The wyvern is vaguely dragonlike - with a long, lean, scaled body, a pair of large wings, but only two claws. The tip of the long flexible tail is set with a vicious stinger dripping with venom. The wyvern's teeth and claws are razor sharp. It is at least as long as two men are tall, and very flexible. Wyverns typically dwell in deep forests or on high cliffs. They hunt frequently, preferring smallish prey, but not minding the occasional human for dinner. They swoop in, snatch and retreat, taking the fewest risks possible. Typically they hunt alone, but their nests are often home to mated pairs, and sometimes to more than one nearly-grown offspring, as well as younger hatchlings. Unlike dragons, wyverns don't deliberately collect treasure, but will rarely discard the items their prey carried; a long-inhabited wyvern nest may have considerable "accidental" treasure nearby. Instinct: to seize prey and carry off.

• swoop in, sting with poison and vicious bite