Boneworms are a species of nematode native to Necropolis in the Core region. They are a common lifeform there; in fact, the creatures are among the few remaining indigenous species to survive on that world.
Boneworms were vermiform creatures that range from a few centimeters to over three feet in length. Their bodies end in powerful, lamprey-like jaws that can clean away flesh and break bone. Hard spurs in their mouths aided them in breaking into coffins and bones and burrowing through rocky soil. They are typically off-white in color, and they secrete a mucous-like substance to aid them in tunneling.
Boneworms live underground and eat the bone marrow of the recent dead. They are blind and anosmatic, so to detect animal death they relied on ground vibrations from living creatures. When such movements stopped for an extended period, the boneworms tunneled to the surface and feasted. Should the potential meal show signs of life, the boneworm burrows back underground. They are known to begin feeding on unconscious targets, however.
The denizens of Necropolis disliked the boneworms and tried to exterminate them. The worms migrated to live under the world's expansive cemeteries, where Necropolis tradition allows them to eat in peace.
