Crested Serpent

Gargantuan Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 20d10+200 (310 hp),dying/dead –11/–30 Initiative: +1 Speed: 20 feet AC: 30 (–4 size,+1 Dexterity,+23 natural),touch 7, flat-footed 29 Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+43 Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d8+13) Full Attack: Bite +28 melee (4d8+13) and 2 claws +25 melee (1d10+5) Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach:10 feet by 10 feet/10 feet) Special Attacks: Coiled charge Special Qualities: DR 10/adamantine (or 20/+3),low-light vision,psychic bond,SR 30 Saves: Fort +22,Ref+13,Will +11 Abilities: Str 32,Dex 13,Con 30,Int 5,Wis 14,Cha 13 Skills: Listen +11,Spot +11,Wilderness Survival +7 Feats: Cleave,Defensive Move,Mobility,Multiattack*,

Power Attack,Power Charge,Weapon Focus (bite),

Weapon Specialization (bite)

Environment: Any temperate or warm Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: Standard Advancement: 21–30 HD (Gargantuan);31–50 HD (Colossal) Level Adjustment: +5

*Denotes a feat from the MM.

This four-legged,serpentine beast has a long,beaked mouth and a towering,jagged spur that runs from the base ofits neck to the crown ofits tail.Its thick blue scales glitter in the sun.A crested serpent attacks its prey by crushing it beneath an overwhelming charge.These creatures attack humanoids only when their young are threatened or when mating season causes them to become temperamental and aggressive.

Crested serpents usually keep to isolated forest areas,but inevitably they overhunt their home territory and must range farther afield to track down suitable prey.Their strength and ferocity in battle lead most travelers to avoid areas where they are rumored to hunt.Crushed trees,the shattered bones of prey,and other such signs are the best indicators oftheir presence.Wherever one ofthese beasts settles down,it quickly establishes itselfas the mightiest predator in the region.

Despite their reputation as terrible monsters,crested serpents only rarely hunt humanoid creatures.Usually they prefer to avoid such prey,since armored warriors and skilled mages are much more difficult to overcome than herd beasts. During their mating season,they become exceptionally aggressive and temperamental.They lash out at any perceived invasion oftheir hunting grounds and may attempt to claim additional territory to help impress potential mates.Ifa crested serpent lairs near civilized lands,it may attack border towns,ambush travelers and caravans,and wreck farmlands. These beasts mate only once each decade,but in some cases that delay between rampages merely provides settlers enough time to repair the damage dealt by the previous attack.

Crested serpents pose a vexing problem to settlers and others who dwell near them.Attacking these creatures in their lairs might prevent their depredations,but crested serpents are daunting foes.A failed attack might prompt one to become more aggressive than normal.Magical solutions offer the best hope,and many greenbonds use their spells to lead crested serpents to deserted regions or other areas where they can exist in peace.

The only thing more aggressive than a crested serpent seeking to improve its status during mating season is one whose young are threatened.A serpent protecting its offspring flies into a rage at the slightest hint ofinterlopers and works tirelessly to defeat would-be kidnappers and scavengers.Crested serpent hide is a valued material for forging weapons and armor.Since adult specimens are such dangerous opponents,some hunters try to corner and kill young serpents while the parents are away hunting.Unfortunately for such opportunists,crested serpents have a strong emotional and psychic bond with their young.Many outposts and border settlements have been reduced to rubble by a rampaging crested serpent in search ofits young or their remains.

Combat

In battle,a crested serpent folds its body over so that its beak latches onto a bony spur at its tail.It then rolls through its enemies,slicing them with its crest before unlocking its jaws to attack.Ifpossible,it makes repeated passes with its coiled charge attack,sweeping in to strike before slipping away from an enemy’s grasp.

Serpents usually employ direct,simple tactics.They continually roll through an area,hammering their opponents with their spines.Serpents rarely attack with their claws and bite unless cornered.

Coiled Charge (Ex): This fearsome attack is similar to a trample.A crested serpent throws itselfat its enemies,crushing them with its tremendous bulk and gashing them with its sharp,bony plate.The serpent may use a full-round action to take its normal charge movement.It gains the benefits ofany feats that modify its charge attack or distance as normal,though it can move through both enemies and allies that are Huge or smaller.Any creature’s space that the serpent completely covers during the course ofits movement is affected by the coiled charge attack.This attack deals 4d6+20 points ofslashing and bludgeoning damage.A Reflex save (DC 27) cuts this damage in half.

Creatures affected by this attack can choose to suffer a –4 penalty to their Reflex saves in order to make attacks of opportunity against the serpent.A target can never take damage from this ability more than once from the same serpent in a single round,even ifthe serpent moves back and forth over the target.

Psychic Bond (Su): Crested serpents have a natural psychic bond with their young.Some theorists believe that this affinity forms due to the unique properties ofthe serpents’ hides.In any case,a crested serpent can detect the location or the remains ofits young (ifthey have died) as long as the young are within 100 miles ofits current position.

Armor and Weapons

A crested serpent’s thick blue hide serves as an excellent material for weapons and armor.Though the hide is difficult to harvest (because doing so involves slaying the serpent), the price offered on the open market for serpent hide more than justifies the risk.

Serpent hide offers a variety ofbenefits when formed into armor and weapons.It has 8 hit points per inch ofthickness and hardness 8.In addition,serpent armor is lighter and easier to wear than mundane armor ofthe same type.It increases the maximum Dexterity modifier to AC by +2,reduces the armor check penalty by 2,and is halfthe normal weight. Serpent armor counts as masterwork armor due to the skill required to forge it,though it gains the bonuses given above rather than the standard benefits ofmasterwork quality.A suit ofserpent armor costs an additional 4,000 gp.

Weapons crafted from crested serpent hide are surprisingly effective.The hide holds an edge when properly treated.A weapon crafted from serpent hide costs an additional 50 gp and weighs halfas much as a normal weapon.

Crested Serpent Encounter (EL 10)

Reports filter into town ofa rampaging crested serpent following a straight path toward the town where the characters are staying.A 10th-level magister,eager to acquire crested serpent hide for a powerful item he seeks to forge,uncovered a serpent’s nest.He used his spells to approach it in secret, and cast teleport to escape with several ofthe serpent’s eggs. The enraged beast has tracked him to the town.The characters must find the magister’s workshop,reclaim the eggs, and return them to the serpent or move them to an unpopulated area before the monster descends upon the town. While the characters track the magister,the townsfolk descend into chaos as many people flee to the relative safety ofthe countryside and looters take advantage ofthe situation to rob and pillage as they wish.

The magister could be a well-respected member ofthe community.He deals in rare and powerful magic items and has used his wealth and charming manner to win support from many ofthe local elders.Even ifthe characters uncover his plans,they must convince others ofthe threat he has inadvertently brought upon the town.For his part,the magister is confident that the town’s defenders can destroy the monster.He is too blinded by his greed to see the impending disaster he has set into motion.