A Brief Encyclopedia of the Chronicles of Sacrifice

Wyvern

Category: Monster

Commonality: Rare

Hazard Level: EXTREME

Descriptors: A dragon whose front legs and wings are combined to have two fewer limbs

Magical Nature: Fire/Frost, Wind

Typical Geography: Mountains, Plateaus

Wyverns are the biological predecessor to the modern Dragon, similar to how apes are the predecessor to modern Humans and Elves. Wyverns are intelligent, but studies have indicated not enough to be capable of speech, technological advancement, or complex use of tools. Wyverns tend to be larger than today's civilized dragons, but a lack of forelimbs gives the modern dragon a distinct advantage in close combat encounters.

Wyverns are predominantly diurnal, utilizing the heat of the sun as a source of energy for their magical essence. Like dragons, their flames come from an oil-based compound produced naturally in their body, but this process is only possible in either of them due to the heavy presence of fire magic naturally occurring in their biology. Wyverns always torch their food before consuming it, and often swoop down on unsuspecting prey and raze the area to cook it, then grip the charred remains in their rear talons and fly away.

No victim of a wyvern is ever recovered due to how quickly the creature eats its prey, often seen eating mid flight after the catch. Killed wyverns have been dissected to reveal powerful stomach acid, usable in many alchemical formulae and industrial applications, though such applications have more recently found technological tools that are cheaper to produce.

There are many records of groups defeating wyverns, but few of any individual defeating one, and those are of questionable integrity. In battling a wyvern, having a group is essential, and in absence of allies, flight is the only option, though not a promising one. Only a magic user has any true chance at surviving an encounter alone.

For the group, the strategy is simple but must be done correctly. The group must split up as the wyvern is going for the swoop and scatter in separate directions. Due to their typical indecisiveness, the wyvern will typically grows confused and must pull off into an erratic flight pattern. This gives the group enough time to respond as it circles overhead.

Now that there is time, the only way to defeat a wyvern is with a ranged weapon utilizing a large enough projectile to be capable of doing proportionate damage to that which an arrow would do to a human or elf. Disrupting the wyvern's flight muscles with a mechanical blockage, like the shaft of a large bolt or spear, will take it to the ground and force it to fight outside its normal territory. Here, the group can rush it as a group, attacking from behind, the side, and from afar at the front, to keep it grounded and kill it.

Never attack its face, as the wyvern will lunge its head forward and quickly kill the front attacker. Utilizing throwing spears or ballistas is necessary from this angle. Its sides are weak under its wing joints, and the closer a warrior can get to the base of its tail, the less energy it can muster to hit them, allowing the group to gain access to arteries, joints, and other critical parts of its body.

To an individual, a death sentence. To any group, an escapable beast. To a group of hunters, a challenge worthy of the prize most likely offered. Any time one is spotted, any nearby authorities must be notified so that the threat can be handled properly.