Quartz the White Snake
I am slowly tinkering with a setting and hack of Blades in the Dark with working name Maus in the Park, based kinda on Mausritter. In general PCs are adventuring mice in a small world of meadows and forests. MitP starter
And then we're coming to current RPG Blog Carnival topic: Dragons, Gods and other Powerful Beings. And for mice a snake would be like a dragon! Give them magic powers and that snake truly is a dragon! I already had a post about Ruby the Red Viper so let me present another one of the four.
Quartz the White Snake
Light grey coloured green snake with shiny white scale on his back. He is quite large snake, his light coloured eyes and scales make him look particularly creepy for all those accustomed to regular green snakes.
He can be seen during the day flying around, scouting and hunting, especially on cloudy or foggy days. He lives inside the Grand Valley in a Triple Rock settlement, working together with Stonesaurus Gang.
All snakes can be considered one-person faction of quite power. Common snakes tend to be Tier 2 and since Quartz can fly it can be easily classified as Tier 3 or even 4. Singlehandedly able to destroy a large settlement.
Mausritter faction template:
- Stonesaurus Gang agents
- able to fly
- well-scouted area
O O gather additional intel by capturing enemy agents (recurring)
O O O O gather more influence over the valley
O O O O O O impress the Valley birds and prove you're flying like one of them
Quartz can sufficiently survive all by himself. Connection to a gang let's him project power and satisfy the need for control as well as gather more information and rule over more and more land. But this is all nothing for there is one dream Quartz wants to achieve - be considered an equal by the birds of the Valley. It is not an easy task but by making it Quartz can potentially abandon other pursuits but failing to do so will only further fuel his need for control and power.
Combat
If by any chance PCs would end up in combat with Quartz it will be a dire situation.
First, like all green snakes, Quartz can swallow a mouse in one bite. Also by virtue of long tail it can push away crowds.
Second he can fly. Because of this he can easily escape if hurt, can dodge quicker and totally avoid most attacks given the distance in the air. Considering protecting scales many ranged attacks will be too weak to deal real damage.
Third, since he can fly, performing attacks is also way easier. Striking from above, making ambushes in the sky, flying up and down, throwing enemies in the air and finishing them there. Whole range of options.
Lastly as long as he is not surprised in the wild he will have at least a few Stonesaurus goons to help him and protect him who can apply their own tactics.