Draconic Worm
|
Draconic Worm
(draconiaci vermis)
THESE DO NOT HAVE WINGS, THEY CANNOT FLY.
History:
These beings are fairly unique to history, sharing an age with the first dragons, though the worms were forgotten then. When Dragur was first instructed to come and create perfect life he drew himself into the realm in the form of a crow, as he passed the world his thoughts drew everywhere, before he noticed the corpse of a dead animal off to the side in the middle of a pasture. As he flew down something even smaller caught his eye, it was a pale yellowish white worm, eating away at the corpse. At first disgust flew through his mind, before it evolved into an idea, he dreamed of something that could move through the soil below him much how his wings allowed him to move through the sky. He drew the worms covering this corpse around him as he prepared to fold his magic into the beings, the idea of perfection floating through his mind as he prepared to mimic it justly into these very worms. His excitement turned to anger and disgust as the worms warped and changed within his grip, what seemed like perfection at first soon turned to something much darker, as the worms sides buckled and changed, its head becoming something much more nightmarish and comparing to the dragons of today, albeit the lack of wings. Dragur, disgusted with his newly altered creation, casted the youngling draconic worms into the soil, stomping them away into its depths as his form drew back up and he flew away from the scene ashamed, eventually moving on to form the first dragons. But the first misplaced creations he had made may have been forgotten, but did not die there, despite their terrifying appearance they were complete, in one way or another and they began to consume the local worms and grubs as they slowly began to grow, hiding far beneath the soil as they began to learn how to hunt and eat through the ages, they slowly harnessed their skill and become what they are today, and continue to survive to this day.
Biology:
Due to their mutated state, the worms are imperfect, their organs are commonly deformed, and sometimes don't work at all, this can stretch from problems with their scales to their eyes themselves, typically the worst of the mutated don't survive for long, either by the right organs not functioning correctly or deformed scales making them incredibly fragile. Despite the beings generally poor health, their colossal size lets them lead a usually painless and extremely long life, living an upwards of a few millenia. They also have a total lack of wings.
Behavior: The worms themselves are usually quite to themselves, remaining alone as to not jeopardize their ability to get food, though it has been noted for smaller worms to stick to each other in packs, however two larger worms within the same area can lead to chaotic results, as the two are more then likely to attack one another, either till the other dies or retreats, a death between two fighting worms is extremely rare, the losing side taking to retreat far more likely, the only exception to this is the terrifying Lava type worm, which will fight to the death for just a slither of a meal. They behave like normal hunting animals, chewing away at food within the ground and migrating when they need to, it has been raised to question if these beings possess some sort of intelligence due to a remarkable memory of hunting areas. A good few of the types have been known to pop out of the soil sometimes, either to investigate an obstacle or to prey the area for food, when this occurs their bodies typically pour out the soil resulting in a mound-like indention in the ground, being one of the only signs that they were actually there, besides from physically seeing them. The creatures are known to be extremely shy, almost never appearing near loud settlements of people or where people are near, this is most possibly out of fear, the worm being quite unfamiliar with the human-kind, this should not be taken as weakness, however, there have been notes of times when someone took to attack one of these giant worms that they were not one's to simply run away, when these beasts are attacked their previous fear seems to dissolve away completely as they attack back, pummeling the ground and ripping open holes in the soil around it's attacker and outright attempting to swallow them whole as it would proceed to try to kill its opponent in a fit a rage. There droppings and mush are commonly passed as they move through the soil.
Appearance: These worms can sit at various sizes, depending on a variety of conditions, though they are commonly extremely tall stretching much higher than ologs at times, though there have been smaller varieties spotted, but they commonly stick deep under the ground and almost never emerge from within, the worms themselves hold a huge head atop a very long snake like body, the head is flattish being long on all sides and containing a huge mouth along the bottom with a mirage of sharp teeth. Two beady eyes sit on either side of the worms head. The head also has a variety of protective scales surrounding it's head, and depending on the type these scales can shift to a variety of shapes. It's body is much like a snake's body, though only a bit of its body ever pops out of the ground at any given time, it is absolutely covered in scales, the color depending its type and between the scales spacing are tight compact area's of thick hide, also resembling their own color dependant on the type. They also have a total lack of wings.
Habitat:
The worms can adapt to any habitat given enough time, as long as it contains some sort of grub, worm, or insect within the soil that can be eaten. The same goes for existing vegetation in the area.
Abilities: The worms are incredibly strong, possessing sharp teeth and being known to gag up stomach acid to toss at their opponents, though depending on the type the worm it can be invulnerable to certain elements and or cause elemental issues for someone attacking it, a good example being if someone was fighting an ice type worm, if they touched it, they would most likely get freezer burn or something similar, another example being if someone was fighting a lava type, if they touch its hide it would likely burn them. As well as the beasts possessing an odd form of tactics which can include burrowing under the ground for a period of time, flanking and a variety of other tasks.
Diet: The worms are generally meat-eaters, a very large portion of their diet composing of eating other worms and insects residing within the ground, though they have been known to consume vegetation, though this serves a different purpose, as the vegetation helps to produce more stomach acid as it is quite common for the worms to outright be unable to produce enough acid alone to digest their hugh mungus appetite, the act of eating the vegetation also serves a dual function of helping them to regurgitate indigestible parts of the meat, this being bones, stringy fat, and sometimes the plant material itself, but this acts as a biological fertilizer to the nature around, the nutrient rich regurgitated mush helping to spring up growth. The beings droppings also act just the same, helping to spur growth the same as their nutritional mush does, however depending on the type this mush and droppings can look drastically different, albeit, still serving the same purpose.
Types: The worms adapt over the period of a few years to the environment that they reside and feed within, the ability for them to adapt plays a crucial role in their feeding cycle, since certain areas can become void of worms and other land burrows within the course of a mere few hours, when this happens they move on to new fields to continue to consume, when the time comes for them to skip into a new environment entirely, the beasts burrow deep deep within the land and enter a slow hibernation, their bodies slowly changing to fit the environment they now hunt and reside within, this also works as a time for the local species of land grubs and other insects to repopulate so that the draconic worm will have a meal again. In most cases the changes are rather minor, though playing a crucial role in survival of the area, either that being from camouflage or environmental resistance, in some cases, in the most extreme of environment these changes can turn them drastically different, these types will be listed below.
Inbetween Types: These are the worms that are almost always seen, the worms that are at the inbetween of extreme, they share minor differences from environment to environment but overall they are fairly normal beings, their scales being jagged and shooting outwards down their sides as there head holds a average scaled head, albeit some being a bit more grown out in tougher soil, their color will always be unique to their environment however, the colors usually always being a combination of the two most seen colors in an environment, and if their are not two colors, the second color will be a lighter variation of the first color. Due to the amount of normal lands the worms can simply move from area to area with no fear of knocking out a food supply due to being gone long enough for the area they previously left to replenish, though as the worm grows up it will eventually stretch on to adapt to other environments for better food.
Ice Type: In the coldest of environment, this being within mountains or other area's the worm can take a dramatic shift, it's extremely durable hide becoming a piercing white to blend in with the environment, as it's inners between its scales take on a deep hued blue, these beasts scourge the undergrowth of ice packs and frosted soil eating at grubs, insects and other ground critters, it is no surprise that these beings stick somewhat near thanhium deposits, relishing in the coldness it provides, living in this form can be somewhat difficult for the worm, it's body and movement causing enormous heat, but this acts as a double edged blade, the heat escaping the sides of the worm as it helps itself propel through the thick and frozen soil with little effort. It's face seems to fold in, acting as a protectant against the harsh winds and tough soil as its ears become strengthened and it's eyes lessen in strength, the scales across its body spread out rigorously acting as sharp plates to easily cut through the tough soil. It's mush and droppings commonly take the color of white to a dull grey.
Jungle Type: Deep within the jungle the extreme humidity and growth turns into a powerhouse for the worm, here the jungle worm is supreme and commonly takes on colossal sizes due to the sheer nutrition all around the being, it's form takes on a deep hued green across it's scales as it's inner between form a soft brown, serving as a perfect camouflage amongst the jungle undergrowth, it's senses also come to reflect the rapid changes, it's eyes and ears becoming much more precise as it clocks in on distant clusters of grubs and the occasional monkey. It's head form a large shovel headed plate at the top, acting as a massive root-cutter. As the beast travels along it cuts through various roots with its head to help protect the worm from damage, the scales along its side seem to take a different effect though, flattening down and squeezing compactly as to prevent roots from getting snagged on a scale and ripping it off completely. It's droppings and mush almost always is a deep tinted green.
Desert Type: Even in the deepest reaches of the desert, there calls a place of home for the worm, the worms here are commonly quite old as this place seems to serve as the last cycle of their long lives, here the worms share a sandy colored complex of scales, their inners between shining a dull yellow, their heads reflect the changes as it's scales close in around its heading, acting as a protectant against the sand, it's scales also smooth across its body, protecting its inners from filling with sand, it's hearing becoming precise as it listens for the quietest insect. This is the place where it's much more common to see the worms gliding out of the shifting sands, taking down packs of locusts and other desert dwellers into its gaping maw, in the quietness of the desert the picture of these beings is seemingly peaceful, as the older worms tunnel through the sand and their diet begins to lessen, instead of turning back to newer lands, they begin to plummet deeper and deeper within the soil, before coming to rest within the very bottom most of the ground, the last of their meals beginning to boil away as its eyes come to a close, and entering a peaceful sleep, before it quietly passes away. It's droppings and mush is commonly of the brownish variety.
Lava Type: Here, a different death occurs, the worm, instead of fulfilling a peaceful end to life in the desert, takes on a place of the most extreme of temperatures, this of course being, a volcano, the monster swells a colossal size, even stretching taller than its younger junglified brothers, the extreme heat folds its scales together as the beginnings hide turns to a deep magenta color, it's inner taking on a very bright orange. Due to the lack of vegetation and meat alike, this being spends a majority of its time outside of the soil, propelling itself into the air as it devours birds and whatever else washes on the shores near its home alike. This is of course, not a viable method of nutrition for the being, it's been known to take extremes and venturing away from it's home, acting in a mad frenzy of hunger as it refuses to hibernate to change, beginning to consume whatever may lay in the area with little care, before venturing back to its volcanic home. Because of it's extreme temperatures this act has been known to set forests ablaze by its behavior, but this eventually works against the being, the nearby food sources beginning to run dry by its rampant hunger, as it begins to starve. Due to its erratic nature it does not pass away like its other elder brothers, but instead turning on it's own and consuming its other brothers, eventually the beings hunger becomes unquenchable, the being beginning to consume itself as it body explodes from the sudden release of heat from its body from consumption, leading to the violent end of this horrifying beast. It's droppings and mush is commonly an almost ash black.
Swamp Type: The worms here seem to act in a behavior similar to the jungle types, but sit at a much deeper layer beneath the ground, they munch away at insects and grubs within the soil, it's scales reflecting a grayish color as it's inners pass a light brown, it's scales bulge across it's body, helping to ease the trek through the mud as it's heads scales fold inwards to shield the beast's eyes and ears. Though it's ears work much better then it's eyes, due to the state of the soil within the swamp the beast lies at much deeper depths and hardly ever emerges from within the ground because of this, they live a fairly boring life and due to their state, some people don't recognize them even being there due to the total lack of their mounds due to them never popping up. It's droppings and mush are almost always a deep grey.
Mushroom Type: This is by far the rarest of the hierarchy of worms, a special variation that only forms with the utmost special conditions, that being an area ruled by mushrooms, these beings biology seems to completely change as they adapt in this area, their body begins to take on a light glow as they skate about underneath the soil, the beast's scales take on a deep purplish-grey color as it's inners turn to a light red with white polka dots, or a light brown, this is noted as the only type that can randomize between two different colors, their body seems to act as a carrier, the mushrooms beginning to grow across the beings back and head as they feed off of the nutrient rich soil it passes through, because of this it is not uncommon to see a sudden burst in mushroom growth in an area like this when one of these worms appears, the worm itself seems to adapt to the changes by being able to switch between its diet, by feeding on the mushrooms in this form it is capable of getting the same nutrition it would get typically from eating meat, it's scales seem to reflect it's odd form, blooming outwards like mushroom heads as it's own facial scales shift inwards, acting like giant grabbers to pick up mushrooms, but this changing leaves the worm in a bad state, it is completely unable to readapt to another environment due to the severe amount of changes the mushrooms had upon it's biology, but the worm typically is not affected by this changed at all, their being more than enough mushrooms to feed it throughout it's lifetime, it's death follows a similar state of the desert type, although the worm instead of dying within the soil, burrows itself into the near top of the soil, the mushrooms then feeding off of its dead corpse and growing out of it. It's droppings and mush are typically filled with different types of mushrooms, though they shared the same purple-grey color of its scales. THESE DO NOT HAVE WINGS, THEY CANNOT FLY. OOC Stuff: LM Approval: Yes yes and yes, these things are incredibly chaotic and LM approval is a must. Breeding Concerns: I was a bit mixed here so I didn't include it, I was a tad confused regarding how the dragon lore worked so I didn't put it in with the full document, the confusion sprung from the fact that I wasn't sure if the organ failure rate within these creatures lowered their complexity therefore making them capable of breeding, also their lack of wings. Typically I would've known that yes it would work then, but the thing is how huge these things can grow, so I was at a loss. However, in case you were curious what it was, here is the breeding piece. Though depending on if I was correct or not this can be either bundled in or cut out completely. Breeding: The worms are completely asexual, though their actual reproduction only occurs at the bare end of their life, but this does not count for the lava type and mushroom type, since it lives through a much more violent death. When they sit fixing to die within the soil, they lay an abundant amount of eggs from their corpse, when these eggs hatch they slowly make their way up to the surface, a process which takes many many years due to the small size of the worms, along the way they eat grubs and other small worms to help feed themselves, by the time the small worms have reached the top of the soil they have reached an adequate size to navigate their way through the soil and happily eat in peace, continuing the cycle, however, hardly any worms actually survive the process of making their way up from the soil, a majority dying from fatigue, lack of nutrition, or simple failure of their body, typically only one ever survives, though in the rare case two have been found to live and both continue on their way. In the typical dragon reproduction is impossible due to the sheer complexity, but these worms are born naturally defectant, lowering their complexity by large amounts as various organs can outright be deformed or non-existing at all, leading to various problems in the future. Written by: Abyssus
Inspiration: Strykewyrms from Runescape(http://runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Strykewyrm)
THESE DO NOT HAVE WINGS, THEY CANNOT FLY.
