Name: World Serpents (Genus Immensusconclamatus), Quetzalcoatl, Jormungandr, Apophis, Ouroboros, Nidhogg, Ladon, Basilisk. Anything a giant serpentine creature would be named. Description: World Serpents are massive organisms, resembling snakes. Their sheer size and weight puts them at the top of the food chain. Even their eggs are the size of small houses. The largest ones are aquatic, though they slither onto land to lay their eggs. World serpents have many variation in their shape, texture and behavior. Some even possess vestigial limbs or wing-like growths. Behavior: World Serpents tend to, once born, eat everything in their immediate area. This can result in a wide swathe of land being rendered barren eventually, from them eating the plants and animals. Once they are no longer able to sustain themselves, World Serpents go into a deep state of hibernation (Typically underground), their bodily functions slowing to a crawl. In this state, the only thing they can do is wait for the food supply to replenish itself. When that happens, they awake to feast once more. They repeat this process until adulthood, assuming they live that long. These giant monsters sometimes manage to stay awake indefinitely by sapping nutrients from organisms that can afford the drain, such as Life Trees. They eat anything that moves and has body heat. They will not intentionally destroy structures or mechanical creations, unless there are sufficient life-signs inside for a meal. A long-forgotten World Serpent, roused by the life-signs of an entire city above it. This individual destroyed 75% of said city, before returning underground to slumber. Tamability: Planets World-Serpents can be found on are usually devoid of sapient life, with only mega-fauna or Life Trees. There are exceptions, of course, such as planets that have been settled on while a World Serpent slumbers. Truly taming or domesticating them is impossible. However, they may be manipulated into attacking structures and used for war, typically by baiting them towards a large food source. It is possible to keep one under control through the use of implants or technology, but if they break free, they are likely to do huge amounts of damage. Where is it found?: World Serpents mainly thrive in two types of ecosystems. Those where prey are large and numerous enough to feed them, and those where there are large enough organisms for them to parasitize off. Such as Life Trees. There exists a World Serpent on the planet of Haven, living under the Tree Yggdrasil and feeding on its roots. They are most commonly found on forest and jungle planets. World Serpents on Desert planets are rare, and those that live there are much smaller than their jungle-dwelling brethren. Conversely, the ocean-dwelling ones are the largest. A young World Serpent attacking a ship, for the delicious fleshy soldiers on board. Rarity: They are extremely rare, existing in only small populations on any given planet at one time. Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: Omnivorous. They indiscriminately eat plants and animals. A young Serpent, coiled around a section of a Life Tree. This newborn won't be falling asleep anytime soon, being able to sustain itself on the sap. Products?: Most are not venomous or poisonous. But those that are have extremely potent venom. Their eggshells, skin, bones and teeth can be used for crafting. Hollowed out skeletons can also make good shelters or buildings. Reproduction: Sexual reproduction. They mate like snakes do, with multiple coiling and trashing around in a ball and eventually laying a single egg. The egg is kept in a safe location, until it is ready to hatch. Typically, the egg will only hatch once the parent is dead, for unknown reasons. If their mating is interrupted, they will usually stop halfway to get rid of the disturbance, no matter how minor. There is no set pattern or mating season, but when the time comes, every World Serpent on the planet will usually converge and mate, in an orgy of scales and teeth. An unfortunate dogs barking interrupts a World Serpent trio. Neither he, nor his owner's body was recovered. Size: Massive. About the size of buildings, most being a few hundred metres long. The largest one, Jormungandar, is about a kilometer in length. Weight: Very, very heavy. Lifespan: These massive beasts can live for hundreds of thousands of years through hibernation. The ones that hibernate typically sleep for a few hundred years and rise for a few months of activity before returning to the earth. Abilities: -Immense size -Incredibly durable -Extremely strong, able to bite through the wood of Life Trees for the nutrients within -Can obtain nutrients from both animals and plants -Long lifespan -Some species possess deadly venom Flaws: A World Serpent, killed by the coming of an Ice Age. A Glitch knight scouts out the body. It will be harvested for materials, and perhaps a fortress will be built in the remains. -Will not attack things that are not organic. This might leave one open to attacks from vehicles and mechs, as they will not make the first move. -Require vast amounts of food. If they cannot obtain it, they will have to hibernate until they can sense enough food in the surroundings. -Cold-blooded. If an ice age occurs while a World Serpent is hibernating underground, they are likely to die -They take a while to wake up from Hibernation. About two weeks, their bodies slowly becoming active. Most animals cannot kill them while they sleep, due to their size, but it would be possible for people to kill them in their sleep, through explosives or by drilling through their heads. In the period leading up to their awakening, earthquakes usually occur from them thrashing around underground. Cave-ins and sinkholes being created by this are common. They usually make vocalizations during this period as well, ranging from hisses to ear-splitting roars. Other: The World Serpent, beneath the roots of Yggdrasil on Haven. Locals have colloquially dubbed it 'Níðhöggr', amused by the irony of such a creature existing underneath a tree named 'Yggdrasil'. Surveillance is being conducted on it, through the use of a drone.
