Mention of the frozen north and its isles brings to mind wastelands of ice and snow. Outsiders have a difficult time imagining anything else, just violent iceberg-filled seas surrounding chunks of chilled land. Yet, up here there are more ecosystems than that. Tundras, forests, mountains and even hot bile springs. Places with vegetation and animals, areas that give shelter and hope amongst the cold weather. On the right day of the right season, one may feel at home within these biomes, for it is not all dark freezing misery here. Yet, there is no denying places where ice is prominent, great Tear glaciers, towering icebergs and sprawling shelves. Some of this ice sits upon land that is buried beneath the cold, while others float upon the seas. Tears and cold build these frozen worlds, creating entire stretches and islands that expand the northern territories. And despite it all, life exists here too. Species migrate across vast ice bridges, ocean dwellers rest upon frozen shores and predators prowl the endless shelves. It may not be pretty and green like the lush ecosystems most are used to, but there is a world here. But, of course, that also means there is danger.
When the terrain turns icy, there is a warning to watch your surroundings and mind your step. No doubt there has already been talk about the corpse weasels and their ambush holes. Do not be hasty in your movements, think things through and move only with deliberate choice and confidence. The lurking weasels are a threat, as well as pitfalls and crevices hidden in the snow. A rumble in the ice, though, may suggest another danger is close by. Plenty of things live within the frozen layer below, but some are far more dangerous than others. The rumbling grows stronger and even the weasels begin to flee. Now is the time to find solid ground, anything that isn't ice. Do not pause and wonder why the area has suddenly gotten warmer, for that may be your last thought before the ground erupts beneath your feet.
In any other scenario, a source of heat would be a godsend in this chilling landscape, yet the creature that wields this fire is anything but. A pale hairless brute that lurks in the frozen ground, spreading fear throughout the denizens of these buried mazes. It is known as the Ice Borer, a species of subterranean predators that hunt both above and below. Their bodies are designed for underground living, with limbs meant for digging and a long tail to push them forward through their tunnels. Their lack of hair is made up for with layers of blubber, keeping them warm in the arctic ecosystem. Them hiding below also helps them avoid the brutal weather, finding more stable temps in the depths. But that all pales in comparison with their true source of heat: Yellow Bile.
Ice Borers have ties to Yellow Bile, carrying the Humor within their gut and throat pouch. These stores keep them warm, and are used to sustain the crystalized formations they use for tooth and claw. Their hands and jaws are filled with crystalized bile, granting them searing edges that easily carve through ice. Their belly and back has a row of Yellow Bile spikes, helping them grip the smooth melted tunnels as they burrow. They may use their claws to dig, but it is their mouth that does most of the work. Powerful incisors rip through ice walls, while a jutting crest is formed from an extension of their upper jaw. Lined with Yellow Bile shards, it acts like a blade that cleaves through land and prey. With this arsenal, they easily burrow through the frozen earth, ignoring the mazes of smaller tunnels, for they simply make their own. Such buried networks are constantly changed up by Ice Borer movement, collapsing old veins while they form new ones. Life is quick to scurry when they detect one of these beasts, as such action can only mean one thing: it is time to hunt.
The species is a predator, an ambush hunter that lurks in the icy ground. Their eyes are covered in skin, rendering them blind, yet their other senses easily make up for it. A strong sense of smell helps, as well as keen hearing, but where they really excel is in the detection of vibrations. Their soft, flabby bodies have numerous nerves and sensors that lets their flesh feel the world around them. The slightest vibration is picked up, and they can quickly figure out the source of this disturbance. However, Ice Borers are no dumb brutes, they will not mindlessly charge after every vibration they feel. If it was just falling ice or a tiny critter, so much energeiai would be wasted! Instead, they are feeling for distinctive patterns in the vibration. They have a mental bank of all the important patterns they have figured out throughout life, and they are looking for a match. If one clicks, then there is a high chance it is viable prey, and thus the Ice Borer goes on the hunt. Yellow Bile scorches its way through the ice, the creature approaching its food from underground. The aim is to burst up from below the target, seizing them in their jaws and dragging them back down below. Their crystal teeth will make short work of hair, shell or armor, burning right through to carve prey into digestible chunks. If prey tries to run, the Ice Borer will pursue.
This part of the hunt is the one most people know about, as it is certainly iconic (and terrifying). The Ice Borer will give chase underground, yet it will remain close to the surface so it can attack when needed. As a result, its toothy crest pierces upward like a predatory fin slicing through the icy sea. The fiery tooth carves through the earth easily as it rushes after its food, a daunting symbol of the creature's presence. Victims will try to run or outmaneuver the hunter, but it can be quite difficult. Slippery ice and rough terrain will slow their flight, giving the beast time to catch up. The Ice Borer is waiting for a single mistake, be it tripping over their own feet or getting bogged down by surface level obstacles. It may lunge from the ice to grab its flailing food, but targets that are bigger and more threatening may get a different treatment. The Ice Borer may instead charge forth with its searing crest, slicing their prey to pieces. It is a horrifying thing to witness, as victims are cut apart bit by bit by this earthen yellow blade. Those who try to hide on something tall or off the ice will find that the Ice Borer does not give up easy. It will try to undermine the obstacle, or use Yellow Bile vomit to melt it. One must foil the Ice Borer multiple times before it will truly give up and slink back down into the icy maze.
Ice Borers are feared predators of these frozen lands, for their size and determination makes them powerful adversaries. Since they live underground, knowing if one is in the area is difficult, the realization coming too late when it locks onto prey. Fighting it is almost impossible, as it spends most of its time beneath the ice, only exploding forth to claim its prize. Even at that moment, battle is a poor idea, for its crystal bile claws and teeth will easily carve through armor and flesh. Escaping or avoiding detection requires clever thinking, for the Ice Borer is far smarter than people give it credit for. It has learned the pattern of footsteps for dozens of species, aware of variations and details that help it pick out prey from background noise. Northern folk have used certain movements in the past to escape detection, but once a particular rhythm grows too popular, the Ice Borers will have figured it out. When targeted, trying to escape is a pulse-pounding challenge, as simple running won't do. You have to find solid ground that will slow its pursuit, or stable outcroppings to climb out of reach. Anything made of ice will be melted through, anything shaky will inevitably be knocked over. It is a terrifying scenario to be stuck in, but escape is possible.
If solid ground cannot be reached, then look for nearby fluid bodies or ice that goes out over such liquids. The Ice Borer does not swim well, and will avoid digging into these Humor pools. Using other objects or equipment to create distracting vibrations can also help confuse the predator. Some have sent small tools skittering across the ice in opposing directions to make the Ice Borer baffled on which direction the prey is headed. Others have turned to explosives or dropping huge chunks of ice to essentially "flashbang" the Borer's senses. Make huge vibrations to shake up the beast, then use that time to escape. The gutsy type may set up traps or waiting weapons, then bait the monster into lunging from the ice. If your plot doesn't produce vibrations, then the creature will be oblivious to its presence until it is too late. And if you lack all of that, and have no other options, then seek out the species' most hated rival: the Hammerworm. Ice Borers and Hammerworms despise one another, for they fill similar niches in the frozen world. Their territories often butt up against the other, land claims won through brutal battle and constant surveillance. If you see the signs of Hammerworm presence nearby, lead the pursuing Borer into its domain so that the two subterranean beasts start fighting one another. Obviously, when this happens, start running even faster.
Ice Borers are recognized as a danger in the icy wilds, resulting in many maps and signs being made up to warn travelers of their territory. These beasts, and others like the Hammerworm, are such a problem that they are a big reason why roads are not common in the north. Such obvious paths that would see frequent use would be beacons to these creatures, and outsiders trying to colonize up here have learned that the hard way. The species is good with patterns, and once it realized these areas were rich with prey, they began to stick close by and even set up traps. Thus, it is important to never use the same path over and over again, varying up your travel and movements to avoid being memorized. Skeggrs who frequently ride through these icy stretches will draw up maps of previous travel purely to avoid following the same lines. In areas that see heavy use, the Ice Borers will be hunted and slain, but it is only a matter of time before another or something else tries to set up shop here. Killing one of these monsters grants heavy amounts of flesh, blubber and Yellow Bile. The crest is a favorite for weapons and ceremonial blades, while the fluid is used for warming and also excavating the frozen earth. Easier to melt a hole through the ice than chisel through it, that is the Ice Borer way!
---------------------------------
"How about that nut ripping beaver? ....really? Worst thing you ever read? Well, my next one will be better!" Besides, with the aid of @Lediblock2 , FOI gets its own hothead ice borer!
