The Basilisk

"Hewn from the flesh of a dozen creatures and the secrets whispered by stone, it was in the Glass halls of the Curun that the first Basilisk was shaped. Eyes that stared directly into the secrets of Earth and spit that wove the secrets of water an abomination was made. Curun showed the other houses that no Mage would need to destroy the world for resources when you can have more than you'll ever need."
In the few houses of the Imperium that carry ties to the old Mages, House Tochre is most famed for carrying on the research and study into the arts of petrification and vivification. This has placed the Basilisk in a special place in House Tochres history with one of the few known Elder Basilisk in the world living within the halls of Tochre.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The anatomy and morphology of a Basilisk depends almost entirely on the Mage who made the strain that you encounter. The most commonly encountered strains of Basilisk tend to be reptilian in nature bearing scales and cold blood with six limbs being four legs and a pair of small arms along the neck to pull objects towards their mouth. However, all Basilisk share a few commonalities these being the ability to turn creatures into stone or a variant of and able to turn them back.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Basilisk is able to reproduce by injecting an egg into the chest of a petrified creature that then secretes a liquid that will vivify the victim returning it to flesh. Once the surrounding flesh has vivified the fluid begins to break down flesh this combination of liquids creates an acid like substance that breaks down the shell freeing the embryotic Basilisk. This embryotic Basilisk then slowly eats the substance allowing them to grow in the safety of the petrified body.

Growth Rate & Stages

Basilisk have 3 stages to their life first an embryotic stage that quickly frees itself from a chondrichthyes egg case finding itself inside of a petrified creature this process can take anywhere from eight hours to three days. The embryotic Basilisk will begin to grow inside this body until it can slowly devour the whole creature. After freeing themself from this strange sarcophagus they reach the next stage of their lifecycle most Basilisk take around a month to complete this stage of their life. A Basilisk will remain in this stage of its life unless certain conditions are met these conditions depend upon the strain of Basilisk you are dealing with but when they are met an Elder Basilisk appears.

Ecology and Habitats

Most Basilisk that are encountered are kept in the homes of old families who tie their origins to the Mages of the past. Some however are found in the ruins of labs and towers. They were designed to function in urban environments but they are capable of surviving in mountainous regions. When a Basilisk infestation occurs in the wild it becomes quickly apparent with statuette corpses and petrified flora these infestations are hard to stop however due to the fact that within a month or two their population can double.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Basilisk requires a petrified creature to feast upon the liquids they secrete vivifying the flesh allowing the Basilisk to slowly gnaw away at the creature.

Biological Cycle

Unaffected by the passing seasons the Basilisk is just as terrifying in the winter as it is in the summer.

Behaviour

Basilisk tend to be strangely quiet creatures making almost no sounds as they slowly lumber through the world most accidentally petrifying anything they bump into. Due to the fact that Basilisk of the same strain are immune to the petrification created by others of the same strain they are capable living in groups that can range from small (6) to large (20). Outside of their normal near passive behavior Basilisk of different strains will aggressively fight one another as their existences are anathema as all Basilisk can vivify victims of petrification but only able to eat creatures petrified by those of their strain.

Additional Information

Domestication

Basilisk were first designed ages ago and now exist almost entirely in the homes of specific families.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Basilisk were created by ancient Mages to circumvent the limited nature of natural resources able to turn flesh into most mineral resources the Mages of the past were capable of great works using these resources.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Most Basilisk were designed without many capabilities that can allow them to hunt or survive outside of the labs and towers in which they were made.

Scientific Name

basiliscus

Origin/Ancestry

Basilisk

Conservation Status

The Basilisk is rare and finding one in the wild is a very uncommon occurrence few however put in the effort to protect them.