"A case in point is the poisoned-eyed Basilisk and there are many from noble knights to Battle Wizards who have paid the price for ignorance for to meet a Basilisk gaze is death for all living things be they man, elf or monster, and such is its deadliness that even the walking dead and Daemons brought forth from the abyss may be unmade by its venom. Here, as in so many other cases, folklore that may seem no more than empty tales, if anything, carrying only echo of the merest fraction of the monster's true power"
- —From the Prima Monstroum of the Imperial Colleges of Magic
A Basilisk corrupting the world around it
The Basilisk is a huge, eight-legged reptile which prefers to live in warm or underground places. It is a creature of Chaos, originating from the very first Incursions of Chaos, and is now well-established in the Old World, if not common. Basilisks are extremely dangerous beasts, whose gaze can petrify living creatures. The petrifying effect has a range of 10 yards and can affect a single creature at a time. The effect is permanent. In addition to their gaze attack, Basilisks attack with two claws and one bite.[1a][1b]
Overview
Found in the most treacherous regions of the Warhammer world, from the Bloodspine Mountains of the unknown Southlands to the Grey Peaks that shoulder the Empire, Basilik are creatures so inimical to life that they poison the very ground they walk upon. They are a living blight that can swiftly reduce an area to ruinous wasteland, decimating and slaughtering livestock with venom that suffuses both their body and spiirit.[2a]
Despite their might, Basilisks are a reclusive menace, preferring to skulk in the dark the corners of the world, allowing their noxious presence to poison and their prey from far before appearing to feed. their huge bodies are covered by brightly colored scales, from the membranous fins upon their heads to the tip of their long tail, a warning of their venomous nature. They prowl about in eight reptilian legs, and move so swiftly they are able to run down and kill even the quickest of prey.[2a]
In dense terrain they rely on their poisonous aura to clear foiliage that might otherwise obstruct their charge, whilst their long claws finish off prey weakened by the poison they exclude. So powerful is the venom that it infuses the Basilisk very being that when blades are struck, the metal will get corrupted and be destroyed. The most potent weapon in the Basilisk arsenal is their deadly gaze. Renown in folklore across the Old World for its lethal nature, the Basilisk sickly pale eyes are able to focus the destruction potential of their poisonous soul, withering the prey until its skin and flesh slough away.[2a]
Abilities
- Cold Blooded - Due to the creature being cold-blooded, it feels little in the way of emotions such as fear and terror.[2a]
- Aura of Vitriol - A constant aura of corruption surronds the Basilisk, making weapons and living creatures die with exposure to its presense.[2a]
- Maleficent Gaze - With but a glance, this creature can turn even the greatest warriors into blistering skin and metal.[2a]