"The bones are their money; so are the worms" ~Traditional Slíomach Song

Deep in the Slíomach Bog lives a massive ancient beast known as the Mwydyn («Mui-den»). This worm-like amphibian is a mythical creature tied deeply to the dawn of the unique society in the bog. Though it carries a deep cultural weight, there have been no verified sightings of the creature in modern times.

Myth

Two hundred years ago, when life in the Bog was challenging and bleak, the new Lord of the Land, Salvadaro Harbin Glumbo had the The Wondrous Boatman take him on a tour of the realm of Mag Duinn. Upon visiting the village of Aldeia de Alagadiço, he was so touched by the poverty and hardships these people faced. When a child named Gwel Anofio made a gift of her Bog Tart to the lord - a gift on the day of her birth - the Lord was touched by the gesture and gave her a glorious jeweled ring in exchange.

The people of the bog did not use precious metals as currency, instead trading in bones - which were prized for their utility and aesthetic beauty. Unsure as to what to do with the Lord's gift, she took it to Croíasc, the patron of the swamp who represented the people of Alagadiço on the Snáithe Airgid. The wise witch told her:

«Put the ring in a box with a worm, and as the worm grows, so, too, will your fortune.»

Gwel did as she was instructed and put the ring into a box with a fat worm and closed the lid. After some weeks had passed, she opened the lid and, to her surprise, found that the worm had indeed grown quite large, as did the golden piece of jewelry.

Because the people of the swamp were simple minded and had no frame of reference to the value of the ring, they thought the witch was implying that the worm had become a thing to be coveted. Taking her words into consideration, the leader of the village made a decree that worms would heretofore carry the same monetary value as the bones with which they traded.

Eventually, Gwel's worm grew too big to be contained, and too feral to control. The supernatural beast escaped from it's confines into the deep marsh wearing the enchanted ring as a necklace, growing larger every day.

Appearance

Depending on the account you wish to believe, Mwydyn is anywhere between the size of a crocodile and a leviathan, and as ornery as both combined. It has a damp white skin and a segmented body from which coarse hairs sprout. It's head either has a thousand eyes, or none at all - it often has a gaping maw like a pit lined with spikes, and other times it is described as having strong jaws with teeth like broadswords.

Oftentimes you may get a differing description from the same witness, depending on how much they have had to drink that day. Modern scholars have rejected all eye-witness accounts, insisting that it is merely a colorful tale from a primitive people.