Sand Wyrm: Across the Delta

The Sand Wyrm: Creature Design

For my original IP, Across the Delta, the Sand Wyrm was designed as the main 'antagonist' — though, at its core, it is simply an animal.

The Sand Wyrm is the so-called ‘Crossroads Creature’ that is terrorising the frontier along the sand flats south to Pramanya and Vaivell. Its territory comprises of tall dunes and deep caverns, where it is able to bury itself in the sand during the high heat of the day, or to hunt.

Wyrms measure roughly 20 metres long, with the tip of its tail mimicking a local cactus variety, the ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’, which was named specifically for its association with the wyrm. It is an ambush hunter: it burrows into large sand dunes and uses its tail to attract various prey who may be interested in shade or the nutrition the cactus usually supplies. It further has a third eye at the apex of its head, which it uses to look above the ground while waiting for prey.

As it is primarily active along the trade route through which Pramanyan and Ciranvista expats travel, news of its presence has spread rapidly through those countries.

The wyrm also has an interesting ability to expand its ribcage (above); this allows it to quickly and easily move across the sand, as well as shovel heaps of dirt to bury itself. It has a very soft underbelly as a result.