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Description
The Swamp Basilisk is a member of the Basilisk family, as one can easily see by its many limbs and oral eyeball. While it has many similarities to the likes of the famous Grand Basilisk, this species has gone down a different path in terms of habitat and behavior. As its name suggests, these creatures live in swampy areas, like bogs and marshes. The wetter and muddier a place is, the happier they are. Their bodies have developed certain traits to aid them in this squishy, damp place they call home. While the Grand Basilisk possesses rough and tough scales, the Swamp Basilisk has made its own skin more sleek and smooth. From a distance you would believe that they had the smooth and slimy hide of an amphibian, rather than a serpent. This helps them slip through the water and mud with ease and stealth. When a Swamp Basilisk slides into the murky bog, you won't even hear a splash. With its more amphibious nature, this species has reduced its crests and spines to nubs, so that they do not slow it down or give away its presence. Their tails have flattened into paddle-like appendages, helping propel themselves as they slither through the wetlands. While the Grand Basilisk likes to boast with its impressive crests, fangs and colors, the Swamp Basilisk prefers to be seen as little as possible. After all, an ambush predator wouldn't be that great at its job if everyone knew where it was at!

To acquire food, the Swamp Basilisk uses its muddy hide and slick body to sneak up on unwary prey. Their smaller size allows them to hide in the vegetation, or slither through shallow water. Some choose to wait in the muddy bogs, camouflaging itself with the wet soil and rotting plants. Others prefer to take a more active role, quietly stalking prey until they can get close enough for a bite. It is startling how silent and quick they are! It is no wonder people compare them more to snakes than lizards! It makes even more sense when you see their appetite! When a creature gets close to them (or they finally close in on said creature), the basilisk will strike. While its brethren may unsheathe venomous fangs to get the job done, the Swamp Basilisk prefers to skip that step and just swallow the victim whole. Their mouths, throats and stomachs are incredibly flexible, allowing them to stuff in prey that is larger than them. The sheer speed of their attack is enough to daze its prey for a few seconds, which allows them to press the advantage. By the time the target realizes its been attacked, half of its body will already be sliding down its throat. While smaller prey may vanish into its gullet, larger victims do not always go down so easy. To help with feisty meals, the Swamp Basilisk has a special saliva that serves as a lubricant. While it struggles with the partially devoured creature, the Swamp Basilisk will regurgitate large quantities of this yellowish fluid. The liquid will coat the victim and make it harder for them to escape, as their limbs and rough hides slip against the basilisk's smooth skin and slick gullet. The other helpful tool is their strong jaws. While they do not possess the numerous teeth that other basilisks have, their jaws are lined with a sharpened edge. By snapping their mouths down, they can deliver a rather painful bite, which can injure or incapacitate victims. They can also bite down and sink their edged jaws into their prey, holding fast when they try to extract themselves from its maw. Lastly, if all else fails, the Swamp Basilisk will unveil its own fangs. These venomous barbs are located in the roof of their mouths, and are quite small compared to the fangs of other serpents. When prey struggles, they will unintentionally jab themselves with these nasty things, and get a bit of venom injected into them. The venom of a Swamp Basilisk is a very mild paralytic, causing limbs to weaken and coordination to become slow and clumsy. Prey will find it hard to fight back as the beast sucks them into its stretchy stomach. Once their victims are trapped in their bulging bellies, they will slink off to a nice hiding hole where they can rest and digest.

With these adaptations, the Swamp Basilisk are quite good at handling ornery meals that don't want to be digested. Though they are effective, they are not used all that often. This is because the Swamp Basilisk has a way of incapacitating prey well before they get the first bite in. Most of their victims hardly put up a fight when the basilisk comes to dine, and that is because of its powerful oral eye. Legend would make you think that the eyes of any basilisk are lethal, but this is not the case. The Grand Basilisk does indeed have a deadly gaze, but many of the other family members do not have such a power. This, however, does not mean that they are not effective! For the Swamp Basilisk, their oral eye induces drowsiness and weakness into those who meet its gaze. If you were to stare into its open eye, your limbs would seem to grow weak and feeble, and you would suddenly feel quite tired. You would swear that you were drugged, as your mind gets all fuzzy and your movements become fumbled and awkward. Breaking eye contact will stop the effects from getting worse, and eventually your strength will return, but very few are capable of tearing themselves away from that entrancing orb. Victims will simply collapse into a tired, oblivious heap, which the basilisk will happily swallow. It won't be until later when their meal will wake back up, finding itself in the beast's gooey stomach. Unfortunately, it will be too late to escape by then, as the lack of proper air and the abundance of stomach acid will soon bring a nasty end to things. Those who encounter a Swamp Basilisk should be quick to avert their gaze and find a way to dispatch the creature before it can get close. The power of its oral eye is no joke, as one of my colleagues found this out the hard way! She was studying a group of these creatures once and had situated herself in the safety of a tree. Due to their slimy, slick skin and amphibious ways, Swamp Basilisks are quite poor climbers. By sitting on a hefty tree limb, she was safe from their hungry jaws. To further protect herself, she used a rope and a harness to anchor herself to the trunk. If she were to slip, she wouldn't hit the ground and become an easy meal. As she was getting her things together, she must have alerted the creatures to her presence. Before she knew it, they had turned their attention to her spot up above and unveiled their eyes. She made the mistake of looking into them and woke up a few minutes later dangling from the branch like a sleepy pinata! Thankfully she had made sure the lifeline wouldn't hang her close enough to the ground for the basilisks to reach her! Though I can't imagine that being the most pleasant way to wake up!

While they certainly aren't as impressive looking as their regal brethren, Swamp Basilisks are quite well known by those who inhabit the swamps or travel through them. Many travelers are warned of their presence and walking through the marsh alone is highly frowned upon. Special hats and head wear are made and sold to help break the gaze of one of these creatures, though about half of them are clearly scams for the gullible traveler. It is advised that those who enter their territory keep a super sharp dagger tied to their hip. If you find yourself in its suffocating belly, you will want something close by to cut yourself free. This won't guarantee your survival, but any chance you can give yourself to escape such a fate is good enough! These creatures are also brought up quite often with the sin of gluttony, and some see them as actual demons. Swamp Basilisks get this tainted, vile image due to their odd behavior. Though predators, they give off a strange air of giddiness to their ways and movements. Those trapped by these creatures mention that they seem to cheerfully romp and undulate as they approach a potential meal. Their broad, stretching mouths also seem to always be smiling, making them appear goofy even as they try to swallow screaming victims. I have heard people compare Swamp Basilisks to mischievous puppies, sneakily doing things they aren't supposed to and then goofing about excitedly when they get away with it. Then of course there is the lazy way they pass out after gorging on a meal! Even with this silly behavior, not many locals are fond of these beasts. Marsh Dryads do not like them much, as Swamp Basilisks have the tendency to eat first and ask questions later. Though plant-based, dryads can wind up as meals to these beasts, as they pounce on any moving thing that looks tasty. Villages that are targeted by these creatures will protect themselves by hiding spikes and caltrops in the surrounding wetlands. The sharp objects will deter the beasts, though they do often find new ways to sneak into town. They are clever as they are greedy, which often sabotages their own plans. I heard a story about a basilisk that snuck into a village and devoured a farmer's prized boars. This horrible deed was discovered when the owner woke up to find the serpent desperately trying to climb over the fence with a stomach nearly twice its size! Needless to say, the greedy little thing didn't get far. At least he had quite the last meal!

Though despised and loathed, Swamp Basilisks do offer some good. Their slick hides make for water-proof leather that can be crafted into boots, coats and gloves. Dried goods that are used in the swamps are often bundled up in their skin to keep out moisture. Their harvested saliva acts as an effective lubricant, working well on wagon wheels, hinges and other things. Those who hang their food in trees will soak their ropes in this spit so that raccoons and other thieving critters will slip right off! Their oral eyes are also useful ingredients, as their jelly seems to retain a bit of their power. Swamp Basilisk eye jelly can be mixed and used as an effective tranquilizer or a wonderful sleep aid! The stuff is so strong, that a mere teaspoon is enough to knock you out for hours on end. I tried some of this once, though it didn't really go as planned! During one of my visits to a Marsh Dryad town, I came down with quite a nasty case of blight fever. It was not a pleasant time, as it makes you feel like your burning up on the inside, while your outside never stops itching and peeling! I went to the local doctor and bought some medicine to cure myself, but the stuff took time to work. Rather than sitting around and suffering until I felt better, she suggested I take a sleeping draught so that I could rest and wake up after my medicine had taken affect. I agreed, as my fever had ruined the last couple nights of sleep for me. Her assistant (a new, and a bit inexperienced one, I later learned) mixed up some eye jelly with other ingredients and gave me the potion. I took a hearty swig and immediately blacked out. The next thing I knew, I was roused by a rather distraught doctor, who seemed quite relieved that I had come back to the waking world. Apparently her assistant had used the wrong measuring spoon and had given me too big of a dose of the eye jelly. She told me that I had been asleep for three straight days, and she had been worried that I wouldn't wake up ever again. I wound up getting reimbursed for my previous medicinal purchase, which happened after I spent a good while convincing the doctor not to fire and humiliate her intern right in front of me. Mistakes happen, I am well aware of that. Her assistant was also super apologetic and practically did everything in her power to try and make it up to me. Honestly, I don't know why they thought I would be so mad! I never felt so refreshed before! It was like waking up to a warm, fresh spring with a new set of bark! It was a wonderful feeling, well, it was after I made a hasty run to the nearest latrine.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

---------------------------------------------------------------

Some extra basilisks to the mix! Cockatrices are a family, and so are basilisks!

Description
The Swamp Basilisk is a member of the Basilisk family, as one can easily see by its many limbs and oral eyeball. While it has many similarities to the likes of the famous Grand Basilisk, this species has gone down a different path in terms of habitat and behavior. As its name suggests, these creatures live in swampy areas, like bogs and marshes. The wetter and muddier a place is, the happier they are. Their bodies have developed certain traits to aid them in this squishy, damp place they call home. While the Grand Basilisk possesses rough and tough scales, the Swamp Basilisk has made its own skin more sleek and smooth. From a distance you would believe that they had the smooth and slimy hide of an amphibian, rather than a serpent. This helps them slip through the water and mud with ease and stealth. When a Swamp Basilisk slides into the murky bog, you won't even hear a splash. With its more amphibious nature, this species has reduced its crests and spines to nubs, so that they do not slow it down or give away its presence. Their tails have flattened into paddle-like appendages, helping propel themselves as they slither through the wetlands. While the Grand Basilisk likes to boast with its impressive crests, fangs and colors, the Swamp Basilisk prefers to be seen as little as possible. After all, an ambush predator wouldn't be that great at its job if everyone knew where it was at!

To acquire food, the Swamp Basilisk uses its muddy hide and slick body to sneak up on unwary prey. Their smaller size allows them to hide in the vegetation, or slither through shallow water. Some choose to wait in the muddy bogs, camouflaging itself with the wet soil and rotting plants. Others prefer to take a more active role, quietly stalking prey until they can get close enough for a bite. It is startling how silent and quick they are! It is no wonder people compare them more to snakes than lizards! It makes even more sense when you see their appetite! When a creature gets close to them (or they finally close in on said creature), the basilisk will strike. While its brethren may unsheathe venomous fangs to get the job done, the Swamp Basilisk prefers to skip that step and just swallow the victim whole. Their mouths, throats and stomachs are incredibly flexible, allowing them to stuff in prey that is larger than them. The sheer speed of their attack is enough to daze its prey for a few seconds, which allows them to press the advantage. By the time the target realizes its been attacked, half of its body will already be sliding down its throat. While smaller prey may vanish into its gullet, larger victims do not always go down so easy. To help with feisty meals, the Swamp Basilisk has a special saliva that serves as a lubricant. While it struggles with the partially devoured creature, the Swamp Basilisk will regurgitate large quantities of this yellowish fluid. The liquid will coat the victim and make it harder for them to escape, as their limbs and rough hides slip against the basilisk's smooth skin and slick gullet. The other helpful tool is their strong jaws. While they do not possess the numerous teeth that other basilisks have, their jaws are lined with a sharpened edge. By snapping their mouths down, they can deliver a rather painful bite, which can injure or incapacitate victims. They can also bite down and sink their edged jaws into their prey, holding fast when they try to extract themselves from its maw. Lastly, if all else fails, the Swamp Basilisk will unveil its own fangs. These venomous barbs are located in the roof of their mouths, and are quite small compared to the fangs of other serpents. When prey struggles, they will unintentionally jab themselves with these nasty things, and get a bit of venom injected into them. The venom of a Swamp Basilisk is a very mild paralytic, causing limbs to weaken and coordination to become slow and clumsy. Prey will find it hard to fight back as the beast sucks them into its stretchy stomach. Once their victims are trapped in their bulging bellies, they will slink off to a nice hiding hole where they can rest and digest.

With these adaptations, the Swamp Basilisk are quite good at handling ornery meals that don't want to be digested. Though they are effective, they are not used all that often. This is because the Swamp Basilisk has a way of incapacitating prey well before they get the first bite in. Most of their victims hardly put up a fight when the basilisk comes to dine, and that is because of its powerful oral eye. Legend would make you think that the eyes of any basilisk are lethal, but this is not the case. The Grand Basilisk does indeed have a deadly gaze, but many of the other family members do not have such a power. This, however, does not mean that they are not effective! For the Swamp Basilisk, their oral eye induces drowsiness and weakness into those who meet its gaze. If you were to stare into its open eye, your limbs would seem to grow weak and feeble, and you would suddenly feel quite tired. You would swear that you were drugged, as your mind gets all fuzzy and your movements become fumbled and awkward. Breaking eye contact will stop the effects from getting worse, and eventually your strength will return, but very few are capable of tearing themselves away from that entrancing orb. Victims will simply collapse into a tired, oblivious heap, which the basilisk will happily swallow. It won't be until later when their meal will wake back up, finding itself in the beast's gooey stomach. Unfortunately, it will be too late to escape by then, as the lack of proper air and the abundance of stomach acid will soon bring a nasty end to things. Those who encounter a Swamp Basilisk should be quick to avert their gaze and find a way to dispatch the creature before it can get close. The power of its oral eye is no joke, as one of my colleagues found this out the hard way! She was studying a group of these creatures once and had situated herself in the safety of a tree. Due to their slimy, slick skin and amphibious ways, Swamp Basilisks are quite poor climbers. By sitting on a hefty tree limb, she was safe from their hungry jaws. To further protect herself, she used a rope and a harness to anchor herself to the trunk. If she were to slip, she wouldn't hit the ground and become an easy meal. As she was getting her things together, she must have alerted the creatures to her presence. Before she knew it, they had turned their attention to her spot up above and unveiled their eyes. She made the mistake of looking into them and woke up a few minutes later dangling from the branch like a sleepy pinata! Thankfully she had made sure the lifeline wouldn't hang her close enough to the ground for the basilisks to reach her! Though I can't imagine that being the most pleasant way to wake up!

While they certainly aren't as impressive looking as their regal brethren, Swamp Basilisks are quite well known by those who inhabit the swamps or travel through them. Many travelers are warned of their presence and walking through the marsh alone is highly frowned upon. Special hats and head wear are made and sold to help break the gaze of one of these creatures, though about half of them are clearly scams for the gullible traveler. It is advised that those who enter their territory keep a super sharp dagger tied to their hip. If you find yourself in its suffocating belly, you will want something close by to cut yourself free. This won't guarantee your survival, but any chance you can give yourself to escape such a fate is good enough! These creatures are also brought up quite often with the sin of gluttony, and some see them as actual demons. Swamp Basilisks get this tainted, vile image due to their odd behavior. Though predators, they give off a strange air of giddiness to their ways and movements. Those trapped by these creatures mention that they seem to cheerfully romp and undulate as they approach a potential meal. Their broad, stretching mouths also seem to always be smiling, making them appear goofy even as they try to swallow screaming victims. I have heard people compare Swamp Basilisks to mischievous puppies, sneakily doing things they aren't supposed to and then goofing about excitedly when they get away with it. Then of course there is the lazy way they pass out after gorging on a meal! Even with this silly behavior, not many locals are fond of these beasts. Marsh Dryads do not like them much, as Swamp Basilisks have the tendency to eat first and ask questions later. Though plant-based, dryads can wind up as meals to these beasts, as they pounce on any moving thing that looks tasty. Villages that are targeted by these creatures will protect themselves by hiding spikes and caltrops in the surrounding wetlands. The sharp objects will deter the beasts, though they do often find new ways to sneak into town. They are clever as they are greedy, which often sabotages their own plans. I heard a story about a basilisk that snuck into a village and devoured a farmer's prized boars. This horrible deed was discovered when the owner woke up to find the serpent desperately trying to climb over the fence with a stomach nearly twice its size! Needless to say, the greedy little thing didn't get far. At least he had quite the last meal!

Though despised and loathed, Swamp Basilisks do offer some good. Their slick hides make for water-proof leather that can be crafted into boots, coats and gloves. Dried goods that are used in the swamps are often bundled up in their skin to keep out moisture. Their harvested saliva acts as an effective lubricant, working well on wagon wheels, hinges and other things. Those who hang their food in trees will soak their ropes in this spit so that raccoons and other thieving critters will slip right off! Their oral eyes are also useful ingredients, as their jelly seems to retain a bit of their power. Swamp Basilisk eye jelly can be mixed and used as an effective tranquilizer or a wonderful sleep aid! The stuff is so strong, that a mere teaspoon is enough to knock you out for hours on end. I tried some of this once, though it didn't really go as planned! During one of my visits to a Marsh Dryad town, I came down with quite a nasty case of blight fever. It was not a pleasant time, as it makes you feel like your burning up on the inside, while your outside never stops itching and peeling! I went to the local doctor and bought some medicine to cure myself, but the stuff took time to work. Rather than sitting around and suffering until I felt better, she suggested I take a sleeping draught so that I could rest and wake up after my medicine had taken affect. I agreed, as my fever had ruined the last couple nights of sleep for me. Her assistant (a new, and a bit inexperienced one, I later learned) mixed up some eye jelly with other ingredients and gave me the potion. I took a hearty swig and immediately blacked out. The next thing I knew, I was roused by a rather distraught doctor, who seemed quite relieved that I had come back to the waking world. Apparently her assistant had used the wrong measuring spoon and had given me too big of a dose of the eye jelly. She told me that I had been asleep for three straight days, and she had been worried that I wouldn't wake up ever again. I wound up getting reimbursed for my previous medicinal purchase, which happened after I spent a good while convincing the doctor not to fire and humiliate her intern right in front of me. Mistakes happen, I am well aware of that. Her assistant was also super apologetic and practically did everything in her power to try and make it up to me. Honestly, I don't know why they thought I would be so mad! I never felt so refreshed before! It was like waking up to a warm, fresh spring with a new set of bark! It was a wonderful feeling, well, it was after I made a hasty run to the nearest latrine.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

---------------------------------------------------------------

Some extra basilisks to the mix! Cockatrices are a family, and so are basilisks!