Vuldrog

Large Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 10d10+50 (94 hp),dying/dead –6/–20 Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 feet,fly 80 feet (good) AC: 19 (–1 size,+2 Dexterity,+8 natural),touch 11, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+18 Attack: Beak +14 melee (2d6+6) or talon +13 melee (1d6+4) Full Attack: Beak +14 melee (2d6+6) and 2 talons +11 melee (1d6+4) Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach:10 feet by 5 feet/10 feet) Special Attacks: Improved grab,pinned strike,powerful legs, rend (2d6+6) Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet,low-light vision Saves: Fort +12,Ref+9,Will +3 Abilities: Str 18,Dex 15,Con 20,Int 7,Wis 10,Cha 8 Skills: Spot* +7,Wilderness Survival +6 Feats: Combat Reflexes,Multiattack**,Power Attack,Power

Charge,Weapon Focus (beak),Weapon Specialization (beak)

Environment: Cold mountains Organization: Solitary,pair,or flock (3–12) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: Standard Advancement: 11–16 HD (Large);17–24 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: +4

**Denotes a feat from the MM.

Each ofthese winged beasts has thick,black feathers, long,clawed legs,a scaled torso,and a vicious beak that ends in a sharp point capable ofpunching through plate armor. The vuldrog’s serpentine neck allows it to impale an enemy on its beak,while its powerful legs can grasp and rend an opponent with ease.

Vuldrogs inhabit mountains and hills,though hunger can sometimes drive them to seek prey in lowland areas.They are predatory and vicious,preferring humanoid prey to simple animals because intelligent creatures provide them with more enjoyable displays ofpain and torment.They keep isolated aeries high in the mountains,usually within caves or under sheltered ledges accessible only by air.In these grim domains,they keep prey captive until they grow weary of playing with it.At that point,they finally devour their unfortunate victims.

Because vuldrogs place little value on gold,gems,and other treasures,their lairs contain many valuable items among the remains oftheir foes.During mating season, these beasts seek to impress potential partners with the piled bones and possessions oftheir victims.

Combat

A vuldrog prefers to swoop upon a victim,grasp him in its powerful talons,and whisk him away to its lair.Against armored opponents or trained warriors,a vuldrog uses its talons to hold a victim in place while attacking him with its vicious beak.Even the strongest warrior may have difficulty escaping a vuldrog’s clutches.

Vuldrogs usually target smaller creatures or those that lack any obvious weapons and armor.They generally try to attack from ambush,plummeting from the sky in a blur ofscales and feathers to claim their victims. * Skills (Ex): A vuldrog’s sharp eyes grant it a +4 racial bonus to all Spot checks.

Improved Grab (Ex): Ifa vuldrog hits an opponent with one talon attack,it can make a grapple attempt as a free action without provoking an attack ofopportunity.Ifa vuldrog pins a Medium or smaller creature,it can carry its victim offinto the air.

Pinned Strike (Ex): When grappling an opponent,a vuldrog can attack with its beak as a standard action.It gains a +4 competence bonus to this attack as it holds its opponent in place.Otherwise,this counts as a standard attack made against a grappled creature.

PowerfulLegs (Ex): A vuldrog’s legs are so heavily muscled that it gains its full Strength bonus to damage rolls when using its talons as secondary weapons rather than halfits Strength bonus.

Rend (Ex): Ifa vuldrog hits an opponent with both its talon attacks,it rips and tears for an additional 2d6+6 points ofdamage.

Vuldrog Society

While vuldrogs lack the intelligence to establish a sophisticated civilization,they do gather in a rough approximation ofa society.Usually,these creatures keep to themselves,but at times a powerful figure may appear among them to forge several into an organized group.Vuldrogs respect strength, durability,and skill in combat.Among themselves,they fight for the right to take mates and engage in sharp skirmishes for control ofchoice lairs.A vuldrog that loses any ofthese struggles has its wings torn offand is thrown from its cliff home by the victors.

Usually these struggles for power remain beyond the notice ofcivilized realms,but at times they can spill over to concern even the mightiest oflords.Vuldrogs make no distinction between creatures oftheir race and other creatures.A powerful warrior or spellcaster could conceivably defeat a band of vuldrogs,slay the leaders among them,and establish herself as their ruler.Many ambitious bandit lords and tyrants have used magic items that granted them the ability to fly in order to gain the services ofa powerful,aerial fighting force.

Vuldrog Encounter (EL 10)

Large flocks ofvuldrogs have swept in on the lowlands, attacking travelers seemingly at random.While the characters go about their business in town or while they are on the road between destinations,four vuldrogs descend upon them and attempt to carry offone oftheir number.

Ifthe characters defeat the beasts,they discover that similar attacks have occurred throughout the area,with many innocents having been kidnapped.The characters must track the flock to its distant lair,where they discover that a power-mad spellcaster has gained control ofthe beasts.The magister needs living sacrifices for a terrible ritual that will unlock the secret ofa strange,rune-covered staffshe uncovered in an ancient ruin.

Vuldrog Encounter (EL 6)

While traveling through the mountains,the characters come to a narrow path that curves along a rounded cliffface.If they are observant,they can note bones,broken weapons, and other debris at the cliff’s base 50 feet below them.This area is a preferred hunting ground for a vuldrog.The beast uses the narrow terrain to fight one traveler at a time,the curves in the path allowing it to attack a lone character as he moves around a corner on the trail.