| Class: | Realistic Wyrm Beast |
| Hab: | On or under areas of loose stone, incl. submarine |
| Fre: | Uncommon to rare, by variety and size |
| Num: | 1-2 adult + 5-30 sub-adults and 10-100 hatchlings per nest |
| Lair: | 90% |
| Size: | 3'-25' diameter worm (+ smaller varieties) |
| Move: | Very fast burrow or crawl |
| Def: | Exoskeleton tougher than plate armour, = to dragon-scale tough |
| Att: | Massive bite, tail sting, nipper claws |
| Int: | Beast |
| Spec: | Rarely |
| Posns: | Incidental; rock wool (= asbestos) can be extracted from tunnel linings |
While the gravel weaver wyrms only eat geoplankton, they have very formidable mandibles, sharp nipper claws tip their legs, and a lancing stinger on their tail-tip. Gravel weavers are actually arthropods, with jointed exoskeletons. Their many limbs are carried in pockets behind the rear edged of these plates. They have paddle-like limbs for swimming through loose sand. They also have limbs ending in articulated hooks that they use to move stones or pull themselves along, in a scrabbling, flowing motion, terribly swift. Longer, antennae-like limbs help push gobs and strands of fresh worm-gum into cracks and crevasse to build and maintain their tunnels.
Gravel weavers prefer to build their networks on and just under the surface of areas rich in loose stone. Some species prefer dry, stony deserts, whether tropical or arctic, while others use the plentiful supply of loose rock found under the surface of mountainous terrains of all climes. Banks of scree, the loose stone shards that collect at the foot of any great cliff, are a favorite source of stone. There are likely as many varieties of gravel weavers living under the seas' waves as above on - or under - dry land.
The great wyrms build their tunnels by gluing stones together with an exude which, when freshly applied, is like gummy silk but soon dries to a fiberglass like cement. It is easier to do this on the surface, resulting in a network of ridge somewhat like those above mole-runs. These tunnels are, however, far larger, and of stones cemented together with dried "worm-gum."
As gravel weavers grow incrementally, they build their tunnels in incrementally increasing gauges. Some species build in 5' width increments, others in 1 M. increment gauges. (How convenient for mapping! What a co-incidence!)(There are, of course, smaller varieties, down to ½" diameter.) The wyrms are only territorial within their own size-class, so there are usually several tunnel systems of different gauges linked together.
There are two distinct patterns used by the multi-limbed wyrms. About 40% build systems of straight tunnel lengths with clean-angled joints and polygonal chambers, while 50% prefer curvy tunnels and oblong chambers and 10% use other patterns. The exact style is a matter of specific variety or individual choice; complex tunnel systems are clearly used to determine position in the worms' social hierarchy and are the main factor in mating desirability.
A wyrm may start by building a simple spider-web pattern, but soon the pattern becomes far more complex. They prefer multiple hubs and redundant routs. In addition to anywhere between one and a half dozen overlapping layers of horizontal tunnels, the wyrms also build vertical tunnels. Some are wells leading down to water, or drains to lead excess water away. Others are chimneys, built for ventilation. These may rise a hundred feet into the air above the surface, the opening barred with a grille of worm-gum and stones. In hot areas, these are surprisingly effective in keeping the tunnels cool. In all cased, they keep the tunnels well-ventilated.
If other creatures try to move into the tunnels and build nests, the wyrms may converge to drive the intruder out, but they are just as likely to let that tunnel go and build several alternate routs. Getting along with neighbors rather than fighting at every opportunity may be a key to the worms' success. Other creatures inhabiting their tunnels also seem to instinctively understand that it is the worms that are responsible for the tunnels and so will converse to protect the Worms if trouble arises.
When prey is scare, and they become hungry, the larvae click, alerting the larger wyrms to start driving prey their way. When this becomes inconveniently frequent, the Worms instead build new tubes in another area and then carry the larvae to their new home.
Happily, this carnivorous larval stage does not last long. The adult wyrms live by ingesting old worm-gum from the tunnel linings (which they replace as they go.) The worm-gum acts as a growth-medium for geo-plankton. Because of this, the wyrms will not tolerate other species that would eat the tunnel linings. (This would include certain amorphous colloids and some other scavengers.)
| Vladpup Home RPG Home Bestiary Index | Last update Apr 4, 2006 |