Hodag

Because they're often fantastically described in the wild tall tales of loggers or miners, hodags are considered by many to exist only in local folklore. However, some individuals have actually encountered these dangerous beasts firsthand, though even fewer have lived to tell the tale.

Hodags are reptilian creatures the size of bulls. Their vicious claws can tear creatures apart in seconds. Their backs sport dozens of long spines, running from their snouts all the way down the length of their powerful tails. Their wide mouths are full of sharp, twisted rows of teeth, not unlike those of a shark. The hodags' rough, scaly hides carry hues of green and brown, allowing them to blend into their forest surroundings where they ambush prey. Only their glowing red eyes reveal their presence, though hodags have learned to use this to their advantage by drawing attention to their eyes in one area, closing them, and stealthily moving to another area to discombobulate prey.

Because hodags are rarely seen, their biology is a matter of some mystery. While they may have evolved as natural beasts, rumors persist that they spring from curses or as punishment for mistreating livestock.

In the wintertime, when snow and ice blanket a region, hodags grow a foul-smelling coat of greasy, dark-brown fur that sprouts in tufts from between their scales. A typical hodag measures over 10 feet long from snout to tail and weighs upward of 700 pounds.