Monster Subjugation: Lindwyrms

Roleplay FES
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1

From the Adventurer’s Guild job post:

MONSTER SUBJUGATION: LINDWYRMS

A nearby farmer is struggling to keep his milkbeetles safe from a small pack of lindwyrms.

While force is necessary, please review the Guild’s Code of Conduct and note that we must do our best to avoid killing all of them.

Reward

The mayor of Kobold Town is offering a reward of 300g per Lindwyrm successfully subjugated.

Farmer Yellowjacket has also promised a free personal supply of beetle milk for all participating adventurers.

2

The adventuring party “The Treasure Troupe” will be taking this request - anyone looking to join, feel free to jump in if you find a relevant spot to jump in!

The Treasure Troupe will be borrowing from the adventurers guild:

  • spring-binded bolos (to try to nonlethally capture larger lindwyrms)
  • 6 small kennels for babies
  • Proper egg containers for transporting and incubating eggs, if any exist

Lindwyrms are considered SEMI-SENTIENT ANIMALS and do not possess language, and despite being territorial predators, must necessarily be relocated to the wilderness to leave us outside of their hunting zone.

Lindwyrms typically understand the concept of THREAT and MERCY.

While you will likely be at a disadvantage if you cannot appropriately handle the creature nonlethally, it is better than to hunt and kill them.

BE ADVISED: Lindwyrms are lesser dragons but still are actual dragons, and as such, may also be hunted for their worth. Be wary of poachers.

3

“Fine,” Duchess muttered to herself. “I guess I’ll have to find them myself.”

Duchess, sitting eating a snack together with Kobold and Charlie, felt bored waiting for the wagon to be loaded.

“They had to hunt some DRAGONS??? And we have to worry about supplies?”

Kobold, much larger than Duchess, reaches over and pats her on the head.

Charlie croaks, “At least they’re giving us supplies. We won’t starve.”

“True,” she says. “You think there’s treasure?”

Kobold opens their mouth. “Treasure,” they mutter.

The small kobold nods. “As sure of it as I am of my future,” he says, adjusting his glasses slightly.

Before the group knows it, they’re off in search of the dragons and their lair…

4

@kobold asked for a die roll:

The three are searching for Lindwyrms.

Charlie, as a follower of the path of Worldwise, leads the roll.

Charlie uses his cunning to identify where to find the Lindwyrms (+5)

Charlie, as a scholar, has proficiency in this kind of task (+3)

Charlie will apply willpower (+1, 3 willpower left.)

Total:

Advantages:

  • He logically would have access to research the region at the adventurer’s guild as a Bookworm.
  • He applies the Path of Worldwise.
  • His strength is cunning.
  • The adventurers guild have given the party enough resources to succeed even if it takes a long time.

Disadvantages:

  • The wilderness is big, and Charlie is small.
  • Lindwyrms are not sentient, but they are very good hunters.

4d6kh2+9: 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 16 (including +1 from match)

5

Charlie inevitably succeeds. Even though they spent a moderate amount of time searching (only +2 over the success threshold), Charlie eventually uses his wit to differentiate a hunted carcass as different from other dead animals. A bear was killed here, and a dragon scale fragment is stuck in one of its claws- Charlie spotted it.

It didn’t take much longer before he identified a pattern - grooves along the ground that were marred by rain.

Before them - the lair awaits, and the party has enough evidence…

6

“Ok my lovelies,” Duchess says with a gesture towards the others. “Are you ready? We can’t kill them, remember, so keep cages close by!”

Charlie interrupts: “Um, Duchess, shouldnt we lie in wait rather than charge in?” He looks about- the little guy knows they’re ALL home right now, so wouldn’t it have been better for them to be separated before attacking, too?

A power commands him towards violence, and so he channels it in as accommodatingly to the minimum violence needed as much as possible.

“Kobold,” says kobold.

“Wise,” Duchess cuts back. “but inappropriate. Still, let’s do our best!”

Hours pass, and the group waits for them in an ambushing position for the Lindwyrms to separate…

7

The crew have assembled at Duchess’ side. Ready to ambush, the crew rely on her agility.

Kobold gives encouragement and a magical pat, and Duchess strikes out from hiding using her agility to act before the adult lindwyrm can see her leap from the brush.

“Princess Mode!” she cries, drawing her rapier and -

As she sprints out, it’s almost as though she is flying, a magical transformation blurring her from sight- This is the magical heirloom of the love of Kobold Town, “the Armor of the Dragon”, and within the light of her armor, the tip of her rapier is magically dulled to apply precise pressure points in damage instead of otherwise lethal attacks.

So equipped, Duchess rushes in. This was her time to shine!

8

@kobold asked for a die roll:

+8 to roll

  • +3 for proficiency level in rapier use
  • +5 for agility

4 Advantages:

  • Agility is her strength
  • She is a duelist
  • Kobold has blessed her
  • The party is taking the lindwyrm by surprise

3 disadvantages:

  • This is a dragon, she is a kobold
  • She is not yet familiar with the pressure points of lindwyrms
  • This is the lindwyrm’s lair

3d6kh2+8: 3 + 6 + 3 = 18 (including +1 from match)

9

This is NOT a normal encounter. A lindwyrm is not something an entry level party should be fighting. This is exceedingly difficult, but only possible because The Armor of the Dragon will ensure she does not die in a single blow.

If DC 14 is average, and this is a fair bit above average, I’d land in the 16-17 zone. So let’s say 16.

This means she deals 2 damage to the lyndwyrm. A lindwyrm is martial in nature and lithe, so it is likely to have around 10 hp - +2 over Duchess.

The strike lands true, but the dragon’s scales yet provide much armor against such an attack!

The Lindwyrm HOWLS IN FURY.

Combat has begun!

The crew is literally putting their lives on the line!

10

The Lindwyrm, a creature of territory, whips and writhing in pain and howls in terror and agony, unable to reach its tiny arms upon the spot Duchess laid a bruise.

Duchess speaks strangely in a harmonious cry: “Creature! Begone! We do not want to fight needlessly even as you threaten our lives! Take your family and flee further towards the river’s source!”

Would this work, she thought? Far too late to decide against it if not.

11

@kobold asked for a die roll:

Duchess is using her BEAST-TONGUE to speak, and is putting all weight and effort to the bottom of her determination to win over the beast’s terror and respect.

+7 total bonus

  • +3 proficiency (she is the mayor’s daughter)
  • +4 ego

3 advantages:

  • Magical - she is speaking to a magical beast
  • Beast-tongue - she would not be able to attempt this otherwise
  • Armor of the Dragon - her words bear the will of thousands, including the might of dragons itself. Surely a dragon, despite not being sentient, would understand?

2 disadvantages:

  • Lowborn
  • This is the LINDWYRM’S TERRITORY now, and it will fight you back if you do not convince it

3d6kh2+7: 4 + 5 + 4 = 17 (including +1 from match)

12

Oops, I forgot the determination, but… that would be +3 for her.

In total, that’s 20… as this is a metaphysical application, and a lindwyrm is not sentient yet still a dragon, i would say that while the difficulty is at +2, I would say the lindwyrm’s mental hp does not get this bonus, and being a weaker stat thus would be 4 at best.

And so, bringing her opponent’s mental points to 0, she applies a trauma: WARNED. SCOLDED. ALLOWED A WAY TO SURVIVE PEACEFULLY.

It understood. Its clutch would all survive if they followed the river.

The lindwyrm dashed away back into the cave.

“Is it over?” asks Charlie.

“I don’t know,” Duchess responds. She turns her head towards him and looks at him still hiding behind a bush. “Aren’t you the expert on that?”

“Oh,” he says. “You’re right. Well, we can do two things, I suppose. Lindwyrms are weak diggers, and can escape elsewhere eventually, but I imagine it will be a long time. They are dragons and, naturally, would rather stay here and keep digging than leave. So, we would need to camp here and set up guard. We would also need to feed the Lindwyrms, or risk them attacking us in desperation.” Charlie becomes self-aware, realizing he’s potentially talking over Duchess.

Duchess was enraptured and fascinated. “Charlie, you really did a great job! That’s a fantastic idea!” she says.

Kobold sat next to the party in front of the cave and makes the ground shake a little. “Kobold,” it says in agreement.

Charlie blushes. “Ok, but you two gotta hunt the food. We have the wagon but that’s only going to last so long.”

“Sure, buddy, sure,” she says and ducks down to him to give him a hug. “I think we did it,” she says optimistically.