Stalker

Template:Infobox:Fauna Flora The Stalker is an aggressive life form of the fauna category. Most of them populates the Kelp Forest. It can also be found beneath the Aurora in the Crash Zone.

Occasionally, Stalkers can be found swimming into the Safe Shallows while chasing Peepers.

Appearance

The Stalker is a rather large creature, possessing an elongated, fusiform body with smooth skin. Its head features a long snout greatly resembling that of the real life gharial.

On its back protrudes seven dorsal plates running along from neck to tail, as well as two pectoral and pelvic, purple-tipped fins on each side, and ends with a broad, fluked-like tail.

The Stalker's coloration is a blue-gray dorsal side patterned in dark blue, and a bright green underside.

Behavior

The Stalker seems to have a fondness for metal salvage; it will approach the object, pick it up with its mouth and start flailing it for awhile. Doing so will not only displace the item, but will sometimes leave behind a Stalker Tooth.

Being predators, Stalkers will attempt to chase and eat nearby Peepers. They will also attack the player upon close encounters, with each bite dealing 30 damage. The player should be cautious while exploring Kelp Forests to avoid getting attacked by surprise, as Stalkers often form small groups, lurking in the dense Creepvines.

At night, beside being more difficult to spot, Stalkers become more aggressive and have a wider aggressive radius, so it is advised to avoid swimming near Kelp Forests at night.

Stalkers can be found guarding or lurking near their eggs, and will attack if the player gets too close.

Stalkers will grab the Camera Drones from the Scanner Room, and treat it similarly to metal salvage.

The best way to get the Stalker's data entry is to freeze it with a Stasis Rifle. Another effective method is to tame the Stalker, as described in the Interactions section below.

Interactions with the Player

It is possible to temporarily placate a Stalker by feeding them any kind of catchable fish, or by giving them metal salvage. Doing any of the above will pacify the creature for a short while.

After being fed, the Stalker will not only become peaceful towards the player, but it will also start looking for metal salvage, pick it up, and drop it at the player's position as a gift. This behavior can also be extended the more fish the player feeds it.

Keep in mind that this "tamed" behavior is only temporary. The period of submission can be extended by offering the predator more fish or salvage.

Data Bank Entry

A streamline predator with developed intelligence and strength.

Found in the kelp forests, in wait of prey leaving the safety of the shallows
Retinal layering suggests adaptation for night-time hunting
Neural pathways indicate innate ability for reward-based learning: evolutionary explanation unclear at this time
Attracted to metals. Will fight fiercely over its hoard. No explanation available for this behavior. Further research required.

Prey: Evolutionary profile fits natural predator of the Peeper

Assessment: Coerce or avoid

Data Bank Entry (Stalker Behavior and Physiology)

Extended analysis of Stalker dental samples has been completed.

In other local lifeforms tooth composition follows a familiar biological process whereby a calcified structure is grown in the gum.

Stalker teeth are unique in exhibiting extraordinary lightness and strength, and containing only trace amounts of calcium. They gain their structural integrity from a titanium/iron compound somehow produced in the Stalker's body.

This suggests some possible explanations for the creature's metal-gathering behavior, but raises more questions:

By what process can the stalker convert raw metals into dental structure?
What explains this seemingly costly evolutionary adaptation? An armored opponent? A calcium shortage?

Assessment: More research required.