Burrowers

A burrower

Burrowers are one of several types of creatures that appear both on Carnate Island and in Baltimore, MD. Following the cataclysm, they were first seen in and around the quarry and the surrounding mining caves located on the island. They have since been seen nearly everywhere else on the island. Along with many other creatures from the island, burrowers have also infiltrated the mainland. According to the unofficial documentarian of the creatures of Carnate, these seem to be connected to a story of a mine cave-in that allegedly occured at the quarry. Thus, these creatures apparently represent those buried alive.

Carnate Burrowers

Representation, quarry cave-in

Carnate Burrowers are a representation of those buried alive and are seemingly connected to the old legend of the quarry cave-in. One of Carnate's many stories is that of a cave in at the local quarry. The quarry was mined to supply the construction of the prison and possibly the assylum. Though it was ran by the Maryland Correctional and supervised by C.O.s, it was mainly staffed and worked by many inmates. The cave in story, quite simply, is that a good number of prisoners were working in a newer, shallow mine shaft that was far less stable than the guards let on. The mine shaft caved in and it was reported by the C.O.s that all of the inmates died instantly. There was a rumor, though, that was so persistent that it has survived to this day without any documentation. The rumor is that the cave in did not fill the entire shaft, but only blocked the entrance, trapping the living inmates inside. The rumor goes on to tell that the guards knew of this but were either filled with such hate for the inmates or such indifference that they left them to die slowly. The supervising C.O.s were investigated, but the D.O.C. found no evidence to convict them. However, in retaliation, a group of inmates overtook and lynched five C.O.s.

Appearance

The Burrower in the middle of its whip attack

Like all of the Malefactors, the Burrower has a basic human appearance. The Carnate Burrowers resembles a human body tied up in a gunny sack with a considerable amount of wear to it, tightly constrained by leather straps. Attatched to these straps are four long steel chains, tipped with sharp metal hooks. It's head is exposed, though is contained inside a metal apparatus. It is shown to have a heightened sense of hearing, which is advanced enough to hear footfalls on the earth above it.

Baltimore Burrowers

Representation, tunnel systems

In Baltimore, Burrowers also represent those buried alive. However, they tie to the construction of Baltimore's underground tunnel systems, which took the lives of countless Irish tunnel workers during construction due to cave-ins.

Appearance

In Baltimore, the Burrower is slightly larger. Unlike the Carnate burrowing, it is not enclosed in a sack. It appears as a tall, male form, with a slightly distended stomach and mottled yellow skin, wearing brown working pants. It's shoulders and head are encased in metal armor and they have a pair of bright, old style, mine/tunnel workers lights in place of their eyes. It possesses three long chains, two replacing it's arms, and one on it's back, each of which is tipped with a pickaxe.

Telltale Sign

Since they burrow, the sign that one is near is ground being turned up around your feet, as if something is moving under it. They also make the noise that one would expect from a burrowing creature, sort of a rumbling sound. When not moving, The Burrower is silent and the earth does not move, so be cautious.

Attacks

Burrowers have several attacks and use their chains for each. Their most basic attack involves them emerging from the ground, leaning away from their target, whipping two chains towards them, and quickly reentering the ground. Another common attack they perform is simply emerging from the ground as before and spinning quickly, causing their chains to swing in a wide circumference dealing damage to anyone within a certain area.

Tactics

Staying mobile is a good tactic as they will usually strike where you were standing when they emerged. When the Burrower emerges move out of the way as you shoot it with a weapon. A Shotgun blast or explosive can knock them back and interrupt their attack. But if it doesn't kill them, they will re-submerge. A well aimed shotgun blast will shred it to pieces instantly killing it.

Another reliable method of defeating the burrowers is to time their attack, dodge as they emerge, and then throw any explosive device you may be carrying into the hole they just created as they re-submerge. The explosion will kill the burrower, and force its body above ground.

Archive Entries

Clem's Entry "These Burrowers are some of the most lethal creatures I have encountered, primarily due to their ability to spring fourth from the ground itself and just as quickly, re-submerge. They are closely tied to the very soil of Carnate, a theme among these monstrosities. Its appearance is of a human body tied up in a gunny sack and constrained by leather straps, with deadly steel chains attached at various locations. I believe they represent those buried alive."

Dr. Killjoy's Entry

N/A

Jordan's Entry

"Cities are built on the backs of those who labored and died to build their underground infra-structure. Just as those laborers needed to adapt to their hostile working conditions, so too has this Burrower. This malefactor actually moves beneath the surface of the earth at tremendous speed. The exact physics of how it accomplishes this remains a mystery, especially given that it can successfully tunnel through a wide variety of materials."