The Necrophagia vermis, or Necrophage Worm, is a worm that lives on a variety of planets and moons, it survives primarily from the consuming of dead tissue from the deceased. They prefer fresh corpses but will eat anything as long as it still has some flesh attached to it.
The Necrophage Worm is bioluminescent and easy to spot, especially in the dark, as their soft blue glow illuminates the area around them — they often feast in large groups of up to a hundred per corpse, if multiple corpses are present in a heavily infested area the worms can easily brighten the space.
The worms use a corrosive enzyme, breaking down organic matter to feed on the resulting nutrients — secreting the substance from their bodies as they climb about their victims. They are most frequently found in areas of extreme decay, their presence is often a sign of environmental collapse.
For example, they have become very present on the moon Razlo, in which the Bloom Plague is currently ravaging. Feeding off dead tissue of all the life snuffed out during the plague. They have even been found to feed on walking Bloom Plague puppets. This has given some survivors an idea, one that if they could use the corrosive abilities of the worms, could help them combat the seemingly undying plague puppets.
Encountering Necrophage Worms in the wild can be a horrifying sight, especially in situations of mass decay or death. A glowing sea of writhing forms conducting ghastly work. Though the worms are not evil in nature, and they only feed on decay and dead tissue, they will not typically attack the living.
While a mass collection of them may indicate environmental collapse, some entrepreneurial farmers and companies use the Necrophage Worms to their advantage. Initially introducing them to the deceased corpses of animals or in some cases stretches of dead plants, though the latter is not the preference of the worms and they must be starved first before they will eat.
The reason for this usage, especially by farmers and farming companies, is two-fold, first off it is a fairly easy and quick way of disposing of the bodies of deceased animals. The Necrophage worms can easily consume a body within a few short days depending on their numbers. This helps reduce cost, as no expensive disposal or cremation fees will have to be paid, and Necrophage worms if they are collected carefully after the deed is done can be recaptured and reused.
The second reason for their usage is that the remnants of the animal or plant corpses become a sort of soft mulch that can be mixed with soil or other matter and used as a nutrient fertilizer. And while the worms do consume much of the body for their own nutrient the mushy mess that is left behind is still full of important nutrients that can help a farm thrive.
While macabre, it is a useful and sustainable approach to fertilizer in the farming community that many farmers are beginning to embrace more frequently.
The Necrophage Worm is a bioluminescent worm that thrives on the flesh of the dead, its glow a macabre beacon in the darkness. These creatures are feared for their role in accelerating decay and can be a sign of environmental collapse if seen in large masses. Though they aren't naturally evil creatures and don't attack living creatures. Some entrepreneurial farmers have even begun using them to sustainably remove the corpses of deceased animals, using the remains the worms leave behind as fertilizer.
The Necrophage Worm is a small creature, though it is significantly larger than a typical earthworm. If it has not eaten recently it is roughly the circumference of an index finger and twice the length — it can grow significantly if it has feasted, swelling to several times its previous circumference and length. These worms have a bioluminescent light that glows from their body. Glowing with an eerie almost ghostly light that illuminates its surroundings in dark environments.
The worm's skin is slick to the touch, as it constantly secretes the corrosive enzyme from its body that allows it to break down and digest organic materials. This segmented form is both disturbing and fascinating as it pulsates rhythmically as it moves about, leaving a trail of acidic residue that sizzles upon contact with various surfaces.
Most things people create that eat decaying organic matter are dark in color and scary-looking, but I like how yours is bioluminescent; I want to poke it! I also like how this worm has practical uses, too.
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