The Shining Wyrm

1.ii

The Tyrant Wurm is significantly larger than the common Feral Wurm. I observed one such beast to be between five and eight tons in weight (while their size is somewhat difficult to measure exactly as these monstrous creatures are often seen moving about) and approximately fifty to sixty feet in length. It is a fearsome beast, whose scales are as hard as steel, teeth as knives, and claws deadly swords.

Its breath has a terrible reek of it that can fell men of strong constitution and kill women and children.

Such is the terrible and unwholesome stench it can also slay or sicken livestock and bring to waste whole acres of crops. I have further witnessed this terrible reek to even tarnish copper at five hundred feet.

The Tyrant Wyrm eats everything that men might need for nourishment just to deprive them. But most of all these terrors desire meat, hunting and devouring its favorite food of the noblest and most prized of horses and the most treasured of good cattle. However, they will devour all other manners of animals if convenient if these are not otherwise available as well as men, women and children if they are found alone.

A fearsome beast, and one that is a maturation from the more common and tractable Feral Wurm. The Tyrant Wurm is cunning but contrary to stories entirely incapable of speech. Driven by its wickedness and hunger only it will never stop hunting, devouring the flesh of man or beast until its belly is full and straining to bursting. Even after a large meal, it will continue to search for prey and even while stuffed so full one can spot its plunder heaping out of its throat it will despoil wholesome food out of spite.

Tales say Tyrant Wurms can summon beasts to do their bidding, but believe not! For this is nothing more than a foolish tale. The Tyrant Wurm is a powerful and dangerous creature, but it is not a magician.

Do not be confused by those who spread this tale for they have simply seen the habits of the younger specimens in Feral Wurm, which are known by all learned men to nest with animals.

Verily a creature of such chaos, gluttony and destruction. Its actions are yet comical in their absurdity, and often undone by its own wickedness as when such King Wurm have been known to enter a city gate, steal a single piece of cheese out of avarice and covetousness, and then attempt to flee the town in its equally sinful cowardice.

These Wurms have also been seen eating entire carts of produce simply to deprive honest laborers and lords of their succor, as well as consuming whole granary stores chaff and seed together before moving onto pastures to slay and devour cattle and spoil the seedlings.

Flee these terrifying creatures if possible. They do not seek or hunt man especially, preferring to prey on livestock or bring ruination to fields.

They are truly terrible creatures and a blight on all the world.

But fear not there are ways to ward off all such beasts even these Tyrant Kings of Wurms.

As I can attest by the efficacy among many villages which were once plagued by assault from all sundry of these beasts.

The first and most certain of a guard from wurm deprivations is to carve a wurm of your own from stone or wood. The figure must be larger or at least its eyes higher positioned than the wurm you seek to ward off, and it must be carved in the shape of an equally fearsome beast.

The wurm being sinful in all things is so proud of its own image that it will challenge the figure head to a staring contest. The figurehead being carved and unliving will never back down, and the wurm will eventually give up and leave in shame never to return or succumb to starvation or thirst and die.

Another less efficacious but also more accessible manner of deterring the wurm is to use a mixture of herbs hung in a bag over one’s front door.

The wurm while it has a truly poor sense of smell, cannot stand the scent of anything pleasant. For this is anathema to its own stench and wickedness.

A mixture of garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lavender will work well. Wildflowers will suit as well although they will not last as long and should be replaced every three days or as soon as the scent is no longer evident to a healthy nose.

This will drive off the more lazy and less determined of Wurm if there is nothing else to entice them most times.

However, this is not a guarantee, as the wurm is a stubborn beast and may take offense to the pleasantness instead of being driven off. If this should happen fear not, stay hidden and wait as it chooses to attack the warding bag, after a tumult of wroth the beast will eventually leave in a fury.

Replace the warding bag and herbal mixture and it will remain as efficacious as before.

However, despite these wards, remember to always beware the Wurm in all its forms, for it is a creature of great danger and boundless evil. If you encounter one, do not attempt to fight it, nor make use of the warding while it can witness you or any animal or edible beast (which to a Tyrant Wurm is all of them). Their efficacy is only such if there is no mortal flesh to entice its hungers and lure it otherwise.

And remember If you should see any Wurm flee as quickly as you can.

Spread this word far and Wide and Blessings be on you.

-On The Sinful Tyrants by Brother Ordelain, naturalist and Monk of the Hrothfield Monastery in middle Egelheimvin.