Biloko

Biloko
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(Creature)
Common NE Small Fey Level Varies Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Adjective Biloko Source: The Mwangi Expanse, pg(s). 294f. Type Fey CR ½ Environment Warm forests Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Source: Racing to Ruin, pg(s). 82–83

Bilokos are bloodthirsty, blood-red fey that hunt victims with a combination of cruel traps and illusory magic. These gnome-sized hunters stalk the wildest depths of southern Garund's warm jungles and boggy marshlands and are considered to be some of the strongest hunters in the Mwangi Expanse.

Appearance

While about the size of a halfling, a biloko's skin is dark red and covered in patches of moss and jungle foliage instead of hair. Their eyes glow bright red with a manic glee, and their crocodilian mouth can stretch into a hungry grin far larger than their face should allow. A biloko can also detach its jaw to eat like a snake and can swallow even a human-sized victim whole over the course of several hours. Their acidic saliva and powerful jaws can grind flesh and bone into a compact slurry.

A typical biloko is between three and four feet tall and weighs between 40 and 50 pounds; after eating they can weigh much more, and the outline of their last meal can often still be seen through their swollen belly.

Habitat and ecology

Bilokos dwell throughout the jungles that cover much of the Mwangi Expanse, particlarly the marshy shores of Lake Ocota. They often create and watch their traps by day and prefer to hunt their prey by nightfall. With the aid of magic to confuse their prey, biloko hunterss prowl along the corners of their victim's vision to lead them into their prepared traps. Once captured, they leave their victims alive for as long as it takes to bait search parties and adventurers along their trail.

Many bilokos build small shelters for themselves in hollow trees near trails and disguise them with draped moss and vines. Bilokos hide in these shelters and wait for suitable prey to pass, then whistle an alluring melody that slowly infiltrates the prey's mind and persuades it to wander alone into the jungle. Bilokos typically have many such shelters and can build a new one in less than a day.

Bilokos subsist entirely on humanoid flesh, which makes them a popular staple of fearsome fireside myths. It also drives them into close proximity to the Mwangi Expanse's humanoid populations. Thanks to their fey nature, bilokos do not need to eat nearly as often as mundane creatures and can go weeks without feeding. The hunger slowly drives them mad, however, and in desperation they sometimes resort to cannibalism.

Bilokos enjoy the ringing of bells and carry them on hunts or string them up as alarms near their encampments. A few enchant their bells with magic.

Eloko

Bilokos who consume enough flesh from creatures with magical abilities can subtly transform within a week into elokos. An eloko gains an even larger appetite and the ability to expand and grow several times larger in physical form.

No love is lost between bilokos and elokos despite their similarities. Bilokos often attack elokos like they would any other humanoid, while some strong elokos lead bands of biloko.

Society

When not stealthily hunting, bilokos often travel in small, vicious gangs less hierarchical than tribes. Due to their relatively static territories they rarely encounter an unfamiliar biloko, although their numbers are great enough that they are a menace throughout much of the Expanse.

When they do encounter newcomers, biloko regard them merely as rivals for their prey that must be tolerated. Apart from other biloko, they have no contact with other intelligent creatures except when they devour they prey. Biloko have no concept of wealth, although they do gather brightly coloured berries and fruit that appeal to their powerful vision. This fascination with bright colors also leads biloko to obsessively collect bright gems.

Elokolobha

Many tales of a city populated by bilokos, elokos, and other fey known as Elokolobha are considered to be little more than rumors by Mwangi locals, and multiple expeditions have failed to confirm its existence to the outside world.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.