Basilisks in fantasy fiction and games

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For the creature of traditional legend and myth, see Basilisk.

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Basilisks in fantasy fiction and games figure in the list of species in fantasy fiction or bestiaries of role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Final Fantasy, or in Tales of Phantasia. A large, snake-like basilisk was also featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and another in the computer game King's Quest VIII: The Mask of Eternity. Some more indirect inspirations include David Langford's short story "comp.basilisk FAQ", about "basilisk images" that kill those who see them, and the deceased Spider-Man villain Basil "Basilisk" Ecks, who was transformed by a mystical jewel into a green-skinned red-eyed man whose eyes could (among other things) transform people into stone.

[edit] Games

In Master of Magic the Basilisk is a mid level creature of Nature. This is outclassed by the much larger Behemoth

In Dungeons & Dragons, the basilisk is clearly distinct from the cockatrice: A basilisk is a large lizard with six legs that can petrify with its gaze, whereas a cockatrice is a small rooster-like beast that petrifies by touch. (The basilisk as a six-legged lizard is also found in the computer game Heroes of Might and Magic III.) World of Warcraft has many different types of basilisks appearing, most of which resemble a 6 legged crocodile.

In the Star Wars game, Knights of the Old Republic, the character Canderous Ordo dictates a story of riding Mandalorian-made Basilisk War Droids during battle. In the sequel, the player actually gets to ride in one during a cutscene.

In Everquest, a Basilisk is a low level monster with the power to temporarily petrify its victim. It is portrayed as a six-legged crocodile, and is currently used as the warder for the Troll Beastlord class.

In the MMORPG RuneScape, a Basilisk is a middle-level monster requiring the special Slayer skill to fight. It can only be fought using a Mirror Shield because its gaze otherwise reduces a character's combat statistics. It is portrayed as a large, green, dinosaur-like lizard. As in many fantasy systems, it is distinct from a Cockatrice which is a lower-level Slayer monster resembling a cockerel.

A few quests in Baldur's Gate involve defeating greater and lesser basilisks. These basilisks can petrify characters.

In the MMORPG Lineage II, a Basilisk is a monster found in the desert. It does not have any special petrification attacks.

In the MMORPG Tibia (computer game) exist tales about a Basilisk existing deep in Kazordoon. It hasn't been found yet.

A Shivan spacecraft classed as "Basilisk" appears in the game Freespace 2.

In the Star Wars universe, Basilisk is the name of an Imperial Star Destroyer.

Several of the Final Fantasy games feature the Basilisk as a monster that can be battled.

In Lufia II for the SNES, a Basilisk can be encoutered as an enemy.

The NES game Dragon Warrior II has a venomous snake called the Basilisk; its HP and EXP are modest but its attack power is unexpectedly high.

In the Xbox game Bloodwake, the Basilisk is a fast, powerful boat that is unlocked by completeing mission 6 on the Captian difficulty level. (You must sink one in this level!)

[edit] Books and miscellaneous fiction

A large, snake-like basilisk was featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, yet in the movie the basilisk was portrayed as a much larger creature than the true mythological character. In the movie the basilisk had yellow eyes that cause death to anyone who looks into them. Spiders flee before it. The cry of a rooster is fatal to it, as in folklore; the assistance of a phoenix is a variation on the original lore.^[1]

The novel 62, modelo para armar (62, model kit) by Julio Cortázar contains many references to the basilisk. This book portrays, among other issues, the theme of psychic vampirism. Here the basilisk is considered to be one of the signs or gateways to a sinister presence, it being Erzsébet Báthory or -more subtly- the character of Hélène.

A basilisk named Tkaa is a prominent character in Tamora Pierce's quartet The Immortals and is mentioned throughout some of the later Tortall books.

Also, there is a Japanese Anime/Manga series called "Basilisk".

In another Japanese Anime/Manga series called Pet Shop of Horrors, there was a pet named Medusa whom could kill with its gaze. It is never directly stated, but it is implied that the animal was a basilisk.

In the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game, the Basilisk is the main heavy artillery vehicle used by the Imperial Guard.