Yiaro notes

(yI-rO)

 

Physical description: The Yiaro is a gargantuan four legged creature covered with downy white feathers. It has a long tail and two massive feathered wings. Even with their thick coat of feathers a well defined and dynamic musculature can be seen, telling of its natural strength. It also has a sturdy neck ending in an angular and imposing face, with two icy blue eyes. On its head it has four large black horns that point forward, and a mouth sporting dangerous teeth. While it may not have many teeth, the ones it does have are massive and razor sharp. Fitting of a creature whose prey sometimes includes young to adult dragons. At adulthood, from tail to snout they are around 95ft with an impressive wingspan of 112ft, usually weighing 195,000lbs if properly fed.

Typical Yiaro Lair: Yiaros lair in arctic environments, specifically frigid mountaintop lulls in the earth. Favoring the bowl shaped depressions made by meteor impacts. They frequent steep coastal bluffs, or high mountain plateaus accessible only by flying. As well as craters at the center of vast ice sheets where they can see threats approaching from miles away with their superior vision. Yiaros love to curl up in these open air depressions and let the snow accumulate on top of them. During times following feeding they have been known to stay curled up in these craters for weeks to months, letting the snow entirely cover them and their den. This makes finding one that isn't feeding near impossible. When a sufficient crater is not present Yiaros have been known to dig their own, although they seem to much prefer ones made naturally by meteor impact; so much so territorial disputes between adults are common when only one crater is in an area.

Feeding habits. A Yiaro normally feeds once a month to once every two months. During a feeding a Yiaro will seek out fatty or meaty prey to pack in nutrients. It favors larger prey that can keep its belly full for longer such as animals like mammoths, yetis, or walruses. Due to their lairs overlapping with those of dragons, territorial disputes are relatively frequent. Because of this a Yiaro will typically try to kill and eat young to adult dragons. While no interaction has been seen with an ancient dragon, a push on a Yiaro’s territory would likely end with the Yiaro leaving without contest. Since they prefer large food items hunting smaller, dangerous prey like humanoids is unheard of. After spending one to two days feeding it will depart to its lair and curl up in the crater for a short term hibernation.

Physical capabilities. A Yiaro is very proficient with every aspect of its body when it comes to inflicting harm. Due to its unrivaled physical strength its claws, teeth, horns, and tail are all dangerous weapons. As well as a glowing blue cold breath weapon that instantly causes ice build-up. The powerful tail stands out in particular, and is key in their hunting style. Using its strong tail, it knocks prey to the ground, pins them there with its horns and lays into the prey with its powerful maw and claws. They have also demonstrated capable flight as well as great proficiency in climbing. When it comes to their flight, they are adept flyers with blistering speed in the air. As for intelligence, they seem to be sufficiently intelligent creatures for their lifestyle. Able to detect and avoid traps as well as reason as to the next actions of prey, but do not demonstrate an intellect on par with similarly deadly creatures such as dragons. They are excellent hunters that rely on their heightened eyesight and sense of smell to track down prey as well as defend their lair.

Age & Mating: Yairos mature at around 50 years of age and can live up to 1300. During its lifetime a Yairo can be expected to mate a dozen times or so as they enter their mating season once every 120 years. During this time males will fly from their lairs and seek out a female partner. Once found, the male will hunt a prey item and present it to the female. If she accepts the offering the male will progress with a display dance, demonstrating physical health and mating viability. The female either accepts him or turns him away. Once accepted they both take turns blasting the female’s crater with their ice breath, magically cooling it far below freezing until it glows a dull blue. At this juncture they copulate in the crater and a few days later the female will lay her eggs in the frigid blue nest. A typical clutch size is 6. The male will stand vigil over the eggs while the female departs to hunt for the both of them. She will usually eat a meal for herself. Then carry a prey item back to the nest. The male eats and the two of them curl up over the eggs for their hibernation. Once they get hungry again the cycle repeats. They do this for a year while the eggs incubate. If the male is mortally threatened during a defense of the eggs he will choose his own life over the eggs, while the female has been seen to defend the eggs to her death. Once the offspring hatch the male departs the nest to return to his crater, however far away. It has been observed that the males will travel hundreds of miles in search of a mate, and due to the very sparse population of this solitary species this is a common occurrence. The hatchlings will spend the next 50 years with their mother, learning to fly, hunt, and survive. Usually 50% of the hatchlings survive their formative years. During this time they are far weaker than their adult counterparts. In the last 10 years of their adolescence a massive growth spurt is seen, placing them near their full adult form. Once reaching 50 they are of sexual maturity and will leave the nest to survive on their own, but it will be another 100 years until they’ve fully grown. During this time, of the average 3 remaining sub-adults usually only two make it to full adulthood. At that point their chances of surviving vastly increase.

Closing notes. While the Yiaro can make a truly legendary story and one of their horns as a trophy befits only the finest of monster hunters, hunting them has spelt doom for many an intrepid and skillful hunter. They are one of the only natural predators of adult dragons in their environment and have the physical robustness emblematic of such a predator. Before pursuing this path, ask yourself if it is worth it. For me the answer is yes. My boy will be so proud of his papa when I come home with that horn.

-Hunting notes by Woloro Qualanthri, monster hunter extraordinaire 

 

A Yiaro’s Lair

Yiaros lair in arctic environments, specifically frigid mountaintop lulls in the earth. Favoring the bowl shaped depressions made by meteor impacts. They frequent steep coastal bluffs, or high mountain plateaus accessible only by flying. As well as craters at the center of vast ice sheets where they can see threats approaching from miles away with their superior vision. Yiaros love to curl up in these open air depressions and let the snow accumulate on top of them. During times following feeding they have been known to stay curled up in these craters for weeks to months, letting the snow entirely cover them and their den. This makes finding one that isn't feeding near impossible. When a sufficient crater is not present Yiaros have been known to dig their own, although they seem to much prefer ones made naturally by meteor impact; so much so territorial disputes between adults are common when only one crater is in an area. 

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Yiaro takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the Yiaro can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Freezing fog fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the Yiaro can see within 120 feet of it. The fog spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each creature in the fog when it appears must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the fog takes 10 (3d6) cold damage. A wind of at least 20 miles per hour disperses the fog. The fog otherwise lasts until the Yiaro uses this lair action again or until the Yiaro dies.
• The Yiaro uses its immense strength and weight and rises up on its hind legs. With the full force of its strength and weight it slams its front legs down onto the ground, sending spires of ice erupting from up to three points the Yiaro can see within 120 feet of it. If a creature is standing on an eruption point the Yiaro makes one melee attack roll for each shard (+7 to hit) against each target. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage.
• The Yiaro summons its magical cold nature forth and expels it to the area of the lair. The lair is briefly covered in a chilling icy mist that invades their clothing and saps all warmth from their body. Each creature within this mist must make a DC 12 constitution saving throw or take one level of exhaustion.