Razor-toothed Blood Viper

== Razor Toothed Blood Viper (ALERT! EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!)

### Location:

Spread across the ruins of the American Southwest, reaching south of The Dead Zone. They are significantly more condensed once the further south one goes.

**Physical Description: ===**

**Size/Weight: Males/Females: ~3+ feet in diameter, 24-29 ft. long avg, 3 ft. high, ~400-550 lbs.**

Immense serpents that truly hold the rank of apex predator, Blood Vipers dominate with their size and speed. The body holds nothing of immense detail save for its sheer size. If the venom doesn’t kill the prey, the vipers can and will constrict the target with their high muscle density. The tail can be swung with enough force to break shield and crush bone. Their triangular head remains as an indicator that they ascended from other vipers that pre-dated the blasts.

The scales of the blood viper are their most attractive feature. The long, overlapping sheets are not as strong as the defensive plating of Reaver due to a requirement that the specimens be able to flex and coil easily. The ventral (Stomach) scales are a denser structure and normally a golden or sandy brown. The rest of the body is an inconsistent pattern of bright red, copper, and beige patches that help to break up the vipers’ outline. In addition to the lighter armor, some scales along the lateral lines of the body have hardened and reworked the muscles beneath to form a type of launched barb (FIGURE 1). Closer to the medial line of the vipers are bulges in the scales that have since been dissected and marked as additional infrared pits like those by the mouth (FIGURE 2). This adaptation grants the vipers a state of constant spatial awareness on all sides even when they might not be looking a certain direction. Another interesting trait in the younger specimens is the temporary presence of a rattle that at first grows with the snake, but eventually falls away.

The mouth of the vipers are usually a warm pink color and lined with serrated teeth. Several sets of fangs have been marked along all side ofthe mouth and two small pedipalps close to the hinge of the skull and jaw (FIGURE 3). Above the mouth, sets of triple mounted eyes seem to allow the vipers a wider field of view when hunting (FIGURE 4). The venom has been marked as an extraordinarily potent hemotoxin that begins breaking down blood vessels and tissue almost immediately.

Pre-war archives seem to so a genetic fusion or intersection of sidewinders and diamondback rattlesnakes.

### Behavior:

Blood Vipers are fierce nocturnal predators who are rarely visible during the day due to their solitary and nomadic nature. Socially, Blood Vipers are never seen with each other outside of mating season and after that, breeding pairs tend to guard their small egg clutches before returning to the solitary life. When two have been seen crossing paths, it is normally a conflict over kills or hunting grounds. On surprising cases, some males have been recorded sharing their kills with others, especially females. This must be investigated further for confirmation.

At night, they will pick up the trail of prey and stalk it to within several meters before closing rapidly for the kill. If the prey proves to be dangerous quarry, the vipers will retreat to pursue easier prey. NOTE: This is not a sign of cowardice. It is allowing the viper to learn about new threats before potentially returning try again.

### Diet:

Operating as hypercarnivores, the Blood Vipers consume anything living that they feel will be worth the effort. They can dislocated their entire skull to force down prey with the primary targets being Reavers.

### Predators:

Only the bold, stupid, or lucky dare to fight an adult Blood Viper.

-Recorded by Agent Valentine