User blog comment:The Reptile King/Hybrid Dino Creation center/@comment-28358106-20160701234515

Trikewurm

Diet: Herbivore

Behavior: Friendly, protective (territorial,) confident, simple-minded

Habitat: Dry steppes, desert, mesas, remote rock grottoes (but always in or near oases)

The Trikewurm is an uncommon half-breed of Trike and Wurm that makes its home in the far reaches of the dry wastes. Only found in or near oases, the Trikewurm trades the Trike's curves for the Wurm's heavy armor plating. Occasionally mistaken for a Wurm from a distance, the Trikewurm has the benefit of the Trike's defensive weapons, albeit in a slightly different layout: the Trikewurm's bony frill extends from their collarbone to behind their head, almost like an enormous pauldron that somewhat gives off the impression of an Apophis' hood. They only have one horn that extends from their foreheads, but they keep the claws and powerful tail of the Wurm. They wear no clothing (or very loose clothing) preferring to allow their thick, overlapping natural plating to be at its most effective. Their coloration ranges from earth reds to browns and occasionally grays. Trikewurms often paint and tattoo their bodies, using ochre and impemanent pigments so that they can change styles frequently.

Being herbivorous, Trikewurms stay close to where food is readily available. They also prefer to move about as easily as possible, leading them to inhabit desert oases and remote rocky waterways where they can slip along the banks and through the water with minimal effort. They stay in remote locations for another reason: they maintain the extreme strength of the Wurm, and are quite self-conscious about it. Even though they stay above ground they can easily break stone and plow through earth, and because of their docile nature, they attempt to make as little fuss as they can. As a result of this, they also become extremely protective of their chosen territory, defending it against all marauaders and despoilers. Their singular greatest enemy is any Mamono or force who would try and dislodge them or threaten their husband, and in this instance, the very earth would be sundered with their fury.

However, this doesn't mean that they deny even enemies water. They understand that in the dry wastes water is life, and they willingly allow anyone who asks to drink---provided they are asked politely. Two Trikewurms who happen to discover the same oases will not share, not because they are selfish, but because they need a great deal of sustenance. The only exception is in a river, and even then their swathes of territory range for ten miles or more. Some young Trikewurms will seek out underground springs and dig oases themselves if they believe the location to be good.

Desert nomads and adventurers in the know plot their travels between Trikewurm oases because they know they will be welcome and well protected. In this way, Trikewurms are a kind of steward, protecting local nomad caravans and wild animals and welcoming travelers. However, they do not allow for nearby permanent settlements to become too large, lest the water become overused and the land spoiled. In this way, their singular selfish trait can be seen, and that is their need for their own personal sustenance overriding every other instinct but one.

That instinct is their husband. Legends tell of straggling adventurers being rescued by nearby Trikewurms who discover them at death's door, only to be nursed back to health by these gentle Mamono. Trikewurms, normally staying in a single place for a long period of time, love to hear stories about far-off exotic places, and an adventurer who finds himself alone with one will have a rapt audience. Trikewurms are singular-minded and kindhearted creatures who favor a simple life, so tales of daring and bravery enchant them, and tend to go straight to their heart. A Trikewurm who takes a shine to a man in this way over a period of time will offer to let him stay permanently, which to them is the equivalent to a marriage proposal. They never force themselves on men, because they know the pain and loneliness isolation can bring and do not want to force the man to live as they do. So when a man accepts, they become his rapt beloved, and shower their men with gentle love and affection. Trikewurms then set about carving the local rock and stone into a dwelling of palatial proportions, a task easily done with their strength. Over time, the Trikewurm "marriage houses" attract other wayfarers, allowing the Trikewurm and her husband to do trade with the outside world, bringing her even more joy. However, so great is their love for their chosen, that they will abandon even these if he wants to move, but so far this has not been recorded as ever happening.