[This only-seen-once cryptid was almost certainly just a poorly glimpsed deer, but that’s never stopped people before, has it? Of note is that this critter is native to Magalia, which was badly affected by the Camp Fire this month. If you can afford to donate, please do. There are people who need your help.]
Snakehound This creature has an elongated head and neck like
some sort of snake or eel, but its body is doglike. Its hind legs are longer
than its forelegs, giving it a somewhat tilted stride, and its tail is little
more than a nub. Its body is covered in a thick, dark pelt.
Snakehounds are
fearsome ambush predators that subdue prey with a venomous bite. Their venom is
hemotoxic, causing tissue death, swelling and grotesque bleeding wounds. They
will often flee from a potentially dangerous foe for several rounds, trusting
to their venom to do its work and their sense of smell to track down the slain
creature. Especially large kills may attract multiple snakehounds, which vie
for scraps in a feeding frenzy.
Snakehounds are
typically retiring when not on the hunt, and spend much of their time in repose.
They prefer to lair in caves and on cliff-faces, and can scratch-dig small
burrows into sandy soil to rest in if these are not available. In the colder
ranges of their territory, they hibernate through the winter, and are more
tolerant of each other in groups when huddled for warmth. Mating frequently
occurs as the hibernal season ends, with females laying eggs shortly after and
incubating them for about a month before they hatch. Snakehound mothers are good
parents, catching food for their young and teaching them how to hunt. Pups
leave their mother after about eighteen months, at which time they are nearly
fully grown.
Snakehounds are found in the jungles of Gladia’s west coast. They migrate to the central jungles once a year for their mating season, and natives make sure to fortify their dwellings and take extra care at this time.
Shores of Swords 