Creature Feature: The Cockatrice!

It's amazing I have never included a cockatrice in any of my games as it is such a

wonderfully silly creature. Digging into the legend and folklore, I quickly discovered there
isn’t a lot to go on. The name is a French translation of the Greek word ‘basilisk’, and for a
time, the terms ‘cockatrice’ and ‘basilisk’ were interchangeable, which would explain why
both creatures have a stoney gaze. While it can’t be said for certain, it is probably the name
itself that caused the creature to become more associated with chickens and thus drift away
from the basilisk in appearance. While the term cockatrice has been used by Shakespeare and
other poets, I couldn’t find any stories about the creature.
I first encountered the cockatrice in Dungeons & Dragons where it is typically
described as a cross between a chicken, a lizard, and a bat, but with a gaze that can turn
people to stone! I suspect it is only through D&D that it was ever considered more than a
form of artistic embellishment. From D&D it spread out to the rest of the fantasy role-playing
world. The cockatrice appears in Warhammer, but is much larger, standing on a 50 x 50mm
base.
For most of my cockatrices, I have followed the common convention of having them
as smaller animals, except in Oathmark, where the larger version seems more appropriate.

Miniatures

There aren’t a huge number of cockatrice miniatures available, which suggests the monster is
still not that popular. Here’s the best ones I could find:

Otherworld produces a metal one.

https://otherworldminiatures.co.uk/shop/dungeon-monsters-2/dm25-cockatrice/

Reaper has an old set of metal ones.

https://www.reapermini.com/search/cockatrice

Warhammer has their giant one. A nice figure, though unfortunately only available as
finecast.
https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Cockatrice

TT Combat also make a larger cockatrice, and you can even get a zombie version!
https://elementgames.co.uk/games-workshop/warhammer-40k/warhammer-40k-
scenery/paints-hobby-and-scenery/scenery/ttcombatcata/cockatrice
https://elementgames.co.uk/paints-hobby-and-scenery/paints-hobby-and-scenery-by-
manufacturer/tt-combat/zombie-cockatrice
Cockatrice
Frostgrave, Stargrave, Ghost Archipelago, & Rangers of Shadow Deep
A grotesque mixture of chicken, lizard, and dragon, an adult cockatrice stands nearly waist
high on the average human. It is unknown if these are naturally occurring creatures or the
product of some mad wizard. Cockatrices are territorial creatures and viciously attack
intruders, including other cockatrices, except during the brief mating season. While they may
look comical, cockatrices are rightly feared for their petrifying gaze, which can freeze a man
in his tracks, making him easy prey. Despite the danger, treasure hunters often seek out these
‘doom chickens’, as both their eggs and their feathers are desired for their magical properties.
Killing a cockatrice is worth +6XP in Rangers of Shadow Deep.

Move Fight Shoot Armour Will Health Notes

Cockatrice 6 +2 +0 10 +3 12 Animal, Flying,
Bounty (Quills),
Bounty (Feathers),
Petrifying Stare

Petrifying Stare – Any figure that activates within 10” and line of sight of this creature must
make a Will Roll (TN14). If it fails, it receives no actions during its activation. Furthermore,
the figure suffers -3 Fight (to a minimum of +0) until after it takes its next move action.
Figures in combat with this creature, that aren’t already suffering from petrifying stare, suffer
-2 Fight (to a minimum of +0) while fighting this creature.

Bounty (Eggs) – If a cockatrice is killed during a game, immediately roll a die. Place a special
treasure token that many inches in a random direction away from the cockatrice. This treasure
token can be picked up and moved following the normal rules. In Stargrave, it is a physical-
loot token that is already unlocked. This special treasure token represents cockatrice eggs.
These can be sold for 100gc/cr. Alternatively, the figures can attempt to start their cockatrice
farm, though the life expectancy of such farmers is low. In Rangers of Shadow Deep, the eggs
are turned over to the kingdom, and the Rangers gain +10XP, or 2 companions gain 1PP each.
If a figure is reduced to 0 Health while carrying the eggs, the eggs are smashed and the
special treasure token is lost.

Bounty (Feathers) – Frostgrave Only. Cockatrice feathers that are turned into quills are well
known to aid in writing magic scrolls. When a cockatrice is killed, replace it with a marker. If
a figure moves into contact with the marker and is not carrying a treasure token, it can spend
an action to grab a handful of feathers. Roll a die, divide the result by 3, and round up. This is
how many feathers are grabbed. If this figure survives the game, these feathers are secured
for its warband and turned into quills. These quills can be stored in the wizard’s vault. Each
quill grants a one-time +2 bonus to the use of the Write Scroll spell, which can be used after
the die is rolled. No more than one quill may be used per casting. Once a figure has grabbed
feathers, remove the token from the table, no further feathers can be taken.
Cockatrice (The Silver Bayonet)
Everyone has heard the stories of the cockatrice, a strange combination of lizard and bird
with a petrifying stare that sometimes hides amongst chickens to surprise their prey. Recently,
these folktales have been proven true. Amongst your standing orders is to find and kill such
creatures before they can do too much damage, and if possible, to recover their eggs and
feathers.

Cockatrice
Speed Melee Accuracy Defence Courage Health Experience Points
6 +1 +0 12 +2 10 1 or 2
Attributes: Damage Reduction (2), Allergy to Salt, Flying, Master of Cover, Petrifying
Stare, Bounty (Eggs), Bounty (Feathers)
Equipment: None

Petrifying Stare – Any figure that activates within 10” and line of sight of this creature must
make a Courage Check (TN12). If it fails, it receives no actions during this activation.
Furthermore, the figure suffers -3 Melee (to a minimum of +0) until after it takes its next
move action. Figures that make a move to attack this creature, that aren’t already suffering
from petrifying stare, suffer -2 Melee (to a minimum of +0) on their Melee Check.

Bounty (Eggs) – If a cockatrice is killed during a game, immediately roll a die. Place a special
clue marker that many inches in a random direction away from the cockatrice. A figure that
investigates this clue marker has found the cockatrice eggs and can pick them up as a free
action. If this figure is killed, the eggs are smashed. If the figure survives the scenario, the
figure turns the eggs over to their superiors and gains +1 Bonus Experience Point.

Bounty (Feathers) – Cockatrice feathers are thought to aid in writing magical texts. When a
cockatrice is killed, replace it with a marker. Any figure that moves into contact with the
marker can spend an action to grab a handful of feathers. Once a figure has taken feathers,
remove the marker. If the figure that has taken the feathers survives to the end of the scenario,
make a note on the unit sheet. At any point in the future, the unit can discard the feathers
before a game to gain an extra Power Die in their Fate Pool.
Cockatrice (Oathmark)
According to legend, long ago, the chthonic surma would sometimes come to the surface to
breed with the great, flightless birds that roamed the plans of the ancient Marches. The
resultant offspring were the hideous cockatrices. Combining aspects of both their parents,
these creatures have bird like heads and wings, but lizard-like bodies and feet. As these
creatures also had the stoney gaze of the surma, they were a danger to everyone, and were
hunted almost to extinction. Now, only small groups of cockatrice remain in the wild, usually
in craggy badlands or swamps. Wild cockatrices cannot be trained or domesticated, but those
raised from stolen eggs can be taught to follow simple commands. Unfortunately, such
creatures live most of their lives with their eyes covered until they are loosed on a field of
battle. Soldiers that work with cockatrices from an early age, can build up an immunity to
their stoney gaze, and thus, it is even possible for them to ride them into battle.

Terrain: Badlands
An army may contain 1 cockatrice for each badlands in the kingdom.

A M F S D CD H Pts Special Base

Cockatrice 5 6 4 0 12 3 5 180 Monster, Flying, 50 x 50
Horrific, Stone Gaze,
Large
Equipment: None
Option: Rider +100 points, Decrease Activation to 4, Increase Combat Dice to 4
Cockatrice (Deathship One)
There is no limit to the terrible and horrific creatures that might be found on the Deathship.
While most are aliens beasts, some seemingly come from legend or folklore. One of those is
the dreaded cockatrice. About the size of a large turkey, the cockatrice is a hideous
combination of chicken and lizard, with a gaze that freezes men in their tracks. Kill them
quick.

Cockatrice Movement: 6”
Damage Track
Fight Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Damage 7 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 1
Special: If a soldier activates while standing within 6” and line of sight of a cockatrice, it
must roll a die. On a roll of 1 – 5 (1 – 3 for a High-tech soldier) the figure is petrified and
cannot move or shoot this turn.

If you want to work a cockatrice or two into your Deathship One games, roll a die anytime
the game calls for a Slathek. On an ‘1’, use a cockatrice instead.

This work is copyright Joseph A. McCullough. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any
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