Scoric Viper Meat
Somewhere in the world lies the corpse of a once greatwyrm. A flame dragon of a massive size, her body still burns like the last embers of a bonfire. From this legendary creature's death it is said that a new sort of creature was born. A large snake with red and orange scales and black patterns spread across their body like cracks in rock. They are said to live in the simmering lava that pools around the flame dragon's body, swimming languidly they live off of the lava and the incendiary fluids that still seep from the greatwyrm's flame sac. These snakes have been seen by only a rare few, and fewer still have had the good fortune to catch and eat one. It is said that the consumption of one of a scoric viper grants invulnerability to flame, unparalleled agility, and even the ability to breathe fire like the creature they came from.
An account from a scholar that survived the last years of the Undoing states: Though the great Scourge of Demons, now Last of Her Name, Lady of the Burning Plains has found her resting place, her sacrifices for our world are not forgotten. Without the help of the dragons, we may have never turned the demons back. The terrible Drake of the Forest, Guardian of the Tree of the World, and Lady of the Twisting Vines has allowed this humble scholar to witness the resting place of her mate. She will of course be reading my manuscript to ensure that I do not reveal the resting place, but it is the Lady of the Twisting Vines' wish that her mate not be forgotten by the people of the world. The merciful Drake of the Forest allowed me to sit vigil with her for seven full turns of the moon, watching over the Lady of the Burning Plains. Her worshippers kept me fed and watered, though the gracious Guardian of the Tree of the World couldn't bring herself to eat through her grief. As we kept watch we witnessed the creation of a marvelous new creature that the magnanimous Destroyer of Devils allowed me to name scoric vipers, or Igneus vipera. The fascinating new snakes spurred Her Frightfulness to hunger after many moons of starving grief. The charitable Slayer of the Writhing allowed me to try the serpent with her. It was not until I nearly dropped this essay in the fire we kept for my warmth did I learn that the scoric viper seemed to have imbued me with an invulnerability to flame, and perhaps the four feet I jumped when one of the Lady of the Twisting Vines' worshippers startled me could be ascribed to the powers of this slitherer as well. Naturally, Her Awe-inspiring-ness quickly forbade any of mortalkind from consuming more of the scoric vipers. Being of her mate—and granting something akin to her mate's blessing—renders the scoric vipers a sacred creature that none shall touch on penalty of death.
True to his word, this mysterious scholar never revealed the resting place of the flame dragon. However, his manuscript is widely known by cooks, adventurers, and explorers alike. All who may benefit or be intrigued by such a thing come to know of it, and the search for the resting place of the creature continues. What we know is that the dragon that the scholar sat vigil with is likely the terrifying Felmarunur, but any attempts to probe her on the whereabouts of her mate's resting place, or the vipers that lay with her, results in a grievous wound at best, or a torturous death at worst. There are those who claim to have tasted of the viper and gained its powers, but these claims are difficult to prove rendering them likely false.
Summary
There is supposedly a snake that lives in lava that upon eating grants the consumer invulnerability to fire, the ability to breathe fire, and unparalleled agility. Most of the evidence comes from a single scholar's account, but the search continues for the resting place of the flame dragon that the vipers supposedly came from.
Historical Basis
The scholar that the myth stems from is considered to be quite reputable making his account extremely persuasive. However, it's never been proven by anyone and the only ones that may know are either long dead, or refusing to talk.
Spread
The myth of Scoric Vipers is a fairly well known myth. While it is not the kind of myth that any child on the street would know, those that would take interest in the rare meat or the magical properties are often familiar with it and attempt to seek it out. Job postings looking for adventurers to seek them out are common, but the futility of the quest—and the barrier of Felmarunur—often dissuade people from accepting it.
Variations & Mutation
What sort of powers the meat of a scoric viper imbues is a hotly debated topic, and can change from one telling to the next. The most widely agreed upon however is invulnerability to fire and the increased agility. Common variations include breathing fire, being able to cast fire related magic without components, increased blacksmithing skills, and the ability to discern between tastes with poison resistance. Most often it is magic users who change what powers the scoric vipers give with the justification that such a legendary magical creature must do more.
Date of First Recording
297 U
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