ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none

The magic-wielding engineers of ancient times created marvelous clockwork creations, but few equaled the formidable power of the clockwork dragon. The construction of clockwork dragons was based on a similar design, that of the clockwork leviathan. The engineers used the leviathan as a basic chassis, borrowing the same technology to fully waterproof the creature, then further modified the clockwork monstrosity to specialize it for defense and fast, brutal attacks. The ancients focused on clockworks because they knew that the aboleths’ illusions and magic meant to trick the mind would be useless against their mechanical creations, and began amassing clockwork armies of various shapes and uses to fight against their sinister rivals. In addition to being sent to war against aboleths, clockwork dragons were also used against other threats, such as the serpentfolk, and later the cyclopes.

Most of the time, clockwork dragons are built to represent metallic dragons, though some creators designed their mechanical beasts to resemble dragons of the chromatic grouping. Preserved illustrations unearthed from archaeological sites show even primal and imperial dragons influenced some designs.

It is rumored that an improved version of the clockwork dragon’s design possessed a semblance of sentience, having the ability to alter their programming mid-mission. Other variants of clockwork dragons wield breath weapons that deal alternate forms of energy damage. The greatest example of these variants is said to be capable of blasting a line of force from its fanged mouth. Some even claim to have spotted a similar creature (likely a product of parallel design): a robotic creation outfitted with enhanced flight, keen senses, lasers, and self-propelled explosive devices.

The engineers who first crafted these creations made use of some of the rarest elements available. This included the various skymetals, and in the creation of the clockwork dragons, the engineers discovered many new uses for those metals.

Ecology

Clockwork dragons must be wound up to perform, and though a full winding lasts much longer for these creations than other clockwork creatures, they eventually use up their power and go dormant. Most clockwork dragons remain in this dormant state, awaiting a fresh winding.

Habitat & Society

As constructs, the creatures have no true society, but many clockwork dragons were deployed with a contingent of clockwork servants to attend to their winding and repairs. Some clockwork dragons were also built with tiny compartments in their bodies that housed a dozen clockwork spies they could deploy during their missions so they could provide their creators with a full report of the particular action in which they were involved. Most of the time, these tiny clockwork spies cling to the dragon while it is in action, scurrying over its metallic scales as the beast pursues its quarry.

Variant Clockwork Dragons

The following are a number of variant clockwork dragons. Some clockwork dragons exhibit more than one of these variations.

Acid Breath (CR + 0): Equipped with an internal fountain of caustic liquid, this type of clockwork dragon replaces its fire breath with a 60-foot line of acid. Targeted creatures take 10d8 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 22 half ).

Destroyer (CR + 0): These clockwork dragons are used as highly mobile and powerful siege engines. While the destroyer clockwork dragon lacks a breath weapon, as a full-round action taken while on solid ground, it can move its gears to pull its wings apart and to rise up as a heavy bombard. The body of the clockwork is used as the platform for the bombard, and the internal workings of the clockwork can load the bombard without a crew, though it still takes five full-round actions on the part of the clockwork to load the bombard. The clockwork dragon can also take the actions necessary to aim the bombard. A clockwork dragon carries enough ammunition to fire the bombard 10 times.

Flaming Tar Breath (CR +1): Instead of breathing fire, some clockwork dragons spray a 30-foot cone of flaming tar. Creatures in the area of effect take 14d6 points of fire damage and are entangled in a thick layer of flaming tar. A successful DC 22 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the entangled effect. Creatures are entangled for 5 rounds as the tar burns. Entangled creatures take 3d6 points of fire damage each round on their turn. Spending a full-round action and succeeding at a DC 22 Reflex save removes the tar, freeing the trapped creature from the entanglement and further fire damage.

Infiltrator (CR + 1): These clockwork dragons are more subtle and nimble than those of other clockwork dragons. An infiltrator clockwork dragon can rearrange its movable parts into very serpentine and compact shapes, which gives it the compression ability. Furthermore, its parts are coated with a black, noise-dampening resin, granting it a +8 racial bonus on Stealth checks (typically Stealth +0). Finally, it's infused with magic allowing it, as a standard action, to become invisible as the greater invisibility spell (CL 15th) three times per day. The infiltrator clockwork dragon's invisibility is a supernatural ability.

Mithral (CR + 0): This variant loses its adamantine weapons and its DR, which are replaced by greater flight capability thanks to its spell-infused mithral parts. Its land and swim speeds increase to 70 feet, and its fly speed increases to 200 feet with good maneuverability. In addition, once per day as a swift action, it can gain the benefits of the haste spell for 1d4 rounds.

Rust Breath (CR + 0): Rust-breath clockwork dragons do not breathe fire. Instead, the creatures breathe out a fine mist of an alchemical solvent that instantly rusts exposed metals. This so-called "rust breath" issues forth in a 60-foot line. Creatures can attempt a DC 22 Reflex save to avoid the effect for attended items; however, they need to make a separate attempt for each exposed item. Each alchemical dragon can hold enough of the alchemical solvent to make up to three breath weapon attacks before the solvent must be refilled manually, which takes 10 minutes. These clockwork dragons are made of ironwood, adamantine, and other resistant materials immune to rusting of any form.

Sleep Gas Breath (CR + 0): This clockwork dragon's breath weapon is replaced with tanks of sleep gas. When the clockwork breathes out this gas in a 30-foot cone, creatures within the cone must succeed a DC 22 Will save or fall asleep for 1d6+10 rounds. Clockwork dragons with this breath weapon tend to have either the infiltrator or mithral variants, and often they have both variants. These clockwork dragons excel at missions that require stealth and precision rather than brute force.