View source for Basilisk (4e Monster)

=== Cinder-Eye Basilisk Lore ===

A character knows the following information with a successful skill check.

:'''[[4e Index (4e Other)#Nature skill|Nature]] DC 20:''' Cinder-eyes are a species of basilisk originally native to the [[4e Index (4e Other)#Elemental Chaos|Elemental Chaos]], though they were brought into the world at some unknown time and have lost much of their connection to their home plane. Their gaze can ignite most flammable materials, including living creatures, and even their blood is hot enough to cause severe burns. Those specimens adapted to living in the world have an unusual and crippling mutation: when badly wounded, the basilisk's veins begin spraying blood out of the creature's body with surprising force. While this is effective at warding off predators (few creatures enjoy being doused in searing blood), the basilisk has no means to control it, and may very well die from blood loss as a result. This mutation is thought to be a result of the basilisk's body adapting to the material world without having fully shed its [[4e Index (4e Other)#Elemental|elemental]] nature.

:Because they cannot fully control their fiery abilities, cinder-eyes can be a major hazard to heavily wooded areas and have been known to inadvertently start massive forest fires capable of destroying many miles of natural habitat. Those who make their homes within the wild places of the world (most notably [[4e Index (4e Other)#Eladrin|eladrin]] and [[4e Index (4e Other)#Elf|elves]]) as well as those who view themselves as guardians of nature (such as druids) will often either slay or attempt to relocate any cinder-eyes they encounter to other areas where the basilisk is less likely to cause problems.

:'''[[4e Index (4e Other)#Arcana skill|Arcana]] DC 25:''' Fireguts are a more powerful variety of cinder-eyes that either remained within the Elemental Chaos or, in rare cases, managed to retain their elemental nature even after countless generations of breeding in the natural world. As such, they can be thought of as the purebreds of the species. Because they fully retain their elemental nature, fireguts have greater control over their abilities: they do not suffer the mutation of their lesser kin and instead possess the ability to lob a ball of flaming saliva from their mouth that adheres to the unfortunate victim as it burns into its body. Fireguts are prized as mounts by [[Azer, Variant (4e Race)|azer]] and other elemental races; they are surprisingly easy to train, and as long as they are treated well and regularly fed they become fiercely protective of their handlers (presumably because the firegut recognizes the handler as the source of its food, a commodity that is otherwise scarce within the Elemental Chaos).
Author	Dracomortis +
Identifier	4e Monster +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Title	Basilisk +