Sardior

Many have heard the tales of legendary dragons such as Tiamat and Bahamut, but few have heard of Sardior. Also known as Master of the Gem Dragons, Sardior is a unique ruby dragon. He makes his home in a huge floating castle, which orbits the world and stays forever in the shadows from the sun. Even though he is the Master of the Gem Dragons, in reality he does not require much from them, and he does not try to guide their decisions. The gem dragons in return, look upon him as the ideal and strive to be more like him.

Sardior keeps a court of five thanes: one of each of the various breeds of gem dragons. Their names are Aleithilithos (male advanced amethyst dragon), Hrodel (female advanced crystal dragon), Smargad (male advanced emerald dragon), Charisma (female advanced sapphire dragon), and Tithonnas (male advanced topaz dragon). Sardior once had a sixth thane: Seradess, a female advanced obsidian dragon, but he destroyed her and banished the obsidian dragons from his court. Even his own clergy argue the reason behind this decision.

Having ascended to the status of a lesser deity, temples to Sardior have begun showing up in cities across the land. Sardior is more than happy to oblige them by granting spells and special abilities to his followers. Sardior's clergy tend to be welcomed everywhere much as bards are, however they know not everyone is as friendly as they seem. A small group of his clergy, known as the ruby disciples, train to be a martial arm of the church, serving not only as a defense but also as a show of force.

Sardior The Ruby Dragon, Master of the Gem Dragons Lesser Deity Symbol: A ruby with an inner glow Home Plane: Prime Alignment: Neutral Portfolio: Neutral dragons, night, psionics, secrets Worshippers: Neutral dragons, psions and psychic warriors Cleric Alignments: Any neutral. Domains: Knowledge, Scalykind (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting), Trickery Favored Weapon: Claw

Sardior (sar- dee-or) is known in a few small circles. Even though he is the Master of the Gem Dragons, in reality he does not require much from his followers, and he does not try to guide their decisions. The gem dragons, in return, look upon him as the ideal and strive to be more like him.

In his natural form, Sardior is a long sinewy dragon covered with deep ruby red scales. At a distance, he might be mistaken for an ancient red wyrm, but the playful expression seen in his eyes makes him very much unlike the reds. He is also known to be a great conversationalist, and the unguarded had best be prepared for his sharp wit.

He makes his home in a huge floating castle, which orbits the world and stays forever in the shadows from the sun. On the nights it can be seen, viewers mistake it for a small red moon.

Dogma

Sardior just wants to learn more. The more you know, the better off you will be, but just learning for learning's sake is not what Sardior stresses. No, gaining knowledge should not just be reading from books. The trick for Sardior is to get someone else to read the book, then tell him all about it. He also has a fondness for gems of all kinds, especially rubies.

Clergy and Temples

Sardior has few clergy, and even fewer temples. Temples dedicated to him tend to be located in high areas with clear views of the night sky and close to a community of some sort. Most gem dragons keep a ruby on a small pedestal in their lairs as a shrine to him.

His clergy generally dress in the appropriate fashion for the area in which they reside. They then embellish the look with an abundance of jewelry in their everyday wear.

Many seek out the clergy as sources of knowledge, and most of the clergy could be considered sages on various subjects. The temple gains its wealth from the charges from these services.

The prominent members of a temple are also on the list for an invitation to social functions. They are personable, knowledgeable, and great storytellers. They also appear to have little interest in politics, which makes those around them less concerned with the information they reveal to the clergy.

Sardior Colossal Dragon Divine Rank: 8 Hit Dice: 52d12+676 (1300 hp) Initiative: +10 Speed: 180 ft., fly 360 ft. (poor), burrow 100 ft., swim 100 ft. AC: 75 (-8 size, +6 Dex, +8 divine, +48 natural, +11 deflection); touch 27; flat-footed 69 Attacks: Bite +71 melee and 2 claws +70 melee and 2 wings +69 melee and tail slap +69 melee; or power +71 melee touch or +58 ranged touch. Damage: Bite 4d8+19, claw 4d6+9/19-20 plus 1d6, wing 2d8+9, tail slap 4d6+28, by power Face/Reach: 40 ft. by 80 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Breath weapons, crush, domain powers, psionics, salient divine abilities, spell-like abilities, tail sweep Special Qualities: Blindsight 8 miles, darkvision (1,800 ft.), divine aura (800 ft., DC 29), divine immunities, DR 43/+4, godly realm (1 mile outer plane, 800 ft. Material Plane), plane shift at will, PR 42, remote communication (8 miles), scent, spontaneous casting of divine spells, SR 40, teleport without error at will, understand, speak, and read all languages and speak directly to all beings within 8 miles Saves: Fort +49, Reflex +42, Will +47 Abilities: Str 49, Dex 22, Con 37, Int 33, Wis 34, Cha 33 Skills: Appraise +74, Balance +16, Bluff +67, Climb +69, Concentration +56, Diplomacy +65, Disguise +50, Escape Artist +39, Gather Information +57, Hide +53, Innuendo +62, Intimidate +25, Jump +66, Knowledge (nature) +47, Knowledge (psionics) +47, Knowledge (the planes) +47, Listen +56, Perform +47, Psicraft +57, Read Lips +42, Remote View +52, Search +57, Sense Motive +54, Spot +56, Swim +69, Tumble +37, Wilderness Lore +54. Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Devastating Critical (claw [DC 55]), Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Hover, Improve Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Overwhelming Critical (claw), Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (claw), and Wingover. Breath Weapons (Su): Sardior has three breath weapons.

Force: This line of concussive force extends out 140 feet and deals 36d8 points of force damage (Reflex DC 58 half). This damage can be subdual damage if Sardior desires.

Light: This cone of brilliant light extends out 70 feet and deals 36d6 points of damage (Reflex DC 58 half). Any creature that fails its Reflex save is also blinded for 1d4 rounds.

Fire: This cone of fire extends out 70 feet and deals 36d10 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 58 half).

Once Sardior uses a breath weapon, he must wait 1d4 rounds before he can breathe again, no matter which breath weapon he has used. Crush (Ex): Sardior can land on foes as a standard action, using his whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents that are Large or smaller. A crush attack affects as many creatures as Sardior can fit under his body. Each creature in the affected area must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 58) or be pinned automatically; taking 4d8+28 points of damage each round until Sardior moves. Sardior can maintain the pin as a normal grapple attack. Tail Sweep (Ex): As a standard action, Sardior can sweep his tail in a half circle with a 40-foot diameter. Each Medium-size or smaller creature within the tail sweep area automatically takes 2d8+28 points of damage and must succeed at a Reflex save (DC58) to avoid being knocked down. Domain Powers (Knowledge, Scalykind, Trickery): Cast divinations at +1 caster level, 14/day rebuke or command animals (reptilian creatures or snakes only). Salient Divine Abilities: Alter Form, Alter Reality (save DC 39 for duplicated spells, temporary nonmagical objects last 8 days, temporary magic items or creatures last 8 hours), Alter Size, Clearsight 8 ft., Create Thane?, Divine Blast (14/day, up to 8 miles, 8d12+11d12 damage), Divine Glibness (a mass suggestion cast by an 18th-level sorcerer, up to 18 creatures, no two of which are more than 80 feet apart, Will save DC 29), Divine Shield (16/day, stops 80 points of damage), Know Secrets (Will save DC 29), Psionic Mastery?. ?Unique ability, described below. Spell-Like Abilities: Sardior uses these abilities as a 18th-level caster, except for divinations, which he uses as a 19th-level caster. The save DCs are 29 + spell level. Animal growth*, animal shapes*, animal trance*, change self, clairaudience/clairvoyance, confusion, creeping doom (composed of tiny snakes), detect secret doors, detect thoughts, discern location, divination, eyebite, false vision, find the path, foresight, greater magic fang, invisibility, legend lore, magic fang, mislead, nondetection, poison, polymorph any object, screen, shapechange, time stop, true seeing. *(Reptilian creatures or snakes only.) Divine Immunities: Sardior is immune to ability damage, ability drain, acid, banishment, cold, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, fire imprisonment, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, and transmutation. Psionic Powers Known: Power points 343; base DC = d20 + key ability modifier + power level +8. Sardior knows all psionic powers. ?Create Thane: Sardior has the ability to transform a gem dragon into one of his six thanes. The transformed dragon takes on the attributes of the chosen thane, including all memories and personalities. Once changed, the new thane cannot be changed back, only slain. The thanes represent other sides of Sardior's personality. Each is a location for the purpose of Sardior's remote sensing ability, and each has constant mental contact with him unless he chooses to block it. ?Psionic Mastery: Sardior can manifest any psionic power provided he has the appropriate ability score. Sardior also has the ability to create new psionic powers as desired.

Other Divine Powers

As a lesser deity, Sardior may take 10 on any check. He treats a 1 on an attack roll or saving throw normally and not as an automatic failure. He is immortal. Senses: Sardior can see, hear, touch, and smell at a distance of 8 miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything within 8 miles of his worshipers, holy sites, objects, or any location where one of his titles or name was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to up to 5 locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations at once for up to 8 hours. Portfolio Sense: Sardior can sense anything that affects the welfare of gem dragons, so long as the event in question affects at least five hundred dragons. Automatic Actions: Sardior can use any of his Knowledge skills or his Psicraft skill or his Remote View skill as a free action if the DC for the task is 20 or lower. He can perform up to 5 such free actions each round. Create Magic Items: Sardior can create any kind of magic item, as long as the item's market price does not exceed 30,000 gp.