Wurrek

A Star Wars Creature Feature

By Jeff Quick

These ravenous shipboard scavengers probably hail from some underground ecosystem. Their point of origin is unknown, but they're occasionally found in cargo holds throughout the Outer Rim, rooting through containers looking for food and spice.

Wurreks range in color from gray to brown, and their bodies are covered with fine scales. They average about 15 kilograms, and their central body mass is between 80 and 90 centimeters. They have no obvious eyes or ears, though a sensor cluster mounted on a wurrek's dorsal side allows it to detect light and vibration in ways that approximate normal Human senses.

A wurrek has four to six tentacled arms radiating from its central body mass. Each arm ends in a half-dozen or more tiny mouths filled with multiple rows of needlelike teeth. These mouths take in food and air and allow the wurrek to grasp or manipulate small items, as well as attack and defend in all directions. When a wurrek attacks, it chews its opponents with multiple mouths. Not all bite attacks on a single target have to come from the same tentacle, though they can.

Faster when climbing than on flat ground, wurreks swing from trees around any large cavernlike structure. They careen around stacks of containers in large cargo holds, darting between shadows. Wurreks seem to depend solely on muscular action and the gripping power of their teeth to find purchase when climbing.

The Trouble With Wurreks

Wurreks are more dangerous but less annoying than mynocks. They don't destroy ships, but they can destroy entire shipments and seriously damage droids or crew members sent to check on cargo.

Moving through holds with quiet grace, wurreks worm into containers and spill the contents, looking for edible material. These scavengers aren't picky eaters, so nearly anything organic will satisfy a wurrek looking to binge. After finishing its meal, a wurrek leaves the containers open and discarded, the uneaten contents carelessly spilled onto the floor.

Getting into some containers can be difficult, but wurreks have repeatedly shown signs of resourcefulness. Though not terrifically smart, they can use tools such as pry bars, and they work into most containers through brute tenacity.

Items encased in electronic locks are usually safer, but not always. Occasionally, wurreks have been known to pop open boxes with keypad entry systems. Whether they got lucky or just tried every possible combination is a matter of speculation. Wurreks are usually alone with cargo for a long time during hyperspace jumps, so either explanation is plausible.

The Wurrek Threat

When discovered, wurreks don't wait to be cornered before attacking. They leap onto opponents in a flurry of arms and teeth. Once a wurrek damages an assailant, it scuttles away to hide and attack again a minute later.

Once they know they've been discovered, single wurreks pinpoint and attack the physically weakest target they can find in a hit-and-run attack. Groups of wurreks show rudimentary signs of cooperation, using bait tactics and gang attacks before scattering in separate directions to regroup.

Xenobiologists are divided over whether these creatures have an actual language. They appear to communicate among themselves, but they show no signs of comprehension when other sentient creatures attempt to contact them. The Force was used to contact a wurrek once, but the Jedi received only feelings of hunger and fear from the trapped creature. The existence of thought or reason remained unclear even over a period of days, and the Council has admitted some confusion over the wurrek's slipperiness in this matter.

Wurreks on Spice

Wurreks are enough of a nuisance for spilling and ruining cargo. However, when spice is involved, the creatures present a real danger. Different spices have subtly different effects on wurreks, but a wurrek who ingests even a small amount of unprocessed spice turns into a thrashing, homicidal whirligig of tentacles and teeth.

Exposure to spice exacerbates a wurrek's hair-trigger temper and amplifies many of its natural abilities, such as increased strength, less sensitivity to pain, and more ferocious attacks. Wurreks hopped up on spice have even been known to break out of the cargo hold, steal blasters, and recklessly attack crew members.

Further, wurreks are as prone to addiction as any creature. Addicted wurreks will commit nearly suicidal measures to continue getting their fix.

This is a minor threat for prepared crew, but smugglers rarely have preparedness to spare for sudden internal attacks. In these cases, several crew members can be lost before the rest manage to take down the juiced-up wurreks rampaging through the ship. Mercifully, wurreks stow away on ships only rarely, and most ports with competent loading personnel can detect them. Often, captains are encouraged to double-check cargo holds personally before taking off from less reputable ports.

Species Traits

Darkvision: Wurreks can see in the dark out to a range of 20 meters. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and wurreks can function with no light at all.

Force Resistant: Wurreks gain a +4 to Will saving throws against Affect Mind, Empathy, Friendship, and Telepathy Force skills used on them.

Scent: A wurrek can detect opponents within 10 meters by sense of smell. When a wurrek detects a scent, it becomes aware of the source's presence but not its exact location. If wurrek moves within 2 meters of a scent's source, it can pinpoint that source.

Normal Wurrek

Wurrek: Small subterranean scavenger 5: Init +3 (Dex); Defense 17 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14; Spd 8 m, climb 10 m; VP/WP 10/17; Atk +1 melee (1d6-2, 4 bites) or +6 ranged; SQ Species traits; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +2; Face/Reach 2 m by 2 m/2 m; FP 0; DSP 0; Rep +0; Str 7, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 2. Challenge Code C.

Skills: Hide +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +6.

Feats: Combat Reflexes.

Maddened Wurrek

Maddened Wurrek: Small subterranean scavenger 5; Init +3 (Dex); Defense 17 (+3 Dex, +1 size, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14; Spd 8 m, climb 10 m; VP/WP 13/22; Atk +5 melee (1d6+2, 6 bites) or +6 ranged (3d6, blaster pistol); SQ Species traits; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2; Face/Reach 2 m by 2 m/2 m; FP 0; DSP 0; Rep +0; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 2. Challenge Code D.

Skills: Hide +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Spot +6.

Feats: Combat Reflexes.

Bacta -- you know it, you love it, you can't live without it. But where does it come from? Take a trip to the world of Thyferra in this month's installment of "Planet Hoppers."