Snow-cap Wyverns

Living in the snowy peaks of the Cenliath Mountains, the Snow-cap Wyverns are a large breed of wyvern commonly seen within the nation of Dranya. Despite their size, Snow-caps are actually less ferocious than other breeds of wyvern, making it much easier to tame them. In fact, the Drakai  have even used them for transportation and courier services, and continue to do so even in the face of more technologically advanced alternatives, a testament to their reliability.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Like all wyverns, Snow-caps have a lizard-like body, a pair of hind legs, a pair of wings in place of front legs, a long serpentine neck, and a narrow lizard-like head.

Biological Traits

Older Snow-caps tend to have duller scales

Genetics and Reproduction

A Snow-cap Wyvern takes about 4-5 months to lay their eggs, which then take approximately 6-10 weeks to hatch.

Growth Rate & Stages

Infant: 0-5 years
Juvenile: 6-14 years
Adult: 15-40 years
Elder: 41-80 years

Ecology and Habitats

Snow-cap Wyverns largely live in the snowy peaks of the Cenliath Mountains, from which they get their name.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Snow-cap Wyverns are carnivores, and largely hunt for goats and other animals near their habitats.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The oldest and largest Snow-caps tend to occupy places of higher standing in their social hierarchy

Domestication

Snow-cap Wyverns are actually one of the most docile species of wyvern in the world, so it doesn't take much to domesticate one. Providing it with a good habitat and food is a good way to start gaining its trust for domestication, though the younger the Wyvern, the easier it will be to tame it.

Additionally, there is a steadily growing group of Snow-cap Wyverns that have been bred in captivity for long enough for them to have developed an innate friendliness towards Drakai. This makes the act of training them for use as mounts much easier than if they were brought in from the wild.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

As one would expect, having a nation where the majority of major cities are up in the mountains presents some unique logistics issues. Before the creation of the cable-car network that exists now, travel between cities was only really possible by walking along mountain trails, though this would take a long while, and could only support so much traffic at a time. Thankfully, the Drakai had a solution to this, in the form of some winged neighbours.

The Snow-cap Wyverns are used by by the Drakai in much the same way that humans would use horses, and for many of the same purposes, the most common of which is as transportation for either multiple people or cargo. These wyverns are also used for heavy labour around the higher altitudes of Dranya, but it's their more civilian applications that they're the most renowned for.

Though it takes some training to tame and ride a Snow-cap, their ability to fly a direct route between destinations without any obstacles, and their high carrying capacity make them invaluable elements of Dranya's infrastructure, so much so that Snow-cap Riders are still being used for transportation even with the more modern advances that have occurred since their inception. So if you're wandering through a Drakai city and suddenly see a large silvery-white wyvern in town, no need to panic, it's probably just the mailman.

Facial characteristics

Snow-caps, like most wyverns, have a very reptilian face, with a long snout

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Snow-cap Wyverns can be found throughout the higher peaks of the Cenliath Mountains in Dranya.

Average Intelligence

Snow-cap Wyverns are smart enough to be trained, and can recognise specific individuals and places.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Snow-cap Wyverns have a slightly keener sense of sight and hearing than most creatures. Additionally, while not having any magic ability themselves, Snow-caps also seem to have some minor ability to sense if there's magic in the area.

Lifespan

80 years

Conservation Status

The Drakai have taken measures to protect Snow-cap Wyverns and other species of dragonkin, largely through banning the hunting of such creatures and limiting access to their habitats.

Average Height

4.5m

Average Weight

8700kg

Average Length

10m Snout to tail, 11.5m wingspan

Average Physique

Snow-cap Wyverns tend to have large bodies, to help keep them warm in the snow covered peaks they call home.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Snow-cap Wyverns have greyish-white scales, which help them blend in with their snowy environment.