many years the cult hounded him and would send agents after him whenever his travels brought him to the middle kingdoms.

The cult was never successful in subduing Barael or eliciting his cooperation, though they nearly succeeded once, when he was seduced by one of their agents. Eventually the leaders of the Shan'n'nur decided to abandon their efforts, as it was too great a drain on the organization's mediocre resources.

Years of research later, the Shan'n'nur duplicated the witch-blade effect with the help of Barael's old foe Faduardo Gantonín and began enchanting their long knives and swords with the property.