Welcome to Creature Feature: Starjammer. Today we present the bloodsands wyrm, a patient if lazy predator that leaves its prey bleeding.
Bloodsands Wyrm CR 5
This long squat lizard tastes the air with its forked tongue, flanked by rows of razor-edged teeth.
XP 1,600
N Large dragon
Init -1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 8, flat-footed 18 (-2 Dex, +10 natural armor, -1 size)
hp 56 (6d12+12);
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +7
Defensive Abilities dragon immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 25 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d8+9 plus bleed (2d6) and bloodletting curse)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks bleed (2d6), bloodletting curse
STATISTICS
Str 23, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +12; CMD 21
Feats Cleave, Cleaving Finish, Power Attack,
Skills Heal +7, Perception +7, Stealth +5, Survival +7; Racial Modifiers +5 Stealth in sandy environments
Languages Common, Draconic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bloodletting Curse (Su)
Whenever a creature is bitten by a bloodsands wyrm, they must make a DC 15 Will save, or be afflicted by bloodletting curse. A creature suffering from bloodletting curse gains vulnerability to bleed damage. Additionally, it is more difficult for their bleeding to be stopped. Stopping bleeding with first aid requires two consecutive successful Heal checks. Stopping bleeding with a healing spell requires a successful caster level check against DC. Bloodletting curse can be removed with remove curse, lesser restoration, or a successful application of long-term care using the Heal skill.
Creatures afflicted with a bloodletting curse gain a +4 alchemical bonus to saves against poisons.
Blood Scent (Su)
The bloodsands wyrm treats any creature suffering from the bloodletting curse or an ongoing bleed effect to have a strong scent and can be detected at double range. A creature suffering from both is considered to have an overpowering scent and can be detected at triple the range.
ECOLOGY
Environment sandy beaches
Organization solitary or guardian (protecting a group of humanoids)
Treasure double
Bloodsands wyrms are not true dragons, but instead another early offshoot of the dragon not unlike the tatzylwyrm. Instead of hunting their prey from trees and high grasses, these much larger predators instead prefer sandy beaches. Burrowing shallowly underneath the sand, they wait for prey to approach, before jumping out and delivering a deadly bite.
A bloodsands wyrm’s bite is legendary, not only do its many rows of teeth lacerate its victims’ flesh and leave them bleeding, but any creature bit by the wyrm proves resistant to most methods of stopping the bleeding. Many bloodsands wyrms are content to let their prey bleed to death after the initial strike. If prey manages to escape, they just slowly follow the trail until they find a freshly exsanguinated corpse.
When not hunting fresh prey, the wyrms are commonly content to steal the kills of other creatures and even eat carrion. Struggle and toil are the tools of less efficient predators.
The wyrms are known for their pride and have no real preference for one type of meat over the other. If bribed with offerings of flesh, they can easily be negotiated with, often agreeing to guard settlements or individuals in exchange for regular offerings of fleshy tribute. In the island beaches of their homes, the wyrms often become guardians of small communities or families, the long-lived predators serving mortals for generations.
The cursed saliva of the bloodsands wyrm isn’t always harmful and has proven effective at the treatment of many poisons, especially those of venomous snakes that share the bloodsands wyrm’s island homes. While it is possible to harvest the saliva from an unwilling wyrm, it usually is easier to first bribe the wyrm with a meal large enough to temporarily sate its hunger.
The Israfel Order has attempted to tame the bloodsands wyrms on multiple occasions, hoping to use them as skilled trackers and horrific executioners, but have achieved only mixed success. Despite the pleasant lies told by the order, many of the wyrms believe that the priests fail to treat them with the proper respect that they deserve.
