Stalker: the antlered hunters of the wilds

Stalkers were antlered, horse-bodied hunters who roamed Midgard and Vanaheim, resembling the centaurs of the Greek world but crowned with antlers. Worshippers of Skaði and masters of the hunt, they were normally peaceful and reclusive, until many turned savage with the onset of Fimbulwinter.

A species of hunters#

The Stalkers were a species akin to the centaurs of the Greek world, but distinguished by the antlers they bore. They were half human and half horse, and from their horse halves came strength and speed beyond that of any ordinary mortal, making them faster, more agile, and more resilient. Their hybrid forms made them formidable creatures, fast as well as strong.

They were worshippers of Skaði and, by nature, peaceful creatures that kept to themselves, renowned as masters of the hunt. Their primary weapon was the bow, in which they were feared and respected for their skill, and they were encountered across Midgard and Vanaheim. Some among them mastered the spear instead, wielding it with such precision that even Kratos respected their skill, and they were known to carry a kind of harpoon used to seize prey and drag it down.

Turned by Fimbulwinter#

With the coming of Fimbulwinter, the long winter that heralded Ragnarök, many Stalkers changed. Once peaceful, they grew aggressive and ruthless, a corruption that Odin most likely had a hand in working upon them.

One such Stalker, called the Huntress, was found preying upon raiders before she turned upon Kratos and Atreus, only to be slain by Kratos. The attack worried Mimir, for Stalkers did not normally come near. Later, after the Draupnir Spear was forged in the place where Kratos and his son had fought the Dreki, a rift tore open and loosed another Stalker, accompanied by a few gulons, most likely come from Vanaheim.

The Fierce Stalkers#

The mightiest of their kind were the Fierce Stalkers, more powerful members of the species. Where most carried bows, these bore lances, and they were marked by thicker antlers, dark skin, and a yellow hue across their horse bodies. Stronger in battle than their ordinary kin, they were the most dangerous of all the Stalkers a traveler might meet in the wilds.