Questioning Terraworm

The Creature

More of a psychological horror, the Questioning Terraworm (sometimes a different kind of insect, one that always eats trees in some form) is not usually seen. It is usually heard by growing Decheeran, although sometimes it likes to crawl through their roots, so also felt. It greatly prefers to not be seen, and only heard.

The Tale

The Questioning Terraworm likes to try and convince growing Decheeran that they are, in fact, not growing. That they have died, and that they should just lay down into mulch so a healthier Decheeran can grow instead.

It generally visits Decheeran that are growing in very difficult situations (like a failure to thrive style problem). Older Decheeran use this myth to explain why some Decheeran fail to thrive and tell growing Decheeran to ignore the words in their brain. Sometimes older Decheeran give the growing Decheeran nutrisilt and the like to grow stronger, claiming the Questioning Terraworms hate the taste. Decheeran are split on if they are real or not, and not just an ancient explanation for the failure to thrive problem some young beings of all creatures can experience.

Questions the terraworm can ask range from nonsensical to philosophical in nature. For those not under a sun “Is one truly alive without the warmth of a star?” or “What happens when you expend all your energy to break the rocks and there are only more rocks?” for those in rocky terrain. After a Decheeran reaches Walking Day, a lot of the memories of growing tend to get fuzzy, so most Decheeran dismiss memories of the questions as nonsensical growing nonsense, but not all. Those that don't generally go out and try and feed growing saplings strong nutrients to help them out.