Bookwyrms

 

Bookwyrm

Small (3’) dragons with eight legs along their serpentine bodies. They are drawn to magic and usually lair in dungeons or abandoned wizard towers.

AC 2 [17], HD 2* (9hp), Att 1 x bite (1d4) or 1 x magic item, THAC0 18 [+1], MV 120’ (40’) / 90’ (30’) flying, SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 25, NA 1d4, TT N + O

• Detect Magic: Up to 60’.

• Magic Resistance: +2 bonus to all saves against magic.

• Magic Items: 50% chance the bookwyrm wields an offensive magic item.

• Limited Flight: Small wings allow flight for at most 3 turns.

Also known as Nevill's familiars, wizard lizards, and spellsnakes, this diminutive dragon species was discovered by the wizard-lord Nevill the Nefarious, who while building a dungeon complex in the caves under his tower encountered one of the little beasts attempting to snatch his spellbook.

These dragons love to be around magic. They bask in its electrical tingle the way lizards bask in the warmth of the sun. Because of this, they tend to hoard magical objects and guard them viciously. Wizards keep them as familiars to protect their libraries and treasuries from thieves.

Found in the wild, bookwyrms build nests from scraps of spell scrolls, potion bottles, magic wands, and scavenged spellbook pages.

Unlike their greater cousins, these dragons have no breath weapon. They can, however, utilize magic items to compensate. Wealthy wizards equip their dragons with magical jewelry, and the creatures’ prehensile tails are adept at wielding magic wands and rings.

Some even say that Nevill was able to train his dragon to cast spells at the level of an apprentice wizard.

Millennia of slinking around dungeon halls has left the bookwyrm's wings small and weak. Bookwyrms can still fly, just barely. A bookwyrm's flight could best be described as that of a chicken or hysterical bat. Generally they will stay on their feet, only resorting to flight when fleeing, or when necessary in pursuit of a magic item.

d4 Bookwyrm Encounters

1. A terrified young wizard is locked in a stalemate with a bookwyrm. The wizard is cornered. He shakily levels his wand at the beast, who follows it like a snake about to strike.

2. A distressed bookwyrm is chirping and scratching at a dungeon wall. On further inspection, the wall is a secret door leading to a room holding magical treasure.

3. A frantic, flying bookwyrm barrels down the hall and crashes into one of the player characters. The bookwyrm is pursued by d6 angry adventurers, looking for a magic item the dragon stole from them.
4. Two bookwyrms in a tug-of-war over a bloodied spellbook. Following the trail of blood leads back to the ravaged corpse of a wizard.