Wyverns
Üllemic: Lü'üheke /lyʔyːhɛːkhɛː/
Kikrönic: Irk'üte /ɪːrkʼyːthɛ/
Wyverns are flying, endothermic reptiles native to a region stretching from the Qug Mountains east to the K'aflúll Hills in central and eastern Jælondis, respectively. They are the apex predators of the the mountains, specializing in hunting large herbivores such as Pegasi, llamas and the occasional livestock.
These animals are quite curious and often mischievous, similar to ravens, and have a habit of annoying the inhabitants of monasteries, who tend to treat this as the gods testing them while performing prayers and meditation or practicing arcane martial arts.
Wyverns are flying, endothermic reptiles native to a region stretching from the Qug Mountains east to the K'aflúll Hills in central and eastern Jælondis, respectively. They are the apex predators of the the mountains, specializing in hunting large herbivores such as Pegasi, llamas and the occasional livestock.
These animals are quite curious and often mischievous, similar to ravens, and have a habit of annoying the inhabitants of monasteries, who tend to treat this as the gods testing them while performing prayers and meditation or practicing arcane martial arts.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Despite their similarities to Jaculi and to lesser extent Amphitheres, wyverns are only distantly related to the former two, and are not modern descendants of Dragons as popular borgalorean media often claims, rather they are an example of convergent evolution. Similarly to jaculi and unlike most dragon species, wyverns only have four limbs, and can use the wings to walk or hobble with while on the ground, albeit slowly. Four digits are on each limb, with two elongated ones on the wings to support the membrane and two shorter ones -little more than claws- to support the animal while walking.
The males sport a gular pouch which they can inflate during mating season, similar to those of our world's frigatebirds except for being bright green in colour, but otherwise the difference between male and female wyverns is minimal.
The tail is long, relatively inflexible and tipped with a tail-vane.
The males sport a gular pouch which they can inflate during mating season, similar to those of our world's frigatebirds except for being bright green in colour, but otherwise the difference between male and female wyverns is minimal.
The tail is long, relatively inflexible and tipped with a tail-vane.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Unlike Gryphons, which tend to swoop down on unsuspecting prey, wyverns prefer to lie in wait and either chase their prey through the air -in case of Pegasii- or try to scare or push it off a cliff. They are also infamous for stealing food from each other while in flight or from larger birds-of-prey, and snatching calves and crias away from their herds.
In kikran and other ójomic dwarven traditions however, the animal acts as a trickster who enjoys pranking them in various ways, but these antics taught the early dwarves a number of valuable skills.
Cultural Significance
In many dwarven cultures, particularly among Highland Dwarves in the Qug Mountains, wyverns are associated with hunting and believed to be messengers of the gods, particularly the wind god Üdó, and are featured on the flags and emblems of several countries and other organizations in the mountains.In kikran and other ójomic dwarven traditions however, the animal acts as a trickster who enjoys pranking them in various ways, but these antics taught the early dwarves a number of valuable skills.
Origin/Ancestry
Central Jælondis
Average Weight
14 kg
Average Length
1.3m (wingspan is 2.6m)
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The ones up in the Qug Mountains are mostly mottled grey to camouflage against the surrounding rocks and cliffs, while the lowland variants are more brown.
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