Description
Named for their nocturnal habits and high pitched, trilling cry,
Nightrillers are medium-sized lizards that weigh anywhere from 15 to 20
lbs and grow up to 24 inches from nose to the base of the tail. Tail
length varies between the genders, with males having shorter tails than
the females. They have a scaled hide that comes in an array of dabbled
colors, from green to brown, to grey. Eye color varies based on gender;
males have yellow irises while females’ are red. Both genders possess
excessively long scales, similar in appearance to bird feathers, on
their limbs, tail and as a ruff around their necks. These specialty
scales come in a range of vivid colors, including red, orange, purple,
and blue. While their teeth are not very large or particularly
dangerous, they do possess proportionally large claws, which provides
them superior traction across a variety of terrain.
Habitat
Nightrillers can be found throughout the jungle regions of TerVarus.
They require warm, humid nights to hunt their prey and prefer to rest in
cooler areas during the heat of the day. They are extremely sensitive
to the effects of cold and will quickly develop symptoms similar to
frostbite if they are exposed to temperatures below 50F degrees.
Behavior
Nightrillers live in large packs that range from 10 to 25 mature
animals. They use their numbers to their advantage by overwhelming their
prey. Packs are usually all related, though it seems that an
established pack will accept new members under certain circumstances.
Nightrillers have excellent low-light vision, making them superior night predators. They often seek out prey that have gone to nest for the night and fall upon them before they awaken and escape. They must rely on ambush tactics for large prey, since they do not possess any great speed.
When agitated, the nightrillers extend their scaly ruffs and rattle them to produce an unnerving sound, similar to that of a rattlesnake. They are also known to use this behavior to distract potential prey, allowing their packmates to launch an ambush.
Diet
A pack of Nightrillers can take down prey up to 4 times their size and
weight. In addition to what they hunt as a pack, they also consume large
quantities of insects, small mammals, and carrion which designates them
an important aspect of their ecosystem. Nightrillers have been known to
attack and consume humans who are foolish enough to wander into their
territory at night.
Predation
Nightrillers have few natural predators due to the safety provided by
their numbers. However, they are particularly susceptible to predation
from raptors during the day and owls at night. Nightriller eggs are
considered a delicacy by the locals, however I believe this is due to
the difficulty in acquiring them rather than any special culinary flavor
they might possess. The colorful specialty scales on the limbs and neck
of the nightriller are popular with jewelry makers and tailors.