Mushussu (Splendor Dragon)
Mushussu
"There was a great dragon which the Babylonians revered."
Daniel 14:23
Terrestrial Hoarders. The only thing a mushussu loves more than collecting treasure is the praise and admiration of the mortals from whom the treasure is taken. Mushussu (Akkadian for "splendor dragon") have massive egos, and thus tend to live in close proximity to human civilizations, if not in their midst. Thus, a mushussu lair can usually be found in the ruins of abandoned cities, or sometimes in the active temple of a city where the splendor dragon has organized a cult of people who worship it.
Symbols of Marduk. The Babylonian people revered dragons as the symbol Marduk, one of the supreme gods of their pantheon. Just as demons sometimes use false gods as a means to corrupt humanity, the highly intelligent and manipulative splendor dragon will attempt to convince mortals to bring it treasure and food as a representative of whatever god the people already worship. For this reason, splendor dragons often find themselves at odds with demons, not out of altruism, but because they are in competition for the worship and admiration of mortals.
Bel and the Dragon. The apocryphal expansion to the book of Daniel, entitled "Bel and the Dragon" details the prophet Daniel's run-in with one such splendor dragon. Daniel outsmarted the dragon and destroyed the cult, but the temple erected for this dragon can still be visited by travelers in the city of Babylon to this day.
Huge dragon, lawful neutral
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 146
Speed 50 ft., hover 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
Skills Deception +7, Investigation +6, Persuasion +7
Condition Immunities Charmed, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Infernal, Akkadian
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Features
Regeneration. The dragon regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn. If the dragon takes acid or fire damage, this trait does not function at the start of its next turn. The dragon dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and does not regenerate.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's spellcasting modifier is Charisma, and can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.
At will: Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation
1/Day Each: Animate Objects, Mass Suggestion, Mislead
Actions
Multiattack. The drake makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a blast of wind in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in this area must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or it takes 28 (5d10) bludgeoning damage, is pushed 20 feet away from the dragon, and is knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on the save takes half as much damage, is pushed 10 feet, and is not knocked prone. All unprotected flames in the cone are extinguished.
Shape Change. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast with a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back to its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Bible5e custom monster. Its specific traits supplement the current rules. See Using Bible5e Monsters.