Inspired by the classic Rot Grub.
Wi B2, Pe B2, Ag B4, Po B1, Fo B2, Sp B2
Stride: 1
MW B1, Reflexes B2, Health B4
Skills
Stealthy B5, Observation B4, Dropping B4, Burrowing B4
Traits
Patient, Two-Inch Worm, Elastic Body (Dt), Sticky (Dt), Groundsense (Dt)
Blindsense (Dt)
Though blind, wound worms have extremely sensitive skin. They can locate prey by body heat, moisture vapor, air currents or vibrations through the ground.
Swimmer
Wound worms can survive and swim, leech-like, in stagnant or slow-moving fresh water. Woe to the adventurer who unwitting scoops a wound worm into his wineskin.
Desert Survivor (Dt)
Though they prefer moist environments, wound worms can survive complete dessication. A shrivelled wound worm can look like a twig or bit of twine, though close inspection will reveal the protruding mouth hooks. They can survive like this indefinitely, but will soon quicken in the presence of humidity; a few spilled drops from a flask, or the sweat of a tired adventurer or pack animal. This is a matter of a few hours.
Dessicated worms can be found in preserved foods, funery treasure, and in the sand of certain accursed places.
Hookmouth (Dt)
Quickened wound worms often latch onto prey by dropping from above. Any incidental hit means that a wound worm has attached and will soon begin burrowing. In dry environments, they often migrate to outcroppings, or the tips of branches where they can attach like burrs to passing animals or people, clinging to stray hair, fur or clothing.
Once attached to a living being, a quickened wound worm will immediately begin burrowing. Their burrowing teeth can pierce hides and hard leather, and worms quickly find their way underneath mail or metal plates.
Undetected worms find their way in automatically. If the victim is alert, the worm can be plucked or flicked off by winning a versus test of Agility against the worm’s Burrowing. If the worm wins, it disappears inside the victim’s clothing and immediately begins burrowing. Leather or natural armor provides an advantage die to the victim, metal armor provides 2D. One worm can be flicked off per action.
Flesh Burrower (Dt)
Once a wound worm reaches the skin, it makes a slit with its sharp teeth and immediately plunges inside. A worm under the skin causes a -1D wound penalty (and a Steel test).
Each day or scene thereafter, the worm burrows further. The victim must make an Ob 6 Forte test to determine how deep the worm burrows. The penalty increases by -1D, up to the margin of failure of the Forte test. If the victim’s Forte reaches zero, the worm has burrowed into a vital organ and the victim dies.
Burrowing worms can be cut from the flesh using Surgery or Field Dressing skill, with an Ob equal to the current die penalty. Failure extracts the worm, but the surgery inflicts a Midi wound upon the patient.
Worms that have burrowed into limbs can be prevented from reaching vital organs with a tight tourniquet. (Field Dressing, Ob 2.) Burrowing continues to increase the penalties as normal, but in this case, zero or negative Forte means the victim is unconscious.
Burrowed wound worms are also vulnerable to certain tinctures and infusions. Worms can be induced to stop burrowing temporarily (Ob 1 Herbalism, further burrowing being prevented for a number of weeks equal to the margin of success), or killed outright (Ob 4 Herbalism). Failure poisons the victim.
Unthinking Parasite (Dt)
Wound worms are not affected by social skills and do not make Steel tests. They ignore anything that doesn’t kill them outright.
Instincts
Climb to the high places. Wait. Drop on anything that moves.
Hooks
Dessicated wound worms can be carried for long distances by unwitting adventurers. When they suddenly infest the livestock, any strangers in town are likely to take the blame.
A wound-worm infested monster comes to town looking for help.
“This local tea is undrinkable! Why is it so popular?”