SKA [+]

SKA

Rarity ★ | Biped-Serpentine | Level 1

Appearance: Yellow scales with black lines stretched along its spine, SKA is a newly hatched Biped-Serpentine. He is a little bit larger for a newborn of his kine, about the size of small dog despite being mere a day old. But, given that average adult can reach the size of a large cow, SKA still have much room to grow into. Nevertheless, his scales perfectly encapsulate the environment his specie usually found in. The gold and black to fit in with the rotting leaves scattered inside dungeon, or near poorly lit torches. Meanwhile, the white underbelly blends with the grey stone ground.

Personality: SKA is a curious and energetic little fella. Well, curious and energetic for his reptilian kind. He was the first to crack his eggshell. The first of his brothers and sisters to venture from their nest. He loves to explore, given how far he has traveled from his nest. However, the tendency of snakes is still there. SKA is an opportunistic hunter. He can waits for hour for an almost perfect time to strike. In time, he would learned to actively hunt his meal like his parent did. But for now, SKA prefer to hide beneath the rotting leaves and musky waters for a full meal.

Species Historical Examination and Speculation:

The Biped-Serpentine is a very common denizen of large underground dungeon and caverns that dotted the world. But, just because they are common doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.

The adult Biped-Serpentine could reach the size of a cow, with the female usually larger than the male due to sexual dimorphism. Every spring, the male would usually compete for a chance at mating. They do this by displaying the color of their scales, raised their frills, or just outright fight the other competitors. The females would usually select her mates based on the size of the male, his scales, and his ferocity. Unlike normal serpentine, the Biped-Serpentine is one of the few reptilian where the male actively maintain and build their nest. The nest are usually situated inside a cave or some hidden crevices close to a body of water. Then, if the female chose her mating partner, she would lay anywhere from 40 to 60 eggs per time before returning to her territory. Her mate would then inseminate the eggs and guard them for the next eight months.

After eight months, the shells cracked and the infant are ready to be on their own. They must be quick from their brethrens, however, as Biped-Reptilian does display cannibalism from a very young age. If they succeed in escaping their brothers and sisters' jaws, they would spend their first three years subsisting on small preys like rodents, fishes, and occasionally small dog. They hunt through ambushed, relying more on their lethal venom than having chase after prey like their parents. After three years, they reached juvenile. At this stage, they must adapt to the life of an active predator. Ambushing preys are no longer a sustainable way of life. Instead, the Biped-Reptilian hunts anything that they could. This stage is the most punishing for the specie, as roughly half of those that reached this stage slowly starved to death due to inability to adapt. But for those that make it, they would saw a drastic increase in size. From a medium sized dog, they would easily become the size of a bull. After five years of juvenile, the Biped-Reptilian has now reach its adulthood and ready to mate. And a new cycle begin. Birth, grow, mate, die.

The Biped-Reptilian. Some called them Lindworm. Or Lesser Wyrm. Most just called them Biped-Reptilian as they doesn't really exhibit the tendency to hoard treasures, more like just oversized snakes with legs. They have existed along with this world's denizens for a long time. And their existence had proved to be a nuisance if not a threat. They hunt cattle, lost travelers, sometimes posed enough threat to have a local legend scaring the children at night. As such, scholar speculated where they originate from. Some assumed that they originate from some lesser dragons. Most of those people attributed Wyrm or Lindworm to be ancestor of the Biped-Repitilian. Others proposed that they originate when poisonous lizard moved into caves to hide from their terrible cousin. Some historians even proposed they originate from the machinations of some terrible Dark Lords, monsters of some Tyrants from bygone eras...

The theories are everywhere. But most think they are nuisance. They are vulnerable to magic, but their venom make them lethal to farmers' cattle. The adults' quickness and sizes may even warrants aids from a few knights to cull the problem. But, for the most part, the Biped-Reptilian is just that. A problem to the non-professionals, a challenge that begins a hero story, and just one monster that most adventurers had ample experience of.

Abilities:

• Vestige of Lindworm: Unlike its ancestor, the Biped-Serpentine's limbs are in the process of degradation over generations. Comparing with the great Wyrm of ancient, who could bend trees and support the upper half of their bodies with their arms, the Biped-Serpentine arms are much weaker. Their shoulder width are smaller, easier to fit in crevices of dungeon environment that they usually called home. Currently, they still possessed the ability to grab and hold tools with their front limb. However, all lacks the intelligent necessary to use it in any meaningful way.
• Venomous: All Biped-Serpentine are venomous. All possessed lethal dosage enough to kill 20 grown adults (or an elephant).
• Snake's smell: Able to pick up their prey's scent (like most snake)
• Heat pit: Most Biped-Serpent hunt at night or near murky body of water, where they would utilize their heat pit to detect crossing prey before delivering a lethal bite
• Miscellaneous ability: Swimming, climbing, ambushing.

@ExpendableDo let me know if you want anything change. Otherwise, cheer.