Swavain basilisk

Swavain basilisk
A Swavain basilisk, as depicted in the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 300.
Biological Information
Type	Monstrosity
Parent race	Basilisk
Alignment	Unaligned
Vision	Darkvision 60ft
Movement	15ft., Swim 40ft.
Diet	Lithocarnivorous
Physical Characteristics
Size	Huge
Average length	25 feet
Skin color	Yellow
Eye color	White
Distinctions	Petrifying oil
Sociocultural Information
Planes	Material Plane (Exandria)
Locations	Swavain Islands, Lucidian Ocean, Menagerie Coast

The Swavain basilisk is a type of sea serpent, related to common basilisks, that is found in the Swavain Islands and elsewhere in the ocean around Wildemount. Rather than petrifying creatures with its gaze, Swavain basilisks excrete an oil which is capable of turning creatures to stone. Swavain basilisks often hunt and nest near shipwrecks.

Description

Swavain basilisks are long, thin sea serpents, which commonly grow to lengths of 25 feet from snout to tail. They are fast-moving in the water, and prefer to ensnare prey in a constricting grapple before turning them into stone with their oily excretion. Petrified prey sinks to the ocean floor, where the basilisk feeds at its leisure, the devoured bits returning to flesh once consumed.

Greater Restoration and willowshade oil can reverse the petrification effect. If processed properly under the supervision of an experienced alchemist, the basilisk's oil itself can also have the same effect.

Abilities

• Immune to poison damage and the poison effect
• Amphibious. The basilisk can breathe air and water.
• Petrifying Secretions. A creature must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if it hits the basilisk with a weapon attack while within 5 feet of it or if it starts its turn grappled by the basilisk. Unless the save succeeds, the creature magically begins to turn to stone and is restrained, and it must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified.

Actions:

• Multiattack. The basilisk makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail.
• Bite. Melee attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3d6 + 3 piercing damage plus 3d6 poison damage.
• Tail. Melee attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 3 bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12).

Trivia

• In "Titles and Tattoos" (2x84), Pumat Sol asked the Mighty Nein to obtain for him a vial of Swavain basilisk oil. The party did not complete this quest before the end of the campaign, but Veth apologized for not having any when they returned from the Swavain Islands.

References

Art: