Gorynych

This sleek, three-headed dragon rears up on its hind legs, wings spread and flames licking out from behind three sets of fangs.

Gorynych CR 15

XP 51,200

CE Huge dragon

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +23

Defense

AC 28, touch 10, flat-footed 26 (+2 Dex, +18 natural, –2 size)

hp 212 (17d12+102); regeneration 5 (acid)

Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +15

DR 10/lawful; Immune fire, paralysis, poison, sleep; SR 26

Offense

Speed 30 ft., fly 100 ft. (poor), swim 50 ft.

Melee 3 bites +24 (2d8+8), 2 claws +23 (1d8+8)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (20 ft. with bite)

Special Attacks breath weapon (40-ft. cone, 5d6 fire, Reflex DC 24 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +19)

Constant—true seeing

At will—charm person (DC 15), dancing lights, message

3/day—alter self, bestow curse (DC 18), greater dispel magic

1/day—lesser geas (DC 18), limited wish, mislead (DC 20)

Statistics

Str 27, Dex 15, Con 22, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 18

Base Atk +17; CMB +27; CMD 39

Feats Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Stand Still, Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills Bluff +17, Diplomacy +17, Fly +7, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Perception +23, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +14, Swim +24

Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan

SQ multi-headed

Ecology

Environment temperate forests

Organization solitary

Treasure double

Special Abilities

Breath Weapon (Su) Each of a gorynych's heads has its own separate breath weapon. When a gorynych uses its breath weapon, it can breathe with one, two, or all three heads. If the areas of two or more breath weapons overlap, a creature caught in that overlapping area takes a –2 penalty on its Reflex save (or –4 if three breath weapons overlap). Damage done by overlapping breath weapons stacks and is considered to be a single source of fire damage for the purpose of tracking fire resistance. Regardless of how many heads breathe fire, the gorynych can only use its breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.

Multi-Headed (Ex) All three of a gorynych's heads can act independently of each other. When it makes a full attack, each head can either bite or use its breath weapon, in any combination (two bites and one breath, three breaths and no bites, and so on).

This sinister beast threatens entire countrysides with its plundering actions. No friend to its true dragon cousins, a gorynych sometimes threatens green and black dragons for mastery of their lands. A gorynych seeks out young dragons that have only established small hoards, killing the rival creatures and claiming their treasures as its own. It dominates drakes and wyverns, but true dragons consider it a repulsive throwback to an ancient line of mutants and deviants.

Motivated by greed, gluttony, and unnatural lust, a gorynych lives to collect treasure, feast as often as possible, and chase after humanoid maidens, using alter self and charm person as necessary. Gorynyches are particularly creative with the use of their limited wishes in duplicating other spell effects to secure their desires and complete their hideous tasks.

When not busily stalking young dragons in order to steal their hoard or selecting maidens to kidnap, most gorynyches search out ancient ruins. There they install themselves as guardians, sometimes even gathering whole tribes of monstrous humanoids to act as their servants.