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A '''Basilisk''' is a mythological creature, always described as reptilian and deadly.  Its name comes from Greek phrase for "little king," and was considered to be lord of all serpents.  The first recorded mention of a basilisk described it as a snake about twelve fingers long (6"-24" long, depending on how you count), and it was so venomous that it would kill plants just by passing by, and it would kill you just by looking at you.  You were supposed to kill it with weasel musk -- I'm not joking.
'' This article is about the creature.  For the [[Imperial Guard]] artillery piece, see [[Basilisk Artillery Gun]].''
 
A '''Basilisk''' is a mythological creature, always described as reptilian and deadly.  Its name comes from Greek phrase for "little king," and was considered to be lord of all serpents.  The first recorded mention of a basilisk described it as a snake about twelve fingers long (6"-24" long, depending on how you orient your finger), and it was so venomous that it would kill plants just by passing by, and it would kill you just by looking at you.  You were supposed to kill it with weasel musk -- I'm not joking.


The modern-day "green basilisk" or "plumed basilisk" is a little lizard that can run across the surface of water like wire-fu ninjas do, or Remo Williams in that movie "American Ninja."
The modern-day "green basilisk" or "plumed basilisk" is a little lizard that can run across the surface of water like wire-fu ninjas do, or Remo Williams in that movie "American Ninja."
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:-Isiah 14:29
:-Isiah 14:29


Because the legendary basilisk was SO FUCKING DEADLY, it was of course used in [[fantasy games]] and used as a name for [[Imperial Guard|whatever vehicle]] [[Imperium|people]] wanted their enemies to be pants-shitting scared of.  Nobody's gonna respect you if your [[Titan|wartitan]] is called "lupis usagi" or a "battle-pig."  Well, unless it was piloted by [[Ork|Orks]], those guys can make anything [[Grimdark|look nasty]].
Somewhere along the way, the basilisk's ability to kill with its gaze was "clarified" to mean that anyone who locked eyes with it would be turned to stone (maybe though conflation with [[Medusa]]'s similar ability), and thus we have the modern image of the basilisk.


== Dungeons & Dragons ==
== Dungeons & Dragons ==
Since a lizard whose mere presence and gaze are deadly makes for a great hazard to [[adventurer]]s, every edition of [[Dungeons & Dragons]] since the beginning has featured basilisks as enemies:


;Original [[D&D]] "Basic" edition:
;Original [[D&D]] "Basic" edition:
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== Basilisk Images ==
== Basilisk Images ==


A "basilisk image" or "medusa phrase" is something that will crash a human brain.  Since it's the "in" thing to think of brains/minds as deterministic machines like computers, the idea of "[[Meme|mindworms]]" and brain hacking gets kicked around.  The term originated from Dave Langford's short story "BLIT", which can be found online at http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm
A "basilisk image" or "[[medusa]] phrase" is something that will crash a human brain, named for the original basilisk's ability to kill with its gaze.  Since it's the "in" thing to think of brains/minds as deterministic machines like computers, the idea of "[[Meme|mindworms]]" and brain hacking gets kicked around.  The term originated from Dave Langford's short story "BLIT", which can be found online at http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm.


Viewing a basilisk image will get your visual/perceptive cortex to parse an idea so fucked up that it puts the viewer into a catatonic state.  These weapons are kept secret for obvious reasons -- depending on your campaign setting, viewing a thumbnail or a selection of a basilisk image could have no effect whatsoever, or it could cause someone to go into seizures.
Viewing a basilisk image will get your visual/perceptive cortex to parse an idea so fucked up that it puts the viewer into a catatonic state.  These weapons are kept secret for obvious reasons -- depending on your campaign setting, viewing a thumbnail or a selection of a basilisk image could have no effect whatsoever, or it could cause someone to go into seizures.
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:''See Also: Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash," and urban legends about the Brown Note, Monty Python sketch about the funniest/deadliest joke in the world.''
:''See Also: Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash," and urban legends about the Brown Note, Monty Python sketch about the funniest/deadliest joke in the world.''


== Warhammer 40,000 ==
[[Image:Basilisk.png|thumb|right|It's almost as fuckawesome as the [[Baneblade|Xbawks hueg killdozer]]]]
The Basilisk is the redoubtable artillery piece of the [[Imperial Guard]]. Your [[Tyranid|numerical superiority]] is therefore irrelevant.
In other words it's a cardboard tank with a fuckhuge gun and some [[Imperial Guard|dudes]] driving it. That's It.
And if they had bayonets they would be [[awesome|fuckawesome]].
Was it mentioned that they have the second longest range of any weapon in the game (36-240 Inches Indirect 0-240 Direct)The ability to lob a shell that can effectively instagib an entire squad a table or two away is simply astounding (you could kill people playing [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle|Fantasy]] on the other table), not to mention utterly pointless in a table-top [[wargame]]. However, if you scale it up to to its full size, you would find that it has ridiculously short range for an artillery cannon.  If its range was more realistic, you would probably be able to kill people playing Fantasy at the opposite end of the street. 
And with the new Codex, you're able to have 9 of these shelltossers. Which basically lets you kill everything and turn it into dead shit... as long as it is 36 inches away from you (indirect minimum range is 36). It will also scare your opponent shitless. Mainly because he will think he's in an [[Apocalypse]] game. Of course with [[Imperial Guard|the guard]].. when AREN'T you in an Apocalypse game? Nine basilisks can quite rapidly turn a map into a moonscape, creating 54-63 pie plates over the course of an ideal 6-7 turn match.  In an actual Apocalypse game, don't be surprised if you are met with thirty or more of these, and believe us when we say that when thirty basilisks start firing at you, your sky is going to start shattering. (Also In Apocalypse the Guard have a nifty trick to turn them into unlimited range vehicle of absolute [[rape]].)
In ''Second Edition'' where it first appeared the Basilisk featured epic levels of [[RAGE|bullshit]] since it rolled a D3 for damage to vehicles even if it ''didn't'' penetrate armour, and since the template usually hit every location on the vehicle it was statistically likely that anything hit by a Basilisk would be crippled or destroyed even if all AP rolls failed. Thanks to the preliminary barrage rule, it also got to fire a battle cannon round (somehow) before the game had actually started.
''' Why A Basilisk is The Best Place To Be In The Whole Goddamn Imperium '''
* You're ten miles from the front lines and whatever [[Grimdark|fanged horrors]] or [[World eaters|berserk]] supersoldiers are invading the [[Imperium]] this week.
* All the [[Commissar|commissars]] (save [[Ciaphas Cain|one]]) are also at the front lines, seeing as that is where the business of executing cowards is most wanting. 
* You're probably in a depopulated area far away from Inquisitorial interest.
* If your regiment is commanded by [[Creed]], you're one of a select few that knows how it is possible to deploy a dozen pieces of mobile artillery inside an impenetrable Ork stronghold.
* You can probably even get away with complaining about the High Lords of Terra and their general not giving a shit, seeing as there are no senior officers, no Inquisitors, and no fucking commiss{{BLAM}}
* You get to fire a MASSIVE fucking gun and blow shit up.
* You're not at risk of being blown up when your commander tells the artillery to shoot right in front of his own troops.
* Canon says you're going to go deaf, but whatever right? Hearing problems are the least [[grimdark]] thing in the entire setting.
* Not just anybody can drive one of these, therefore you are not as expendable as other Guardsmen, and Commissars are less likely to shoot you if you start fleeing (which is frankly what you '''SHOULD''' do if the enemy comes close to your artillery).
===Notable Basilisks===
*[[Commissar Dan|Fluffy]]- The personal attack vehicle/pet of Commissar Dan. Being the retard that he is, he uses the thing as a front line assault tank instead of a full-time artillery piece.
*Basilisk Magnus- A variant of the Basilisk arty-piece fielded by [[Vance Motherfucking Stubbs]], it's like a regular basilisk except can strike targets anywhere within the Imperial Dussala Precinct  base, fires an absurdly powerful Earthshaker shell and has styrofoam for armor. However along with the 100 Baneblades, Stubbs lost the targeting matrix for the thing and so requires a spotter every time it shoots.
{{Template:40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Vehicles]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Roleplaying]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Roleplaying]]

Revision as of 20:36, 12 February 2013

This article is about the creature. For the Imperial Guard artillery piece, see Basilisk Artillery Gun.

A Basilisk is a mythological creature, always described as reptilian and deadly. Its name comes from Greek phrase for "little king," and was considered to be lord of all serpents. The first recorded mention of a basilisk described it as a snake about twelve fingers long (6"-24" long, depending on how you orient your finger), and it was so venomous that it would kill plants just by passing by, and it would kill you just by looking at you. You were supposed to kill it with weasel musk -- I'm not joking.

The modern-day "green basilisk" or "plumed basilisk" is a little lizard that can run across the surface of water like wire-fu ninjas do, or Remo Williams in that movie "American Ninja."

Rejoice not thou, whole Philistia, that the rod of him that struck thee is broken in pieces:
for out of the root of the serpent shall come forth a basilisk, and his seed shall swallow the bird.
-Isiah 14:29

Somewhere along the way, the basilisk's ability to kill with its gaze was "clarified" to mean that anyone who locked eyes with it would be turned to stone (maybe though conflation with Medusa's similar ability), and thus we have the modern image of the basilisk.

Dungeons & Dragons

Since a lizard whose mere presence and gaze are deadly makes for a great hazard to adventurers, every edition of Dungeons & Dragons since the beginning has featured basilisks as enemies:

Original D&D "Basic" edition
Move: 60 feet/turn HitDice: 6+1 ArmorClass: 4 TreasureType: F Alignment: neutral Attacks: 1 bite Damage: d10
A rather small reptilian monster, unintelligent, that turns creatures to stone by its glance or its touch. Saving throws applicable. It can be viewed in a mirror without harm. If it sees its own eyes in a mirror it must make a saving throw or be turned to stone!
D&D 3.5 edition
Medium Magical Beast, 6d10+12 HD, -1 Initiative, 20' speed, AC 16 (-1 Dex, +7 natural), Attacks: +6/+8, bite (1d8+3), SAtks: Petrifying Gaze (range 30', save Fort+Cha DC13 or turn to stone), SDef: Darkvision, low-light vision, Saves: +9 Fort +4 Ref +3 Will, S15 D8 Cn15 I2 W12 Ch12, Skills: +7 Listen +7 Spot +4 Hide in dessert, Feats: Alertness, Blindfight, Great Fort, Env: warn desserts, #encountered: 1 or 3-6, ChallengeRating: 5, Alignment: neutral.
A basilisk relies on its gaze attack, biting only when opponents come within reach. Though it has eight legs, its slow metabolism renders it relatively sluggish, so it does not expend energy unnecessarily. Intruders who flee a basilisk rather than fight can expect, at best, a halfhearted pursuit. These creatures tend to spend most of their time lying in wait for prey, which includes small mammals, birds, reptiles, and similar creatures.
D&D 4e
Large Natural Beast (reptile), L10 Artillery, L12 Soldier.
Basilisks are predatory reptiles that hunt with a deadly gaze attack. They are not malicious creatures, but their gaze makes them widely feared. A small pack of wild basilisks is called a clutch. Like a wolf pack, a clutch coordinates to hunt and its members live together in a communal den. Tamed basilisks can be found among various humanoids. (PHB1, P26)
Basilisk Lore: A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.
DC 15: Basilisks are strangely evolved drakes. As such, they can be domesticated and trained.
DC 20: The venom-eye basilisk's poisonous gaze is empowered by the beast's spirit. The creature itself isn't venomous; consequently, the venom can't be captured and used for other purposes.
DC 25: A stone-eye basilisk's jaws are so strong that it can chew up and devour creatures it has petrified with its gaze.

Basilisk Images

A "basilisk image" or "medusa phrase" is something that will crash a human brain, named for the original basilisk's ability to kill with its gaze. Since it's the "in" thing to think of brains/minds as deterministic machines like computers, the idea of "mindworms" and brain hacking gets kicked around. The term originated from Dave Langford's short story "BLIT", which can be found online at http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm.

Viewing a basilisk image will get your visual/perceptive cortex to parse an idea so fucked up that it puts the viewer into a catatonic state. These weapons are kept secret for obvious reasons -- depending on your campaign setting, viewing a thumbnail or a selection of a basilisk image could have no effect whatsoever, or it could cause someone to go into seizures.

See Also: Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash," and urban legends about the Brown Note, Monty Python sketch about the funniest/deadliest joke in the world.
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