Ulgrin watched in horror as the Lindwurm drew in a deep breath.

A wave of noxious gas emerged from its throat as it expelled its natural breath weapon. The cloud of purple washed over them. Almost immediately his companions began to cough and retch, the poison hitting them hard.

He found himself shrugging off the toxin, Dunvi fortitude working overtime. It still had his throat closing up, but he spat up phlegm and ignored it. “Fuck, get back!” He called, charging forwards and drawing his weapon of choice. Calling upon his magicks, he reinforced the warhammer and settled in to fight the creature alone.

Now that it wasn’t under the effects of paralyzation, the Lindwurm was quick. It took everything he had to avoid its snapping jaws and slashing claws.

More than once he felt a heavy blow to his shoulder as its forelimb struck him, claws shrieking against metal. Painful, but he kept his footing and continued fighting. His polearm meant he wasn’t at so much of a reach disadvantage, but the creature’s neck was hellishly long.

Behind him he saw his companions slowly starting to recover, but he was still alone for now.

Finding it driving him back towards them, he had no choice but to redirect it away. The Linduwrm was a force of nature, and he lacked even a fraction of the strength to stop its charge. Still, he wasn’t defenseless. Flames licked his weapon, blistering the Lindwurm’s scales and forcing it to cease attempting to spew him with gas. Everytime it tried, he thrust forwards and ignited the flammable stuff, giving it one hell of a sore throat.

Still, each of his attacks was little more than a flesh wound. The Lindwurm’s wariness of him slowly grew less and less until it finally decided to ignore his paltry damage and lunge for him. Ulgrin groaned as its jaws snapped shut around his midsection and lifted him into the air.

Metal creaked, torturous cries of overstressed bronze and chain. Sharp pain lanced through his side where a tooth had punched through and stabbed him deep. It hurt quite a bit. He’d been injured before, but this was a new level of pain. His chest was being crushed under the weight of its bite.

He wasn’t down yet, though. “Eat this you snake bastard!” Ulgrin howled in anger, spinning his polearm around and pointing its bottom toward’s the Lindwurm’s eye. The magical enchantment extended the weapon, sending the spike straight into its eye. Green ichor sprayed all over him as the weaker flesh was punctured.

The Lindwurm screamed, flailing and letting go of him. He went flying and promptly ate shit, hitting the ground with a dull thud. Crimson gushed from the wound at his side, but it could wait. Ulgrin grit his teeth and pushed himself to his feet with the aid of his ancestral warhammer.

Only to see his companion hit the Lindwurm like a runaway wagon.

Saezz growled and hissed, stabbing angrily into its neck as he maneuvered around it. Raking claw and blade sheared scales and skin alike. He stuck to its now blinded side, avoiding the ire of the creature.

Wreath had recovered as well, the still coughing Raelza on its back. She spun her glaive, cutting its face into pieces. The thornshield’s armored skull and tail elicited cracks as he repeatedly smashed into the Lindwurm’s bones. Ulgrin watched in amazement as the snake swung its own tail only for Wreath to leap up and over it.

A bomb landed on the creature’s face and exploded, courtesy of Alyss. “Your breath stinks like ass, snake-shit!” Another offering came, this time a wave of acid that began melting pits into the creature’s scales and causing great pain.

Not one to let his friends have all the fun, Ulgrin charged in. The pain in his side was ever present, but didn’t stop him from launching several bolts of flame.

“Bring it down!” He called, smashing his warhammer into its brutalized foreleg.

Raelza made a whistling sound and Wreath pulled away from the creature. Ulgrin worked together with Saezz to keep the creature on the back foot, their combined efforts ensuring neither were too injured. Alyss did what she did best, contributing more bombs to the equation.

Having gained enough distance, Wreath spun on a copper and dug his feet into the ground. Then, with a snort, charged forwards. Their drow companion raised her glaive, readying for a slash.

Within moments an impact was made, and Raelza’s weapon completely hamstrung the creature. The Lindwurm’s leg buckled and it collapsed forwards, writhing in pain. Saezz, Wreath, and Ulgrin leapt up onto the creature’s back and their combined weight kept it pinned for a moment.

Once again, their lizardfolk companion raised his blade and stabbed it deep.

The creature was felled within moments. Silence fell over the forest clearing, save for their tired breathing and rapid heartbeats.

Ulgrin collapsed again, falling against the slack form of the Lindwurm with another groan. “Ah think I need a potion.” He sent a hand to his side, stemming the flow of blood only slightly.

“You’re a dumbass, Ulgrin!” Alyss called angrily as she ran forwards, digging into her bag for one. “What kind of idiot faces that thing alone?” Any replies he could have made were silenced as she climbed up and promptly shoved the potion into his mouth. He blanched, forced to swallow a fairly vile concoction.

Saezz laughed but broke off into a pained hiss as he clutched his side. “Give our brave leader some slack. We were all otherwise incapacitated.” He prodded a rib and showed teeth with a growl. “I will also need a potion. Of the bone-mending variety, Saezz thinks.”

The alchemist angrily pushed one into his hands. “You’re lucky these creatures are so valuable and we can recoup the potion losses. It’s hard work to make these!”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Swallowing the last of the healing brew, Ulgrin nodded. “And you’ve done great work.” He could feel the wound stitching shut with a smooth and only somewhat itchy sensation. He’d read poorly crafted potions could cause a great deal of pain as they solved the problem in question.

Only slightly appeased by his praise, Alyss forced them both to sit down. “What about you, Raelza? Wreath injured at all?”

The drow shrugged as she scratched the thornshield’s neck. Judging by the pleased rumbling, it was effective. “A few bruises and cuts, nothing big. Big guy’s tougher than you weaklings.”

“Saezz is categorically not a weakling. He is stronger than average at least.” The lizard responded, teeth grit as ribs were mended.

Finding the hole in his side patched up, Ulgrin bemoaned the other holes. His armor had taken quite a beating by the Lindwurm. Bronze plates had cracked, chainmail had ripped, and the gambeson would need patching up.

Pulling the armor up, he saw a jagged scar had formed in his tan-colored flesh. Right above his hip, five or so inches wide. A mark that filled him with a sense of unease and pride all the same. The first battle scar. Would it be the last? Probably not with the way his profession was going.

Turning his attention away from the wound, he called out. “Well, looks like we’ve won. And to the victor go the spoils!” He gestured towards the two behemoth corpses. Even if only one of them would be edible, it was still enough to feed hundreds. “Raelza, do you mind heading back to town and sending a boat up river? We’ll keep watch.”

She nodded and promptly mounted Wreath again. With a click of her tongue, she waved a hand and was darting into the woods at speed.

Now left with three, the remaining party members began the grim task of butchery.

Disassembling such large creatures would require many more hands, but they could still get started. Gutting the Lindwurms was the first step to avoid contaminating the meat and properly preparing the precious alchemical components for preservation. Alyss soon ended up covered in green ichor up to her shoulders, but proved gleefully ignorant of the mess.

“Oh, it’s so wonderful! Fresh parts, all for me! I can make so many potions!” She cried, lifting a small fleshy sack the size of a dog up and into the air. “Isn’t it beautiful?!”

Ulgrin felt his stomach churn at the sight. “Sure. If you say so.”

Within a short amount of time, they heard the sounds of voices. A contingent of workers had arrived. Raelza had fulfilled her task, landing at the river’s edge with an assortment of butchers, hunters, and anyone willing to lend a hand. They would be paid in a small portion of the harvest, but with so much to go around there wasn’t an issue.

Slabs of meat were carved away from flesh, sheets of scales and skin, and bones cleaned and wrapped in linen cloth. Not a single part of the creatures would go to waste. That was the best way to respect them, in his mind. Ulgrin sent a brief prayer to whatever Spirits were listening and watched them begin to load up. Within short order both bodies had been picked clean.

Several cart trips later, they had all of the materials packaged up in the largest boat the town had. A low breeze filled the air as they began sailing down river and back towards Amberfields.

When the town came into sight, they saw a crowd of people had formed. Cheers rang up and down the line as they watched their heroes return. Ulgrin smiled and raised his hammer, cheering back. His companions joined him, and they soon landed back on the shores.

“Miss Burgomaster,” Ulgrin called out to the impressed woman. “Prepare the cauldrons! It’s time for a feast!”

Her eyes widened. “Are you sure? The deal was you got their corpses.”

“Not like we’d be able to sell all this meat before it went bad,” he replied. “Better to share and make a night of merriment.” He grinned after a moment of realization. “Organizing all this is up to you, though.”

Hilda cursed aloud but sighed and complied. “Right. Everyone, we’ll be having a feast!”

Pots, pans, and cauldrons were hauled to the central square of town that ironically wasn’t in the middle. It was positioned on the western side of the river, near the bridge.

Within minutes the scent of cooking meat filled the air along with the sound of happy conversation.

Ulgrin salivated at the scent, a rich and meaty one. Combined with whatever vegetables and herbs the village folk scrounged up, it was proving to be a wise choice. After a bit of discussion with the innkeep at the Speckled Carp, they arranged for the party to get the best bits.

The ribs of the Lindwurm were basted in a spicy sauce and then grilled, seared to perfection. Saezz practically went feral as he awaited their victory meal, starving with all the healing he had to do to repair his ribs.

Ulgrin had to drag Alyss away from her crate of fleshy organs to eat, dumping her in the river to cleanse the poor human. She did not like that, but her growling stomach eventually settled the matter. Tables were set up in the square and everyone got something to eat, no matter who.

This was what he had come here for. Good food, good friends, and good folk. Happiness all around.

Raising the slab of meat to his lips, Ulgrin inhaled a rich scent. He took a probing bite and then promptly fell in love. Tender, practically falling off the bone. Filled with a richness that outmatched the one time he’d had a taste of a prized cow. Draconic flesh had a subtly sweet taste that mixed well with the spice. All things considered, it was a heavenly meal.

Judging by the moans and groans around him, he wasn’t the only one enjoying today’s victory.

Wreath and Thorn got to join in as well, the omnivorous creatures gnawing on their own boney haunches of meat. Happy noises came from the two critters. They made a very cute pair, with the small Thorn resting on Wreath’s back.

Once their lizardfolk friend had properly sated his ravenous hunger, he stood up. “Drums! Drums, Saezz calls for drums!” He rose to his prodigious height and exclaimed to the crowd. “Tonight, we dedicate ourselves to our ancestors! Tonight, we dedicate ourselves to the wilds! Tonight, we dedicate ourselves to the prey we fought and killed in honorable combat!”

Someone threw him a pair of leather-topped drums and the lizard caught them expertly. Pulling the straps on, he raised his hands and began thrumming a low, steady beat.

Another person withdrew a lute and began strumming. From there, a makeshift tempo filled the air as others joined in with their own instruments. Kegs of beer were tapped and people began to dance and sing, forming twos and threes as the party finally began in earnest.

It didn’t matter that only half the players could keep a tune going. What mattered was the heart of it all.

Letting go of his inhibitions for a moment, Ulgrin grabbed a mug and leapt onto the table. From there he began a traditional Dunvi dance. Lots of stomping and spins as one tried to keep their alcohol from spilling. It was traditional, and he wasn’t the best dancer, but it was about having fun.

Darkness began to set in as the feast continued into the night. The children were led home and put to bed and the real festivities could begin. Raucous partying filled the air as people drank deep from their cups.

Gambling, dancing, and wrestling matches let people bleed away stress. The sowing season was hard and required a lot of effort. The people of Amberfield needed this as much as he did in the wake of a battle. They were all glad to let the worries of the world fade away for a night.

Soon, a drunken haze set over the gathered townsfolk. Exhaustion set in, and the party slowly faded away.

Those who couldn’t stumble back home found themselves passing out in the square. Ulgrin found his companions all equally wasted, curled up around their animals. Couldn’t even hold their alcohol. “Pfah. Of course, I’m the only one left standing and I’m only tipsy!” He shook his head in amusement and began searching for an abandoned cart.

Grunting from the exertion of pulling them all aboard, Ulgrin dragged the collective group back towards the Speckled Carp.

Wreath gave a look of disdain towards him when he suggested the beast of burden pull it. Lazy animals! Still, he followed along and promptly fell asleep in the attached stable. Thorn had already fallen asleep atop his back, not woken in the slightest by their movement and noises.

Getting the three others up the stairs was a challenge to say the least.

Alyss and Raelza proved the easiest. The human in particular hardly weighed more than a sack of coins and he easily tossed her into bed. Their drow friend was taller, but still not too difficult.

Saezz proved a real challenge, and he silently apologized for whatever bruises the lizardfolk would find in the morning as he dragged him up the stairs and into their shared room. Snoring filled the air and he sighed, conjuring a bubble of silence around the man’s head. Much better.

Ulgrin retired to his own bed and hit the hay. Today had been quite the adventure.

Adventuring is hard work! One thing that I always notice is that adventurers in popular media tend to be wasteful. They kill monsters by the dozens and leave behind precious material when by all means if you had the capabilities to make use of it you wouldn't let a single thing go to waste. In world where you can't click a button to receive '3x Dire Badger Pelts' I'd like to imagine hunting giant monsters would be special. While the party won't always be able to, generally it's best to make use of as much as you can. Ulgrin knows taking a life has meaning.

No words for the Lexicon today.