Peasants mistake wyverns for dragons, and it is hard to tell them apart. Wyverns are great flying reptiles with snake-like necks and long tails that end in a venomous trident. Swooping down from the sky, they easily snatch their prey and carry it off to their nest. And they do not much care if it is a sheep or a man.
“
I looked for the words "Witcher urgently needed". And then there'd be a sacred site, a dungeon, necropolis or ruins, forest ravine or grotto hidden in the mountains, full of bones and stinking carcasses. Some creatures which lived to kill, out of hunger, for pleasure, or invoked by some sick will. A manticore, wyvern, fogler, aeschna, ilyocoris, chimera, leshy, vampire, ghoul, graveir, were-wolf, giant scorpion, striga, black annis, kikimora, vypper... so many I've killed.
”
In Time of Contempt, Ciri killed a wyvern which escaped its cage at a sideshow in the market square in Gors Velen.
“
Inside the cage, which was far too cramped for it, lay a lizard. It was covered in dark, strangely shaped scales and curled up into a ball. When the pockmarked man knocked the cage with his pole, the reptile writhed, grated its scales against the bars, extended its long neck and let out a piercing hiss, revealing sharp, white fangs, which contrasted vividly with the almost black scales around its maw.
”
— pg(s). 75, Time of Contempt (UK edition)
In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt[ | ]
Bestiary entry[ | ]
- Most dangerous of all are the royal wyverns. Or, as they're called in some circles, the royal pains in the arse.
- — Albina Tottelkampf, lecturer in natural sciences at Aretuza
- Wyverns are often mistaken for dragons, and, though they are much smaller than their more famous kin and do not breathe fire, they are likewise extremely dangerous monsters. Especially feared are the so-called royal wyverns who, like their namesake monarchs, are exceptionally ornery and extremely deadly.
Notes[ | ]
The incident at the marketplace described in Time of Contempt is recreated in The Witcher 3, but with Geralt identifying the caged "basilisk" as a wyvern, instead of Ciri.
In The Witcher computer game[ | ]
| Wyvern | |
|---|---|
| |
| Details | |
Class |
Ornithosaur |
Occurrence |
Wyverns live in the wilderness or near human settlements; they are a natural element of an ecosystem; they are prized by druids, who tame them |
Immunity |
Resistant to stun and poison attempts |
Susceptibility |
Sensitive to silver and Ornithosaur Oil |
Tactics |
They dive at their opponents, try to knock them down and poison them with venom |
Alchemy |
Toxin Wing membrane Venom glands |
Additional goods |
Wyvern meat |
In the game, wyverns do not appear until Chapter II, where they are initially restricted to Wyvern Island in the northern part of the swamp.
Journal Bestiary Entry[ | ]
- "Wyverns are unlucky to be frequently mistaken for dragons. Seeing a reptile approaching a flock of sheep, peasants panic. They expect it to breathe fire, massacre everyone and abduct the local virgins. While it is true that wyverns hunt sheep, they neither breathe fire nor lay waste to whole villages. And they are completely indifferent to virgins."
CD Projekt's Bestiary[ | ]
- Developer CD Projekt's characterization of the wyvern taken from the Bestiary (enclosed with the Czech, Hungarian and Polish Collectors Editions of the first computer game:
- Ordinary folk often mistake wyverns for dragons. Witchers, however, immediately recognize these flying lizards, which tread upon the ground on two heavily-muscled legs. They also know that when fighting this beast, they must avoid the venomous stinger at the end of its tail and its jaws that bristle with deadly teeth.
- The concept for the wyvern emerged from the human fear of reptiles. With its flat head and long neck, the creature resembles a snake; its extended tail only strengthens this impression. The dinosaur-like hump on its back makes it all the more terrifying. The bright colours of the sketch immediately suggest a venomous creature. Thin, long spikes seem to protrude directly from its curved spine, and along with the beast's general posture serve to emphasize its malicious and treacherous nature.
- If you are not a witcher, you had better not mess with the wyvern.
- On one of his quests, Geralt has a chance to fight alongside a group of these beasts. It is a pleasure to witness the destruction they spread amongst foes unfamiliar with the ways of fighting these fearsome creatures.
Location[ | ]
- Swamp
- Lakeside
- Fields
- Kaer Morhen valley (In The Price of Neutrality premium module)
Sources[ | ]
- In Chapter III, Geralt can talk with a Townswoman sitting at The New Narakort. She is blonde and wearing a green dress with a yellow shirt, telling him she is in the mood to spin a tale but she is thirsty. Depending on her mood, she will ask for "a mug of beer" or milk, informing Geralt about Basilisks, Wyverns and eventually Archespores.
- Geralt must exit and then re-enter the inn (or meditate) after each tale to speak to her again. After Geralt has acquired all the entries she knows about, she will still ask for milk and beer but will not part with any new tales or journal entries.
- Ornithosaurs
Notes[ | ]
- Their remains will contain Wyvern meat with or without their bestiary entry.
- The Wyvern Contract requires three wyvern steaks.
- Hungry Like a Wolf ("The Price of Neutrality" premium module) also requires three wyvern steaks.
Gallery[ | ]
Journal image
Concept Art Wyvern
Sketch Wyvern
Wyvern from Wiedźmin: Gra Wyobraźni PnP RPG
