Dracomeph

By Tavaer and Farnix

Lord Farnixstraz the Dracomeph

Size: 32 feet
Weight: 2,700 lbs

Strength: Superhuman, but below average for its size
Agility: Above Average
Health: Superhuman
Intelligence: Superhuman
Willpower: Very Good

Skills: Skilled with magic, extremely charming and manipulative

Description:
This foul beast is said to have been created by a wizard who was transformed by his own corrupted wish: "for power greater than that of any dragon".  The resulting creature was powerful indeed; a combination of dragon and mammal, the Dracomeph is a massive quadruped covered in thick fur with a scaled underbelly.  He possesses both horns and claws as forms of natural defense, though rarely needs to resort to them.  The beast's most visually striking feature is his huge furry striped tail, baring an obviously resemblance to his mammalian namesake.

However, the creature's true power comes not from his physical strength, but his potent magics.  At all times, the Dracomeph's body exudes a foul-smelling miasma infused with his energies. While this energy is beneficial to plant life, fostering rapid growth, it is a bane to the unnatural, quickly corroding and dissolving metal weapons and armor.  In combat, the beast can exhale a concentrated stream of this substance from his mouth as well as from glands at the base of his tail.

When inhaled by humanoids, this magical gas acts as a poison. As the dragon's magic infects the victim, it slowly eats away their will, warping the subject's mind and causing feelings of loyalty and submissiveness towards the Dracomeph.  Prolonged or intense exposure has been known to cause a form of addiction; the victim willingly seeks further exposure to the poison and suffers severe respiratory problems in the event of withdrawal.  In its final stages, the poison twists the victim's body into a miniature likeness of the Dracomeph, a skunkobold, wholly subservient and bound to its creator's will.

The Dracomeph also retains his magical ability from his previously life as a wizard, now further empowered by his own innate draconic magic, making him a fearsome spell caster.

Behavior:
The Dracomeph makes his lair in the ruins of a mountainside temple, suitably altered to fit his needs as well as to house his legions of skunkobold servants.  Surrounding the temple are fields of flowers stretching out for miles, their growth the result of the Dracomeph's magic warping the surrounding area.  Clouds of the dragon's magic occasionally coalesce on the surface in the form of a greenish fog, catching unwary travelers who suddenly find themselves drawn to the temple and the magic's source within.  Beneath the temple exterior lies a maze of twisting underground tunnels, illuminated by glowing plant life. The beast's poison fills these tunnels and his servants are known to have rigged a system of vents and fans to direct the miasma, both to defend against invaders and for their own enjoyment.

Through some unknown machinations, Farnixstraz acquired a lordship, which remains respected by the neighboring lords. The exact reasons for their tolerance of the dragon bordering their kingdom are unknown, though some believe it to be related to fragrant bouquets of flowers they regularly receive, said to have been personally prepared by the dragon. Regardless, Farnixstraz appears on good terms with his fellow lords and has recently secured several favorable deals to export his kingdom's produce.

Farnixstraz's territories consist of the temple in which he makes his lair and the surrounding farming villages.  His servants are responsible for spreading his plant-stimulating scent to the nearby farms, thereby ensuring a bountiful harvest and earning him the goodwill of his people. Beyond this, he takes a fairly hands off approach to governing, instead preferring to merely use his title to lend some air of legitimacy to his more questionable actions.

Like all dragons, the Dracomeph is known to hoard treasures within his lair, though he does so mostly as a means to an end.  The beast's true aim is not the treasure itself, but those who might seek to claim it.  Fools, thieves, adventures, the chance at riches acts as a lure for individuals that the beast might add to his ever-growing legions of servants.  Despite his often nefarious recruitment methods, Farnixstraz appears to show genuine affection for those that serve him, keeping them well cared for and rarely placing them in danger.  However, his adventures-turned-servants are dangerous themselves, still retaining some skills from their previous lives, and are occasionally dispatched into the world to search both for treasure and new recruits.

Combat:
While in his lair, the Dracomeph prefers to avoid direct combat, instead having skunkobolds harry and harass any intruders until they succumb to his poison.  When confronted directly, he will similarly attempt to disable and control his foes while his poison does its work, preferring the acquisition of more servants over making a few corpses.  If conversion is not viable option, he will instead switch to using physical attacks and offensive magic.  His combat strategy is similar outside his lair, though he will retreat if the situation begins to look dire.