Rock Basilisks are one of the more cunning predators of the Valley of Fire. They were described in the journal of the great explorer Tangerine Menalo as “a creature up to eight steps long, of the same coloration as the red rock of the Valley of Fire with sharply jagged features, camouflaging perfectly with the sharp terrain in which it lives.” Menalo also says “the mouth of the Rock Basilisk is of a bright yellow and it emits a most unpleasant scream before making a kill.”
The male Rock Basilisk has a hooded frill around its neck that is also brightly colored. It is unknown if the female Rock Basilisk has the same frill. Rock Basilisks have never been tamed or captured, but for those who have killed the Rock Basilisk, the hide is of tremendous value. There are presently two Rock Basilisk hides in Plen, in the Kingdom of Mar, as a part of the Royal Treasury display. One of the hides is the Rock Basilisk mentioned in the Ballad of Grindor Trunch. The properties of the hide are most unique, with overlapping scales forming an almost impenetrable barrier but coupled with an absorption property, allowing Rock Basilisks to receive severe blows with minimal damage. The absorption property present in the hide is thought to be similar to the “stone armor” enchantment used by blacksmithing mages. See “Ballad of Grindor of Trunch,” and “Rock Basilisk Hide.”
Royal Archives Volume 451, Kingdom of Mar, “Rock Basilisk,” by Royal Historian Gregus Sandburr
