Stalker: the antlered hunters of the wilds
the deerlike kin of the centaurs in the Norse realms
Stalkers were antlered, horse-bodied hunters who roamed Midgard and Vanaheim, worshippers of Skaði and masters of the hunt. Once peaceful, many turned savage with the coming of Fimbulwinter, a change Mimir blamed on Odin's meddling.
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. (God of War Ragnarök)
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. (God of War Ragnarök)
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, and they were known to carry a kind of harpoon used to seize prey and drag it down. (God of War Ragnarök)
Turned by Fimbulwinter#
With the coming of Fimbulwinter, the long winter that heralded Ragnarök, many Stalkers changed. Once peaceful, they grew aggressive and ruthless, and Mimir doubted that Fimbulwinter alone was to blame, suspecting that Odin's tampering with the natural order lay behind it. (God of War Ragnarök)
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. (God of War Ragnarök)
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. (God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- What were the Stalkers in God of War Ragnarök?
- Stalkers were antlered, horse-bodied hunters found in 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 creatures that kept to themselves, but many grew aggressive with the onset of Fimbulwinter.
- Why did the Stalkers turn aggressive?
- Once peaceful and reclusive, many Stalkers became aggressive and ruthless with the coming of Fimbulwinter, a change Mimir suspected Odin had a hand in. Mimir was troubled when a Stalker attacked Kratos and Atreus, since the creatures did not normally come near.
Sources
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Atreus (Loki): Kratos's Son and the Truth of His Name
Atreus was the son of Kratos and the Jotunn Faye, born in Midgard and given the hidden name Loki. Across two great journeys he grew from a sickly boy into the prophesied champion of the Giants, the god of mischief whose fate was bound to Ragnarok.
Centaur
The Centaurs were monsters of the Greek world, part man and part horse, once renowned for poetry and wine-making in the forests of Mount Pelion. When the Lapiths encroached on their woods they took up arms, and in time were recruited across Greece for their martial prowess.
Fimbulwinter: the three-year winter
Fimbulwinter was the three-year winter that began with Baldur's death and ended with Ragnarok. Being magical, it weakened curses across the Nine Realms.
Kratos
Kratos was the demigod son of Zeus who rose from a Spartan general to the Greek God of War, destroyed the pantheon of Olympus in a quest for vengeance, and then began again in the Norse realms as a father seeking to leave his bloody past behind.
Midgard: Kratos' home, shaped from Ymir
Odin shaped Midgard from the body of the giant Ymir. Kratos settled there after leaving Greece, and Fimbulwinter later froze the Lake of Nine.
Mimir
Mimir was a Celtic fae who rose to become Odin's advisor and the ambassador of the Aesir before the All-Father imprisoned him for over a century. Freed and reanimated as a disembodied head by Kratos and Atreus, he became their guide, conscience, and friend across the Nine Realms.
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