Deep Worms
a.k.a. "Giggle Worms", "Snicker Deeps", or "Writhing Laughers"
a.k.a. "Giggle Worms", "Snicker Deeps", or "Writhing Laughers"
Habitat: Subterranean
Classification: Large Worms/Parasites
Hunting Preference: Pallesthetic Organivore
Den: N/A
The Deep Worms are a species of devourer that exist seemingly only to eat and procreate. They are equipped with a purple body up to 10 feet long and can reach just as wide, but only rarely where they typically take up half that space in width. They secrete a mucous sustenance with the consistency of gelatin to add a layer of protection to their fragile bodies and allows them to render softer soils into a long lasting mud for them to more easily maneuver.
Their mouths can open to the extent of their width to show tiny sharp teeth designed to rend flesh. Within the worm has anywhere from 7 to 28 "tongues" used to grab with thorny barbs that latch onto their prey rather painlessly. This lends credence to them occasionally acting as predatory ambush creatures as the affected limbs lose sensory to affected areas, but do not give a "numb" feeling to alert the victims prematurely.
Exclusive to the female varieties is an additional three-pronged tongue that has a slightly shorter reach. Each prong carries on the end translucent bulbs with smaller tubular barbs that reassemble "dragon fruit" that house densely packed clusters of egg spawn. Within the center of these clusters is a final injection tube barb to dump all of its spawn into a host.
When injected, the youngling spawn appear as tumorous lumps under the skin and fully hatch within the host anywhere from one to six days, hours, or minutes depending on how many pods were injected into the host and how densely packed they are. They hatch due to impact vibrations from exertion of the host body; however walking is the slowest, but more often, main catalyst for their incubation cycle to continue.
Deep Worms seem to have a pallesthesia sensory, presumably due to the gelatin-like mucosal coating around their bodies. They tend to prefer to avoid larger feedback vibrations as they can be a threat to their existence, such as humanoids or larger creatures. However the females will actively pursue these larger creatures to use as a host for their parasitic offspring.
The Deep Worm offspring shed their pods within the host if not removed by magic or surgery in a timely matter. Once they hatch, the loose skin left behind begins to sag the victim is then faced with their own mortality. Once beyond this point, the host has precious little time left.
The spawn wriggle through the skin, between muscle fibers, and bone to devour their still living host for nutrients. This is described by prisoners, tried and convicted of treason, to be "Arrrgh," and "Please! Get them out get them out get them out," and further, "For the endless love of the gods, just kill me!"
Uses of Deep Worms in History and Practice:
•Spawn pods have been used for execution methods and torture tactics.
•Assassins prize the tongues' venom for their stealth in masking poisoned projectile tips.
•The worm flesh is quite a savory jerky meal when boiled, pressed, salted, and dried.
•The blood is often used for decoration at balloon parties or general illumination until it dries.
•The guts are prized by this explorer for avoiding and deterring larger predators.
This Author rates them as a rank two out of three of the Badass Category.
Catalogue of Observations,
by Kiara Willabur