Runnelglass Serpent

Field account

The runnel beside the path had no water in it, only a narrow shine moving downhill against gravity. It bent around leaves without disturbing them. When the Runnelglass Serpent struck, that shine rose into a clear body full of wet reflections—branches, faces, even the copper tag on my coat stretched along its length. The head hardened at the last instant and opened my boot like a knife. Before we could answer, the serpent shattered into harmless-looking beads and flowed beneath the next stone. It returned from the uphill ditch, carrying my own startled face in its scales. We laid wool across the channel and watched the fabric darken where the invisible runnel passed. A Runnelglass is quick, but not free. It must follow a continuous line of moisture, and every turn it steals from water leaves a moment when the body becomes real enough to break.

Observed behavior

A Runnelglass follows drainage beside or beneath a trail, overtakes travelers unseen, then hardens for a low cutting strike. It rarely attacks the torso unless floodwater lifts it. After contact it breaks into beads and retreats through the smallest connected wet path. The serpent is attracted to bright reflections and may circle polished metal while ignoring dull prey. It avoids absorbent ground that interrupts flow. In groups, several serpents braid through one stream and separate around obstacles, making their apparent size difficult to judge.