With a new Dune movie being released, there have been a number of posts translating the iconic characters and creatures from the book into various game systems, and here’s one more!
The Sandworm has a number of names most notably Shai-Hulud or the “Old Man of the Desert” although this may also be translated as “Old Father Eternity.” In my opinion, this name gives us perspective of how the sandworms are perceived and their place within the culture. An adult sandworm grows to massive proportions, with sizes given as up to 450 meters, with rumors of even larger worms in other places. Their bodies acting like a massive furnace for anything they consume, and the static electrical charge they generate being so strong, they can trigger dry lightning as they surface. We know that they are large enough to swallow a spice harvester whole. A spice harvester is a mobile factory 120 meters by 40 meters, and from depictions of the worms we can estimate that an adult worm’s mouth is roughly a tenth of its body size, being able to open large enough to swallow the harvester. Sandworms sense vibration and are attracted to rhythmic noises. They can sense a single person walking in the desert, and if they can swallow a spice harvester, a lone wanderer would hardly be an appetizer. For this reason the Fremen, natives to Arrakis have learned to walk without rhythm.
Now that we have a better understanding of the size and scope of Shai-Hulud, let us turn to the mechanics of crafting such a creature. While it’s possible to use the rules for Background Characters to build a sandworm. However, based on their size, this would make them four make Mobs by twenty major mobs, and that’s a lot to track, much less for me to write up, especially when we’re really only focused on the business end. Granted, you wouldn’t want some of them to roll over on you either, but we’ll talk more about that later. To help keep tracking low, let’s instead turn to Disasters. Disasters allow heroes to face any number of challenges and if you follow our Adventure Seed series you’ve seen everyone from riots to giant monsters before, and what if anything is Shai-Hulud if not a giant?
Facing Shai-Hulud
- Stakes: Shai-Hulud feeds.
- Size 3 – Should the shield wall fall Shai-Hulud would destroy Arrakeen.
- Ferocity 5 – There is little time to react, and the size and scale of a sandworm means that few can withstand it’s fury.
- Target 40
- Damage 8 – The damage from a sandworm comes from trying to escape, falling onto rocks, choking on sand, twisting ankles, even lightning strikes, or any other hazard one might encounter when the Maker comes.
- Success Threshold 11
- Starting Advantage 7
- Notes: Should Shai-Hulud succeed, something or someone is consumed, their hunger sated and they burrow away. Should the heroes succeed, they escape successfully.
- Optional: Dune was not written as a Superhero story. Heroes may want to try and fight or want to try and kill a sandworm. In these cases, increase the Size to 4 and the Ferocity to 5, adjusting the Target, Damage Threshold and Advantage accordingly. The added difficulty represents a more sustained battle and facing the truly enormous size of the worm.
“I have ridden the mighty Moon Worm.”
- AL Gore
Shai-Hulud is more than just some beast to be fought though. The Fremen have learned to call the sandworm and ride upon their backs using specialized Maker Hooks. It is a rite of passage that they learn by the age of twelve. Let’s translate this to Metahumans Rising.
Calling Shai-Hulud (Roll: Wisdom + Survival + Background: Fremen, Very Laborious (40))
(Requires some form of rhythmic sound generator)
- Failure: See Facing Shai-Hulud Above.
- Partial: The sandworm appears in a way that is unexpected, the hero suffers a -10 on your next roll.
- Success: The Maker comes.
- 1 Degree: The sandrider is prepared, the hero gains a +5 to the next roll for each additional Degree of Success.
Mounting the Worm (Roll: Wisdom + Climbing + Background: Fremen, Very Laborious (40))
- Failure: The hero is pulled under, suffering 8 Damage.
- Partial: Missed opportunity, the hero may make another attempt to mount at a -10 penalty.
- Success: The hero is able to mount the sandworm successfully.
- 2 Degrees of Success: Calling the storm: The sandrider can direct the worm offensively and may force others to Face Shai-Hulud as Above.
Note: after mounting the sandworm, the hero can continue to roll to Mount the Worm in an attempt to generate 2 Degrees of Success. However, a Failure will send them off the worm forcing them to suffer 8 Damage and have to try and mount again.
Character Example: For a space opera game, let’s assume that our characters bend towards low powered heroes. Attributes tend to range from 4 to12. Let’s say our Fremen has a Wisdom of 8 with the free Background: Fremen 2 and Competent Talents of 7 for both Survival and Climbing. Our lone Fremen has a base Value of 17 Dice 3 successfully call and mount a sandworm.
A dangerous proposition.
Adding a Survival Specialty: (S) Desert Power 1 and the Tools Boon with Actual Tools (Thumper, Maker Hooks) for a +10 to the rolls. Things have improved significantly, to a 28 +4d6 and a much better chance, even if it will require a Willpower for the second roll.
Add in the help of another Fremen for an additional +7 and you will be on the back of Shai-Hulud in no time. Which, if there is a second Fremen for support and assuming the above holds true, one can bring the Thumper, the other the Maker Hooks, and you can keep that Willpower. 😉
A Wormy Bonus for Patrons
“Do you know this, my Lady?”
- Mapes
Bonus content for our Patrons!
