Thessalmera

Thessalmeras were one of the four known thessalmonsters, a species of crossbred hybrid creatures. A thessalmera was the result of crossbreeding a thessalhydra and a chimera.

Description
Thessalmeras had a large, reptilian body with a long tail which ended in a pair of large, sharp pincers. It's head was that of a lion, surrounded by a ring of between six to eight hydra-like heads. A second head, that of a small red dragon, was found just below the ring of serpentine heads, on the upper back.

Abilities
The dragon head was capable of breathing a cone of fire. The cone of fire covered an area up to wide at the widest point, with a range of up to. Thessalmeras had a natrual resistance to fire and were immune to acid and any petrification effects and spells.

Combat
Each serpentine head of a thessalmera acted independently and injected a target with poison for every bite. Its lion and dragon head had powerful jaws, capable of crushing armor. It used it's pincer to grasp a target and drag them closer to its many mouths.

Ecology
The primary head, controlling the thessalmera and containing its intelligence, was the lion head. If the lion head was fataly damaged, the dragon head acted as a backup head. If somehow both the lion and dragon heads were destroyed, the injured thessalmera became a semi-sentient and went into a berserk-like state, killing everything around it. It then retreated to its lair, remaining there until both the lion and dragon heads regrew.

Thessalmeras were carnivores and lived in swamps and jungles near human settlements. It preyed upon the livestock of nearby settlements, as well as the residents. It's favorite meal was the meat from a freshly killed human.

Uses
Juvenile thessalmeras were sometimes used as guards. Thessalmera eggs were worth up to 8,000 gp and a live juvenile up to 12,000 gp.