Great Enemy - Basilisk

Other names: Horned Lizard, Serpent King, Stonemaker, Regulus.

A lizard capable of great speed and possessing deadly venom.

General Attributes: The basilisk is a fearsome reptilian creature that feeds primarily upon larger animals, such as cattle and humans. They often travel in small packs of 3-12, striking both during the day and night. Some of the other monster races will “tame” one or more basilisks and use them in much the same way humans might use hunting dogs when tracking a stag.

One of the primary tactics a basilisk will use while closing with its victim is to spit its noxious saliva. The compounds within the saliva have a paralyzing effect that lasts for several minutes or longer. If the victim is alone, this is more than enough time for the basilisk to kill and begin eating its latest meal. Travelers should be sure to stock defibrillators or other items that will help cure the paralysis during a crisis.

Observation of the basilisk has led most scholars to conclude that it is vulnerable to Water magic, as it is a creature of Fire.

Symbolism: Tales and historical accounts of the basilisk go as far back as the Fall. It is one of the oldest monsters to plague Terranis. Despite the nature of many monsters to continually evolve and change, or to be descended from normal animals that have become corrupted, descriptions of the basilisk from historical records to modern depictions remain virtually unchanged, baring local variations. One of the leading theories among scholars is that the basilisk is such a perfected design in deadliness, whatever drives the Great Enemy’s mutations has seen little need to further refine it.

After the Emperor Wei Li was killed by a basilisk during a hunting trip in AF 112, it has held a special significance to the people of Weijin. It is now a widely held belief that the sight of a basilisk prior to or during a momentous event, such as a wedding or birthday, is a bad omen.

Sources:

1. The Royal Bestiary Project – (Royal Academy of Magic, 1008)
2. A Chronicle of the Early Emperors - (Wu Jiping, Weijin Empire, 236)

---