Snake-Dog

Appearence. Asnake-dog was a magical hybrid of a venomous snake and a dog. It was domesticated by the yuan-ti . Snake-dogs were around 2 feet (0.61 meters) tall at the shoulder, with an elongated body and a snake-like tail. Their bodies and necks were both about 4 feet (1.2 meters) long. Their elongated, flattened heads were snake-like, except for their ears of 6 inches (15 centimeters). A snake-dog could unhinge its own jaw to allow it to swallow larger objects than would normally fit and its mouth had rows of sharp fangs. It was covered in snake-like jungle-colored scales, which camouflaged it in a jungle environment.

Behavior. The snake-dog was aggressive, but not overly so, and fiercely protective of its own kind, especially females and young. It was able to swim well thanks to its snake-like qualities. It had a venomous bite that it would use in a confrontation, as well as the ability to trip bipeds using its long neck. They could be trained to become effective defensive pets.

Diet. Snake-dogs ate small rodents, mammals, and vermin. The long neck helped them to capture prey inside burrows.

Speculative Origin. It was not clear whether or not they were true descendants of the dog, but it was likely that they were the creation of a wizard rather than a natural evolution. Some snake-dogs also lived near jungle settlments, in yuan-ti company, but they did not survive in city-like environments, as they required moisture and water in which to swim regularly.