[Animal Lore] Rare Snakes

[JuniperSelkie 241]

Stumbling across the journal of an explorer.

There are two entries, regarding rare breeds of snakes.


The Sky Viper
Sky vipers, though they are more closely related to the common adder, are a unique breed of snake, dwelling in
forests and jungles. This peculiar snake has wings that allow it to fly short distances, and permit excellent gliding.

Using its body to climb trees, its favored method of targetting prey is dive-bombing animals, using its fangs to attack.

The poison of the Sky Viper is usually non-fatal to descendants, but smaller creatures, including halflings, will want to avoid
these serpents. The Sky Viper’s strange venom actually serves as a risky cure for a variety of other venomous creatures
bites, especially spiders and other snakes. The Viper uses its climbing, gliding, and flying abilities in order to avoid its
predators. The venom of the Sky Viper is similar to that of the adder. This causing swelling, pain, nausea, confusion, and in
higher concentrations or smaller creatures, death. The average sky viper has scales in shades of blue, green, black,
and brown, and lives roughly ten years. They usually target birds and rodents, and other small animals. Though they are vicious little
creatures when provoked. They generally will not bother anything larger than themselves unless they feel threatened. One can tame a Sky
Viper, if they are persistent, as the creature is often hungry. While closely related to common adders, the Sky Viper does not play well
with other animals, and is often solitary. When close to a person, however, they have been known to act as living scarves, draping
themselves over the person they have bonded with. Wood Elves especially have had a history of taming these creatures,

given the fact that their venom is a valuable ingredient in anti-venoms and antidotes.

The Butterfly Cobra
The Butterfly Cobra is another curious creature native to forests, though it also stalks meadows.

Much like a normal snake, it moves about stealthily.

But the brightly colored scales that are revealed when it flares its hood are designed to attract attention to the facial region,

allowing the serpent to wield its hypnotic abilities,

lulling its targets to sleep so that it can kill and digest them at leisure. The hypnotic abilities of the Butterfly Cobra are actually based on magic.

The butterfly cobra eliminates its prey by using its needle-like fangs in order to inject its venom into the body while it sleeps.

Being a patient creature, it simply waits for the prey to die.

However, its venom can also be spit at a target, to ward off predators that would otherwise overwhelm the beast.

The venom of a Butterfly Cobra, if spat into the eyes of an enemy, can cause extreme pain and blindness.

Within the body, however, it can cause respiratory failure, leading to death.

The butterfly cobra is usually scaled in earthen tones, dull colors that help it blend as it moves close to the ground.

But the inner folds of its hood is a wondrous spectrum, shimmering in all manner of colors.

Butterfly Cobras will go after large rodents mainly, and then slumber for several days digesting them.

The Butterfly Cobra is more likely to flee from a confrontation, unless it has blinded its opponent with its venom.

A Butterfly cobra is unexpected to live beyond fifteen years.

Despite its patient nature and natural camouflage, the Butterfly Cobra prefers to live in groups,

and they will sometimes take down larger creatures together before retreating to their den with their prize.

Its largely timid nature has made it difficult to tame, but it is possible, though it is usually kept as a pet for its looks.

For a time, the High elves were fond of their bright colors and elegance.
 

Edited December 17, 2017 by Briar_Ophiuchus
Requested

[Man of Respect 5435]

IT'S BROKEN EVERYTHING IS BROKEN

 

[Gladuos 857]

How does the butterfly cobra hypnotize someone to sleep? If these two creatures are relatively mundane you should've submitted them into the creature index instead of making a full lore post. Just a friendly tip.

[JuniperSelkie 241]

Sorry about the formatting issues, btw. I've been told its a forum issue. Also, whoopsies. Didn't know I could just drop this in the creature index. Also also, updated the lore to explain that the Butterfly Cobra's hypnotic ability is in fact based on magic

[BonesOfTheEarth 1599]

should have credited the art

 

Cool lil' guys, probably shouldnt have spooky magic abilities

[JuniperSelkie 241]

14 hours ago, Fury_Fire said:

should have credited the art

 

Cool lil' guys, probably shouldnt have spooky magic abilities

0

Upvote

 

I actually only searched for "butterfly cobra" and "flying snake". So I'm not sure about the art. I can try to track down the creators, if you think I should.

[GodEmperorFlam 3447]

-snip-

 

Moved to the Denied Forums. Reasoning is on the duplicate post.