In the entire world there is nothing more dangerous to mortals than that of the dragon. They are huge, magnificent beasts that are the most terrifying mortal creatures in the entire Omniverse. Speak the word dragon and people shudder and look about in fear as though to even whisper their name is to bring upon the world their terrible wrath. But there are things that even the great dragon fears.

The first in our column series of the Baddest of the Bad we are going to conjure up a combination of an Adult Earth Dragon with the curse of becoming a warped creature. As a basis the Adult Earth Dragon is listed below.

Adult Earth Dragon
Health Points: 600
Fatigue Points: 380
Attack Skill: 231
Attacks: Claws (15), Bite (20)
Bonus Damage: +33 (Str +25, Other +8)
Armor Type: Dragon Hide (42)
Move: 105'
Luck Points: 9
Attributes: Str 150, Sta 140, Agi 60, Per 120
                   Int 90, Wits 100, Wil 130, Chr 50
Physical Defense: 144                           Magical Defense: 75
Divine Defense: 75                                Jinhuu Defense: 75
Rank: 30th
Size: 190’ (Colossal)
Breath Weapon: Fire, Lava Blast, Carbon Paralyzation Clouds
Skills: Alertness 290, Tracking 260, Swimming 260, Climb 240, Hide 150, Endurance 200, Intimidation 200, Navigation 185, Search 185, Evade 150, Feint 190

Dracos tellus or Earth Dragon are far less known in the world than those of the Fire and Water Dragons; primarily because of the fact that these huge beasts often burrow deep into the earth, often linking miles and miles of gigantic caverns in which they make their homes and their territories. Fortunately for all "crust dwellers" there are very few of these beasts and they typically live under the sea and ocean floors of the world. However, the entrances to these caverns are often located along the high sea cliffs in the remotest parts of the world. If there is a need to get out of these underground worlds they have no problem breaking through the crust of the world in the middle of the oceans, these "breaks" in the ground often result in new underwater volcanoes being created.

There are a few of these dragons that make their homes in the middle of the world's arid, sandy deserts were few men will ever travel allowing these dragons to have the largest territories and greatest amount of freedom from man.

These dragons will eat anything that comes their way. However, things rarely come their way. Unless they travel miles to the arid plains that rest against these giant deserts, they may well never eat.

Dragon Notes
All dragons have a basic combination of attacks: claw, bite attack. They employ these attacks most often and as a result have a very high chance to cause damage to an opponent. All dragons attack as their size category. However, these attacks cover a great amount of space. 

Dragon Attacks
Claw Attacks: have a spread attack of 10’ per age category. This spread attack means that all things within the dragons strike range and within a 10’ area per age category will be attacked. Claw attacks do a base of 3 points of damage per age category. Each attack allows the dragon a 15% chance to grab hold of the target in a claw. This attack takes 3 Action Points to perform.

Bite Attacks: have a spread attack of 3’ per age category. Bite attacks do a base of 4 points of damage per age category. A bite attack has a 5% chance per age of ripping a target in half. A bite attack costs 4 Action Points to perform.

When a dragon makes a successful bite attack and does by 3 Successes (after any partial successes from a target’s Physical Defense attempt, that is if a dragon makes a bite attack for 7 Successes and the defender only makes a partial Physical Defense check for 4 successes, the dragon succeed in its attack by 3 Successes) it can choose to swallow the target whole.

Kick: Dragons are allowed to make a kick attack to those that are behind or directly to the side of them. These attacks cause 4 base points of damage per age of the dragon. They may use this attack once per turn in addition to front claw attacks or bite attacks. Performing this attack alone costs 2 Action Points to perform.

Tail Slap: A dragon may attempt to tail slap any creature that is behind them as a normal attack within 180 degrees, even at the same time that they are clawing at another opponent. A tail slap causes 3x (claw) damage. Those targeted by a tail slap may attempt to dodge the slap by making an Agility check at -2 Successes per age category. Those that fail are struck normally. Dragons may use this attack in conjunction with front bite or front claw attacks. Performing this attack alone costs 3 Action Points to perform.

Crush: A flying or jumping dragon can land on opponents as a 4 Point Action Cost, using its whole body to crush them. These attacks are effective only against opponents three or more sizes smaller than the dragon. A crush attack by an Adult Dragon can affect 4 medium creatures, 8 small, 2 Large, 1 huge per size of the dragon as can fit under the dragon’s body.  A crush attack by an Adult Dragon can affect 4 medium creatures, 8 small, 2 Large, 1 huge per size of the dragon as can fit under the dragon’s body.  Creatures in the affected area must succeed at an Agility Check at a TS of 5 or be pinned, automatically taking triple damage during the next turn unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, this is considered a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take crush damage each round if they don’t escape. A crush attack deals 2 times the dragon’s Strength modifier.

Tail Sweep: A dragon can sweep with its tail as a normal action at anytime, except when launching a breath weapon. The sweep affects a half circle with a diameter of 30 feet per age category, centered on the dragon’s rear. Creatures within the swept area are allowed an Agility at a TS of 6 to avoid the sweep. The sweep automatically deals 5 times the dragon’s Strength modifier per age category. Dragons may use this attack in conjunction with front bite or front claw attacks. Performing this attack alone costs 2 Action Points to perform.

Dragon Bites
As an adult, this earth dragon can swallow whole any combination of the following: 4 Medium Sized Creatures or 1 Huge, 2 Large, or 10 Small, or 32 Tiny. The dragon could swallow 1 large and 2 medium sized creatures, 5 small and 2 medium, 10 small and 1 large, 2 large and 16 tiny, 4 medium and 32 tiny, 5 small and 16 tiny, etc. However, the dragon can only ever swallow a single huge creature.

Dragon Breath
All dragons have 3 different types of breath weapons that they create from an internal process of harvesting, storing and using specific elements to create these breaths. Earth dragons have the following breath weapons:

Fire: This breath weapon has a base length of 15’ plus 30’ per age category beyond hatchling. The line of fire does 40 points of base damage plus 10 bonus points per age category. It can be swept back and forth in a 180 degree arc. Once the Action Cost has been used to prepare the breath weapon, the dragon may maintain the breath weapon for 1 turn per Age Category. The weapon has a splash diameter of 10’ per age category when it hits the ground. The fire is a thick, sticky substance that sticks to anything that it hits, causing 20 points of fire damage per turn.

Lava Burst: Unlike Molten Balls and Fire breath, Lava Burst is a thick, gel like cone that sticks to everything that it touches for a matter of a few seconds before it completely burns and destroy’s that which it has hit. The Lava Burst does 70 points of base plus 20 bonus damage per age category and has a range of 20’ per age category. The cone is 1’ per age category in beginning width and ends in a 10’ per age category diameter base. The Lava Burst can only be used once per turn.

Carbon Paralyzation Clouds: Carbon Paralyzation clouds are thick, heavy black clouds of soot that cover everything in their area of effect, causing all to become paralyzed as long as the soot is on them. The cloud is one of the larger types with a spherical area of effect equal to 20’ per age category. This cloud does not have a range component to it. Cloud will dissipate in 3 turns. The blast causes all those that did not escape the area to make a Willpower Check at -20 penalty. Those that fail the check are turned to stone.

Dragon Fear
The reputation of dragons are well founded. Even at a young age they project an aura fear that can break the will of a steadfast hero. All dragons cause fear around them that begins with a base of 20’ diameter and grows by 20’ per age of the dragon. Those that are within the diameter effect are allowed to make a Willpower check at varying Target Successes, general 2 per dragon age. Those that fail are considered frightened. Those that are successful in this check are allowed to stay but are very insecure about their presence and are at a -2 successes per dragon age to all skills and attribute checks.

Dragon Abilities
Dragons, unlike any other monster, creature or animal in the whole of Celestial Omniverse, are the supreme creatures of the mortal kind, and they know it. This is due primarily to not only their size, but also their abilities that all dragons seem to be born with.

Absorption
To the despair of all, dragon can absorb energy and spells. They can absorb up to 30 points of magical damage or up to 2 separate spells (or some combination of both – separate spells are worth 60 damage points for this purpose) per age category of the dragon. This can be done three times per day.

All Around Vision
Dragons have a sixth sense like ability that makes flanking and sneak attacking the creature, including rear attacks fruitless. Any of these such attacks are considered normal attacks against the dragon and gain no bonuses.

Animal Telepathy
The dragon can mentally communicate with animals as normal. The animal must be within 100’ per age category of the dragon in order to do so.

Augmented Critical
Dragons causes a critical hit on a 01-15, instead of the normal 01-05.

Blink
With a Willpower check, the dragon can instantly teleport to a spot up to 100 feet away per age category. If something is blocking its destination, it will reappear as close to it as possible. Blinking costs 10 Fatigue Points, and has an Action Point Cost of 2.

Burrow
Earth dragons can burrow through earth and stone at a rate of 40’ per age category. 

Circle of Doom
Any being, other than other dragons, that is within 20’ per age category of the dragon must make a Willpower check at -2 Successes per age category of the dragon. Those that fail suffer a -4 success to its Weapon and Physical Defenses for 3 turns. 

Gaping Maw
The Dragon is able to simply, instantly swallow any creature that is three (3) or more sizes smaller than that of the dragon anytime that the creature succeeds with its bite attack. 

Draconic Magik
Many of the things dragons are and do can only be explained by Magik. Unlike the use of mortal magic, dragon magik is the use of means (as charms and spells) to have supernatural power over natural forces, or an extraordinary power or influence from a supernatural force. The dragon is very well versed in the art of magik. Dragons exercise this power by having a heightened understanding of the workings of the Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and "bending" or pushing the Natural Forces to suit themselves. They do not "change" anything -- rather they ask the Forces to do their will. The dragon knows how and to what extent he can manipulate nature for his purposes without disturbing the ecological balance. He is able to invoke Shapechanging, size-shifting, and invisibility without using spells. Most of these are defense mechanisms. He can invent disguises and maintain them for long periods of time. 

Dragon magik also includes some of the more commonly thought of magical rites: force fields to protect their treasure, hallucinatory effects to throw off dragonslayers, heal themselves and other such magical feats. Typically, adult males have the greatest knowledge of magik. Great dragon wizards are able to maintain their castings for months and sometimes even years, with only brief moments of rest. Dragon wizards have a dislike for the clumsy mortal mage who, with no respect for nature, alter and often corrupt the life forces of the realm. 

All dragons possess the knowledge of each of the different colleges of magic. Like all spell casters, dragons use fatigue points to cast spells. However, dragon fatigue point levels are not as low as they are for mortal casters. 

The Twist
In worlds where magic, negative energy and other mystical powers are thrown about, surge and erupt in massive “fountains “ of chaos and dread there are those unfortunate few that have become warped with evil magic, negative energy or pure chaos.

These creatures are known as Warped Ones. These are creatures that have had their basic nature warped into hideous, bulging and distorted features whose bodies are always wracked with pain and convulsions. This pain and suffering causes these creatures to become aggressive killers, taking their pain out on others in explosions of violence and killing.

This unfortunate earth dragon has been cursed with the harsh magic of negative energy at one point in its life. This could be a result of its interaction with an evil sorcerer, an evil deity or some other powerful evil entity that has tainted the life of the dragon.

Because of this taint of negative energy the earth dragon has warped into a dark skinned creature with twisted features. The earth dragon stat block has changed from the above to the following:

Warped - Adult Earth Dragon
Health Points: 900
Fatigue Points: 570
Attack Skill: 381
Attacks: Claws (15), Bite (20)
Bonus Damage: +50 (Str +27, Other +8, Warped Damage +15)
Armor Type: Dragon Hide (12/10)
Move: 115’
Luck Points: 9
Attributes: Str 165, Sta 155, Agi 75, Per 100
                   Int 60, Wits 70, Wil 160, Chr 20
Physical Defense: 134                               Magical Defense: 113
Divine Defense: 113                                  JInhur Defense: 113
Rank: 30th
Size: 190’ (Colossal)
Breath Weapon: Fire, Lava Blast, Carbon Paralyzation Clouds
Skills: Alertness 146, Tracking 146, Swimming 100, Climb 85, Hide 146, Endurance 146, Intimidation 146, Navigation 146, Search 146, Evade 146, Feint 100
Bonus Special Abilities: Battle Frenzy, Death Rage 

Battle Frenzy
The creature can go into a near-invulnerable frenzy, shrugging off damage that would incapacitate a lesser being. The creature becomes immune to critical hits, and normal weapons are limited to doing only one quarter of the total damage per strike. This can be maintained for 5 turns. Going into a battle rage has an Action Point Cost of 4. Further it costs 10 Fatigue Points per turn to use.

Death Rage
When the creature is reduced to less than half its health in total damage in combat it flies into a berserk rage on the next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent(s) is dead. This rage increases the creatures physical attributes by +10 and gains a +10 bonus to its damage. 

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