Sand Stalker
In the Kalahari Empire, there are many predators in the wild and deadly desert. Among them is what the Kalahari call the Sand Stalkers. These are no mere beast my friend. They possess intelligence and the capability to learn. As a result, many Kalahari know to never cross certain areas of the desert as it is their favorite hunting grounds or nesting areas. The Sand Stalker lives beneath the sands you see. It relies not on sight but the vibrations anything creates by simply stepping on the ground. Even your own heartbeat can give yourself away. The wait until something comes within the range of their ability to feel these vibrations then they strike. Your only warning is the rising of the sands as they approach. This is how they travel my friend. Beneath the ground at all times.
When they close in, they can attack in one of several ways. The most common is for them to breach the surface with their armored heads, open their maw and unleash their 3 tongues that have snake like heads at the end. The tongues wrap around you and bit into your flesh to ensure a proper grip. Then, working together, they pull you into the creatures maw as it's 4 fang like teeth break your bones and pull you deeper into it's gullet. That is not the worst of it. You see, you may still live from this attack, at least until you die from the acid inside it's belly that breaks your body down as you are digested. Ah but this is just the common method! You see, they constantly learn from their experiences. Some have been seen to come at their prey with such speed that as they breach the sands, they are flying in the air and land directly upon their meal with maws wide open and swallow you whole with one bite as they burrow their way back into the ground. Another method is they will sneak upon their prey and come from directly beneath them. Pulling them into the sands and swallowing them whole or breaking off whats beneath the sands if your friends try to keep you from being pulled in. They have even been known to lay traps along routes commonly used by other creatures to include trade caravans. The sane seems the same as always until you place you weight upon it and fall into the darkness where they will feel the trap sprung and be there to meet you soon if not already waiting. To any who survive, it seems like the desert itself has swallowed you whole.
You may be thinking "How do I survive against such a thing? How do the Kalahari?" It is simple! For one, the creatures cannot pass through rock or a similarly solid object. Second, their hearing is quite sensitive and as such, spells such as Thunder Clap, Thunder Wave or Knock will scare them away, at least for a short while. Aside from this my friend, you will most assuredly need a Kalahari to guide you. Need one? I just happen to be able to do so! My prices are low and I promise your safety! Only 10 Gold a day! I have a special deal going on! Take advantage now while the price lasts! I will even include a beautifully drawn map of the entire Kalahari Desert! Drawn using ancient techniques passed down from generation to generation! Hmm? No, no, no! It only LOOKS like clay finger painting! It is legitimate I swear! No, the smiley face is an ancient symbol of um....er....hey where are you going? Tell your friends about me!
Geographic Distribution
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