| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 23 | +6 | +6 |
| DEX | 14 | +2 | +7 |
| CON | 21 | +5 | +5 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| WIS | 13 | +1 | +6 |
| CHA | 19 | +4 | +4 |
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The dragon makes three Rend attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast Melf’s Acid Arrow (level 3 version).
Rend. Melee Attack Roll: +11, reach 10 ft. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) Slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) Acid damage.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot-long, 5-foot-wide Line. Failure: 54 (12d8) Acid damage. Success: Half damage.
Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Detect Magic, Fear, Melf’s Acid Arrow (level 3 version)
1/Day Each: Speak with Dead, Vitriolic Sphere
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature's turn , the dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each its turns.
Cloud of Insects. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17, one creature the dragon can see within 120 feet. Failure: 22 (4d10) Poison damage, and the target has Disadvantage on saving throws to maintain Concentration until the end of its next turn. Failure or Success: The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Frightful Presence. The dragon uses Spellcasting to cast Fear. The dragon can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Pounce. The dragon can move up to half its Speed, and it makes one Rend attack.
Description
By the time they’re adults, black dragons are among the greatest terrors in the lands they claim. Wretched swamps and monster-haunted ruins grow more dismal and spread under an adult black dragon’s influence. Morbid cultists and doomsayers frequently gather in the dragon’s service, bringing undead terrors that answer to the black dragon and aid it in spreading ruin to nearby bastions of beauty and peace.
Black Dragons
Black dragons delight in suffering and ruin. While other chromatic dragons scheme for power and wealth, these dragons seek to tear down all they see and rule over what remains.
Black dragons are terrifying creatures with curved horns and withered visages suggestive of fiendish skulls. They typically inhabit stagnant swamps, crumbling ruins, or places of magical or environmental corruption. Their acid breath scars their domains, eroding the features of ancient statues and leaving nature with festering wounds.
Black dragons hoard tarnished symbols of hope and relics of fallen empires. The more sought-after the treasure, the more black dragons prize it—particularly if they were responsible for it being lost.
Aulicus is no exception to Black Dragon ecology. When first encountered in the special encounter, The Copse at Night, he prefers to attack from the air and use his breath weapon and spells, avoiding melee until the party is weakened. He is a tough, experienced dragon who will attempt to neutralize the party's magic users first, then go after the rest. Sakatha has sent Aulicus to destroy the party. He likes Sakatha, and Sakatha has provided him with a good lair, lots of treasure, and regular easy meals. Thus, Aulicus will not be inclined to parley and will consider only the very largest of bribes. If at any time it appears that the encounter is going against Aulicus, he will fly away, heading south. (Basically, he suffers half of his hit points in damage, and none of the party is down or killed. For every party member down or killed, it will take 20 more hit points in damage for him to retreat. In any case, if he has 15 hit points or less, he will retreat.) He will turn to attack any isolated, small groups of characters who are foolish enough to pursue him by flying or other magical means. The two brigands who baited the trap will disappear into the copse. If they are tracked, their trail will lead to the edge of the Great Southern Swamp near the hut of Stephen DeManis.
The Lair of Aulicus: If the party has made no noise dispatching the brigand guards, there is a 50% chance that Aulicus will still be asleep in Area 3 and will not appear in this encounter. If encountered in the weird water chamber, Aulicus will throw open the secret door in the panel with demonic bas-relief and shout, "Who is disturbing my guards and my rest?" He will then attack the party. His preferred method of attack will be to fly above the party, using his breath weapon and spells as the opportunity arises. He will attempt to prevent the party from running out of the Inner sanctum, for he knows the water weirds will be forming and that the party will probably be so distracted by his appearance that they will not notice the water weirds. aulicus will save his third breath attack until he is desperate. He will fight to the death and neither negotiate nor give any information. In the unlikely event that he is subdued, he will show the party his treasure but lie about everything else in the dungeon. If encountered in his lair because the party made no noise at all dispatching the brigand guards and the water weirds -unlikely- then there is a 50% chance he is asleep. If he is not sleeping, he will be just awakening. If attacked here, Aulicus will attempt to force the party into the rear of the enormous cavern, where he may trap them and still have an exit should the encounter go against him.
When playing Aulicus, the DM should remember that this hardy old beast is almost 400 years old. He had a good relationship with Sakatha when he was a young dragon, and in exchange for his guard services, Sakatha kept him well-fed and shared a good deal of treasure with him. Thus, he is unlikely to betray Sakatha as long as he believes he has a chance to return things to their normal state.
Lair and Lair Actions
Black Dragon Lairs
Black dragons lurk in dismal ruins, polluted bogs, or other sites gripped by decay.
The region containing an adult or ancient black dragon’s lair is warped by its presence, creating the following effects:
Acrid Haze. Odorous and stifling fog covers the area within 1 mile of the lair, rendering that area Lightly Obscured. Travel for creatures other than the dragon and its allies takes twice the usual time in that area.
Foul Water. Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally fouled. A creature that drinks such water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or have the Poisoned condition for 1 hour.
If the dragon dies or moves its lair elsewhere, these effects end immediately.
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