Alias: None
Origin: Kela (drifts, polar shelves)
The Gelivox Stalker is a large, predatory creature native to Kela’s icy drifts and polar shelves, known for its rush-ambush tactics and single, forward-curving cranial blade used to strike prey. Its light-reactive, frond-like dermis allows near-invisibility in snow, making it a lethal threat to expeditions. Solitary and territorial, it was historically feared by Kela’s tribes, who used its bones in rituals symbolizing precision and danger. Its presence indicates stable, cold ecosystems, posing a significant hazard in polar exploration.
Gelivox Stalkers inhabit Kela’s icy drifts and polar shelves, favoring snow-covered plains and ice fields where their camouflage is most effective. They avoid dense forests or open plateaus, relying on snow cover and low light for hunting. Their tracks are often erased by wind, complicating detection.
Found at elevations of 1–3 km in Kela’s polar regions, Gelivox Stalkers thrive in cold, high-altitude environments. They are rarely seen below 0.5 km, as warmer lowlands disrupt their heat-sensitive physiology.
Kela’s cold climate, averaging -30 to 0°C, supports the Gelivox Stalker’s physiology, with Saethern’s stable light fostering icy, low-visibility conditions ideal for ambushing. They struggle in warmer or humid regions outside polar zones.
Adapted to frequent snowstorms and icy winds, their dermis adjusts to light shifts for camouflage. Seismic activity can disrupt their hunting grounds, exposing them during tremors. Stellar disruptions (Izhara’s plasma storms) rarely affect their polar habitats.
Gelivox Stalkers live 20–40 years, with rapid growth in the first 5 years and maturity at 10 years. They reproduce infrequently due to their solitary nature.
Mature Gelivox Stalkers stand 2.2–2.5 meters at the shoulder, with their cranial blade adding up to 0.5 meters. Juveniles (under 5 years) range from 1–1.5 meters.
Estimated at 3.5–4.0 tonnes, supporting their robust, ambush-driven physique.
The Gelivox Stalker’s stealth and cranial blade made it a significant hazard during the Era of Absolute Expansion (~3,000 years before modern Geba), slowing exploration in Kela. Its role in controlling polar fauna supports ecosystem stability, but partial retrievals, often damaged by self-preservation mechanisms, limit anatomical understanding, similar to the Boughstrider. Expedition teams should use light-based decoys to avoid ambushes and monitor seismic activity to detect hunting zones. Its exclusive range to Kela’s polar biomes restricts its impact to cold environments.