Sand striders

Notes from Zoologists Artur Lawren

Basic Information

Anatomy

The first thing one notices about the sand strider is its incredible carapace. It is almost reminiscent of high-quality plate armor and just about if not exceedingly stronger than it. This offers it a natural armor it uses, not as a means of defending itself from predators, for there appear to be none, but to protect the soft flesh underneath from the hard earth it may sometime come into contact with. The color of this shell can indicate the type of environment that the sand strider most often frequents. The sand striders of the Untilled Wastes are typically a light brown or tan color. Different species of sand strider that hunt deeper underground might be darker some even boasting an obsidian-like outer shell. Deeper than that–I've heard but have not witnessed yet–are striders that glow red from the molten rock they pass through.

Growth Rate & Stages

Maximum length:

Female: 30ft

Male: 15ft

Diameter: 10ft for both sexes These creatures begin life as one of many hundreds of eggs from the mother. After they have been laid in a protective bunker, the mother will patrol the surrounding area, not too far so as to protect her young, for food. This patrol also serves to ward off poachers of her children. Once hatched, the larvae tend to die off very quickly to hyenas and kobolds hidden in the same cave. Out of the hundreds of eggs laid, only a handful–and I mean three to five–make to adolescence. After approximately three to four weeks of life, the sand strider larvae have grown to half their adult size and are now capable of hunting on their own. By this time, they leave the protection of their mother and form their own territory. Within the year, one or two of these worms will reach full maturity which can last from five to ten years at the most, the rest perishing. Keep in mind we started with a litter of almost one thousand eggs.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

I say with 90% confidence that the sand striders cannot see. At least not in the way that you reading this and I do. They have a keen sense of movement and vibrations when below ground. When they have surfaced there is a certain radius outward that they appear to be aware of without the use of eyes of any kind. I watched one engorge a desert fawn in the blink of an eye from about one hundred feet away and even though I was definitely making a ruckus, it seemed undisturbed by my presence.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Giant Worms

Lifespan

9 years

Average Height

Standing: 15ft

Average Weight

7 tons

Average Length

20ft

Geographic Distribution

• The Untilled Wastes