D&D 5E We should domesticate Rust Monsters

[Baron Opal II]

Iron ore is a chemical compound of iron that has to be broken down to make iron (just like rust, in fact). That's the nature of ferrous metals. To a rust monster, eating iron ore would be the equivalent of eating dung.

I disagree. Iron ore would be like, oh, beets with iron or steel metal being refined sugar. That's why they're so eager to meet adventurers. They have candy!

 

[Necropolitan]

You could keep a rust monster in a cage made of magically-reinforced glass.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Like grizzly bears and bigfoot, Rust "Monsters" have a perfect ecosystem that is interrupted by human/adventurer incursion on their natural territory. We go underground and are in their native territory, not ours, and treat them as the enemy, without consideration of the impact our presence causes. We are blind to the impact our presence causes.

Stop dungeon raids. Save the native habitat of the Rust Monster.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

You could keep a rust monster in a cage made of magically-reinforced glass.

Even a sturdy wood cage would work.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

i ran a short dungeon some time ago (the crypta hereticarum from zeitgeist) where the party (part of a knightly order, basically) befriended a rust monster and got it out of the dungeon. if i ever run the actual zeitgeist campaign i'm giving that order rust monster hounds/large rust monster mounts lmao

 

[Kobold Stew]

Even a sturdy wood cage would work.

They eat nails like pistachios.

 

[Stormonu]

I seem to remember an adventure that had bandits dressed in leather armor and using clubs that had a rust monster on a leash. They would threaten to unleash the rust monsters against metal-bearing victims who didn't pay their toll.

 

[Stormonu]

They eat nails like pistachios.

You can make a cage with wooden pegs instead of nails, or leather strapping or even go with fortified wicker.

Geez, now I'm imagining someone carrying a (baby) rust monster around in a wicker baby carriage or a handbag...

 

[Kobold Stew]

You can make a cage with wooden pegs instead of nails, or leather strapping or even go with fortified wicker.

But this cage with nails is so much cheaper.... And we're just going a little way with it. Like, a day's travel, two tops. I'm sure it will be fine with the less expensive cage.

 

[Stormonu]

But this cage with nails is so much cheaper.... And we're just going a little way with it. Like, a day's travel, two tops. I'm sure it will be fine with the less expensive cage.

And thus the mining town Hadley's Hope was shortly overrun. Little did the adventuring group know that Rust Monsters, left on their own, would spawn a very hungry Queen...