Fantasy Monster: Grave Worms

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Grave Worms

A swarming mass of bloated grey and pink earthworms that look disturbingly similar to writhing intestines...

CR 9; XP 3,200
N Fine Vermin (swarm)

Init +1; Senses scent, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +0

Defense
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 18 (+1 Dex, +8 size)
hp 115 (21d8+21)
Fort +13; Ref +8; Will +7

Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune disease, mind-affecting effects, weapon damage

Weakness repelled by salt

Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.

Melee swarm attack (10d6)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks voracious devourers

Statistics
Str 1, Dex 12, Con 12, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +15; CMB —; CMD —

Ecology
Environment temperate or warm
Organization solitary, pair, or hecatomb (3–10)
Treasure incidental

Repelled By Salt (Ex) Salt is harmful to individual worms forming the swarm. While the swarm moves it might push over small amounts of salt, losing some of the constituent worms in the process, but larger amounts of salt, at least a few inches thick and tall, will stop them from progressing. Soaking oneself in brine, or rubbing with salt mixed with some sticky substance (which might take about a minute) will grant immunity to grave worms swarm attack for 2d6 minutes (or 1d6+1 rounds in rain or other extremally humid environment. A bottle of strong brine can be used like an acid flask against a swarm of grave worms.

Voracious Devourers (Ex) Swarms of grave worms devour flesh with a terrifying speed and appetite. Each body of dead Medium creature within grave worms space is stripped clean of flesh, skin, and most other soft tissues in 10 rounds. They don't consume hair, bones, or teeth, nor do they eat Undead flesh, ignoring it completely.

When a disaster, disease, war, or other calamity leaves an excessive number of corpses, the worms that bloated on them might form dangerous swarms seeking to devour more and more flesh, multiplying in numbers quickly. Once conditioned to consume humanoid and animal remains, they pursue their meals with little regard if the prey is still living.

As grave worms don't consume Undead flesh, they are occasionally used by necromancers and liches, though they are hard to maintain—once the steady supply of easily accessible flesh, dead or living, runs out, the swarms dissipate over a few days—or start devouring each other if trapped away from their natural environment.