Lava worms were a type of giant, black-scaled worm native to the volcanic planet Brazadann located in the Outer Rim Territories. Growing to be hundreds of meters long, they traversed the lava seas of the planet and were ridden by the locals. At the end of life, lava worms would travel to a valley where they would sleep and pass away. This sacred valley was known as the Great Worms Cemetery and was believed to be a place of purification by the local Brazanites.
Native to the volcanic, Outer Rim world Brazadann, lava worms had black scales all along their bodies that protected them from the lava seas they traveled through. Young worms were a few meters long while adults were several dozen meters long, with the largest of worms reaching hundreds of meters long. The appendages at the front of the worms served as sensory organs. Female worms produced juices that made other lava worms uncontrollable when inhaled. Toward the end of a worm's life, it traveled to a valley called the Great Worms Cemetery, where it would rest and pass away. The slow decomposition of the worms' digestive juices released volatile hypnogenic substances that caused severe hallucinations. The insides of the worms consisted of three segments: the entrance isthmus, the primary rings, and the secondary rings. The hypnogenic substances produced by the dead worms were more powerful the further into the worm an individual went, and the hypnogens could not be filtered out with a respirator.
A Brazanite spotting Salamander Warriors in the distance; both groups are riding lava worms.
Lava worms were used by the Brazanites and Salamander Warriors as mounts. The Brazanites used four young worms to pull flame-breaking sleds across seas of lava. Harnesses were placed around the worms' heads, which allowed the rider to control the sensory appendages and made it possible to harness a sled to the worms. The sleds could accommodate one driver and up to three passengers. The Salamander Warriors rode adult lava worms, with one warrior perched on the saddle of each worm. The worms' scales were used to make thermal armor and filtering masks.
The Great Worms Cemetery was considered sacred and mystical land to both the Brazanites and Salamander Warriors. Brazanite pilgrims would journey to the cemetery where they believed an individual was purified after venturing into the bowels of the deceased worms. Most pilgrims were content with meditating on the isthmus, but some individuals were known to journey further into the bowels. Unlike the Brazanites, the Salamander Warriors would not step foot on the sacred ground of the graveyard. They also went out of their way to not harm the worms, even when fighting other riders who had encroached on the tribe's territory.
As a way of defending their honor, Salamander Warriors would challenge opponents to a test called the Dance of the Worm. Each opponent was mounted on a lava worm and attached to the saddle by a rope, which prevented them from falling into the lava. Each worm was then made to inhale the juices from a female worm, which made them uncontrollable. The worms would rear up to eject the riders, and the opponents would strike at each other with bladed weapons in an attempt to make the other opponent fall. All moves were permitted, except cutting the rope that prevented the riders from falling into the lava. The last opponent still on the saddle was deemed the winner.
While on Brazadann, the Ithorian scientist Brother Suunfuus attempted to transform his Korendum crystal into a powerful energy generator, but the immense power of the crystal was poorly controlled, which resulted in the destruction of Oriadann, the twin planet of Brazadann. Consumed with grief, Suunfuus left for the Great Worms Cemetery in search of redemption. At some point during or after 0 ABY, a group of Rebels traveled to Brazadann in search of Brother Suunfuus. They rode flame-breaking sleds pulled by lava worms across the lava sea and through Salamander Warrior territory. Upon reaching the cemetery, they entered the carcass of a large lava worm, where they eventually found a thin and pale Suunfuus in the secondary rings. As the group and Suunfuus left the graveyard, they were ambushed by about thirty Salamander Warriors and challenged to compete in the Dance of the Worm.
Lava worms appeared in the roleplaying adventure "La Légende des Cristaux" written by Christophe Debien and Patrick Bousquet for use with West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The adventure was published in the seventy-sixth issue of the French magazine Casus Belli, released through July and August of 1993. The illustration depicting the worms was made by artist Igor Chevalier.