Greater Tatzlwyrm

Description
Tatzlwyrms are thought to be primeval relatives of true dragons, having branched off the line millennia ago and evolved in a way that sets them notably apart. Undersized compared to their larger cousins, tatzlwyrms are nonetheless ferocious in their own right. And while tatzlwyrms are hardly impressive specimens when put beside their notorious relatives, most other reptiles can’t compare to them mentally. They understand Draconic, though other languages are beyond most tatzlwyrms’ limited comprehension. Nevertheless, tatzlwyrms are deeply cunning, building complex lairs and rudimentary traps.

Tatzlwyrms are quite rare, and only a few particularly curious and lucky adventurers can claim to have seen a living specimen. Reports do agree on some basic features, however. About the size of a full-grown human, tatzlwyrms have only two limbs and no wings, and possess a weak poisonous breath similar to the breath weapons of their true dragon relatives. An adult tatzlwyrm is 6 to 8 feet long, including its winding, organless tail, and it weighs between 400 and 500 pounds. A tatzlwyrm’s scales give the creature limited camouflage, ranging through various shades of green, brown, and gray.

Most knowledge of these smaller dragons comes from folklore local to areas with active nests. Peasants use tatzlwyrms as a sort of bogeyman, an excuse used any time a villager goes missing—“the tatzlwyrms took ‘em!” Often, when hunters fail to nab their quarries, tatzlwyrms become the scapegoats—“I would have had that elk, but a tatzlwyrm grabbed him before I could take my shot.” Some of these stories probably do have merit, however; tatzlwyrms are notoriously vicious, particularly to any creatures invading their territories, and those on the wrong end of their bites rarely survive.

Like true dragons, tatzlwyrms are strict carnivores. They spend most of their time hiding, waiting to attack any prey that ventures too near. They consume their food slowly in the dark security and seclusion of their lairs. Tatzlwyrms have a remarkable knack for ambush and camouflage.