Serpent Beast

Serpent beasts are large and gruesome-looking Worms of Taut native to Hades. They are particularly aggressive and violent predators, noted for their cruelty and intelligence.

Anatomy
Serpent beasts have long, snakelike bodies, stretching 25 to 30 feet long and weighing 900 to 1,200 pounds. Unusually for Worms of Taut, they have four short, stubby legs. Their heads are grotesquely humanoid, with "hair" and "beards" composed of wiggling tendrils. The mouth contains long, poisonous fangs.

Diet
While serpent beasts can eat any kind of meat, they strongly prefer mortal humanoids.

Reproduction and life cycle
Serpent beasts have very long lifespans, averaging 1,200 years. They presumably reproduce sexually, though the specifics are not known.

Venom
Serpent beast poison is not lethal, but it causes severe nausea and disorientation, allowing the creature to more easily kill its prey.

Behavior
Serpent beasts are intelligent and vicious predators, generally hunting alone. They often kill simply for pleasure, preferring to attack sentient humanoids. While they have no use for material wealth, they often gather gold and magic items, knowing that it will draw in humanoids. When food is scarce, serpent beasts hibernate for long stretches of time, but wake up at the slightest sound.