Tunnelwyrm

The Tunnelwyrm is an Uncommon creature released on Protochroma. It is found only in Mining Site S, its associated Regular Delve, Kyanite Corridor, its associated Limited Run Delve, Cave Entrance, and Simulated Delve associated with its grouping, Reptilian Rendezvous. Its standard variant is Bronze.

Baby
''Could definitely be easily mistaken for a rock due to its appearance and texture, but the shape is undeniably an egg. Sometimes frantic movement can be felt coming from inside of it.''

Juvenile
''This maned serpent loves to bury itself in anything it possibly can, be it through dirt or a pile of dirty laundry. A rock-hard plating covers its head, simultaneously protecting it quite well and making accidentally bumping into it a mildly painful experience. Mesmerising patterns decorate its body that can easily make one sick if the serpent moves around very quickly, though these patterns themselves never actually move. It will utilise this optical illusion to try and confound potential prey before biting them.''

Adult
''Tunnelwyrm live within caves and mountainous areas, borrowing their way through the earth to get from place to place. Their rock-hard heads aid them in this venture; if they cannot easily burrow their way through something, they will use their heads, along with the sharp spikes protruding from them, to break through tougher substrates. The patterns that adorn their long bodies are utilised to make predators and prey alike dizzy, as the wyrm frantically gyrates to create a sensory overload for all looking directly at it. Larger food items are torn into more manageable chunks, but smaller prey is most typically swallowed whole.''

''Their thick, coarse manes are something of a curiosity. They do not appear to aid them in their day-to-day lives, but they are presumed to perhaps be used as part of mating in some way, be it a display to seek out a mate or an indicator of desirability. Finding a sleeping Tunnelwyrm in the wild is extraordinarily difficult, but ones raised in captivity are very comfortable with sleeping out in the open if someone they trust is nearby. When sleeping, they coil themselves up tightly, sometimes even making a raspy snore.''