THE KOROZO

The Korozo is a fierce, pack-hunting predator native to the Ralar Region on the Dark Side of VOI 700 D. Despite its relatively small size, the Korozo is among the most dangerous creatures of the region due to its razor-sharp teeth, powerful jaws, and relentless hunting strategy.

Korozos navigate and hunt in total darkness through ultrasonic hearing and an exceptional sense of smell. Lacking eyes entirely, they rely on echo returns and scent maps to coordinate pack chases and pinpoint wounded prey over long distances.

Korozos live in highly organized clans, led by a dominant breeding pair. These clans mark and defend strict territorial boundaries, often engaging in violent clashes with other packs. The Zark Tribe, a banned subtribe of the Honga Tribe exiled to the Ralar Region, has mastered the taming and breeding of Korozos, using them as personal guardians. Since the Gamma Age, they have become close allies of the Exohuman Outlaw Group, the Jane Mendoza Gang.

• Shoulder Height: 1.2 meters
• Body Length: 1.3 meters
• Weight: 30–40 kg
• Fur Color: Thick, dark grey fur for low-light camouflage
• Speed: Sprint: 70 km/h | Long Distance: 40 km/h
• Face: Eyeless, with a smooth dermal shield where eyes would be; ringed by fine sensory pits and whisker-tufts for airflow and echo reading
• Exoskeleton: Reinforced carapace along the spine with short defensive spikes protecting vital organs

• Ultrasonic Hearing & Clicks: Actively echolocates; builds 3D awareness from echo returns
• Smell Tracking: Follows scent trails across vast distances, locking onto blood and stress pheromones
• Blood Scent: Detects trace blood from kilometers away, making wounded prey highly vulnerable
• Powerful Bite: Crushing jaws and shearing dentition pierce bone
• Coordinated Pack Tactics: Surrounds, isolates, then exhausts targets through relay pressure

• Armor Class (AC): 15 (reinforced fur + spiked exoskeleton)
• Hit Points (HP): 50
• Speed: 50 ft., Climb 20 ft.

• Bite: +5 to hit, 1d8+4 piercing damage
• Claw Swipe: +4 to hit, 1d6+3 slashing damage
• Ambush Attack: If attacking from Stealth, deals an extra 1d6 damage

• Echolocation (Blindsight 60 ft.): Perceives creatures and terrain without sight; deafened Korozos lose this benefit
• Pack Tactics: Advantage on attack rolls if an ally is within 5 ft. of the target
• Relentless Pursuit: Advantage on Survival checks to track a chosen target by sound/scent over long distances
• Spiked Defense: Creatures that grapple or strike in melee without reach take 1d4 piercing from back spikes
• Sightless: Immune to illusions or effects that rely solely on vision; automatically fails checks requiring sight

• Diet: Carnivorous; primarily hunts Kajanga, Odo, and smaller mammals
• Social Structure: Rigid pack hierarchy led by an Alpha Breeding Pair

• Echo Net: Packs spread and click in sequence to triangulate a target
• Relentless Stalkers: Pursue wounded prey for hours, trading leads to conserve energy
• Scent Trap: Circle downwind to saturate an area with confusing scent while the flanking pair strikes

• Protective Clans: Each Zark male raises a personal Korozo pack for raids and defense
• Alpha Submission Ritual: A handler must physically best the Alpha to establish dominance
• Ceremonial Transfer: A coming-of-age rite gifts a pup to a young warrior

• Mating: Only the Alpha Pair breeds
• Gestation: 2 months
• Litter Size: 2–4 pups, communally reared
• Maturity: Full hunting readiness in 1–2 years
• Lifespan: 40–50 years; succession via challenges when the Alpha Pair weakens

The warning comes as a pattern of dry clicks rippling through the dark tundra. A low, breathy growl answers from behind. Shapes resolve: low silhouettes bristling with spine-ridges, faces smooth and eyeless, nostrils flaring as they test the air. They advance in silence, trading positions with practiced economy. When the first one lunges, the rest are already in place.

• Echo Ambush: Use sequenced clicking to disorient and mask true positions
• Unstoppable Chase: Packs track by scent and sound until prey hides, crosses water, or fights
• Blood Hunt: Wound, withdraw, then return hours later guided by the blood trail
• Zark Integration: Encounters with trained packs raise social and moral stakes

• The Dark Side
• Region Ralar
• Known Wildlife of the Ralar Region
• Zark Tribe

Known Prey:

• Bero Hiki
• Cockroach from Earth
• Hoo
• Kajanga
• Naka Tula
• Nokari Mouse
• Talikra