Shiverbit - Creature Conpendium - The World
everal different specie of wolf reside within Arcanum, and while all are aggressive, predatory creatures, most pale in comparison with the fearsome shiverbit.
This ferocious wolf makes its home upon the icy passes and steep slopes that join the Stonewall and Grey Mountain Ranges. One of the largest wolves in existence, this stalwart creature boasts thick fur which is white to light grey in coloration and provides both excellent camouflage and ample protection from the extreme temperatures found in its frozen, hostile domain. Appearing more intelligent than the common wolf, the shiverbit is cunning, agile and very deadly.
The shiverbit can most often be found living in family groups, or packs, of 4 to 8 adults, dominated by a single male and female animal, although we have documented the occasional lone adult male. Within the pack, the dominant pair are the only members to produce pups, and on average generate one litter of four to six pups per year. It is our estimation that nearly half of all shiverbit pups do not make it to adulthood, falling victim to numerous perils presented by the harsh environment in which they live.
As with most wolves, the shiverbit possesses magnificent pack hunting capabilities, being both stealthy and fleet of foot. Its crushing jaws are immense, able to tear through bone as if through twigs and it is highly territorial. Yet what truly sets this creature apart from its brethren is its remarkable defense mechanism used to deter natural enemies such as the polar bear, frigidon and yeti. To adapt to its hostile environment, the shiverbit has developed the ability to render its enemies harmless by freezing them solid.
What has confounded those of us that have studied the beast, is exactly how it manages to do this. Common belief through the millennia has been that the shiverbit possessed innate magickal abilities, enabling it to freeze its tormentors at will. With the advent of the new schools of reason and science, a few have begun to entertain thoughts that this capability is not at all magickal, but rather some form of poison or chemical contained within the wolf, a technological, not magickal attribute.
It has been noted that the shiverbit must physically bite the victim before the freezing process takes place. This in and of itself would lead one to suspect non-magickal means, as it is common knowledge that magick is a force of will, and physical contact is unnecessary. Yet as I pen these pages, although proponents for each side are extremely vocal, neither theory has been substantiated, as no one has, as of yet, been able to capture a live beast for study.
