Adder

Adder was the most common type of viper snake found in Faerûn.

Description
Adders were scaled and highly venomous serpents, sometimes growing big enough to swallow one or multiple humanoids at a time. Some adders' scaled were colored black, banded with thin grey stripes. Their heads had horn-like ridges above the eyes, the most distinct feature of the adder. Their venom glands appeared as slight bulging beside the creatures' ear holes and fed deadly venom into their sharp fangs. Like other snakes, they had forked tongues that served as a tactile sensory organ.

Species
Amphisbaena were considered close relatives of adders or very close resembling them in the markings' patterns but possessed a much deadly venom. Black adders were known for their deadly venom. A vial of it often went for 75 gold coins in Cormyr circa 1371 DR. The long black snake found in Zakhara's greatest sea of sand, often used as living weapons by the zin. Common adders could be found throughout Serpent Hills in the Western Heartlands. The species of the common adder were known fo their sexual dimorphism. Male adders had greenish-gray scales with angular black patterns on their scales, while females had reddish-brown scales and darker black patterns. A bite of a common adder was venomous but not lethal for most beasts and humanoids of medium size. Their venom caused nausea and vomiting and could incapacitate a creature for up to for days after a bite. Species of adder from Kara-Tur. A species of giant adder hunted for their hide that usually went for 300 gp and their paralytic venom. The puff adder was found in the Duskwood where it preyed upon the badger mice. These serpents puff out their skin to appear more menacing toward attackers.
 * Amphisbaena
 * Black adder
 * Black sand adder
 * Common adder
 * Flame adder
 * Giant snow adder
 * Puff adder

Other Habitats
Beyond the world of Toril, adders could be found on the worlds of Athas, Aebrynis, and Eberron, as well as on the third layer of Arborea, Pelion, adders could be found inhabiting the desert realms of Amun-thys.

Among the Domains of Dread, adders could be found in Nova Vassa.

Uses
The spell of melf's acid arrow required powdered rhubarb leaf and the stomach of an adder as its material components.

The spell fist of the adder transformed the caster's arms into adder snakes allowing them to deal devastating unarmed attacks with the serpents' bites. The material component of the spell was the shed skin of a venomous snake, such as adder, washed in tears.

Adders could be created via use of the sticks to snakes spell.

Scales from flame adders were used in the creation of flame eggs, beautiful but deadly explosive magical items from Kara-Tur.

Black adder venom was often used by lizardfolk.

A fang of an adder was one of the components of potions of longevity.

In the 14 century DR, in Waterdeep's Cloaksweep Alley one could find the old man who cooked ear oil out of adder fat, claiming it was a cure for deafness when poured into the ear.

Trivia

 * Adder's root was a highly poisonous and deadly plant.
 * 1328 DR was named the Year of the Adder.
 * The five-headed whips of the drow priestesses of Lolth had living adders as the part of the weapons.
 * Clerics of the god Set could turn into giant adders via the incarnation of evil divine spell.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds &bull; Shadowdale &bull; Caravans
 * Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
 * Novels
 * Prophet of Moonshae &bull; Star of Cursrah &bull; Dissolution &bull; Venom's Taste &bull; Vanity's Brood
 * Pool of Radiance &bull; Pool of Twilight &bull; Passage to Dawn &bull; The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel &bull; Lady of Poison &bull; The Halls of Stormweather &bull; Shadow's Witness &bull; The Rage &bull; The Rite &bull; Twilight Falling &bull; Elminster in Hell &bull; Elminster's Daughter &bull; Resurrection &bull; Darkvision &bull; Frostfell &bull; The Fall of Highwatch &bull; Cry of the Ghost Wolf &bull; The Bargain
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards