| Climate/Terrain: | Any |
|---|---|
| Frequency: | Very rare |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle: | Any |
| Diet: | Carnivore |
| Intelligence: | Semi- (2-4) |
| Treasure: | Special |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1 |
| Armor Class: | -1 |
| Movement: | 12, Sw 15 |
| Hit Dice: | 20 (140 hit points) |
| THAC0: | 5 |
| No. of Attacks: | 4 |
| Damage/Attack: | 1-8+10/1-8+10/4-24/3-30 |
| Special Attacks: | Bite/Swallow, Elemental, Psionic, Tail Lash |
| Special Defenses: | Psionic |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil |
| Size: | H (20'+ long) |
| Morale: | Fearless (19) |
| XP Value: | 28,000 |
Psionics Summary
| Level | Dis/Sci/Dev | Attack/Defense | Score | PSPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 6/6/17 (24) | PsC,MT/M-,MB,TW | 17 | 150 |
Clairsentience - Science: clairvoyance; Devotion: poison sense.
Metapsionics - Science: psychic clone; Devotions: psionic drain, wrench.
Psychokinesis - Science: telekinesis; Devotion: control body.
Psychometabolism - Sciences: nil; Devotions: body equilibrium, chameleon power.
Psychoportation - Sciences: banishment, teleport; Devotions: dimensional door, dimension walk, dream travel, time shift.
Telepathy - Science: tower of iron will; Devotions: contact, ESP, invisibility, mental barrier, mind blank, mind thrust, psionic crush.
See also: Drake (Athas), General Information
The water drake is the most elusive of all drakes. This is due mostly to the hatred they hold for what humanity has done to Athas.
Water drakes are pale, grey-blue in color, with a blow hole centered in the back of their heads. Water drakes are the slimmest of the drake family. Their four webbed feet end in sharp, triangular claws. Water drakes tails are thinner and flatter than other drakes, and they provide excellent propulsion when in water.
Combat: If on land, water drakes will retreat into their water source and attack from it, if possible. Water drakes will often use a psychic clone to observe trespassers. After identifying the most powerful member of a party, the water drake attempts psionic banishment in order to demoralize other group members. In melee their attacks are swift and fierce, bringing claws (1d8+10) and jaws (4d6) to bear. Water drakes will use their sweeping tail attack (3d10) if flanked.
Once every 15 days, water drakes have a special elemental attack. They are able to gate a 30' diameter sphere of water from the elemental plane of water, with the following effects:
| D10 | Water Sphere Effect |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Solid ice - Anyone caught inside this sphere must save versus breath weapon or be frozen inside it. Individuals will take 1d4 points of cold damage per round and will suffocate unless rescued. Only psionics can be used by trapped individuals to free themselves. If not on a flat, solid surface, the sphere will begin to roll (6' movement per every 45-degrees of incline), unless on water, where it will float. |
| 4-6 | Fresh water - As the sphere bursts, any creature caught within 30' of the sphere must save versus breath weapon or be knocked down by the rush of water. This will cause 1d6 points of damage. |
| 7-9 | Boiling water.Same range as above; victims take 2d10 worth of burn damage (save for half of burn damage only). |
| 10 | Steam.Same range as above; victims take 3d10 worth of burn damage as the steam expands. |
Habitat/Society: Water drakes are reclusive and prefer as little contact with humanity as possible. They will avoid intruders, but will kill without hesitation those humanoids who trespass upon their lair. Because of the horrors rent upon the planet by humanoids, water drakes have absolutely no regard for such life. They make their home near a deep water source, if possible; many guard passages to aquafilters trapped deep below the ground. Water drakes can smell water at a range of up to 15 miles and have a 95% chance of determining the amount of water available. Their four webbed feet help them move large quantities of sand. All four feet have sharp, triangular claws designed for digging into and holding onto prey, or for raking.
Ecology: Although water drakes prefer food that has been washed or stored in water for a lengthy period of time, they will not hesitate to eat freshly-killed humanoids. Water drakes may be found all over Athas, although most make their homes in the Hinterlands.