Red Arquirian Desert Worm
Beneath the sands of the north-eastern part of the Arquir Desert, as some explorers report, lives the Red Arquirian Desert Worm or Tushoya Gudz as the Otadan people call it. This patient predator lives buried in the ground most of the time, just under the surface and when alert by vibration or a shadow lunges making his powerful jaws snap on the unfortunate prey.
Basic Information
Anatomy
This creature can be described as a massive earthworm, similar to a cow's large intestine. The explorer that has described them, having seen only a few of them, says that they are generally between 60cms and 1m long and as thick as human's arm. The mouth extremity is armed with two sets of jaws that can snap as a spring-trap with very small stimulation. Although the legends of the people of the planes talked of some of them so big to be able to swallow a whole rider with his mount. Their body are covered by some protective scales and between those scales they have glands that secern an acid, beside protection those help them to bury and retreat in the ground very fast.
Genetics and Reproduction
As many other earthworm, this creatures are insufficient hermaphroditic, therefore to reproduce they need another individual of the same species. They reproduce at the end of the rain season, although this may not happen every year, when they come out on the surface losing the scales and the acid secerning glands, probably under the effect of some hormone. This is the moment when they are most vulnerable. After the mating they grow new scales and probably they lie eggs buried in the ground, although no one as yet been able to demonstrate it.
Ecology and Habitats
This peculiar creature lives in the hamada part of the Arquir Desert.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Since they are blind they attack whatever gets near them, and if they can cripple the prey, later it will be pulled underground and devoured, no matter how big. It is reported that during the campaign against the orcs of Toiag Bloodcleaver some soldiers have been attacked by them, the jaws are so powerful that can sever neatly the foot of a soldier, even when wearing reinforced boots.
Biological Cycle
Tushoya Gudz are active mostly at dawn and dusk, either because the temperature is excessive for them too or because are the time of the day when their preys are more active. After they catch a large prey they can remain inactive for a long period of time to allow digestion.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Tushoya Gudz appear to be blind, they can react to vibrations and to shade but don't seem to understand what is producing them. According to the legend some of them can paralize, spit acid or venom and produce electric shock against their preys.
Some explorer think that he may once have been an underwater creature that has adapted to live in the desert after the Great War of Mages.
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