Lamias

Lamias are half human half snake female race. They seduce lost or wandering children and devour them, earning them the nicknames “children eaters”.

Characteristics
Lamias come in a variety of scale colors and patterns. Both the human half and the snake half are covered in scales, leaving the lamia in just one color.

Lamias can have different appearances based on whether they are venomous or constrictors. Lamias who are venomous tend to have a vertical pupils, helping them to see at night. Lamias who are constrictors have round pupils. Venomous lamias are brightly colored while constrictor lamias are not. Lamias that are venomous tend to be slender, the constrictor lamias are bulkier.

Some lamias don’t use their eyes to see in the dark, instead they use their heat sensors to help them see through the night. A lamia’s forked tongue is used to gather information by picking up scents and transferring that information into her brain. She is able to distinguish scents, and helps her to determine whether to follow the scent or to stay away.

Distribution and Habitat
Lamia populations are quite large and have adapted to different habitats. Lamias live in forests, deserts, rainforest, prairies and swamp lands. The only habitat they do not live in are frozen lands where there is ice and snow all year round.

Ecology and Behavior
Lamias are able to stretch their jaws and swallow larger prey. They are excellent climbers and swimmers. Constricor lamias use their larger built to squeeze their prey. Venomous lamias kill their prey by biting the head and injecting venom inside, though some prefer to inject their venom into the vein, usually biting the arm or leg. Lamias are agile and can strike at their prey fast.

Though lamias usually prey on children, they eat other things as well, such as deer, moose, or even mice. They go after wildlife when children do not dare to wonder around the forest, or desert, on their own.

Lamias are elusive toward adults and will often stay away if the adult is near the child. Which is why most parents will travel into the wilds with their children, by staying close to the adults lamias would not dare to get close. They are also wary of their surroundings and proceed through the forest or desert with great caution. Lamias prefer the warm/hot weather and will often hibernate during the winter.

Though they are elusive towards adults, in the mating season, Lamias will seduce a male human and have intercourse with them. Lamias use the magic of illusion to trick males that they are human women and trick them into their den.

Lamias are usually solitary, except during the celebration of their Goddesses, and usually do not make conversations with one another. They are not territorial creatures, except during mating season when females are possessive towards their mates. They are especially aggressive towards other lamias and other species when mothers are looking after their unhatched young.

Social Structure and Home range
A lamia’s territory size varies, it may range from 13 to 19 sq miles. Lamias usually do not share territories, but some lamias do live together in small groups. When in groups, lamias’ territory is larger, ranging from 20 to 30 sq mi.

Lamias are not aggressive towards one another and will not fight for territory, though they do ignore one another if one sees another lamia in their territory.

Tensions are higher in mating season, however, Lamias love their privacy and do not like to share their temporary mates. Once they smell a lamia into their territory, all hell breaks loose.

Lamias who are raising young tend to travel a lot and hold no territory.

Hunting and Diet
Lamias may eat mice, birds, frogs, deer, boar, and children of any species except Amazons, Giants, Trolls, and Ogres. Lamias do not hunt for food everyday and can last a year without eating after it has eaten their meal.

Lamias hunt in the day and night. Venomous lamias inject their venom into their prey. Constrictor lamias squeeze their prey. Lamias use seductive and illusionistic ways to draw in children, their favorite prey.

Reproduction and Life Cycle
Lamias mate during the warm/hot seasons and will give birth in a den. Some lamias lay eggs, some give birth to live young. Their pregnancy lasts 125 days.

Live baby lamia, once born, are already independent and will leave the mother to learn how to survive on their own.

Some lamias give birth by laying eggs, the baby lamias are dependent on their mother at this stage. Mother lamias do not eat or drink until the young has hatched. The mother will keep them warm by wrapping her tail around the eggs. Once the hatchlings come out of their eggs, they are on their own.

Mothers can give birth to 10 young and only 3 out of 10 will survive. The young lamias rely on their instincts to guide them through their trials of survival.

Culture
Despite their animalistic habits, lamias are a people as well. At the end of the year, Lamias come together to celebrate the annual day of their Goddesses, Gwen and Jay. They also provide sacrifices for them, usually two children. At the end of the celebration, they pray and say thanks their Goddesses.

Relationships with other races
Lamias usually avoid other species and do not bother making friends either due to their solitary nature. As long other races do not bother them, they will not bother other species. Lamias may seem like cowards, but they will fight back. Though they usually avoid fights with Ogres and Trolls, even if Trolls and Ogres start the fight. To the lamia, it’s not worth it.