Urrock
One of the three races that comprise the Awoken. The urrock are humanoid bear-like entities known for their size, strength, and iron stomachs. They are the largest of the Awoken by a far, practically towering over their smaller sibling species. Their appreciation for fermented and partially rotted food is well known, a trait they share with the ursine their anatomy is so close to. As with all Awoken, they possess the ability of Electrokinesis
Basic Information
Anatomy
The tallest and broadest of the awoken, urrock share a body plan similar to a very tall, very broad humanoid. Their legs and arms are very wide with muscle a urrock gains throughout their life, with their musculature atrophying at a far slower rate due to aging than is seen in the other two species. An urrock's powerful arms end in large hands with claw-tipped fingers, their plantigrade legs similarly end with wide paw-like feet with four toes, with each toe tipped. Despite the physical power their biology gives them, many urrock have agreeable and friendly personalities. The fur of an urrock helps them in a social way with other Awoken, making them far less intimidating by making them seem soft, almost cuddly. This fur can have a variety of colors and patterns based on the ethnicity of the individual.
Their body type and mindset helps them to play many critical roles in groups of Awoken. Being the most physically capable they often act as protectors for communities as their toughness, strength, and endurance are legendary. A properly trained, and armed urrock can be far more dangerous than the lesser ursine creatures one can find roaming the many forests of Minerva. If an urrock has proper armor, small arms fire is more of an annoyance than a deterrent.
Like all awoken they possess an iron-laced skeletal structure and an enhanced immune system that can fend off naturally occurring poisons and toxins as well as being highly resistant to synthetically produced versions. Unlike their sibling species, the urrock have an iron stomach, greater lung capacity, and larger hearts to accommodate their larger stature. An urrock can eat food that is almost completely rotten and many even have a preference for such food. The fact they can eat things that would make most awoken sick is often a great help to large communities as it helps keep everyone fed.
Coloration
Urrock fur always takes on earthy, muted tones. Browns, blonds, whites, blacks, and in rare cases dark reds. They rarely have patterns to their fur as well, with the only major known pattern being small patches of differently colored fur or a simple two-toned effect. The patterns and arrangement of colors are determined by the ethnicity of a particular urrock. Their eyes run a large gambit of colors from blue, green, brown, amber, hazel, gray, and rarely aqua, but these eye colors are shared by all awoken species.Genetics and Reproduction
Like the other awoken species, urrock are mammals. Giving live birth to one or two children at a time as well as producing milk for their offspring. The gestation time of urrock also matches the time seen in averines and angtors . Along with this, the reproductive organs of the urrock match the appearance of those seen on the other awoken. Despite these similarities, the three races can not interbreed, and no attempt has been successful.
The raising process of their children is also the same, often with a family of two adults and multiple children. Often these families are supported by the surrounding community. This specifically seems to be a major building block of the dependence the three races have on one another.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Urrock facial structure consists of two forward-facing eyes, a broad, long muzzle, and a dot or line of different colored fur over each eye to act as eyebrows for expression purposes. Their muzzle contains a set of teeth similar to an omnivore and a wide tongue. The faces of urrock tend to a towards round-shaped facial structure with them always having small round ears atop their head. They sometimes possess hair that is always the same color as their fur, a trait they share with averines. The most sinister part of their anatomy also acts as one of the most personal, as all urrock have two horns somewhere on their heads. These horns protrude from either the front or sides of the head, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes. The urrock feel no pain from these horns and will often file down, shape, or carve patterns into their horns for personal expression. In rare cases, they sharpen these horns if the individual is a warrior for use in combat. Their skulls are generally thicker to accommodate this use for their horns.
Civilization and Culture
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Despite their being many communities with differing traditions on Minerva, a few commonalities seem to always crop up. For the urrock this would be the common practice of shaping or filing one's horns with metal pieces or frames, carving into their horns, and dying their fur different colors for personal expression. However, an abundance of dyes or horn carvings is seen as gaudy.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Like the Averine andAngtor the urrock see themselves as apart of the Awoken. Seeing it as a survival necessity to have members of the other two races around, and suffering mentally when put into communities of only their own species. The exact nature of this connection remains a mystery to all three races. The biggest reason given by individuals is that having the other two races around broadens the skill set of the whole. This explanation does not explain why they gain comfort from the presence of the other two species they are co-dependant with.
Origin/Ancestry
Created by the Silverbark according to legend.
Lifespan
200 years (800 Seasons)
Average Height
6ft (1.8M) to 8'5ft (2.5M)
Average Weight
196lbs to 300lbs
Related Ethnicities
Related Technologies
Comments
Author's Notes
Very much a rough draft. I need to come back and edit this when I'm not doing world ember!