This installment of the My First Monster Manual blog series is the Nevine Blue Tailed Cockatrice.
Environment: Nevine Forests
Monster Type: Neutral Beast
Color: Green Scales, Yellow Beak, Red Comb and Wattle, Blue Tail Feathers
Features: Scaled Wings and Tail, Sharp Beak and Talons
Abilities: Flight, Petrifying Scratch
Recommended Equipment: Protective Armor
Introduction:
The cockatrice is a small monster combining a scale covered dragon body with the head and feet of a rooster. Although small in size, less than 2 SBL’s tall the cockatrice poses a very large threat. A single scratch from their claws turns the victim to stone. This is similar to a Basilisk’s petrifying gaze. The cockatrice are usually found in groups of 5 or more. A brood of females will often be protecting a clutch of cockatrice chicks and several nests of eggs. The Cockatrice of the Nevine Forest have a signature blue plume of feathers on top of their tails.
Investigation:
In a vale among the Augurim Mountain range is the Nevine Forest. Our rations running low, foraging for food had become essential to our survival. Our extensive research at the Goblin’s Golden Library made it easy to identify the edible plants and avoid the poisonous ones. Also from our research, we expected to find the Nevine Blue Tailed Cockatrice, a monster species native to these forest. We would have ample opportunity to investigate the Cockatrice and a chance to steal some eggs for a more hearty meal. The plan: I would provide a distraction while my assistant climbed through the trees and pilfered eggs from the nests. I wore all the protective armor we had, a thick leather jerkin and padded cloth. I tied branches around my body as an additional barrier making myself appear as large as possible. Finally, we coated the branches with a small amount of the Imperial Terrestrial Snocktopus slime we had collected. The smell was overwhelming; but hopefully, the Cockatrice would be more hesitant to attack me.
Observations:
We found a small brood of the Nevine Blue Tail Cockatrice deep in the forest. Several adults were circling around a clutch of chicks, pecking and eating insects from the forest floor. The nests were high in the trees where my assistant was climbing, branch from branch. I stomped out of the bushes, staying back, but spreading my arms wide. The adult Cockatrice moved to shield the chicks. They lifted their heads and the blue feathers on their tails perked up. Slowly they fanned out, spreading their leathery dragon scale wings. They charged and pulled back. They attempted to intimidate me. The cockatrice has a petrifying scratch, if they do attack, my protective covering should prevent me from turning to stone. I take slow steps backwards waving my arms. Finally, I heard the whistle indicating my assistant had filled his satchel and was climbing away from the nests. I took a few more wide steps backwards. Making sure the Cockatrice weren’t following me, I turned into the forest and escaped.
Conclusion:
The Nevine Blue Tail Cockatrice were beautiful and terrifying to behold up close. At any moment they could have rushed me. I had doubts the makeshift armor would have kept me safe. We dined on fresh fried cockatrice egg that night, a welcome change from the dry rations and berries we’ve eaten for the past few days.
About:
The Nevine Blue Tailed Cockatrice is part of our “My First Monster Manual” blog series where we will feature each of the monsters we are considering for inclusion in our new children’s book. Click here to learn more info on My First Monster Manual.
Artist: Daniel Johnson – squaredmotion.com
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