Whisper Dragon (Ancient)
CREATURE 16Whisper dragons are keen collectors of rumors and secrets who spend centuries honing their information networks and relationships. They generally do so not out of an intent to hold the information over others or to use for their own machinations, but simply because the process of learning and gathering information is fulfilling. Their hoards are sparse compared to those of other dragons, as they hold their true treasures—secrets—in their minds.
A monster with telepathy can communicate mentally with any creatures within the listed radius, as long as they share a language. This doesn't give any special access to their thoughts, and communicates no more information than normal speech would.
The dragon can attempt a Society check to Recall Knowledge in place of a check to Gather Information, recalling intelligence from prior informants.
A constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires.
Effect: Distracting Whisper
The dragon unleashes a befuddling miasma, dealing 15d6 mental damage in a 50-foot cone (DC 37 basic Will save). A creature that fails its save is Stupefied 1 (Stupefied 2 on a critical failure) for 1 minute. The dragon can't use Cogitation Breath again for 1d4 rounds.
The dragon makes two claw Strikes and one tail Strike in any order.
The dragon recharges their Cogitation Breath whenever they score a critical hit with a Strike.
The dragon plucks a fragment of knowledge from the mind of a creature within 60 feet, choosing a skill to affect. The creature must attempt a DC 35 Will save.
Success The creature is unaffected.
Failure For the next minute, the creature takes a –1 status penalty to checks using that skill, and the dragon gets a +1 status bonus to using that skill.
Critical Failure As failure, but the penalty is –2 and the bonus is +2.
The dragon delves into the mind of a creature within 60 feet to scour for secrets, learning something the creature would find embarrassing or shameful unless they succeed a DC 37 Will save. The target becomes Frightened 1 and can't reduce their frightened condition for 1 minute or until the dragon reveals the secret. As a reaction when the affected creature attempts a check, the dragon can reveal their secret to discomfit them, requiring them to roll twice and take the lower result; this is a misfortune effect.