Sunworm

Warhammer Fantasy

I recently came upon an account of Praag after Magnus and his forces liberated the city. It seems that festering in the carcasses of the Chaos Trolls, there were unusually large maggots. A soldier tried to skewer one on his sword only to be jolted by its foul energy. Thereafter, they were instructed to burn the dead. REINHOLT SCHENT, SCHOLAR OF THE FANTASTIC

The Sunworm is a mutated maggot grown fat and oily with the power of Chaos. Unlike their natural kin, these creatures lack mouths and feed by rubbing their bodies against their meals and excreting their wastes through their pale, segmented hides. Strangely, these creatures supplement their diet by devouring sunlight. During the day, their undulating bodies writhe in the delicious energy cast by the sun. As a result of this light, they build up a charge of energy that allows them to survive through the dark hours. This energy can also be used defensively. If a creature comes within a yard of a Sunworm, the creature reflexively releases a jolt of powerful energy. Sunworms can grow as large as six feet in length.

Sunworms are blessedly rare, contained to the deserts of Khemri and the Chaos Wastes. The Empire's climate does not lend itself to these foul creatures. Still, some cultists use these creatures to eliminate rivals or particularly troublesome Witch Hunters.

Warhammer 40,000

Sunworm is a native creature of the Luther Macintyre IX (desert Death World).

It resembles a fat, large and oily maggots without eyes or any other sensory organs. They have a rudimentaly sense of touch, smell and hearing. The Sunworms absorb little food that it need directly through its own skin, excreting waste out materials in the same way. Sunworms evolved in unique way to feed upon solar energy. Every day they assumed a position partly in the direct light, partly - in shadows, making itself as living photo-electric cell. During the night Sunworms use this energy to survive the darknest time. They can use accumulated energy to defend themselves, instinctively directing an energy discharge to any creature that may pose a threat to them.

The question whether Sunworms could be domesticated to used as supply equipment, living quarters and life-support system remains open.