If a typical adult red dragon fights with claws, bites, tail swipes, and breath attacks, then Themberchaud's obesity has cost him at least his claws and tail—he's just too fat to use them.
"You're not seriously thinking of fighting that thing?!" Edgin stared as Aoko set herself to cast spells, his mind reeling. "We can't win!"
"How would we know if we don't try?" Aoko said calmly, continuing her casting. "I think this red dragon isn't as strong as Sofina."
"That's not the point—it's just that..." Edgin glanced at the approaching dragon, the smell of sulfur thickening, sweat beading on his forehead.
He looked at his teammates—Simon was scared but gripped his staff, ready for anything. Holga looked pale, but as a barbarian, fear rarely fazed her; in fact, she gripped her axe, poised to rage.
As for Paladin Xenk, his sword was drawn, eyes resolute—ready for an all-out fight. His reason was simple: with an 8th-circle archmage's help, the chance to slay such an evil monster was high. It was a rare opportunity; he had no reason to back down.
"You're all crazy..." Edgin muttered, but as a seasoned bard, he quickly adjusted.
He took out his lute, took several deep breaths, and began to play and sing Inspire Greatness even as he moved to avoid the dragon's first rush—showing his rich experience.
"Simulacrum!"
Aoko smiled at Edgin's music but didn't pause her casting. For the first time on Faerun, she used this spell.
A hexagram magic circle appeared at her feet, and an expressionless duplicate of herself appeared before her.
Metamagic + Heightened Spell + 8th-level Simulacrum!
Aoko's simulacrum then cast spells, using a 7th-level slot to create another simulacrum of herself.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Aoko created four simulacra before stopping. She had calculated that the experience gained from killing a red dragon was comparable to the spell slots she'd use, and four was the most cost-effective choice.
She could make more but had no need, and her prep materials—life-size ice models with her hair for components—were limited: only five, with one kept as backup.
These models normally stayed in Aoko's imaginary space, summoned only when she cast the spell.
The spell originally required 12 hours to cast, but Aoko's ritual-prepped models meant she just needed to finish the invocation in combat and pay the spell slot.
The fat dragon drew nearer, but Aoko calmly finished her preparations. Once the simulacra were in place, she started buffing herself and her teammates with a flurry of spells: Mass Elemental Resistance, Protection from Evil, Mass Energy Resistance, Mass Fly...
With each spell, the team's fear of Themberchaud lessened, though it didn't disappear.
Holga, as the main melee fighter, got the most buffs—including animal buff suite, Greater Jump, and Greater Magic Weapon—so she could dish out damage up close.
Aoko wanted to cast more, but Themberchaud didn't give her the chance. He charged, rolling and crawling, his massive body wreaking havoc—like a steamroller, able to crush humans to a pulp.
"Scatter!" Xenk shouted, and everyone split into a semicircle, Aoko and her simulacra flying skyward to dodge Themberchaud's first attack.
The fat dragon squirmed on the ground, trying in vain to stand up—his belly too round, limbs too short, left him only able to roll and crawl.
It looked ridiculous, but was quite effective, keeping Xenk and Holga from getting a good melee shot.
Simon, thanks to Mass Fly, took to the air, chanting and conjuring a fireball the size of a watermelon, then hurled it at Themberchaud's head.
The explosion looked impressive, but when the flames cleared, Themberchaud hadn't even blinked—as if the fireball was a gentle tap.
This little bug's attack only enraged Themberchaud. He decided to bite the annoying flying pest first. Flapping his comically small wings, the dragon awkwardly took to the air, scaring Simon half to death, who turned and fled.
But even the strongest magic couldn't keep the obese Themberchaud airborne for long—he just couldn't fly high.
Xenk seized the moment as the dragon lost balance, and with Aoko's Jump buff, leaped to strike!
His sword blazed gold as he gripped it with both hands, using his fall's momentum to slash at the root of Themberchaud's left wing.
"Holy Smite!"
Holy light exploded from the wound, burning and enlarging it, but instead of blood, a torrent of fat spurted out...
The fat dragon howled in pain, twisting to bite Xenk, but the paladin somersaulted away, agilely dodging the counterattack.
The successful blow gave the team hope—the seemingly invincible beast revealed a weakness. They looked at the red dragon not with fear, but with greed—after all, every part of a red dragon is valuable...
Aoko licked her lips slightly. She and her simulacra were ready—she was determined to claim the fat dragon's head!