Blithen of Many Names

By Scott Brocius and Mark A. Jindra

"I approached the great slumbering wyrm in an attempt to determine what type of dragon it might be. As I drew closer I could see the familiar translucent scales of a crystal dragon. Just then my torchlight reflected off of scales of a different sort, emerald green and a black like that of polished obsidian. As I followed the scales, I soon realized that this was no ordinary dragon. I quickly made my way back to the city so as to tell everyone of what I had seen."

-- Theo Boranis, Defender of Sardior

Blithenpaxantadravos, a three-headed gem dragon, has had many monikers during his time. His name and titles have been spoken with both respect and contempt. Then, as time passed, they were simply forgotten. Now, he is just Blithen.

Blithen's abnormality is what first drew Sardior's attention. Sardior found him to be fascinating and eventually brought Blithen to his court. Sardior turned often to Blithen for help with a current problem, and soon Blithen earned his first title: Advisor. Blithen had the ear of a god, and he enjoyed it. For a time, it seemed Blithen was always at Sardior's side.

Then, it all changed. Sardior decided that Blithen's single voice was not enough, and he set upon developing the process to create his thanes. Sardior shared his vision with Blithen; he was to create a thane to represent each of the gem dragon species, and they would be his advisors and companions. It's uncertain how Blithen corrupted Seradess; the history is lost. Blithen had hoped her failure as a thane would cause Sardior to turn back to him, but this plan failed. Sardior destroyed Seradess, and the obsidian dragons withdrew from Sardior's court (although history records that Sardior banished the obsidian dragons from his court). Sardior discovered the deception and banished Blithen. He had earned his next title: Outcast.

Blithen wandered the planes for generations and used the color pools on the Astral Plane to visit new worlds and places. He eventually grew weary and decided to rest, so he created his lair on the Astral Plane and slipped into a deep slumber. He had earned his next title: Forgotten.

The energy used by Sardior to create the ectoplasmic dragons was enough to bring him out of his torpor. After assessing himself and his situation, he mentally sought a strong psion to find out the current state of the world. He didn't have to look long, for he was soon in contact with someone on the Astral Plane. To his surprise, the psion had quite an interesting tale to tell him. Blithen formed a pact and found his latest title: Nihilist.

His Lair: Blithen currently resides in the center of a giant rock floating on the Astral Plane. Blithen ripped a chunk from the Elemental Plane of Earth and brought it here. The cavern complex found within has become home to many creatures. A small city and trade center has grown up on the outer shell, and the inhabitants of the plane consider it a safe zone. Blithen has learned of the inhabitants since his reawakening but has not decided how to deal with them yet. Rumors state the treasure horde he guards rivals that of a nation's treasury.

Blithen: Male great wyrm crystal emerald obsidian dragon cleric 13; CR 28; Gargantuan magical beast (air); HD 42d12+210 plus 13d8+65; hp 606; Init +8; Spd 40 ft., swim 40 ft., fly 200 ft. (clumsy); AC 49, touch 10, flat-footed 45; Base Atk +42; Grp +67; Atk +58 melee (6d6+13, bite); Full Atk +58 melee (4d6+13, 2 bites) and +58 melee (6d6+13, bite) and +55 melee (2d8+6, 2 claws) and +55 melee (2d6+6, 2 wings) and +55 melee (2d8+19, tail slap); Space/Reach 20 ft./15 ft. (20 ft. with bite); SA breath weapons (60-ft. cone of light, 60-ft. cone of sonic energy, 60-ft. cone of fire), crush 4d6+19, frightful presence, psionics, rebuke undead 9/day, spell-like abilities, tail sweep 2d6+19; SQ blindsense 60 ft., damage reduction 20/magic, darkvision 120 ft., fire resistance 15, immunities (cold, paralysis, sleep), keen senses, low-light vision, planar travel, power resistance 30; AL CN; SV Fort +35, Ref +36, Will +36; Str 37, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 22.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +30, Concentration +63, Diplomacy +59, Hide -8, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (history) +26, Knowledge (psionics) +51, Knowledge (religion) +64, Knowledge (the planes) +51, Listen +66, Psicraft +34, Search +55, Sense Motive +57, Spellcraft +44, Spot +57, Swim +21; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Manifestation, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Great Sunder, Greater Psionic Focus (Telepathy), Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (obsidian bite), Improved Sunder, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Persuasive, Power Attack, Power Touch, Psionic Fist, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite).

Breath Weapon (Su): Blithen has a breath weapons available on each of his three heads. Each one is independent of the others and can be used simultaneously if desired. Each breath weapon can be used once every 1d4 rounds.

Crystal Dragon Head: Blithen can breathe a 60-foot cone of brilliant light that deals 24d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 36 half). Any creature that fails its saving throw is also blinded for 1d4 rounds.

Emerald Dragon Head: Blithen can breathe a 60-foot cone of keening sonic energy that deals 24d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 36 half). Any creature that fails a Fortitude saving throw at the same DC is also deafened for 1d4+12 rounds.

Obsidian Dragon Head: Blithen can breathe a 60-foot cone of fire that deals 24d10 points of damage (Reflex DC 36 half).

Crush (Ex): Whenever Blithen flies or jumps, he can land on opponents as a standard action, using his whole body to crush them. His crush attack affects Medium or smaller opponents within a 20-foot-by-20-foot area. Each potentially affected creature must succeed on a DC 36 Reflex save or be pinned, automatically taking 4d6+19 points of bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off. If Blithen chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don't escape.

Frightful Presence (Ex): Whenever Blithen attacks, charges, or flies overhead, each creature in a 360-foot radius that has 41 or fewer HD must make a DC 37 Will save. Failure indicates that the creature is panicked for 4d6 rounds (if it has 4 or fewer HD) or shaken for 4d6 rounds (if it has 5 or more HD).

Psionics: 3/day -- charm person; 1/day -- control air, domination. Manifester level 17th; save DC 1d20 + power level + key ability modifier. Blithen manifests powers as if he were a psion with Telepathy as his primary discipline.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day -- color spray. Caster level 17th; save DC 16 + spell level. This save DC is Charisma-based.

Tail Sweep (Ex): Blithen can sweep with his tail as a standard action. The sweep affects Small or smaller creatures in a half-circle with a radius of 30 feet extending from an intersection on the edge of his space in any direction. Each potentially affected creature in the area takes 2d6+19 points of damage (Reflex DC 36 half).

Keen Senses (Ex): Blithen can see four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. He also has darkvision to a range of 120 feet.

Planar Travel (Su): Blithen has the innate ability to pass instantly between the Material Plane and any of the Inner Planes or the Astral Plane.

Cleric Spells Prepared (6/8/8/6/6/5/4/2; save DC 16 + spell level): 0 -- cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, mending, resistance (2); 1st -- bane, comprehend languages, detect evil, detect good, magic fang*, protection from evil, protection from good, random action; 2nd -- augury, bull's strength, cure moderate wounds, death knell, hold person, invisibility*, resist energy, shatter; 3rd -- bestow curse, contagion, cure serious wounds, dispel magic (2), nondetection*; 4th -- discern lies, divination, poison*, sending, spell immunity, status; 5th -- dispel evil, dispel good, false vision*, slay living, true seeing; 6th -- blade barrier, etherealness, greater dispel magic, mislead*; 7th -- screen*, word of chaos.

*Domain spell. Deity: None. Domains: Trickery (Bluff, Disguise, and Hide are class skills), Scalykind (rebuke reptilian creatures and snakes 9/day).

Psionic Powers (17th-level psion; telepathy primary discipline; 199 power points; save DC 1d20 + key ability modifier + power level + 4 for telepathy powers): Knows all Telepathy, Clairsentience, and Metacreativity powers as well as several powers that only he has discovered (see Blithen's calling below).

Attack/Defense Modes (Sp): At will -- ego whip, id insinuation, mind blast, mind thrust, psychic crush/empty mind, intellect fortress, mental barrier, thought shield, tower of iron will.

Blithen's Psionics

Blithen once served as keeper of knowledge for Sardior himself. During that time he had access to research on powers the likes of which have not been seen in ages. It was during this time that he developed Blithen's calling, the power that Sardior later altered and passed on to his followers as Sardior's calling (Sardior).

It is believed that Blithen never passed on the knowledge of this power. A DM that wishes to allow its use in his campaign could introduce it a number of ways. Perhaps characters discover it via a power stone found in ancient treasure. Or Blithen himself may grant them the knowledge via a psychic chirurgery as a reward for completing a task. Ultimately it's up to you, the DM, to determine how best to do this.

Blithen's Calling
Psychoportation (Dex)
Level: Psion 9
Display: Au, Ma, Vi
Manifestation Time: 1 full round
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: See text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 17

You touch on the power of Blithen to call forth an adult gem dragon to aid you with an immediate task. If you know the name of the adult dragon, you can call upon it specifically; otherwise you get a random dragon. The task you choose is to have it fight for you or to perform actions that take no more than 1 minute per manifester level. In return, the dragon expects compensation. Normally this is coin, gems, or magic items in the amount of least 100 gp per Hit Die, but it can be some other form of barter as determined by you and the dragon (as determined by the DM). The chart below determines the type of random gem dragon called. The gem dragon is transported back to its lair when it desires. This is normally after the task is finished and payment received, but if it decides to leave before this, the gem dragon forfeits payment.

Roll d6Gem Dragon Type
1-2Crystal
3-4Emerald
5-6Obsidian

See the Monster Manual II for crystal and emerald dragon information and the Mind's Eye for more on obsidian dragons.

NOTE: Blithen knows the names of several adult crystal, emerald, and obsidian dragons. They are always willing to assist him when called. They figured out their compensation long ago and no barter for services need occur.


Draconum Psionicus

Psionics
© 2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.

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