Ertkener - Riverstalkers

The Riverstalker is a creature found mostly in shallow wetlands, rivers and other bodies of water that allow them to easily conceal themselves under sand and sediment in the shallow surface, springing on prey as they come to drink. Many times this often leads to the death of an unfortunate traveller or unseasoned adventurer that happens to be filling their flask at such a water source, though the Riverstalker’s prey is mostly deer and similar quadrupedal beasts. Thought to be a spawn of the Deep Divine Quorenderi, the Riverstalkers have inhabited Tharador’s north since the days of the Oldavori Empire, long before Men settled in the area. It’s theorised by scholars that the Riverstalkers may have been sent north by Quorenderi to attempt to attack the Colossals at their home during the Age of Creation when over half their population was in the south, fighting in Baladir and modern day Nan Thalias. However even the Colossals that remained behind proved stronger than Quorenderi predicted, and they utterly obliterated this strikeforce. Though still, populations remained and when Mindoriel and her Spawn were defeated, the remaining populations regressed to mindless beasts. Their population has now grown enough that they pose a threat to travellers near rivers and have begun disrupting local ecosystems, having no natural predators of their own and a rather quick lifecycle. Hex Hunters in Greypeak have often hunted them but it seems for each killed two more hide beneath the sand waiting for the Hunter to leave. Now they have travelled as far inland as Zwilling Zwei in Brightstone, some being enhanced in their bodies and minds to be stronger and wiser than the common spawn. This has led the Hex Hunters to fear an otherworldly force might be driving them, suspecting the Sphinx on the mountain nearby which has had similar effects on other monsters in the past.