Purple worms are a type of monster from the roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons, having been a part of the game since its inception. They are enormous annelids, reaching 24 meters long as adults and so named due to being covered in a thick, purple-hued hide. They have gaping mouths lined with many sharp teeth and tails adorned with poisonous stingers.
A purple worm moves by compressing and expanding its body, which affords it sudden bursts of speed. Being blind, it navigates through the earth by tremorsense. As a scavenger, it eats whatever organic matter it finds as long as it can fit in its mouth. Adult purple worms are large enough to swallow most land-dwelling animals whole. Humans and other intelligent beings that ended up being swallowed by purple worms would die quickly but painfully from the beast's stomach acids unless they could cut their way out or use magic.
Sub-species[]
- Mottled - The mottled purple worm is an aquatic variant that resides in swamplands.
- Desert - The desrt purple worm resides deep beneath scorching sand dunes. It is often mistaken for its distant cousin, the thunderherder.