Upon coming within sight of the swarm, creatures hear horrible, horrible screams unlike any heard before. These are the shrieks of the creatures the swarm has killed in its lifetime. Since the creatures form a hivemind, it lives on indefinitely as long as a single worm remains. Those unlucky enough to be caught in its aura are paralyzed by the sounds in their mind. When its prey falls, the swarm approaches them and latches onto their body, devouring them alive and absorb- ing their dying scream into the trap.

These worms live in large swarms, typically found in forests. These swarms are incredibly rare and extremely dangerous to all but the most prepared. Their swarms form a powerful hive mind that uses psionic powers to capture and kill its prey. The swarm senses creatures in its area, and when they come nearby, it emits a single scream into its mind, attempting to draw it in.

Karidian Worms are roughly a foot long and an inch thick, with a more bulbous front end. Their front consists of three pincers arranged around the mouth for grasping prey, and a mount filled with rows of razor sharp teeth for boring into the skulls of their prey.

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Swarm of Karidian Worms

Large swarm of tiny monstrosities

Armor Class 11

11 Hit Points 25 (6d8 - 2)

25 (6d8 - 2) Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 8 (-1)

Skills Stealth +3

Stealth +3 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

bludgeoning, piercing, slashing Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned

charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned Senses truesight 60ft., passive Perception 12

truesight 60ft., passive Perception 12 Languages ---

--- Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Swarm. The Karidian Swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a tiny worm. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Silent Movement. The swarm moves with an almost eerie silence. It has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Creature Sense. The swarm is aware of the presence of creatures within l mile of it that have an Intelligence score of 4 or higher. It knows the distance and direction to each creature, as well as each creature's Intelligence score, but can't sense anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind blank spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can't be perceived in this manner.

Shrieking Aura. The Karidian Swarm emits the screams of the creatures it has devoured in a 20 ft. radius. When a creature begins its turn in this radius, it must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw, taking 7 (1d6 + 3) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. On a failed save, creatures are paralyzed by the screams of thousands and fall prone until their next turn.

Unbearable Screams. When a creature targets the swarm with an attack or harmful spell, must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save the creature must chose a new target or lose the attack or spell.

Actions

Split. The Karidian Swarm can split into two medium swarms that act independently of each other. The swarms function as one hive mind, but emit their own auras. These swarms cannot travel further than 30 ft. away from each other.

Devour. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage, 7 (1d6 + 3) psychic damage or half as much if the swarm has less than half of its hit points or fewer. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the swarm kills the target by devouring its brain, adding its dying scream to the thousands it has killed.