Fiction:The Firmament/Basilisk

Basilisks are a species of magical beast notable for its petrifying gaze. They are closely related to cockatrices.

Appearance
Basilisks resemble enormous eight-legged lizards with long, serpentine tails. Their scales are generally shades of brown which allow them to camouflage in their native environments, and their eyes glow a soft dull yellow colour. Adult basilisks are roughly the size of a crocodile and weight about as much.

Ecology
Basilisks are most often found in rugged temperate terrain such as plateaus and hills, but can potentially inhabit anywhere with enough food to sustain them.

Society
Basilisks are territorial creatures and generally live solitary lives. However, during the mating season, they congregate to compete over mating rights, and aften a pair of basilisks mate, the couple stays together until the eggs hatch, in which case the father moves on while the mother cares for the young until their petrifying gaze matures. Basilisks tolerate the presence of cockatrices in their vicinity, but have a particular antipathy for weasels, who they attack on sight.

Abilities
Basilisks possess a powerful gaze attack which transforms the victim into stone, after which the basilisk will usually devour them. If forced in melee, they possess a strong bite, sharp claws and a lashing tail to defend themselves. Creatures with power over earth-based magic are resistant, if not immune to a basilisk's gaze, and weasels are also notable for having an immunity to it, despite being mundane animals, which allows them to raid their nests.