This be one ugly fucker
Lurkers are extremely dangerous predators that inhabit the Black Marsh. Few creatures in Equis can survive an attack from a pack of lurkers.
Origins[]
Lurkers weren’t originally these deadly creatures hell bent on killing and eating anyone or anything that disturbs them or becomes their prey. Much like their home the Black Marsh, the Lurkers were once peaceful beings that avoided contact with everything other than their own kind. But when the Marsh changed due to the dark magic that flooded that part of the world, the Lurkers changed too. Long gone were the peaceful little creatures that were herbivorous and wouldn’t harm anything. They became bloodthirsty and flesh hungry monsters that hunted down anyone or anything that they set their eyes on.
Habitat[]
Lurkers can mostly be found in their once beautiful home, the Black Marsh. Although, there have been reports of Lurkers in other regions of Equis. Approximately ten thousand specimen can be found on Equis, however this number has never been surely confirmed.
Biology[]
Size[]
Depending on how old a particular specimen is, they can grow from the size of a pony foal to the size of a buffalo chief. Although, they only reach that size very late in their lives.
Strengths[]
Lurkers are quite fast (around the speed of a racehorse) sprinters, but they can’t keep this speed for too long. The talons on their front legs are strong enough to pierce metal. Lurkers has very strong back legs, enabling them to leap over large distances (around 15-20 meters) and by using the leathery membrane connecting the front legs to the torso, they can sort of glide, extending the leap 5 meters more. Their bodies is covered by an organic armor, which serves as a mild protection against blunt trauma and sharp objects (metal sword can cut through them, but the force required to do so is more than most ponies are capable of). Another ability that they have is that they can shoot spikes, although limited. These spikes are launched from the end of their tail, which are ejected by swinging their tails like a whip. Each spike is hollow and contains a paralytic poison, which numbs and slows the target, if it got in into the bloodstream (the victim starts to slow down in around 10 minutes, however, the poison does no harm to the body). A Lurker regrows a spike in a week if it eats properly.
Weaknesses[]
Lurkers have sensitive, and very weak underbellies which they try to cover and don’t expose as much as they can. The leathery membrane is also sensitive, and striking that should stun the lurker, enabling one to hit their weak underbelly. If one is accurate enough, they can stab them in the eye, which can be found on the side of the head, killing them instantly, given the object that was used is long enough. Special ability: Lurkers have the ability to cloak (around 10-15 seconds at a time) but this ability can only be used once every 30 minutes ( about 25% faster if the Lurker is in sunlight). This cloak makes them near invisible, save for a slight distortion around them, which can be noticed if one is actively looking for these. When a Lurker enters this cloak, they give off a peculiar sound which makes it easy for one to know that there are Lurkers in the vicinity and they are on the hunt.
Reproduction[]
Lurkers reproduce via eggs. When they reach maturity ( around 7 years) the male Lurkers will begin to look for suitable mates. When they found a female Lurker and they mated, the female will lay 10-13 eggs in a dark and humid place, from which the newborn Lurkers will hatch in around 6-9 weeks. However, due to the carnivorous and sometimes cannibalistic tendencies, usually only 3 newborn Lurkers survive into adulthood.
Intelligence and behaviour[]
Lurkers are quite intelligent, managing to use advanced team-tactics when hunting. Despite their intelligence, they aren’t capable of speech, so they communicate using growls and shrieks. However, if the circumstances are given, they can understand speech and will react accordingly.
Naturally Lurkers are quite docile if not bothered or not in the mood for some quick snack. However, if attacked, or someone gets too close to them, they will react in a really aggressive manner, almost immediately calling for others to hunt down those who dared to disturb them.
Trivia[]
Lurkers can be tamed, and by can I mean the word in the loosest way possible. One has to be really brave or really mad (probably both) to try and it has to be a recently hatched one, or else they won’t be able to get tamed.