Ice Walk. The dragon can move across and climb icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost it extra movement.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Change Shape. Valtara can polymorphs into a humanoid form with a challenge rating no higher, or back into its true form. It reverts if she dies. Equipment is absorbed or carried. In the new form, she retains her alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, proficiencies, ability to speak, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and mental stats (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma).
Multiattack. Valtara makes three attacks: one with her bite and two with her claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 9) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) cold damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 9) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Frost Breath (Recharge 5–6). Valtara exhales an icy blast in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 23 Constitution saving throw, taking 72 (16d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Necrotic Pulse (Recharge 6). Thanks to the Lord of Tulip’s protective spell, Valtara can harness the necrotic energy of the Wraith March Ruins. She releases a pulse of necrotic energy in a 60-foot radius. Creatures of her choice within the radius must make a DC 23 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Undead under the Lord of Tulip’s command within this area regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Description
Valtara, the Frostbound Sentinel, is an ancient white dragon who has long dwelled in the frozen northern wastes of the Amethyst Isle. Bored of the eternal cold and solitude, she wandered the more temperate regions of the Isle, where she met the Lord of Tulip on a research trip to study rare flowers that bloomed in the cold. As a disciple of Behi Mot Barum, the Lord of Tulip had been taught to respect all beings of the Isle, no matter their power or stature. Rather than flee or challenge the dragon, he engaged her in conversation, recounting tales of his vibrant city and the rich fields of magical plants he tended.
Intrigued by the Lord’s passion for his city and its wonders, Valtara asked to visit Tulip, longing for a change from the bleak landscapes she had known for centuries. The Lord happily obliged, eager to show his beautiful city to such a powerful and ancient being. Valtara soon became enchanted with Tulip’s charm and the friendship she found in its lord, becoming a frequent visitor and an unofficial protector of the city.
During the catastrophic siege of Tulip by the Blighted Scourge, Valtara fought valiantly alongside her newfound friend to protect the city from annihilation. Though her immense power proved a great boon, the Scourge's dark magic overwhelmed her, and she was gravely injured, on the verge of becoming a Blighted creature herself. In a final act of friendship and sacrifice, the Lord of Tulip, moments before turning himself and his forces into undead, absorbed the scourged energy from Valtara’s body, sparing her from a fate worse than death.
This act of selflessness deeply moved the ancient dragon. The Lord’s sacrifice cost him dearly, weakening his soul and jeopardizing his ability to survive the transformation into an undead. Yet, despite this, Valtara was saved. She has since vowed eternal loyalty to the Lord of Tulip, relocating her lair to the outskirts of the ruined city and protecting the area from further threats. Her lair is shielded from the necromantic energy that pervades the Wraith March thanks to the lingering power of the Lord of Tulip, who safeguarded her home just as he safeguarded his city.
Valtara now stands as a guardian of the Wraith March Ruins, keeping watch over Tulip and the Lord who once saved her. Though a fearsome dragon in her own right, her bond with the Lord of Tulip goes beyond mere loyalty—it is one of profound gratitude and respect.
Lair and Lair Actions
Valtara's Lair: The Frosted Grove
Valtara, the Frostbound Sentinel, makes her home in a majestic and haunting lair known as the Frosted Grove, located just outside the Wraith March Ruins. This lair is unlike the typical lairs of white dragons, for it blends the frozen wilderness with the magical essence of Tulip’s lost beauty. It is a place where the cold of the north and the necromantic energy of the Wraith March merge, preserved by the Lord of Tulip’s protective magic.
Location:
The Frosted Grove is nestled within a dense forest of petrified trees, their once-green leaves now encased in eternal frost. Shimmering in the moonlight, the grove is both eerie and beautiful, a testament to the bond between the ancient dragon and the Lord of Tulip. Icy flowers, long thought extinct, bloom here, their magic preserved by the Lord’s enchantments. Despite the deathly chill, the grove is a sanctuary, protected from the necrotic forces that plague the Wraith March.
Lair Actions:
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Valtara can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; she can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
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Icy Winds: A howling gust of freezing wind sweeps through the lair in a 120-foot radius around Valtara. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) cold damage and have their speed halved until the end of their next turn.
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Necrotic Bloom: The necrotic energy in the land merges with the icy magic of the Frosted Grove. Valtara summons tendrils of necrotic vines from the ground within 60 feet of her. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) necrotic damage as the vines lash out. Undead creatures in the area are healed for the same amount.
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Frozen Fog: Valtara summons a dense, chilling fog that fills a 60-foot-radius sphere centered on a point she can see within the lair. The area is heavily obscured, and creatures other than Valtara that start their turn in the fog must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) cold damage. The fog lasts until Valtara dismisses it (no action required) or uses this lair action again.
Regional Effects:
The region surrounding Valtara's lair is warped by her magic, creating the following effects:
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Perpetual Frost: The area around the lair is perpetually cold, with the temperature rarely rising above freezing. Snow falls year-round, and the ground is covered in a thin layer of frost, even during the summer months.
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Frozen Flora: Magical plants, infused with the Lord of Tulip’s protective necromancy, thrive in the grove. These plants have properties that can be used in powerful restorative or necromantic potions, but they wither if removed from the area.
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Undead Harmony: Undead creatures created or controlled by the Lord of Tulip do not lose their sentience or self-control when in or near Valtara’s lair. They act with purpose and intelligence, much like living creatures.
Valtara shares a profound connection with the Lord of Tulip through his phylactery. Should her life ever be in peril within his domain, the Lord will sense it instantly and awaken. As long as Valtara remains within his territory, the phylactery will safeguard her soul, preventing its destruction as long as the Lord wills it. This allows her to be resurrected, provided her body can be restored. Those who dare threaten her within this land will not face her alone—beware, for you will also invoke the wrath of the undead armies of Tulip, who will rise to defend their fallen ally.
If Valtara dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days, and the Frosted Grove becomes a desolate frozen wasteland. The magical flowers, too, will wither and die, leaving behind a barren, snow-covered forest.
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