Bestiary

Corpse Worm - by T.A. Saunders ©2010 v1.0

Description The Corpse Worm is something entirely unfit for nature in disposition and simply living, however its basic, external appearance, while in a neutral territory, is similar to a large earthworm. It can grow to up to thirty feet long and has an earthy brown coloration beneath the layers of filthy film and dirt coating its body. Its mouth, disturbingly, is partially visible; while normally concealed, when it reels in its tongue, the two flaps forming its mouth unfold into a disgusting, toothless maw. While its mouth lacks literal teeth, there are serrated muscles spanning its mouth and esophagus, used to both cause damage and immobilize prey while the victim is being digested.

When deposited in a graveyard, its natural home, it will take up a much more malicious and foul appearance. Alongside its dirt coating comes a slew of bones and rotted flesh and organs. Upon first inspection, identifying its mouth from its tail may prove troublesome; at the very tip of its tail is a disgusting parody of life, which, while naturally meant to expel feces, is large and wide enough to expel a body as well, playing into its name as a Corpse Worm.

Lore The Corpse Worm was not born of any form of nature, instead being formed and birthed solely by dark magic. While at first blaming necromancy is the obvious answer, this foul creature is entirely organic. The very few magi who have ever glimpsed a living one often compare it to Voraath in essence, blaming the occasional rogue Shar`Vaire necromancer  their continued existence. A major difference between the Corpse Worm and Voraath, however, is the underlying lack of sentience. They cannot understand any sort of communication beyond varying degrees of failure with Wild Speak, not even their creator's orders, which is why they are immediately released to where they are meant to terrorize. Despite being able to vaguely comprehend Wild Elves such as an earthworm could, they are violent and cannot be swayed in their actions, as they act solely on instinct and drive to survive; they must consume corpses for nourishment.

Allegedly a product of misused Asyndi Magic fueled by Necromancy, they exist solely to create undead. After being either born or released within a graveyard, they immediately burrow into the ground, seeking out the most fully formed and exposed corpses with which to consume through its mouth and expel from its vulva-shaped tail, creating a zombie. Well-formed or fresh corpses will also occasionally form a ghoul, the rarest, most vengeful returning as a ghast. These undead are without masters and will seek only to devour flesh and grow in power, however they will rarely go further than ten miles from where they were spawned.

A creature such as this is likely to be hunted and killed once located, so it is outfitted with its own defenses. The most obvious danger is its mouth, which is liable to consume a dim-witted attacker and produce a ghoul from their body with which will inevitably assault their own former allies. However, it are also able to use their bulk to strike attackers, a body so invariably horrifying that it could leave its victims with mental scars should they survive regardless. Beneath the ground, they are nearly undetectable unless moving swiftly, leading to their ability to conceal itself from those who seek to destroy it. Should the Corpse Worm ever be able to position itself below its prey, it may either cave in the earth around it to drag its victim down into its subterranean hell of a home or simply choose to consume them directly with its mouth.

Owing further to their creators, Corpse Worms are also outfitted with a sticky slime that coats their bodies, a sorcerous protection that protects them from minor magic and eats away at weaponry, preventing them from being easily wounded. The film also allows for easy movement beneath the ground, which easily gives way due to the creature's sheer strength coupled with the acid-like goo.