Behir

Behir
(Creature)
Common N Huge Beast Electricity Level 8 Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of behirs Source: Bestiary 2, pg(s). 38 Type Magical beast CR 8 Environment Warm hills and deserts Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of behirs Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 34

Behirs are enormous, multi-limbed dragon-like creatures that inhabit dry mountain regions and fiercely defend their territories from all who dare intrude upon them.

Appearance

Behirs look like huge, sinewy, sleek reptiles covered in scales of various blue hues. These creatures can easily reach 40 feet in length and weigh up to 4,000 pounds, but are surprisingly agile—easily able to outpace a human, they are even graceful climbers that can almost slither across the dry cliffs of their desert homes. A behir's six pairs of legs provide for fast and dexterous movement; when not in use, the behir curls its legs in against its body. The behir's head also sports an impressive set of curved horns.

Habitat and ecology

Behirs inhabit the deserts of Golarion with a noticeable preference for lairing on mountains, cliffs, and hills surrounding or within the desert. Many behirs prefer high-elevation lairs with expansive views as they consider everything they can see from their lair to be their territory. Behirs are incredibly territorial, defending their hunting grounds with bestial force and their potent lightning breath.

Despite their savage tendencies, behirs are more than simple animals. They are proud, powerful sentient creatures, though admittedly quite dim. It is possible to negotiate with a behir to enter or pass through its territory, but they tend to attack first and ask questions later. Anyone seeking to deal with a behir needs to make their offer quickly and impress the behir enough that it does not immediately attack.

Much like the dragons they resemble, behirs are covetous and greedy. Some research suggests that due to their similar appearance, behirs may be somehow related to the conniving blue dragon. True dragons are quick to dismiss this, citing the behir's relative lack of intelligence as clear proof that they are not related. This has created a great deal of enmity between behirs and dragons, and most behirs will attack a dragon with a level of ferocity impressive even for such an angry creature.

The presence of a large number of behirs deters dragons from settling in an area. Many who live in places like the Brazen Peaks of northern Katapesh believe the many local behirs are responsible for the relatively small number of dragons within the mountain range.

Behir caviar

Behir caviar is considered a delicacy by Golarion's gourmands. The caviar is prepared by washing unfertilized serpentine behir eggs and soaking them in spiced vinegar to dissolve the shells. Afterwards, they are preserved in salt, chilled, and immediately served to the table. It usually plays the role of garnish or spread.

There are rumors that those who import behir eggs into Absalom have some sort of arrangement with the creatures, paying some unknown price in exchange for their eggs. A clutch of raw behir eggs is worth around 25 gp, but once prepared its price increases to 100 gp or more to buy enough caviar to garnish six meals.

On Golarion

As well as the Brazen Peaks of Katapesh, a large number of behirs can be found across the Meraz Desert, where the nation of Qadira meets the continent of Casmaron.

Beyond Golarion

Akiton

Behirs are nearly as prevalent on the desert world of Akiton as they are on Golarion.

Triaxus

A stronger, silvery-white scaled, frost-resistant relative of the behir, the frostcrawler inhabits the world of Triaxus.