[Cosmosdex] The Universal Encyclopedia
[Cosmosdex]
Yukizoon
Snow Worm / Winter Wigglies
Yukizoon
Art by, wildfire
- Strength-5
- Intelligence-1
- Charisma-1
- Endurance-4
- Agility-7
- Luck-0
Danger Level: Low
Likes: Carcasses, The Cold, Staring , Punching things, Sweet drinks
Dislikes: Warmth, Warm colors, Salt
Attack Method: Will punch target repeatedly with tongue and occasionally bite.
Physical Description
A yukizoon is a small to medium-sized worm, with larger worms being approximately the length of an average notail's arm. Its body appears to be made of compact snow that crumbles away at the tail, which fades to a different color near the tips. The pieces that fall off the yukizoon's tail carry the wastes and impurities the worm can't digest. This often leaves clumps of strangely colored snow around locations the worms lurk around.
The diet and environment of the worm also affect its overall color. For example, a yukizoon in a clean environment that had eaten meat recently will be pale pink to red towards the tail. One that hasn't eaten in a while will be pure white. Slush and other pollutants in the snow will negatively affect the yukizoons that burrow through it, causing them to have a gray color and grow weak and sickly.
The face of a yukizoon consists of two beady eyes protected by transparent icy caps, This removes the need for blinking or eyelids giving the worms their iconic blank stare. The dark pupils of these creatures do tend to float independently from one another when they aren't focusing on anything in particular. Shaking one may also achieve misaligning their pupils as well.
The mouth of the creature has a distinct split in the middle of its upper lip. They will flip up this upper lip to reveal several rows of icy pointed teeth as an intimidation method toward large potential threats. Though if one is near enough to the worm they will be sucker-punched quite literally with the yukizoon's strange tongue. This highly modified tongue has three finger-like appendages as well as a thumb and can pick up and manipulate objects, but its most common use to the worm is punching dying prey and predators with it.
Contrary to the popular belief that yukizoons are entirely made of snow and ice, they use compacted snow and ice as protection from the elements. They are so dependent on their outer layers of snow and ice that if one were to melt those off you would be left with a hideous toothless worm struggling to handle the heat. Its eyes after its frozen protective layer melts will slowly cease to function. Yukizoons will burrow into the ground to lay up to five eggs and hibernate a few days before it stops snowing.
The glassy marble-like eggs of the worm will hatch after a few months and when the temperature is cold enough. One can incubate the yukizoon eggs in their fridge as well as keep the worms themselves in there as well, as the temperature of standard fridges is low enough to sustain the worms and their eggs.
Behavior
The yukizoon is a scavenger and will wander an area looking for food. Most commonly they will eat other animals that have succumbed to the cold, often attacking the dying creature to guarantee it is dead and no longer a threat. Though the worms have difficulty discerning between a creature dying and a creature lying down to rest. This inability to differentiate has caused a lot of unprovoked attacks against children making snow angels. They also punch things that startle them which includes other yukizoons, this startles the other worm which punches the first one back creating an infinite punching loop that only ends when one retreats or perishes.
When a yukizoon is following something it will usually stop and stare directly at what it is following. Most travelers find this behavior unnerving. The most common way most people ward off the worms is warm-colored lights, as they have associated warm-colored glows with the warmth which is dangerous to them.
This fear of warm-colored lights such as most planets' sun has made yukizoons mostly nocturnal. This is also so the worms can move undetected under the snow easier. If there is a shortage of corpses and easily accessible trash in the area, the yukizoons there will resort to ambushing smaller animals.
Though their natural diet is meat they have been known to be drawn to sugary fruit-flavored liquids such as juice and soda. Often staring at people drinking these liquids and making their seldom heard barking noise at these individuals. As if begging for the sugary drink. Those who had given the worms some of their beverage will usually be followed around by them, usually waiting for the person to give them more. can move undetected under the snow easier. If there is a shortage of corpses in the area, the yukizoons there will resort to ambushing smaller animals and eating garbage usually during the night.
Though their natural diet is meat they have been known to be drawn to sugary fruit-flavored liquids such as juice and soda. Often staring at people drinking these liquids and making their seldom heard barking noise at these individuals. As if begging for the sugary drink. Those who had given the worms some of their beverage will usually be followed around by them, usually waiting for the person to give them more.
Subspecies
Bullizoon: A massive cousin to the common yukizoon. These giant worms grow to the size of buses and often leave ruins in their paths. Fortunately, they are rare and live on barren snowy planets. They have been known to share their love of sweet syrup with their smaller relatives and thus some have tamed these massive beasts. Other than their tremendous size they are also identified by their completely black eyes.
Korizoon: Korizoons are yukizoons that have grown icy plates over their bodies instead of snow. They are found near bodies of water and have been known to swim and catch small aquatic animals. Once they are in the water, they become translucent and difficult to see as they grab prey with their tongue.
Special
None.
Trivia
• Captive-bred yukizoons fed exclusively flavored syrups have been used to produce snow cones. Whether or not this is sanitary or even ethical has been debated. As for wild yukizoons their taste has been described as "cold raw meat" by those who have eaten them.
• There have been some who catch yukizoons and keep as pets in containers inside their fridge. Without the container the worm will eat all the food inside and possibly die due to overeating.
• Yukizoon eyeballs make rattling noises when the worm is shook.
Image Gallery
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