Brinewyrm

When humanity first began to colonize Alpha Prime, a bestiary was compiled of the fantastic wildlife that they encountered on this new world. As time passed, scientists began to study the possibility of exporting some of these creatures back to Earth to revitalize the planet’s biosphere. The Nine Year Winter devastated much of Earth’s wildlife, leaving the planet’s delicate ecosystem in shambles. As their knowledge of Alpha Prime’s indigenous life grew, certain species were chosen to make the long trek from Alpha Prime back to Earth.

Among the species that they brought with them to Earth was the Brinewyrm, which were held in an Omnidyne-M research facility located in the desert of what was once southern New Mexico, USA. For months they studied the creatures, gauging their survivability on their new world. Somehow a number of Brinewyrm escaped the facility and quickly made their way to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, where their population quickly grew in the warmer tropical waters.

Since their introduction to Earth’s ecosystem, Brinewyrm have established themselves as an extremely dangerous predator. Although they spend much of their time preying on smaller fish in the waters near the equator, Brinewyrm are able to survive on land for short periods of time. While on land, Brinewyrm will burrow into the ground, lurking just under the surface to lie in wait for prey to approach.

When a potential meal for the Brinewyrm comes near, it will burst up from under the surface and cover its prey in a thick, viscous liquid. This thick substance hinders the prey’s movement while also burning at their skin, essentially breaking them down to be devoured more easily. Another side effect of the fluid is that it is highly flammable. A well-timed shot from a hunter’s rifle (or a lucky shut while scrambling to fight one off) will set the fluid aflame, potentially causing a small explosion which can cause an entirely different series of problems.