Hexworm Corrals

The earth dwarves of the Tortoise prize their hexworms over all their other possessions. The earth dwarf monopoly on Hex Crystal provides them with wealth and status that they love to exhibit for the old-fashioned mountain and hill dwarves that exiled them to the "dirt" of the Kirinal Pit.

However, for most of their lives, these prized possesions are a common sight. Hexworm handlers direct them to work hard on construction and building projects all throughout the Kirinal Concordance Zone. The crystals that they create during metamorphosis are the result of a lifetime of digging through the earth around the Pit and metabolizing the unique energies that it manifests.

Homes for Hexworms

Hexworm Corrals are the pens where the worms are kept when they aren't working. Individual worms are branded with the symbol of their home corral and they are guarded with watchful eyes. Every effort is made to ensure the health of the worms and to ensure that they are safe from predators and worm rustlers.

Caterpillar Railways

Hexworms are needed throughout the Zone and the dwarves charge very little for their use in construction projects. They have found over time that the more varied the dirt a worm ingests over a lifetime, the better the quality of the crystals they produce.

They transport worms throughout the Zone on the Inner Ring Railway in heavily guarded trains that double as hexworm corrals. The huge worms are ridden by their handlers to the project site every morning and back to the train every night.

As the worm approaches maturity, at the 10-year old mark, it becomes ravenous and dangerous if not handled correctly. This is also the worm's most productive time as an earth mover. It requires the correct mix of earth and soil to metamorphose and become an Incarnation Moth. At this point, the dwarves have been known to pay for their worms to ingest the right kinds of dirt.

A worm ready to transform is very valuable. The handlers have to be especially wary of thieves and worm rustling has become an increasingly profitable criminal endeavor.