Drake, Brine

This creature resembles a giant eel with a draconic head and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. The creature's head has small pectoral and caudal fins. A sail-like dorsal fin runs from the base of its skull to the tip of its tail.

Drake, Brine (CR 9)

Large Dragon (Aquatic)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +14

Speed: 20 feet, Swim 60 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 23, touch 11, flat-footed 21 (+2 Dex, +12 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 105 (10d12+40)
Saving Throws: Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +8
Immunity: paralysis, sleep

Offense

Melee: bite +14 (2d6+5/19-20 plus Grab), tail slap +9 (1d8+2)
Reach: 10 feet

Special Attacks: Constrict (2d6+7), maelstrom, watery breath

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
21 (+5)	15 (+2)	18 (+4)	8 (-1)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)

Base Attack Bonus: +10
CMB +16
CMD 28 (can't be tripped)

Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Stealth), Swim-by Attack

Skills: Intimidate +14, Perception +14, Stealth +17, Survival +14, Swim +26

Languages: Draconic

Special Qualities: Amphibious, speed surge

Special Abilities

Maelstrom (Ex)

Once per day, as a standard action, a brine drake can create a whirlpool within 100 feet. The whirlpool is 50 feet deep and covers a 30-foot radius at its top. Ships and creatures of the brine drake's size or smaller that come into contact with the whirlpool must succeed on a DC 19 check (Swim check for creatures, Profession [sailor] check for ships) or be pulled into the swirling waters and trapped, spinning around the whirlpool and taking 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage initially and 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage for another 1d6 rounds at which point the whirlpool dissipates. A brine dragon is immune to the effects of its own maelstrom. The check DC is Constitution-based.

Savage Bite (Ex)

A brine drake applies 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus to damage dealt with its bite attack, and it threatens a critical hit on a 19-20.

Speed Surge (Ex)

Three times per day as a swift action, a brine drake may draw on its draconic heritage for a boost of strength and speed to take an additional move action in that round.

Watery Breath (Su)

Once per round, as a standard action, a brine drake can unleash a blast of salt water in a 60-foot cone. Creatures caught in the area take 7d6 points of bludgeoning damage (DC 19 Reflex half). Once a brine drake has used its watery breath, it cannot use it again for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology

Environment: Any Oceans
Organization: solitary, pair, or wing (3-8)
Treasure: standard


Brine drakes are often confused with sea dragons and have a similar appearance to their much larger, and deadlier cousins. Like true sea dragons, brine drakes are the bane of major shipping lanes, lying in shallow water near the surface and attacking small lightly armed vessels and hunting lesser creatures.

Brine drakes make their homes in underwater caverns and the hulls of sunken vessels large enough to handle their huge size. What treasures they scour from the depths of the sea are piled within their caverns. Brine drakes thankfully mate only once every few years, with a female producing a clutch of two to six eggs. Eggs hatch within 8 months and young reach maturity in roughly 5 years.

Brine drakes are over 12 feet long and weigh around 1,600 pounds. They live up to 300 years. Brine drakes attack from beneath whenever possible, rising from the waters at great speed, latching their jaws around their target and coiling themselves around other prey or crushing the hulls of vessels under 30 feet in length.

Brine drakes drive other creatures away with slaps of its deadly tail.