Prologue (3k)
Chapter One: Designing Beasts (61k)
Chapter Two: New Rules for Familiars (2k)
Chapter Three: Familiars and Saga Development (42k)
Chapter Four: Popular Familiars (103k)
Chapter Five: Quadrapeda (84k)
Chapter Six: Birds (84k)
Chapter Seven: Serpents (62k)
Chapter Eight: Worms (9k)
Chapter Nine: Fish (13k)
Appendix One: Humans as Familiars (12k)
Appendix Two: Familiars of the Realms (70k)
Appendix Three: Forms, Effects and Sizes (11k)
Bibliography (6k)
Mystical History of SerpentkindSnakes have been associated with magicians since ancient times. The best-known was the python of the Delphic Oracle, which served the Old One Apollo. Persistent rumour indicates the Guernicii have found the bones of this creature, and use it to provide oracles. The Druids would sometimes use snakes in their rituals, which led to a brief fashion of weasel and civet familiars amongst the Flambeau during the Schism War. The most popular familiar snake is the regal Scytalus, although various types of constrictor are also popular. The Merinitans have by far the most snakes as familiars of any house in the Order. This dates from a time before the Quendalonic Primacy, and is a dying tradition, but serpent motifs appear on the most ancient of the artefacts left by their Founder. Oddly it's known that Merinita's familiar, the first designed under Bonisagian theory, was a white stag, so why this symbol should have so powerfully impressed the young Merinita is unknown. It's possible that Merinita's master had a serpent as "familiar". Some believe that the special significance of the serpent in Merinita lore is a secret lost to the Mendalusian tradition within the House of Bjornaer, which may be true. Some few posit that a Mendalusian Quaesitor delivered the bones of the Pythia to Magvillius during the Year of Orphans, and that this relic was the cause of the serpent-fascination of the early Merinitans. |
Reptiles are schemers. They lack, in most cases, the passions of the hot-blooded creatures, although they are sometimes cruel and aloof, due to the coldness of their natures. Some few serpents develop a cause, which heats their blood and gives them purpose. These are the best familiars, while simultaneously being the most dangerous to charm.
When playing a reptile, it's best to divide the world into three categories "Those things that will get me what I want", "Those things which will hinder me" and "those things I will ignore as of no consequence". Exploit your tools, destroy your enemies, ignore everyone else. This is the herpetological way.
Snakes are not herd animals. They have a great deal of difficulty empathising with the rules that allow humans to live together harmoniously. Few of them are troubled by consciences.
The following quirks can be transferred to magi along the familiar bonds.
Female-magi with adders as companions rarely take apprentices. Many are scared of the sight of a naked man, so they seldom seek their beds. Those that do will sometimes feel the need to bite off the head of their lover during the act. Occasionally they will bite off some other extremity instead.
Many of these virtues or flaws can be traded for using the Cord Virtues found in the Familiars section.
You love to kill things. Animals will do most of the time, but every so often you get an itching, nagging sensation in the back of your mind that makes you want to kill a human being. The longer you resist your compulsion, the stronger it becomes, until one day you finally snap and murder someone.
When near a naked man, you can do nothing but be horrified and flee. This is a Divine Curse upon Serpentkind in reparation for the Temptation of Eve.
The feel of rope upon your hide is irritating to you, and you will not enter a campsite completely surrounded by it.
You magus is terrified of having sexual intercourse, either because they have a subconscious fear that their partner will tear their head off, or that they will become pregnant and have their belly gnawed out by tiny snakes. Those things that remind you strongly of intercourse or childbirth cause you distress, so you shun them. It is, in some cases, still possible for you to have an Apprentice, since the age that children were considered "adults" in parts of Europe was far lower than it is in the modern day, but your Apprentice might have the "Old" flaw, to show that you chose to err on the side of caution in your selection.
You have so much venom in you that, to make space for water, before drinking you must vomit up your poison. In some species the venom sack itself is spat out, and can be stolen.
Even as asps prevent themselves from hearing music by placing one side of the head to the ground and plugging the other ear with their tail, so you too try valiantly to ignore those bits of your environment that might distract you from your purpose. This makes it difficult for you to admit you are in error once you have proposed a course of action, but, unlike the "Overconfident" flaw, you do not infect others with your mistaken beliefs. Take the personality trait "Stubborn" at +3.
You are a cream-fiend, and cannot get enough milk. If you must, you will suck cows dry for that white delight. Farmers like you not at all.
When listening to music, you let the world slip away.
Your poison acts like a magical potion. The value of the virtue is one tenth the level the spell effect that it imitates.
Examples:
You have two tiny horns on your head that you can use as bait to lure prey into ambushes. Change your Ferocity score to "(from ambush) 3"
You can hawk a gobbet of poison a dozen yards. It does no damage unless it hits an open wound, an eye, or the target's mouth, unless you have magical poison.
You do not slow down due to cold temperatures. This virtue gives no benefit against ice-related magic, but you are not harmed by naturally low temperatures, as other reptiles would be.
Some bestiaries have great shaggy creatures with legs as serpents. You are one of these, and might pass, in poor light, for a cat, dog, or fox.
You can crawl through a crack in a wall and be reborn, shedding your skin in the process. Magi who trade for this virtue using bond qualities will find that Twilight takes them eventually, if age cannot, and that they become far more snakelike with each use of this power.
The lesser serpents all use variants of the same skill package. Each has:
This leaves each serpent with many spare points, which intelligent ones usually spend on mystical lores.
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A great deal of nonsense is written, by the uneducated, about
the dragon. Let it be entirely clear then what a Dragon is and
is not. Those vast creatures which so many call dragons, which
are winged and breathe flame, are not dragons at all. I shall
describe the dragon, both true and false, in this section.
The true dragon is a creature of Ethiopia and India, for it is cold-blooded and prefers a warmer climate. It lives in caves and lacks either wings or legs. It has a crest upon its brow and a little mouth. When it emerges from its lair the air is shaken as if by thunder. It has a weak bite and lacks any poison, so it hunts using its long, flexible body. The dragon slakes itself upon the cool blood of the elephant. The creature lies along the paths which elephants travel toward watering places so that it may catch hold of their legs. Once it has caught an elephant the dragon swiftly wraps its coils about the unfortunate creature's torso, crushing out its life and sucking out its blood The dragon also hunts smaller prey, dispatching it with even greater swiftness. |
Fredrica's notes are correct in that the creature called "Draco" by the Romans and discussed by bestiarists had few of the characteristics of the modern dragon. It was a serpent, for example, not a quadruped, so it lacked legs. Since roleplayers would find it difficult to cease calling the heraldic dragon by that name, the true dragon, in this supplement, is given the name, "dracotam", from which the Latin "draco" derives, and dragon is used as a general term for large scaly monsters. The sources used in the preparation of this book offered dractom or drakön as the Greek name for this beast, and dracotam was selected since it differed more from "dragon".
The Substances of DragonkindThe bodies of dragons provide, aside from vis, many useful substances which a skilled mage may exploit. The bones of some dragons are a type of magical iron that holds magic better even than gold. The teeth of one dragon were sown and sprouted as warriors. The blood of some dragons is an acid which can eat away almost anything, while in others it is a potion which cures illness, transferring the regenerative properties of the dragon to the human. As an aphrodisiac for men, there is much to be said in favour of dragon's blood. It must be noted that each dragon's body has differing properties, and so much research is necessary before its parts can be used most productively. The most valuable part of the dragon is the ammonite, a stone found in its head. If worn against the skin it protects against death. If taken from a dead dragon it prevents the wearer dying of wounds or poison, while if taken from a live dragon it prevents them dying by any means whatsoever. Know, fellow magi, that I have an ammonite. This may appear strange, but you must recall that I spent much time in Ireland and ammonites are found there outside the heads of dragons. Understand that when Patricius drove the serpents from Hibernia, some who refused to flee were instead turned into stone. These serpents all lack heads, so local peasants carve heads upon them and sell them to pilgrims. Through a great deal of effort I managed to find an ammonite that is virtuous. Upon my passing it shall become my contribution to the regalia of the Primus of Mercere. |
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Characteristics: Cun: +2, Per: +2, Pre: +4, Com: -1, Str: +2,
Stm: +3, Dex: +5, Qik: +2
Virtues: Shakes the Air: Shaking the air is a form of territorial display among dracotams. They use it when threatened, much as other serpents use hiss-and-spit displays. Characters confronted by the thunderous dracotam must make a Brave roll of (9 + the difference of Sizes) or flee. Dracotams use this ability only at the beginning of combat, or in pauses during which it cannot use its other abilities. Size: +5 Personality Traits: Destructive +3
Weapon (Bite): Init: +9, Atk: +2, Dfn: -2, Dam: +3
*This damage is constrictive. After the first successful attack the character is encoiled by the serpent's body and must soak damage each round. Non-rigid armour does not defend against constricting damage. Characters may escape these coils with a strength roll of 15+ or by killing the creature. The dragon may only encoil two new victims per round, one at its head and the other with its tail,, but may continue to crush up to a dozen human-sized victims while doing so. If several victims are struggling to free themselves for the dragon's coils their combined effort makes it easier for some to escape. When rolling to free yourself, add one to your roll for every other victim that, during the same round, is struggling to escape, or has escaped. To escape in this way requires the use of both hands. Soak: +6 Fatigue: +2 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3/, -5/-5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, 0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3, -5/-5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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Vis: The corpse of this beast may contain up to 10 pawns of Animal vis, but does so only rarely. Some dracotam are entirely natural creatures. Many have an ammonite in their foreheads, which contains 3 pawns of Corpus vis.
This is a mundane dracotam, but many have accidental virtues such as magic resistance, regenerative flesh and ostodermic plates. These creatures should be designed on a case-by-case basis.
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Since the term "Dragon" is used by the uneducated it
is not surprising that it is used badly. Several separate classes
of creature are called by this name, because they are superficially
similar. This is folly, since it inhibits careful consideration
of these creatures.
Essentially the dragons can be divided into three types. Two other creatures, which are often mistaken for dragons, can also be deliniated. The dracotam is the true dragon, and I have described it already. A closely related creature is the Norse Wyrm. Norse wyrms are of Faerie origin and are not truly worms. Worms crawl and lack spines. The Norse wyrms have backbones and move by the friction of their scales, so they are serpents. The last class of dragon is the Norse dreki, the drake, which is not a serpent, but is a sort of gigantic lizard, usually winged. Many magi use "drake" to mean "comparatively small, yet still gigantic lizard, which probably flies and breathes fire." This definition has no taxonomic or historical merit. So few magi ever see a drake that it is impossible for them to know its comparative size. "Dragon" then, is the name of a class of creature. This class can be divided into types. In this sense "dragon" is to "dracotam", "Norse wyrm" and "drake" as "weasel" is to "ferret", "polecat" and "ermine". There are two other classes of creature that are sometimes, mistakenly, considered to be part of this class, the great worm and the hydra. Great worms are not truly serpents, as the Norse wyrms are, for they lack a spine and move not by a twisting of the scales but by an inching and arching, as a caterpillar does. I shall discuss these worms later, with their lesser brethren. Great Worms are no more dragons than giant earthworms or enormous leeches. It is clear that those ancient authors who discussed hydrae did not refer to the multi-headed serpents which we often call by that name today. They refereed to great polyps, a little like the octopus, but grown huge and perhaps altered by the powers of magic or faerie. This alteration is seen in many other species. It is easy to believe that Scylla was a very large squid when we recall the Hibernian Troit Boar, a faerie pig so large that it dug great dikes across the island and swam to Britain. I shall discuss true Hydrae with the other fishes. False hydrae are simply large serpents with many heads, a sort of dracotam. |
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The ormr, or wyrms, of the North are fearsome foes, much like
the true dragon, the dracotam, but larger and more filled with
magical potency. Three are discussed in detail by Northmen.
Truly they are serpents, not worms, since they have spines and
slither, as serpents do. The first is Jormungandr. a creature
so large it encircles the world, like an osouborous. The second
is Nidhoggor, which gnaws at the root of a tree that the Norse
claim links our world to that of the Fae. The last, Fafnir, was
a dwarf whose greed turned him into a dragon. He was slain by
a hero, Sigurd, who lay in a ditch to attack his vulnerable underbelly.
Note that one is the child of Loki, the next in the realm of
Fae and the last a dwarf, a dark elf.
It may be said, then that the orm is not a creature of this world, like the dracotam, but is instead a Fae beast. This has interesting implications for Seekers, who attempt to link the Norse gods to the history of magic which we have inherited from the Egyptians. Loki, Thor and such may not be Old Ones at all, but may instead be the rulers of a distant Faerie realm, potent Pagan gods, who withdrew with the other Pagan divinities, but did not follow the Old Ones into their seclusion. Long has the Order feared the cold North, but it might be useful for the Merinita to consider these distant fae. The heart of a Norseworm gives wisdom to those that consume it, allowing them to understand, among other things, the conversations of animals and birds. |
Sashali, the Venomous Riddler (Ars Magica page 250) is a modified Orm.
To generate a minor Orm, use Dracotam statistics and add 30 points of Faerie might, the Power "Regenerates (CrAn20), 1 point" which returns one Body level per turn and vis. There is one Norse creature, Firedrake, who deserves special mention, as he is not a Norse wyrm. Firedrake, whom Beowulf and Wiglaf kill, is a dwarf whose covetice has twisted him into dragon shape. He hoards treasure and breathes flame. He is a drake, as his name suggests, but, unlike those described below, he is aligned aligned to the Faerie realm.
Ammonites are not usually found in Norse wyrms, but if present are worth 3 pawns of Corpus vis. Other vis may be found in the skin, teeth, flesh, blood, or heart of these creatures. That found in the heart is usually of the Intelligo type, and if the heart is consumed it grants wisdom of a type selected by the storyguide. That found in the body and blood may either be of the Creo or Perdo types, since dragon's parts sometimes become a medicine after the creature dies. Vis found in the plates or teeth is usually Creo or Rego. The total amount of vis present should be around 20 pawns.
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The Drake, the Norse dreki, is a terrible lizard, which is winged
and has legs upon which to walk, and claws, with which it fights.
Many drakes have the ability to breathe fire. These are creatures
aligned with the Magical realm, and closely linked with the mysterious
Old Ones.
Many scholars feel that the ancientmost drakes were servants or pets of the Old Ones; as dogs are to us, so drakes were to them. Others feel that perhaps the Old Ones and Drakes did contest for the world, but each withdrew, after some truce or agreement, into magical places. Still others speculate that when the ancient home of the Old Ones was destroyed that they took the form of drakes to flee the encroaching floods, and that modern drakes are the descendants of the old ones in these lesser bodies. All agree that the oldest of drakes remember the time of the Old Ones, but they are difficult to communicate with and seem reluctant to give information even when dialogue takes place. Some magi use the term "drake" to mean "little dragon". As many consider these misshapen and smaller drakes to be the younger generation of their kind, it may be that exile from the care of the Old Ones is sickening the drakes. A more happy possibility is that they develop to full size only over centuries and go through a period of awkward ugliness, much like humans do, before reaching the height of their powers. |
Although drakes are similar to each other, they are as individual as magi. It is impossible to present statistics for them as a race, in the same way that statistics for griffins, for example, have been. There is no "average" dragon. The Great Wyrm of the Pyrenesse is really a Drake, since it has wings and, more importantly, it has feet. "Wyrms", the Norse ormr, crawl on their bellies, but many Europeans use these words interchangeably.
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Characteristics: Cun: +4, Per: +2, Pre: +5, Com: +3, Str: +15,
Stm: +13, Dex: -2, Qik: -3
Magic Might: 60 Virtues and Powers: Terrible Visage: (non-magical) This beast is so horrifying that Brave rolls of 12+ are required, each round, to attack it. A roll of 6 or less indicates that the victim is frozen with fear until one of their Brave rolls exceeds 12. Poisonous Spray: (non-magical) The Worm can spray its saliva on any small group or individual within 15 paces. Targets may avoid this attack either by leaping out of the way (Athletics of 10+) or by hiding behind something (a shield, for example, which requires a Shield and Weapon roll of 10+). The worm cannot spray venom and use its other attacks in the same combat round. Spitting venom costs the Worm two Fatigue levels. Flight: (non-magical) While the beast is flying it is difficult to strike with melee weapons. The gusts from the downbeat of its wings create a booming, rolling roar, which terrifies animals. Those within twenty paces of the Worm are buffeted by these winds and must make a Strength+Athletics+Perfect Balance of 12+ each round to remain standing. Even if successful, their combat rolls, apart from soak, suffer a -3 penalty. Magi attempting to cast spells within this sphere must make an Intelligence + Concentration roll of 6+ Regeneration (CrAn 45, 0 points) - Unless dead this creature completely heals two Body levels worth of damage each round. Scream (PeCo/He/An/Te 40, 10 points) - The scream of the worm is like a very powerful Hex, able to cause disasters throughout the region in which it is audible. In the past it has caused earthquakes, mass miscarriages amongst animals and people, terrible storms and dreadful famines. Size: +9 Personality Traits: Energetic -2, Destructive +5
Weapon (Claws): Init: +11, Atk: +8, Dfn: -4, Dam: +30
*Any target successfully bitten is poisoned by the Worm's saliva. They must make a Stm roll of 12+ or die instantly. Even those overcoming the poison lose two body levels as it burns through their circulatory system. This damage is in addition to the chomping damage they take from the worm's teeth. This poison corrodes armour, shields, weapons and other equipment, unless they are protected magically. **Any target struck by this creature's tail is knocked over unless a Str + Size roll of 15+ is made. Soak: +25 Fatigue: +10 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3/-3, -5/-5/-5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, 0/0/0/0, -1/-1/-1, -3/-3/-3, -5/-5/-5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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Vis: The corpse of this beast contains 40 pawns of Perdo vis. Its heart contains 20 pawns of Creo vis, and if consumed entirely will cure all ills, including decrepitude and the affects of ageing. If shared the heart will not cure decrepitude or ageing, but will cure other forms of sickness. The scales of the dragon are almost irremovable, and are nigh-indestructible. If they could be taken and fashioned into armour it would make its wearer almost impervious to normal weapons (+20 protection, minimum).
The Flambeau magi have a running competition to see who can bind the familiar with the greatest destructive potential. The record-holder is Pitsdim of Calebais, who was able to familiarise a pony-sized drake. Igack was first described in "The Broken Covenant of Calebais", a supplement released twice (for the first two editions of Ars Magica). This version of Igack is derived from the second edition, but has been fleshed out slightly.
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Characteristics: Int: +1, Per: 0, Pre: +2, Com: -1, Str: +5, Stm:
+5, Dex: +1, Qik: -1
Magic Might: 38 Power: Dominate Animals (ReAn25,0 points) - Can give an animal a silent order which it carries out up to a month later. This power is only level 25 when overcoming magic resistance, or when being dispelled. Replicating this power using Hermetic magic requires at least an eighth magnitude spell. Fiery Breath (CrIg17, 0 points) - Can breathe flame 3 times per day. This is treated as a missile weapon, not a spell. Combat statistics for Igack's flaming breath are given with his other weapons. Bond Qualities: Is still attached to the ghost of his dead master in some fashion. Pitsdim can spend 5 Might to allow Igack's breath to hit three people for double damage, or 10 points to allow his breath to hit six people for double damage. Size: +1 Personality Traits: Trusting 3, Pyromaniacal 2
Weapon (Claws): Init: +4, Atk: +5, Dfn: +3, Dam: +12
Soak: +15 Fatigue: +2 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3/-3, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3/-3, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
Poor Igack was invented before Ferocity was, and his description provides no clues. Tailor him to suit your campiagn. |
Vis: 6 pawns, Ignem.
Lesser serpents: TerminologySome of the playtesters found the terms used for lesser serpents confusing and had difficulty matching the creatures described here to those in bestiaries found on the Web. This is because the meanings of many of our names for lesser serpents have changed over time and because the illustrators of bestiaries ignored the text, in many cases, when drawing serpents. The term "serpent" means anything that moves by friction of its scales. Although the artists in bestiaries often portrayed some of the serpents described below as having wings and feet, this is considered artistic whimsy, unless the accompanying text mentions either of these characteristics. Many authors of bestiaries make quite clear that reptiles can be divided into serpents, which slither, lizards, which walk, and fish, which swim. If it has legs, regardless of how poisonous it is, it isn't a serpent. Salamanders, for example, are lizards. As another example, despite the fact that many authors state that the amphisbaena rolls like a hoop, the most popular drawings of it all seem to contain both feet and wings, so that it looks like a sort of scaly, double headed bird. Eventually this creativity on the part of illustrators changes the contents of bestiaries, as later writers try to explain what these odd creatures are. The cockatrice, a scaly rooster, develops from the poorly-drawn basilisk. The winged and legged dragon takes the place of the earlier, python-like dragon. A "lesser serpent" is a serpent that is not a dragon. In Greek and Latin there are distinct terms for the two classes of animal (ophis and drako-n, serpens and draco). In English there isn't a similar divison, since, in Norse languages, there is little distinction made between worms and snakes, and little distinction between snakes and crawling dragons. The term "snake" is used in modern English to refer to lesser serpents generally. In some bestiaries this isn't the case. "Serpent" is the general and snakes are a particular type of serpent. It appears, to the author of this book, as if the general characteristics of serpents have sometimes been divided off and treated as a separate creature. I've chosen to keep snakes as a subsection of serpents. In some bestiaries every single serpent, like every single eagle, can make itself young again. Keeping snakes as a rare subset of serpentkind limits the availability of the Rejuvenation virtue. |
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The Amphisbaena has a head at both ends. Many draw this creature
with one neck seized in the mouth of the other head, forming a
hoop, but I doubt that this is accurate for the creature. I have
heard that "the body forms a circle, following both heads",
which may mean that both heads slither, the middle trailing behind,
rather than rolling.
This is the first snake to come out of hibernation, and it suffers the frost, hunting even in the cold, unlike other serpents. It feeds upon ants and, if divided in half, merges together again. This serpent has many medicinal qualities, the two main ones being that, worn, the serpent provides healthy pregnancy, if alive, or a cure for rheumatism if dead. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: +1, Pre: +2, Com: -1, Str: +1,
Stm: +1, Dex: +1, Qik: +1
Magic Might: 10 Size: -1 Free Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: The poison of the Amphisbaena is weak, and requires a roll of 6+ to prevent the loss of a body level on any successful bite. If both heads strike the same victim at the same time the two toxins magnify each other and each must be resisted with a roll of 10+ Regenerates: If killed with a single blow, the creature is assumed to have been divided in half, a condition from which it quickly regenerates. Weapon (Bite): Init: +5, Atk: +5, Dfn: +5, Dam: +5* *Also damages with poison (two separate attacks) Soak: -2 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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Vis: 2 pawns Animal, heads.
There are many kinds of asp, this being the name for snakes who bite and whose poison then travels through the body. All asps have the peculiarity that if they notice a snake charmer, but do not wish to be drawn from their burrows, they place one ear to the ground and stopper the other with their tails, so that the music may not entice them. Many have poison so potent that it steams out of their mouths, so that they travel with jaws agape. As with all serpents, they are cold, and so are lazy at night, and nest during the winter. The poison of a serpent is also cold, and is less dangerous at night, although the heat of the body quickly warms it, in most cases, into a dangerous potency.
| The ypnalis's venom brings death, but first pleasant sleep. Cleopatra bought this creature to her breast, once all her hopes were dashed to pieces. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: +1, Pre: +2, Com: -2, Str: -2,
Stm: 0, Dex: +1, Qik: +2
Size: -2 Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: The poison of asps varies by type. The ypnalis's venom mirrors the effects of "Scent of Peaceful Slumber", (Stamina roll of 9+ each round to remain conscious) except that once the victim is asleep, they continue to make Stamina rolls each round, losing a body level with each failure, until they die. Personality Traits: Cruel +1 Weapon (Bite): Init: +6, Atk: +5, Dfn: +6, Dam: +2 Soak: 0 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1, -5, Incapacitated
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| There are two snakes named "dispa" one in the Latin and the other in Greek. That which the Greeks call dispa is the Latin "situla". Those bitten by the situla die of thirst. Those bitten by the dispa do not feel the bite and are dead so rapidly that they feel no pain, and so often seem merely to be sleeping, or to have died of trouble of the heart. The dispa, of either variety, is a tiny little asp, and so is difficult to notice. Redcaps carry little pieces of enchanted rope in those areas where they are common, to dissuade their approach. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: +1, Pre: -3, Com: -1, Str: -3,
Stm: 0, Dex: +1, Qik: +1
Magic Might: 10 Size: -4 Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: Requires a Stamina roll of 12+ to avoid death (dispa) or (situla) as PeAq20 Curse of the Desert, but if the character fails to Soak the damage from the venom, they need to attempt the Soak again after one minute. They continue to attempt the Soak roll, at minute intervals, until they are successful or die. Some Dispa have a more powerful venom (PeAq (Co) 30, 3 points: destroys all fluid in a human body.) Weapon (Bite): Init: +4, Atk: +3, Dfn: +7, Dam: -3 (and poison) Soak: -4 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, Incapacitated Abilities:
Power: Latin dispa: PeIm(Co) 5: Painless bite, 1 point. An injury for which a magic point has been paid by the dispa causes no pain and does not bleed. |
Vis: 3 pawns Perdo, in body.
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This snake buries itself in the earth, leaving only the horn-like
lumps upon its head showing above the ground. With these it lures
prey into striking range. The ancients clearly record that the
cerastes is harmless to men, but I mention it as it inconveniences
magi and familiars on some occasions when they travel in Egypt.
The cerastes enjoys warmth, as all serpents do, and so will sometimes
bask, hidden, on roads. Should a horse trod near them, in alarm
they strike at the back of the hooves, which can cause animals
to shy and magus to be thrown.
The cerastes is more flexible than other serpents, because it lacks a spine. It is, however, still a true serpent, because it moves by the friction of its scales, not by the wriggling of a worm. |
The cerastes uses the asp statistics given under the ypnalis entry, but they are not poisonous to humans, Dex of 5 and Qik of 6.
| The emorrosis is an asp whose poison causes the veins to split open and the blood to pour out inside the body. The victim dies by sweating out their blood. |
The emorrosis uses ypnalis statistics, save for its poison. Each day a character must make a Stamina roll of 9+ or sweat out one body level of blood. The venom remains in the character's system for a month, and if they have not died in that time, they will survive.
| The prester's venom is so toxic that it goes about with it steaming from its open mouth. Those bitten by a prester suffer terribly, as their body swells up. At death, the body immediately putrefies. |
The prester has the statistics for asps found under the entry for ypnalii, but its venom requires a Stamina roll of 12+ to avoid death. If the character is killed by the prester's bite their body immediately enters an advanced state of decay, much of the flesh liquefying, away from the bones.
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The basilisk is half a foot long and is spotted white. It is
born of the egg laid by a cock in the seventh year of its life,
during the ascension of Sirius. This is warmed in a dunghill,
or by a toad It lives in dry climates, most notably the desert
of Lybia, which it helped create. It is the little king of things
which creep. His scent will kill those who inhale it, and the
basilisk's glare is fatal. It can breathe flame, and catches
birds with its charring breath. It can kill by hissing, before
it strikes. The saliva of a basilisk causes rabies. When it
touches a well or pool it poisons it so that those who come after
it are stuck with hydrophobic fits. The basilisk is filled with
venom and its blood may damage the weapons used upon it, or crawl
up the spears of hunters to wound them.
The weasel is the enemy of the basilisk and can murder it. The crow of a cock is fatal to the basilisk, and so redcaps travelling in Lybia are advised to travel with one. A mirror, also, may kill a basilisk. |
It is suggested basilisks not be player characters.
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Characteristics: Cun: -2, Per: +2 , Pre: -1, Com: -2, Str:
-1, Stm: -1, Dex: -1, Qik: +1
Magic Might: 20 Size: -2 Free Virtues and Flaws: Penetrating magic: The Basilisk has a penetration score of 15. Personality Traits: Merciful -4 Weapon: None Defence: +9 Soak: -2 Fatigue: +2 Fatigue Levels: OK, -3, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -3, Incapacitated Abilities:
Powers: Death Glance: PeCo/He/An 30, 1 point. The glance of the basilisk is deadly. A target whom the basilisk can see, and which it wishes to kill, must make a Stamina roll of 10+ or die. Should they survive this roll, they still lose two body levels, which is usually enough to fell the small birds on which the creature feeds. Poisonous Touch: PeCo25, 1 point. The touch of the basilisk is as deadly as it's glance. Some basilisks lie on their backs and spit at birds that pass overhead, so that the birds die and fall into the predator's mouth. These basilisks often have the Keen Sight virtue. A basilisk of this type kills all that it touches, leaving blackened ground along its trails of predation, and fouling the watercourses from which it drinks. The basilisk's venom may retain its potency for years. |
Vis: 12 pawns Perdo, body.
| The boas is a very heavy snake found only in Italy. It ambushes herds of sheep and cattle, fastening itself to their udders and sucking them dry. It kills oxen, drawing blood instead of milk from them. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: 0, Pre: +3, Com: -2, Str: +2, Stm:
0, Dex: -1, Qik: -1
Size: +1 Personality Traits: Enjoys milk +3
Weapon (Bite): Init: +3, Atk: +6, Dfn: +4, Dam: +5*
*The boas doesn't bite sheep or cows it is milking. **The boas does not crush animals to death, by preference, although it will try and suffocate them into unconciousness. Soak: +2 Fatigue: +4 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1/-1, -3/-3, -5, Incapacitated
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| These snakes, called javelins, perch in high places and ambush their prey by throwing themselves upon it. |
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Characteristics: Cun: +2, Per: +2, Pre: -2, Com: -2, Str: +1,
Stm: +1, Dex: +3, Qik: +4
Size: -2 Virtues and Flaws: Leaping: The Javelin snake can spring up to ten paces, ending with a strike if it so wishes. If not leaping, its Init and Atk scores are each reduced by two points. Weapon (Bite): Init: +8, Atk: +7, Dfn: +8, Dam: +5 Soak: +1 Fatigue: +1 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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| The idrus is a water-serpent that preys upon the Nile crocodile. Seeing a crocodile asleep with jaws agape the crafty idrus lubricates itself with mud and slides into the crocodile's mouth. The beast awakens and swallows this snake, but then dies as the creature eats out its intestines, escaping either through the anus or by chewing through the the crocodile's abdominal wall. Some claim that the idrus, called the hydros in Greek, is multiheaded, as the Serpent of Lerna. We know, however, that this is not the case. |
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Characteristics: Cun: +1, Per: +1, Pre: -2, Com: 0, Str: +1, Stm:
0, Dex: +1, Qik: +2
Size: -1 Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: The venom of the hydrus is weak, requiring a Stamina roll of 9+ to avoid the loss of one body level due to painful swelling of the struck limb. Cow dung applied to this injury draws out the venom, so idriatic swelling is often called the "ox-sickness" by those who dwell on the banks of the Nile. Weapon (Bite): Init: +6, Atk: +5, Dfn: +6, Dam: +11 Soak: +1 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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The scitalis is a gorgeous animal, much prized by Hermetic magi
for the many uses to which its scales can be put. It is a slow
and lazy beast, but has the fortune of a fascinating display of
flashy scales, which so entrance their prey that it stands still,
even when being bitten and poisoned. Familiar scitalii, having
intelligence, can use these scales and the whispered sound of
their augmented voices to enchant to purposes other than immobility.
The scitalis is so hot that it remains active, if such can be said of the scitalis at any time, during the winter. These burning scales, which have fire in them, retain their beauty, if not their charm, once they are removed from the dead creature and I have seen them lining the cloaks of some Tyaltus magi, especially those who wish to cause consternation amongst the Flambeau, who rightly prize this sluggard. |
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Modifiers: Cun: +2, Per: +2, Pre: +5, Com: -2, Str: -1, Stm:
0, Dex: -1, Qik: -2
Magic Might: 15 Size: -1 Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: Requires a Stamina roll of 9+ to avoid the loss of two Body levels. Personality Traits: Lazy +3 Weapon (Bite): Init: +1, Atk: +2, Dfn: 0, Dam: +2 (and poison) Soak: +2 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -1, -3, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
Powers: Gleaming Scales of Impeccable Beauty: MuIm 25, 0 points. Those who may see the scitalis must make an Int roll of 13+ to summon the determination to take any action, including defend themselves from the creature's attack. Faeries are immune to the lure of the scitalis, as, at the storyguide's discretion, are some creatures with Might scores. |
Vis: 6 pawns Imaginem or Ignem, at the choice of the extracting magus, scales.
| The sepus is a little snake whose poison is so noxious that it consumes the body entirely, dissolving even the bones. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: +1, Pre: -3, Com: -2, Str: -2,
Stm: 0, Dex: +1, Qik: +1
Magic Might: 10 Size: -3 Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: Requires a Stamina roll of 13+ to avoid death, although successful resistance still costs two Body levels. If the character dies, their corpse dissolves. Weapon (Bite): Init: +4, Atk: +3, Dfn: +6, Dam: -2 (and poison) Soak: -2 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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The siren is a white, winged serpent found in Arabia. It flies
faster than a horse can gallop, and its bite kills before the
victim can feel any pain. It nests, in great numbers, in the
tree from which frankincense is harvested. The Arabs, who collect
this igredient of incense and perfume, burn storax to drive the
flocks of snakes away. Note that some claim these snakes come
in many colours, but I have only seen white ones. These sources
also claim the wings of these snakes are bat-like, and yet those
I have seen have feathered wings. It is likely that my, far more
beautiful, version, was generated magically in the East and is
not a true siren.
The female siren catches the throat of the male as they mate, and as their passion increases,so does the firmness of her grip. At the moment of praxis, the female severes the head of the male. In turn, her children murder her, chewing their way out through her vitals. The siren is therefore probably a flying form of adder or viper, for other snakes do not act so. Great flocks of sirens attempt to invade Egypt each year, but they are met and slain, in the narrow mountain pass that separates Egypt, by flocks of ibises, for which this bird is venerated by the people whom they incidentally save. In the markets around this area, one may buy these snakes cheaply, and this has for many years been a source of vis for the House of Mercere. This vis has certain unusual qualities, the most significant being that it assists magic which opposes other magic. |
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Characteristics: Cun: 0, Per: +1, Pre: +2, Com: -1, Str: -2, Stm:
0, Dex: +2, Qik: +3
Magic Might: 10 Size: -3 Free Virtues and Flaws: Poisonous: Requires a Stamina roll of 12+ to avoid death, although successful resistance still costs two Body levels. The pain of this bite is felt only after the poison has taken effect. Weapon (Bite): Init: +7, Atk: +5, Dfn: +9, Dam: -1 (and poison) Soak: -2 Fatigue: 0 Fatigue Levels: OK, -5, Unconscious Body Levels: OK, -5, Incapacitated Abilities:
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Vis: 1 pawn Perdo, body.
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The snake has the peculiarity that once it has grown feeble it
may renew its youth. To do this it fasts for a long time, so
that its skin hangs loose about it, then struggles through a narrow
crack in a wall, shredding its old skin, revealing a younger one
underneath
...Snakes cannot drink without first leaving their poison in a pit, lest they swallow it themselves. This poison pouch can be stolen and used by others... ...Snakes, it is said, may not attack naked men, but it is so difficult to tell a snake from an asp that this protection is perhaps worse than useless. |
Snakes use Asp statistics, lacking any special poison. They have the Rejuvenation virtue, and you should consult your storyguide before generating one.
| The viper is an accursed creature, that dies whenever it reproduces. The male releases its semen by placing its head in the mouth of the female who, in a fit of passion, bites it off. When she gives birth the female is killed as her offspring chew their way out of her womb. To avoid this the female viper often seduces eels, who may give her pleasure, but not quicken her with children. She crawls along the seashore, hissing to attract male eels, whose heads she consumes in her usual fashion. |
In bestiaries vipers are separated from asps so that they can be given more detailled treatment. No mention is given of them being poisonous, which is what makes a serpent an asp, but the reader may have been expected to understand that this was the case. Use the statistics for ypnalii, but alter the venom to suit your scenario.
The distinguishing feature from which vipers derive their name is death during childbirth. The Siren, described above, is probably a flying viper. Mundane vipers do not die during childbirth.