They speak common and draconic.

Each half-zmei varies, as they are a combination of two very different species. Half-zmei can be born with scaley skin, flat noses, tusks, underdeveloped wings, claws, and tails. Some are favoring their human side, some favor their dragon side. They are generally considered strange looking, even ugly if they are particularly zmei-like.

They inhabit Morozgorod, a small town that had been long ago overrun by occultists. It is often frigid, with temperatures dipping below freezing during the day. They feed off a diet of fatty elk, bear, birds, and other creatures brave enough and hardy enough to survive the snow.

They are capable of most things humans can, with some draconic abilities. Some are capable of breathing fire for extended spurts, some cannot. Few can fly, and even fewer can transform into dragons. Those that are can transform into multi-headed dragons that are around the size of an adult male with limited fire breathing and flight abilities. Because of their human lineage, many of the mighty zmei traits have been vastly watered down.

Half-zmei are a distinctly arctic terrain phenomenon. Zmei, proud dragons that they are that live only in the cold tundras, love the idea of worshippers and are known to raze villages to make room for their followers. As time went on and their worshippers died off, however, they began taking the form of humans and procreating with their followers to keep a steady supply of followers. These children, depending on how draconic they seem, are either favored and cherished or ignored.

Because of the rarity of half-zmeis outside of Morozgorod or other colonies, they're generally considered myths, or, when met, are distrusted because of the terrible nature of their families.