Hulk
The Hulks are essentially the opposite of every other Keeper. Where the Elves are short and the Ravens are tiny, the Hulks come in at a looming 8' for their shortest. Their limbs are thick and heavy, with broad palms and short, claw-tipped fingers. Their skin is thick and leathery, in some places they seem to grow almost armor plates of bone. Of all the keepers, they are the fewest, and the strongest. In the days before the labrynth, the Hulks would dig and maintain tunnels for the others. For the last thousand years or so, their focus has shifted to maintaining the labrynth, appeasing it, charting it, and creating tunnels under some cities so other keepers won't have to rely on the Labrynth exclusively.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Hulks are, as their name implies, massive. They tend to have shorter, stubbier legs, extremely thick arms and thick wrists coming out to broad palms and stubbing, claw-tipped fingers. Overtime, their bodies grow armor plates, typically over the knuckles, knees, and forearms. This makes them formiddable creatures in a fight, but it's primarily so they can dig. Their necks are short, with a head nearly built directly into their shoulders. They cannot turn their heads all that much. If their size wasn't a big enough obstacle to stealth, their eyes glow faintly, typically a blue or dull green-yellow glow. They were meant to go places where there is no light to see.
Despite the thick armoring, their pams typically remain soft and sensitive. It's the back of the hand that takes the bruising. They are able to feel vibrations in the ground with extreme precision and almost sense what's in the dirt around them. This makes them excellent at underground navigation, particularly with concern to hazards.
They do not have ears, though the sides of their heads have a smooth spot that appears to serve the same function as ears. This may be an extension of their ability to sense vibrations and more in the ground.
Their thick skin tends to be either a shade of gray, often ranging between dark grey and a dull white. There have rarely been hulks exhibiting multiple skin colors in various patterns. This is akin to the chimerism that causes some female cats to have black, brown, and white fur patterns.
Growth Rate & Stages
The life of a hulk is generally dull and slow. Of all the keepers, their education is perhaps the shortest. They're born and within about 12 years are deemed grown enough to work alongside their family. As opposed to the Dark Elves and Ravens, the Hulks see their work as a trade. Their relatives will take their young to whatever work sight they have and train them as an apprentice. This limits their options, but has conversely created a unique contradiction: there are things only the Hulks know.
The trade jobs have knowledge that is more an art than a science. There are things that are passed from generation to generation that simply are not documented. There are stories, myths, and beliefs that have guided the Hulks in their work, served as lessons and reminders. They're secrets that the elves and ravens are not permitted to learn in any significant way. As the Hulks say 'the stories are for the workers.' It's not that there's animosity between the species, but they see this as the thing that is specifically theirs. They're unable to have the others skills, so they made a thing for themselves.
Apprenticing can last for decades before a hulk is deemed fully trained at their work. They have a moderate lifespan, between 200 and 300 years. Their calmer lives are attributed to being essential to this long lifespan. Their work can be dangerous at times, but they're hardy and rarely harmed significantly by cave ins.
In their later years, the Hulks retire from active work. They physically slow down and focus instead on teaching the next generation. They'll be in the schools or serve an inactive role at their trade, where they pass on stories, history, and skills to the young.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Long days and hard work leave the Hulks with the highest caloric intake of any Keeper. They tend to actively hunt inside Daedalus's Labrynth and various caves. The deep, dark caves are home to everything from demons to slugs to other simpler monsters. Creatures which would be considered fearsome predators to humans, are readily captured and eaten, even raw. Middle Aged hulks have been seen eating demons, they're considered a bit of a delicacy.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The hulks have exceedingly poor eye sight. They can see about what's in front of them, but nothing at distance. They're near sighted. Their eyes are exceptionally sensitive to darkness. Going onto the surface in daylight is extremely painful for them, it's like staring into the sun. For some, it may even cause permenant damage.
Their main sense is touch. They are able to feel vibrations in the environment and determine the soil composition with extreme accuracy. They may have some ability to sense into the ground, but this has never been tested. At large, the hulks have demonstrated the ability to detect voids in the ground without actually exposing them.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
300 Years
Conservation Status
Some concern. They are the rarest of keepers and have been less and less necessary. They may die out.
Average Height
8'-12'
Average Weight
650lbs
Geographic Distribution
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