Winged serpent
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, the winged serpent, also known as a flying snake is a magical beast
. As their name suggests, they resemble small snakes who sport large, gauzy, feathered wings, and hence have the ability to fly. They also have small crests on their heads, and a stingray
-like fan on the end of their tails. They live in jungles.
setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix (1992), and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
s, coconut
s and such by first finding one, and then biting a hole in them. This injects the Winged serpent's corrosive venom and causes the insides of the fruit to liquify. The creature then sucks it out like juice. In addition to eating fruit, winged serpents also mate incessantly.
Winged serpents have an interesting combat method. While their bite with its corrosive venom can do damage, it is rarely enough to do any serious harm, let alone kill an opponent. Instead, winged serpents flap their wings extremely fast, as fast as hummingbird
s do with their wings, and generate static electricity. They then suck this electricity into their mouths, and breathe it, much like the breath weapon of a Blue Dragon, and cause lightning damage. Winged serpents are invulnerable to lightning but vulnerable to fire. The best way to defeat one is to distract it by showing a lavish display of fruit.
Winged serpents are not evil creatures. In fact, they are quite docile. They are sometimes tamed and kept as pets, although rarely, as with the massive amount of fruit they eat they are very expensive. They can be trained to do tricks, and can even act as guardians.
Winged serpents cannot speak, and they are regarded as neutral in alignment.
campaign setting
. There, they are known as Flying snakes, and have leathery, reptile-like wings instead of feathered wings. An evil, bat-like version of them called the Deathfang exists also, and is the mortal enemy of normal Flying snakes.
s.
The creatures are the primary inspiration for the Wind Serpents in the Warcraft universe
.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the winged serpent, also known as a flying snake is a magical beast
Magical beast (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, magical beast is a type of creature, or "creature type". Magical beasts are similar to animals in many ways, but usually have a higher intelligence, and possess supernatural or extraordinary abilities....
. As their name suggests, they resemble small snakes who sport large, gauzy, feathered wings, and hence have the ability to fly. They also have small crests on their heads, and a stingray
Stingray
The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...
-like fan on the end of their tails. They live in jungles.
Publication history
The winged serpent first appeared in second edition for the Al-QadimAl-Qadim
Al-Qadim is an Arabian Nights-themed campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The setting was developed by Jeff Grubb for TSR, Inc., and was first released in 1992. Al-Qadim is set in the land of Zakhara, called the Land of Fate...
setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix (1992), and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).
Characteristics and habits
As said before, winged serpents live in the tropics. They have no permanent lairs, hoard no treasure, and do not take care of their young, so one might presume them to have no cares. This is wrong, as the one thing that a winged serpent does live for is their primary nutrition; fruit. Fruit is the love of a wing serpent's live; they eat it constantly and cannot survive without it. They feast upon mangoMango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
s, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s and such by first finding one, and then biting a hole in them. This injects the Winged serpent's corrosive venom and causes the insides of the fruit to liquify. The creature then sucks it out like juice. In addition to eating fruit, winged serpents also mate incessantly.
Winged serpents have an interesting combat method. While their bite with its corrosive venom can do damage, it is rarely enough to do any serious harm, let alone kill an opponent. Instead, winged serpents flap their wings extremely fast, as fast as hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s do with their wings, and generate static electricity. They then suck this electricity into their mouths, and breathe it, much like the breath weapon of a Blue Dragon, and cause lightning damage. Winged serpents are invulnerable to lightning but vulnerable to fire. The best way to defeat one is to distract it by showing a lavish display of fruit.
Winged serpents are not evil creatures. In fact, they are quite docile. They are sometimes tamed and kept as pets, although rarely, as with the massive amount of fruit they eat they are very expensive. They can be trained to do tricks, and can even act as guardians.
Winged serpents cannot speak, and they are regarded as neutral in alignment.
Winged serpents in the Forgotten Realms
A variation of Winged serpent appears in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
. There, they are known as Flying snakes, and have leathery, reptile-like wings instead of feathered wings. An evil, bat-like version of them called the Deathfang exists also, and is the mortal enemy of normal Flying snakes.
Trivia
Winged serpents are likely associated with or based on couatlCouatl
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the couatl is a large serpentine creature, and in 3rd edition is considered a native outsider.-Publication history:...
s.
The creatures are the primary inspiration for the Wind Serpents in the Warcraft universe
Warcraft Universe
Warcraft is a franchise of video games, novels, and other media originally created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of Four core games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and World of Warcraft...
.