Cockatrice

"Even the mightiest of creatures must fear the Cockatrice, for its gaze means certain death..."

—Bonnaudo, famed Bretonnian explorer^[1a]

The Cockatrice is a deadly, mutant Chaos beast that seems to be a hybrid of an avian and a reptile that is able to magically petrify those that look directly into its gaze.

Cockatrices are often tamed and used as war beasts by the armies of the Warriors of Chaos, especially those in service to Tzeentch, the Chaos God of change and intrigue, who greatly favours the Cockatrice's transmutation abilities.^[4a]

Cockatrices are known to dwell in the Annulii Mountains of Ulthuan.^[3a]

Role[]

"That were the only thing that I've eaten in me life that I don't ever want to eat again."

—Greasus Goldtooth, Overtyrant of the Ogre Kingdoms.^[1a]

CockatriceTWWarhammerIII — A Cockatrice in service to the armies of Tzeentch assaults Imperial troops in *Total War: Warhammer III*.^[4a]

These beasts are vicious and obviously tainted by Chaos for both their unnatural appearance and for their fierce disposition in battle. A Cockatrice is an unsettling and repulsive creature that seldom emerges from its lair. Some say that this is due to the enthusiasm with which Bretonnian knights hunt and slay them -- even the stupidest creature can make out the intentions of a Knight Errant at full flood, and Cockatrices are, if anything, more intelligent than most knights.^[1a]

CockatriceTWWHIIIPortrait — A Cockatrice as depicted in *Total War: Warhammer III*.^[4a]

In truth, the Cockatrice is not a bold fighter and prefers to lurk around the fringes of a battlefield where it can safely feast on the dead and dying. Despite the beast's inclination for self-preservation, only a very foolish warrior will corner a Cockatrice. When the beast is desperate, it goes berserk, shrinking and clawing at all who approach it with maddened ferocity that more then compensates for its inner cowardice.^[1a]

Cockatrice lairs, surrounded by the pecked-apart corpses of beasts many times larger than themselves, would seem to indicate that they have some sort of advantage over sizeable prey. For whilst the Cockatrice is not so physically fearsome as other monsters, it has a curious ability that makes it equal to even the mightiest Dragon.^[1a]^[2]

There are several theories on the origins of Cockatrices. Some believe that they are spawned from the egg of a rooster that was exposed to the corrupting light of the Chaos Moon Morrslieb. Others believe Cockatrices were born from the magical cross-breeding of a hen and a snake.^[5a]

The Cockatrice can petrify its foes with a magical gaze, literally turning them to stone with a glance unless they can evade its sorcerous stare. This ability makes the Cockatrice a deadly opponent, for a warrior must try to vanquish the beast without ever setting sight upon it. Even a glimpse of the Cockatrice's visage is enough of a view to prove deadly. Additionally, Cockatrices sometimes have poisonous claws and even acidic vomit to better help them slay their prey.^[1a]^[2]