This huge monster’s long sinuous scaled body slithers through dark forests. Vast wings the color of midnight rise from its back, and four wavy black horns sprout from its evil serpentine head; its wings can fold back entirely flush with its long body.

The kulshedra’s scales are burnt greenish-orange in hue and its eyes glow with a yellow light as baleful as witch lanterns, yet its most unusual feature are its forest of darting tongues, each of them a long glistening crimson spear tipped with bright orange flames.

The kulshedra is an unusual fire-breathing dragon with nine tongues found in dark forests, misty swamps and rugged hills. While dragons are known to sleep for long periods of time, the kulshedra sleeps for much of the year, waking only once or twice during the summer months to hunt for prey and find a suitable mate. During these short bursts of activity the kulshedra is a terrifying hunter, and has been known to decimate entire cities in its murderous quest for food.

Kulshedra Level 22 Solo Brute

Huge natural magical beast (dragon) XP 20,750 Initiative +11; Senses Perception +19; darkvision
HP 1,235; Bloodied 617
AC 36; Fortitude 38, Reflex 36, Will 32
Immune fear; Resist fire 30
Saving Throw +5
Speed 10, fly 12 (hover), overland flight 15, swim 12
Action Points 2

[M] Tongue Lash (standard; at-will) • Fire
Reach 4; +25 vs. AC; 3d6 + 8 fire damage and the target takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
[m] Bite (standard; at-will)
Reach 3; +25 vs. AC; 2d8 + 8 damage.
[m] Claw (standard; at-will)
Reach 3; +25 vs. AC; 1d12 + 8 damage.

Threatening Tongues
The kulshedra can make opportunity attacks against creatures moving within its reach with its tongue lash.

[c] Breath Weapon (standard; recharge 5, 6) • Fire
Close blast 5; +22 vs. Reflex; 4d8 + 8 fire damage and the target takes ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends). If a target is currently immobilized by the kulshedra’s swarm of tongues it is also slowed until the end of the kulshedra’s next turn. Miss: Half damage
[c] Bloodied Breath (free, when first bloodied; encounter) • Fire
The kulshedra’s breath weapon recharges, and it uses it immediately.
[c] Frightful Presence (standard; encounter) • Fear
Close burst 10; +22 vs. Will; the target is stunned until the end of the kulshedra’s next turn. Aftereffect: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends)
[c] Swarm of Tongues (standard; encounter) • Fire
Close burst 4; +22 vs. Reflex; 4d12 + 8 fire damage, and the target is immobilized until the end of the kulshedra’s next turn and takes ongoing 15 fire damage (save ends). Miss: The target takes half damage and is not immobilized.

Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Dungeoneering +18, Nature +18, Stealth +21
Str 27 (+19) Dex 21 (+16) Wis 17 (+14)
Con 28 (+20) Int 14 (+13) Cha 14 (+13)

Kulshedra Combat Tactics
A kulshedra begins combat by using frightful presence then spends an action point to employ swarm of tongues. After this initial onslaught is over it uses its breath weapon and makes attacks with its tongue lash unless its opponents are resistant or immune to fire. It also enjoys surprising targets with its threatening tongues. Since a kulshedra knows no fear it always fights to the death.

Kulshedra Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.
DC 15: Kulshedra are rare and enigmatic dragons loosely related to chromatic and metallic dragons. They have flaming breath and frightful presence as other dragons do, but unlike other dragons they use their nine long barbed flaming tongues as their main weapons. Kulshedra lurk in dank caves (usually near a source of water) where they sleep for much of the year.
DC 20: Immature kulshedra take the form of large serpents known as bolla. Bolla are virtually identical to flame snakes (see the 4E D&D Monster Manual), with the same combat statistics. Unlike flame snakes, bolla are magical beasts rather than elementals and have the dragon subtype rather than the fire and reptilian subtypes.
Male and female kulshedra mate once a year and produce a brood of a dozen or more bolla at any one time before going their separate ways and leaving their young to fend for themselves.
DC 30: The transformation from bolla to kulshedra requires the casting of a lengthy ritual and the consumption of vast quantities of flesh. As a result, very few bollas ever transform into kulshedras, keeping the numbers of these terrible dragons to a minimum.

Encounter Groups
Kulshedra are generally solitary monsters, but sometimes form pacts with demons or other powerful monsters of chaos and evil.

Level encounter 22 (XP 20,750)
• 1 kulshedra (level 22 solo brute)
Level encounter 24 (XP 29,050)
• 1 kulshedra (level 22 solo brute)
• 2 hezrou demons (level 22 brute)

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