[Thundarr Thursday] Savage Menagerie: Dreadlon

No. Enc.: 1 (1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: Swim: 240' (80')
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 20
Attacks: 5 (bite, four tentacles)
Damage: 4d8, 2d8, 2d8, 2d8, 2d8, 2d8
Save: L9
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None

A dreadlon is an incredibly giant sea creature with the head and body of a giant lizard and tentacles like a squid. It is often brought into existence by very powerful wizards, though they can be encountered naturally in the ocean. Dreadlons are gilled water-breathers only encountered in oceans or seas. They feed on underwater sealife and have the appetite of a whale crossed with a shark. They have been known to come up from the ocean depths to attack large ships on the surface.

A dreadlon attacks first by biting at its target. Due to its incredible size, a dreadlon will inflict 4d8 hit points of damage with a single bite. If a natural 20 is rolled, the target is either swallowed whole (if human-sized or smaller) or an additional 1d8 hit points of crushing damage is inflicted from its massive jaws. The four tentacles of a dreadlon surround its midsection. It uses these to grasp prey and/or crush ships or obstacles. A tentacle can crush for 2d8 hit points of damage. Due to their size, they have an incredibly high hit dice pool and morale. It is very difficult to hurt or drive away a dreadlon once it begins its attack.

The only saving grace of a dreadlon attack is that it cannot stay above the waterline for very long as it needs to submerge to breathe again. It will also quickly grow bored or frustrated with an attack if it lasts too long, preferring larger prey to eat or prey that doesn't put up much of a fight. So a dreadlon will only attack for 2d12 rounds before it breaks off and goes back underwater.

Dreadlons are huge unstoppable monstrosities and should only be introduced to increase tension or to "herd" a party in a certain direction.

Mutations: none

NOTE: This creature is inspired by the episode “Island of the Body Snatchers” from the classic Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian.” Stay tuned each week for “Thundarr Thursday”!