The yrthak is a fictional magical beast

Magical beast (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, magical beast is a type of creature, or "creature type". Magical beasts are similar to animals in many ways, but usually have a higher intelligence, and possess supernatural or extraordinary abilities....

 in the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, that can be described as somewhat akin to a reptilian bat

Bat

Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...

.

Publication history

The yrthak appeared in the third edition Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003). The yrhtak was further developed in Dragon

Dragon (magazine)

Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...

#352 (February 2007).

Description

The fictional yrthak resembles a gigantic pterodactyl, the real-life but extinct flying reptile. It is described as 20 feet long, with a wingspan of about 40 feet. It is green in color, and lacks legs, only having wings. The creature has a dragon-like plate at the end of its tail, and a feature akin to a large dorsal fin on its back. The yrthak has a few short spikes on its head, and does not have eyes. It requires a special sensory organ in its tongue to see. Also, coming from its head is a lance-like protrusion known a "sonic lance". The yrthak lives in temperate mountains.

The yrthak attacks by shooting powerfully focused sound waves from its lance. These sound waves are so powerful, they can cause a mountain to explode. The yrthak swoops from the air, blasts the ground with the sound waves, and then the resulting explosion causes piercing damage to those nearby. In addition, the yrthak can also snatch up prey in its mouth and drop it. The lance is said to have magical abilities, and this is the primary reason the dangerous creature is hunted at all.

Yrthaks cannot speak.

They are regarded as neutral in alignment.