Patrakku (Pa-Trra-Coo)
Patrakku (Imperial Wythian: Winged Viper), known in Wythe as Wyverns (Bergic: Guivre) and commonly referred to as Kinfo-Nyaka (Wythian: Flying Death), are large winged reptilian creatures native to the lush rainforests of Mrembura. Sharing some distant relation to the great Dragon-Tyrants of Teoti Itza, Patrakku are vicious, highly aggressive creatures, lacking the supernatural intellect and cunning of their draconic kin but compensating with a highly-venomous bite and unparalled ferocity.
Appearance
Unlike true dragons, Patrakku bear no vibrant plumage of any kind, covered instead with dull green-grey scales and wicked spines running from snout to tail. Adult Patrakku are typically comparable in body length to the largest of river crocodiles, though their wingspan greatly exceeds their body length. Their heads are narrow and angular, with a pronounced hooked snout and deep-set eyes protected by keratinous brow ridges. The jaws are lined with numerous recurved teeth designed for gripping and tearing flesh, and the lower jaw is capable of opening to a surprisingly wide angle when striking prey. The venom is delivered through grooved fangs near the front of the jaw, and even a shallow bite is often fatal to animals much larger than the Patrakku itself. They have four limbs: two wings, which like bats serve as forelimbs in addition to being used for flight, and two hind legs. The tail is long and muscular, often used for balance when perched and occasionally as a striking weapon in close combat.
Behavior
Patrakku are social creatures, living and hunting together in small flocks that typically consist of an adult breeding pair and their offspring. Young males are cast out by their parents shortly before reaching maturity, whereafter they will commence to wandering for some years before seeking a mate, often joining up with other bachelor males for mutual protection and increased hunting success. Females, on the other hand, will remain within the home range of their parents for the majority of their lives, helping to care for the subsequent clutches of their parents and defending the nest from predators or rival flocks. Eventually, females will carve off chunks of outerlying territory upon choosing a mate, though in some cases it has been observed that a female will wait for her parents to die so as to claim the entire territory for herself. It has been well-documented by Wstaar'si scholars that Patrakku mate for life.
Patrakku tend to establish nesting territories deep within the rainforest, far from mannish settlements. Accounts from numerous Wstaar'si hunters note that they prefer nesting in the gargantuan Mukovu trees of the mountainous highlands, to the extent that individuals will risk grievous injury in order to oust a rival flock from such a nest. In many cases, Mukovu nests may be used by generations of Patrakku, gradually growing into enormous platforms dozens of meters across.
Patrakku are highly coordinated hunters, able to communicate and execute complex and often multi-staged hunting strategies with their flock. They do not appear to have a preferred prey, hunting and feeding upon all manner of creatures including monkeys, great tree-dwelling apes, striped horses, swine, and all manner of bovids. Despite making their nests in forests, adult Patrakku struggle to effectively hunt prey amidst the dense trees due to their large size. As such, it has been observed that one or two individuals will typically attempt to flush prey into fields or clearings while the rest of the flock circles high above the canopy overhead. Once a target animal begins to flee, the flock takes turns diving, slashing with talons and delivering venomous bites. Even the largest of beasts can be brought down in this way through the combination of venom and blood loss. After the animal collapses, the flock feeds together, allowing the young to eat first before being driven off so the adults may feed.
Vatasvi
Among certain peoples of Mrembura exist the Vatasvi, or wyvern-riders, a highly specialized class of hunters, warriors, and beast-handlers who raise and ride Patrakku. While most Patrakku are too aggressive and socially bonded to their flocks to be controlled, it is known that certain breeds of Patrakku can be tamed and otherwise grow comfortable in the presence of men when raised from birth in captivity.
Because Patrakku are social animals that normally live in tight family flocks, successful taming depends heavily on early imprinting. Eggs or very young hatchlings are taken from nests: a dangerous endeavour, as adult Patrakku will violently defend their nesting territories and may pursue egg thieves for long distances. Once obtained, the hatchlings are raised in isolation from most other Patrakku and in constant proximity to their handlers. Handlers feed them by hand, sleep near them, and maintain near-constant contact during the early years of life. Over time, the Patrakku comes to recognize specific humans as members of its “flock,” responding to their calls and tolerating their presence in a way wild individuals never would.
Even so, a trained Patrakku is never truly docile. Its natural instincts remain intact, and it must be handled with confidence and steady hands. Riders and handlers often bear numerous scars from bites, talon wounds, or accidental strikes of the tail and wings; it is said that even the tamest of captive Patrakku can smell the stench of fear.
Training for riding begins only after the Patrakku reaches near full size, which may take several years. Riding harnesses are complex constructions of leather and wood fitted around the chest and at the base of the wings, carefully designed so as not to interfere with wing movement. The rider typically sits forward of the shoulders where the body is strongest, guiding the Patrakku using reins attached near the jaw, leg pressure against the torso, and a series of trained vocal commands and whistles. Unlike the famed striped horse cavalry of Utangi, Patrakku are not ridden in large formations, as they are territorial and may attack unfamiliar individuals in flight. Vatasvi riders therefore operate in small groups, often consisting of individuals whose Patrakku were raised together and tolerate one another. These small aerial groups are used primarily for scouting, long-distance communication, hunting large game, and warfare.
In battle, the appearance of Vatasvi riders is often enough to break enemy morale. A diving Patrakku with a rider armed with spear, javelin, or bow can strike with devastating speed, and the creature’s venom makes even minor wounds dangerous. Many riders deliberately train their Patrakku to bite enemy soldiers or mounts during attacks, relying on the fast-acting venom and panic to disrupt formations.
Despite their usefulness, Vatasvi remain rare: during the Wythe-Lagona War, the Lagonan Empire was able to field less than 100 Vatasvi over the course of the war, reserving them for major engagements. Raising a Patrakku requires years of effort, great expense, and the constant risk of death. For this reason, wyvern-riders are often elite warriors, nobles, or members of specialized warrior societies. In many cultures of Mrembura, a Vatasvi and their Patrakku are considered a single fighting unit rather than rider and mount, and the bond between them is regarded as something closer to kinship than ownership. Some traditions hold that when a Vatasvi dies, their Patrakku will refuse food and eventually die as well, and thus rider and beast are often burned or buried together so that their spirits may continue to hunt together in the afterlife.
The Great Lagonan Guivre, from Michel de Aureppel's Livre des bêtes
20 - 25 ft.
40 - 50 ft.