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Description

NU:AMAM - Neofauna Taxon Classing Guide - www.deviantart.com/djaymasi/ar…

Order - Squamata
Suborder - Draconid Beast
Infraorder - Behemoth
Species - Draco hypnokoatl
————
Length - 178m (583ft)
Weight - 3,240 metric tons
Wingspan - 35.9m (118ft)

Sound concept - youtu.be/Zj7ycJWmc8E

As every bit beautiful as it is deadly the Basilisk is a deluxe evolutionary model of an ambush predator. The real danger of this serpentine monster is it’s ‘eyes’. Transfixed by the hypnotic designs befitted on its hood renders all who gaze upon it converges towards an inexorable demise.

— Grimoire passage from the Tapster

HABITAT RANGE

Basilisks are Draconid Behemoths known to inhabit the majority of Europe & South America inhabiting lush jungles, wooded forests or even the mountainous ranges of Neo Earth. Basilisks have also been located within the Valhallan Archipelagos often staying within range of a favoured block drawn to plentiful prey & inhabitable conditions. Though spending most of their days airborne they do pick & choose these blocks to rest.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Basilisks are apex predators dominating the food web of their respective habitat. As Draconid predators they are opportunistic hunters & will prey on anything that they can overwhelm. Animals like deer & cattle would easily be overpowered without the slightest chance of retaliation where they’d be swallowed whole. Against other Neofauna Basilisks are known to overpower even the most largest & dangerous species like Intulo, Grootslangs, Gnomes & even Ogres. As an aerial predator Basilisks are incredibly skilled to bring down powerful Ziz & winged Aberrants from the skies with great speed & manoeuvrability.

Despite being the top predator that they are Basilisks encounter formidable threats in their environment, and none are more so than the Kamaitachi. Basilisks & Sickle Weasels share a lifelong rivalry that usually ends in a fight to the death. Because of the modified nicotinic acetylcholine receptors present within the Kamaitachi they’re practically one of the fewest living organisms that are immune to the deadly venom of the Basilisk. Both Behemoths would irrefutably battle the moment the two encounter in the wild.

Basilisks are blacklisted as a four skull class threat that only Paladins of red, black or white clearance should only partake in these critical missions. Many Paladins would loose their lives in these harrowing tasks to hunt these winged serpents, however improbable it may be to slay these beasts it isn’t impossible as a few had garnered spoils from their victories.
Basilisks are often hunted for their incredibly rare skin in which are often refined & used to be made into an exquisite fabric used for clothing, interior furnishings & even armour fitting. Talented craftsmen & tailors had been known to reinforce & retain the abilities of the Basilisk by modifying their skin & transforming it into a mantle known as the Spellbinder, a cloak like garment that has been known to daze & mesmerise all who set their eyes on its design. Such a piece of clothing fetches a high price in the black market of any district if available on stock.

BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Basilisks are one of the fewest Behemoths that’s capable of powered flight. Evolved from elapid snakes the membranous skin of the Basilisk is robust as well as being incredibly flexible where the rib bones of the upper half of its body can splay outwards to form wing like structures. Though capable of flight Basilisks are incapable taking off from the ground immediately as their sheer size alone creates drag, encumbering the Behemoth easily tiring it out. In order to lift itself off the ground the Behemoth will climb to the peak of a summit like the side of a cliff side or a skyscraper then propel itself off with sudden spontaneous force & speed.
During flight the hood of the basilisk is capable of rotating & manoeuvring individually to induce or retard vortex formation in addition to the fibre composite bones of the ribs the Behemoth is able to achieve prolonged sustained flight. The top speed of a Basilisk is estimated to be around 72mph/115kph & glide at 46mph/74kph.

The underside of the Basilisks hood contain a mixed plethora of chromatophores, iridophores & leucophores. The chromatophores are under neural control & are elastic in nature via relaxation & contraction. Iridophores are located above the chromatophores in which are responsible for modular reflectivity using plates of crystalline chemochromes. Lastly Leucophores are located beneath both where they act as structural refractors using purines to refract light.
The patterns of the Basilisk is composed of uniform, mottle & disruptive capable of displaying as many as 12-14 different colour patterns, 13 of which are categorised as 7 acute whilst 6 are chronic designs. A famous dynamic pattern is a clouded mottled wavy design in which repeatedly flushes, this particular pattern is known as the Gods eye. This patterning is primarily observed during hunting in which is used to daze & hypnotise potential prey inducing a state of false security. Deimatic displays however are used to startle predators or Paladins.

The venom of a Basilisk contains incredibly powerful cytotoxic & neurotoxic components including extremely potent three-finger toxins. All of which possess cardiotoxic effects produced in anatomical glands known as postorbital venom glands. The Basilisk is capable of delivering 20L of venom in dry weight (20-60L overall) per bite.
The victim of a Basilisk affects the central nervous system resulting as severe pain, vertigo & eventually paralysis however in severe cases are extremely fatal usually where first symptoms are cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, tissue destruction & eventually death.

BEHAVIOUR

Basilisks are opportunistic predators on land as they are in the skies where very little threat is able to actively go out & attack these winged serpents. However despite being at the top these Behemoths would never underestimate the power of prey they’d encounter, making them successful hunters.

Description

NU:AMAM - Neofauna Taxon Classing Guide - www.deviantart.com/djaymasi/ar…

Order - Squamata
Suborder - Draconid Beast
Infraorder - Behemoth
Species - Draco hypnokoatl
————
Length - 178m (583ft)
Weight - 3,240 metric tons
Wingspan - 35.9m (118ft)

Sound concept - youtu.be/Zj7ycJWmc8E

As every bit beautiful as it is deadly the Basilisk is a deluxe evolutionary model of an ambush predator. The real danger of this serpentine monster is it’s ‘eyes’. Transfixed by the hypnotic designs befitted on its hood renders all who gaze upon it converges towards an inexorable demise.

— Grimoire passage from the Tapster

HABITAT RANGE

Basilisks are Draconid Behemoths known to inhabit the majority of Europe & South America inhabiting lush jungles, wooded forests or even the mountainous ranges of Neo Earth. Basilisks have also been located within the Valhallan Archipelagos often staying within range of a favoured block drawn to plentiful prey & inhabitable conditions. Though spending most of their days airborne they do pick & choose these blocks to rest.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Basilisks are apex predators dominating the food web of their respective habitat. As Draconid predators they are opportunistic hunters & will prey on anything that they can overwhelm. Animals like deer & cattle would easily be overpowered without the slightest chance of retaliation where they’d be swallowed whole. Against other Neofauna Basilisks are known to overpower even the most largest & dangerous species like Intulo, Grootslangs, Gnomes & even Ogres. As an aerial predator Basilisks are incredibly skilled to bring down powerful Ziz & winged Aberrants from the skies with great speed & manoeuvrability.

Despite being the top predator that they are Basilisks encounter formidable threats in their environment, and none are more so than the Kamaitachi. Basilisks & Sickle Weasels share a lifelong rivalry that usually ends in a fight to the death. Because of the modified nicotinic acetylcholine receptors present within the Kamaitachi they’re practically one of the fewest living organisms that are immune to the deadly venom of the Basilisk. Both Behemoths would irrefutably battle the moment the two encounter in the wild.

Basilisks are blacklisted as a four skull class threat that only Paladins of red, black or white clearance should only partake in these critical missions. Many Paladins would loose their lives in these harrowing tasks to hunt these winged serpents, however improbable it may be to slay these beasts it isn’t impossible as a few had garnered spoils from their victories.
Basilisks are often hunted for their incredibly rare skin in which are often refined & used to be made into an exquisite fabric used for clothing, interior furnishings & even armour fitting. Talented craftsmen & tailors had been known to reinforce & retain the abilities of the Basilisk by modifying their skin & transforming it into a mantle known as the Spellbinder, a cloak like garment that has been known to daze & mesmerise all who set their eyes on its design. Such a piece of clothing fetches a high price in the black market of any district if available on stock.

BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Basilisks are one of the fewest Behemoths that’s capable of powered flight. Evolved from elapid snakes the membranous skin of the Basilisk is robust as well as being incredibly flexible where the rib bones of the upper half of its body can splay outwards to form wing like structures. Though capable of flight Basilisks are incapable taking off from the ground immediately as their sheer size alone creates drag, encumbering the Behemoth easily tiring it out. In order to lift itself off the ground the Behemoth will climb to the peak of a summit like the side of a cliff side or a skyscraper then propel itself off with sudden spontaneous force & speed.
During flight the hood of the basilisk is capable of rotating & manoeuvring individually to induce or retard vortex formation in addition to the fibre composite bones of the ribs the Behemoth is able to achieve prolonged sustained flight. The top speed of a Basilisk is estimated to be around 72mph/115kph & glide at 46mph/74kph.

The underside of the Basilisks hood contain a mixed plethora of chromatophores, iridophores & leucophores. The chromatophores are under neural control & are elastic in nature via relaxation & contraction. Iridophores are located above the chromatophores in which are responsible for modular reflectivity using plates of crystalline chemochromes. Lastly Leucophores are located beneath both where they act as structural refractors using purines to refract light.
The patterns of the Basilisk is composed of uniform, mottle & disruptive capable of displaying as many as 12-14 different colour patterns, 13 of which are categorised as 7 acute whilst 6 are chronic designs. A famous dynamic pattern is a clouded mottled wavy design in which repeatedly flushes, this particular pattern is known as the Gods eye. This patterning is primarily observed during hunting in which is used to daze & hypnotise potential prey inducing a state of false security. Deimatic displays however are used to startle predators or Paladins.

The venom of a Basilisk contains incredibly powerful cytotoxic & neurotoxic components including extremely potent three-finger toxins. All of which possess cardiotoxic effects produced in anatomical glands known as postorbital venom glands. The Basilisk is capable of delivering 20L of venom in dry weight (20-60L overall) per bite.
The victim of a Basilisk affects the central nervous system resulting as severe pain, vertigo & eventually paralysis however in severe cases are extremely fatal usually where first symptoms are cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, tissue destruction & eventually death.

BEHAVIOUR

Basilisks are opportunistic predators on land as they are in the skies where very little threat is able to actively go out & attack these winged serpents. However despite being at the top these Behemoths would never underestimate the power of prey they’d encounter, making them successful hunters.