Ecology: Winged serpents are reported all over, although most are said to live in Arabia. It is said the winged serpents of Arabia will occasionally mass in great numbers and then fly west into Egypt, where they are attacked and eaten by huge flocks of ibis. Other winged snakes are reported as living in Libya, where they roost in trees and fly out to strike down and kill their prey.
Winged serpents are known by the names Amphiptere, Iaculus, Jaculus
Personality/Motivation: Normal animal motivations.
Powers/Tactics: All winged serpents attack their prey from the air. The amphiptere tries to bite its prey, willing to let its venom do its work for it. The jaculus, on the other hand, drives at its prey like an arrow, punching through the neck region to kill its target and then flying back to feed on the remains.
Appearance: A winged serpent is a snake usually measuring between three and fifteen feet in length, and equipped with a broad set of wings. The snakes themselves vary in coloration, while their wings resemble either those of a bird or of a bat.
Designer's Notes: Winged snakes are one of the more widely believed creatures of the Middle Ages. The amphiptere itself appeared in Edward Topsell's The Historie of Serpents, which was written in the first decade of the seventeenth century. There it is depicted as a large snake, about the size of a python, equipped with broad bat-like wings. Game Masters should feel free to alter the size of these creatures, and can even make them as large as a dragon (see), since many dragons were drawn simply as large winged snakes.
The amphiptere was given a venomous bite due to the fact that most mythical medieval snakes are considered to be poisonous. It could be a constrictor snake as well, in which case it needs the following: +15 STR, Only To Grab (-1) and +3 OCV with Grab. Conversely, the jaculus may in fact be a venomous snake. In that case, the Game Master should give it the same sort of lethal bite as the amphiptere.