SHH4: Burlap

Location: Anywhere, with a preference for small rural towns and villages.

Status: Active.

Description and Behavior: Burlap is an entity that takes the form of a large and heavily built male human. It is estimated to be seven feet (2.1 meters) tall and weigh in excess of three hundred pounds (136 kilograms). Its clothing typically consists of a burlap sack with eyeholes cut out over its head, shirt and pants made of crudely sewn together burlap, a worn-out fur-lined coat, fur boots, and hand wrappings. The clothing can vary considerably, however the burlap sack on the head remains consistent. Typically, Burlap wields an especially large two-handed axe but has also exhibited the ability and willingness to use other weapons to inflict harm. This includes swords, firearms, pipes, a book, and various anomalous artifacts if available.

Many of the anomalous abilities exhibited by Burlap ensure difficulty in surviving an encounter with it. Most important to note is that even if termination is achieved (indicated when its body turns to dust) Burlap has the ability to near-immediately re-manifest, usually in a nearby location just outside of view. Burlap seems to choose these areas for re-manifestation as a means of ambushing victims that believed that they had escaped danger. There does not seem to be a limit to the distance of re-manifestation, though, and it can resume an attack anywhere at anytime. It also has precise and thorough control over every muscle in its body, an ability it uses to either continue use of mangled limbs or even instigate self-termination. Its ability to self-terminate combined with its capacity for re-manifestation allows for it to effectively teleport. Finally, Burlap’s voice has a peculiar quality in that it does not emanate from Burlap itself but rather seems to ‘wander’ a given area. This frequently disorientates and confuses potential victims.

This entity is highly dangerous and openly displays sadistic behaviors. It deliberately seeks to cause as much pain as possible to victims, both physical and mental. The favorite tactic to achieve this seems to be that it lets the victim terminate Burlap, only to then re-manifest and trap the victim for prolonged torture. Burlap strangely seems to have an affinity for murderers and torturers, sometimes breaking them out of prisons to aid in its endeavors. Most curious of Burlap’s behavior is its preference of the predation of other anomalous entities. It will abandon non-anomalous prey the moment an anomalous target becomes apparent, aggressively using its own abilities to wear down the opponent. Once the target is sufficiently tired Burlap grabs the entity, and both disappear to an unknown location. Considering entities grabbed by Burlap seemingly never re-manifest, they are considered inactive.

Recommended Actions: Considering the nature of Burlap, the best course of action is to flee as far as possible the fastest way possible. The only sure-fire way to survive an attack is for it to become interested in another target and forget about you, which is unlikely but possible. Realistically, if you are targeted by Burlap and survive the initial encounter, you should straighten out your own affairs and arrange your situation to minimize fatalities when the attack resumes.