Purple worm

Infobox D&D creature
name=Purple worm
alignment=
type=Magical beast
subtype=
source=
first=
mythical=
based=
wizards_image_URL=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG211.jpg
OGL_stats_URL=http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/monstersOtoR.html#purple-worm

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the purple worm is a magical beast and a classic D&D monster.

Publication history

The purple worm was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game.

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)

The purple worm was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set (1974), where they were described as huge and hungry monsters that lurk beneath the surface. [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. "Dungeons & Dragons" (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974)]

The mottled worm, a relative of the purple worm, first appeared in the "Dungeons & Dragons" supplement, "Blackmoor" (1975). [Arneson, Dave. "Blackmoor" (TSR, 1975)]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

The purple worm appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977), [Gygax, Gary. "Monster Manual" (TSR, 1977)] where it is described as a 50-foot long burrowing worm constantly in search of food, that can swallow human-sized creatures whole.

The mottled (purple) worm appeared in "Dragon" #68 (December 1982).

Dungeons & Dragons (1977-1999)

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the purple worm, in the "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (1977), [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by J. Eric Holmes. "Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set" (TSR, 1977)] the "Expert Set" (1981 & 1983), [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Dave Cook. "Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set" (TSR, 1981)] [Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974] , edited by Frank Mentzer. "Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules" (TSR, 1983)] and the "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (1991). [Schend, Steven E., Jon Pickens, and Dori Warty (Editors). "Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia" (TSR, 1991)]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

The purple worm appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), [Cook, David, et al. "Monstrous Compendium Volume Two" (TSR, 1989)] and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993), [Stewart, Doug, ed. "Monstrous Manual" (TSR, 1993)] along with the mottled purple worm.

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

The purple worm appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000). [Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2000)]

The purple worm is further detailed in "Dragon" #282 (April 2001), in "The Ecology of the Purple Worm." [Richards, Jonathan M. "The Ecology of the Purple Worm" Dragon #282 (TSR, 2001)]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

The purple worm appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

The purple worm appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008). [Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. "Monster Manual" (Wizards of the Coast, 2008)]

Description

The purple worm is akin to an enormous (5 feet wide and tall and 80 feet long) and bizarre earthworm. As its name implies, it is a deep purple color, with a pale yellow underbelly. Separating its yellow part from its purple part are hard crests going down its sides. It is well armored, and segmented. One end ends in a large toothed mouth with slit-like eyes above it and dragon's ear-like limbs at the sides, and the other in a deadly stinger. It is often depicted as bursting out of the ground and arching itself in a distinct pose.

Purple worms spend their time burrowing through the underground and seek to consume any organic matter they find. Their favored and most feared method of attack is swallowing prey whole. Many groups of adventures have succubed to such a fate, disappearing down a Purple Worm's gullet one after the other. They can also attack with their tail stinger, and by grabbing and grappling with prey.

Purple worms cannot speak.

They are regarded as neutral in alignment, since their aggressive nature is the result of instinct rather than evil maliciousness.

References