Magma Snail

An extremely hardy snail, probably the hardiest snail found anywhere in Aewyn, the magma snail can survive the most unfriendly environment; a volcano. A submarine volcano, that is. Living on the surface and on the magma itself, it strides across the lava pillows, looking for nutrition.

Why would you even try to eat this creature?! I mean, it's essentially a small tank crawling on the ocean floor close to boiling hot water and liquid rocks! - An outsider

Appearance

Shell

A thick armoured shell covers the body of the magma snail, protecting it from the harsh temperatures.
It consists of 3 layers of different types of material, where the outermost layer is the one that protects the creature the most; this layer is made from different metals, often some iron sulfides and tungsten which is the hardest natural metal found in nature.

That is one tough shell to crack! I mean come on, why don't you just hunt normals snails and eat them? Would spare you a lot of trouble. - The same outsider

The middle layer is a more soft layer and keeps the temperature regulated inside the shell. Small bubbles of air can be seen in this layer, and it is made of some organic material. And then the innermost layer, a form of calcium material, is also found in any other snail and in corals.

Body

The entire body is covered in a layer of protective iron tungsten alloy - also called Tungsten steel.
On the underside, the belly where the snail touches the magma, an incredibly thick coat of tungsten steel covers its feet - not feet like humans, but hundreds of small thorn-like claws made to crawl and dig their way through rough and hot terrain.
Every "claw/foot" have an organic core that connects it to the body. The feet vary in length, and the longest is found at the side of their bodies, almost like small arms to pull the body forwards.
Apart from the claws, the body itself is more or less like any other snail, soft and squishy hiding inside a protective shell. But when the Magma snail goes to hide in the shell, the belly will close up the opening like a reinforced metal door, and the body will be completely protected on all sides.

Details

Location

The snail is only found in the Silent waters near the town Quelppi

Average size

Around 7-12 centimetres in diameter, which is the size of the shell itself. The body can be around 20 centimetres long, curled up inside the shell.

Avereage lifespan

It is believed that they can live rather long lives, and the lifespan is somewhere around 10-20 years.

Reproduction

Magma snails have no distinct sexes, and all have the same reproduction system - they can therefore mate with any other Magma snail. They lay their eggs closer to the shores and bury them in porous lava rock where trapped heat will rise up to the eggs.

Delicacy

The snails are a rare delicacy on the half-moon Island close by, where they are famous for their unusually sweet taste.