Although not true dragons, these creatures nonetheless emulate their fearsome draconic kin in some way. From the small but fierce tatzlwyrms of Darkmoon Wood to the dangerous wyverns of the Five Kings Mountains, draconic creatures prey on the unwary and unsuspecting throughout the wild the places of Darkmoon Vale.
Drakes: Three kinds of drakes live near Darkmoon Vale: caustic, flame, and thunder. These degenerate cousins of true dragons typically avoid their more powerful and intelligent kin, although several groups do reportedly bow to Daralathyxl and serve his whim.
Caustic drakes, those that spew acid and corrode all that comes near them, live in small clutches throughout the Aspodell Mountains and the southwestern areas of the Darkmoon Plain. These foul, green-scaled beasts attack travelers approaching the Aspodell Crossroad from the south, plundering or befouling whatever their victims might be carrying. Cheliax has tried on multiple occasions to eliminate the nests of caustic drakes in the mountains, but the creatures always find a way to bounce back. As a result of Chelish efforts, though, caustic drakes attack any person or caravan displaying insignia tying them to the empire.
Although more common to the north, particularly near Varisia and Nirmandas, a number of flame drakes nest on the southwestern flank of Droskar’s Crag. These flamespewing pests occasionally attack Gold Falls Inn, but they have yet to succeed at doing more than burning holes in the roof. Increasingly, the Crag’s flame drakes have taken to swooping around to the northern flanks of the mountain in order to terrorize Isger Pass and those who travel through it.
Among the most powerful of drakes, the thunder drakes of the Five Kings Mountains frequently cause avalanches and other environmental hazards for those attempting to travel through the range. As a result, the dwarves of Highhelm offer a bounty of 50 gp per thunder drake head brought to them. This reward has led to a sharp decline in the number of troublesome drakes, but some Highhelm caravan merchants fear continued attacks against Daralathyxl’s minions might awaken his wrath.
Tatzlwyrms: Innately stealthy and uncomfortable in open areas, tatzlwyrms are rarely seen, and in many regions are thought to be little more than local legends. Residents of Falcon’s Hollow frequently attribute the disappearances of woodsmen or lumberjacks to the ravages of tatzlwyrms. Most tatzlwyrms in Darkmoon Wood live near the Forest Elder, deep within the wood, while two other communities are rumored to live on the northeastern slope of Droskar’s Crag and within ancient tunnels beneath the Wolfrun Hills. Although seemingly not intelligent enough to discern the historic importance of such sites, tatzlwyrms are oddly attracted to natural places of great age and primeval strength. What connection these strange dragons might have to these locations, however, remains a mystery.
One particularly large tatzlwyrm, dubbed Claw-eye by locals, lives in the southern Wolfrun Hills. According to those who claim to have seen him, Claw-eye gets his name from a massive dragon or wyvern claw jammed in his left eye and healed over. This healed-over wound, so go the stories, causes poor Claw-eye constant torment, making him an even surlier and ferocious member of his species.
Wyverns: Found primarily on the flanks of the Five Kings Mountains and the scrub-oak-covered hills of the Wolfrun Hills, wyverns dominate the border regions of Darkmoon Vale. Almost every wyvern in the area bows his neck to King Daralathyxl, although a few rebellious members of every generation side with Taxthyl or choose to live under the rule of no true dragon. In the last few years, rumors have even begun that a small number of Wolfrun Hills wyverns seek leadership from Wataxshyl (see the Olfden section in Chapter 3), although he seems both shocked by and uncomfortable with this idea. Massive wyverns spotted near the Five Kings Mountains bear reddish scales and distinctive hooked chin horns.
Although they live in high, rocky places, wyverns frequently patrol the low areas of the vale, where much of their prey dwells. Sightings of wyverns flying fast and low over the valley floor are not uncommon, although most seem to prefer Arthfell Forest and Darkmoon Wood, thanks to the abundance of elk in the former and deer in the latter. Darkmoon Vale wyverns have a taste for horseflesh, and more than one lone rider has lost his mount to a hungry wyvern (of course, more than one lone rider also became a wyvern’s appetizer, but such occurrences are actually relatively rare).
A handful of wyverns live in the Aspodell Mountains to the west of Darkmoon Vale, but they seem to prefer hunting across the border, in Cheliax. Occasionally, though, one of these rock-gray menaces appears over Olfden, drawn, it seems, by curiosity. These visitations lead to tense standoffs, but for the most part the wyverns realize they have little to gain and leave without incident.