The bravest of the animals is the Rooster. The Rooster will fight any other animal if it is required to, or even is provoked. This bravery has made the rooster one of the great symbols of valor. Their place in heraldry has made the rooster an important sacrifice on before battle. Offering a rooster, or a rooster and a hen, to the way to a battle is said to ensure glory. However, the rooster is a bird who rarely wins a fight, and this confidence has to have come from somewhere.
The rooster is the shadow of a powerful being called the Abraxas Wyrm. This wyrm is an avatar of the god of war, and only appears before great battles, or the death of important warriors. The Wyrm will often fight the warriors they are there to take into the afterlife, a chance to give them one last battle, and one last chance to keep their lives. It is said that killing an Abraxas Wyrm will grant youth to a warrior if done honourably, so many an old warrior dreams of achieving such glory they meet the wyrm and overcome the avatar of war itself. Most swear that if they kill the wyrm, they'll live their life right this time. Just one more chance.
The Abaraxas Wyrm stands slightly taller than the average elf, but their tail makes it hard to judge their exact height. They have the head and shoulders of a rooster, with the arms and torso of a human beneath, and then the tail of a serpent where the torso ends. All in they are probably about three and a half meters long, but much of that is the tail behind them. None have ever seen an Abaraxas Wyrm wearing armour, though their scaled tail is naturally armoured. They are almost never seen without a sword and a shield in their hands, with both being of the highest quality, typically bearing the heraldry of the rooster itself.
Being armed for war is needed for the Abaraxas Wyrm because, despite their fair speech and wisdom, they are constantly ready for a fight. They assume that every single statement made to them is an insult, unless phrased with care for their Wyrm and its specific history. Whenever they perceive an insult, they desire to fight those who insulted them, and will do so as quickly as possible. This means that seeking out an Abraxas Wyrm in its home (the Wyrm, being a sapient sort, will often setup a cottage anywhere it can get grain to eat, as long as it isn't near anyone who will insult it) is a dangerous plan, though several great warriors have sought an Abaraxas Wyrm, and managed to mind their manners long enough to be taught to fight.
Legend tells of a young squire whose liege was slain in battle, and as he wandered the woods trying to find home, came across the cottage of an Abaraxas Wyrm. Being a clever and well mannered boy, he managed to spend a week not speaking, chopping wood, fetching water, and eating raw grain until the Wyrm took him outside, and spent a month teaching the silent boy the skills of a true knight, and then sent him on his way. When the squire returned to his own, he found it under siege by the same cruel duke who had slain his liege. Using his new skills, he called the duke into the field to fight him. Unable to ignore the challenge of a mere squire, the duke met the boy on the field, and was easily slain, scattering his forces. The boy grew to a man, never forgetting to practice the blade, care for his family, or hold his tongue when needed. When he finally was an old man, he was on the field of his king, battling the cruel neighbouring king whose duke he had slain long ago, and when he had put on his armour, he saw his old teacher standing waiting for him. He knew what was coming and bowed before his opponent, the Abaraxas Wyrm bowed in turn, and they fought. At the end of the battle, the Abaraxas Wyrm took up the boy's blade, and brought it to his cottage to rest in a place of honour.
Disapproving Gaze: The Abaraxas Wyrm will only fight those who meet it in honourable combat. Those who attempt to shoot it, gang up on it, or retreat from it (while in good health), are considered dishonourable and the Abaraxas Wyrm's gaze falls upon them. The gaze of disapproval causes them to turn to stone. The dishonourable coward meeting the gaze of the Wyrm must make a Will vs Will test, failure causing the coward to begin to turn to stone. The Abaraxas Wyrm's gaze gives its margin of success as +Ob to the target, until, finally the target can no longer move and is turned to stone. If the target's +Ob is ever greater than its highest stat, it is permanently stone, until then, the being turns back to flesh at a rate of -1Ob per day.
Snake Body: The Abraxas Wyrm has 3D armour to its tail, which is equivalent to its legs. This armour cannot be damaged.
Honourable: The Abaraxas Wyrm cannot dishonour itself. The exact rules of honour vary by the god they serve, but typically it means it cannot use bows or crossbows, cannot attack without warning, and cannot fight except with a sword or lance. If the Abraxas Wyrm ever intentionally behaves dishonourably, it immediately turns into a stone statue.
Short Tempered: The Abraxas Wyrm assumes everything is an insult. It will meet any insult with violence. Give the Abaraxas Wyrm the new hesitation options "Challenge to a Duel" and "Strike Wildly". When using Strike Wildly, the Abraxas Wyrm uses its Agility at double obstacle penalty instead of a fighting art to attack.
A Burning Wheel Monster Every Week