We're long overdue for some vermin.
This begins a series of worms from Dragon #133...
In the course of world affairs, worms get short shrift. Generally ignored (if referred to at all), worms are described in the most derogatory terms. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations lists at least 50 references to worms, not a single one of them complimentary. Worms are at best humble; at worst, vile.
This anti-worm bias extends even into the world of the AD&D® game. If a dungeon adventurer turns to his comrade and spouts, .Ygrane, ye have the soul of a veritable worm!. He’s probably not extending a warm compliment. Even the dreaded purple worm is an unhappy sort of creature . a mere earthworm writ large, with a sting arbitrarily stuck on its tail. Aside from the medieval description of dragons as “great worms” or “wyrms," worms just don’t get no respect!
All worms are not alike, however, and there’s no reason giant worms should be, either. Described herein is a set of creatures that the enterprising DM can use to keep even the most jaded characters on their toes. All of these creatures are bristle worms (or polychaetes, if you prefer good medieval Latin) that live in the sea, a habitat which is rather neglected in published monster texts. For game purposes, the DM may adapt these giant worms to underground habitats as desired.
All bristle worms are segmented (much like earthworms) and have bristles on some part of their bodies. In addition, however, they may have elaborate tentacles, well-developed eyes, or hard, sharp jaws. Some are colored shimmering iridescent green or brilliant blood red. Several types have perfected the use of toxins.
These exotic creatures can be brought into your campaign in a variety of ways. As DM, you may simply declare that the seas are inhabited by giant bristle worms, just as purple worms are found wandering in caves. This is fantasy, after all, and giant man-eating polychaetes are no less likely than the man-eating giant gar featured in the Monster Manual. For those who are sticklers for accuracy, the alternatives are to shrink the player characters or enlarge the worms. The spells involved may not need to be particularly powerful. The largest specimen of Eunice (q.v.) on record is almost 20’ long and 2’ in diameter. Enlarging such a creature or shrinking the characters by a factor of from three to five would definitely get people’s attention.
Giant bristle worms are likely to be encountered guarding the undersea entrances to castles staffed by magicians powerful enough to sustain a permanent enlargement spell. The DM may also wish to establish a cult of island inhabitants who guard their realm by the same means. The enlargement spell might be focused through an icon, and may require annual replenishment through a sacrifice of crushed pearls mixed with elven hair (preferably that of some stray adventurer). Otherwise, giant bristle worms are rare in inhabited areas, having been killed off by the local fishermen. (Titans and various demi-gods use them for bait!) They are most likely encountered on deserted beaches or lonely stretches of ocean far from civilization.
Bristle worms (polychaetes)
The bristle worms considered here share characteristics which can be dealt with collectively. First, all of them live in the sea and are largely confined to salt water (although some of them can stand several hours exposure to air).
Second, all of them have two sexes, unlike earthworms. Consequently, the mad mage who would establish a breeding population in his coastal moat has to bring back more than one giant worm. And how does said mage tell what sex of worm he has? Easily: By waiting until the breeding season, cutting open one segment from the middle region of the worm, and seeing what sort of reproductive organs are inside (perhaps a good job for the local druid).
Third, all of these worms are capable of regenerating lost hit points if they retain at least 50% of their original hit points (in the real world, regeneration takes several weeks; for AD&D game purposes, however, it is far more rapid). One-half of the lost hit points will be recovered the first night, and 1d6 hp are recovered per day thereafter. As a result, the DM might rule that a 32-hp Diopatra (q.v.) which takes 15 hp damage in one round suddenly flees combat, withdrawing deep into its dwelling tube to emerge the next morning (to the surprise of the characters) at nearly full power.
If a sword of sharpness or vorpal weapon neatly cuts a worm into two parts, both parts flee (each having half the hit points the worm formerly did, counting the damage it took from previous attacks and from the attack that cut it in two). They each then regenerate into two separate worms, but each new worm recovers only one-half the total hit points the original worm possessed after one night, and no new hit points are gained thereafter. Thus, a 40-hp worm might be cut into two parts after taking other damage as well; each half is assumed here to have 12 hp. Each half regenerates after one night into a new, smaller worm with 32 hp. If either new worm is wounded, the usual rules for regeneration are followed.
Finally, those worms that live in tubes or burrows have a giant nerve cell which runs the length of their bodies. This cell triggers the escape response, enabling the worm to withdraw in a flash at the first hint of danger. In general, worms are alarmed by looming shapes that are larger than they are.
There are literally thousands of different kinds of bristle worms. Representatives from a number of different habitats are described in the following section.
NEREIS
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 2-12
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: //9. (3.)
HIT DICE: 1-4
% IN LAIR: 95%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 or 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Withdraw into lair
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (1-2’ diameter; 5-10’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The Nereis constructs mucous tubes in debris or loose sand and mud, from which it moves to capture prey. If threatened, the Nereis attempts to withdraw deep into its tube, becoming impossible to hit; otherwise, it attempts to swim away. The Nereis only fights if cornered, using its pair of jaws to do 1-4 hp damage for 1-2 HD worms and 1-6 hp damage for 3-4 HD worms. This worm prefers plant material for food, but it does attack animals small enough to swallow in one gulp (1’ or less in size). It avoids attacking adventurers unless disturbed. The Nereis also eats carrion, if available.
The bristles on the Nereis are primarily used to gain purchase while the worm is moving. These bristles may cause minor damage to an attacker, however, doing 1-2 hp damage to anyone who touches the worm. The Nereis is among the most widespread of the bristle worms, and is found on muddy or sandy bottoms from deep water into estuaries, and also lurking about the bases of giant kelp.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #133 (1988).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nereis
