Vrail

Tiny beast, unaligned

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	20 (+5)	11 (+0)	6 (-2)	14 (+2)	1 (-5)

Armor Class 15
Hit Points 5 (2d4)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
Skills Perception +4
Senses passive Perception 14, darkvision 60 ft
Languages –
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Special Traits

• Flyby. The vrail doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Actions

• Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
• Communal Raptors. Unlike many birds of prey, vrail are social animals that hunt as a group. They swoop down in quick succession from different directions, each vrail slashing the target with its razor sharp talons as it flashes past. After the target bleeds to death, the vrail descend on the body as a flock and feed.

Tactics

Vrail will circle overhead, staying high enough to stay out of easy missile range. They will then dive down in small numbers to attack in waves. Vrail do not typically attack groups of more than three individuals, but circle instead, waiting for an individual to stray too far from the group.

Vrail are still dangerous on the ground, attacking targets with their knifelike talons to protect their kills. Vrail make their rookeries in high, rocky cliff faces, which are typically quite inaccessible. The harpies of the are known to keep individual vrail as pets upon occasion.

Description

The bird looks almost like a tiny vulture, but its feathered head and short curved beak indicate that it is a predator rather than a scavenger. Its wing feathers are a dull brownish-black, but its underbelly is white.

The vrail is hard to see, as it flies high above in a flock. Then, one by one, they dive to attack.