Cave worm

Cave worm (family)

(Creature)

Common

Gargantuan

Level

Varies

Adjective

Cave worm

Images of cave worms

Source: Monster Core, pg(s). 54–57

Cave worms shared the

N

in Bestiary 56–59.

This article covers the family of giant worms. For the species also known as cave worms and formerly known as purple worms, see cave worm (species).

Cave worms are a family of massive worm-like scavengers that can burrow through the ground. The many kinds of cave worm are distinguished primarily by their color and the types of regions where they are most common, such as the cave worms of the Darklands, white worms in glaciers, gray worms in ruins, benthic worms of flooded caverns, and magma worms in volcanic regions.

Appearance

Cave worms resemble smaller worms at tremendous scales, with thick hide-like armor on top, a wide maw capable of efficiently chewing through rock, and in many cases a venomous stinger. Cave worms of the Darklands, whose species is also referred to as cave worms, are typically 80 feet long and 5 feet in diameter, and weigh 40,000 pounds.

Abilities

Cave worms all share a penchant for chewing tunnels through the earth. They are nearly mindless in their pursuit of food and reproduction, and can sense movement, often up to 100 feet away. Different species have additional adaptations for their environments; for example, magma worms are accustomed enough to fire that being exposed to tremendous heat or magical flames is restorative rather than harmful. In many cases, the prey they consume is small enough for them to swallow whole.

Cave worms can be manipulated and trained to an extent, though not fully domesticated.

Ecology

Cave worms are among the favored prey items of the rodent-like shulns, whose paralytic saliva is powerful enough to overcome cave worms' normal resistance to paralysis.

Types

See also: Category:Cave worm

• Arctic worm lives in glaciers and icebergs
• Benthic worm
• Cave worms of the Darklands and their variants
• Grave worm burrows through boneyards of forgotten ruins
• Magma worm
• Shadow worm

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.