Sand Stalker

Sand Stalkers were desert creatures native to Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna., serving as the primary mounts for both GlatorianGlatorianTribal warriors of Spherus Magna who settled disputes through arena combat, until the Skrall conquest enslaved most of them. warriors and AgoriAgoriThe villager species of Bara Magna, organised by tribe and settlement, who governed their villages and arranged the Glatorian arena system. travelers. These beasts thrived in the harsh desert environment in ways few other fauna could match, making them invaluable for crossing the vast wastelands between villages. The animals came in multiple color variants: red, gray, and yellow-orange. Despite their value to desert civilization, they retained strong animal instincts that proved limiting in the most hostile circumstances.

Mounts of Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna.#

Sand Stalkers were the primary method of long-distance travel across Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna.'s deserts. Typically purchased from vendors in the village of IconoxIconoxIconox is a village of the Ice Tribe, situated in the White Quartz Mountains., these creatures proved both docile enough to ride and hardy enough to withstand the harsh desert environment. In Riddle of the Great Beings, the AgoriAgoriThe villager species of Bara Magna, organised by tribe and settlement, who governed their villages and arranged the Glatorian arena system. TardukTardukTarduk is an Agori of the Jungle Tribe, distinguished by his dark green and lime coloration. A treasure hunter by trade, he wields claws and spikes and makes his home on the reformed Spherus Magna., CrotesiusCrotesiusA Vulcanus pilot who went from dismissing legends to answering one in Riddle of the Great Beings., and KirboldKirboldKirbold is an Agori of the Ice Tribe, distinguished by white and grey coloring, who serves as a maintenance worker on the reformed Spherus Magna. He carries a blade as his primary tool. used three Sand Stalkers to traverse dangerous territory that would've been impossible to cross on foot. The animals came in multiple color variants, with red, gray, and yellow-orange noted among the population. Their domestication made them suitable for both civilian and warrior use, though they retained natural animal instincts when facing genuine danger.

Limits of Domestication#

Despite their value as mounts, Sand Stalkers retained strong animal instincts that made them unreliable in the face of genuine danger. During the journey through Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna. documented in Riddle of the Great Beings, the creatures refused to approach the Forest of BladesForest of BladesThe high-plain forest north of the White Quartz Mountains where Core War soldiers stood frozen as bladed trees in the territory of the Element Lord of Jungle.. They could be reined and controlled through ordinary desert terrain, but when confronted with threats they recognized as lethal, they became increasingly reluctant to proceed. The animals also proved vulnerable to determined predators. When a pack of wolves pursued a group traveling with Sand Stalkers, neither the creatures' speed nor various evasion tactics proved effective. The party attempted to send one Sand Stalker in another direction to distract the pack, but the wolves persisted in their pursuit regardless.

For all their limitations, Sand Stalkers enabled civilization on Bara MagnaBara MagnaA desert world of tribal warfare and scarce resources, one of three landmasses that formed Spherus Magna. in ways few other creatures could. Without them, the vast distances between settlements would've been nearly impassable, and trade networks that sustained GlatorianGlatorianTribal warriors of Spherus Magna who settled disputes through arena combat, until the Skrall conquest enslaved most of them. society would've collapsed. Their presence determined where settlements could be established and how AgoriAgoriThe villager species of Bara Magna, organised by tribe and settlement, who governed their villages and arranged the Glatorian arena system. and warriors navigated the continent.

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Compiled from primary sources by Lore Fortress editorial. Reviewed by Joe Garratt, Editor-in-Chief.