Month of the Dragon: Iconic Black Dragons

In addition to the 10 facts about each type of dragon, I’m crafting three unique draconic NPCs for each type. Each NPC will have a bit of personality and history, a lair description, a unique ability, and a hoard.

Rend the Skullminder
Young Black Dragon

• Age: 50 years
• Bio: With a noted preference for human flesh, Rend has a reputation for being particularly vicious and discomfortingly morbid. In his 50 years, Rend has developed a cruel hobby. He stalks and kills pilgrims and priests, dragging them back to his lair and adding their skulls to an ever-growing collection. He prefers to carry his prey back to his lair alive, and the rare escapee says he has a deep fascination with religion and will spend hours debating theology and probing a victim’s faith.
• Alternative Characterization: Instead of a murderer, the Skullminder is a devotee of a god of the dead, and his primary work is eliminating con artists and criminals using insincere faith as a shield.
• Lair: Rend lairs in the ruins of a half-sunken cathedral, slowly repairing its flooded catacombs to house his collection of skulls.
• Unique Ability: Rend is resistant to radiant damage.
• Hoard: An enchanted bishop’s ring (ring of water walking), approximately 4,000 gp in coins, 5 holy symbols (each for a different god and worth 200 gp), and a collection of smaller holy symbols and religious paraphernalia with a total value of 500 gp.

Vasata of the Red Eyes
Adult Black Dragon

• Age: 730 years
• Bio: Before she hatched, Vasata’s egg was collected by an amoral archmage eager for a draconic test subject. Infused with arcane energy, her eyes glow bright red. Vasata has a strained relationship with the archmage, now a lich, but is aloof from her draconic kin as well. Vasata prefers to be alone, but has been known to help adventurers take down powerful threats near her lair.
• Alternative Characterization: Vasata’s aid to adventurers is not selfless, and she would just as soon devour them as work with them. She uses their aid to gain access to the remains of powerful creatures so that her archmage benefactor can use them in attempts to give her new powers.
• Lair: Vasata’s lair is ruined clifftop castle. She has converted the grounds into an elaborate garden full of old varieties of plants, many of them grown from gifts the archmage gave her.
• Unique Ability: Arcane Burst (Recharge 6) Vasata unleashes a beam of arcane energy in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Each time Vasata uses this ability, she must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) necrotic damage on a failed save but none at all on a successful one.
• Hoard: The Scepter of Klidyati (a cursed Staff of the Magi, when a creature attunes to the staff, the lich Klidvati can probe the creatures thoughts as if using the spell detect thoughts so long as they are on the same plane), 200,000 gp in coins, a collection of gems and jewelry with a total value of 10,000 gp.

The Fury of Uruk
Ancient Black Dragon

• Age: Unknown
• Bio: Ancient and malevolent, the Fury is served by seven Dread Knights gifted into his service by wizards eager to form alliances with the creature. Whether due to his age or some other factor, his scales are steel gray, though this is rarely seen due to the insects that swarm over his body. The Fury styles himself as a king and allows would-be allies entry into his realm so long as they come carrying gifts. To leave his realm, visitors must best him in a game of strategy. This rarely happens. The Fury speaks rarely, but he has a long memory and takes vengeance for every slight.
• Alternative Characterization: The Fury may be cruel and dangerous, but he also serves as the warden of a prison keeping some deadly force at bay.
• Lair: The Fury resides at the heart of a vast ruined city sinking into a swamp. Every corner crawls with deadly insects and reptiles. The palace at the heart of the city is home to a statue gallery with works of art from every corner of the world.
• Unique Ability: Swarming Defense. The Fury is covered in a constant swarm of poisonous insects. They don’t harm him, however any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of the Fury takes 10 (4d4) poison damage.
• Hoard: The Last Blade of Uruk (see below), a complete set of Figurines of Wondrous Power, an Ioun Stone (Greater Absorption or Regeneration), 322,000 gp in coins, twin 5,000 gp dragon statues made of platinum and encrusted with gems, and a collection of gems with a total value of 15,000 gp.

The Last Blade of Uruk
Weapon (any sword), legendary (requires attunement)
On the brink of destruction, the people of Uruk forged a blade meant to slay the very dragon that would come to dwell in the ruins of their home. Alas, no warrior proved capable of wielding the blade. Uruk fell, and the blade came to be part of the Fury’s vast hoard.
The Last Blade of Uruk is a magic sword that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. It scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20, and deals an extra 2d10 slashing or piercing damage to dragons.