Chronotyryn

Chronotyryns believe themselves to be the masters of time. Although this claim is likely not true, those who encounter the creatures and survive often come away believers due to the bird-creature’s unique set of abilities.

A chronotyryn resembles a large bird and is roughly 12 feet long from beak to tail, with a set of wiry, scaly-skinned arms that sprout from just under its wings. Those who have seen a chronotyryn liken its body shape to that of a gargoyle, only with feathers. These feathers are the dark, dusky color of adamantine, of which they are composed. A chronotyryn has piercing, dark eyes and the large, hooked beak of a bird of prey, and it typically wears a sort of harness that enables it to carry miscellaneous magic equipment that it has constructed. The chronotyryn’s dual brain and dual voice boxes make it especially eerie: Its two voices often carry on simultaneous conversations, and at other times, it seems to provide an echo for its own voice.

Chronotyryns are believed to be native to Acheron, although the creatures have scattered across the planes of existence. Hoarders of knowledge, most chronotyryns do not willingly share any information. Their nests are built in secret, out-of-the-way places, and they usually consist of a jumble of magic paraphernalia the creatures have accumulated from their victims.

Chronotyryns speak Abyssal, Infernal, Celestial, Draconic, and three additional languages (often Undercommon, Giant, and Orc).

Combat

A chronotyryn is highly magical and capable of unleashing tremendous forces on its foes. It is also quite arrogant. A chronotyryn usually begins combat from a distance by blasting at foes with its spells and perhaps a feather flurry. If an opponent is particularly tough, it doesn’t hesitate to use its time stop ability to plant a multitude of devastating spells and spell-like abilities on its opponent.

Adamantine Feathers (Ex): A chronotyryn’s feathers are composed of an adamantine alloy. This provides the creature with the ability to damage foes with its feathers (see feather flurry, below).

Detect Magic (Su): A chronotyryn can produce a detect magic effect (caster level 20th) at will.

Dual Actions (Su): A chronotyryn has two distinct brains and two separate voice boxes. It can take 2 rounds’ worth of actions in any given round, as if it were two creatures. Thus, it can use a full attack action and a double move; two full attack actions and two 5-foot steps; a full attack action, a move action, and a spell-like ability; two spell-like abilities and two move actions; and so on. If it is casting spells defensively, the chronotyryn must make separate Concentration checks for each spell.

Feather Flurry (Ex): Three times per day, a chronotyryn can launch a barrage of feathers at its opponents as a ranged attack action. This attack has a maximum range of 60 feet with no range increment.

Knowledgeable (Ex): A chronotyryn makes Knowledge checks for any Knowledge skills as if it had a minimum of 10 ranks in that skill. To surpass the 10-rank minimum, the chronotyryn must assign more than 10 ranks to the skill as normal.

Sonic Screech (Su): Once per day, a chronotyryn can propel a 20-foot burst of incredible sound against its opponents. This attack deals 8d6 points of sonic damage, or half damage on a successful Reflex save (DC 26). The burst is centered on the chronotyryn.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​blink, feeblemind, greater teleport; 3/day⁠—​displacement, time stop; 1/day⁠—​iron body, plane shift, temporal stasis. Caster level 20th; save DC 18 + spell level.

Spells: A chronotyryn can cast arcane spells as a 12th-level sorcerer (spells/day 6/8/8/8/8/6/4; spells known 9/5/5/4/3/2/1; save DC 18 + spell level). Chronotyryns prefer conjuration and transmutation spells over others. A typical spell list: 0⁠—​dancing lights, detect poison, flare, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1st⁠—​expeditious retreat, grease, magic missile, obscuring mist, shield; 2nd⁠—​acid arrow, bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, fog cloud, web; 3rd⁠—​displacement, lightning bolt, sleet storm, slow; 4th⁠—​black tentacles, greater invisibility, ice storm; 5th⁠—​cloudkill, hold monster; 6th⁠—​disintegrate.

Skills: A chronotyryn has a +10 racial bonus on Spot checks.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 33. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed invisibility in the suggested 4th-level spells to greater invisibility, which is actually a 4th-level sorcerer spell.