Monster: Drake, Syrene

Drake, Syrene
Armour Class: 6
Hit Dice: 3+5*
Move: 120' (40')
fly 150' (50')
Attacks: 2 claws + 1 bite or 1 bite
Damage: 1-4/1-4/1-6 + special or 1-6 + poison
No. Appearing: 1-4 (2-8)
Save As: F4
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: U
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 75

Long and sinuous of line even for a drake, the syrene is lean-bodied, shallow-chested and possessed of an excessively long neck and tail. Though it prefers to be airborne when at all possible, when ground-bound the syrene is as likely to glide serpentlike along the ground as it is to walk upon its legs; it also climbs through undergrowth, grasping with its claws. The syrene is occasionally prone to aggression; the size of a large wolf, it is rare amongst drakes in being of a single colour -- in this case, pure white.

From the air a syrene attacks with claws and bite, inflicting 1-4 and 1-6 hit points of damage respectively; when on the ground it bites unless a target comes within range of its claws while it is coiled, in which case it will also strike with claws. The fangs of a syrene are serrated and suitable for tearing gobbets of flesh -- any wound inflicted by a syrene's bite will continue to bleed at a rate of 2 hit points per round until treated.