Night hunter

A night hunter (sometimes spelled nighthunter), also commonly known as a dragazhar, was a type of deep bat that hunted in packs.

Description
Dragazhars were batlike animals with wingpans and long tails with triangular barbs. They were nocturnal creatures of medium to high intelligence that survived on a carnivorous diet. They were very dark in appearance, having velvety black fur, but with bright orange, red, or violet eyes. They had weird, bird-like calls.

Behavior
They were known to be viscous. Equipped with 180′-range infravision, night hunter groups (often called "swoops") raked at their prey with their claws, or with their ultra-sharp tails. They were often known for stalking and ambushing their prey, advancing from behind stalagmites or other obstacles they might conceal themselves behind.

During rest, drazaghars would roost with their heads pointed to the ground. They were known to scream maniacally when experiencing excitement.

Combat
When attacking, either in search for prey, or defensively, night hunter swoops would bite their victims or strike with their wing claws. They frequently made use of their triangular tails to stab or slash at foes. Their primary tactic was to terrorize their foes and prey with their horrific screams.

Ecology
They often travelled in hunting groups of about ten, in order to hunt for small creatures, although they would feed on carrion if necessary. However, in desperate situations, these deep bats were known to attack livestock, humans, and even drow.

Night hunters liked to dwell in dark places, and lived in lairs usually containing over thirty of the creatures. These lairs were usually located underground, such as in the Underdark or in caves. However, if above ground, they preferred to live in dense woods.

History
The name "dragazhar" comes from the name of the first adventurer to keep a night hunter as a pet. They were popular as familiars among drow wizards.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Daughter of the Drow
 * Video Games
 * Menzoberranzan