[monster, familiar] Kaida Contemplative Kaida Today's monster is a new kaida, this one suited for monks (and

ninjas to a lesser extent). I've been slowly amassing kaidas suitable for all the Pathfinder RPG core classes, and this dragon, which my friend Patrick brought to my attention, seemed like a great fit for the monk. A spellcasting monk needs a considerable amount of multiclassing to obtain a contemplative kaida as a familiar, but the benefits should offset that cost.

This little emerald dragon sits on a flower's lip and regards a dewdrop within the flower with great interest. Contemplative Kaida CR 3 XP 800 LN Tiny dragon Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15 Defense AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size, +1 dodge) hp 26 (4d12) Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +8 Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge; Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits Offense Speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect), swim 30 ft. Melee bite +3 (1d3+4) and 2 claws +3 (1d2+4) Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks insightful strike Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +8) Constantanticipate peril At willcomprehend languages, guidance, read magic, timely inspiration Statistics Str 4, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 15

Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 13 (17 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Mobility Skills Appraise +8, Diplomacy +9, Fly +20, Heal +11, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +15, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Sense Motive Languages Common; telepathy 60 ft. SQ contemplated action, knowledge through enlightenment Special Abilities Contemplated Action (Ex) Once per day per Hit Die, as a full round action, contemplative kaida enters into a meditative state that gives it the benefit of sanctuary for the round. On its next turn it adds +20 to a chosen ability check, skill check, or attack roll. Insightful Strike (Ex) A contemplative kaida uses its Wisdom modifier on damage with its natural attacks instead of its Strength modifier. This ability does not work on creatures immune to precision damage. Knowledge through Enlightenment (Ex) A contemplative kaida can use its insight to derive an answer to a question, allowing it to make a Knowledge check untrained and adding its Intelligence and Wisdom modifiers to the check. The kaida usually applies its contemplated action ability to a Knowledge check. A contemplative kaida is a delicate creature that prefers to spend its time reflecting upon the mysteries of the universe. The kaida also likes to share its wisdom with those who will listen to it, but it knows not to come across as a braggart about its knowledge. The dragon will flee from a fight if it can, but it proves to be a dangerous opponent when it must defend itself. The kaida requires a minimum of sustenance to survive, and seems to derive most of its nutrition from experiencing its surroundings. A contemplative kaida is 18 inches long, including a 6-inch long tail, and weighs 20 pounds. Unlike many other kaida, a contemplative kaida does not bond with an item. The dragon considers itself in tune with the universe, and thus bonded with everything contained within. A contemplative kaida still chooses companions with whom it travels in order to gain alternative insights into the world. A spellcaster can choose a contemplative kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 3rd, character level 7th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and have a ki pool. A contemplative kaida adds its Wisdom modifier to the spellcaster's ki pool, and, once per day, it can grant the spellcaster the benefit of its contemplated action ability.

Deific Kaida Welcome back to Frightful Fridays! featuring one of the more esoteric dragons I've ever created. I realized I had given most of the classes a kaida that augmented their abilities, with the exception of divine spellcasters. So, the deific kaida starts off its life as an "untainted" manifestation of divine energy (represented by its access to the Divine subdomain), but it seeks out creatures that worship deities or have a strong philosophy and bonds with those items to achieve a greater understanding of the divine. By playing around with energy channeling or domain accesses, this kaida is useful for clerics, inquisitors, and many other divine characters (however, not for oracles; their kaida will have to wait for another time). The extra ties in with some of the deific kaida's abilities and allows characters with access to domains to benefit from an additional domain. That's it for this week. I'll be at ConCarolinas this weekend, where I'll be running a game in which

the characters are drakes, which is what put me in the mood to work on another kaida. While you're waiting for next week's monster, Flash will have a new shield feature for you on Sunday. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

This little dragon glows with divine energy and its strange outline of a body seems to twist into a variety of divine symbols. Deific Kaida CR 2 XP 600 N Tiny dragon Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10

Defense AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +2 size, +2 natural) hp 22 (3d12+3) Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7 Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits

Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +1 (1d3-4) and 2 claws +1 (1d2-4) Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks channel energy, domain access Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +7) 1/daybless water, identify

Statistics Str 3, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 15 Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 9 (13 vs. Trip) Feats Improved Channel, Quick Channel Skills Diplomacy +8, Fly +16, Heal +10, Knowledge (religion) +15, Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Knowledge (religion) Languages Common, Draconic; telepathy (60 feet) SQ bond with divine item

Special Abilities Bond with Divine Item (Su) A deific kaida can choose to bond with a holy/unholy symbol or a deity's favored weapon (provided the weapon is wielded by someone who worships the deity). When it does so, its image appears on the bonded item. While a deific kaida is bonded with an item, the owner may cast spiritual weapon 3 times per day; the weapon takes the shape of the kaida. Additionally, the kaida grants an insight bonus equal to half its Knowledge (religion) bonus to Knowledge (religion) checks made by the character possessing the item. Channel Energy (Su) A deific kaida can channel energy as a cleric with a level equal to the kaida's Hit Dice (a typical deific kaida can channel energy 5 times per day, dealing 2d6 damage, DC 15 Will save for half). An unbonded deific kaida chooses whether to channel positive or negative energy and cannot change this choice until after it bonds with a divine item. A bonded deific kaida allows a character who possesses the bonded item to channel energy additional times per day equal to half the kaida's channel energy uses. Domain Access (Su) A deific kaida has access to one domain or subdomain of its choosing (a typical kaida starts with the Divine subdomain), and it gains the domain powers and can use domain spells as spell-like abilities, as if it were a cleric with a level equal to the kaida's Hit Dice (the spells are reflected in the kaida's spell-like abilities). A kaida cannot change its domain until after it bonds with a divine item. A bonded deific kaida either increases the effective character level of the bonded item's owner by 2 with respect to domain powers, or it allows the owner to access an extra domain from her deity's domain list, gaining the domain's powers and access to domain spells.

A deific kaida embodies divine energy in all its forms and coalesces into specific divine energy as it encounters other beings. Holy or unholy symbols, weapons favored by deities, and other divinely touched items attract a deific kaida, which seeks to bond with an item to gain greater knowledge of deities or philosophies. As a being primarily composed of energy, the 2 foot long kaida only weighs 5 pounds.

An "unspoiled" deific kaida starts off with access to the Divine subdomain and channels negative energy, primarily as defense against predators. However, once the creature gets a taste of other divine energies by bonding with items, it changes up its domain access and may decide to channel positive energy. The dragon likes to bond with multiple different items and will sometimes change bonds in the middle of a battle involving characters of opposing faiths.

A spellcaster can choose a deific kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 4th, have the Improved Familiar feat, be able to use a domain power or channel energy, and provide a holy symbol or her deity's favored weapon with which the kaida can bond.

--------------------

Permeated Symbol Aura moderate evocation; CL 7th Slot neck; Price 14,100 gp; Weight 1 lb. Description A deity's power suffuses this masterwork holy (or unholy) symbol. When the wearer of this symbol channels energy, the DC to resist the channeled energy increases by 2. Additionally, the wearer can select an additional domain from which he can gain domain spells, and he gains the domain power available to first level characters for the selected domain. The selected domain must be

one that the wearer's deity offers (or, for those characters not devoted to a particular deity, must conceptually fit with the character's other domain[s]). Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, imbue with spell ability, creator must have access to domain spells or powers; Cost 7,100 gp

Street Kaida (Frightful Fridays! A-Z!) It's a brand new week of monsters for Frightful Fridays! A-Z! starting with the street kaida, which makes a great complement to a spellcasting rogue. Like its larger kin, it covets wealth of all kinds, but it can only transport a gem or a couple of coins that it lifts from unsuspecting (or slow) marks. Today's extra provides a little help for this Tiny monster's ability to execute a sneak attack by allowing it to establish a flank in spite of its short reach. Thanks once again for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow!

This small dragon flies down the alley, only slightly burdened by the gem it grasps in its claws; the creature has a tiny dagger tied to its back. Street Kaida CR 2 XP 600 CN Tiny Dragon Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8 Defense AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size) hp 19 (3d12) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5 Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits Offense Speed 10 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +9 (1d3-4) and 2 claws +9 (1d2-4) or mwk dagger +10 (1d2-4) Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +7) 3/dayvanish

Statistics Str 3, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 19, Wis 14, Cha 18 Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 11 (15 vs. trip) Feats Improved Initiative, Little Threat(B), Weapon Finesse Skills Appraise +10, Bluff +10, Climb +10, Fly +18, Knowledge (local) +10, Perception +8, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +15, Stealth +26, Use Magic Device +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Sleight of Hand, +8 Stealth Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Halfling; telepathy 180 ft. SQ attune to lucre Ecology Environment any urban Organization solitary, pair, or guild (312) Treasure standard (masterwork dagger, gems and jewels) Special Abilities Attune to Lucre (Su) A street kaida can bond with any single item of wealth (coin, gem, jewel, art, etc.) worth at least 10 gp. While the kaida is merged with the object, it takes on a dragon motif, such as a small engraving on a coin or an image within a gem. Once per day, the kaida can teleport to the coin unerringly, provided the coin is no more than 1 mile away from the kaida. All draconic creatures covet wealth, and the largest, most powerful dragons just take what they want from whatever populace they terrorize, usually after burning, electrifying, freezing or melting a few people as examples of the dragons considerable prowess. Smaller dragons like kaida have to be a little more creative about wealth accumulation; a street kaida resorts to larceny to gather small items that it squirrels away in its own lair, typically a hidden hole in a disused alleyway. The lithe and sinuous street kaida measures 3 feet in length and weighs a mere 20 pounds. A street kaida often supplements its direct income gathering by taking on jobs that its special combination of stealth and size allow it to complete much more easily than the humanoids that hire the dragon. The kaida is also insatiably curious, and its abilities allow it to eavesdrop on many illicit discussions. A street kaida is keenly aware that information oftentimes generates more power than mere wealth, and the creature is willing to sell what it knows for an exorbitant price. Despite its chaotic alignment, information obtained from a street kaida is always valuable, primarily because the creature does not wish to undermine its reputation in the city or district it calls home. If a situation requires violence, a street kaida prefers to use weapons rather than its natural attacks, but it has no problem shifting to its natural attacks if necessary. A spellcaster can choose a street kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 3rd, have the Improved Familiar feat, possess at least one rogue talent, and provide an item of wealth worth at least 50 gp with which the kaida can bond. -------------------Little Threat (Combat) Despite your size, you can still help an ally threaten an opponent. Prerequisites: Dex 13, size Tiny Benefit: Even if you have a 0-foot reach, you can still flank with an ally. At the beginning of your turn, you may choose an ally who currently threatens the opponent with whom you share a square; you both gain a +2 flanking bonus. Normal: Creatures with a reach of 0 feet cannot flank opponents.

Lead Kaida (Frightful Fridays! A-Z!) Happy Saturday to you Frightful Fridays! readers out there. Today marks the return of one of my indulgences, the kaida. Continuing on with the theme of class-synergistic kaida, the lead version is a great match for martial characters given its natural ability to improve weapons and armor. Hopefully, there's a multiclassing spellcaster who would like to have one of these dragons as his or her familiar. The extras for today's monster apply directly to the monster. The two new feats are only available to lead kaidas, but they should give GMs some flexibility in designing the creatures. Additionally, paranoid PCs might benefit from the kaida's new-found ability to thwart divination and eventually wreak havoc on nearby spellcasters. Flash will be here tomorrow with a new shield, and I'll be back on Monday with the halfway-point monster for the A-Z challenge. Have a great weekend!

This small blue-grey dragon alights with a thud, its weight obviously belying its size. It radiates heat that is not harmful, but it is also not pleasant. Lead Kaida CR 3 XP 800 LN Small dragon Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10

Defense AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+1 size, +4 natural) hp 34 (4d12+8) Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune fire, magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits Offense

Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average) Melee bite +6 (1d6+1), 2 claws +6 x2 (1d4+1) Special Attacks breath weapon (DC 14) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5) 3/daymagic weapon 1/daycrafters fortune, lead blades (attuned weapon only) Statistics Str 13, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 12 Base Atk +4; CMB +4 (+6 bull rush); CMD 14 (16 vs. bull rush, 18 vs. trip) Feats Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack Skills Appraise +13, Craft (armor) +13, Craft (weapons) +13, Diplomacy +8, Fly +9, Intimidate +8, Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Appraise, +4 Craft (armor), +4 Craft (weapons) Languages Common, Draconic, Ignan SQ attune to armor or weapon Ecology Environment any urban (usually a blacksmiths workspace) Organization solitary, pair, or forge (36) Treasure double (weapons or armor) Special Abilities Attune to Armor or Weapon (Su) A lead kaida can bond with metal armor or a metal weapon. When it does, the bonded item displays the dragon in rampant pose. A lead kaida enhances a weapon depending on the weapons unattuned state: an ordinary weapon becomes masterwork, a masterwork weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls, and a magical weapon gains the ability to bypass 10 points of hardness. Armor is enhanced as follows: ordinary armor becomes masterwork, masterwork armor grants a +1 enhancement bonus to AC, and magical armor grants the wearer DR 2/. A lead kaida can only attune to one item at a time, and the attunement process takes 1 day. Breath Weapon (Ex) A lead kaida can breathe fire in a 20-foot cone every 2d4 rounds. Its fiery breath deals 2d6 damage to every creature in the cone (Reflex DC 14 save for half), and any creature who fails the Reflex save is also slowed for 1d4 rounds. One of the largest and by far the heaviest of all kaida, a lead kaida appreciates and protects forged items. A blacksmith considers it a favorable sign when a lead kaida graces her forge with its presence. The dragon measures 4 feet from snout to tail tip, and it has a 7-foot wide wingspan that manages to hold its 250 pounds aloft. A lead kaida is a ponderous dragon of few words and devotes its time and energy to crafting arms and armor or helping a companion in melee combat. While the kaida prefers to bond with a wellcrafted weapon or suit of armor and aid its comrade by bolstering the bonded item, it realizes its value in combat and will gladly leave its home to dole out punishment to its companions foes. All a lead kaida asks for in return is whatever slag is left behind from the forging of a weapon or armor; it can subsist on 50 pounds of such material a week. A spellcaster can choose a lead kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 6th, have the Improved Familiar feat, have 1 level in a class with full-BAB progression, and provide a weapon or piece of armor of at least masterwork quality with which the kaida can bond. -------------------Disrupt Divination

You can use your lead-laced blood to foil divination spells. Prerequisites: Lead kaida advanced to at least 6 Hit Dice or one that has forgone Improved Bull Rush. Benefit: In a 30-foot radius centered on you, divination spells fail to penetrate through the radius, unless the caster succeeds at a caster level check (DC equal to 12 + half your Hit Dice + Con modifier; this includes a +2 racial bonus). Arcane Disrupter Your body generates a field that is anathema to arcane spellcasters. Prerequisites: Disrupt Divination, lead kaida advanced to at least 6 Hit Dice. Benefit: Any arcane spellcaster within 10 feet of you must succeed at a concentration check (DC 15 + double the spells level) to successfully cast a spell. Failing this check causes the spellcaster to lose the spell. If you have been taken as a familiar, this ability does not affect your master's spellcasting.

Euphonic Kaida Here is an actual Friday Frightful Fridays! creature for you, and a new kaida lands in the familiar spot. I liked the idea of having a spellcaster diversify to get the leaf kaida, especially since it seemed fitting for a druidic character to obtain one. Continuing on that theme, today's euphonic kaida is an attractive option for bards, and the bonus bardic masterpiece assumes that a bard has one of these tiny dragons accompanying the bard to create a destructive sonic boom. Thanks go to Theodric for today's find! I hope you enjoy today's entry, and I'll be back tomorrow for the "F"inal monster of the week. Thank you for reading!

This little dragon with bright red wings whistles a pleasant tune as it perches on a thin reed. Euphonic Kaida CR 2 XP 600 NG Tiny dragon Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

Defense AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size) hp 22 (3d12+3) Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +6 Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits; Resist sonic 10 Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +8 (1d32), 2 claws +8 (1d22) Special Attacks bardic performance, breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 2d6 sonic damage, Reflex half DC 14 [includes +2 racial bonus], usable every1d4 rounds) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +7) 3/dayhypnotism (DC 15) Statistics Str 7, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 19 Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip) Feats Skill Focus (Perform [wind]), Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +14, Fly +17, Knowledge (local) +7, Perception +8, Perform (wind) +14, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +4 Diplomacy, +4 Perform (wind) Languages Common, Draconic SQ attune to instrument Ecology Environment any fields or urban Organization solitary, pair, ensemble (38) Treasure standard Special Abilities Attune to Instrument (Su) Similarly to other kaida, a euphonic kaida can bond with an instrument. If the kaida does so, and it goes dormant, the instrument takes on a draconic motif, whether the instrument features the kaidas image along a prominent part of the instrument, or a scaly appearance, or some other indicator that the instrument belongs to the kaida. While bonded, a kaida grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Perform checks with the instrument. A euphonic kaida can only attune to one instrument at a time, and the attunement process requires one week. Bardic Performance (Su) A euphonic kaida can use its Perform (wind) skill to duplicate any bardic performance available to a 3rd-level bard; it can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 8 + its Charisma modifier (and for an additional 2 rounds per day for every Hit Die beyond 3). A euphonic kaida uses its Hit Dice in place of the bard level to determine save DCs and other effects, and any bardic performance relying on visual components has its range halved. Otherwise, this ability works like a bards bardic performance. A euphonic kaida travels wherever pleasant sounds take it, whether those sounds originate from a concerto of crickets or they come from a creature playing an instrument. Once it finds a gifted musician, it typically stays with that person and bonds with the musicians favorite instrument. The dragon measures 10 inches from snout to 4-inch-long tail tip and weighs roughly 1 pound. A euphonic kaida is extremely gregarious, and it seeks to bring the joy of music to everyone it meets. It prefers to devise a diplomatic solution when it meets a hostile creature, resorting to

trickery if that fails, and then falling back on its sonic breath weapon if trickery fails. An unbonded kaida makes its presence known at halls hosting concerts and accompanies the concerts, usually adding a new dimension to the performance (at least in the dragons mind). In the wild, a euphonic kaida accompanies cicadas, crickets, and other creatures that create their own peculiar melodies. Rarely, the creature can be seen accompanying a satyr, but most satyrs grow irritated with what they see as the dragons interference. A spellcaster can choose a euphonic kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 6th, have the bardic performance class ability, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a masterwork instrument with which the kaida can bond. The kaida can use its bardic performance ability independently, or extend its masters bardic performance by expending two rounds of its ability for every round it extends the performance.

-------------------Triumph of the Dragon (Wind, Sing) Your powerful performance and accompaniment by your companion dragon allow you to tap into a primal, destructive sound. Prerequisite: Perform (sing) 9 ranks. Cost: Feat or 3rd-level bard spell known. This ancient song performed by dragons going to war against other dragons culminates in a cry of expectant triumph that deafens and harms foes who hear it. When you and your euphonic kaida complete the performance, you can unleash a primal scream at any point within 10 minutes of finishing the performance. When you do so, you deal 8d6 points of sonic damage to every creature in a 30-foot radius centered on you (Fortitude save for half). A creature that fails its Fortitude save is deafened for 3d6 rounds. You can exclude a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier. Use: 8 rounds of bardic performance (any of which can come from the euphonic kaida; you must provide at least one round). Action: 8 rounds (reduced by 1 round, to a minimum of 4, for every round the bard and the kaida perform together). Leaf Kaida Welcome again to another Frightful Fridays! Thanks to Paris Crenshaw for his awesome armored cricket last week, while I took the time to work a little bit ahead on my April plans. I'm back this week with a new kaida, the leaf kaida. I believe this would be a perfect familiar for an arborling, who would naturally be able to bond with one of these dragons. I hope you like the third kaida in the series, and I promise a few more in later Frightful Fridays! installments. Have a great weekend!

What at first appears to be a couple of leaves attached to a trees stem reveals itself to be a little dragon with deciduous leaves as wings. Leaf Kaida CR 1 XP 400 NG Tiny dragon Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12 Defense AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size) hp 13 (2d12) Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5 Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits, plant traits Offense Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (good) Melee bite +3 (1d31 plus poison), 2 claws +3 (1d21) Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 2d6 slashing damage, Reflex half DC 11, usable every1d6 rounds), poison Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +4) 1/daygoodberry Statistics Str 8, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 19 Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip) Feats Skill Focus (Perception) Skills Climb +11, Diplomacy +6, Fly +15, Heal +8, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +12, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +16 (+32 in forested areas), Survival +8; Racial Modifiers +16 Stealth in forested areas Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan Ecology Environment any forest Organization solitary, pair, or pile (312) Treasure incidental

Special Abilities Poison (Ex) bite; save Fort DC 12; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save. Unlike other kaida, the leaf kaida protects the forest domains it calls home. When at rest, this dragon is nearly indistinguishable from a couple of leaves attached to a tree, and it can even go so far as to mimic the stunning colors seen during autumn. This camouflaging process is not fast enough to provide the dragon any real benefit, though. A leaf kaida measures roughly 2 feet in length, and it has a relatively short wingspan at 6 inches. In keeping with its leafy nature, the creature weighs less than a pound. A leaf kaida chooses a tree to bond witha process that takes a full 24 hours to complete. It lives with the bonded tree in a symbiotic fashion, providing protection to the tree, while its host provides nourishment to the kaida. The kaida stays with the tree throughout the year, even during winter whereupon the dragons leafy features seem to shrivel and brown. As long as the kaida stays with its tree it stays healthy; on the rare occasions the creature must depart from its tree (during mating season, for example), it can remain separated for a week, after which it sickens and eventually dies. Typically, if something prevents the kaida from returning, it attempts to find another plant with which it can bond. Through its continual bonding and re-bonding actions, a leaf kaida can live for over 200 years. A fairly robust and long-lived tree can host dozens of leaf kaidas; treants and dryads are especially fond of the dragons, who, in turn, appreciate the other creatures sharing their homes (or bodies, in the treants case). A spellcaster can choose a leaf kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 6th, be able to cast 1st-level druid spells, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a Small, or larger, plant with which the leaf kaida can bond. As a familiar, the leaf kaida can stay away from its bonded plant for one month at a time, but afterwards it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC equal to 10 plus 1 for each day away from its plant) or perish. Page Kaida Welcome back to Frightful Fridays! This not entirely frightening monster (in fact, this is the first Good monster I've done here) comes courtesy of a find by Theodric the Obscure, who knows of my weakness for small dragons. These tiny dragons didn't quite fit the drake design space, so I searched around for another name for dragons and stumbled across "kaida" (Japanese for "little dragon"). With that, I've got a class of dragons that a group of powerful spellcasters created (or perhaps called on some powerful curse to enslave chromatic dragons) to protect magical and artistic creations--books, pottery, scrolls, and even artfully crafted shields and weapons. I definitely plan to revisit these dragons in later Frightful Fridays! installments, but, in the meantime, I hope you like this week's monster.

What looked merely like an illustration of a juvenile blue dragon peels from the page, inflates into a three-dimensional dragon and breathes an incongruous blast of frost. Page Kaida CR 1 XP 400 CG Diminutive dragon Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7 Defense AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size) hp 15 (2d12+2) Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +5 Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (good) Melee bite +4 (1d32), 2 claws +4 (1d22) Special Attacks emerge from page, breath weapon (20-ft. cone or 30-ft. line [see below], 1d6 damage [see below], Reflex half DC 12, usable every 1d4 rounds) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +5) At willdetect magic Statistics Str 6, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 9 Feats Improved Initiative Skills Diplomacy +7, Fly +17, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Linguistics +6, Perception +7, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +10, Stealth +20, Use Magic Device +11; Racial Modifiers +4 Knowledge (arcana), +4 Spellcraft, +4 Use Magic Device Languages Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic; telepathy 60 ft. SQ magical sensitivity, one with the page Ecology

Environment any urban Organization solitary, pair, or chapter (330) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Breath Weapon (Ex) A page kaida has a breath weapon that varies by individual creature but has one of the following four effects: 1d6 acid damage in a 30-ft. line, 1d6 cold damage in a 20-ft. cone, 1d6 electricity damage in a 30-ft. line or 1d6 fire damage in a 20-ft. cone. The kaidas breath weapon deals no damage to a work it protects (see one with the page). Emerge from Page (Su) When a page kaida is within a book or scroll under its protection, it gains a +8 bonus to its Stealth check. If the kaida gets to act during a surprise round where it emerges from its page, it can make a full attack or use its breath weapon. Magical Sensitivity (Su) A page kaida has +4 racial modifiers to Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft and Use Magic Device checks. It can also cast detect magic at will. One with the Page (Su) As a full round action, a page kaida can merge with one of the works it protects, where it becomes an illustration on the page. The dragon has a +10 insight bonus to any Knowledge checks related to the works it protects, and it may make these Knowledge checks as if were trained in the skill. If the kaida inhabits a spell scroll, it may cast the spell on the scroll once per day at the spells minimum caster level. The kaida can attune itself as the protector of a number of books and/or scrolls equal to its Hit Dice, and it requires a week to attune itself to a new work. The most common protector kaida, a page kaida loves the written word and strives to protect it from natural and humanoid-made mishaps. It may appear to be a miniature version of a chromatic dragon, with an oft-time mismatched breath weapon, but it is quite friendly...unless someone threatens its protected works. This tiny dragon measures 8 inches from snout to tail tip and weighs 10-15 ounces. While a page kaida prefers spellbooks to any other book, it settles in nicely with any written work. Bonding with a book or scroll keeps the kaida sustained for its relatively long life of 200 years, but an unbooked kaida dies if it cannot find a work to bond with in two months. An individual kaida can spend its entire life with one or two written works and will essentially sleep while they are undisturbed. Forgotten libraries might contain dozens of slumbering page kaida that will awaken when someone finally peruses their protected books. A kaida initially acts standoffish, but it will yammer on about material it knows if someone shows any interest. A spellcaster can choose a page kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 4th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a book or scroll worth at least 200 gp for the page kaida, which will attune to the book or scroll as one of its protected items.

Petroglyph Kaida: Add the giant creature simple template to a standard page kaida. These creatures thrive where old ruins are covered in script. They bond with a single text on a wall or column, creating great colonies in larger buildings. They are much more aggressive than their "modern" cousins and most of them are true neutral in alignment. In still used temples of draconic gods they are sometimes encouraged to stay and live in friendly coexistence with the worshippers.

Flask Kaida The flask kaida is Neutral, rather than Good like its page kaida cousin, but that's due to the fact that sometimes it ends up protecting poisons as well as potions. Despite its somewhat corrupt morality, a flask kaida is a wonderful addition to an alchemist character or an arcane spellcaster who might get a friendly potion-maker to accompany her.

Liquid flows out of an open vial and forms into a tiny dragon; mere seconds after it emerges, almost completely solidifies, with the exception of moisture dripping from its claws, fangs and tail. Flask Kaida CR 2 XP 600 N Diminutive dragon Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9 Defense AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size) hp 25 (3d12+6) Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6 Immune magic paralysis, poison, and sleep, dragon traits Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (good), swim 20 ft. Melee bite +5 (1d32 plus poison), claws +5 (1d22 plus poison) Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks poison, spray Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5) Constantdetect poison At willcreate water Statistics Str 6, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 14 Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 10 (14 vs. trip) Feats Brew Potion, Improved Initiative Skills Craft (alchemy) +14, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +20, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +8 Craft (alchemy), +8 Knowledge (arcana) Languages Common, Draconic SQ amphibious, apply potion

Ecology Environment any urban Organization solitary, pair, lab (38) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Apply Potion (Ex) A flask kaida can store a single potion within itself (either one it drinks or one it creates with Brew Poison); it can feed this potion to a willing or unconscious creature as a fullround action. Poison (Ex) Due to exposure to a variety of liquids, including poisons, a flask kaida can poison a foe using any injury poison. The frequency, effects, and cure remain unchanged, but the Fortitude save DC is based on the kaidas Constitution (a typical flask kaida requires a DC 14 Fort save). Spray (Ex) A flask kaida can spew stored water in a 20-foot line at an opponent. This deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 14 Reflex save for half), and a victim who fails his Reflex save is stunned for 1 round. The kaida can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. A flask kaida charges itself with the protection of potions and other liquids. It makes its home in the same places as the fluids it protects and takes on the properties of those fluids. When it is fully exposed to air, it gains a solid shell around its otherwise liquid body; this shell varies in color depending on the liquid it guards, but it always measures 1-foot in length from snout to tail. The shells adds no appreciable weight to the dragon, so it weighs as much as a typical potion. This odd dragon finds a home in alchemist laboratories or other places where any sort of brewing takes place. Having accumulated a fair bit of knowledge regarding the potion production, a flask kaida enjoys working with skilled craftspeople to create new formulas. A flask kaida sometimes travels with those it enjoys working with, and it provides a boon to its erstwhile companions with its ability to create water seemingly out of nothing. A flask kaida might pair up with a page kaida where the latter provides arcane formulae to the former, so it can brew new potions from spells it had not previously been exposed to. This species of kaida is friendlier than others, but it still desires a lot of time alone in its container. A well-adjusted flask kaida can thrive for 250 years before dissolving utterlyusually breaking down into a powerful potion at the time of its death. A spellcaster can choose a flask kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 7th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a potion containing a 2nd-level or higher effect. The kaida usually requires a container where it can rest or assume liquid form.