basilisk
A basilisk is a multi-legged, heavy-bodied, reptilian creature whose gaze transforms living victims into stone. Basilisks are believed to be distantly related to the the draconic species but possess only the cunning and intellect of a beast. They can be found in many different warm environments, lairing in caves or other sheltered sites, but are most often encountered underground.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Adult basilisks resemble squat, thick-bodied lizards measuring about 12 feet long, with half of that length being their muscular tail, and weighing about 300 pounds. Their scales range in color from dark gray to dark brown, depending on their habitat, and they possess a row of jagged spikes protruding from their backs. The snout is short and blunt, and its powerful jaws are lined with strong, pointed teeth, and a basilisk's saliva turns stone into meat. Their eight legs are short and thick, giving the creature a very squat posture, and tipped with short, blunt claws. The eyes of a basilisk glow a sicky green.
Ecology and Habitats
Basilisks prefer warm environments, typically areas with access to both abundant prey and convenient hidey-holes. Because of their ability to see in near-complete darkness, they thrive in underground environments and will eagerly partake of any unwary humanoids that wander into its cave.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Basilisks are predators that use their petrifying gaze to turn prospective prey into stone. While their colorations allows them to hide effectively, once they start hunting a prospective meal it makes as much noise as possible to ensure its prey is looking at it when it appears. It is not particular about what sort of prey it eats, and the resulting statues typically preserve their meals undefinitely until they are hungry. They do not need to hunt very often, and a large meal can easily sustain them for months at a time.
Behaviour
Basilisks are typically solitary, territorial creatures, and their sluggish metabolism means that they can't move very fast even under the best of conditions. If a basilisk is confronted by a rival basilisk, it will use its gaze on its enemy to try to petrify it; however, since basilisks are not terribly smart they can thus easily be tricked into mistaking its reflection in a mirror for an enemy and accidentally petrifying itself.
The only times a basilisk will seek out the company of another is during mating season in the fall, and afterwards when the female is raising her hatchlings.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The natural territoriality of basilisks can be used to the benefit of those requiring a guardian for a treasure vault or hoard, though this requires raising and training the beast from an egg or hatchling so that it learns friend from foe and will petrify intruders. Aside from this, a slain basilisk can provide a number of components regarding both petrification or the curing of same. The eyes of a basilisk, if harvested intact, can be used in Flesh to Stone spells, and thus are valuable to both arcanists and alchemists. The salivary glands and bile, conversely, can be used in Stone to Flesh spells, and in preparations to cure petrification.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Basilisks have decent senses of hearing and smell, but its sense of sight is particularly sharp. They are able to see in absolute darkness, making them a dangerous inhabitant of the Underlands.
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