Spine Serpent (World Guide, Monster, Undead) (Patreon)

Spine Serpent

Once thought to be a creature solely of myth, the spine serpent was a creature who’s long forgotten ancient name was sufficient to induce terror even in the hearts of the typically uncaring key’vin’ta. The recent discovery of actual living specimens came as a considerable surprise, not the least of all to the dozen members of the Mashiva Mariners’ University Naked Spelunker’s Club who discovered just why the creatures were so feared. A total of only four specimens were recorded by the unfortunate spelunker’s cameras, living in a bone-filled cavern on the suggestively named Serpent’s Isle, far out in the Southern Ocean of Maria IV, though it is assumed that more must exist elsewhere on the lonely island, and perhaps elsewhere in equally isolated and relatively unexplored locales on the planet.

A spine serpent appears as a long spine with a humanoid sized, dragon-form skull on one end, and a tail tip with four barbs on the other. All four of the observed examples were initially concealing themselves among the bones of their prior victims, where they were virtually undetectable until the moment they floated up out of the piles and slithered through the air toward their selected targets. They seemed capable of moving about with almost arbitrary ease, and were able to snare their first victims before they could react.

A spine serpent attacks by approaching a victim from behind and wrapping her waist and legs within its bony coils. An energy visible only as a deep violet light flares around its tail-tip, which the creature first directs towards its victim’s feet, before aiming it ever-upwards. Her flesh seems to dissolve into nothing at the energy’s touch leaving only bone in its wake. Throughout the process, she remains standing as if she were still whole, though her progressively stripped and separated bones fall to the floor beneath her.

There is no indication that the victims of a spineserpent feel any particular discomfort as they are reduced to a heap of bones on the floor. Observed victims seemed shocked, confused, fascinated, or some combination thereof. There is some indicator that direct observers of a spine serpent are somehow compelled to remain in its presence and watch passively, as all of the spelunkers failed to make any attempt to escape, or even help their snared comrades.

Once each of a spine serpent’s victims is reduced to bones, it gains a new vertebra toward the base of its tail. According to what little is know of the key’vin’ta myth, it is said that the soul of the victim is eternally trapped in this new bone, helping to fuel the creature’s powers and make them more potent as it grows.