Mullog

A mullog is a twisted, foul creature, emaciated and pale, with large eyes that seem to glow in the dark. They were once halflings but over time their minds, souls, and bodies have been corrupted by greed, obsession, and madness. A Mullog is created over the hoarding, and obsessing over a singular object, when an otherwise kind or gentle soul finds an artifact of great power or value, and becomes a recluse, shutting out the contact of their kin in exchange for coveting this one precious item. They are savage, depraved creatures that wear nothing more than loincloths and kill without prejudice in order to eat and survive. They can typically be found in caves and dungeons inhabited by other foul creatures, such as orcs and goblins, and ambush any that stray too far from their kin. They avoid direct combat, instead relying on ambush tactics. They are typically found alone, as they shun contact with other creatures.

Moral Shapeshifters While a Mullog is not inherently evil, their distaste and lack of empathy for all other creatures makes them dangerous, and they cannot be trusted. However, some small shard of who they once were might remain, and this can be exploited to manipulate them. One should always be careful, however, for they are as deceptive and manipulative as they are obsessive, and will lie and cheat at anything to protect what they covet.

Creatures of Obssession A Mullog is driven by only one thing; Obsession. Their fixation on a singular object or artifact dictates everything they do. They may spend several hours a day simply stroking or staring at their object of desire, and if it is lost or stolen they curse the heavens and stop at nothing to get it back. In their madness, they often adopt personalities for their object, acting as if it can speak and having conversations with it. They sometimes give it nicknames, or pet names, such as Precious or Desire. If threatened or in a dire situation, they will not hesitate to use their item to their advantage.

A Love of Riddles Many Mullogs, in their madness and isolation, make up riddles and games to pass the time away. And since they so rarely get the chance to hear new riddles or share the ones they come up with, they relish the opportunity to have a game of riddles with any who wander into their caves and damp, dark dungeon lairs. They toy with these creatures, and offer to help the trespassers if they can win. They are not to be trusted, however, and almost always go back on their word.