Mhane Cobra

The Mhane Cobra is a large venomous snake found across the plains and deserts of Aversia. Despite the venom, these snake s are very timid, and will only strike if they see no other way out, or are trying to kill prey. Otherwise, a startled or frightened snake will simply try to escape whatever it has deemed to be a threat.

On average, the Mhane Cobra is around 9 - 13 feet long, and weighing anywhere from 27 - 36 kilos (60 - 80 lbs), with little visible difference between the males and the females of the species. They will usually live to be around 6 - 8 years, usually reaching maturity in their first years of life.

Mhane Cobras vary in color depending on where they are found. Those found in the plains tend to be green or grey, helping them to blend in with their surrounding. Those in the desert are usually various shades of brown to make them harder to spot against the sand. In both areas, they are largely nocturnal, preferring to hunt in the evening and night.

These snakes, instead of being highly venomous, in fact spit out a highly corrosive acid. This acid can eat through most cloth and burns through skin and muscle quickly, leaving gaping holes in the flesh where it touches. It will not eat at metal.

The scales along their spine end in points that act as slight armor against predators. While the points can't pierce skin, grabbing a snake the wrong way will cause the points to dig in and cause just enough pain to be surprising, and likely make whatever grabbed the snake let it go. The scales can also act as a natural band-aid; when the scales are broken and the animal manages to survive, the scales will seal themselves with a substance that leaks out of the scales themselves. This is to prevent further injury and infection, and give the snake a better chance of healing and recovering.

Distribution

They can be found in the desert region as well as Savannahs, and nowhere else. They prefer to remain closer to water sources, but it's not uncommon to find them even out in the middle of the desert, as a lot of their water comes from their prey. Their range is quite large, however, and they are considered to be very common animals.

Habitat

During the day, they like to sun themselves on rocks, soaking up as much heat to get a much energy as they can so that they can hunt during the night. When a female is about to lay her eggs, she makes a nest hidden away under rocks to keep the eggs and the eventual hatchlings safe. Until the babies have hatched, the mother remains close to the clutch, but they otherwise do not have nests or dens.

Diet

Mhane Cobras eat mice and rats, and other small mammals. If they can catch them, they will also eat birds, and those that live near water sources, they will also feed on fish that they manage to catch.

Relations

These snakes are relatively docile, and have a strong flight instinct. They prefer to flee from danger than attack or bite, as venom takes a lot of energy to make. Despite this, people are still afraid of them, and they are often killed on sight.

Mechanics

• Spits a highly corrosive acid
• Lightly armored with spiked back scales
• Broken scales can seal themselves against infection

Material Properties

• The acid of the Mhane Cobra can be extracted and used as an extremely powerful corrosion material for skin, flesh and bone, as merely a single drop can go almost right through someone's hand in around 3-4 emotes if concentrated.
• Mhane Cobra acid cannot eat through metal.

Alchemical Properties

• When crushed up and mixed with sugar or syrup, the scales of the snake can be used to close minor wounds, forming something akin to an artificial scab. This can help speed up the healing process, and help prevent infection until proper treatment can be given.

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