Daen Conjurer holding a Rock Viper
An inconspicuous little creature, the Rock Viper (S."Lýgondren") or Leopard Viper would not be worth mentioning, save that those climbing cliffs and mountains in Middle-Earth would be well-advised to watch where they place their hands or their bare feet (Hobbits, especially), for this snakeling was fond of sunbathing on rocky ledges. Their grey skin was speckled with brown and black spots, enabling the serpent to blend in with rock surfaces. (The creature was also called the leopard viper.)
Although it was small, the rock viper's bite was quite deadly. There had never been a proven case of anyone surviving such a bite without some sort of medical treatment, either magical or herbal. The victim of such a bite first suffered swelling, massive bruising, and discoloration around the wound. Then, within 60 seconds after being bitten, his heart would begin to palpitate, his breathing would become irregular, his endocrine system would fail, and he would die of total system shock within 6-10 minutes.
See:
- Viper's Blood
References:[]
- Retrieved from [Realms of Arda]; original reference: [ICE MERP 2012]