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Rogue Week: Inspired Encounter

image credit: Sam Wood

The Dragon Engine

The dragon engine is a gargantuan creature covered in adamantine plates gushing loud gouts of steam from several of its moving parts. The steam-powered engine looks like a dragon with a long spiked tail at its back and a long neck ending in a head filled with teeth and spilling fire from its maw. It rides on a monstrous set of treads covered in spikes and has metallic horns up and down its back.

This fiendish device is an adamantine golem built to look like a dragon. I hear you asking, "but how is this an encounter inspired for a rogue?" Well in true Shadow of the Colossus fashion, the idea is to climb on top of it, find a way inside, and disable it from within. To face it head-on is a foolhardy task but it is possible to distract it long enough for the rogue to do the dirty work.

The creature is designed after an Iron Golem but is bigger and faster and has more HP. This may seem antithetical to make its CR lower, but I have compensated with several balances. Instead of having Poison Breath every round, it has fire breath with a recharge. It can only make one attack each round outside of its Legendary Actions, which are occasionally used to attack the rogue presumably inside its body. The creature also has poor maneuverability so it can only really move once every other round, making kiting a useful tactic against it.

It may seem like a rogue will have a difficult time inside the dragon engine with all the traps inside dealing so much damage, but one should remember that rogues at this high of a level will most certainly have Evasion to completely dodge the damage. However, the dragon will use its interior traps multiple times per round if the rest of the party outside isn't sufficiently vying for its attention.

Inside the Dragon Engine

Moving from one chamber to another is the equivalent of a creature's movement action. A creature can take the Dash action to move to second chamber in the same turn. A creature inside the dragon engine must make a DC 20 Perception check to successfully hear someone yelling from outside and vice versa.

Maintenance Hatch: A DC 16 Athletics or Acrobatics check is required to climb up the treads and torso. A DC 14 DEX check with Thieves Tools is required to unlock the latch. A creature on the maintenance hatch has disadvantage on DEX saving throws against the dragon engine's Flame Wreath ability. Once a creature is inside of the maintenance hatch, they find themselves in the Track Chamber.

Track Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's movement mechanisms. These can be disabled with a DC 18 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the movement mechanism is disabled, the dragon engine cannot take the move action for 1d4 rounds. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Grinding Gears ability. The Tail Chamber, Head Chamber, and Boiler Chamber can be reached from here. The Boiler chamber is locked and can only be reached once the dragon engine's tail mechanism and flame thrower have been disabled.

Boiler Chamber: The Boiler chamber is locked and can only be reached once the dragon engine's tail mechanism and flame thrower have been disabled. This chamber houses the dragon engine's main power source. The boiler can be rigged to overload with a DC 20 DEX check using Thieves Tools. Once the boiler has been successfully rigged, it will erupt in 3 rounds. Once it erupts, all creatures in a 40 ft. radius must make a DC 13 DEX saving throw or take 10d10 bludgeoning damage. A creature A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Steam Vents ability. The boiler chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.

Tail Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's tail movement mechanisms. These can be disabled with a DC 15 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the tail movement is disabled, the dragon engine cannot use its Tail Whip attack indefinitely. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Lightning Shock ability. The tail chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.

Head Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's Fire Breath mechanism. This can be disabled with a DC 15 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the Fire Breath mechanism is disabled, the dragon engine cannot use its Fire Breath ability indefinitely. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Heat Metal ability. The head chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.

Dragon Engine (CR 14)

Gargantuan Construct, Neutral

AC: 20, HP: 270, SPD: 50 ft.

STR: 24; DEX: 9; CON: 20; INT: 3; WIS: 11; CHA: 1

Immunities: fire, poison, psychic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine

Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned.

Senses: darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 10

Languages: Understands languages of its creator but cannot speak.

Fire Absorption: Whenever the dragon golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt

Immutable Form: The dragon engine is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Magic Resistance: The dragon engine has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons: The dragon engine's attacks are magical.

Poor Maneuverability: The dragon engine uses treaded tires to move around, making its movement difficult. The dragon engine can only use its action to rotate itself or to travel in a straight line.

Actions:

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20(3d8+7) piercing damage.

Tail Whip: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10+7) bludgeoning damage.

Fire Breath (recharge 5-6): The dragon engine exhales a 40-foot line of fire. Each creature in the area must make a DC 18 DEX saving throw, taking 48 (8d10) fire damage on a failed save and half damage on a successful save.

Legendary Actions:

The dragon engine can take 3 legendary actions chosen from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon engine regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect (1 action): If one or more creatures are inside of the dragon engine, it can use this legendary action to detect where each creature inside of it is located.

Trap (1 action): The dragon can activate one of its traps:

Steam Vents: Each creature in the Boiler Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 8d8 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.

Grinding Gears: Each creature in the Track Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.

Lightning Shock: Each creature in the Tail Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 6d6 lightning damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.

Heat Metal: Each creature in the Head Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 6d6 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.

Flame Wreath: Each creature within a 10 ft. radius of the dragon engine must make a DC 18 DEX saving throw or take 4d10 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.

Attack (2 actions): The dragon engine may attack one creature in range with either its Bite attack or Tail Whip.

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