Brinemaw Wyrm

Stub-class article · First seen: s17 · Last seen: s17 (ongoing)
Brinemaw Wyrm
Brinemaw · the big serpent dragon thing · the giant worm
Brinemaw Wyrm — portrait.
Character
StatusAlive (Combat Ongoing)
First seens17
Last seens17 (ongoing)
FactionSapphire Sea fauna, Frost-zone creatures

The Brinemaw Wyrm is the largest of the three monster types in the s17 cold-water reef-line encounter [19], ongoing into s18). Serpentine, with fins, capable of a frost-breath cone line attack, and Large per the DM’s mid-combat size correction [5]. Hugo called it “the big serpent, dragon, thing” [9], the DM described it as “the giant worm” [10], and Mike repeatedly referred to his Phantasmal Force target as “the big, big, big, big, big, big, big man” [4]. The Wyrm is the creature Mike trapped inside a 10-foot illusory lava cube via 2nd-level Phantasmal Force [6]; the Wyrm failed two consecutive Intelligence saves (10 in Round 1, 12 in Round 2) and is still trapped at session end. Its Round-1 frost-breath line caught the party in the chaos along with one of its own water wolves for the full 32 cold [3] - the area attack caught a water wolf in the chaos, showing little concern for lesser allies, and the wounded wolf set up Hugo’s Round-2 axe kill.

Overview

The Brinemaw Wyrm is the boss-grade aquatic predator of the cold-water frost-zone in the southern stretch of the Sapphire Sea. It is the largest of the three new creature types in the s17 reef-line encounter (alongside the Reef Stalker and the Rimeclaw Skulker). Combat is ongoing at session end — initiative ran past time mid-Round 3 [8] and will resume in s18.

The Wyrm’s appearance is serpentine and finned, dragon-coded. Hugo described his attack target as “the big serpent, dragon, thing” [9], the DM described it as “the giant worm” pulling back from Hugo’s missed swing [10], and Mike’s Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp / Phantasmal Force pick referred to it as “the big, big, big, big, big, big, big man” [4]. The DM corrected the creature’s size from Huge to Large mid-fight at [5]. The creature has fins (“you see uh its fins kind of as it uh blasts you free straight in the face”, [11].

Combat profile (per s17 round 1-2)

  • Frost-breath line (recharge) - single-line cold AoE, 32 cold full / 16 on Dex save. Round 1’s breath caught Mike, Hugo, and Caelumn; the area attack also caught a water wolf in the chaos, showing little concern for lesser allies [12], and the wounded wolf set up Hugo’s Round-2 axe-throw kill. The water-wolf hit is a noted situational incident rather than a formal creature trait - the Wyrm has not been observed to spare or target allies as a rule. The DM did not narrate the recharge result for Round 2 [13]; the Wyrm did not use the breath in Round 2 because it spent its action trying to disbelieve Phantasmal Force instead.
  • Melee attacks - not yet observed in transcript (the Wyrm was trapped in Phantasmal Force before its melee profile could be established).

Status conditions inflicted on the Wyrm

Mike’s 2nd-level Phantasmal Force (2024-edition: 2d8 psychic per turn) constructed a 10-foot illusory cube of lava around the Wyrm. The Wyrm failed two Intelligence saves (a 10 in Round 1, a 12 in Round 2; [14], L1877-1881) and remains trapped at session end. The table’s reading: the Wyrm perceives itself surrounded by lava, including drips on its head; whether it counts as “blinded” for advantage-on-attacks against it was debated mid-fight [15] and the DM ruled advantage applies either way (“can’t see attacker”). Cumulative psychic damage: at least 26 (two 2d8 ticks) plus 4 force from Mike’s Booming Blade [16].

Distinguishing from the other two creature types

The s17 encounter introduced three new creature types plus a wolf pack. They are easy to conflate; the canonical distinctions:

  • Brinemaw Wyrm (this article): Large, serpentine, fins, frost-breath cone, the Phantasmal Force target. Hugo’s “big serpent dragon thing”.
  • Reef Stalker: Large monstrosity with “really powerful claws and bite attacks” (Mike’s History 16, [17]. Identified by Mike but not specifically pinned to one beat in the transcript (the History check identified “the creature that jumped on the skiff” — the encounter opens with a creature erupting from beneath the skiff knocking PCs prone, which Mike’s History calls a Reef Stalker).
  • Rimeclaw Skulker: Smaller, in the water, pokes head above water to fire ranged icicle-spit [18]. At least two were in play.
  • Water wolves: 3-4 quadrupedal swimmers on the deck with luminous purplish-blue blood.

Status as of session 17

Alive, trapped in Phantasmal Force lava-cube illusion, frost-breath recharge state unknown, accumulated psychic + force damage roughly 30 across two end-of-turn ticks plus Booming Blade. Combat resumes in s18.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 17, line 1568-1577 — Trigger — temperature drops, frost plates on the water, reef line, water erupts.
  2. ^ Session 17, line 1616-1617 — Hugo identifies his attack target as "the big serpent, dragon, thing"; DM describes it as "the giant worm".
  3. ^ Session 17, line 1619-1638 — Frost-breath line cone — 32 cold full / 16 half on Dex save; hits one of its own water-wolf allies for full damage.
  4. ^ Session 17, line 1658 — Mike's Phantasmal Force target — "the big, big, big, big, big, big, big man".
  5. ^ Session 17, line 1693-1696 — DM corrects creature size from Huge to Large.
  6. ^ Session 17, line 1697-1711 — Mike's 2nd-level Phantasmal Force lava-cube illusion — Wyrm fails Int save (10), takes 2d8 psychic.
  7. ^ Session 17, line 1877-1881 — Round 2 — Wyrm spends action trying to disbelieve Phantasmal Force; fails Int save again (12); takes another 2d8 psychic.
  8. ^ Session 17, line 1987 — Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 17, line 1616 — Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 17, line 1617 — Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 17, line 1619 — Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 17, line 1638 — Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 17, line 1903-1905 — Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 17, line 1707-1708 — Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 17, line 1958-1975 — Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 17, line 1916 — Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 17, line 1599 — Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 17, line 1604-1610 — Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 17, line 1568-1987 — Inline citation.
This article is a stub. You can help Nickipedia by expanding it.