Purple Worm, Hatchling

Family: Purple Worm

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 60 (8d10 + 16); Wound Threshold 15
Speed 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	11 (+0)	14 (+2)	3 (-4)	9 (-1)	4 (-3)

Senses blindsight 40 ft., tremorsense 70 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages –
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 3-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The worm makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its stinger.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (3d4 + 4) piercing damage. The purple worm hatchling can then take a bonus action, either nibble or swallow.
• Tail Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Nibble. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). As long as the grapple persists, the target is restrained, and the hatchling can’t bite another target.
• Swallow. If the target is a Small or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the worm. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and it takes 7 (2d6) acid damage at the start of each of the worm’s turns. If the worm takes 10 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 5 feet of the worm. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

ABOUT

Legend in the flesh, an adult purple worm measures over 65 feet and is able to burrow through the toughest of rocks. Its name comes from the color of its rough skin when it reflects light at certain angles.

The Sower of Life

Maelossas aren’t the only reason life is possible in the Netherworld, it’s also thanks to the work of purple worms. They’re sowers of life, but extremely dangerous all the same. They could be compared to volcanoes: their presence is both destructive and fruitful. Through their wandering, they’re even able to link continents together. Many adventurers have traveled down freshly dug tunnels, hoping to discover new lands. Duergar abyssal cities could never have been built without the tunnels dug under the ocean.

Deep-dwellers try to get close to them, but not too close… They set up many glyphs at the borders of their territories to keep purple worms away. The passing of these creatures, especially adults, can generate earthquakes and cave-ins. Purple worms gather in large sand deserts to lay their eggs. This way, their offspring begin life in a soft ground, before tackling harder and harder terrain.

Controlling Purple Worms

Some duergar study the use of purple worms in order to excavate the Netherworld at their leisure. While a long shot, this method seems very promising to them. Purple worms could also be of interest to the duergar militarily, if they could be lured toward their enemies. For this, they primarily use thumpers to attract purple worms. By using multiple thumpers working together, it could be possible to direct them on a desired path.