Wyvern: General Description
All four wyvern species, while coming in various sizes, colours, and temperaments based on their species, have the same general body type and markings. Every wyvern is a large, lithe beast, with two hind legs and wings that double as front legs. They are scaled, with long, wicked-sharp talons and teeth.
They have spikes, on their heads, along their backs, and on their tails, though the style and size of the spikes varies by species. Earth wyverns, being the largest, tend to have the biggest spikes, while air wyverns, being the smallest, are often found with little to no spikes, making them swifter and more aerodynamic in the air. Water wyverns have the sharpest spikes, while fire wyverns tend to have the flashiest.
Going from nose to tail, wyverns have long, generally slim muzzles, though the larger beasts’ can get bigger, filled with up to sixty teeth, the largest of which are two to four inches long. Their tongues are like ours, only much bigger, narrower, and are slightly ridged, like a cat’s. They have narrow-slit nostrils that narrow further and flare wider when they breath. They have small, wide-set eyes that are nearly on either side of the head, with bright irises, slit-pupils, and two sets of eyelids (the outer lids that blink up and down like a human, and the inner lids that blink side to side and are normally only used while in the air to keep their vision clear). Simple slits on either side of their head marks their ears. But despite the small sizes of their eyes, ears, and noses, wyverns have incredible senses.
The head-spikes, generally two to four, begin at the base of the skull. When looking down, they point straight up, but when the head is facing forward, the spikes almost rest along the neck. On large males, these spikes can be as long as a man’s forearm. The neck and back spikes are generally much shorter. They don't start growing from the neck right at the head, but rather a couple inches down, in the case of large dragons with large spikes: it would be quite irksome if the head spikes were constantly knocking into the neck spikes every time the beast moved its head. From the place they start growing, they continue down their neck, back, and the top of their tail, sometimes expanding into two rows from their shoulders to the base of the tail. On the tip of the tail itself is a set of four spikes, each pointed slightly out and back from the body.
Wyverns have long, sinuous necks, ending at a pair of large, powerful shoulders. Their “arms” double as their wings, with a two-taloned “hand” that they walk on. The wings themselves fold up along the body when not in flight, and only ever touch the ground when the beast sleeps, or if it is injured or sick, and therefore weak. The wings are the only part of the wyvern that isn't scaled or adorned. Wings are large and membranous, like a bat, but much thicker and tougher, yet still very light. The wingspan varies by size and weight of the individual wyvern, with the largest and heaviest generally having the bigger wingspans. The smallest wingspan, however, is never less than ten feet per wing.
The wyvern’s body is compact and sturdy, large yet lithe. They have powerful hindquarters, perfect for launching themselves off the ground. Their legs end with four-toed feet, three pointing straight ahead, while the fourth points slightly inward, like a human thumb. Each toe has a long, razor sharp talon, perfect for clutching and holding things in place.
Finally, the tail. Oftentimes, the tail is as long as the wyvern from nose to the base of the spine. It is a wicked-strong appendage, all muscle that can pack a hell of a punch. It helps the wyvern balance in the air, and can also be a brace if the beast ever has reason to sit up. The spikes on the end of it vary slightly from one species to another, though each one has four.
Wyvern Spikes and Tail After colour and size, the best way to identify a wyverns species is by looking at their spikes or tail.
On an earth wyvern, the spikes will be long and thick, but blunt, better for ramming than stabbing. An air wyvern will be the opposite, with short, thin spikes with a sharp point. Biting them the wrong way will be like putting a cactus in your mouth.
Water and fire wyverns have spikes that are about the same length and thickness, both depending on the size of the wyvern itself. But while both have a point, a water wyvern’s is actually sharp. Just touching the tip of one could result in bloodshed. The fire wyverns, meanwhile, have flashy spikes. They are almost always at least two colours, but most have three or even four colours. It ombres, starting as one colour at the base and changing as it goes up to the tip, just like a fire might.
As for the tails, each wyvern species has four spikes, except for air; they often only have two, short but sharp as thorns. Earth wyverns have large, almost rounded spikes, reminiscent of a club, or a mace. A fire wyvern’s tail spikes are simple spikes, hardly different than those on the rest of the body, other than the little fact they are hot to the touch. Sometimes they even glow faintly red. A water wyvern has the most noticeable tail, for theirs has webbing between their spikes, making for a fin-like tail, perfect for swimming.
General Measurements for WyvernsHeight (at shoulder): 4-8 feet
Length (head): 2-3 feet
Length (neck): 5-7 feet
Length (body): 6-8 feet
Length (tail): 13-18 feet
Length (total): 26-34 feet
Weight: 5-9 tons (1,000-18,000 pounds)
Wingspan: 35-50 feet
Flight Speed: 200-300 mph (up to 450 mph when diving)
Earth
Description:
Size: Earth wyverns are well-known to be the largest of the wyvern species. They are the longest, the heaviest, have the largest teeth and talons, and their hide is extremely thick and rough, like a rock; they are giant fighting machines. However, that size and prowess makes them lousy fliers. They have great stamina, which means they can fly for long hours without riders. With riders, they can't fly as long, but they are able to fly with more people than any other species. While two is usually the limit for water, fire, and air, earth wyverns can often fly with as many as four, or sometimes even five.
The average measurements for an adult earth wyvern are as follows:
6-8 feet tall (at the shoulder)
30-34 feet long (nose to tail tip)
8-9 tons
15-17 foot wingspan
Flies 200-250 mph (350-400 when diving)
Strengths, Weaknesses & Defenses: Earth wyverns, unlike most of the other species, are at their most powerful when on the ground—and connected to the earth. They may not be able to move fast to avoid getting hit, but, well… they're actually very good at taking hits. Very little can hurt them, and besides: they're not afraid of a fight, even one with bad odds.
But that's where their biggest weakness comes in. Earth wyverns may not be the ones to start a fight, but once they start, they fight to win. Granted, they are successful most times, but when the odds are stacked against them… they'll fight anyway, and they'll lose. Because of their size and sheer strength, most don't want to pick a fight with an earth wyvern. But against numbers and brains, earth wyverns rarely win.
An earth wyvern’s best defense is it's near-impenetrable skin. Only another wyvern’s teeth or talons can break through, making it almost unkillable. The earth magic they wield can also act as a great defense, if used to create a wall of rock between it and an enemy. The best two opponents for an earth wyvern is another earth wyvern, or a fire wyvern. Earth wyverns aren't fireproof—just fire resistant. And if there's one species stubborn enough to challenge an earth wyvern, it's fire.
Fire: Earth wyverns rarely breath fire (some can't at all), and when they do, it is a simple red flame, the coolest of a wyvern’s fire. They can only produce small amounts at a time, and trying to breathe more than their quota can seriously tire them out.
Colours: Earth wyverns come in all shades of green, from the palest mint green to the darkest emerald. Their spikes, and any markings they may have, are either a darker green, or a shade of brown. When on the ground, their colours tend to be brighter than they are when it's in the air. Their eyes are a bright mixture of green (usually a couple shades lighter or darker than their scales) and brown. When using magic, the green will often swallow the brown.
Behaviour: Earth wyverns are steady and self-confident. They do not fear much, and never shy from a challenge. They fit more in the brawn category over brain, but that does not mean they are stupid. They are amazing fighters and excellent strategists. But in subjects not relating to the physical, they do tend to be… less bright than the other species. Most earth wyverns are slow to temper, and they rarely pick fights for no reason, though there are, of course, exceptions. They are fierce and proud, and can either make the best of friends or the worst of enemies.
Air
Description:
Size: Air wyverns are most often the smallest species, built for speed and agility in the air, not physical confrontations. They do, however, often have the largest wingspan of the four species. Those big wings, plus small, lightweight bodies, make for amazing fliers. Unlike the other species, an air wyvern can shift and lift their scales around and off their body, to allow them to make sharp, impossible turns in the air. They also use this ability to make themselves look bigger when confronting enemies while on the ground, like a dog or cat bristling its fur.
The average measurements for an adult air wyvern are as follows:
4-5 feet tall (at the shoulder)
26-28 feet long (nose to tail tip)
5-7 tons
18-20 foot wingspan
Flies 300 mph, sometimes more (up to 450 mph when diving)
Strengths, Weaknesses & Defenses: Unsurprising, an air wyvern is at its strongest in the air. They're not bad movers on the ground, but once they get airborne, they're almost unstoppable. Fast, swift, and agile, an air wyvern can outmaneuver and outpace all but other air wyverns. They're also very quick thinkers, and can change plans—and flight paths—in the blink of an eye.
But to be that fast and agile, air wyverns have to be small. They may have the largest wingspans, but the rest of them is quite small. Because of that size, one hit is often all it takes to defeat them. Landing a hit is quite the challenge, but if you can manage it, you're almost guaranteed to win.
An air wyvern’s best defense is it's speed: you'd be hard-pressed to catch one if it didn't want you to. They can fly almost endlessly, with the help of their magic, so they're very difficult to beat when in the air. While they tend to be quicker and lighter on their feet than other species while on the ground, an air wyvern will always try to take to the skies. That is their best chance at winning.
Fire: Very few air wyvern’s have the ability to breathe fire, and those that can are usually easy-going and friendly enough that they very rarely display their flames. Those that do have a simple yellow flame that is actually surprisingly hot. Since they use their fire-breathing so little, air wyverns can produce as much as they want on those rare occasions they need to.
Colours: Air wyverns come in all shades of grey, from a pale white-grey to dark thundercloud-grey. Their spikes, and any markings they might have, are either a darker gray (with paler wyverns), or more commonly, black. Their eyes come in all shades associated with the sky, from winter-sky-blue, to stormcloud-grey, to sunset-orange. If the sky can be a colour, an air wyvern’s eyes can too.
Behaviour: Air wyverns are generally the most friendly and easygoing of the species. They are the ones most likely to allow strangers to touch and ride them, and they rarely go picking fights with anything, human or wyvern. They are also, however, some of the most stubborn. Air wyverns absolutely love being in the air, and even their bonded human can sometimes have difficulty getting them to come down. Air wyverns are generally very playful and happy-go-lucky, but if you break their trust, it's almost impossible to get them to forgive you.
Water
Description:
Size: Most water wyverns are of medium size; bigger than air wyverns but smaller than earth wyverns. Their scales are smooth as water-washed pebbles, and generally cool to the touch. They're probably the easiest to injure, but they are also the fastest healers. They fly reasonably well, and are good movers on the ground. But they are at their best when in the water, a place no other wyvern is comfortable being. They can even swim!
The average measurements for an adult water wyvern are as follows:
5-7 feet tall (at the shoulder)
28-30 feet long (nose to tail tip)
6-8 tons
16-18 foot wingspan
Flies 225-275 mph (375-425 when diving)
Strengths, Weaknesses & Defenses: A water wyvern is at it's strongest near water, but some of the older, more powerful beasts know they can simply draw water from plants or the air if they need to. Water wyverns love water like air wyverns love the air—they even know how to swim! In fact, they have webbing between their toes, and even between the spikes on their tail.
Water wyverns are are their weakest during hot summers and droughts, or if they've gone without contact with water for over twenty-four hours. In a fight, water wyverns are rarely the strongest or fastest, but they can often be considered the smartest. They use their opponent's strengths and find a way to turn it against them, while they themselves are constantly changing in their fighting styles, making it very hard for it's opponent to predict what they're going to do next.
Their greatest defense is probably that ability to predict. With it, they can almost always avoid an attack before the attack even starts. It frustrates their opponents to no end, which just makes them that much easier to beat.
Fire: Water wyverns are the one species that can't breathe fire at all. There may be the odd air or earth wyvern who can't, but the majority of them still can, if only in small bursts, but water wyverns can't at all. They do, however, breathe ice. It looks like a blue flame, but it is colder than ice and will freeze solid anything it touches. It it a very dangerous weapon in a water wyvern’s arsenal, one that is, thankfully, rarely used. Only other water wyverns, and fire wyverns because of the heat they're always giving off, are immune to this icy breath.
Colours: Water wyverns come in all shades of blue, from a light ice-blue to dark midnight-blue. Their spikes, and any markings they might have, come in various shades of purple, generally a shade lighter than the blue. Their scales always seem brighter when they're near water, and sometimes it may even look like the scales themselves are flowing over their body like a river. Their eyes come in all shades of blue, green, and purple, oftentimes being a mix of two, or even all three, colours.
Behaviour: Water wyverns are probably the most diverse when it comes to personality. They can be as calm and steady as a river; as wild and unpredictable as the ocean; as quiet and easygoing as a stream; or as loud and fierce as a rainstorm. They are the most social of the wyverns; they rarely like being alone, so be it human, wyvern, or stray animal, they will likely always seek company. They are very good with change, and will often seek it if their same-old, same-old gets boring. They do not, however, like being told what to do. They like to do their own thing, on their own terms, and if you try to force them, then you better watch your head.
Fire
Description:
Size: Fire wyverns come in the most variety of sizes. They aren't quite as small as the smallest air wyverns, nor do they grow as large as the biggest earth wyvern, but they can occasionally get pretty close. But even the smaller fire wyverns are tough as nails. In fact, the smaller they are, the more likely they are to pick a fight. And while they're not as strong or tough as earth wyverns, they are very good at getting up when knocked down. Their scales are often hot to the touch, and they can cool down or heat up to reflect their mood.
The average measurements for an adult fire wyvern are as follows:
4.5-7.5 feet tall (at the shoulder)
26-33 feet long (nose to tail tip)
5.5-8.5 tons
16-19 foot wingspan
Flies 225-275 mph (375-425 when diving)
Strengths, Weaknesses & Defenses: A fire wyvern’s greatest strength is it's will to go on. Even when it should be clear they've been defeated, a fire wyvern will still get up and keep fighting. They are fierce and tenacious, often loyal to a fault, and quick to temper. They don’t respond well to rules or orders, and it is very hard to change their mind once it’s made up. All of this makes for a determined fighter who will die before admitting defeat. Most wyverns have enough sense of self-preservation to back down before it ever gets to that point. Some may consider that a lack of such self-preservation is a weakness, but in a fire wyvern, it is definitely a strength.
Their greatest weakness has more to do with their temper. If you make a fire wyvern mad enough, they tend to lose all reason and focus, making their fighting off-balanced and sloppy. It also makes them less inclined to hold back, so one cannot depend entirely on making them mad, otherwise one might end up torched. Another good tactic to defeat a fire wyvern is to get them near water. They don’t have to be in it; just seeing large bodies of water is enough to distract most fire wyverns, making them just a little bit easier to overpower.
The greatest defense a fire wyvern has is it’s ability to breathe fire. Other wyvern species can do this, but not with the power or heat of a fire wyvern. Other species also aren’t 100% immune to fire like a fire wyvern. Most of the other species are immune to the effects of fire only until a certain heat, and fire wyverns, as they get older, can produce hotter and hotter flames.
Fire: A fire wyvern can breathe fire of all colours, from simple red to the hottest of white and blue flames. With age, fire wyverns can even learn to control the heat of their flame. Before then, their fire starts at its coldest (though it's obviously still hot) and gets hotter as they grow. Breathing fire is easy for fire wyverns, and when they're young they often do so by accident—so watch yourself!
Colours: Fire wyverns come in all shades of red, yellow, and orange. Their spikes, and any markings they might have, are a mix of the two colours their scales aren't (i.e., a red wyvern will have yellow and/or orange spikes and markings). The colours often seem to blend together and shift around, like a flame just below their scales. Their eyes come in all the same shades and colour mixtures as their scales, though they are hardly ever the same shade/mixture as them.
Behaviour: Fire wyverns are the most wild and unpredictable of all the wyvern species. They can be calm and friendly one minute, fierce and ready to tear you limb from limb the next. They have tempers as hot as their flames, and it takes very little to spark their ire. They're hard to control, stubborn as hell, and it's very hard to earn their trust. But once you do, they'll support you in everything, and protect you to the end.
Wyverns: All Species
Reproduction and Lifespan:
Mating Seasons All four wyvern species mate during spring, starting anywhere from mid-March and ending by late May. Earth wyverns are often the first to start breeding every year, for their gestation period is the longest. Some may even start looking and fighting for a mate as early as two weeks before females even come into season. Air wyverns, on the other hand, often start later, closer to mid-April, because of their shorter gestation periods.
While most female wyverns only mate with one male each year, some may mate with two. Bonded wyverns, however, are less likely to mate every year, if they mate at all. When they do, they mate for life, oftentimes with the wyvern belonging to their human’s significant other. Wild or bonded, wyverns will mate several times over the course of a female's heat, with more couplings often leading to larger clutch sizes.
Gestation and Clutch Sizes From the time mating happens, gestation can be as long as 100 days, to as short as 80 days, with the average being 95 days. Earth wyverns tend to gestate closer to the 100 day mark, while air wyverns often lay their eggs after only 80 to 85 days.
Clutch size depends almost entirely on the size of the mother. The larger she is, the more eggs she will be able to produce. Strong genetics in the father can help boost numbers, as can several couplings during mating. All species of wyvern can have 1 to 4 eggs, with clutches of 5 or 6 being possible but very rare. Once the eggs have been laid, a mother wyvern will watch over and guard her eggs with a fierceness one does not want to mess with. She will stay with her clutch until they hatch, and for the year following, before abandoning her young a month or so before laying her new year’s clutch. For bonded wyverns, a mother will often give her eggs, some or all, depending on the mother and what she senses in the unhatched baby, to her human, to donate to one of the Wyvern Breeding Facilities around the world, where they will then often be sent to Wyvern Academy, where they may find their own human to bond with.
Egg Sizes, Incubation, and Choosing an Element Wyvern eggs are generally large, slightly-oval shaped, and off-white in colour when first laid; they change to reflect the colour of their element, and their scales, 4 to 6 weeks into their incubation period, which lasts a total of 8 to 12 weeks (56 to 84 days). The size of the eggs is roughly the same for all four species, between 18 and 22 inches in circumference, and they weigh 10 to 20 pounds. Generally, the larger eggs will hatch and grow into larger wyverns.
A wyvern will choose its element while still in its egg, and the choice is usually limited to the species its parents are. If two earth wyvern's mate, their eggs are most likely going to choose the element earth. If a water wyvern and an air wyvern were to mate, their eggs would probably choose water or air. But there have been cases where unhatched wyverns will choose a completely different element than that of it's parents. This happens most often in the wild, where there are most mixed lineages between the species.
Growth Rate and Lifespan When a baby wyvern is born, it will weigh 8 to 18 pounds, and be 1 to 3 feet long, with about a 2 foot wingspan. Babies will likely double their weight during the first week or two, and grow several inches, and then the growing process slows rapidly, with one to two growth spurts a month, depending on their species and eating habits. By the time they reach one year, a young wyvern will be about two feet tall, twelve to thirteen feet long, weigh just under a ton, and have a eighteen to twenty foot wingspan.
During a wyverns second year, their growing speeds up a bit until they're gaining at least a foot in length, sometimes more, and as much as 200 to 300 pounds in weight, every month. By the end of their second year, young wyverns will measure about 3-4 feet tall, and 24-26 feet long, almost full-size for smaller adults, but their weight and wingspan will continue to increase until the end of their third, or even fourth, year. By the time a wyvern is five years old is when they are generally considered full-grown.
End of First Year: 2 feet tall; 12-13 feet tall; 1,200-1,600 pounds; 18-20 foot wingspan
End of Second Year: 3-4 feet tall; 24-26 feet long; 2-3 tons; 25-30 foot wingspan
End of Third Year: 4-6 feet tall; 26-34 feet long; 4-6 tons; 35-45
End of Fourth Year: 4-8 feet tall; 26-34 feet long; 5-8 tons; 35-50 foot wingspan
Wyverns have very human-like lifespans, even in the wild. A bonded wyvern will live at least as long as it's bonded human, and depending on the strength of that bond, will either die shortly after it's humans death, or sometimes years after. If a human dies young, the bond is oftentimes not strong enough to weaken the wyvern, and it will therefore live a long, full life, generally in the wild. The average lifespan of wyverns to 80 to 100 years, but there have been wyverns recorded as old as 200.
Distribution, Habitat, and Diet: Wyverns of all species can be found all over the world, on every continent but Antartica. There are certain places and climates they prefer, but if push came to shove, a wyvern could survive just about anywhere. Fire and water wyverns are the most picky about where they live; earth and air wyverns don’t normally care, as long as they have constant access to the earth or sky. Fire wyverns prefer places that have near-constant warm or hot temperatures. They do fine in colder weather, but they don’t expressly like it. Water wyverns don’t care if it’s hot or cold, so long as they have plenty of water sources, including places with heavy rainfalls year-round.
In the wild, each wyvern will live in a habitat best suited to their species. Earth wyverns… *
Air wyverns…*
Water wyverns… *
Fire wyverns... *
The diet for all wyverns consists entirely of meat. In the wild, the kind of meat will depend on the habitat, with some of the favourites being deer, elk, moose, buffalo and/or bison, fish, zebra, and wildebeest. Plainly, anything large enough to feed a five to nine ton animal. An adult wyvern can and will consume anywhere from 400 pounds (2 tons) of meat, to well over 5 tons (1,000 pounds) of it in a single day.