Burlok

Illus. by Hunter Boyer

Description
These furry beast-like creatures walk erect and on two feet, but can go down on all fours to run faster. The hair that covers their entire body is very thick and can even be soft when well groomed. They have a hairy face that displays two black orbs for eyes and pointed teeth with two large canines used to pulverize their food or prey. Their hands are large, looking more like a lion’s paw with long, sharp talons, but the presence of an opposable thumb allows them to carry things normally. Their large feet also bear long, sharp claws that extend from each toe, making it nearly impossible to fashion a boot for these creatures.

Origin
The thriving city of Morpit, set in the Broken Realms, is the home place of many burloks, and is by far the largest city in the world. Though some call it a cesspool, its tall oversized buildings and spacious land between them has attracted many citizens. Most of the world’s burloks live in this city or elsewhere on the isle known to the people of this race as “Amplewood.”

History
The burloks have never had a very wealthy civilization, but their cities are very large and heavily populated. The extreme size of their cities has to do with how they breed often and with many different people of their race, never staying with a single mate or settling into marriage. To survive, they form a few large hunting parties of the best in the city that travel to distant parts of their land in search of food. They do not rape the land of its resources, but rather tend to them and nurture them so that they will be around for years to come. Everyone in the city has a purpose, and they all work together to keep the people fed and protected. Burloks seem to be close with others of their kind, but when one crosses another, a ground-shaking duel will take place.

Beliefs
Burloks do not believe in the false prophecies of any religion, and will usually scoff at any who claim to bring peace unto the world by word of a mysterious unseen force. The term “faith” to them is a joke and often ridiculed as they only believe and understand that which they can feel and touch. Any who can blindly follow the teaching of a deity are believed to be “playing head games with themselves” according to burloks.

Habits
Once a burlok has set himself upon a prey or individual to hunt down, they will stop at nothing until the goal is accomplished. Because of this, they have made their place in society as excellent guards or city militia. They are well known and widely respected for their power and ability to hunt down prey, but are highly feared for it too. Most burloks are peaceful if they really want to be, but can become a furious rage if angered. Most people know this, and tend to leave them alone as not to unleash their fury. They are very simple creatures, usually only wanting to find their place in society where they can fit in and make life easier for themselves and other people.

Abilities
These characters have the option to view the world through infravision when desired, which allows them to see heat patterns. This cannot be used near bright lights.

Burloks will go into Frenzy whenever they reach half of their Maximum HP or lower, giving them +1 ATK while in melee combat.

Bloodlust is an ability that allows burloks to hunt down one major enemy that the character may have at any one time. This is for the one main enemy of a quest that the character may be on. If there is no main enemy, Bloodlust will not be in effect. This ability will allow the character to smell out the precise location of the enemy as long as he or she is within one mile. If the character is within the same building or dungeon as the target, the burlok can smell out the correct way to go that will lead to the enemy if a PRC check is made. When finally encountering the target of Bloodlust, burloks will receive +1 on all forms of ATK and DEF against them.