Sand Wyvern

Sand Wyverns are a subspecies of Wyvern located in the Blithe Desert. Although only one of the many dangerous species haunting the shifting sand and desert terrain, they are the most memorable, for few who encounter them in the wild live to tell the tale.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Sand Wyverns share the general characteristics of a typical wyvern; that is, they are bipedal reptilian creatures with a set of powerful wings. Their armoured scales are resistant to most forms of Ki and weaponry, and their colours, ranging from grey to ochre to brown serve as excellent camouflage within their desert homes. This species is smaller than their other counterparts, with curved frontal claws fit for both gouging prey and burrowing underground.

Ecology and Habitats

Vast, sandy deserts are this species preferred habitat, and as such, they rarely travel beyond the central regions of the Blithe Desert. Although there are many desert regions across Yumihari, there are no other known habitats for Sand Wyverns, presumably because of their unique preference for underground nesting and the natural incubation chambers created by the immense heat of the region's living sands during the day.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Although carnivores by nature, consuming all varieties of desert creatures as prey, Sand Wyverns gain the ability at a young age to convert sand and rock into an energy source. Consuming this inexhaustible resource gives this species an efficient mode of survival, and yet they begin to prefer meat as they reach their adult stages of development. Such behaviour indicates that hunting prey might prove more of a form of sport or exercise for the creatures and less a necessary survival strategy.
Though, if the simple truth is that they grow bored of eating sand at some point in their lives, no one would blame them.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Built as both the masters of the sky and ground, these creatures are incredibly sensitive to sound. While soaring over the desert, they can attune to the flow of wind and hear creatures moving aboveground from over fifty miles away. When beneath the sand, Sand Wyverns attune themselves to earth and listen for the vibrations of their prey moving across the desert.
Their mastery over wind and earth allows them to manipulate both elements at will. Not only can they shift sand to shape their dens, but also use it to attack intruders in their territory and hunt their prey. Unlike many wyvern species, Sand Wyverns do not have a typical breath attack, but their cries, though rare, are known to cause catastrophic sandstorms when instigated near human settlements.