Appearance. Ranlesh have a long cylindrical shaped body and in general resemble snakes or lizards. They have no eyes, legs or a mouth and are approximately 0.3 peds in length. They move in a sidewinder fashion. One end is tapered into a point and the other briefly broadens, then narrows into a small squared off end (about 0.1 ped wide). They are jet black in colour and always look wet. Dwarves know the creature as Morsek Avarim ("Morsek Avarim", meaning "Black Life").

Special Abilities. Attacking the Ranlesh with edged weapons will only split the beast in two parts. As the Ranlesh reproduce through asexual division, each piece then becomes a completely new creature, only part the size of the original. Only attacks with blunt weapons or fire will cause real damage. Ranlesh can also secrete a corrosive saliva through their skin. This saliva can be harvested and used as Ranlesh Venom in order to give certain weapons a little toxical extra power.

Territory. Ranlesh can be found exclusively in swamps and marsh areas, e.g. in the Santharian Seanian swamps, southeast of the Ancythrian Sea.

Habitat/Behaviour. Ranlesh move around by sending out a high frequency pulse from along the length of its body and sense the feedback as it bounces of objects in its path. In general Ranlesh are very solitary creatures with a life-span of 3-5 years.

Diet. The Ranlesh hunts by using its high frequency pulse to detect its prey (beetles, spiders, even rats etc.). It then uses its lightening pace to catch its prey and coil itself around it. As the Ranlesh squeezes around the prey it secretes a saliva through its skin, which decomposes the flesh of the victim and the Randlesh then absorbs the result.

Mating. Ranlesh are asexual creatures and split in two if they become too long. This happens approximately every full year.

Myth/Lore. It is told in legends that these weird creatures were first made by an evil mage during SW I by corrupting masses of common snakes in order to infiltrate enemy castles and kill from within, However, they are said to have escaped into the Seanian swamps of Ancyros and proved too dangerous to catch as the Ranlesh attacked anyone that tried and too many casualties were needlessly inflicted.

It was rumoured but has never been confirmed that Ranlesh started to appear in various different parts of the Sarvonian continent just shortly after this event. In 823 b.S. at the War for Ancyros when the Caltharian army crossed the border to Erpheronia and attacked a station of Erpheronian forces part of the Erpheronian army is said to have perished due to Ranlesh injuries when driven into their territory.

The Name Ranlesh actually stands for something that the mage had intended for them: "Relish All Nocturnal Life Evil Snake Hide".