Marsh Wyrm
The Marsh Wyrm is a small, semi-aquatic dragon that lives in the marshes and rivers of the Diira River Delta. They are classified as non-sapient, but are fairly intelligent.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Fully grown marsh wyrms are typically about four meters in length. They have scaly black skin and long, thin faces with a collar of skin that they raise when threatened. Marsh wyrms have an eel-like body and four flippers. They do not have wings but are very fast swimmers. Marsh wyrms can spit poison and their bite is venomous but not very powerful.
Genetics and Reproduction
Marsh wyrms mate in monogamous pairs which raise a brood of 3 to 5 hatchlings together. The hatchlings will leave the nest after about 2 years, at which point the parent wyrms will part ways. The juvenile marsh wyrms will travel along rivers and streams until they are able to establish their own territory. Marsh wyrms are solitary when not mating. They are fairly territorial and are particularly aggressive during the mating season or when defending a nest.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Marsh wyrms eat mainly fish and sometimes other small aquatic animals such as frogs. They do not hunt humans or livestock but are known to attack fishing boats in their territory, and can distinguish fishing boats and monster hunters from trade barges and other boats.
Behaviour
Marsh wyrms can be aggressive but prefer to evade or ambush adversaries, rather than directly facing them. A marsh wyrm will only bite if backed into a corner, and otherwise prefers to gain the element of surprise by spitting poison or intimidating its foe. If a wyrm fails in driving an outsider away from its territory, it will hide and wait for another opportunity, rather than fighting to the death.
Statblocks - Torchbearer 2e
Marsh Wyrm Stats
| Statistic | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Might | 5 | Might 3 if juvenile |
| Nature | 4 | Swimming, Ambushing, Spitting Poison |
| Instinct | Always lurk in the murkiest water to ambush trespassers | |
| Special Rules | ||
| Dragon Skin | Marsh wyrms are immune to weapons and spells involving fire | |
| Monogamous | A mated pair of marsh wyrms grant each other +1s in feint and maneuver actions, on top of other weapons | |
| Semi-aquatic | A marsh wyrm Fleeing through water has armor equivalent to plate armor. Out of water, it cannot use its eel-like tail and is unarmed | |
| Conflicts | Drive Off (6), Flee / Pursue (9), Kill (4) | |
| Drive Off / Capture | ||
| Slashing Tail | +1s to maneuver | |
| Intimidating Neck Ruff | +1D to feint, -1s to defend | |
| Flee / Pursue | ||
| Eel-like Tail | +1D to attack and maneuver | |
| Kill | ||
| Venomous Bite | +1D to attack and feint | |
| Poison Spit | +1s to Attack |
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