Source Monster Core pg. 110Hidden among the shadows and upper echelons of society are the conspirator dragons. These dragons are schemers, always looking to manipulate and control others, either for personal gain or simply for the thrill of watching their machinations play out. Conspirator dragons see themselves above others and typically speak with infantilizing tones and words. However, as most conspirator dragons meet others while in disguise, they do their best to maintain their disguise.
Dragon
Related Groups Dragon, Adamantine,
Dragon, Barrage,
Dragon, Bog,
Dragon, Brine,
Dragon, Cinder,
Dragon, Cloud,
Dragon, Coral,
Dragon, Crystal,
Dragon, Delight,
Dragon, Despair,
Dragon, Diabolic,
Dragon, Empyreal,
Dragon, Executor,
Dragon, Forest,
Dragon, Fortune,
Dragon, Horned,
Dragon, Magma,
Dragon, Mirage,
Dragon, Mocking,
Dragon, Oath,
Dragon, Omen,
Dragon, Phase,
Dragon, Requiem,
Dragon, Resurrection,
Dragon, Rime,
Dragon, Rune,
Dragon, Sage,
Dragon, Sea,
Dragon, Sky,
Dragon, Sovereign,
Dragon, Stormcrown,
Dragon, Time,
Dragon, Umbral,
Dragon, Underworld,
Dragon, Vizier,
Dragon, Vorpal,
Dragon, Wailing,
Dragon, Whisper,
Dragon, Wish,
Dragonet,
WyrmwraithDragons come in myriad forms, with many having magical abilities or connections to magic. Some dragons draw greater power from magic than others, allowing them to manifest abilities or alter their physiques with prolonged exposure to magic. These dragons become more powerful as they age and strengthen their connections with their magical origins. Scholars debate the classification of these dragons, with some preferring the name magical dragons and others using traditional dragons due to their connection to specific magical traditions. Regardless of their names, these dragons share a number of characteristics: their ability to tap into magical energies, intensified might and cunning as they grow older, and an inclination to hoard vast amounts of treasure and wealth.
Draconic Spellcasters
Each dragon features a sidebar on spellcasting dragons of that type. To make a dragon spellcaster, remove the dragon's Draconic Frenzy and Draconic Momentum abilities, and give them the spells outlined in their sidebar. You can swap out any number of these with other spells, provided you keep the same number of spells for each rank. You might also want to increase the dragon's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier by 1 or 2 to reflect their mastery of magic.
Alternate Abilities
Conspirator dragons often accrue a variety of talents in line with the story of their disguises, and more than any other dragon might choose to hone skills that serve them in their chosen guises at the cost of prowess in their draconic forms. Though most practice the art of subtle manipulation, a particularly brash dragon might play the part of a more physically violent puppet tyrant, content to openly leave power to simpering advisors while secretly manipulating their desires. Such a conspirator dragon might draw on abilities or feats from classes like the
barbarian,
fighter,
swashbuckler, or even
gunslinger to maintain the charade.
Most conspirator dragons, however, spend their days among the societies of other ancestries as advisors, confidants, and other such roles that hold the ear of those in power; thus, it’s most common to encounter conspirator dragons with affinities for diplomacy, planning, and subterfuge to better empower their designs. Such a conspirator dragon can easily be made by replacing their Draconic Frenzy, Retract Body, or Rushed Transformation abilities with one of the following options.
Apex Paranoids Conspirator dragons fear more than any one of them would admit; holding power comes with the fear that power will be lost or stolen. The dragon has the
quickened condition and can use the extra action only for Feint, Seek, and Sense Motive actions.
Mental Feedback [reaction] (
concentrate,
emotion,
mental,
occult)
Trigger A creature uses a magical
mental effect against the dragon;
Effect The dragon uses their mental blast against the triggering creature. On a critical hit, the mental effect is disrupted.
Obscure Revelations (
occult) When the dragon is subject to a
detection,
revelation, or
scrying effect, the GM rolls a secret
counteract check with a counteract rank of half the dragon’s level (rounded up) and a modifier equal to the dragon’s Will. The dragon becomes aware of effects counteracted this way and their sources, then provides false information of its choosing.
Occult Whisperers After conversing with a creature for 10 minutes, the dragon can cast one of its occult innate spells targeting the creature by weaving it into the conversation. Spells cast in this way lose the
manipulate trait and gain the
linguistic trait.
Conspirator Dragon Lairs
While conspirator dragons keep hoards like other dragons, they also enjoy collecting secrets and extortion materials. These range from copies of letters, contracts thought to be secret, and other incriminating evidence that aid in achieving the dragon's goals. A given conspirator dragon's goals can be varied, and each keeps items related to this goal, such as deeds for a dragon looking to own a city or ancient tomes for a dragon looking to collect information on ancient civilizations. As most conspirator dragons live among settlements, they keep their hoards in large cellars, outside of the settlement in secretive forest or mountain lairs, or even in the vault of a local bank.
Conspirator Dragon Spellcasters
Conspirator dragon spellcasters tend to cast the following spells.
Young Conspirator Dragon
Occult Prepared Spells DC 26, attack +19;
3rd clairaudience,
paralyze,
veil of privacy;
2nd calm,
invisibility,
paranoia;
1st bane,
fear,
phantom pain;
Cantrips (3rd) daze,
detect magic,
figment,
message,
telekinetic projectile Adult Conspirator Dragon
Occult Prepared Spells DC 33, attack +26; As young conspirator dragon, plus
5th scouting eye,
synaptic pulse,
truespeech;
4th clairvoyance,
honeyed words,
suggestion;
Cantrips (5th) daze,
detect magic,
figment,
message,
telekinetic projectile Ancient Conspirator Dragon
Occult Prepared Spells DC 39, attack +33; As adult conspirator dragon, plus
8th hidden mind,
unrelenting observation;
7th duplicate foe,
project image,
warp mind;
6th mislead,
scrying,
truesight;
Cantrips (8th) daze,
detect magic,
figment,
message,
telekinetic projectileConspirator Archdragon
Occult Prepared Spells DC 42, attack +34; As ancient conspirator dragon plus
9th phantasmagoria,
telepathic demand;
Cantrips (9th) daze,
detect magic,
figment,
message,
telekinetic projectile
Vixalla
Though she's a relatively recent arrival to the politics of Taldor, the Countess Phisetta dis Alavir has made quite the impression among the country's nobility. When not out in public, the Countess sheds her noble persona and takes on her true form, that of the conspirator dragon Vixalla. The dragon maintains her hoard and a rotation of servants whose memories she regularly wipes in a cavern deep beneath her manor in Taldor's capital of Oppara.