Gorgon

The gorgon was a large predatory beast from an age past, known from the numerous fossil specimens found across the globe. Believed to have gone extinct during the age of the tarrasque, the gorgon filled a more common predatory role than its massive neighbor. Still, it was larger than many predatory creatures today, standing five at the shoulder, nine feet from nose to tail, and probably weighing somewhere near 600 pounds. The most notable features of the beast are in its hefty skull and the massive saber-like canines it possessed.
The rest of its physical appearance would look incredibly primitive to our modern minds. Its eye sockets are quite small on the skull - compared to the rest of the massive head, the eyes would look like tiny beads. With no lips, nose, or ear structures; its teeth would be visible at all times, next to slits for breathing and simple round holes behind the eyes for hearing. Its skin and musculature seem to have been tight to the bones underneath, with very little ornamentation and no fur or feathers. The tail also had no decoration, simple a continuation of the same hard skin. Put all together, a living gorgon would have the appearance of some sort of giant, naked monster, running on all fours while looking for its next meal.
Myths about the gorgon have long been told by cultures across the World since pre-Law times, but the likelihood of any of these peoples having encountered one is slim to none. These myths die hard, and museums do their best to dispel these notions when visitors ask. No, the beast did not have a hide of metal scales, but rather a robust skeleton and tough skin. We have no reason to believe it could breathe poisonous gasses to immobilize prey, the massive fangs were probably more than enough to kill prey beasts of its age. Most bizzare of all are the claims that the beast's skin excreted a waxy substance used for cleaning metals. There is simply no evidence that any gorgon was still living by the time any culture was forging metal tools. 
The likely answer to these stories is much less exciting, but speaks to the nature of all species to tell stories. Early societies most likely encountered the fossils of gorgons in various places, and constructed stories to explain the terrible image their bones conjured. Without context for the early primeval age of our World these beasts lived in, people filled in the gaps with what their minds could conjure.

EXTINCT

Average Height

5 ft.

Average Weight

600 lbs.

Average Length

9 ft.