Wyvern

In a bygone era the Wyvern were once one of many flying beasts. Since the collapse of the Pyrosi Empire and the D-R Extinction they’ve been reduced to the last bastion on the wing. Even they dwindle in these trying times through the mark of man or elf upon their species, hunted for the last remnants of secrets they are unwilling to part with. But the Wyvern is more than just the obituary of an old era, they’re the echo that endures through for their majesty. Steadfast for the day that their cousins in flame may return…

### Physiology and Anatomy

The Wyvern are great reptilian beasts. Their tongues are slit and their skin is scaled. A Wyverns scale is strong and thick, able to resist the impact of a crossbow bolt or deter the strike of a blade. Though this covering is thick it becomes softer beneath their bellies. A Wyvern’s scales degrade quickly after the beast dies, but grant both itself or those who adorn its skin protection against acid attacks. Wyverns aren’t born fully scaled though, in their infancy they’re covered in a hair-like filament to insulate their chicks. Only once the Wyvern earns the ability to fly do they begin to lose this covering, though some adults still have parts of a shaggy coat. Due to their size they don’t have to worry about freezing but may endure through a rapid, near-warmblooded metabolism.

A high-energy metabolism requires a high-energy diet. The Wyvern is no exception. Carnivores, Wyverns have little in the way of food preference. Their crocodilian-like snouts have conical teeth to pin prey and devour bone. They don’t chew but instead tear chunks small enough to swallow whole. Wyverns can digest particularly rancid flesh which makes them ideal scavengers. They can break down particularly infectious flesh using their incredibly acidic stomach acid, able to break down even metal. When threatened, the Wyvern can regurgitate this substance at aggressors to devastating effect. This attack isn’t without cost to the Wyvern as it depletes the reserves of acid the beast has and may expel any already swallowed material it may have ingested. Wyverns don’t rely on this attack in predation and instead opt to use it as a defensive tool or to predigest food before consumption.

Wyverns can’t spend their entire time in the air and must land to feed, which may make them vulnerable to attack. The Wyvern is equipped with a number of tools to reduce this issue. Their tails, which in the air assist in steering, are powerful enough to send a grown man flying with a whip of its barbed end. Their claws are the length of shortswords and act much the same, puncturing armor and flesh with relative ease. Though they’re not nearly as graceful as other animals on the ground they can still gallop, with their claws providing added grip on uneven surfaces.

Wyvern flight is long-distance and fast. A Wyvern can travel from biome to biome in search of food quicker than almost any other flying beast. Their great wings let them soar high up and peer down over a vast landscape. Their sharp vision and sense of smell lets them pinpoint prey even as specs below themselves, allowing them to survey vast distances. These enormous traits come with dire weaknesses, should a Wyvern’s membranes be grievously torn they will not be able to take flight again. Broken bones, particularly on the wings, can be outright fatal to a Wyvern. As such, Wyverns avoid head-on attacks when possible and would only exhibit such behavior if desperate.

During the summer Wyverns lay their broods. A single female may lay upward of three eggs at a time, each the size of a football. These eggs have to be kept at a very specific temperature that coincides with an adult Wyvern’s heat, so precise that naught but Wyvern can brood a Wyvern egg. Because Wyverns need to leave their eggs, they often carve grooves around their nests which they fill with their heated acid, allowing the parents to leave without fear of losing their clutch.

### Psychology

Wyverns are mostly solitary animals who only pair to rear offspring. Their adult lives are spent patrolling their territories for food and to ward off rivals. Wyverns prefer to intimidate rivals as opposed to a brawl but males especially may become more inclined to fight each other during the summer. Males will often conduct brawls where they each ascend before trying to ensure the other crashes as they dive toward the earth. This intraspecific competition can often prove deadly. Females will select for males who demonstrate particular strength, often established by their position elevation-wise. The higher a male puts his roost, the more he will have to contend with rivals attempting to do the same.

Wyverns have a not-so great history with sapient races and show clear aversion to them. They treat them much the same as a rival, though without the fear of real injury. Wyverns have increasingly attacked cattle yards for leisurely meals, elevating the number of incidents between groups. Wyverns show a higher level of intellect over other animals; like crows they’re able to distinguish individuals of other species and solve simple problems to get at items of interest. Wyverns can remember previous wrongdoers and may hold grudges against repeat offenders.

Despite operating in pairs to raise young, it is the male of Wyverns who does most of the child rearing. As he is usually smaller and more colorful he is not so readily equipped to hunt big game. Males instead can become more striking to potential nest-raiders and their smaller size allows them to quickly come to their aid if their nest should be compromised. Females are bigger and duller-colored but serve an equally important task. Their brawn lets them wrestle bigger prey they will need as they feed more than just their own mouth. A clutch is only as effective as its parents.