Shifter Worms

Magically adept monsters of unknown origin with the ability to dramatically transform their physicality.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Shifter worms in their default form tend to resemble huge, plated worms. Their backs are made of firm plates, while their undersides are rough segmented hide. Flowing out from the back plates are fleshy mantle skirts similar to those common on deep sea slugs. These undulate constantly, and sometimes seem to change colors in different lights. Some worms will have thin, muscular tentacles coming out from their sides, usually ending in hard, sharp barbs.
The key difference between these worms and their more mundane cousins is their terrifying ability to shift. A shifting worm rearranges their internal and external body parts to change shape and appearance drastically. Through a grotesque combination of natural and magical abilities, it can form new horns, stretch its tentacles into legs, compress its armor into spikes, reveal new eyes and fangs anywhere on it's body, and even warp internal organs like its vocal chords to allow it to speak.
In fact, the appearance of a given shifter worm could be so different from another as to fool an unfamiliar observer into thinking they were entirely seperate species. Usually, the confirmation of a beast as a shifter worm is in part done by a process of elimination: if the creature observed resembles no known species, and appears to be alone, it is likely to be a shifter.

Growth Rate & Stages

Adult shifter worms are rare in themselves, and young worm sightings have only been reported once or twice. These sightings report smaller, thinner beasts with softer bodies. While still capable of shifting, they lack the focus to maintain new shapes for long, reverting to their default form after just a few moments. They have no obvious horns or fangs or claws yet, but do have an acidic spray they can shoot from various 'vents' on their bodies. This ability has not been demonstrated in adults, and is presumed to disappear with maturity.
An ancient shifter worm is overall stronger, tougher, and more deadly than it's younger counterparts, but it does have some limitations. As shifter worms age, they tend to have fewer forms they like to shift into, as the continued hardening of their plate armor removes a little of their transformation flexibility. Usually, an ancient worm will have one or two favored forms it can utilize quickly and efficiently, and will rarely attempt to shift outside of these familar patterns. This makes them more predictable, and potentially vulnerable to planned attacks, but also much harder to penetrate with typical weaponry.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The senses of a shifter worm are not exceptional when it comes to sound, sight, and smell, but their tremor sense is strong enough to pick up on the slightest vibrations of movement in the ground, water, or air. In addition, they seem to posess some sort of extra-sensory abilities, allowing them to perceive the presence of a thinking being. While it is not certain that they can read thoughts per se, those who have encountered them have reported strange psychic sensations, "tickles in the mind", before being locked in on by a shifter worm.