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This fan-fiction article, Amarok, was written by Witcher190. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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This article is an expansion based on a canon element. For canon information on this topic, follow the link to The Witcher Wiki: Amarok. |
- “Interesting part of the world. Perhaps you ´ll get a contract for some rare snow beast. A barbegazi, or a wendigo...Or a, uh, an amarok. ”
- ―Ciri to Geralt of Rivia in 1272
The amarok is a type of monster similar to a wolf, found in the northern regions of the Continent, such as Kovir and the Far North. Some scholars believe the amarok originates from a world trapped in perpetual winter and appeared in this one after the First Conjunction of the Spheres. Others think they are simply a subspecies of warg affected by magic, or a lost common ancestor of wolves, dogs, and bears.
Appearance[]
The amarok is a canid monster the size of a bear, with a robust and muscular build. It has a black of coat on its back, which starts from the top of the head and ends in the tail. This coat is denser than the rest of its fur, which is finer and usually white or another color. The head has a wolf-like appearance, featuring sharp, predatory black eyes and powerful jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth. The overall shape of the body, especially the limbs and stance, is reminiscent of a bear, with thick legs and large paws equipped with sharp claws.
Abilities[]
The amarok possesses the size and strength of a bear and a very resistant skin that provides it significant protection against physical attacks, probably developed to survive winter conditions better, this is accompained with a small capacity for regeneration, that allows it to recover from injuries more rapidly than ordinary creatures. This combination of strength and resilience makes the amarok a difficult creature for a normal human to kill.
In addition to its physical prowess, the amarok has heightened senses, particularly its sense of smell and hearing, which allow it to track prey over long distances and detect potential threats with ease. Its claws are not only powerful weapons but also tools for destroying trees and digging, adding to its versatility as a predator.
Behaviors[]
The amarok is known to be highly territorial and aggressive, often attacking intruders on sight. Despite its fearsome reputation, it is also an intelligent creature, capable of strategic thinking and occasionally displaying signs of cunning when hunting or evading danger.
They fiercely defend their hunting grounds from any intruders, whether they are other predators or humanoids. This aggression, combined with their impressive strength and resilience, makes encounters with amaroks particularly dangerous. Witchers, with their specialized training and enhanced abilities, were often the only ones capable of facing amaroks and surviving the encounter. In the Far North, clashes have been reported between white dragons and amaroks, with the white dragon usually winning, indicating that there, at least, they have a natural predator.
Biology[]
Amaroks are one of the few monsters that are active during winter and inactive during the short springs and summers of Kovir and some Far North regions. Unlike bears, which hibernate during the winter, amaroks hibernate during these warmer seasons. Amaroks are believed to hibernate in spring and summer because they are not accustomed to such high temperatures, causing them to become lethargic and sleep, until winter temperatures awaken them. Reason why, unlike other monsters, they were not exterminated or almost exterminated by the witchers before the Second Conjunction of the Spheres.
During the long, harsh winters, amaroks emerge from their hibernation and become apex predators in their frigid habitats. Their dense fur and thick skin provide them with the necessary insulation and protection to thrive in extreme cold. The thinner fur on the rest of the body, compared to the fur on the head, is probably an adaptation to protect key areas from the cold, as movement would make it unnecessary to have a thicker fur to conserve heat. Their heightened senses and formidable physical abilities enable them to hunt efficiently, even in the most challenging conditions. The amarok's ability to track prey over long distances using its keen sense of smell and acute hearing makes it a relentless hunter.
As you might guess, amaroks are carnivores and due to being active in winters, they feed on whatever they can find, no matter what. The most common prey is usually bisons, reindeers and by accident Not Deers. Followed by humans and non-humans traveling in winter, and other predators that enter their territory. They usually live for 50 years, and have sexual reproduction, and despite their predatory nature, they sometimes collaborate by hunting prey together, which they usually share after a fight (in the case of females) and in the case of males, they simply eat the targets they decided to hunt during their cooperative effort.
Slaying[]
Slaying an amarok is simple in theory, it is the real combat that makes it difficult for a witcher. The use of Signs like Aard to destabilize it, combined with Igni to burn the fur, and with a steel sword with oil for beasts is what works best.
Trivia[]
- Amarok is a creature from the Inuit mythology.