VRR

The swamp is silent, the sound of bugs and night birds suddenly stopped. You hear the water lapping at your boat, a steady rhythmic sound in the darkness. And then you hear it, somewhere behind you in the swamp, the low and steady sound. It fades into the darkness, and then suddenly, from somewhere in front of you, you hear it again. You begin to paddle as quickly as you can, and your boat runs aground, stranded in mud. You jump into the water, trying to swim away, but you know it's useless to run. Something grabs your leg and pulls you underwater. You look down, to see the orange glow of compound eyes and the silhouette of a muzzle clamped onto your leg. You look up for one last glimpse of the surface. But instead of stars, you see more orange eyes looking down at you.

The Event left many of Earth's ecosystems completely devastated. Entire species were simply wiped out. Life continues, however, and many species have evolved that are better adapted to the chaos of Apoc-Earth. One such species is the VRR. Named by Churls for the unusual sound that they make, VRR’s can be found on almost every continent with tropical and subtropical zones. An odd and terrible mix of crocodilian and canine, VRR’s are vicious predators, filling the ecological niches of both species.

The VRR’s anatomy is extremely unusual, and many scientists originally believed that this confusing anatomy was caused originally by genetic tampering. However, the telltale signs of genetic alteration aren’t present in VRR DNA and now many scientists believe that the VRR occurred naturally, bolstering the belief that the Event has caused many of the monstrosities that are now found in the wild.

The VRR, about the size of a mastiff and covered in rough scaly skin, is designed to be an efficient predator. A highly developed olfactory lobe gives it an incredible sense of smell, allowing the beast to detect blood from miles away, even underwater. The VRR also has several sets of eyes: a large central or core eye, similar to that of a feline, surrounded by smaller compound eyes like those of a spider, that glow orange in low light. It is believed that the VRR has the ability to see in different light spectra and is possibly capable changing its field of vision, from infrared to thermal with a thought.

VRRs are usually solitary creatures but will sometimes hunt in packs. However, while hunts may be coordinated, feeding is not. VRRs do not follow any normal pack or social structures, and feedings are usually gory and deadly free-for-all's. The range of a VRR can span miles, from saltwater marshes to fresh water swamps. VRRs have even been known to follow rivers upstream into deserts and mountains, making their homes around pools and headwaters. Warmblooded, VRRs are capable of moving equally well on both land and water, able to swim and run long distances and maintain a standard speed on 45 mph on land and only slightly less in the water.

Finally, VRRs make an unusually buzzing or purring noise. It is unsure where this sound originates from. There is an unusual organ located in the skull, just behind the upper jaw, that many believe to be the origin point of the sound, but a live VRR has never been captured, so this theory goes unproven. It is assumed that beasts use this noise to communicate to others of its species, and employ it to everything from courtship to establishing territory. Finally, this noise emitted by the VRR also causes a state of fear and panic in other creatures. Originally, scientists attributed this feeling of fear to be a natural cowardly response by Churls who didn’t know any better. But now, it is widely accepted that the VRR is employing some form of infra-sound that is meant to frighten prey into running and therefore flushing it out from hiding places.

Tactics: VRRs, like their crocodilian forebears, are ambush predators. However, where crocodilians might have given up once the prey flees, VRRs will pursue prey relentlessly. A usual attack might begin near the water, and end miles in land on completely dry ground. The mottled color of the VRR, ranging from browns to green to grey, allows it to blend in well with almost any surrounding. Their compound eyes also make them incredibly dangerous in low light or darkness.

VRRs have a highly developed maw, full of sharp, strong teeth. The beast usually leads off an attack with a monstrous bite, hoping to clamp down on its prey and either drag it under water or bleed it death on dry land. If the VRR is unable to bite down on its prey during pursuit, they will result to the canine tactic of leaping and tackling an opponent, following this massive attack with a bite to the neck or body. Many are surprised at the raw speed and strength of the VRR. This realization usually is followed by a horrible death at it's massive maw.