On Serpents
Snakes were too terrible for the sea, and driven from the waters onto land. They can climb, swim, and squeeze through small cracks all with ease and do, to hunt and torture mankind with their sibilant whispers. From their mouths leaps gouts of horrible flame; their venom is enough to kill a horse. They are terror; all the more when charmed into pots by barbarians and slung by catapult onto the decks of ships.
The Constrictor is the Snake's uncle. Despite its massive size it hides in plain sight via clever camouflage, then coils and crushes any living thing. It will eat when it must but prefers to crush every bone in the body of man, or horse, or cattle and leave it a bag of gelatine along a footpath.
More terrible than all is the Dragon. Its beating wings produce force enough to knock men to the ground, whilst it flies about and wreaks its havoc; its lashing tail strikes to shatter a palisade or, worse still, it works it's tail round a stone tower then hugs till it breaks, all whilst the dragon's head and fore claws rein free; its spit of fire is worse than the flames of 100 Snakes put together, and while it has no venom in its teeth its blood boils with a poison that kills men exposed, and ruins their armour. It is the worst and most terrible creature, reviled by all yet spared for fear of its wrath. Kings give gifts of gold and cattle to placate its fury, but no tribute is enough. Greed-touched sycophants may flock under its wings to be groomed and driven to a bloody grave.
Never trust a Serpent.
SNAKE
HD - 1
AC - Leather
Attacks - 1d6 Venomous Bite; Firebreath
No. Appearing - 2d6
- Firebreath deals damage equal to the Snake's current HP, a Save reduces damage by half.
- Those bitten must Save or die in fevered agony in 1d6 hours.
CONSTRICTOR
HD - 4
AC - Chain
Attacks - 1d6 Bite or 1d6+1 Constriction
No. Appearing - 1d3
- Constrictors use camouflage to ambush surprise prey on a 3-in-6.
- Save or be Coiled by the snake. In subsequent rounds its constriction automatically hits.
DRAGON
HD - 8
AC - Plate
Attacks - 1d6+2 Claw, Tooth, or Tail, or 2d6 Constriction; Firebreath
No. Appearing - 1
- It may coil as a Constrictor and shoot flames as a Snake.
- Man sized creatures subject to its beating wings are knocked about on a failed Save
- Blood spurts out when the dragon is wounded and splashes those near the wound on a 2-in-6. Those struck take 1d6 damage and see their armour eroded.
- 1-in-10 Dragons know the art of Truth-telling and use it for their terrible purpouse.