King cobra

Easily the most feared denizens of the Savannah of Qetesh's Rock are the King Cobra. Possessing a horrid temperament and highly corrosive neurotoxic venom, this fierce and deadly snake has claimed the lives of many safari-going adventurers.

Description

Standing at full height, this beast can look a grown human in the eye. Its frightening long, curved fangs extend approximately three inches from its maw and drip with venom. When the King Cobra rears into attack posture, the large membrane under its head spreads like a hood as it hisses loudly. Possessing dark, beady eyes, the typical king cobra weighs over 100 pounds and reaches a length of over five feet. They are easily identified by their large, flaring hood and swirling marks on their backs.

Biology

Among snakes, King Cobras may be singled out as having a particularly nasty neurotoxic and acidic venom. The King Cobra can spray its venom from a distance of about 8 feet, causing skin to bubble and burn and great pain. The venom of cobras also acts powerfully on the nervous system, freezing the muscles temporarily and giving the beast the chance to strike a stationary target.

Behavior

Highly aggressive, the King Cobra will also attack on sight. The favorite tactic of the King Cobra is to lie in wait among the tall grasses of the Savannah. When their prey happens by, the snake lashes out with blinding speed, quickly striking by either biting and injecting their foul poison into the bloodstream or spitting the corrosive acid-like venom onto the skin of the hapless victim. King Cobras are carnivorous and will eat whatever happens by, including birds, fish, frogs, lizards and such mammals as rabbits and rats, gnomes, dwarves and even humans. Often, snakes swallow their prey alive. However, the King Cobra generally waits for its venom to kill their prey before they devour it.

Habitat/Society

King Cobras are solitary creatures and prefer to hunt and live alone. It is assumed that they have a mating season in which males and females will seek each other out to copulate, but this has not been recorded. It is presumed that procreation for King Cobras is a violent and deadly process. King Cobras are indigenous to Qetesh's Rock, preferring the tropical heat rather than the milder, more temperate climate of the Kingdom of Sable.

Submitter

Tychaios

See also

• Bestiary