Sludge serpent

Very little is known about the origins of this reptilian beast. Only found in the murkiest, dankest, most vile regions of the Sablean Sewers, this snake-like creature appears to feed off of the mire and fetid remains deposited there by unknown persons. Not surprisingly, it is avoided by almost all who journey there, except for the proudest of the King's Scout force...and the Magi of Sable. The Magi have been studying this beast since it's discovery — puzzled by the frequent spoor of powerful magiks near a serpent's lair. The current theory holding prominence in the raging debates in that Guild is that there is, in fact, some unknown and immense magical power source deep below Sable — accounting for not only its prominence in the eyes of the Gods, but the mutations found in this beast. To be specific: the Sludge Serpent appears as an abnormally large snake of approximately 12 feet in length, with 6 of those feet consisting of the normal rear of the serpent, but the front half consisting of 2 heads instead of merely one. Each head moves independently and appears to have a co-operating mind — allowing complete freedom of movement for attack but also coordinating attacks and strategy. This is no dumb brute, but a vicious, calculating beast to be dealt with.

The Serpent is known to fight both conventionally, with its mouths full of long, sharp teeth, and quite unconventionally using the aforementioned teamwork between its heads. A favored attack noted by those who survived involves the Serpent plunging both heads below the slime and muck, then suddenly springing back up to grab both legs of its enemy — dragging the poor sap back underneath the filth. The survivors reported that they struggled free only after receiving several septic wounds, and being well nigh to death by drowning. The other known attack of these creatures has been nicknamed the "frenzy": The Serpent, in a fit of rage, madly flails across the chamber, wounding and smashing everyone unfortunate to be in the room. The result is massive wounds that are worsened by the vile contents of its saliva.

There is usually only one reason for explorers to fight a Sludge Serpent: survival. Known to frequent the more perilous regions of the conduits and pipes, the solitary Serpent is so easily angered by unexpected guests that the unwitting meet Mortis before they may even defend themselves. Strangely, no recorded examination of the corpse of such a beast has detected any reproductive organs on them, further giving credence to the idea that they are, in fact, a mutation of another species. The questions before Sable must be then, what species could this be, what is causing such a large and frequent number of these mutants, and most troubling — why and how are these powerful creatures being driven away from where they spawn? The troubling answer can only be that whatever lives at the spawning grounds for these creatures, be it the original species or some unknown race, the Serpent fears them much more than they fear us...

Submitter

Dynauld

See also

• Bestiary