Zopper

Monster Summary

• Size: Medium-sized (around the size of a retriever)
• Motivation/Temperament: Motivated by food and survival. Aggressive during those times, but passive when not hunting
• Preferred Environment: Rivers, though any waterway is acceptable
• Prevalence: Just shy of common
• Danger Level: A single zopper is dangerous to an individual that doesn’t know how to protect themselves, but is an easy target to a group since the creatures are mainly solitary
• Attack Description: A bite that secretes a paralysis toxin into their target
• Monster Core Size and Appearance: Pea-sized core that pulses yellow.

Zoppers are a medium-sized reptile that thrives in the waterways of Aropria.

Hunting Style & Diet

Zoppers lurk in slow-moving rivers, with only their dark crest showing above the water. They stalk their prey through the water, barely making any sound as they swim. Then, when the time is right, they launch themselves out of the water and onto their prey. Their teeth secrete a toxin that paralyses their target, allowing them to be easily killed.

Luckily, these fearsome creatures don’t need to feed very often. They store fat in their tail, allowing them to survive through the winter, even if the river is frozen. They typically hunt only every few days, but with increasing frequency at the end of summer when the temperature starts to drop. They are strictly carnivorous and prefer to hunt things about their own size like dogs, large fish, and small deer. They’ve been known to attack children and even fully grown adults, however.

How to Best a Zopper

The best way to fend off a hungry Zopper is to bash it in the head before it can bite you. They are dangerous creatures, but prevalent enough that people know how to spot and avoid them with relative ease. They’re a common target for congruence core hunters due to their solitary nature. Their cores are modest, pea-sized vessels that pulse yellow.