Vorpal Dragon (Young, Spellcaster)
Level 9Attacks
Abilities
Trigger A creature within reach of the dragon's chin blade that the dragon can see makes a Strike against the dragon
Effect The dragon makes a chin blade Strike against the triggering creature.
The dragon inhales sharply, pulling blood from wounds and into the dragon's maw. Each creature in a 10-foot emanation takes their current persistent bleed damage plus 6d6 void damage (DC 28 will save). The dragon gains temporary Hit Points equal to half the greatest amount of void damage dealt to a single creature this way. The dragon can't use Feast of Blood again for .
The vorpal dragon beheads its foes—sometimes without killing them. A vorpal dragon's chin blade Strikes count as having the vorpal weapon property rune for the purpose of weaknesses. Whenever the vorpal dragon critically succeeds on a chin blade Strike, it deals an additional 2d6 persistent bleed damage, which can be ended normally.
When a vorpal dragon rolls a natural 20 on a chin blade Strike, the target must attempt a DC 28 fortitude save; this has the incapacitation trait. On a failure, th
Vorpal dragons were not created by some ancient divinity nor born of a specific realm or force. Their birth was an arcane accident, the result of unstoppable magic contacting immovable beast. In unknowable ancient ages, the first jabberwock was wrought by the Eldest and the first vorpal sword was wrought in turn to slay the beast. When that very first blade went snicker-snack for the very first time, tasting the primeval lifeblood of the draconic Tane, the first vorpal dragon was born.
Vorpal dragons are most notorious for their keen vorpal magic. Even the least of these dragons can sever a foe's head in a single lucky stroke. Unusually, however, the subject survives as a bipartite creature: a headless body controlled by a detached head that still thinks and speaks, and which can outlive said body's destruction. It's not uncommon for would-be dragonslayers to be sent home carrying their own heads under one arm as a lesson in humility. The unluckier ones, alas, may be kept as trophies—and, in a very literal sense, conversation pieces—while the dragon devours their greater portion. Some might even wear their favorite severed heads as a macabre necklace.