Greatmaw Linnorm
Of the linnorms, greatmaw linnorms are most well-known for their appetites which seems to dwarf even that of their sibling species. By nature gifted with a wide maw, they are capable of both swallowing prey the size of an elephants whole or just bulldoze through the landscape consuming whatever gets in their way. Hunger is their primary motivation for doing anything.
Despite their gluttonous nature, they are not deprived of other interests. Like most linnorms, they have a hedonistic streak and seek to bask in the simple pleasures of life. They are also nurturing towards their kindred and seek to provide for their young. They are also very capable of forming alliances, especially with the promised of food that they themselves would have a hard time procuring or creating.
If engaged in battle, a greatmaw linnorms first instinct is to try and eat their opponent. Should this fail, they will attempt to pulp and chew the target in attempt at rendering them edible.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Greatmaw linnorms resemble large snakes, covered in green scales. In one end is their head, including the very large mouth their kind is named after.
Like all linnorms, they are blessed by their mother deity Maya, rendering them immune to poisons and venoms of all kind. They in turn can synthesize any venom they want and deliver it through a pair of long fangs.
Greatmaw linnorms prefer to swallow prey whole, a process that sometimes can take a while. As a result, they have developed strong lungs that can retain air for several minutes.
They have an accelerated metabolism and heal rapidly from injuries.
Genetics and Reproduction
Greatmaw linnorms reproduce through sexual intercourse. The impregnated female will carry two to three eggs in her womb for about two seasons before laying them. It takes another two seasons for the linnorm young to hatch.
Growth Rate & Stages
Greatmaw linnorms are capable of locomotion and basic hunting at birth, but very feral of mindset. As such, the parents will usually care for them for the first ten or so years as they grow. Due to their effective metabolism, they physically mature very quickly over this period.
Ecology and Habitats
Linnorms have considerable appetites and live in areas with plenty of food, such as forests and plains, where they function as macropredators. Furthermore, greatmaw linnorms are strong and tough enough to smash through both forested thickets and hillsides. In this aspect, they regulate the environment in which they live.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Carnivores. Greatmaw linnorms prefer to swallow prey whole and digest them in their reinforced stomachs, though more stubborn prey is subdued with venom and constriction.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Greatmaw linnorms are semi-social. They live in small clutches, but the need for food often mean they claim vast areas of space for personal use.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Greatmaw linnorms are a common species and are found in many spheres
Average Intelligence
Greatmaw linnorms are a sapient, but very feral species. They especially tend to think with their stomachs and has a habit of viewing the world in terms of food, not-food and other linnorms. Even those who manage to befriend them occasionally have the uneasy feeling of being evaluated like a hunk of meat at the butcher's shop. Largely motivated by instinct and less skilled at more abstract forms of thinking, greatmaw linnorms are less intelligent than your average human.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Greatmaw linnorms have eyes and a nose. They have internal ears and thus sounds come off as a bit muted compared to humans. Their forked tongues can catch smells thanks to a special organ in their mouth and they are skilled at using it to track things.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Greatmaw linnorm names tend to vary heavily from region to region, but tends towards powerful sounding consonants
Scientific Name
Magna Os Anguis
Origin/Ancestry
Lifespan
200 to 300 years
Average Weight
110 to 120 tons
Average Length
17 to 18.5 meters
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