Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Iron_Chef" data-source="post: 1209964" data-attributes="member: 4530">WERESNAKE(KING COBRA, ANACONDA)Climate/Terrain Warm Humid Lands (India andSoutheast Asia / South and CentralAmerica)Frequency Very RareOrganization SolitaryActivity Cycle AnyDiet CarnivoreIntelligence HighTreasure Nil              King Cobra    AnacondaAlignment Lawful Evil or Neutral EvilNo. Appearing 1/1Armor Class 4/3Movement 15, Sw 15/6, Sw 18Hit Dice 5/7+2THAC0 15/13No. of Attacks 1 or 2Damage/Attack 1d6 (bite) 1d8 (bite) / 2d6+2(constriction)Special Attacks poison/constrictionSpecial Defenses +1 or ivory/+1 or silver orhardwood to hitMagic Resistance N/A N/ASize M/Min snake form L (12-18')/L (25-30')Morale 13/12XP Value 650/1,400Were-King CobraKing cobras have three forms: human, snake,and a hybrid between the two. In snakeformthey appear as a typical king cobra,covered with black scales fading to ayellowish underbelly. They measure from12 to 18 feet long, but are never more thana half foot wide. As a normal king cobra, the were-kingcobra has a “hood” that extends from around its throat.The back of the hood has the familiar eyespot pattern of atypical king cobra. If threatened the creature flattens outits neck ribs, spreading the hood wide. When preparingto attack, the were-king cobra can rear up to a third of itsbody length, making it as tall as a man. The snake’srearing height is important, as it bites by attackingforward and down, so it cannot attack anything above thatheight. The king cobra has half-inch long fangs thatinject one of the deadliest poisons in nature, known tohave killed elephants in half an hour.In human form, were-king cobras appear entirelyhuman, and are able to blend into the community aroundthem. A few features stand out about were-king cobras.For one, they lack most body hair; except for the hairgrowing on their scalp, were-king cobras are hairless.Other noticeable characteristics are their height andweight: Were-king cobras are usually taller than theaverage human, though not abnormally so. They range inheight from 5’11” to 6’4” for males, and 5’8” to 6’2” forfemales. They are also more slender than humans, neverweighting more than 150 lbs. for males or 110 forfemales.In the were-king cobra’s third or hybrid form, blackscales cover the creature’s body. Its torso stretcheslonger and thinner, until the creature stands 8 feet tall. A3-foot tail grows from the creature’s lower back, and itshair disappears under the newly formed scales on its head.As scales cover the were-king cobra’s head the vertebrain its neck form a hood, larger but otherwise similar to theone in its snake form. Its tongue becomes forked anddoubles in length.CombatWere-king cobras try to avoid direct confrontations,preferring to attack by surprise. When stalking preywere-king cobras move through the undergrowth insilence, approaching to within a few feet of their preybefore striking. The utter silence with which the werekingcobra moves imposes a -4 penalty to its opponents’surprise rolls.The were-king cobra is able to inject a deadly poisoninto its prey with its half-inch long fangs. A victim of the were-king cobra’s bite must save vs. poison with a -4penalty or die in 6+1d4 rounds. If the die roll of a humanvictim’s saving throw indicates failure, but fall within 4points of the number needed for success, the victim willnot die, though he may wish he had. Instead, his body isracked with tremors and pain. The victim soon fallscomatose, bedridden with a high fever and chills for aweek, but will then mysteriously recover. Unknown tothe victim, he has contracted lycanthropy from the biteand will transform into a were-king cobra as describedbelow.While in snake or hybrid form, hereditary andmaledictive were-king cobras can use a mesmerizingdance called the “Dance of the Cobra.” All those within60 feet who watch the snake’s hypnotic dance must savevs. paralysis or be enthralled (as per the spell) for 1d6rounds after the dance ends. Some were-king cobras havemastered the dance enough to inflict a -2 penalty to thevictim’s saving throw.Only weapons made of ivory or imbued with at leasta +1 magical enchantment can harm were-king cobras.Contrary to popular belief, were-king cobras are notmesmerized by pipe music. However, the sound doesmake them lethargic. If a were-king cobra hears the pipemusic of a snake-charmer for 5 consecutive rounds, it willbe affected as if by a slow spell. Typically, a hereditaryor maledictive were-king cobra will simply flee at thesound of such music, returning at a later time when itsprey is unaware.Habitat/SocietyIn the Demiplane of Dread, were-king cobras are nativesof the domain of Sri Raji. There they live on the outskirtsof the two smaller cities of Pakat and Tvashsti. A fewlive as hermits in the jungle itself, but most prefer to livenear the communities of man to feed off livestock and theoccasionally human. Most attempt to remain unnoticedby the domain lord, Arijani, and his cult of Kali, whomthey fear. Occasionally a were-king cobra will join one ofthe other evil cults in Sri Raji, such as Shiva, but nonehave ever joined the Dark Sisters that serve Arijani. Suchwere-king cobras can advance as priests up to 8th level. Afew of those were-king cobras living near the city ofTvashsti have gained access to that city’s large university.These creatures have taken up the study of magic andbecome wizards. Were-king cobras can advance aswizards up to 10th level.EcologyAn infected were-king cobra transforms for one weekfollowing the summer and winter solstice and the springand fall equinox. During this time the were-king cobramust eat the equivalent of a large human child, thoughthey can and do eat larger prey. The were-king cobraswallows its prey whole after using its poisonous bite.Once it does so, the infected were-king cobra is typicallylethargic for ten days following the meal. The affectedwere-king cobra acts as if under the affects of a slowspell. This lethargy continues even after it returns to itshuman form.Hereditary and maledictive were-king cobras alsosuffer from lethargy after feeding, but they recover afteronly five days. Such were-king cobras need only feedonce per month, though they often eat small meals whilein human form to maintain their disguise.Were-king cobras hunt a variety of prey large andsmall, including humans. However, for some unknownreason, were-king cobras will not attack cattle for anyreason.Gothic EarthOn Gothic Earth, were-king cobras are solitary, and donot form communities of their own, instead living in smallcommunities in rural India and throughout Indochina.They prefer to live in villages near rivers or bodies ofwater, but travel to large cities on occasion. Were-kingcobra are excellent swimmers and typically hunt theirprey near the water’s edge. If anything goes wrong in itsattack, the were-king cobra uses the water to escape.Most were-king cobras are Lawful Evil, though 5%of them are Lawful Neutral. Were-king cobras are veryambitious creatures, and typically pose as the holy man intheir village in an attempt to exert influence in theircommunities. The influence they hold varies from onewere-king cobra to the next, but all promote a respect forsnakes of all kinds. Communities in which were-kingcobras live do not fear snakes and often live safely inclose proximity to many poisonous snakes. Were-kingcobras have no control over normal serpents, however.Another aspect of their status as wise men is they tend tohave a strong connection to the past, and many were-kingcobras have delved deep into the lost secrets of theancients to discover adept magic. Such were-king cobrascan advance as adepts up to 7th level.Occasionally, a were-king cobra’s ambition brings itto one of the large cities in southeast Asia to conductsome nefarious plot. Though this is rare, it is suspectedthat at least two were-king cobras have gained mid-levelpositions in the British colonial government of India._____________________Were-AnacondaWere-anacondas have two forms, that of a human and of agigantic snake. In human form, they are indistinguishablefrom the native inhabitants of South and Central America,with brown skin and dark hair.In snake form, were-anacondas grow from 25 to 30feet in length. Their width can be as much as 15 inches.Their coloration varies from one creature to the next, buta broken pattern of shades of blacks and browns aretypical. Despite its large size, the appearance of a wereanacondain snake-form is not abnormal as normalanacondas occasionally grow to the same length. A wereanaconda’seyes have slit pupils in both human and snakeform, though this is only slightly noticeable while human.CombatWere-anacondas avoid combat unless in snake-form.They attack by dropping on their prey from above, orlashing out vertically at a target. The were-anaconda’snatural abilities for stalking prey gives it the equivalent ofthe Hunting proficiency. The were-anaconda’s naturalcamouflage and stealth grant it a base score of 16 in thisskill, and they use this ability to gain surprise on theirprey, both animal and human.Once the were-anaconda strikes its prey, it constrictsaround the victim’s torso, automatically causingconstruction damage each round. A were-anaconda islong enough to be able to constrict up to two adulthumans at one time. Freeing a victim from the snake’sconstriction requires a combined Strength of 60 points.Anyone attacking a were-anaconda while it constricts avictim has a 20% change of hitting the victim instead.Though rarely used, the bite of a were-anaconda caninflect its prey with lycanthropy. For each point ofdamage inflicted with a bite, there is a 2% chance thevictim contracts the disease.Were-anacondas are only affected by weapons withat least a +1 enchantment, or by those weapons madefrom silver or the hardwood of the mahogany tree, calledcaobo by the locals. Were-anacondas also have anallergy to guava, and cannot stand the smell. A wereanacondawill not close within 20 feet of a guava tree, andwill flee if sprayed with guava juice. The were-anacondawill not return until it has been able to wash off the smell.Habitat/SocietyHereditary were-anacondas are unknown in the knowndomains of Ravenloft, but deceitful and malevolentbeings of the Demiplane are occasionally cursed tobecome were-anacondas. Such maledictive lycanthropescan be of any class.Occasionally a were-anaconda will establish hishome near a small village. In this case, the local villagerstend to accept the were-anaconda’s presence, since itdrives away other large predators that enter its huntinggrounds. At the same time the villagers fear the wereanacondaand may try to placate him with various gifts,including livestock.As mentioned above, were-anacondas kill or driveoff any large predators, including snakes and other wereanacondas,that enter their hunting ground, usually astretch of river one to two miles in length.EcologyBecause were-anacondas rarely use their bite in combat,infected Anacondas are very rare. If an individual doesbecome one of the few inflected were-anacondas, he willtransform into snake form on the first night of each newmoon and remain in that form until the third night of thenew moon. During this time the were-anaconda huntsuntil it has eaten the equivalent of an adult human. Aswith a normal anaconda, it swallows its prey whole. Oncean infected were-anaconda eats it prey, it enters alethargic period, similar to that described above under theKing Cobra. The were-anaconda’s lethargy lasts for sixdays.Hereditary were-anacondas also suffer from lethargyafter feeding, but have developed a way to break out ofthe lethargy if threatened. Hereditary were-anacondascan regurgitate the prey they have swallowed. Thisallows them to shake off the effects of lethargy in a singleround, so better to defend itself against a threat, or toattack and kill more prey that it does not wish to escape.Gothic EarthThe were-anacondas of Gothic Earth have no society oftheir own. The were-anaconda lives a solitary life, awayfrom others of its kind and human settlements. Wereanacondashate large crowds and will never willinglyenter a large town or city. Typically they live as hermitsin the rain forests of Central and South America. Becausethey prefer to hunt in or near water, were-anacondasusually make their homes near the large rivers and floodplains of the rain forests.Maledictive were-anacondas are more common thanone would believe. It seems to be a common curse thataffects native mystics of Central and South America whofall under the attention of the Red Death.</blockquote>

Verification