Burun Lore

Burun are frog-like creatures introduced during the Across the Vast Divide event. They come in three varieties. Ruuk; small Burun that attack with melee weapons and magic, Guruk; giant tusker-like Burun that attack with massive weapons and throw huge muck balls, and Kukuur; the enormous bloated king toads that have powerful magic. They can do all three types of physical damage with their melee weapons and acid with their muck balls. Burun are weak to Cold and Fire.

On Bur
On the world of Bur, two intelligent species resided: The Burun and a race called the Fiazhat. Whereas the Burun preferred the dark and the swamps, the Fiazhat stayed on solid ground.

Thousands of years ago, fire rained from the sky and the second world of Bur crumpled in the sky and fell to the world of Bur. Fire leapt across the Iallootu lands and scoured the swamps. Burun and Fiazhat alike were drawn into the flames and devoured.

The Falatacot made visits to the world of Bur and influenced the direction of this world on a grand scale. They arrived in the places where the Fiazhat supped on the land and grew strong. They came with promises and dreams that they used to bewitch the Fiazhat and fill their heads with thoughts of their worlds. The Burun however, having access to the memory of their world, by eating the fungus Mucor, knew these promises to be false. The Fiazhat built structures of hardened sand, carved images in the stone and hissed and sang the songs of the false beings. All this crept forward and grew for five thousand cycles.During that time the burning lands scoured the world and drew the swamp homes of the Burun to near nothingness.

The Sclavus were created by fusing the lives and spirits of the male Falatacot and creatures called the Fiazhatin. Charging forth at the behest of their false gods. They grew hoods that sheltered them from The Sleeping Ones eye. Two sets of arms grew from their bodies and they rose from their bellies to powerful tails. They crafted long sticks into devices meant for poking and killing. They took the sinew of the Iallootu and strapped them to the saplings of the Alooki. They hollowed the shells of the Gantha Roa and wore them in plates tied with more sinew. They grew lustful of blood and sought war on all life. The Falatacot appear to have frequented Bur on multiple occasions, which led to the Fiazhat's belief that they were some sort of gods. The Burun grew to hate the Falatacot for this. They felt the Falatacot were a pox on the land, and were determined to eradicate them and those who worshipped them.

For the next eight thousand cycles they make war and try to force themselves into the swamps. They fail as the Burun develop stronger rites to drive their foes away. But Fiazhat numbers grow and the first clutches rise and follow one another through the mire migrating away from the encroaching Fiazhat threat. Many of the Burun that wield the powerful rites grow fat with power, some growing so fat that they perish in an explosive display of color. The Burun walk across the burning land for the first time and press the Fiazhat back from the swamps. They become as brutal as their brothers sparing none of the slithering Fiazhat that they defeat. Burun turn to eating the flesh of their brothers to consume their souls and purge the defilers of The Sleeping One's way from the world. Teachings of this way become common place and the Burun clutches become maddened with power. They enact great rites to call the tears of the sleeping one and rains fall for a full cycle.

As a reaction to the meddling in the magics of Bur of the Dark Sisters, the followers of the Light brought the Moar there. The moar went from harmless beast to beasts that breathed fire, ice or acid. Their small claws dripped ichor that charged the wounds they cut. Still prey, the moar became dangerous and the Burun developed arts to protect themselves through chants and rites. After they began their society on Bur and were stricken by the malice of the Burun, the Dark Sisters abandoned the world of Bur. They took with them a supply of the serpent-like creatures and sealed the access to the world. The Dark Sisters were content to leave the world to doom after they had collected their followers. again the Falatacot return, and the Light Sisters mingle with the moar. The moar are changed in appearance, temperament and ability. Their talons drip ichor that now mimics their strange and powerful breath. The newly evolved Moarsmen were bred into two castes. The feral Moarsmen were sent back across the vast divide to Bur. Here it was hoped that they would serve as a balance between the zealous Fiazhat and the subversive Burun. However, they become predators of the Burun and the Burun clutches that had threatened to crush the Fiazhat are suddenly put on the defensive against the wild intellect of the moar.

The Falatacot disappear from the world and the Fiazhat who are left behind fall into a time of fear. They build six grand temples in the locations where their gods have made their presence known. Giant, tentacled eyes are built in the places where the gray-violet tunnels appeared. Knowledge is gathered and placed into these buildings. The Fiazhat begin to fight amongst themselves over the next thousand cycles each vying for control over the temples that have been constructed. In the swamps, the wars between the Burun and the moar intensify.

The mucor senses a shift in the world. The magic transported by the false gods of the Fiazhat causes a catastrophic shift at the core of the world. Earthquakes tear open and swallow the swamps into subterranean lairs then close over again in the ensuing madness. Burun are split into two pairs surface dwellers and those that were drawn into the deep mire without the light of The Sleeping One. The climate shift causes the rains to cease and the land begins to burn once more.

The Surface dwelling Burun are forced to exist on smaller creatures. They are free of the moar, but their diet diminishes and they evolve into lither creatures. The mucor are drawn beneath the world and the little magic that the Burun of the surface can muster is a pale comparison to what they once commanded. They live in fear and fight a losing war against the Fiazhat for the next one thousand cycles. Subterranean Burun evolve into two castes. The caverns are large and devoid of any light save for the Koru Koru. In the dark, the Burun are hunted by the [[Moar]. The first evolve into hardy combatants, towering beasts of power. The second evolve into giants filled with the power of magic. They survive in a symbotic tandem for the next thousand cycles. The bloated Burun have a cunning command over the warriors and all but control their small minds. Six leaders are chosen. These leaders are all bloated beasts who have grown fat on the power of the world.

After a long dry period and subsequently twenty cycles of rain a pit opens in the greatest burning land and an earthquake shifts the subterranean layer back to the surface. The Burun who have lived beneath the surface of the world for so long return to the great swamps and press the surface dwelling Burun into service. The six great leaders of the Burun organize their clutches and move toward the former burning lands. The surface Burun pressed into service by their masters begin to shed the madness of the years as they are exposed to the mucor again. The Burun masters quickly restrict the intake of the mucor from the lesser Burun and hunt and execute those who violate the edicts.

Over the long course of time, since the fall of the Falatacot civilization, the Burun have fought to reclaim their world. They succeed in almost completely eradicating their brother race, the Fiazhat and almost all of Bur is covered in swamps. Their prophecies spoke of a time when the gates between worlds would open again, and they could take their vengeance upon the Fiazhat's gods.

On Dereth
In the Portal Year 15, inquisitive Isparians allowed the Burun into the world by accidentally activating a portal beacon that allowed the Ruuk to come here. The Ruuk, led by the brothers Morgluuk and Torgluuk, quickly formed an alliance with the Renegade Tumeroks and Lugians  and were able to dominate the then newly arriving Guruk. Torgluuk was seen as the calmer of the two Burun leaders, whereas Morgluuk was more aggressive and driven. Morgluuk and Torgluuk rebelling against the Burun Kings and were attempting to claim the destiny that was meant for the Kukuur – the Burun Elders.

When the Burun Ruuk first arrived they took control of an area of the Blackmire Swamp surrounding Ixir Zi's Temple, driving away the local Mosswarts. They later spread to the A'mun Desert outside of Fadsahil al-Tashbi the Master Archmage's shop, which turned out to be a Falatacot temple. The Burun then spread to the Direlands in search of more Falatacot temples. Early on, they started attacking Isparian towns.

Morgluuk left his charges in the Direlands to return to the fortress that the Burun have been constructing, with the aid of the Renegade forces, in the Blackmire Swamp. The brothers start having doubts about their renegade allies and turned upon them. Morgluuk was defeated in this fortress by a combined force of Isparians, Tumeroks and Lugians. His brother Torgluuk, killed the renegade Tumerok and Lugian leaders out of revenge, and set out to kill Asheron. Asheron foresaw his arrival, and Torgluuk was captured. Remembering the prophesy words of Tkrowerk, he abandons his quest for vengeance and starts cooperating with Asheron.

A mucor-enhanced Guruk, Mgrauleshk, was sent to open the portal to Dereth by the Burun Kings to round up Morgluuk and Torgluuk. Kukuur Reeshan would then enter the new portal and find the way to bring the other Kukuur Masters to the world of the Fiazhat Gods. There the Burun would complete their destinies and become the rulers of both their own world and the world of these would-be usurpers. He was captured by the Burun Ruuk forces of Morgluuk and swore allegiance. With the death of Morgluuk and the disappearance of Torgluuk, Mgrauleshk took over the leadership of the Burun forces.

Later the Kukuur, the Burun Kings, arrived in Dereth at the bottoms of Falatacot temples. whereby Browerk is the King of Kings. One by one, they were defeated.

Today they can be found throughout Dereth, but especially in the swamplands of the Direlands and Dereth. Some, however, seem to be enslaved by Sclavus. In the wake of a disappearance of both Asheron and Torgluuk , Isparians were also given access to underground catacombs on the Burun homeworld of Bur where the Burun Ruuk founded the city of Kor-Gursha , but now faced again enslavement, this time by the old masters of the Fiazhat, the Falatacor, or "bloodletters". Both Asheron and Torgluuk were saved from the faith planned for them by the Falatacot.

Rulers
The Kukuur are enormous monstrosities with mighty powers. Some have lived for thousands of years, and now they seek only vengeance on those who bear the legacy of the Falatacot. They seek their revenge but find no remnants of the Falatcot -- only the Isparians and other races called to Dereth. In total, there are twelve Kukuur, or Burun Elders. On Dereth, six Burun Kings are known: Browerk, Broodu, Keerik, Kiree, Reeshan and Rehir. whereby Browerk is the King of Kings. Another known Kukuur still alive is Bosh Bosh. When a Kukuur dies, his successor is determined by gestating one single egg. Birth is portentous and the offspring is expected to take his place after his death. One of the known offspring is Tkrowerk who was expected to take his place after Browerk's death.

Culture
There are three castes of Burun. The Ruuk are a despised caste, the Guruk are warriors and the Kukuur are the ruling caste. Kukuur are the ruling caste, bloated by powerful magic gifted to them by The Sleeping One, they are the leaders of the clutches and maintain tight control over the small minded Guruk. Guruk are the sturdiest warriors of the Burun and are possessed of terribly small intellect. During the ensuing years they become cannibalistic, consuming the Ruuk. Ruuk watching their brethren become meals to their larger cousins begin to speak of revolt. The revolt is short-lived and bloody. Both sides suffer many casualties and one of the eldest Kukuur is killed. In the end, cannibalism is outlawed and many of the Ruuk are sent to form clutches at the places where the Fizhat's false gods first made their appearances.

Religions and Beliefs
The Burun believe that their world, its flora and fauna have been created by a being called "The Sleeping One". After several failures, The Sleeping One drew forth life from its heart, from its mind it drew forth intellect and from its body it did carve the world. The Muuldu grew first, twisting vines that dug beneath the rock, splitting its veins wide and spilling the water onto the world. Next The Sleeping One rubbed the world with the Shuuktuuk. The trees grew tall and canopies of pink with bulbs of ripe fruit covered the world. Next the Mucor, placed with care in the places that The Sleeping One would place its first children, and in the mucor The Sleeping One placed the memories of this time, this creation; the time before all there was. The Feelun came last and they twisted up from the water, some stretching miles tall, opening in splendid colors to The Sleeping One's watchful eye. The flora grew and spread along the world called Bur until it reached a balance. Then flora gave birth to life of its own: Koruu Koru, Muloo, Bomutur, Iallootu, Hefuu, Nirakay, and Moar. All life sprung from the first life of the world save the Burun and Fiazhat. Across Bur, the flora had spread and grown a sea of life that was unknowing of The Sleeping One. Its gaze fell upon them and watched at all times, but the life of Bur was unknowing, save for the mucor. But even the mucor knew only what it had seen, and its knowledge was not one that learned, rather it was one that grew without limit, scope or design.

The Sleeping One was still alone and though it had succeeded in bringing life it had failed to create what it had wanted. There were no beings that thought like it, could call to it or ask it for guidance. So it pulled two seeds from the nether and planted each into the soil of the Bur. It watched as the seeds grew into life and began to swim through the muck of the Bur and then leap from the muck to the Muloo or walk amongst the Iallootu. Brothers born of its flesh, the Fiazhat and the Burun. In the dark Burun huddled together and supped on the fruits of the Shuuktuuk, they grew wiry and strong swimming through the muck and feeding on the Moar, Bomutur and the Bomuturs smaller offspring. The Fiazhat spread along the solid ground, hunting Moar and feeding from the Iallootu.

After the Falatacot left and the disasters drove a part of the Burun underneath the earth, two different views on The Sleeping One came into being. The surviving Burun locked beneath the surface of Bur, having no access to the Light of the Sleeping one in the Sky, enact the great rites of The Sleeping One and continue to preach his praise. They consume the mucor and know much of what transpires across the world. They come to think of The Sleeping One as the underground swamp in which they live. Dark, potent and pock marked with pustules of filth. They herald a time when it will crack the world and a flood will carry them to the surface to bring vengeance to their enemies. The Burun in the great swamps continue to preach the tales of The Sleeping One, but lack of mucor and poisoning from various molds, fungus and algae that are now used to enact rites drive many of the surface dwelling Burun mad. They envision their god as an amorphous pustule of slick muck covered in pustules that vomit putrescence onto the world. The madness is spared of a small contingent of Burun that have access to the mucor. This group of Burun adhere to The Sleeping One's true form as the watcher in the sky.

Customs and Traditions
Burun procreate by laying eggs and digging lairs for those eggs.

Jurrugar or Jerrugar are the most elite of the Guruk Gorefiends. They possess recollection and a bit of magic power, because they have been granted the boon of mucor.

The Guruk and Kukuur were known to eat the flesh of the Ruuk. After the rebellion of the Ruuk and the offspring of Browerk, Tkrowerk this was forbidden.

Factions

 * Burun Ruuk
 * Burun Guruk
 * Burun Kukuur

Art & Images
Click image for full size version.