Lindwurm (lind-wurm)
Summary
The unbreakable fortresses who dwell deep within Veltrona, lindwurms are a veltron (and sometimes metal) aspected variant of dragonkind. They're distinctive for being a jointed humanoid species, with a humanoid upper body, a snake-like lower body, lack of wings, complete blindness, and incredibly well-armored, powerful physiques. Of all dragonkind, lindwurms are typically the rarest to encounter on the surface of Veltrona. Natives of the Underworld, the snake-like lindwurms burrow through dirt, stone, crystal, and more in search of food, habitable areas, and chance encounters to meet people. Their natural strength and durability is leagues above almost anything on the surface, but not so underground. The fearsome reality of the Underworld demands much and more to survive, a challenge lindwurms must ever face. In fact, the most common reason for lindwurms to breach Veltrona's surface is to seek refuge from their time in the Underworld. It's terribly difficult to fathom the challenges they face, as both their world view and language is often exotically unique. Still, that such powerful people live in fear of certain beasts is enough to put ice in the hearts of anyone who listen. Mostly the surface dwelling dragons whom lindwurms confide in, at least. While lindwurms recognize blood lineage, for the most part they tend to travel and live in tribal groups. Their prodigious appetites and free-spirited nature often combine into a destructive outcome for any local environment they settle in. This leaves them to a migratory lifestyle, burrowing from one rich area to another within the Underworld. Circumstances, however, changed as civilizations began building themselves up. The advent of farming and other ways of making rich food naturally captured their attention. Lindwurm tribes would strike deals with other civilizations, usually offering their incredible might in exchange for safe and reliable food. As a result, most of these tribal groups settled down and assimilated within the other civilizations. Things being what they are, the history of the two would often intertwine. If, however, calamity struck, lindwurms would easily be among the survivors, and so return to migrating once more. For what can be said of their Underworld dwelling people, those upon the surface are much more easily recorded and known. Lindwurms, naturally social people as they are, would seek out 'others like them' when they reached Veltrona's surface. To their surprise, the ones their senses led them to were the surface-born dragons, similar yet different. A fact that both sides puzzled over: dragons had no real records of lindwurms, and lindwurms had little, if any, historical details to offer up. Why the two had gone down very different paths as they had remains a great, unsolved mystery of the world. Regardless, once the initial awkward attempts to communicate were handled, many dragon lineages accepted the lindwurms. Most regarded it in a manner as welcoming home long lost cousins, and so made comfortable accommodations. The lindwurms, in turn, took their newfound opportunities with great enthusiasm. Life upon the surface proved far more comfortable than the Underworld, even despite the incredibly disquieting 'sky' and the 'ever-watching eye' people called 'the sun'. Still, not all of them forgot about their roots down below. Some lindwurms, emboldened by the newfound prosperity they achieved, could only look to the veltron. They each eventually left, promising to return with their own kin some day before burrowing deep into Veltrona once more. A promise they all made, but not all of them lived up to, disappearing forever into the dirt and rock. Those that eventually returned had quite the tale on finding their new lineage's homelands. Some even drilled up onto the entire other side of the world and had to journey across the surface to 'find home' again. Such lost and wandering lindwurms is how many other species often encountered them, for better or worse. It seemed the lindwurm reputation for wanton destruction invariably followed them, even when they were just traveling. Then again, with their incredible strength in lands that often had nothing comparable to them, perhaps it was a bit troublesome. Much of the lindwurm history on Veltrona's surface is intimately tied to their lineages. Very few lindwurms ever branched off to make their own civilizations, and those who did largely did so in their traditional tribal groups. What can be said, though, is the dire ramifications the age of the Imperium had for them all. Though Imperious herself didn't care at all about things like 'species' or 'variants' or any real concept of xenophobia, it was a different story for those around her. Imperial dragons were eager to prove not only their superiority, but their 'just cause' to dominate all others. Racism became their tool of choice, a poison that would rot the very souls of all who imbibed it. Lindwurms were signaled out for their 'lack' of culture, general knowledge, and competency. Their brutish reputation was played up entirely to diminish their worth, with some imperial dragons postulating they weren't real dragons at all. It created an easy-to-abuse narrative that the Imperium used to regulate them to what were, essentially, slaves by another name. Lindwurms were too incredibly powerful to ever fully subjugate. Instead, the imperial dragons sought to break their self-confidence and worth, tooling them along to their whims. A tactic that proved distressingly effective as many lindwurms wanted to live with their newfound lineages more than anything else. Those who resisted were ultimately either killed, or chose to flee and burrow deep into Veltrona once again. Through the many centuries of the Imperium, the lindwurms received horrific treatment and indoctrination by most of the imperial dragons. Help, however, came in the form of the other enslaved peoples. Humanity, the then-unknown baarham, helunae, lauraume, and so forth ever resisted the Imperium and its tyrannical rule. The lauraume were those who found the closest relationship with the lindwurms, offering sanctuary and healing from their terrible fortunes. Indeed, it is that kindness that is said to have given many lindwurms a love of nature, and flowers in particular. When the end of the Imperium finally came about, many lindwurms joined in the open rebellion against the imperial dragons. Those war-filled days saw their might brought forth in awing greatness, tearing apart draconic fortifications as if they were sand castles. What dragons dared to fight them paid the price in forgetting how unstoppable an enraged lindwurm could become. Though their numbers were few, the lindwurms most likely tore more than half of the Imperium's actual infrastructure apart themselves. The ensuing Great Darkness saw most of their number killed in the explosion of the World Gate. Those who survived fled underground, never to return to the surface again, and even fewer still managed to return to their lineages. For as suddenly as lindwurms arrived on the surface, they all but vanished as well. It was a detail that didn't go unnoticed during the founding of Votyoger, either. Many dragons, feeling responsible to the horrible fate of their kin, resolved to make amends. Some, alongside their lindwurm kin, took to braving a route into the Underworld itself. Others, learning of how the lindwurms communicated through vast distances, created seismic 'beacons'. They sent deep-reaching tremors into the Underworld, a sort of message conveying sorrow and righteous vengeance. Though the dragons didn't understand such a language exactly, the lindwurms who helped made it clear their fellows would understand. Still, the beacons rang their message for decades without any appreciable response. Some centuries later, it would be some of the long-lost expeditions who returned. With hundreds of lindwurms at the fore, drilling an enormous path through the Underworld, they burrowed straight to Veltrona's surface. Directly into Votyoger itself, thanks to some of the message beacons still operating there. Their triumphant return saw thousands more lindwurms accompanying the surviving dragons. Alien and exotic riches, knowledge, and harrowing experiences represented the bounty of wealth these adventurers all brought back. Such a reunion became one of Votyoger's greatest triumphs of the era, and a celebration that lasted for nearly ten years was held. During which, the many lindwurm tribes were propositioned to by the dragon lineages, offering home, kinship, and blood ties. The tribes took up the offers that best suited them, but some banded together to make their own lineages. Regardless, the lindwurms had returned to Veltrona's surface, and by all accounts, were there to stay. While they are the 'youngest' of all dragonkind, many possess bountiful wealth of lived experiences, capability, and know-how that only life can readily impart. With time and incentive to make civilizations of their own, or adopt their parent lineage's ways, they took to these new opportunities ravenously. It's hard to say what they may ultimately settle into becoming, even thousands of years later, as the lindwurms build their corner of existence up and up.Basic Information
Anatomy
Lindwurms are anatomically similar to the prototypical dragon, with the key distinction of having no wings, their lower body and tail has fused together into a snake-like form, their heads are extremely armored to the point of complete blindness, and they're incredibly physically bulky. More lindwurm-specific details will be noted below:
Lindwurms can be best described as living tanks, covered in natural armor and toughened to a ridiculous extent. Their scales are thicker, more encompassing, and far stronger than any other kind of dragon. Their skin, what little of it is isn't covered in scales, is the only 'relatively soft' part of their physique. Nonetheless, it can still fully stop slashes done with mana-steel blades, something even normal dragons cannot achieve. Hence, it is difficult to overstate their physical durability and strength.
The heads of lindwurms are completely covered in scales to the point of being permanent, helm-like armor. Only their mouth is exposed, and that too has thick, flat teeth with enough jaw strength to chew solid steel apart. Their ear fins are less 'fin' and more 'antenna rods', with the thin membrane between them gone. Their horns are typically fewer, but thicker and larger over all, and grow in a backward-swept direction. Some horns may grow in a forward-swept direction, usually as a kind of weapon they use in battle.
The only hair lindwurms grow comes from their head, sprouting from between the protective scale plates. Their strands are thicker and root-like, being durable enough to survive grinding against dirt and stone when they burrow.
Heavy, segmented scales particularly grow from the back of their head, down their neck and spine, and terminate at their lower back above the buttocks. This protective layer of scales is one of the few weak points of a lindwurm, as it is where gill-like slits vent heat from. It is an important regulatory organ of their body, as lindwurms in full armor accumulate massive amounts of internal heat.
The upper, humanoid torso of the lindwurm follows draconic convention with their heaviest scales on the 'sturdy', 'bony', and 'outside facing' portions of the body, such as the elbows, shoulders, ribs, hips, knuckles, etc. They are proportionally covered in more scales than other dragons, giving them less overall exposed skin. Generally, their palms, chest, belly, and loins are the areas which are largely skin.
Like other jointed humanoids, the genitals and buttocks is found at the humanoid pelvic region which acts as the joint between the upper and lower halves of the body. Due to particular evolutionary concerns, the sensitive areas of the nipples and genitals can 'recede' into the body, giving them better protection.
Unlike other serpentine-like beings, such as the mussuba and nuhara, the lindworm has large, skirt-like armor scales growing from their buttocks. It can be said that from a rear view, a lindwurm is entirely just scale strung together with muscle underneath, making them quite formidable looking.
The snake-like lower body of the lindwurm follows standard convention with smaller, flexible scales on the underside, and heavier, protective ones on the sides and upper area. For its bulk, it has a surprising range of motion and can easily propel the lindwurm as much function an enormous club/battering weapon.
Biological Traits
In addition to all the attributes they inherit from dragons, lindwurms have the following differences:
Veltron Aspected – This species has members who are principally aspected toward veltron mana.
Metal Aspected – This species has members who are principally aspected toward metal mana.
Veltronic Strength – Lindwurms are almost entirely specialized into physical power, durability, and endurance. Their natural characteristics are off the charts and truly a league of their own.
Sensory Adaptation: Vibration Sense – Lindwurms sense the disturbances of vibrations around them–be it in the air, water, or ground–with nearly supernatural precision. It allows them to preceive information even through solid matter, giving them an unparalled 360-degree awareness of their environment at all times. It's even said they can hear the words of someone many miles away.
Adaptive Armoring – Lindwurms have an instinctual form of magic that takes veltron and/or metal around them and then 'weld' it to their bodies. This magic allows them to create powerful ablative armor from nearly anything around themselves, amplifying their already frightening defenses. Its principally used to cover up the front side of their torso where all their exposed skin is.
While many people see this as a natural weak point, lindwurms can constantly replace material for armor there. And, given as they usually live underground, they have a limitless supply of said material. However, this armor seals up their heat-venting skin, which causes lindwurms to gradually store up excess heat. Eventually they must eject the armor, or risk cooking themselves alive.
Civilization and Culture
Relationship Ideals
Lindwurms can be surprisingly needy for those unprepared for it. As a people who'd grown strong in the hostile regions of the Underworld, friends and family are often their only safe harbor to indulge in. Their social networks develop into fairly complex arrangements of being involved with one another in all sorts of contexts. Some jockey for social position in combative, almost sport-like duels, others forage and prepare food together, and more still every other thing imaginable. It's very much a case of lindwurms usually always being in pairs or small clusters at a time, which then interacts with the larger tribe around them.
While they can survive in isolation reasonably well, all truth told many lindwurms do not prefer it. Combined with their often rowdy behavior and immortal lifespan, lindwurm cultural groups can have complicated histories behind them. Since one would have to conceivably live with potential rivals forever, barring extreme cases like exile or death, certain compromises become necessary. Hence, even with their larger-than-life personalities, lindwurms are experts at navigating social cues and stratagems that keeps the tribe as a whole cohesive and 'harmonious'.
For many other species, their two great struggles is often coming to terms with the lindwurm's sense of attachment and overly-energetic, hillside destroying habits. The constant involvement of a lindwurm in one's matters, or their expectation of the same, can grate on more independent-minded folk. When one is confronted with a living embodiment of strength few things can match, it also makes for an intimidating arrangement of affairs. Still, of the two, the former is far easier to navigate.
Lindwurms are insatiably curious people, and the many wonders of technology, knowledge, and complex games/sports serves to captivate them well. Many develop intellectual pursuits in order to further their own development, as well as accrue an understanding of others. This is usually where a divide in lindwurms appears, between those born in the Underworld who came to the surface, and those born upon the surface itself. The thinking, approach to matters, and general conceptualization are all staggeringly different in how they work.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The living cultures of lindwurms tends to express three dominant characteristics: strength and how its utilized, partying and enjoying one's self, and being intimate with friends and family. These things are carried by all lindwurms, and suits their migratory lifestyle the best. Even those who went to the surface world and joined with draconic lineages there maintained these traditions quite well.
The natural might of lindwurms is indeed most formidable, even when they are young. Controlling their strength is almost always the first challenge many of them face. For a people who can drill through almost any kind of material, chew steel, and crush more with their bare hands, it can be a daunting proposition. Sometimes the only real whetstone to practice upon is another lindwurm, who has the durability to withstand such tremendous power.
This common experience is where things like their norm for recreational wrestling often come from. Not only does it allow them to exercise, but it also represents a bonding experience with others. When they're all tired out, relaxing with a feast or other edible enjoyment is almost always the immediate follow up. To the outside observer it can seem bizarrely hedonistic, but many other species do not have the level of strength lindwurms do.
Music, as they understand it, is also something lindwurms rather enjoy. Whistling and drum-based instruments are the most common, representing polarizing spectrum that tantalize them. More sophisticated or complex instruments are rarer, and usually created through some form of magic by elder lindwurms. It isn't uncommon for their sense of party music to be so powerful as to rumble rock itself, a loudness that others can find deafening or damaging to be in.
But, when one is in the Underworld, it serves to ward off opportunistic predators as much as tell people that the lindwurms are nearby. In that sense, their music also serves as a kind of beacon to draw attention to themselves.
Lindwurms do not have a very strict social hierarchy, or stable pecking order. It rather depends on the subject matter to determine who is where. For example, the 'strongest in the tribe' can be an ever-changing result of duels and competitions. Just asking that question can result in the lindwurms competing to figure out that very answer. But, if one asked who is the healer, songstress, or other specialized role, a more solid answer is normally available.
One can potentially be whatever they want, but showing the time, dedication, and work to mistress the skills involved is another matter. The more intellectually-demanding fields, like healing or engineering, require not only exceptional patience, but adaptable flexibility. Lindwurm tribes in the Underworld do not keep a lot of material with them when they move: what is taken is what one can carry. It isn't as if there are pack animals that can follow them when they burrow, after all. Very rich, or well-secured tribes, usually show the most sophistication as they have the living space to permit it.
Those on the surface of Veltrona, however, have the opportunity to develop more complex opportunities. Lindwurm engineers, in particular, can create incredible pieces that are physically dense, intricate, and almost alien constructs. Other dragons can struggle to understand how to make, let alone take apart, such works. It is an easy way of seeing the very unique manner in which the lindwurms view reality. After all, they can 'see' their world in three-dimensions through vibrations, but most others are limited by what their eyes or magical senses tell them.
An interesting result of that is lindwurm doctors are highly valued, perhaps the most of all dragons. Their ability to perceive a person's internal physiology with such incredible detail means they have unparalleled decision making power. If not as doctors outright, lindwurms acting as medical assistants is also in extremely high demand.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
Immortal
Average Height
7-8ft / 213-243cm
Average Weight
600-1,200lb / 272-554kg
Related Organizations
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