Thermaworm

A Thermaworm is a gargantuan to small species of magical monstrosities similar to a segmented terrestrial earthworm. They are common inhabitants of volcanic regions, most particularly the Burning Arm of Lorthal, feeding on minerals, organic matter and sources of heat. Due to the Thermaworms casting (faecal deposit), it breaks down the ash deposits within the ground, increasing fertility and the burrowing helps in proper aeration of the soil.

ORIGINS

Most mistake the Thermaworm for a greater magically-mutated breed of earthworm, related to the Purple Worm, originating from the Elemental Plane of Fire or Earth, like the Xorn - which is not the case, but also partially correct. They are an evolved species of large Annalid formed as far back as the Divine Era, if scholars are to be believed, or trusted. However, the issue with this knowledge is that there is no written nor fossil history of this species or its development, limiting the possibilities of knowledge on this creature. The largest known theory is that they were spawned out of the rotten and infested wounds of the Colossi and descendants of the Giants, raining down from the sky as primordial energy changed them in the waking wars of the Gods and Divines. The worms scavenged and ate from the flesh and bones of the Giants before delving into the earth - there, they reached the isolated and imprisoned Mor'Goron, the living manifestations of volcanoes and molten lava - being burned with their molten blood, it changed them further into what we realise today as the Thermaworm.

PHYSIOLOGY & ANATOMY

This monstrosity has been known to grow up to 70 feet long and up to 10 feet wide, like its cousin the Purple worm - however, this is catalogued as the most legendary and eldest size caught by adventurers. This case was the largest found so far, leading others to speculate that others can grow to larger sizes. Its body is a tube-like arrangement, cylindrical in shape, covered in hard armoured plates over its ringed muscular body for defence. Their bodies are formed of 100-200 segments, reddish-black - helping them to move and travel through the earth; each one has different muscles and bristles called setae. They help anchor and control the worm's movement when moving through the soil in a corkscrew pattern while they tunnel. Running along the sides and bottoms are ridges where the plates meet. These ridges help grip the stone around them and push them through their cramped tunnel spaces.
Their faces are usually a gaping hot-glowing maw with many rows of teeth. The inside rows are pointing inward and help grip prey while swallowing. Their outer teeth are much larger and serve many purposes. They are dangerous to be in front of and behind as their tails also end in a stinger with a potent poison. They are in fact naturally blind, but can still detect light through photosensitive cells on the Thermaworks skin at the backs of their heads, sending electrical impulses that the worm senses and reacts to, moving back below ground or under cover, in order to detect whether they have broken to the surface level. They have small beady slits pointing inward on the sides of their head, a warm blue colour, used to be able to detect emanations of heat. But there are also bulbous masses across their body, beneath their armoured plates, that are actually soft tissue like ear drums that are sensitive to vibrations in the air and underground. This is also aided by the fact that the Thermaworms have tiny hairs or cilia, along with their bodies that are very sensitive to vibration. They are sensitive enough to detect the composition of the surrounding earth and distinguish from stone, preparing with enough time to open their wide mouths - this is also how they detect prey, with vibrations above large enough to allow the Worm to pinpoint movement and travel upwards to their location and erupt from the ground.
From the tooth-filled maw, it leads to its digestive system - a long tube where organic matter, dirt, ash and minerals from its diet passes through until it exits the other end. Along the way, organic matter is pushed into the crop, where food is stored, and then into a gizzard, where pebbles and rocks previously eaten by the worm are used to grind food for further digestion. The intestinal walls of the worm are lined with blood vessels that are effused with blood by one of the aortic arches, the Thermaworms five hearts. The vessels absorb and distribute nutrients and minerals from the food.
Thermaworms do not have lungs, rather, they breathe through their skin. To breathe underground and travel while tunnelling, most of these worms secrete an acidic mucous across their bodies through their pores and also release vaporous steam from their steam whilst travelling to moisturise their armour plates to clean them of dirt and debris. Like any aerobic organism, it still needs oxygen to carry out essential processes and to rid itself of carbon dioxide that builds up as waste. Instead of inhaling and exhaling, the exchange of gases in and out of the earthworm takes place passively through the skin. This can only occur if the Thermaworms skin is moist - but with the natural heat, the creature generates it emits vaporous gas from its body to keep the body moist as well as mucous to cover its body. Without this moisture, it cannot breathe. This is one of the natural reasons why Thermaworms avoid sunlight, as it puts the body in a constant stressful release of gases after a period of time to keep the body moist - losing a lot of its inner body moisture and it effectively suffocates and dries out. Their body is adapted with a closed circulatory system, consisting of a heart, blood vessels capillaries - each segment 5-8 consists of blood glands that help in the production of blood cells and haemoglobin. Not only this, their blood holds higher amounts of minerals and is at a near-constant temperature of 100-120 degrees celsius. Blood would normally boil long before this and cells would break down, but the strange anatomy and physiology of the blood have evolved to have a greater temperature threshold.
The Thermaworm has coiled tubules that regulate the volume and composition of the body fluids and thus, act as the excretory organ in Thermaworms. They are connected together in segments towards a funnel, delivering waste and excess fluid and is excreted out via the digestive tube at the ends of the Thermaworm. This has led to casting (worm faeces) of mineral-enriched faecal matter that is dried and super-heated as it travels through the digestive system and ejected as a matter similar to a spongy soil igneous-like rock form, however softer and easily broken down and coated in sulphurous acid that breaks the materials down further after defecation - allowing the clearing of tunnels and stone as it travels beneath the ground. These casting may be deposited within the earth or in cone-shaped piles with a hollow centre on the surface of the ground.
Thermaworms are hermaphrodites, thus are bisexual creatures to which each individual carries both male and female sex organs - but most need a mate to respond.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

The breeding season of most adults without a juvenile, adolescent or hatchling occurs within the autumn of each year. Eggs are generally laid in clutches of 4-20. It is possible for Thermaworms to reproduce themselves if needs be - as they can regenerate new segments if they lose a few. Most are better at regenerating tails than heads, but some can. They do not reproduce asexually - only half (and likely the head half) of a Thermaworm split into two will regenerate into a full worm once again. This cycle of reproduction occurs every week to 10 days - thus their populations grow quickly within autumn. However, they are only fertile for one month of the year, thus populations grow expedentially during this time.
During copulation, both sets of sex organs are used by both Thermaworms. If all goes well, the eggs of both of the mates become fertilised. The two worms line up against one another facing opposite directions. In this position, both worms excrete so much mucous, that a 'slime tube' forms around their bodies. Each worm ejaculates sperm from its sex organs into this slime tube and it is then deposited in the other worms sperm receptacle. A wide band close to the front of the Thermaworm, the clitellum, is responsible for producing another tube of mucus. This band is passed forward toward the mouth end of the Thermaworm. As it travels forward, the mucus passes over the sacs containing the worms own eggs, which stick to the slime. Attached to the slime tube, the eggs then pass over the seminal receptacle, where the other worms sperm is kept. The eggs and sperm come into contact in the slime tube and if all goes well, the eggs are then fertilised.
The band of slime is wriggled off the head of the worm and forms a cocoon in the shape of a lemon, for 4-20 eggs. In about two-three weeks the newborn worms will hatch and emerge from the cocoon into the soil.

Growth Rate & Stages

Hatchling: 1 year. They tend to cannibalise their own species in competition and consumed soft minerals in the earth. They focus firmly on survival and avoiding natural predators, growing only to a small size.
Juvenile: 2-20 years. They develop an appetite for more organic matter and their body heat rises where they can burrow effectively. They grow up to medium-large body sizes.
Adult: 21-80 years. Their appetite extends to larger organic creatures and non-organic materials such as rock and stone, even metals to some instances. Here the worm evolves into a huge size.
Elder: the 80-unknown amount of years (speculated on average up to 250 years). Very rare to reach this size, becoming huge to gargantuan sized creatures and are known to migrate beyond volcanic spaces and even venture into the sea - able to hold their breath and delve into underwater volcanic areas.

Ecology and Habitats

Most Thermawormscan be found within the volcanic badlands of the Burning Arm of Lorthal. With softer igneous rocks providing the most sought after nests.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While it mainly consumes ashen material to preserve its own bodily heat source and thermal power - it also consumes the soil and vegetation on the top surface of the world. It is attracted to herbivores smaller than its size and has been known to hunt Aptors, Lizards, Insects, Goats, Striders - even to some point it hunts and eats Basilisks when it becomes large enough. It digests the organic materials to revitalise itself with food that it can store, but does not require to eat for three weeks afterward.

Lifespan

40 years