Cockatrice

The Cockatrice is a hybrid between a basilisk and a harpy and one of the many sentient species of Mareth.

Both basilisks and harpies live in the High Mountain and although they are sworn enemies the do occasionally interbreed. When that happens, the result is usually a basilisk (which is immediately killed by its harpy mother), sometimes a harpy. But on some rare occasions a cockatrice - a reptile with wings and feathers - is born.

Cockatrice NPCs

The cockatrice is mentioned by Benoit but does not appear anywhere in the game.

Becoming a Cockatrice

It is not possible to transform into a cockatrice.

Related Races

• Basilisk
• Harpy

Location

It's unlikely for a cockatrice to survive even it's first few days, let alone for long enough to grow up. But if some of them have survived, they are almost certainly hiding somewhere in the High Mountain.

Benoit's Description

You ask Benoit what results when basilisks mate with harpies. "Most of ze time? Basilisks," he replies, carefully counting gems with his fingers. "Some of ze time? 'Arpies. But ze arpies feed zeir basilisk children to zeir chicks if ze former do not get away in time, so it works out. Really, we are doing zem and ze world a favour by stealing zeir eggs - if we weren't around ze 'ole world would be drowned in guano by now." Satisfied with the takings, he stows the money away underneath the counter. "Very rarely, you get cockatrices. Now ZEY are weird-looking."

Trivia

• The cockatrice is known from English mythology and the earliest description we know of dates back to the late 12th century. It is usually described and pictured as a two-legged dragon with a rooster's head but the word is also used as an alternative name for the regular basilisk.