Ge-ge-laa-oom

The **Ge-ge-laa-oom** colloquially known in the lands of men as **Brutes** are a species of sapients native to the Gravelands, known for their great stature and also their great brutality. They are in constant war with the Ksa'at and for the most part keep away from the world on the western side of the Gravewall.

## Physiology

The Brutes are oddly squat beings with long arms, only slightly shorter than their legs. This squatness is rather hard to notice, however as they measure on average about four meters in height and are endowed with immense strength, almost literally equivalent to that of ten men. Their faces feature a jaw slightly extended forwards, filled with sharp teeth. They also lack well-developed external ears, as is their nose simply two nostril-holes at the end of their snout. Their eyes are large and sensitive allowing them to see in low-light conditions exceedingly well. Brutes are covered from head to toe with brownish to black fur, rough and thick. Their hands have four fingers adorned with curved talons which double as a deadly natural weapon. Ge-ge-laa-oom have deep, guttural voices for the most part, making their speech hardly intelligible and menacing, despite the speaker's intentions or tone.

## Culture

Little is known of Brute culture, as most of the Brutes met by humans are either exiles or criminals. What is know for certain is that Ge-ge-laa-oom are significantly more prone to callousness than is considered normal among humans and elves. It is also known that they seem to worship either a deity or concept that they merely call "Life", which seems to encompass all elements of the animal and plant world, deriving power from their continued existence. Brutes are also frighteningly prone to anthropophagy as they are a different species altogether and for the most part see humans and other sapient species as inferior in their weakness or altogether alien. While those two traits tend to earn exile Ge-ge-laa-oom a reputation for being barely intelligible savages fit mainly for extermination or to be avoided altogether they are entirely capable of comprehending and appreciating human culture, some exiles often doing so, wishing to be seen as something more than hulking mountains of muscle and brutality.

## Technology

Ge-ge-laa-oom technology is also little-known, but seems to be incredibly idiosyncratic. Their hand-held weaponry and armor is for the most part equivalent to most humans in their understanding of steel-working and blade geometry (with the specific exception of the Brutes having never bothered to develop the sword). For the most part their understanding of pottery and architecture is little understood, but is implied to be of a slightly less sophisticated level than the Elpians-one of the most technologically primitive human cultures. Despite this, they have an immensely powerful grasp of magic, connected to Life. They can manipulate animals and plants into forms which serve them, creating war-beasts that mock nature in their immense speed, immense durability, perfect obedience, great size and various other abilities that no animal alive possesses. Their mastery of Life also allows them to create tailor-made plagues with immense effectiveness. Another magical ability of theirs is related to controlling storms, using their electrical discharges as a form of heavy artillery. It is also suggested that they can manipulate plants for instantaneous travel and to create immense buildings.