Lesser bronze wyvern (Aurora)
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-sapient |
| Morphology | Draconoid |
| Family | Wyvern family |
| Physiological traits | |
| Average height | ~5.5 feet |
| Skin color | Bronze |
| Respire | Air |
| Preferred environment | High-altitude |
| Sexes | 2 |
| Maturity | 12 years |
| Normal lifespan | 120 years |
| Notable features | Leathery wings; Durable scales; fire breathing |
| Arcano-spiritual characteristics | |
| Animating force | life force |
The lesser bronze wyvern, alternatively known as the Obskaric wyvern, is a type of carnivorous draconoid native to eastern Terra Aurora. It is a smaller wyvern with an average weight of 1,000 pounds and a height of 5.5 feet. Its primary features include: two leathery wings and two legs; thick, highly reflective scales resembling polished bronze; three approximately straight horns on the upper back of the head; and the ability to breath fire. They are normally solitary creatures outside of nesting sites, which typically contain up to 150 adult wyverns along with any accompanying juveniles.
The preferred habitat of lesser bronze wyverns is cold, high-altitude environments with available solid ground, such as mountain peaks and floating islands. The precise altitude at which they begin to appear varies by temperature, with hotter regions having populations at higher altitudes and colder ones seeing ingress of wyverns to altitudes as low as 4,000 feet above sea level; cold regions with more available prey are also conducive to greater wyvern populations. Their range covers most of eastern Terra Aurora from the Obskaric Ocean to central Macarndria and Dracoris.
Lesser bronze wyverns serve as a carnivorous intermediate predator in most ecosystems that they inhabit; their primary prey animal is the four-winged moa and related animals, supplemented with smaller creatures, while their normal predators in the wild include larger draconoids such as dragons. They are widely hunted by sapient creatures living in aerial and mountainous regions for their highly durable, magic-resistant scales, which are suitable for use in armor, as well as for other resources such as meat, bones, claws, and teeth. As carnivorous creatures that consume medium-sized animals, they are also prolific predators of livestock in areas that they inhabit.