Bee Dragon (3.5e Monster)

Bee Dragon
That is the biggest scariest bee I have ever seen.

One day a powerful wizard was studying his vast draconic lore, engrossed in their wonder and magical power while making himself some honey toast. Honey was his favorite ingrediant, he added it to everything, it was the only thing which matched his love for dragons. If only, he thought, if only he could combine these two great things into one activity. And so he captured a dragon, performed various magical experiements, and produced the first bee dragon which promptly ate him on release.

Wizards, no sense of right or wrong.

The yellow and black striped dragon with its strange, vaguely insect like wings and patches of derpy fuzz amongst its scales may seem absurd at first, but those who have encountered one soon respect and fear it as they fear the deadly bees of insectkind. For what is worse than an angry bee, then an angry bee with a breath weapon and 20 times your size?

Bee dragons's closest relative seems to be the white dragon, in size and dimensions at least. However its body is bulbous and vaguely segmented at the joints, with a rounded head with large dome-like multifaceted black eyes and curious antennae. Its tongue, when unfurled, is long and resembles a proboscis with a hollow tip and its wings, to which is possesses four of them, are stubby and short with clear membranes, not useful for wing buffets. The wings appear stiff, though they possess mild articulation in order to fold up safely upon its back. Its tail is short, but ends in a powerful poisoned stinger brimming with venom. Unfortunately it takes a trait from wasps here, and does not perish if it stings.

Bee dragons can produce beeswax and use it to make lairs of papery substance within rolling hills, forests, and swallow caves. These homes are often co-inhabited by actual bees and other flying stinging insects, to which it gladly shares its home and uses as a form of home defense. Old bee dragons can create their homes instantly, or even entire cities, via hivecraft. They can and do produce vast amounts of honey which is valued by many, or perhaps valued for the vast globs of honey which hold and hide its treasures. Its lairs may seem weak, and in a sense they are weaker than stone usually, but they brim with insect warriors ready to defend the nest.

Bee dragons have a fine appreciation of flowers and other plants. Their lands tend to be lush and green.

They speak with a buzzing rumbling voice, and when they fly they sound very loud, much like a helicopter. The scales of a wyrmling bee dragon are blinding shiny yellow and polished black. As the dragon ages the sheen disappears, fuzzy hairs breach through some scales, and the yellow fades to a more orange hue.

Combat
A bee dragon sends swarms of various kinds against opponents, especially against any being lacking damage reduction. It then uses the distraction to sting its foes, then flies back to let the poison do its work.

Against beings which are resistant or immune to swarms, or prove hardy against its poison, it typically tries to grab creatures and fly them in the air, throw them into environmental hazards, or other dangers. If pressed, it will flee. But it holds grudges and will often raze the surrounding area and everyone in it innocent or not for the transgression. For this reason most wisely leave bee dragons alone, lest someone provoke its wrath. In addition they can be very useful for the environment, and may set up trading with a local community to trade honey to treasure and flowers.

Most bee dragons invest in Snatch, Flyby Attack, and have ranks in Handle Animal as they may use that skill on vermin. Bee dragons use Wisdom instead of Charisma for their sorcerer spellcasting.


 * Breath Weapon :

The bee dragon has a deadly breath weapon, a cone of bees!!! It deals the listed damage above as magic piercing damage, and inflicts poison as if struck by its poison sting. A successful Reflex save halves the damage, and a Fortitude save negates the poison. It may breathe once every 1d4 rounds.


 * Natural Attacks :

The bee dragon does not gain 2 wing buffets, as its wings are too lightweight to deal actual damage.


 * Control Bees :

A bee dragon may rebuke and control flying vermin, typically bee swarms and giant wasps, as a cleric of its character level. It uses its Wisdom instead of its Charisma for these checks.


 * Create Honey :

The bee dragon can create honey naturally, as much as one entire beehive per age catagory per day. The honey has a unique special property of concealing any object encased fully in it from divination, as if obscure object with a caster level of the bee dragon's CR had been cast on it. This unusual property fades after 1 day when removed from the bee dragon's lair. Otherwise, it has no unusual properties.


 * Immunity to Poison :

A wyrmling or older bee dragon is immune to poison.


 * Poison Sting :

Wyrmling or older bee dragons gain a sting attack with their tail which deals their bite damage, and delivers a poison which causes itchiness, redness, and swelling. 1d4 Con/Staggered for 1 minute. The DC is Constitution based.


 * Scent :

A wyrmling or older bee dragon gains scent.


 * Supernatural Venom :

A young or older bee dragon's venom becomes impossibly toxic. It can work on beings immune to poison, though they gain a +8 bonus on saves. For beings not immune to poison it is worse as the poison does not abate after 1 minute, but continues to repeat the two poison effects every minute beyond until a successful Fortitude save is made.


 * Deafening Hum :

A young adult or older bee dragon manages some extremely fast wing speeds considering their size. They release a loud din every time they fly, -5 on Move Silently checks per age category, as well as a -5 on Listen checks made within 30 feet of it from the loud noise. Creatures attempting to cast spells or perform actions which require concentration must succeed on a concentration check DC 15 + double spell level (minimum 1) + 1 per dragon's age category, or lose concentration. This applies to any being within 30 feet.


 * Immunity to Swarms :

A mature adult or older bee dragon is immune to the attacks and effects of any swarm, including the effect of crown of vermin.


 * Hivemind :

A very old or older bee dragon has a special link with flying vermin. They gain telepathy out to 100 ft which can communicate and command flying vermin. Mindless flying vermin follow orders without question, while intelligent flying vermin can decide to obey or not.


 * Death Throes :

If a bee dragon dies, it leaves a scent in the air which immediately begins calling in insects from all over. Within 1d10 rounds, the bee dragon is the center of a apocalyptic swarm spell. If an apocalyptic swarm spell already exists in the area the damage becomes once per round instead of once per minute, and the swarm actively assaults the slayers of the dragon as if being directed by the bee dragon for its duration.


 * Spell-Like Abilities :

3/day-sting dart (very young or older), honey ambrosia (juvenile or older), swarm thermoball (adult or older); 1/day-hivecraft (old or older), skin to bees (ancient or older), apocalyptic swarm.


 * Skills:

Handle Animal, Intimidate, and Survival are considered class skills for bee dragons. They may use Handle Animal are vermin as if they were animals.