Thyatian Dragon
by Russel HolmesI always wanted a dragon the Thyatian's could use as a general-purpose war-machine in the Knights Of The Air and the Retebius Air Fleet as a heavy arm of their respective orders. This true-dragon ancestor has the physical abilities of a true-dragon without the intelligence or will (alignment) of a "true" dragon so therefore has none of the limitations their respective intelligence or alignments would carry with it. It's base stats are based of a Wyvern, without the intelligence and alignment, and replaced the poison with a breath weapon equivalent to a young red dragon.
Thyatian Dragon
Large Dragon
AC: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural)
HD: 7d12+14 (59 HP)
Init: +1
Spd: 20-ft Fly: 60-ft (poor)
BaB: +7
Grapple: +15
Attack: Bite +11 2d6+4; Tail +11 1d8+6; Claw +11 1d8+2; Wing +11 1d6+2
Full Attack: Bite: +11 2d6+4; Wing (2) +9 1d6+2; Claw (2) +9 1d8+2; Tail
+9 1d8+6
Space/Reach: 10-ft/5-ft (10-ft with bite)
Special Attack: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Dark vision 60-ft, Immunity Sleep/Paralysis, Low-Light
Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort: +7 Ref: +6 Will: +6
Abilities: Str: 19 (+4) Dex: 12 (+1) Con: 15 (+2) Int: 2 (-4) Wis: 12 (+1) Cha:9 (-1)
Skills: Listen: +8, Move Silently: +8, Spot: +10
Feats: Ability Focus (Breath Weapon), Hover, Fly By Attack, Multi-Attack(b)
Environment: Temperate Hills
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Flight (2-6)
CR: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: Huge (8 - 10 HD)
Gargantuan (11 - 21 HD)
Level Adj: -
Skills: Thyatian Dragons have a +3 racial bonus on Spot checks. -
* *
*A huge flying dragon dives towards your allies. Roughly the size of a wyvern or young dragon, it’s covered in deep green scales on its upper half with lighter colored plates on its lower half. It flaps sharply as it comes within a spears-throw from you, the backwash from its wings covering you in dust and debris. Differing from Wyverns its piercing green eyes show none of the intelligence of neither a wyvern nor true dragons. Suddenly, flames well up from deep within its throat quickly filling up its mouth. This is when you realize it’s about to unleash a vicious breath weapon. *
A distant cousin to the true dragons, the Thyatian Dragon is a huge flying lizard that combines the physical strength of a true dragon but lacks the intelligence and spell-casting ability. Untamed Thyatian Dragons do not live in large family units, with only a mated pair and wyrmlings living in the same lair. An Adult Thyatian Dragon’s body is approximately 20 feet long; half of that length is tail. This dragon has smaller dark-green plates covering the upper half, and having larger lighter-colored plates stretching from the underside of its head to its tail. The Thyatian Dragon’s wingspan is about 30 feet and weighs about one ton.
The term “Thyatian Dragon” is a bit of a misnomer. Throughout the known-world they are most commonly found in the Duchy of Retebius, serving in the Retebius Air Fleet and the Knights of the Air as heavy aerial cavalry. Wild Thyatian Dragons are most prevalent in the Altan Tepes Mountain Range along the border of Thyatis and Ylaruam. Scattered families can be found in most temperate-tropical mountain ranges throughout Mystara.
Thyatian Dragons cannot speak any languages, but can be trained to respond to rider’s commands. Untamed Thyatian Dragons issue warnings and challenges to each other through growls and roars similar to alligators.
COMBAT
Wild Thyatian Dragons are incredibly stupid and always aggressive: They attack nearly anything that isn’t obviously more powerful than them. Even “trained” Thyatian Dragons are very difficult to control. Many trainers in Retebius complain that it would be easier to teach an Owlbear to fly than get a Thyatian Dragon to respond to rider commands. A Thyatian Dragon prefers to dive from the air, snatching the opponent with its talons and either dropping it from a considerable height, or using its breath weapon on unfortunate victims.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Thyatian Dragon must hit with its talons or bite. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can perform another move action.
Breath Weapon (Su): 40-ft Cone; Reflex DC 17 half, 4d10 Damage. A Thyatian Dragon may only use its breath weapon once every 4 rounds.
Thyatian Dragons eggs are work 5,000gp apiece on the open marken while young are worth 7,500 gp apiece. Professional trainers charge 2,500 gp to rear or train a Thyatian Dragon.
Riding a Thyatian Dragon requires an exotic saddle. A Thyatian Dragon can fight while carrying a rider but the rider cannot attack unless they succeed on a ride check (see the Ride skill page 80 of the Players Handbook)
A Thyatian Dragon can walk 2 miles per hour and fly at 6 miles per hour. This provides a daily rate of 16 miles per day (walking) and 48 miles per day (flying). The Thyatian Dragon can carry up to 400 lbs or less and still be considered a light-load. As with all flying creatures a Thyatian Dragon can only fly if it is carrying a light-load. A medium load 401-800 lbs; and a heavy load, 801-1,200 lbs.
Thyatian Dragons as Special Mounts
At the DM’s option, a paladin of 12th level or higher with the Dragon Steed feat (Draconomicon pg. 105) can call a Thyatian Dragon as a special mount instead of a horse as their special mount. For the purposes of the mounts bonus Hit Dice, Natural Armor, Strength Adjustment, Intelligence Score, and special powers, treat the paladin (blackguard) as if they were six levels lower than normal.
Below are the stats for a Thyatian Dragon with the “Warbeast” template
(MMII pg 219). While Dragons aren’t listed as being eligible for it, it seemed uniquely suited for them.
Thyatian War-Dragon
Large Dragon
AC: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural)
HD: 8d12+32 (84 HP)
Init: +1
Spd: 30-ft Fly: 70-ft (poor)
BaB: +8
Grapple: +19
Attack: Bite +14 2d6+6; Tail +14 1d8+9; Claw +14 1d8+3; Wing +14 1d6+3
Full Attack: Bite: +14 2d6+6; Wing (2) +12 1d6+3; Claw (2) +12 1d8+3; Tail
+12 1d8+9
Space/Reach: 10-ft/5-ft (10-ft with bite)
Special Attack: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60-ft, Immunity Sleep/Paralysis, Low-Light
Vision, Scent, Combative Mount
Saves: Fort: +10 Ref: +7 Will: +8
Abilities: Str:22 (+6) Dex: 12 (+1) Con: 18 (+4) Int: 2 (-4) Wis: 14 (+2)
Cha: 9 (-1)
Skills: Listen: +13, Move Silently: +8, Spot: +16
Feats: Ability Focus (Breath Weapon), Hover, Fly By Attack, Multi-Attack(b)
Environment: Temperate Hills
Organization: Solitary, Pair, Flight (2-6)
CR: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: Huge (8 - 10 HD)
Gargantuan (11 - 21 HD)
Level Adj: -
Special Qualities: Combative Mount (Ex) A rider on a trained war-beast mount gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A trained warbeast is proficient with all light, medium, and heavy armor.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Thyatian Dragon must hit with its talons or bite. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can perform another move action.
Breath Weapon (Su): 40-ft Cone; Reflex DC 20 half, 4d10 Damage. A Thyatian Dragon may only use its breath weapon once every 4 rounds.
Skills: Thyatian War-Dragon’s have a +1 racial bonus on Listen +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Skills: A war-beast receives a +1 racial bonus on Listen and Spot Checks.
Training A Thyatian Dragon
A “domesticated” (only available in the Duchy of Retebius) Thyatian Dragon must be trained for two months (Handle Animal DC:20) in order to develop it’s abilities.
A wild Thyatian Dragon must be trained for one year (Handle Animal DC:22) then trained for two months (Handle Animal DC: 32)
The Market Price for a “trained” Thyatian War-Dragon is 17,500 gp
The concept isn't that the Thyatian Dragon wouldn't *entirely* replace intelligent dragons (or sphinxes) in the ranks of either the RAF/KoTA. I could still see "True" Dragons serving with the highest ranking members of their respective organizations. The Thyatian Dragon would merely replace the respective entries in the chart on page 28 of the "Players Guide To Thyatis". My campaign has approximately 100 members of the RAF/KoTA per Thyatian Legion, it would make that chart look more like:
| 1-40 | Winged Horse (vice Pegasai) |
| 41-65 | Hippogriffs |
| 66-85 | Griffons |
| 86-95 | Thyatian Dragons |
| 96-99 | Rocs |
| 00 | True Dragon/Sphinx/equivalent |
As I mentioned earlier, it was more to provide the Thyatian military with a semi-powerful war-machine whose ethics would be a non-factor compared to the creatures listed. I believe that a Gold Dragon's Intelligence and dedication to good would allow it to attack a target merely because of political dispute (i.e. Alphatia vs. Thyatis). Nor do I see an evil dragon passing up an opportunity to attack an otherwise non-military target because "well you don't know they're NOT helping the enemy, besides it could be fun". Even more unlikely do I see these creatures willing to work in the same unit (Gold Dragon lead, 2 Blue Dragons as "wingmen"). IMHO These creatures should be reserved for the most powerful members of the RAF/KoTA or attached to mercenary orders outside of the RAF/KoTA.
Thank you for reminding me of the Flapsails, it has been awhile since I cracked open the old Hollow World books. Outside of a few minor differences, they are fundamentally the same. This Dragon may be better served as an "update" for the Flapsail as opposed to a separate lineage.