In the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, the thoqqua is an elemental

Elemental (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an elemental is a type of creature. Elemental creatures are composed of one of the four classical elementals of air, earth, fire, or water.-Publication history:...

 creature from the Elemental Plane of fire.

Publication history

The thoqqua (rockworm) first appeared in first edition in the original Fiend Folio

Fiend Folio

Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...

(1981).

The thoqqua appeared in second edition for the Planescape

Planescape

Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...

 setting in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (1998).

The thoqqua appeared in the third edition Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

Description

A thoqqua, or rockworm, resembles a large (1 foot diameter, 4 feet long) worm, with segments plated with hard, stony, brown rock. Its topmost segment is longer, is conical shaped, and bears two eyes. Blunt, short, spike-like lumps protrude from each point of its hexagonal segments. Steam comes from each of these lumps. The top, conical segment glows with orange heat, and though the rest of the segments are also hot, hot enough to burn someone or something which touches them, they do not glow. Deep inside the thoqqua is a flexible spinal column of magma.

The thoqqua comes from the Elemental Plane to the Material Plane by burrowing up from the center of the earth. Its head tends to loosen up and dampen the soil, allowing it to do this more easily. Upon reaching the surface, its first motive is to attack any living thing it sees. Its favorite tactic is to come up from the ground beneath a victim, and boilingly impale them on its burning, conical head segment. It can also slam opponents. Merely touching the thoqqua causes fire damage.

Thoqquas cannot speak.

They are regarded as neutral in alignment.