Creatures of Thedas:

The Wyvern
 Creatures of Thedas: The Wyvern
The wyvern (wih-vern) is a member of the dragon
family and especially important to Orlesian culture.
Appearance &
Behavior
An adult wyvern is nearly the size of a dragon, but where
a dragon is saurian and lithe, a wyvern has thicker muscu-
lature and a more sinewy bulk. A wyverns head is stout
and squarish with a split-mandible mouth and protruding
fins. These are colorful creatures, garish and fierce.
Although historically categorized as smaller cousins
of drakes and dragons, wyverns differ distinctly from
other dragon-kind in both physical form and demeanor.
Wyverns lead solitary existences, stubbornly defending
their territory against trespass by other creatures,
including other wyverns. Bullish wyverns even defend
their turf against dragons that might well be able to best
them in battle. Wyvern territories sometimes overlap
with each other, as multiple wyverns may be drawn
to the same feeding grounds or water source, but not
for long. Showy, noisy displays of dominance and foul-
smelling wyvern spoor serve to settle most contests
between their kind, driving each wyvern to ferociously
defend whatever ground it can claim.
The wyverns natural habitat lies within only a few
mountain ranges of Thedasrocky lands, in some
places barren, in others verdant, where the wyvern
can dwell as an apex predator. Wyverns typically do
not discern between intelligent and unintelligent prey.
They are as likely to eat ranging cattle, feral wolves,
family pets, and civilized folk, if given the need and
the opportunity. Often, wyverns inflict their venom on
prey and then leave them to wander and die, perhaps
as some base animal sense of sport or perhaps out of
simple ease.
Wyvern wings are hardy but imprecise things. A
wyvern does not truly fly, but glide. With a suitable
perch and favorable winds, a wyvern can glide over
many miles, stalking prey and surveying its territory.
With their strong claws they can grip and climb even
vertical stone to achieve good perches and altitude. A
wyvern can also leap many times its own body length,
not unlike a dragon. They are quick, powerful skir-
mishers, seldom staying put during a contest of might.
2
Despite all that, the most dangerous aspect of a wyvern
is its venom. When provoked, wyverns spit poison out
to a range of several yards. Left untreated, this poison
is fatal.
The Wyvern in
Human Culture
Wyvern defensiveness is legendary. Orlesian hunters
tell tales and sing songs of female wyverns killing even
high dragons that wandered too close to their nests. As
ferocious, territorial creatures, they are often compared
to knights or depicted as wild warriors. From Orlais
to Gwaren, wyvern symbols and devices mark the
heraldry of knightly lords and ladies both low and lofty.
Bandits and brigands who draw on wyvern imagery
for their strength do so to elevate their own station or
to mock landed lords. Some realms even consider the
image of a wyvern to be so cherished and fearsome as
to make it a crime to bear a wyvern banner or standard
without proper authority.
The Wyvern Chase
The wyvern is so prized and celebrated by some, in
fact, that it has been hunted nearly to extinction. Wild
wyverns are feared and honored creatures, full of
portentous meaning. To slay one is a kind of trial by
combat. In parts of Thedas it is considered shamefully
presumptuous (or even illegal) to hunt a wyvern and
fail but dashing and praiseworthy to succeed at it. To
think ones self worthy of the wyvern hunt shows a bit
of smirking arrogance. To succeed in the hunt shows
that one is worthy.
The rich gentry and nobility of Orlais are particularly
fond of the wyvern chase, a festive and competitive hunt
for the rare creature. It is a drawn-out affair involving
feasting and pomp and sharp rivalries (some friendly
and some not). Many participate in the chase with little
hope of actually findingmuch less bestingthe beast.
Separating legend from lore is one part of the chal-
lenge; keeping ones wits when near wyvern territory
is another part.
Often it is servants and hunting dogs that undertake
the true work and notorious risk of the chase, as they
The Wyvern
attempt to flush out or track the famed creature. They
strike out into the countryside to rile or pursue the
powerful, poisonous beast while their noble masters
lead from the rear, sipping wine and accepting the
praise of a successful kill.
While it is rare for people or hounds to be killed during
a wyvern chasewounded hunters are often left to die
by the wyvern but not by fellow hunterscasualties of
the hunt are not so shocking as to break the tradition.
Brewing draughts of antidote to the wyverns venom is
part of the festive tradition, too.
Venom and Its Uses
Its venom makes the wyvern widely sought by potion-
makers, alchemists, and crafters of potent liquor called
aquae lucidius. A miniscule quantity of wyvern venom
remaining in the aquae after distillation results in a
unique hallucinatory effect. Just how effective wyvern
venom is at enhancing potions and alchemical recipes is
either a closely guarded secret or a continuing mystery;
opinions differ.
Folklore
Wyverns, proud and fearsome as they are, have made
their way into folklore and legend throughout Thedas.
Perhaps no wyvern tale is so well known as this one,
however, concerning the beasts and the beloved
Andraste.
Andraste and the Wyvern
The armies of Andraste and Maferath gathered in the
West. And the Prophet went alone into the mountains
to sing to the Maker. She would take no one but Justinia
and Maferath with her.
The Wyvern
They climbed until they came to a hanging valley with
a small lakestill and clear, perfectly reflecting the
skyand there Beloved Andraste said they would rest.
She sat down on the lakeshore and said to her dear
companions, Wait with me, my friends. And whatever
happens, have no fear. Then she began to sing.
As she sang, the mountains bent to listen. Stars came
down from the heavens to be near her. Birds and beasts
of every variety came forth and knelt at Andrastes feet.
Justinia and Maferath witnessed this and were afraid.
Then from the sheer cliffs a great wyvern appeared,
baring its fangs and drowning out the Prophets song
with its roars. The beast descended from the cliffs like a
thunderbolt from the sky. Maferath drew his sword and
struck at the wyvern, slicing off part of its hood.
But the Prophet put her hand on Maferaths sword arm
and stopped him. And the wyvern came to Andrastes
feet and knelt, and when it rose, it left blood on the
ground, dripping from the wound Maferath had given
it. And Maferath was ashamed that he had given in
to fear despite Andrastes words. He drew his hand
along the blade of his sword, spilling his own blood
and adding it to the wyverns. At this, the beast nodded
once in acknowledgement and then vanished as swiftly
as it had appeared.
3
 Wyvern Dragon-Kin The Wyvern
1
Abilities (Focuses)
Communication
7 Constitution (Stamina)
2 Cunning
5 Dexterity (Bite, Initiative)
0 Magic
4 Perception (Smelling)
7 Strength (Claw, Jumping)
3 Willpower (Courage)
Combat Ratings
Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
18 95 14 5
Attacks
Weapon Attack Roll Damage
Bite +7 2d6+7
Claws +9 2d6+7
Tail Lash +7 1d6+7
Powers
Favored Stunts: Skirmish (1+ SP), Tail Lash (1+ SP),
Rake (2 SP), and Inject Venom (3 SP)
Inject Venom: As a 3 SP stunt, a wyvern that succeeds
on a bite attack can inject its venom in a target, starting
the clock on a slow death. Afflicted targets suffer a 4
to Dexterity for the rest of the encounter and drop to 0
Health after a number of hours equal to 1d6 + Constitu-
tion (minimum 1 hour).
Quick Skirmisher: A wyvern automatically generates 1 SP
each turn to put toward the skirmish stunt. It can only move
itself with this free stunt point and these free points do not
accumulate from turn to turn. It may move itself or its foes
with stunt points generated by the Dragon Die as usual.
Rake: A wyvern can perform a special rake stunt for 2
SP following a successful bite attack. The creature makes
an additional claw attack against any adjacent target.
Doubles on the rake attack do not generate stunt points.
Spit Venom: As a major action, a wyvern can spit its
venom in a spray at up to two targets within 10 yards.
Potential targets must succeed at either a TN 15 Dexter-
ity (Acrobatics) or a TN 15 Constitution (Stamina)
test or suffer the venoms dizzying Dexterity penalty for
the rest of the encounter. (Effects are not cumulative.)
Tail Lash: With a tail lash attack, a wyvern can perform
the knock prone stunt for 1 SP each against any number of
adjacent targets it can afford to pay for with stunt points.
Targets can also be pushed 2 yards away as per the skir-
mish stunt, if the stunt-point budget permits.
Tough Hide: A wyverns pebbly hide gives it an Armor
Rating of 5.
4
In Play
Wyverns are dangerous foes. Though characters
of various levels might be able to locate and bring
down a wyvern with luck and planning, only char-
acters reliably capable of withstanding the effects
of wyvern venom (or of crafting the antidote) are
likely to bask in their success. Wyverns make poor
on-the-fly encounters, thereforetheyre well suited
to larger adventures that involve their lore, their
venom, and the antidote.
Try staging a wyvern counter as the climax to an adven-
ture that involves locating one. Or, alternately, have a
wyvern glide into a scene as a surprise introduction
to the peril of a local wyvern territory struggle. Just
remember that characters may be in serious danger
from a wyverns venom if they are unprepared. These
are lethal creatures.
Participating in a wyvern hunt might be the best way
to earn favor with an Orlesian noble, as in the Mark
of the Assassin content for Dragon Age II. Just partici-
pating with bold and capable skill earns characters a
+1 modifier to Communication tests during the hunts
celebratory feast or banquet. Actually locating or
battling a wyvern earns a +2 modifier and slaying one
earns a +3 modifier, all of which last for the whole of the
feast or until the characters do something to dishonor
themselves.
A less ceremonial hunt could involve locating and
slaying a wyvern that has put a local settlement in
danger by devouring cattle, poisoning townsfolk, or
causing ill omens by gliding down out of the mountains
on inauspicious days or leaving half-eaten entrails scat-
tered about the area. Successfully besting such a beast
might earn the favor of locals and the ire of more distant
folk who believe rare wyverns should be reveredor
slain by nobler folk. Honor, symbolism, and actual lives
may get tangled into a difficult choice: Do you seek
formal hunting rights and allies while peoples lives
are in danger or do you risk your own lives and hunt
the beast before it can kill again, regardless of the social
consequences?
Locating a wyvern can require various tests of Cunning
(Natural Lore) and Perception (Tracking). It can also
involve more wits than numbers, using local fauna to
lure out a hungry wyvern, Communication to coordi-
nate with would-be rivals, and so on. Or perhaps the
wyvern is hunting ill-equipped characters and the chal-
lenge is to use Dexterity (Stealth) and Constitution
(Running) to get clear of its territory before it can strike
again
The Wyvern
 Wyvern Venom
Poison Damage Additional Effects
Wyvern venom 1d6 4 Dexterity, withering demise
Wyvern Venom:
A Master-Rank Poison
Wyvern venom slows prey and kills gradually. Once
afflicted, a target is in mortal danger. After a few
moments, however, venom exposed to air becomes far
less dangerous. Thus it is essential to harvest wyvern
venom quickly and carefully if it is to be stored for
future use by, say, poisoners. A TN 17 Cunning (Poison
Lore) test, requiring the remains of a freshly slain
wyvern, harvests 1d6 doses of viable venom, leaving
none behind for a second attempt. When using the
Poison-Making Mishap rule (on p. 51 of the Set 2
Players Guide), wyvern venom adds only a +1 to the
mishap result with a maximum result of 6it never
slays outright.
Characters hit by a wyverns sprayed venom suffer a
4 Dexterity penalty. Characters afflicted with wyvern
venom from a bite suffer from a withering demise,
dropping to 0 Health after a number of hours equal to
1d6 + Constitution (minimum one hour) unless they
receive a dose of antidote before their time runs out.
During this time, victims are subject to fever, visions,
and the Dexterity penalty.
The antidote to wyvern venom is a potion (crafted
with a TN 15 Cunning (Poison Lore) test) made from
a mixture of three particular herbs: Andrastes mantle,
drakevein, and winterberry.
Antidote Hunt
Characters who arent yet ready to hunt a rampaging
wyvern or two may find themselves roped into a hunt
for the ingredients for a wyvern-venom antidote.
Completing such a mission might make a vital ally out
of a poisoned, higher-level NPC (and enemies out of
the people trying to deny the antidote to that NPC). The
slowly dying NPC provides a great ticking deadline
for such a quest. Can the heroes discover the antidote
ingredients and brew the potion in the hours before the
NPC dies?
Andrastes mantle, drakevein, and winterberry are not
particularly rare, in general, but may be out of season
or found mostly in distant lands if you want to increase
the difficulty of such a quest. Here are a few sample
actions that might have to be undertaken to achieve all
three herbs:
Make a 30-minute-long TN 13 Perception (Seeing
or Smelling) test to locate one of the herbs in the
wild.
The Wyvern
Cost
225 sp/1 gp
Make a TN 13 Cunning (Natural Lore) test to
properly distinguish drakevein from redleaf or
risk using the wrong herb.
Convince a Dalish herbalist or local shop to part
with the last of their winterberry (as a TN 15
Communication (Persuasion) test, modified by +1
for every 75 silver offered).
Aquae Lucidius Results
Making a batch of aquae lucidius requires 1 dose
of wyvern venom per 10 servings, plus additional
brewing supplies such as water, sugars, herbs,
and yeast (costing about 10 silvers for a 10-serving
batch). Crafting any sized batch of aquae lucidius
requires an advanced TN 15 Cunning (Brewing)
test; each roll represents about an hours work.
Those who drink a serving of the stuff must make
a TN 13 Constitution (Drinking) test, the result
of which determines the drinkers general reac-
tion to the brew. Increase the TN by 1 for each
additional serving consumed after the first. Any
character who fails the test passes out after 1d6
minutes of dizzying, ugly hallucinations that
leave him rattled and uneasy (1 to Cunning
and Perception) for 1d6 hours. Characters who
succeed react to the drink based on their Dragon
Die result, compared to the table below. (No
actual magic effects take place but drinkers may
be difficult to convince of that.)
Aquae Licidius Effects
Dragon Die Effect
1 I can see through time!
2 Youre all just made up of firelight
and shadows, you know, flavored like
blue and yellow. If I douse you, you
might go out. Wouldnt want that.
3 I had a brief vision of my great-
grandmother, though she was eating
turnips with a modest dragon and
Andraste was there putting salt on
everything.
4 It was as though my soul took wing
and floated about my head.
5 I feel strange but also good!
6 That stuff works well enough.
Nother round, anyone?
5
 Catch and battle thieves who have stolen the
only pre-mixed antidote in an effort to keep the
poisoned charge from surviving his wounds.
Scaling The Numbers
Wyverns, of course, come in a variety of sizes and
demeanors. The numbers presented here represent a
full-grown but otherwise typical example of the species.
Younger wyverns might have lower Strength or a less
durable hide. Unusually tough or nasty wyverns might
be even stronger or faster.
Leopold, from Mark of the Assassin, is a rare spec-
imen, for example. You might model him with +1
Constitution, +1 Dexterity (and Speed), and another
10 or more points of Health. A lot of Leopolds unique
character comes from how he is treated by Duke Prosper
and how he is portrayed in battle; those are roleplaying
challenges for you as the GM. Perhaps your players
characters might even face Leopold himself?
6
Credits
Writing and devlopment: Will Hindmarch
Based on material by the Dragon Age team
Editing: Evan Sass
Graphic Design: Hal Mangold
Interior Art: Caspar Konefal and Francis Lacuna
Publisher, Dragon Age RPG Design: Chris Pramas
Green Ronin Staff: Bill Bodden, Joe Carriker,
Will Hindmarch, Steve Kenson, Jon Leitheusser,
Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Chris Pramas,
Evan Sass, and Marc Schmalz
Special Thanks to Matthew Goldman, Mike Laidlaw
The Wyvern is copyright 2012 Green Ronin Publishing,
LLC. All rights reserved. Reference to other copyrighted
material in no way constitutes a challenge to the
respective copyright holders of that material.
2012 Electronic Arts Inc. EA and EA logo are
trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. BioWare, BioWare
logo, and Dragon Age are trademarks of EA
International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Green Ronin, Adventure Game Engine, and their
associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin
Publishing.
Green Ronin Publishing
3815 S. Othello St. Suite 100, #304 Seattle, WA 98118
Email: custserv@greenronin.com Web Site: greenronin.com
The Wyvern