Razorwing

The razorwing is a small, slate-gray flier that looks a little like a miniature version of the great flying reptiles of the wastes. Its wing edges are bone white and razor sharp. It has no language, but pack members signal one another about nearby prey through control sound.

A razorwing lies just beneath the silt, so light that with wings spread it floats on or just under the surface. When prey passes above, it explodes upward, and opponents take -2 on surprise rolls.

Its wings are too rigid to flex more than a few inches, so it cannot truly fly. It glides, and for real flight it relies on psionic flight (3 PSPs per round, movement 30, maneuverability B). Its PSPs run short quickly, so after eight rounds it must glide back to the silt to rest, and it glides whenever it can to stretch that time. Hovering is possible but brief, and it rarely hovers to fight, since its Armor Class worsens from 3 while moving through the air to 6 when it hovers or sits grounded.

Its favorite tactic is to come up behind a flier and slash at its wings, then climb above the target and glide down to strike again the next round. Each wing deals 2d4 and the bite 1d4, but against anything smaller than a large creature such as a floater, only one wing can connect per victim. A surprise attack doubles wing damage, and it uses the bite then too, aiming to cripple a flying target.

Packs use confusion and numbers, gliding in from behind in wave after wave, and they break off only after more than half the pack falls. Fleeing razorwings spend their last PSPs climbing as high as possible, then glide away, traveling as far as a mile per 200 feet of altitude (maneuverability E when gliding), usually downwind unless that leads into danger.

Psionically, each razorwing knows the telepathic devotions life detection and mind blank and the psychokinetic science flight with the devotion control sound. Pack members take turns watching with life detection and use control sound to warn the rest.

Razorwings live, hunt and attack only in packs, led as a rule by the largest female. Young are born live in midair and must learn to glide immediately or die.

They live almost entirely over the silt sea, though packs have been reported in inland silt basins. Floaters are their favorite meal, and life detection even lets them tell a floater from other prey.