Creature Competition: Halloween

Election results are back! And the winner is: The Peep! True, a marshmallow confection might not have the highest armor class, challenge rating, amount of hit points... well, the list goes on. So, although a celestial dire peep might not prove any match for your players, it still managed to handily beat out the candy apple beholder and candy corn golem (as expected, no one likes candy corn) to win as this year's Halloween monster champion!

Celestial Dire Peep: 49.3%
Candy Apple Beholder: 35.7%
Candy Corn Golem: 15.0%

Happy Halloween folks! To celebrate the end of our most recent Creature Competition, we wanted to offer the following mini-event. In a chocolate-covered battle between the gooiest creations we could devise... who wins the following moist, delicious fight?

Candy Corn Golem	Candy Apple Beholder	Celestial Dire Peep

Creature Competition: Dragons

Caululithrax, the Vampiric Shadow Dragon Lifedrinker

For the past 16 weeks, your crafted dragons have waged furious battle. Caululithrax, the Vampiric Shadow Dragon Lifedrinker, won the competition earlier this month and become your chosen dragon in the Year of Dragons! We've asked his creator (Helian, on the message boards) to supply Caululithrax's stats -- provided below, for use in your games -- should your players ever rise to the level of facing a CR 36 threat!

Caululithrax CR 36
Vampiric Great Wyrm Shadow Dragon, Rogue 10, Lifedrinker 10
Always CE Gargantuan Undead
Init +9 Senses Darkvision 120ft., Blindsense 60ft., Listen +82, Spot +82
Aura frightful presence (60ft. DC 39)
Languages Abyssal, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Terran, Undercommon

AC 51, touch 9, flat-footed 48
hp 510; DR 20/magic
Immune level drain, undead immunities
Resist cold 20, electricity 20 SR 33
Fort +31, Ref +49, Will +43

Speed 80ft. (16 squares), fly 150ft. (30 squares, clumsy)
Melee Bite +66 melee (4d6+15)
Full Attack Bite +66 melee (4d6 +15) and 2 claws +60 melee (2d8 +7) and 2 Wings +59 melee (2d6 +7) and tail slap +59 melee (2d8 +22)
Space 30 Reach 20
Base Attack +51 Grapple +75
Atk Options Adroit Flyby Attack, Cleave, Clinging Breath, Flyby Attack, Hover, Power Attack, Snatch, Sunder, blood drain, blood revel, breath weapon, charm, create shadow, create spawn, domination, energy drain, greater blood drain, spells* (CL 17), spell boost (empower), spell boost (heighten), spell boost (maximize), spell boost (quicken), special attack boost (empower), special attack boost (heighten), special attack boost (maximize), sneak attack 5d6
Spell-Like Abilities 3/day: mirrior image, nondetection
2/day: dimension door
1/day shadow walk

Abilities Str 40, Dex 17, Con --, Int 34, Wis 34, Cha 40
SQ *ability to cast cleric spells and those from the Chaos, Evil, and Trickery domains as arcane spells* blood servant, boost defenses, fast healing 5, greater invigorate, improved evasion, improved uncanny dodge, invigorate, keen senses, lifewell, shadow blend, trapfinding, trap sense +3, turn resistance +4, undead traits, vampiric weaknesses
Feats Adroit Flyby Attack, Alertness, Blind Fight, Cleave, Clinging Breath, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Insightful Reflexes, Karmic Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Quick Reconnoiter, Recover Breath, Snatch, Sunder, Weapon Focus (Claw), Wingover
Skills Appraise +74, Bluff +85, Concentration +44, Diplomacy +77, Hide +73, Intimidate +77, Jump + 77, Knowledge(Arcana) +66, Knowledge(Geography) +66, Knowledge (History) +66, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +66, Knowledge (The Planes) +66, Knowledge (Religion) +66, Listen +82, Move Silently +72, Search +74, Sense Motive +82, Spellcraft +56, Spot +82
Advancement By level advancement
Possessions triple standard + 975,000gp worth of items

Caululithrax had grandeous ideas even at a very young age. In his youth, Caululithrax decided that the best way to increase his treasure hoard was not by means of direct combat, but by his "superior" draconic abilities. Using stealth and shadows, Caululithrax began skulking in the shadows of the vast subterranean caverns, and for countless years was the bane to many a drow, duergar and even the illithids’ treasure vaults. The time came however, when Caululithrax’s increased size hindered his ability to gain access to most humanoid halls and catacombs.

Caululithrax spent the rest of his "life" raiding the Underdark’s humanoid caravans and military patrols for magic and gold. The illithids grew tired of Caululithrax's meddling ways, however, and schemed a dire plot. Knowing that Caululithrax was always watching, they hired a drow merchant caravan to pass by the dragon's last know whereabouts. So confident, so brash, he took the bait and followed the caravan into a huge cavern where the illithids where waiting in ambush. After a long battle, Caululithrax knew he was bested, and was forced to flee deeper into the Underdark than he had ever had to delve.

Tired and gravely wounded, Caululithrax was about to suffer a cruel and unexpected twist of fate. He had stumbled upon the lair of an elder vampire. Greatly angered by his unexpected entry, and sensing Caululithrax's weakness, he attacked. Using the last of his energies, Caululithrax fought for what was left of his life, and in the end was victorious, forcing the vampire to flee in a gaseous form.

Caululithrax, however, suffered many bites and wounds that seemed to continue battling for his soul. He warily made his way back to his lair to rest. And rest he did. When he awoke, he had two puncture wounds in his neck and a thirst for the lifeblood of the living. An unquenchable thirst that would not be denied.

From that day until present, Caululithrax has honed his skills in life-draining by practicing the dark arts of the Lifedrinker, granting him massive advantages by dipping into his lifewell as needed.

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