Cliff Lurkers
Introduction
The Lurkers of the Cliffs, often merely called the Cliffwalkers, Lurkers or Dwellers, are an extremely dangerous race of monsters that are native to Ne'haer and found throughout Western Idalos. Many of their variant brethren - the Walkers of the Plains - can be found in the Fields of Gauthrel near Uthaldria, and each variant of this species is one that is highly feared and greatly avoided. Lurkers are known to be nearly sapient, with basic understanding of their surroundings surpassing that of general animals. They are intelligent enough to craft weapons for themselves, and sometimes even armor, and considering their massive size this advantage of equipment is especially damning.
The Lurkers are fabled to have been created by Kata, the Immortal of Insanity, Injustice and Ruin who dwells within the Western Region. It is thus claimed - by these theories - that the extremely cruel, sadistic and megalomaniacal nature of the Lurkers is justified as a result of Kata's creation of them. For centuries this species has been a blight on the wellbeing of many across Ne'haer and its surrounding towns, and there are many special precautions that have been developed for the sole purpose of dealing with one of these entities.
Lurkers are described in the Codex of Ne'haer as being of "Cataclysmic Danger," and even a hunting party of a dozen warriors is recommended to "stay absolutely clear of them". Interestingly there are actually rumors of Necromancers hunting them for the sake of reanimation, which - to some - explains their sparse 'visits' to towns compared to that of even a few decades ago.
Frequency Ne'haer - Uncommon
Gauthrel - Uncommon
Habitat
The Lurkers can survive in nearly any basic environment. They are commonly found in Savannah, Plains, Forests, Woods and Hills. They are sensitive to the cold and thus prefer to avoid cold areas and places with tundra, and due to their nature as carnivores and certainly apex predators they prefer to live in areas with a lot of human or animal inhabitants. It is this reason - some say - that they flock to the bustling city of Ne'haer and its forests that host a wild variety of creatures.
The Lurkers tend to remove a species from their native habitat and take over. They are capable of building encampments and some have even been claimed to have lived in their own shabby homes. In reality their preferred habitat is one that they have pushed others out of. They are known for their invasive and harsh behavior, and they would much rather eliminate other species - whether indigenous or common - than further their own.
Lifespan and Development
The Lurkers have very long lifespans. They are estimated to live to an age of about three hundred, though this was recorded only by the one Lurker that was actually kept in captivity. It was taken from a cave as a child and researched by the early mages within Ne'haer, and for three hundred years - through the lens of many different overlooking organizations - they watched its development and decline. However they imagine that even though this creature lived to three hundred, it is more than likely that ones dwelling in the wild could live to four hundred or more due to more mobility and mental health. While animals in captivity tend to live longer than in the wild, the Lurkers are apex predators and so captivity is likely to - presumably - decrease their health, mentally and physically.
The species tends to mature fully at around twelve years old, though even at the age of two they are capable of slaughtering men with ease. They are estimated at over five tons in weight, and can grow up to thirty feet in height.
Diet
They are carnivores, solely. While one would expect these humanoid giants to be omnivores, they refuse to touch vegetation and instead prefer meat from the recently deceased. The Lurkers can consume up to seven hundred pounds of pure meat in a day, and some have even been known to forcefully regurgitate their meals to consume more. They are highly voracious, and food is estimated to be one of their greatest motivations for their violent behavior. However, it is unsure if they even have to eat very much meat to survive. The Lurker held in captivity by the Seekers of Ne'haer only consumed a few pounds of meat a day for over a month and seemed relatively healthy, if more temperamental and deranged. It is generally theorized that they barely need to eat, but simply want to, and the lack of consistent food makes them even more aggressive than normal.
Temperament
The Lurkers are extremely violent. This cannot be emphasized further. They are very cruel. When they eat humans and other races of sapient Idalosians - as they often do - they are the type to crunch, crew and gnaw on their food viciously. Seeing prey from even a thousand meters away won't be a deterrent for them, and they can be seen chasing innocent travelers from a huge disadvantage of range. Due to their exceptionally volatile and aggressive nature, they have been hunted for generations by groups of expert warriors as well as mages. In the wild, their population has been reduced to a mere fifty. However, whenever they do triumph over the foes sent to hunt them, flayed bodies and gnawed bones can be found sprawled all around their encampment. To put it into the words of Elia Faelysia, a woman subjected to the cruelty of a Lurker in the 600s,
"I wanted to die far more than the Dweller wanted me to; he wanted me to live for a long time, for each of my severed appendages to nourish him for a time, and for my whimpers to ring like music in his ears. I will never forget the gaze given back to me as I screamed and begged the Immortals to save me - to guide me to the afterlife. He lowered his head and stared with perplexed eyes, then cracked a grin that could split mountains into shattered fragments. He knew I was begging to the Immortals . . . and that was as if humor to him. He was my God now, not them."
Abilities
They have no special abilities, but are extremely sturdy, massive, strong and fast. They can outrun horses; there are more than a few stories of the Lurkers quite literally plucking a horse's rider from its back and devouring them. In terms of sheer physical ability, the Lurkers are considerably more dangerous than almost any known species on Idalos.
Credit Incubus
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