Ravener

The ravener presented here was once an ancient cinder dragon.

Though their lifespans can measure in millennia, all dragons must eventually perish. While many do so on the blades or under the spells of dragonslayers, some manage to outlast their enemies and must, in time, face the truth that awaits all living creatures at the end of their natural life span. As with many other creatures, some dragons respond to such looming reminders of their own mortality poorly, and the particularly prideful or wrathful of their kind often lash out in anger when confronted by this grim truth. Peace and acceptance are found by some dragons, but the most stubborn of their ilk (and invariably the most wicked) can pursue a different answer to the problem. These dragons seek out sinister rites that can transform them into undead creatures known as raveners.

A ravener's flesh is stripped away as part of the transformation, leaving only bones. What they lose in flesh, however, the dragon gains in soul-rending power, as their spiritual energy forms a protective barrier around their body, keeping it intact and allowing flight with now-skeletal wings. This existence isn't as easy to maintain as other forms of undeath, however, and the ravener must feed regularly on living souls to power their profane metabolism. Their hunger is much greater than that of a living dragon, so raveners are forced to relocate regularly, traveling to fresh hunting grounds each time they strip their current home of prey.