Brinemaw Wyrm

Stub-class article · First seen: s17 · Last seen: s18
Brinemaw Wyrm
Brinemaw · the big serpent dragon thing · the giant worm
Portrait of Brinemaw Wyrm.
Character
StatusDead
First seens17
Last seens18
FactionSapphire Sea fauna, Frost-zone creatures

The Brinemaw Wyrm is the serpentine, finned monstrosity that led the cold-water reef-line ambush on the party’s skiff in sessions 17 and 18, throwing a line of frost that caught three of the party and one of its own water wolves [26]. Mike trapped it in an illusory cube of lava with Phantasmal Force, where it failed an Intelligence save and a later check to see through the illusion, and Steven’s dagger killed it on a natural 20 at the start of session 18, “barely enough damage to finish it off” [6][18][22].

Overview

The Brinemaw Wyrm is the largest creature of the cold-water reef-line ambush that met the party’s skiff on the second day of its voyage south, in sessions 17 and 18 [1]. Hugo called it “the big serpent, dragon thing” and the DM “the giant worm” [2]. It came with a Reef Stalker, at least two Rimeclaw Skulkers and a pack of Water wolves, each on its own page (DM ruling 48). Mike’s Phantasmal Force held it in place, and Steven killed it [6][12].

Appearance and demeanour

Serpentine and finned, with most of its body underwater and the head and neck above the surface [13][14]. The DM calls it a monstrosity [15]. It rears back, “almost like it’s pulling itself out of the water”, to throw its frost [13]. Trapped in the illusion, it is “thrashing and screeching” as if burning alive [16].

Abilities as played

  • A line of frost. It threw one in the first round: three of the party took half of 32 cold on their saves, and one of its own wolves took the full 32 [3]. The DM’s ruling is that the friendly fire was a chaotic moment, not a creature trait (DM ruling 50).
  • Held by illusion. Mike’s Phantasmal Force put a 10-foot cube of lava round it; it failed its Intelligence save and later its check to disbelieve, taking 2d8 psychic each time [17][18].
  • Terry’s blades. His flurry did 14; the DM called it “slight damage”, “not as much as you’d think” [19].

No melee attack was seen.

Relationships

  • Mike: held it in his illusion and pulled it back into the box with Command [20][21].
  • Steven: killed it [22].
  • The other reef-line creatures: it fought beside them, and its breath caught a water wolf [23].

Disposition towards the party

A predator that ambushed the skiff: “something huge passes under it, and then the water erupts” [24].

History in the campaign

Session 17: New Hands, the Black Mask’s Renegotiation, and the Rimeclaw

Main article: Session 17

On the second day the sea turned cold and plates of frost drifted past the skiff; at a reef line something huge passed beneath it and the water erupted [25]. Hugo swung at “the big serpent, dragon thing”, which pulled back, then reared and threw its line of frost [26]. Mike answered with Phantasmal Force, a cube of illusory lava; the Wyrm failed its Intelligence save and its later check to see through the illusion, taking 2d8 psychic each time, and stayed trapped [17][18]. Steven’s Eldritch Blast at the end of the second round went wide, and the session stopped there [27].

Session 18: The Wyrm Falls, the Catfish Escapes, and Mike Dies on the Road

Main article: Session 18

Combat resumed with the Wyrm still believing in the lava. It thrashed at the illusory wall and came out of the box; Mike, now in the water, triggered his Booming Blade thunder and cast Command, “approach”, which it failed to resist [28]. Caelumn’s Witch Bolt hit it for 20 and Terry’s blades for 14 [29]. Steven then rolled a natural 20 with his pact dagger, its tip showing “this like sulfuric flame”, and the DM called the damage “barely enough damage to finish it off” [22]. Its life seemed to sap from its body, and the water closed over it [30].

Status

As of session 23. Dead, killed by Steven in session 18; its body sank beneath the reef [12].

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 18, line 119-126: Combat resumes from s17 cliffhanger; Wyrm panics, tries to move outside the illusory box; still believing in the illusion.
  9. ^ Session 18, line 131-137: Mike triggers residual Booming Blade tick (1d8 thunder, Wis save 5, failed); casts Command "approach" to pull the Wyrm back into the Phantasmal Force radius.
  10. ^ Session 18, line 139-143: Caelumn opens with 1st-level Witch Bolt for 20 damage; sustains concentration.
  11. ^ Session 18, line 149-153: Terry hits twice with his silvered weapon for 14 total; DM notes "slight damage to it however it's not as much as you'd think"; Wyrm appears resistant to non-magical/non-silvered.
  12. ^ Session 18, line 162-176: **KILL**: Steven's dagger (12 to hit, s18 L164) with "this like sulfuric flame" (s18 L166), and his soul-essence narration. DM kill-prompt at s18 L167: "that is barely enough damage to finish it off how do you want to do this." Body sinks; "as the last shapes vanish beneath the reef, the water closes over it" (s18 L176)..
  13. ^ Session 17, line 1619: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 18, line 130: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 18, line 171: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 17, line 1711: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 17, line 1697-1713: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 17, line 1876-1881: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 18, line 150-152: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 17, line 1697: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 18, line 135-137: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 18, line 162-167: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 17, line 1638: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 17, line 1570: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 17, line 1568-1570: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 17, line 1616-1638: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 17, line 1978-1987: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 18, line 126-137: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 18, line 139-153: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 18, line 172-176: Inline citation.
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