I based the Huyanwo off Kalameet from Dark Souls. In fact I was planning on using the Dark Souls Boardgames to run this as void dragons in my campaign setting actually warp reality and I represent that by changing the rules of the game when my PCs fight. But since we were forced to go online only due to lockdowns and simplified the reality warping a bit to make it more playable in Fantasy Grounds.
The battle went for 8 rounds which is epic for a 5e combat. I had 7 pcs in this fight so 8 rounds for a monster so outgunned in terms of actions is actually very impressive. The battle opened up with Huyanwo dropping a 107 point breath weapon on the whole party – two members were down straight away as they failed their save. The battle took to the air after that and then the ocean. Huyanwo grabbed the kensai and tried to drown him but he got away with a clever use of his owl to switch places. Eventually Huyanwo was forced out of the ocean and was finally finished off in round 8 when he tried to flee. At one stage the party were preparing to go straight to his underwater lair where they would have fought both the dragon and his item-stealing hoard golem so it ended up being good they thought twice about it and decided to try and lure him out to fight instead.
My only observation is that the battle was all airborne or underwater making his lair actions mostly irrelevant. I also never used his sweeping flame attack as I was never in a position to make good use of it. But that’s just circumstantial not flawed design.
The Dragon of Void was a great Elemental Dragon from Tengoku. It represented the element of Void and was the most mysterious of all Dragons. It appeared in the dreams of heroes, but none could remember in what form. Void dragons can be of any alignment though they tend towards chaos and neutrality.
HUYANWO
Ancient Void Dragon
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 30 (10) | 10 (0) | 29 (9) | 18 (4) | 15 (2) | 23 (6) |
Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
Chaos Gem. Whenever a creature within the battlemap casts a spell (or uses a magic like ability like an Oiran’s song) the embedded chaos gem glows red. The caster must roll on the wild magic table.
Gravity. As a creature of the void, Huyanwo can not be moved, pushed or otherwise knocked off his feet so long as he is on the ground. He may also move through other creatures areas pushing them out of the way if they are of Large size or smaller.
Infinity Gem (1/Day). The dragon may always go first in a round or interject partway through a creatures turn and take an action of its choice. This is the dragons turn for this round. This consumes a legendary action for that particuler round.
Legendary Magic Resistance. Huyanwo adds 1d6 when making saving throws against magical effects. Divide spell damage by 10 for the number of hits. He may also cancel one spell per round.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Mark of Calamity. When Huyanwo uses mark of calamity as an attack he imposes the calamity status on the target and it becomes cursed. The target is vulnerable to all damage for the next 1 minute or until it takes damage at which point the creature can discard the calamity token.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. It may replace one of these attacks with a tail attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage + 14 (4d6) fire damage. The target is also grappled if the dragon so chooses (Escape DC 24). A grappled target automatically takes bite damage at the start of its turn.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Hell Fire Blast (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales fire in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (13d6) fire damage and 45 (13d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Swooping Charge (1/Day, Recharges when Bloodied or after a Long Rest). Huyanwo lowers his head and charges forward up to 80 feet and then does a 180 turn. Creatures occupying spaces he moves through are pushed away from Huyanwo 10 feet (target’s choice), knocked prone and take 35 (2d10 + 4d6 + 10) piercing damage or half as much on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw. A creature that takes fails its saving throw must use its action to stand from the prone position as the target is dazed from the brutaliity of the charge.
Sweeping Flame (Natural 15+ on his bite attack). Huyanwo rears up on his hind legs and faces the nearest character with his black flames. All creatures within 30 feet of him takes 9 fire damage and 9 necrotic damage.
REACTIONS
Bloodied Breath. Hell Fire Blast recharges when the dragon is bloodied and it uses it.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
- Move. The dragon moves up to its speed (of its choice).
- Mark of Calamity. The chaos gem glows a malignant red and fills your mind with static. All creatures within 30 feet of Huyanwo’s front arc take 12 psychic damage. The target must then make a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or gain a mark of calamity. This attack also pushes creatures back 30 feet if they take any psychic damage.
- Evasive Tail Sweep. The dragon makes a tail attack. This attack also pushes target’s back 30 feet and knocks them prone on a failed DC 25 Dexterity saving throw.
- Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
LAIR
Huyanwo’s lair is in an underwater cave some 100 feet below sea level just off the coast of Xielan Island. Xielan Island is famous for the Ruby Phoenix Tournament held every 10 years. Huynwo’s treasure hoard is protected by a hoard golem. The treasure costs of the following items:
The chaos gem can be pried loose and crafted into a calamity ring. A calamity ring makes the wearer vulnerable to all damage but adds +10 damage to attacks made by the wearer so long as those attacks require an attack roll. The chaos gem itself continues to shed a wild magic aura out to 10 feet until it is cut and placed in a ring.
Upon defeating the dragon, the PCs may locate his lair in a small grotto under the cliffs on the south side of the Ridge of Graves. The entrance rests 20 feet below the waterline even at low tide, and cannot be seen from the surface. Within lies Huyanwo’s hoard, amassed over the last 2 centuries:
- Art objects worth ¥2500: – Old masterpiece painting, Old masterpiece painting, Fine gold chain set with a fire opal, Fine gold chain set with a fire opal, Gold circlet set with four aquamarines, A necklace string of small pink pearls, A necklace string of small pink pearls,
- 2 vials of elixir of vision (advantage on Perception and Investigation checks for 1 hour),
- a black bag of tricks (roll 1d24 and choose from the appropriate table),
- an incandescent blue sphere ioun stone (insight),
- a gourd seed,
- Each PC may pick 1 magic item up to legendary quality OR Each PC may pick 1 magic item up to rare quality and 1 artifact. My PCs took the former option and chose the following rewards:
- Kuromi the Geisha. Kanzashi hair pins that double the range of vocal based effects (like songs and spells).
- Fukuro the Kensai. Learned the Cherry Blossom Dance. Effectively a new feat for the character.
- Almun the Ranger. A legendary tattoo – blood fury tattoo.
- Yoko the Monk. A stand ala Jojo.
- Rex the Ninja. A figurine of wondrous power that summons a Jade Kirin (unicorn). Thematic as he belongs to the Unicorn clan.
- Kara the Samurai. Belt of Storm Giant Strength.
- Totorroo the Shaman. TBD.
- a divine dragon tear (this forms when the dragon is killed). This pink gemstone when presented at the blue-green dragon shrine along with the aromatic branch of the Everblossom and the shelter stone summon The Blue-Green Dragon (青龍) – a kaiju robot lung dragon – but only by a rightful heir of the Chrysanthemum Throne.
- and coins worth ¥43,600.
LAIR ACTIONS
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Tricky Pools. Pools of water that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it surge outward in a grasping tide. Any creature on the ground within 20 feet of such a pool must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 20 feet into the water and knocked prone.
- Earth Tremor. A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Grasping Roots. Grasping roots and vines erupt in a 20-foot radius centered on a point on the ground that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. That area becomes difficult terrain, and each creature there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the roots and vines. A creature can be freed if it or another creature takes an action to make a DC 15 Strength check and succeeds. The roots and vines wilt away when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the dragon dies.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
Huyanwo counts the entire island chain of Xielan as a region he effects. Intelligent creatures of Huyanwo’s choice who sleep on Xielan Island dream of an opulent party with a charming host to whom they willingly and happily reveal their deepest secrets. This effect ends instantly if Huyanwo is slain.