The Wyrm Fight

Under a sky of hail and upon a field of death...

Structure

Exposition

While trying to find the Frozen Teeth on the isle of Kierkegaard, the heroes Pumpkin, Biff, Nero, Treant, and Rhonda came across an Ancient Wyrm guarding a vast treasure. They decided not to fight the Wyrm or claim the treasure, for fear of death and failure of their mission. Once they escaped Kierkegaard they seemingly forgot about the Wyrm... for a time.

The last component which the heroes needed to complete the quest was said to be near the absolute border of Ellij, one half of a forked tongue. While there, they fought the King of Drakes, a fire-breathing monster who, upon being granted mercy from the party, offered them all a wish from a Djinn. The Djinn was benevolent in nature, though still was stuck within the parameters of backhanded magics all Djinns are subjected to. He explained that he could grant the party one wish, but the wish would come with a hidden twist, so they must be as specific as possible.

Through a series of hypothetical trial and error, the party decided to wish for the treasure the Ancient Wyrm guarded. They worked out when, where, and how the treasure was to be teleported, figuring every possible avenue of failure. They asked the Djinn outright if the Wyrm would come to kill them if they warped this treasure away, to which he replied no. However, they did not ask whether the Ancient Wyrm would come to destroy everything. Which it did.

Conflict

The Wyrm began destroying the Great Continent village by village, town by town, castle by castle...

Until the heroes of the Continent were called to help. Pumpkin, Biff, Rhonda, Treant, and Nero were all called to help slay the Ancient Wyrm by the late Theo and the Archmage. From them, their allies where told over a period of time, along with gossip and warning being spread through the Inner Kingdoms.

Rising Action

After all the heroes were gathered they were told to all go to Greenvale Castle. There- Pumpkin, Biff, Nero, Rhonda, Nicoal and Luca, Dirk, Tilly, Lucky, Lyklier, Tony, Viper, Dart, LakeWretch, Ben Remmington, Sam N., Ryke, and Dr. Karl- all grouped together to defeat the beast. This was perhaps the largest gathering of heroes in the entire history of the Great Continent. Nero supplied most of the group with food while Nero and NIcoal, both as a Lord and Lady of Greenvale, allowed them all shelter and supplies.

Before the Heroes found the Wyrm, the Archmage in his apparition-like state gave the Heroes a much needed boon: Shards of Immortality. These were shards from the Eye of Immortality, which the Archmage had confiscated from the team previously. It was then decided which Heroes were to carry the Shards, as there were only 8. Dr. Karl volunteered to perform a field experiment upon one of the Shards, while also warning that this would use one of the shards. The group agreed near-unanimously, which resulted in Dr. Karl finding the formula for reconstructing a potion which mimics the Shards of Immortality- much to the joy of the party.

Then the massive company of Heroes trod off for five days to meet the Ancient Wyrm. The Wyrm was under the magical constraints of most all of the Mages and Sorcerers alike within the Continent, who had been called together to contain the monster's power. Since it could not fly, the Heroes were free to make their attack.

Climax

The fight was swift but terrible. The Heroes quickly found themselves casting all manner of spells, hexes, and skills upon the mighty beast, to little yet precious avail. With great speed and valor some Heroes swarmed the monster while their allies continued the onslaught of missile and magic. Nero and his companion Tony, who had mimicked the power of Nero, were at odds with the monster face to face. Sam N. struck the beast for first damage before any could even get a foot forward. Ryke and Rhonda dashed about the Wyrm's flanks, attacking and rending at the mighty scales. LakeWretch burrowed deep into the monster's flesh.

Just as the battle seemed to be leveling out towards the Heroes' favor, the Wyrm crushed and killed Dirk, Rhonda, Ryke, Sam N., LakeWretch, Nero, and Viper. Tilly in his wild nature cast the most powerful lightning spell to ever have been caste through use of a magical storage provided by Nicoal, and he fried Sam N. and LakeWretch. All in all, the party was down and at a serious disadvantage. Luckily, Nero and Rhonda were one of the few Heroes to receive Immortal Shards- reviving their bodies and spirits wholly to continue the fight.

Pumpkin, Tilly, Nicoal, and Lucky were casting spells in a flurry of magic and power. Ben, Dart, Rhonda and Dr. Karl continued their ranged attacks- as well as hindering the Wyrm's capabilities. Nero and Tony continued to pummel the monster face-to-face now joined by Biff and Lyklier. The Wyrm, desperate for reprieve, created an earthquake, disjointing the party and severely wounding some Heroes. Then it breathed pure ice in an arc towards Nero, Tony, Rhonda, and Pumpkin. Under the stalwart protection of Nero, Tony and Rhonda were affected much less than they would have otherwise been, and Pumpkin managed to narrowly avoid the cold attack- still furious from her adventure in Kierkegaard. Ben took this opportunity to land a critical strike from the barrel of a gun into the Ancient Wyrm's mouth. Luca also slashed and hacked away half of the monsters tail with vicious blades of gemstone under Nicoal's command.

Sensing that now was the time to strike, Lyklier ran into the Wyrm's left ear canal and erupted, with assistance from Lucky, into a conflagration of such immensity that half of the beast's faculties were burned from it. The Wyrm, now on its last leg, thrashed about wildly, but was quelled by Biff Crowley who ended its reign of destruction and havoc. The Heroes stood still for moments, waiting, stunned from the severity of the wound the legendary monster had struck them- the death of so many allies- before looking at each other with bittersweet relief. They had won.

Falling Action

The sky barrier, which had been held up by the mages and sorcerers of the Great Continent, collapsed upon itself and released a blanket of solid ice- made from the constrained hailstorm the monster created wherever it went- down around the Heroes, missing each of them due to the clever magics. The Archmage appeared before the Heroes, congratulating them, thanking them, and to show sympathy for those who were slain in the battle. He thought for a moment about what the Heroes deserved for not only their service, but their sacrifice, when a thought struck him.

He cast a spell most mages learn after decades of study- one which permanently enhances the mental and spiritual faculties of the target- upon the Heroes still standing. After this he offered them a choice: relinquish the Shards of Immortality and each of the dead Heroes will live again, albeit weaker and in their most primordial forms. The Heroes, sullen and exhausted, looked upon this offer with great hope. The fire which drives all Heroes flaired inside most of their eyes, though some Heroes were not to pleased to have these powers taken from them, and after a vote the fallen were brought back to the land of the living.

Resolution

The Wyrm slain, and the fallen Heroes revived, the Great Continent was once again safe from imminent destruction. The party of heroes were showered in praise, reward, and power. And for a time peace would reign supreme over the continent. Long enough for towns to be rebuilt, for lost souls to be found, and for the dead to be carried into the warm embrace of eternity. Celebrations roared across the Inner Kingdoms and all the monsters of the night feared the day that much greater for it.

However, this was the Great Continent. Heroes are not made idly, and more threats arise every day for them to defeat. If a Hero is born out of a need to defeat evil... One can only ponder that the inverse may very well be true. And these Heroes were getting very strong indeed.

Relations

Allies

The various Mages, Sorcerers, and other magic users of the Great Continent who lent a hand in constraining the Ancient Wyrm for the Heroes to attack.

Backdrops

Locations

The Wyrm was fought on a plateau be a large mountain range.

Related Characters

• Dirk Bancroft
• Lucky
• Nero Validus

Related Locations

• Inner Kingdoms