For the sake of simplifying categories in an OSR TTRPG, I've chosen to group these all under the title "Wyrm", with three subtypes: Lindworm, Wyvern, and Dragon. This allows me to treat them all as one type when needed (For instance, a Ranger can have Wyrms as their "favored enemy"), while keeping each one distinct. I further group them according to my elemental types of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Time, creating fifteen unique types of Wyrm.
Lindworms
The Lindworm may be legless, or have one or more sets of legs. They may display vestigial wings, but these are never large or powerful enough for flight. They do not have the power of speech, but may display fairly complex reasoning, allowing them to detect and avoid clever traps and to strategize their defense and attack. Among the Wyrms, Lindworms are most likely to be encountered in civilized regions, often occupying nearby ruins, wells, or caves. They have the ability to curl themselves up tightly, with the smallest requiring a space no bigger than 10'x10' to squeeze into. They can become quite enormous in size, with legends of them wrapping themselves around castle towers.
The Lindworm may be legless, or have one or more sets of legs. They may display vestigial wings, but these are never large or powerful enough for flight. They do not have the power of speech, but may display fairly complex reasoning, allowing them to detect and avoid clever traps and to strategize their defense and attack. Among the Wyrms, Lindworms are most likely to be encountered in civilized regions, often occupying nearby ruins, wells, or caves. They have the ability to curl themselves up tightly, with the smallest requiring a space no bigger than 10'x10' to squeeze into. They can become quite enormous in size, with legends of them wrapping themselves around castle towers.
They are subterranean burrowers, and as such can spring up from the ground anywhere, offering them the opportunity to attack by surprise. They typically feed on wildlife, yet they can find livestock to be tempting easy prey. Rarely do they burrow into buildings such as barns, or attack towns or villages, preferring to study their isolated targets in advance and preserve the ability to retreat before their presence is even discovered.
Adventurers investigating the disappearance of livestock from fields at night might find it difficult to discern that the culprit is a Lindworm, as they are quite proficient in covering their tracks. Signs of their presence might include an occasionally shed scale, or scratches and gouges on a tree in a nearby wood where the Wyrm was sharpening its claws.
Wyverns
Featuring classic bat-like anatomy, Wyverns have two hind legs and two forelimbs in the form of large wings giving them the power of flight. Their body is typically about the size of a horse, with a 10 foot tail and a wingspan of some 20 feet. They often have a barbed poison tip at the end of their tails. In intelligence they compare to the Lindworm, choosing their targets carefully. Unlike the Lindworm, Wyverns may attack in groups, employing a pack strategy similar to wolves.
Wyverns typically nest in low mountains and foothills, where they can observe the landscape below. If flying near populated areas, they will tend to choose the darkest of nights such as a new moon or heavily overcast sky. Often the only sign of the presence of a Wyvern is the ominous sound of the flapping of its wings overhead, with perhaps a break in the clouds betraying their silhouetted form. Like Lindworms, they prefer easy prey, but may prove to be braver and more aggressive in groups.
Dragons
Dragons are a highly intelligent variation of Wyrm. Their size varies drastically, from that of a Wyvern to dwarfing even the largest of Lindworms. They have great wings proportional to their body length, giving them the power of flight. They may have one or more sets of legs, with two sets being most common. Their foreclaws typically have opposable thumbs, granting them a great deal of manual dexterity. They not only have the power of speech, but their cunning bests the brightest of humans.
Dragons can live for very long periods of time (some say they are immortal) without the requirement of food. This allows them to make their lairs in very remote places. Tales tell of Dragons that have slept for 1000 years undisturbed.
Dragons are most famous for their ability to breathe fire, but this is dependent upon the element they are aligned to. A Water Dragon might breathe an icy cloud of frost, while an Air Dragon emit a noxious fume, deadly to all who breath it. Time Dragons (the rarest of all) can slow their targets with their breath, or even freeze them in their tracks.
Motivations for Dragons are unique. In story, greed and the attainment of ever more wealth is the most popular goal of Dragons. However, due to their exceptional intelligence, they may seek worthy rivals, even rewarding those who can best them in games of strategy. They may be custodians or guardians of knowledge, keepers of artifacts, or be bound by oath some ancient duty. Their patience is a long as their lifespan, and incurring the wrath of a Dragon is a curse than can last many generations.
 |
| Edward Burne-Jones |
No comments:
Post a Comment