From: [q--n--n] at [ih-nxt04.cso.uiuc.edu] (Benjamin Jud Quinton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: RESOURCE:  monster, Baethlor
Date: 19 Oct 1995 15:35:37 -0400

Baethlor
-----------------------------------
climate/terrain:  temperate/tropical wet
frequency:  any
organization:  solitary
activity cycle:  any
diet:  carnivorous
intelligence:  2-4
treasure:  E
alignment:  Neutral
-----------------------------------
number appearing:  1
armor class:  4
movement:  9, fl 24 (D)
hit dice:  8 + 4
THAC0:  13
number of attacks:  3
damage per attack:  bite 2-12, claws 1-8 x 2
special attacks:  breath weapon
special defenses:  confusion
magic resistance:  35%
size:  G (25' long)
morale:  16
experience points:  5000
-----------------------------------
Apperance:  Baethlors look dragonish:  two wings, two legs, and
	two arms that end in nasty hand like claws, but no tail.
	Its skin glistens wet, and shifts and changes in an almost
	hypnotic pattern of browns and greens.  It smells strongly
	of swamp gas, however, and can be detected by this at 
	ranges of up to 50'.
Combat:  The hypnotizing effect of the swirling skin colors cause
	viewers to make a saving throw vs. spells or be confused as
	the spell for 2-8 rounds.  A Baethlor prefers to attack from
	the sky to prevent its prey from being alerted.  Its first
	attack is a dive that gives a + 4 to hit and double damage,
	but it cannot bite during this dive.  If hard pressed in
	combat, it will use its breath weapon, a poisonous 
	concentration of swamp gases for 4-24 damage on a failed
	save.  It can use this weapon every other round, but usually
	will use it only when in a bad situation.  Baethlors possess
	accelerated metabolisms that allow it to heal at an amazing
	rate of 1 hit point per turn.  One of its favorite tricks is
	to attack until wounded, then fly away and return later to
	finish off the wounded prey.
Habitat/Society:  Baethlors function only as predators in their
	habitat, and their presence usually destroys any animal life
	near their homes.
Ecology:  Baethlors make their homes in deep pools of water,
	preferably in swampy lands.  They are amphibious, and must
	keep their skin wet at least every 2 hours or suffer 1-4
	damage every hour after.  They are covered in a clear slime
	that is the source of the terrible smell.  It has been 
	postulated that Baethlors were mutated from wyverns or black
	dragons during the time of troubles in the Forgotten Realms,
	but they are already showing up in other places, no one knows
	how.  Fortunately they are still very rare, and hopefully they
	will remain that way.  Its magic resistance comes from its
	magical origins.
Variants:  Deep in the forest of Tethyr, there was a Baethlor reported
	that moved at amazing speed.  Apparently this creature's
	metabolism was affected to such a degree that it gained the
	effects of a permanent haste spell, and regeneration of 2 hit
	points per round.