The Hunter's Guide to Monsters - Chapter Eleven

We have seen what horrors have come down to us from the heavens, but what lurks in the dark holes of the world? Tonight, we explore the horror of being frozen in place, as teeth, claws and piercing eyes come slithering ever-closer. Such tortures come to us, courtesy of the 'GORGON':

Gorgon /'gawgən/ n. 1. Greek Legend Any of the three sisters whose heads were coverd with snakes instead of hair, and whose glance turned the beholder to stone. 2. A mean, ugly, or repulsive woman.

11. Gorgons
  by Hunter Jeremiah

I have never Hunted a gorgon, myself. However, this chapter is based on the expertise of experienced Hunters, and I have seen gorgons in captivity and whilst they were being transferred, so I assure you that what you're about to read is based on the knowledge of those who have first-hand experience, even though I myself have very little. The gorgon, or “a medusa” as it is sometimes known, is a dark cohesion of a human and a serpent.
Some believe that this hybrid is the result of a human cursed to gorgonism through some dark magic. Others believe that it is the result of praying to a false god, and being punished. Personally, I believe that gorgons are incredibly dangerous, so it doesn't matter where they are from, all that matters is what we do when they get here. Gorgons are incredibly dangerous. Not only is their vision captivating, but they are quite cunning, their bodies are very strong and they have sharp, venomous fangs.
If you step inside the gorgon's lair, and face the beast with serpent-hair, avert your gaze and do not stare - or you'll never get out alive.

The gorgon is native to Europe and some parts of Asia, as they prefer a warm climate but nest in dry, cool rocky areas, often in caves and mountains with access to warm sunlight and water. In Europe, they are mostly known as "gorgons", "basilisks" "lamia", "pythons" or "typhons", but across Asia they are known as "naga", "nugua" & "nure-onna". They have been seen internationally, but this is due to travelling bestiaries, as well as black market smugglers. They cannot survive outside of their native habitat due to the fact that they are cold-blooded and unable to survive in tropical climates. Also, due to the high danger that they pose, any and all gorgon nests that pop up outside of Europe tend to be destroyed rather quickly by Hunters.
The reason why gorgons are so dangerous comes from their frightening gaze. It is a misconception that gorgons can turn a person to stone with their vision - such alchemy is beyond them - rather, their icy stare is capable of transfixing any victim that looks them in the eye. This is a powerful psychic phenomenon, akin to a form of mind control, but with the sole capacity to make someone become as still as a statue, and only for as long as the gorgon keeps their gaze steady. It is not yet known if the limits of this ability are metaphysiological, or due to the gorgon's limited intelligence, but many suspect that it is the latter.
What is truly dangerous is the bite of the gorgon - they have a very powerful venom which causes paralysis, hypothermia and intense pain, and leads to death anywhere between 15-minutes and 3-hours after being bitten, depending on the location of the bite. There is, as yet, no anti-venom for the bite of a gorgon, and some suspect that there is a supernatural aspect to its potency, but this is still being researched.

A gorgon looks like a very large, very long snake with a human torso in place of the head. I have seen mature gorgons which, from head-to-tail, measure ten metres, but I have been told that some exist which are fifteen metres long, or perhaps more. They are covered with scales, from head to foot, and are most commonly dark green, but they have been yellow, red, orange & black - the specimen which I saw happened to be an albino gorgon (incredibly rare), which had white and cream-coloured scales. From the waist, up, or slightly higher along the spine, the scales are much smaller, smoother and usually a colour akin to human skin tone. Although they are not human, their skin does make them look much like human men and women from the waist up, unless you looked at them up close. At the tips of their fingers, they tend to have small, white, sharp climbing claws, like that of a lizard. As well, they have retractable, venom-injecting fangs in their mouth, where one would expect canines. Their most iconic feature is that their scalp grows "snakes" of varied sizes, usually between shoulder and waist-length, and always with scales the same colour as their tail.
The latest research has found that gorgons not only are gorgons capable of seeing through the multiple eyes of their "serpent hair", or "prehensile vibrissae" as the researchers referred to them, were in fact a complex set of sensory organs which can see, smell and hear in multiple directions at once. Researchers are currently investigating the structure of the gorgon's skull, and how these sensory organs affect their psychic abilities.

One of the most unusual features of the gorgon is that they are capable of vocalization. Some captive gorgons are capable of very basic, influent human language, but most gorgons speak their own language known as "Nagee" (or "Gorgonese", by some Hunters) with two known regional dialects of nagee: Western and Eastern. Eastern Nagee is the most well-understood, as it has been researched in India for a very long time, and Western Nagee is quite similar, but research is limited in this field due to a lack of interest in the community. Their language is composed of harsh, breathy vocalizations, which sounds like clucking, hissing and purring. This is a very limited language, with less than twelve-thousand recorded words in Eastern Nagee, but it developed due to gorgons being a very social species. They are monogamous, often remaining with the same mate until one of the pair dies, and the pair will raise their young until their children can find mates of their own.
Although gorgons do not feed often, as it would take a gorgon a month to digest a "full stomach", but they can be very dangerous when they are hungry. Not only is their gaze petrifying and their venom deadly, but gorgon tails are essentially pure muscle, and incredibly strong. With their long, powerful tails they can move with sudden speed, climb trees and easily crush victims with their tail. In fact, once their prey is dead, they tend to wrap around and constrict it, so that it is easier to swallow.
The only other unusual feature about gorgons is that they are scared of bison, yak and buffalo. I was told that this is because those are big animals with horns and eyes on either side of their head, meaning that they are not as vulnerable to a gorgon's stare, and can attack them - so, presumably, this means that a gorgon would also be scared of other similarly large, horned animals such as bulls, deer and mooses. I'm not certain of this, but it's a reasonable assumption.

Like I said at the start of this post, I haven't faced a gorgon myself, and this is because they are not native to my area. However, even before I began writing this guide, I travelled to Asia to learn about some of their local monsters. Although I haven't faced a gorgon, the insight I gained there has been invaluable, and helped me to face other creatures in my duties as a hunter. So, whether you, yourself, are at risk of facing a gorgon, it is important to know how to handle yourself when confronting these dangerous beasts.

Protection
If you believe that you are encroaching upon a gorgon's nest, or fear that you or your neighbours are at risk from a gorgon that has come to your area, here are some methods to keeping yourself safe:

• Hiss, Purrs & Whispers - When gorgons speak, they have a very distinct-sounding language, very breathy and harsh. If you hear someone speaking in Nagee, turn and walk away.
• Keep Your Eyes To Yourself - Direct eye contact is a death sentence, so only view them indirectly. A mirror, a camera or a cloth across your eyes can protect you from their glare.
• Let There Be Light - Gorgons are not very clever, the light can blind them, and due to their cold-bloodedness, they avoid heat. A torch could save your life.
• Lose Your Patience - A gorgon can last a week without water and a month without food. So, if you think one is near, don't try to hide, just get out of there.
• Salt and Vinegar - Gorgons have a powerful sense of smell, and sensitive skin, so they like to avoid reactive substances like alcohol, salt, vinegar, 
• Sink or Swim − If you know how to swim, swimming far from the water's edge will keep you safe. Gorgons are heavy, can't swim and cold-blooded, they won't swim after you.
• Turn and Run - Although fast, gorgons tire quickly; you can't outrun them, but you can outlast them. So, if you're in range, run away and don't turn back.
• When in Rome - Where gorgons are native, the locals have lived there for thousands of years alongside them. They must be doing something right, so follow the example of the locals.

Hunting
Because they are yet another endangered species, gorgons in their homeland are protected, and if you find one, you're required to catch and release. However, I don't live in their homeland, and everywhere else in the world, no such protections exist. The only reason you would need to capture a gorgon in a country other than their native Europe or Asia is if the person that the creature belongs to is the one hiring you to find it. But, in every other case, they represent a severe danger to local life and liberty, and so it is our responsibility to Hunt them down.

Find
Gorgons are big, heavy snakes. Because of this, if the ground beneath them isn't entirely solid, they leave very large and very distinct, zig-zagging tracks behind them. This is the most common way that gorgons are tracked down. Your victim, if a gorgon has tried to attack someone, will probably be dead and gone (eaten by the monster). Usually, gorgons take their food back to their nest to feed, but if not, there is a chance that there could be some blood from when the gorgon crushes their meal, and this will mean a blood trail, which can point you in the right direction. However, if neither of these work, your best bet is to look for somewhere that is not too far from a natural source of water, and is cool and dry, as this will be your location, the nest. If you can find your nest, then you will find your gorgon.
As for your suspects, unless you are in their native country, meaning that the creature is meant to be there, you have two major suspects: artefact collectors & black market dealers. If your gorgon has come from an artefact collector, then it may simply be a case of them buying an egg, and having it accidentally hatch on them. Gorgon eggs are very rare, and so highly prized, but some smugglers will trade them, even though they're not unfertilized. If this is the case, check your victim, it is likely that they will also be your suspect. But, if not, you can either check the artefact registry with your local authorities, to see if anyone in the vicinity is a collector, or alternatively you can usually douse for such high concentrations of magic, then question them, and see what they know. If they knowingly bought a fertilized egg, then you need to report them to the authorities.
For black market dealers, these too may be your first victim, so check the crime scene as well as their homes and businesses for any Hunting equipment, as some smugglers use tools similar to us. If this is the case, interrogate them for information, then be sure to report them to the authorities.

Kill
Because gorgons are flesh-and-blood creatures, killing them is relatively simple, even if it's not easy.
The most humane way to kill a gorgon is to Decerebrate it with a gun, the most effective method is to shoot it in the head with a shotgun. You can lure the creature close, but still hit your target whilst looking at them through a mirror, which is why I think it's the most effective. Some Hunters like to shoot them from a distance with a ranged weapon like a scoped rifle, but I've never fired a weapon like that personally, and hitting your target requires either luck or patience, neither of which I'm particularly fond of. If this isn't available to you, then the next best thing is to Decapitate them. This would be very difficult, if you're not used to swinging without seeing, but the Hunters I spoke to claimed that they can fight very effectively with a bandanna over their eyes, as they can still see through the cloth when it's close to their face, but it protects them from the gorgon's gaze. I attempted this myself, but I found that it made my vision very blurry, so I don't recommend it. But, if you can see clearly enough, and this allows you to get close and quickly sever the neck, then it's a good option.
If you're low on options, then as cruel as it seems, you can Incinerate the poor beast. Especially if your gorgon is hiding deep in its nest, and won't come out, lighting a fire will easily bring the creature out, and dousing it in fuel should end it rather quickly. Although, I warn that you should still have your weapon of choice handy to finish the job if its death throes are getting too violent.


Final Notes
I think that the lesson we should all take away from this is that, when it comes to wild animals, they belong in their native habitat. Forcefully taking a creature away from its home and dumping it half-way across the world puts everyone in danger, including the creature itself. And that is an awful shame, because these are magnificent creatures. The albino gorgon which I saw was a beautiful, innocent creature with a power that was stunning, both literally and metaphorically. It would be a shame to have them suffer and die, just because someone wanted to treat a wild, intelligent creature like some kind of pet.