Tatzelwurm

Tatzelwurms are a strange marriage between cat and snake. Their bodies are very long and serpentine, with a long, flexible tail that can wrap and reel prey towards their snapping jaws.   Their upper bodies are much more animalistic; they have the crouching upper body of a tiger, with a wide mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. They have two powerful forelimbs that they use to batter and pin down the prey before they crush them in their coils.

Thick Hide

Tatzelwurms have fur so thick that swords fail to scratch their hides. They are exceptionally reslient, with the exception being their thin -- and surprisingly sensitive tails.

Mighty Jaws

A Tatzelwurm's mouth can unhinge at a 90 Degree angle and bite firmly enough to crunch bone down to splinters. Their mouths are filled with pointed teeth designed to hook into their prey; Tatzelwurm mouths are seldom escaped when they snap upon their victims.

The Tatzelwurm prefers colder environments and often moves with the weather; they retreat to the tundras of the east during the warmer seasons. During the winter, they're often expected to come along with the stormy weather that frosts the landscape.

Tatzelwurms are strict meat eaters, but have jaws that are uniquely capable of crunching bone down into edible enough bites. They swallow every part of their prey they can and leave no evidence save for the blood that stains their fur.

Tatzelwurms are ambush predators. They dig out tunnels with their powerful claws and lie in wait beneath the snow or ice and use their sensitive tails as a bait; its darker color stands out amidst patches of snow, where it mimicks tufts of foliage for larger prey to approach.   When prey is spotted, they rapidly spring and overwhelm their prey with their massive forelimbs and tear into them with their massive jaws.

Tatzelwurm fur is very dense and thick; their pelts make for highly protective clothing that's often used by the Snow Elves and few Villish people that live in the far, cold reaches of Vilstrung. It's also highly protective and sought after for its insulating and protective qualities.

Meat

Tatzelwurm meat is butchered at Metzgereiens where they're hung by the paws and carefully skinned. Their long tails are sliced in thick medallions that are often grilled as steaks. Tatzelwurm meat is very lean and lacks fat or marbling; it's often likened towards a pungent, gamey chicken flavor.