Lindworms

Lindworms are a kind of venomous lesser Dragons.

Description

Lindworms are wingless, serpentine, landbound dragons. They have a set of front legs, but lack back legs entirely. Unlike true dragons lindworms are not very intelligent, cannot use magic and have no breath weapons but they are extremely venomous.

Life cycle

Lindworms grow to the same or even greater size than true dragons. They grow up at the same rates and can live comparable lifespans.
Lindworms live solitary lives and only meet with others of their kind for procreation. They live in narrow caves and can most often be found in forests or hills.

Hunting strategy

Lindworms undergo long periods of hibernation, inbetween which they go on extended hunting trips to gorge themselves. The best time to slay a lindworm is when it is hibernating, as it will be sluggish and slower to respond.
When out on a hunt, lindworms possess an animal cunning and prefer ambush tactics. A quick strike to poison the prey, followed by waiting until it dies and swallowing it whole if it is small enough. If that fails lindworms will try to coil around their target and either crush them to death or rip them to pieces with their claws and fangs.
Lindworms are extremely venomous, their bite is death. Unless the (very rare and expensive) antidote is immediately on hand, any that are bitten should accept their fate. Likely because of their innate venom, Lindworms are almost entirely immune to poisons and toxins, so these are not very useful against them.
Lindworms are not especially fast and are much better on the offense than on the defense. They have very long bodies and the claws and teeth that make them so dangerous are far removed to one end. If a Lindworm is attacked from multiple sides it will struggle to defend itself.
Lindworms are likely to avoid any fights they are not sure they can win, but if threatened they will fight to the death.

Appearance

Lindworms are long serpentine creatures of a variety of colorations, usually suited to their environment. They have front limbs with sharp claws but lack back limbs entirely, their lower body being entirely serpentine.