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Since I can’t think of any new archetypes to do every week, we’re switching gears and doing the Monster of the Week. Some of the monsters covered here will be classics from folklore and mythology, some will be inspired by fiction, some will be cryptids that some people say actually exist, and some of them I’ll just make up. Unless otherwise noted, the powers and interpretations of the monsters here are for the Hex Ficton setting (where M-Force takes place).

Mongolian Death Worm

Also Known As: The Mongolian name for the creature is olgoi-khorkhoi, which translates as “intestine worm.”

Description: The Mongolian Death Worm is a segmented worm 2-5 feet long and 3-6 inches in diameter. Its coloration is red, sometimes with darker spots. The worm if often described as looking like a cow intestine or sausage. Because it has no visible eyes, mouth, or nostrils, it is impossible to tell the worms head from its tail until is starts spitting acid.

BMA Classification: As there have been no confirmed captures or kills of a Mongolian Death Worm, the Bureau of Monster Affairs classifies it as a cryptid. As such, any M-Forcer who encounters such a creature should attempt to capture a live specimen if it is possible to do so without endangering human life. If capturing a live specimen is not safe, the agent should attempt to collect any relatively intact portions of the carcass for further study.

Powers: The Mongolian Death Worm has the ability to kill at a distance in two ways: by spitting a highly corrosive acid at it’s pray or by emitting an electrical shock. According to reports, the acid will eat through most materials, including metal. Additionally, the Death Worm’s skin is said to be highly poisonous, killing anyone who touches it on contact. Agents who encounter the creature are cautioned to kill or disable the creature from as far away as possible. If a specimen is to be taken, agents should avoid touching the creature directly. If possible, consult a containment specialist before attempting to retrieve the Death Worm.

Vulnerabilities: The Death Worm is said to be attracted to the color yellow and to eat local parasitic plants such as the goyo. It may be possible to use these as bait in order to trap the creature.

Biology and Habitat: As the name implies, all recorded sightings of the Mongolian Death Worm have occurred in Mongolia, specifically the southern part of the Gobi Desert. The creature hibernates underground for most of the year, only coming to the surface in June or July. Most sighting occur following rain when the ground is still wet.

Sightings: The Death Worm is a long-established part of Mongolian folklore, but the earliest Western mention of the creature is in Roy Chapman Andrews 1926 book On The Trail of Ancient Man. Chapman’s account is based on Mongolian Prime Minister Damdinbazar’s encounter with one of the creatures. Czech explorer and author Ivan Mackerle also described the creature based  on the account of a student from Mongolia. Crytozoologists Karl Shuker and Loren Coleman have also discussed the creature in print, and the Death Worm has been a Fortean Times cover story.

Additional Information: In the past 20 years, expeditions have been launched by the Center for Fortean Zoology and others in hopes of finding proof of the creature, but no solid evidence has yet been found.

Body: 10
Brain: 2
Nerve: 15
Job: Predator (13)
Gimmick:
Acidic Spittle (15)–This attack has a range of 6 feet. Any creature hit by the spittle takes normal damage on the first round. The round after being hit, the character takes half damage. The damage continues to drop by half each round until the total drops below 1. If a character is wearing armor or other protection, the effects of the first attack are reduced by the Armor Rating of the protection.
Electrical Jolt (15)–The worm’s electrical attack has a range of 10 feet and a Damage Bonus of +5.
Poisonous (15)–Any character whose skin comes into direct contact with the worm takes damage equal to the Worm’s Gimmick roll each during each round of contact.
Weakness: Will always attack anything yellow (15)
Skills: Burrowing +5
Armor Rating: 1
Damage Bonus: The Damage Bonus for the worm’s electrical attack is +5. The worm does not have claws or teeth with which to make physical attacks.
HP: 20
Yum Yums: 1

Mongolian Death Worm painting by Pieter Dirkx. Used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 1.0 Generic license.