Shikari

A Shadow Shikari.

In Amaran legend, children are often led astray into the woods. There, where their mothers have told them not to play, they meet their grizzly ends. Many brave warriors have tried and failed to make these dark places more appropriate areas for folly and fun, but the only thing that has fun amongst these places is that which stares back with three sickly yellow eyes. He is cackling in the wind. The teeth in the night. The monster under the bed. It is without rules, boundaries, and morals. Created to simply torment those around it and feed on sorrow and soul; the Shadow Shikari.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

Few have witnessed the Shadow Shikari, those who have often returned crazed and disillusioned with only a crude idea of what these creatures look like returning to meet the wider populace. Thought to resemble that of a large canid or perhaps reptile, decorated in a matted brown hide with darkened brown stripes. The true size seems to vary between accounts ranging wildly between ‘The size of a bear’ to ‘as big as an elephant’ though most tend to place it somewhere in between. Due to a lack of information exact weights have not been recorded but given the Shadow Shikari’s chosen prey it’s fair to say it is somewhere around a thousand pounds. It is currently unknown whether or not the Shadow Shikari requires sustenance as most victims discovered seem to lack any trace of consumption, suggesting that they do not gain nor lose weight. This unnatural characteristic is only vaguely understood, although a loose means of survival has been formed. A notable trait within victims of Shadow Shikari is their shriveled state, akin to being dried out in the heat. Victims also seemingly never reanimate as undead, suggesting the lack of a soul. With that in mind, it's widely believed that Shadow Shikari feed and store their victims souls, using them as a means to power their bodies.

Shadow Shikari are almost universally described with three glowing yellow eyes, with the middlemost one being the largest. Biologists have suggested that this array of eyes allows the Shadow Shikari to see in an almost a hundred and eighty degree range around the cranium, ideal for surveying and adjusting to one's surroundings. From footprints we can infer that the Shadow Shikari has three digits upon its front two legs and two on its rear two legs, likely coupled with a claw or talon of some kind. The exact measure or tip to these talons-while not recorded reliably-have been thought to be able to carve through the bark of trees, suggested by markings found within the late Antem border. Such markings also indicate an unmatched climbing ability, thought to be used to ambush prey. While no specimens have been recorded there are some samples which have been found, notably some kind of blonde hair integument which could imply signs of partial hair coverage across the Shadow Shikari’s body, The exact purpose for these hairs is currently hotly debated although one characteristic currently known to exist within samples is a strangely strong attractiveness to electricity.  Shadow Shikari appear to show a higher level of sonic detection, having been reported to move in accordance to even the most minute of sounds. This behavior seems to be derived from a larger ear canal, discovered in the partially decomposed remains of several unidentified skull remains. For this reason it's thought that Shadow Shikari hunt solely off sight and hearing, preying on those visible and audible in the dead of night.

Shadow Shikari seem to be able to manifest the vitor stored inside souls, using it as a means to inflict torment or to simply utilize the magical properties of their physiology. Like the Hypnosquid, the Shadow Shikari’s skin is decorated in chromatophores which when amplified by vitor cause the Shadow Shikari to become invisible to the naked eye. The overall effectiveness of this ability is rather clear to see. While not moving allows one to simply disappear, movement seems to cause a more translucent form to come into play. Easily spotted if one is looking for it while they’re moving unless it’s dark. Shadow Shikari also seem to be able to utilize their stolen vitor upon their own mouths, mimicking the voices of those it has heard from. It uses this ability to lure prey into a false sense of security, leading them into the perfect area to strike.

#### Psychology

One could argue in defense of many beasts and monsters of Ludwag, this is an exception to such things. It has no empathy or compassion to spare to those around it, it isn’t unintelligent like those too feeble to understand. The Shadow Shikari willingly accepts and enjoys its existence, its sadistic will the only thing it truly cares about. Any and all deals, games, and discussions with a Shadow Shikari are merely for its own enjoyment, like a cat toying with a caged bird it merely plays to watch its victims squirm. For it knows that in due time it will have its prize. For it knows it has already won.