If you happen to’ve ever ventured to Arrakis, you’ve heard the whispers: Sandworms, the Maker, possibly you’e even heard of Shai-Hulud. You doubtless know them as an existential risk, the sort of enemy you possibly can’t hope to kill, but in addition as an ecological necessity — their existence brings forth the Spice Melange, on which our survival relies upon.
However the Maker is greater than a set of tooth that produces spice. It’s a god determine, a being to be revered, and — most significantly — a method to traverse the Arrakeen desert. That’s proper, Shai-Hulud might be ridden — however what’s it truly wish to experience?
Full Disclosure: The Fremen flew me out to Arrakis to strive my hand at driving a sandworm. The Spacing Guild provided my transportation, and the Fremen supplied my meals, lodging, and treasured life-giving water.
What’s New About The 10191 Arrakeen Sandworm?
Not a lot. Most sandworms sufficiently old to experience are tons of if not 1000’s of years previous — little or no has modified for them over the course of their years within the sand.
But when it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. The Maker is dependable transport, straightforward to foretell and manageable to regulate — as long as you recognize what you’re doing. For amateurs, wormriding generally is a wrestle, however with a little bit of follow it turns into second nature.
What Are the Specs?
Sandworms can develop to tons of of yards in size, and a few suppose that worms as much as 1,000 yards lengthy exist within the planet’s most distant deserts. My tester wasn’t fairly so massive, someplace within the 250-yard vary, which made it considerably extra nimble than its bigger brethren.
How Does It Look?
I’ll be actual: Sandworms aren’t fairly. They’re a function-over-form design, grey and drab with thick, plated pores and skin. However each a part of the Maker’s look serves a perform—its mouth for intaking vitamins, its plates for steering the worm in direction of your vacation spot. Shai-Hulud is probably not a magnificence, but it surely will get the job accomplished.
How Does It Experience?
I stated my Maker was smaller than many, which made for a nimbler experience. That, nevertheless, is faint reward — no sandworm is really nimble, all are sluggish to reply and require full-body exertion to maneuver. Even with expert riders on again, Shai-Hulud nonetheless understeers on the restrict, and every experience is extra about reaching your vacation spot than having any enjoyable alongside the way in which.
Energy is enough; worms are targeted extra on torque than top-end, which may usually confuse the “butt dyno” into studying larger than is actually correct. The actual trick with sandworms, although, is management — at first the thought of controlling a Maker along with your two little hooks appears absurd. With some follow below your belt, nevertheless, all of it turns into second nature: The Maker hooks fall readily handy, and the steering scramble from left to proper turns into extra of an intentional dance.
How’s The Inside?
I didn’t take a look at this. If you happen to wanna get eaten by a sandworm to find what it’s like, be my visitor. I hear it’s sizzling.
How Does It Evaluate to the Competitors?
For long-distance journey on Arrakis, the closest competitor to the Maker is probably going your normal ornithopter. However these require gas and upkeep, and also you aren’t more likely to discover one other one fueled and ready when yours falters. Worms, against this, care for themselves — and when one will get drained, you’re only a thumper away from discovering one other experience.
For brief journeys, an ornithopter could also be extra handy. However for lengthy hauls throughout the Arrakeen desert, the Maker is unmatched. There’s a motive the Fremen, these most attuned to abandon life, don’t maintain fleets of ‘thopters at each sietch.
Last Ideas
Driving Shai-Hulud is a uncommon alternative, one I’m grateful to have been given. Massive, high-capacity sandworms really really feel like the way forward for long-haul transportation in a approach that makes ornithopters really feel out of date — so restricted in dimension, carry weight, and gas vary. The Fremen know Dune greatest, so it’s no marvel they’ve chosen the perfect technique of transport via the extensive, open desert. Bless the Maker and His water, bless the approaching and going of Him.
