Hullman

Depiction of a hullman

Hullmen are a confused and seemingly artificial race with no clear origin. In behavior and culture, they are very similar to humans with the obvious exception being their different appearance. They have began resurfacing recently within Azura, namely among Trepheon.

## *Anatomy*

Hullmen are nearly identical to humans in terms of shape, but with longer legs and arms. Their most identifiable trait is their heads, which are replaced with a hollow helmet. The inside of said helmet is always filled with eerie darkness. Their helmet designs vary, from conventional to strange and across various societies. A hullman’s body is made of canvas or cloth and filled with sea sand. Their hands, feet, and neck areas are tied off, keeping the sand inside. In place of hands and feet they wear gloves, gauntlets, or boots, which they are able to manipulate like normal limbs. No one knows why hullmen are animate. Some believe they are ghosts or spirits because of how their fragmented memories involve normal human lives. The most common theory is that vitor allows them to move, and acts as their strength or life force. This is backed by significant evidence, such as how hullmen cannot spend any vitor for mancies, and how they grow stronger when using vitor-enhancing items. Death comes to hullmen if too much sand leaves their body, and they are rendered inert and cannot be revived. Hullmen have no physical gender, though they can have the personality or voice of a man or woman.

## *Psychology*

Even though they are not truly living beings, hullmen still experience emotions. However, their minds are muddled by constant confusion. Whether it be aimless wandering or a lack of direction, they are often unsure of what’s going on or why they’re at any given location. All hullmen remember having seafaring lives, and can even recall some specific memories from seemingly human existences. These memories are sparse and scattered, though. Even stranger, they all suffer from panicked fits over some terrifying thing at sea. They never provide a description in their hysteria, just sheer horror.

Hullmen are generally amiable to common men and soldiers, but tend to be disapproving of nobles. At their core, most behave like sailors or fishermen, and are mostly uninterested in societal manners. However, they are inexplicably fascinated by defeating undead or beasts. Despite their humble behavior, they will rise to fight these things and are often more adept in combat than they appear when fighting them.

## *History*

Shortly before their “arrival” in 351 PD, stories began to circulate among sailors about damaged and broken ships sailing the sea west of the Western Kingdom’s shores. Those who claim to have witnessed them say they are only seen in storms, manned by a few shambling men each and flying no banner. None had tried contacting the crew of these ships, choosing to flee the raging weather they were found in.

Soon after, hullmen began washing ashore. Attempts to learn their origins have proven unsuccessful, as they simply can’t remember. No scholars or mancers have been able to replicate hullmen, leading them to believe that the race exists because of some kind of magic beyond human reach, or because of spirits, or possibly even ghosts. No attempts have been made by hullmen to organize. For the most part they’ve dispersed into Trepheon society, or across Ludwag.