Basilisk

Most people believe that a Basilisk will turn you to stone by staring at it, but that would be much easier, no the gaze of the Basilisk is cold as stone making all who see it only know fear before it strikes - Dune Hunter

An infamous predator of the desert known for its venomous bite and hard scales that are difficult to pierce through, Basilisks are hunters that are not picked about eating anything they come across, with very few animals that can rival is size and strength, leaving it at the top of the food chain.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A giant lizard with two pairs of legs with five toes on each one. Across in back down to its tail, a series of bone plates go down its body attached to its thick, scaly skin. Its massive jaws and green eyes often mean doom to those who get too close to them.

Biological Traits

Venomous Bite: The basilisk's mouth contains a highly dangerous poison that it uses to catch its prey if it manages to escape its grasp, and its venom is said to cause the blood to chill, causing the prey to slow and the heart to eventually stop from the cold.
Surprising Speed : Basilisks, despite their size, can able to move are incredible speeds in short distances. Letting them catch unsuspecting prey off guard when strikes to go for the kill.
Piercing Gaze: A unique aspect of the Basilisk is its eyes being a dark green that is said to bring terror to all who look at it. As long as they keep eye contact with their prey, they cannot move unless it moves to strike.
Armored Camouflage: It is often hard to take down these beasts as it is to find them due to them being able to blend in with the desert or rocks around them with their scales being as strong as armor that even a sword would have trouble piercing.

Genetics and Reproduction

Basilisks produce by laying eggs which a male and female need, which takes around a month for a clutch of twenty eggs to be laid and nine months finally hatch. The eggs are buried to keep them warm and protect them from predators and the elements, with the mother staying near the nest to regulate heat and protect them from predators.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once a young Basilisk is born, it is the size of a small lizard for the first two years of its life and will begin to grow large later on, fully grown by the age of six. During that time, they will develop their sight and sense of smell. Along with growth, a series of plates go from its back to the tail, gaining more body weight and longer legs.

Ecology and Habitats

Basilisks make their homes in deserts arid area where they can stay warm and wander their areas in search of food. They often will dig holes or find burrows and rock formations to rest or hide to prepare an ambush. They can also control their body heat with their boney plates on their back that can retain and expel heat to avoid overheating.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Basilisks are the very definition of carnivorous as they solely eat meat, often staying hidden to ambush, respecting prey before striking and going for the kill. If they do not kill their prey straight away, their venom will finish the job; they have been known to eat their prey alive if they are small enough to swallow whole. But carcasses are also on the menu for these predators, and meat is meat, after all; the same goes for eggs. Even large animals, several times in size, are no match for them if they hunt together, eating everything and leaving pellets of bone and whatever else they cannot digest.

Biological Cycle

Over time a Basaslisk will shed its scales in patches to grow and have healthier scales. They can also eat away at their body fat to feed themselves when food is scarce and can go without eating for three months due to their slow digestive tract. Their nostrils can also collect moisture in the air to stay hydrated when water is hard to find.

Behaviour

Every creature is considered food and will not hesitate to eat them. However, if any larger predators appear, they will camouflage themselves to hide from them. If they cannot hide, they will run as fast as they can, even being able to throw up whatever is in their stomach to lose weight to gain more speed.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Basilisks have been known to live alone but are often seen with others of their kind tolerating. They have been known to hunt together to take down larger prey. But it has a strong hierarchy, with the largest being able to eat first before the rest. They also tend to slam into each other to assert their dominace or mating rights to avoid injuries to one another. However, they have been known for cannibalizing their young when they have yet to grow large enough to fend for themselves.

Domestication

Basilisks at a young age can be trained by their handlers and remember them, so they don't eat them since they feed them. They can also learn to follow commands such as vibrations to help them understand what to do. However, they fill only follow them as long as food is involved.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Many people go after a Basilisk for its venom being used as a lethal poison that assassins can use to kill their targets that very few people can cure in time. Their hides and eyes are also valued as trophies to prove the skill of a hunter in killing one, but their hides can also be used as armor due to how thick they can be in deflecting weapons. Their eggs are also valued as a delicacy or can be used to hatch and train

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Basilisks can only be found in the Eastern lands of the Jantani Desert that make their home.

Average Intelligence

Basilisks can plan ambushes and have good memories of knowing every inch of their territory and where animals are dead or alive just by smell by using their tongue.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Sight: Great
Sound: Poor
Smell: Excellent

Scientific Name

Class: Monstrous

Lifespan

20 - 30 years

Average Height

2 - 4 ft

Average Weight

500 - 700 pounds

Average Length

14 - 19 ft

Average Physique

They are highly muscular, to allow them to move fast as short distances.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Brown scaly skin

Geographic Distribution

• Jantani Desert

Desert Ambushers

You have to have a good eye to see where a Basilisk is hiding out in the sands, but it's essential to tell the disparity because if you get too close to one, then it will be the end of you in a matter of moments - Traveler

Basilisks are known for ambushing prey by hiding and blending in with their surroundings. Despite their large size, their ability to dig and their brown skin color allows them to remain hidden without being seen by the naked eye. They can stay in place for many days without moving a muscle until their prey comes along. With sudden bursts of speed, they can surprise them before delivering the killing blow; if they manage to escape, they will often be bitten and die from the venom.

Territorial Hunters

You can always tell when you enter the territory of a Basilisk, the bones are often the main reason not to go into it. - Desert Nomad

Basilisks are not known to migrate from place to place in search of food. Instead, they wait for the food to come to them. These areas are often rocky and rough that animals often travel through to migrate or near places where water is found. But they soon learn that areas such as these are home to large numbers of Basilisks that make a home here, often never leaving it for their entire lives. They use the terrain to ambush their prey to get an easy meal out of anything that comes into their reach.

Armor with Teeth

Most people know better than to go hunting a basilisk unless they know its weaknesses, the main problem is its skin that not even arrows or spears are able to break through. Only those smart enough to get around it can bring down such a worthy opponent. - Professional Hunter

What makes this lizard far more dangerous is the toughness of their scales are like a living armor that does not affect their movement. Making it difficult for most things to pierce it, even metal weapons in some cases as well. Making it have very few animals to hunt or injure it being unable to get through its armor. The only place that seems to not be armored is its face being its mouth, nostrils, and eyes, but its teeth will often tear through anything that gets close before any wounds will ever be inflicted.