Jiralhanae

Name: Jiralhanae
Dice: 12D
Dexterity: 1D+1 / 3D+1
Knowledge: 1D / 3D
Mechanical: 1D+1 / 3D+1
Perception: 1D / 3D
Strength: 3D+2 / 5D+2
Technical: 1D+1 / 3D+1

Move: 12 / 16
Size: 2.6 - 2.8 meters
Weight: 500 - 680 kg

Special Abilities:

• Natural Body Armor: The Jiralhanae's thick hide provides +2D against physical and + 1D against energy attacks.
• Berserker Rage: A Jiralhanae who becomes enraged (the character must believe his pack to have been killed) receives a +2D bonus to Strength for purposes of causing damage while brawling (the character's brawling skill is not increased). The character suffers a -2D penalty to all non-Strength attribute and skill checks. The Jiralhanae must make a Moderate Perception to calm down from berserker rage while enemies are still present. The Jiralhanae suffers a -1D penalty to Perception and rolls a minimum of 1D for the check. After all enemies have been eliminated, the character must only make an Easy perception total (with no penalties) to calm down. Jiralhanae player characters must be careful when using Force points while in a berserker rage. Since the rage is clearly based on anger and aggression, using Force Points will almost always lead to the character getting a Dark Side Point. The use of the Force Point must be wholly justified not to incur a Dark Side Point.

Description: “With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it!”
— Prophet of Truth

The Jiralhanae (Latin, Servus ferox, translated to "Wild Slave"), known by humans as Brutes, are the most recent members of the Covenant. They are a large, bipedal, giant ape-like species from Doisac. The Jiralhanae have been part of the Covenant since before the destruction of the UNSC agricultural colony on Harvest, and were always feared by the Sangheili for their monomaniacal behavior.

They are rated Native Tier 4/Adopted Tier 2 species by the Forerunner Technological Achievement Tier scale.

Brutes are of simian origin and have been said to resemble large gorillas, but, in some ways, they also resemble ursine, or rhinoceros as well. They have thick, gray skin, and are covered with matted, black, tan, or brown fur-like hair and some have short, black, or brown colored beards. Their large, stocky appearance is most likely due to the gravity on their planet, which is about twice the gravity of that on Earth. As they age, the hair will change to a grayish-silver color, which is a great sign of respect for all the Brutes.

They have very sharp teeth and sometimes use them as a weapon. John-117 barely survived a hand-to-hand battle with one, proving how physically powerful they can be. However it should be noted that John-117 and the other Spartans were suffering from the non-stop combat they had endured since the battle of Reach, with John-117 sustaining, in Doctor Halsey's words, "Burns, brain damage, fractures, and internal bleeding". The other Spartans involved in the fight had sustained various injuries from falling over two kilometers at terminal velocity onto Reach's surface. It appears that their physical strength cannot be accurately quantified. However in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx a Spartan emptied an entire magazine into a Jiralhanae and it was unfazed. Later another Jiralhanae managed to nearly knock a Spartan out and drain half of his shields, despite being shot in the face many times with a machine gun.

The Brutes, with the exception of Tartarus, did not use energy shielding in Halo 2. In Halo 3, all of them are equipped with Power Armor that emphasizes their natural strength and power. Brutes speak in deep, gravelly voices when speaking human languages and speak their native language as a series of grunts, hisses, roars and deep communal howls during ceremonies and for communication. Presumably because English is not their first language, they often speak without contractions, even during a fight.

In many military records, Brutes are referred to as 'Bravo Kilos', since UNSC Marines have nicknamed Brutes "Baby Kongs" or "Gorillas", a reference to King Kong.

Anatomy and Physiology

Brutes are physically imposing enemies to face in combat. Standing at approximately 274 centimetres (9 ft 0 in) tall, they not only tower over their human opponents, but the majority of their Covenant allies, with only Mgalekgolo standing taller than themselves. They have thick, gray skin that is extremely resilient to battle damage.

In their first appearance, they are covered in thick, shaggy fur that offers further protection. It covers most of the body except for the head and the shoulder blades. However, the Brutes in Halo 2 are shaggier than those of Halo 3. In Halo 3, the Brutes have what looks like scales on their arms, but it may have been extensions to their armor, or simply their thick skin, as seen from McFarlane action figures. Brutes exhibit two colorations: brown and gray. This is perhaps an indication of age, since lower ranking Brutes are brown and most Honor Guards, and Tartarus himself, are grey. In Halo 3, they are seen with shaven faces, which increase the fearful effect they have on opponents.

In Halo 3 Brutes have mixed red-and-blue blood (on first glance they look completely red, but on closer inspection one would see blue spots in pools of Brute blood). At a casual glance, it appears purple. In Halo 2, however, it appeared black.

Brutes resemble a cross between an ape and a rhinoceros, being taller and more muscular in the torso and limbs than a human, and having the same weight and height as an average male polar bear.

Heavily muscled and possessing an animalistic brutality and strength, Brutes can rely on close combat to defeat their enemies, even more so than their Elite counterparts. However, their great strength may in fact be simply relative, due to the species' evolution on a world with twice the gravity of Delta Halo, Earth, and other planets and structures with one 'g'. Featuring characteristics simian, ursine, and alien, their appearance fits their human given name.

Brutes are obviously carnivores, given their fearsome fanged jaws and propensity for violence. It has been stated that they feed on the flesh of their enemies, such as the Humans they face in battle, and have been seen eating the meat of a Thorn Beast, apparently considered a delicacy among Brutes. A Brute once stated he would have gladly devoured the future Arbiter, had he been allowed.

Brutes have digits on each hand including opposable thumbs. As such they can make use of a variety of weapons both of Covenant and human design. Their feet have only two digits. The Halo 3 Tartarus figure has a red tongue but if this is canon is unknown. When it comes to ranged conflict Brutes show a tendency to use large, rapid firing, often powerful weapons. This may be indicative of their mentality and an extension of their brutal nature. The many spikes and serrated edges that adorn their race's weapons, vehicles and armor further exhibit this. It is interesting to note that in Halo 2 Jiralhanae can be seen using human shotguns. Brutes sometimes wield their own shotgun-style handguns, the Maulers, in Halo 3.

Brutes are not as mentally slow as they may appear, and are often fairly cunning tacticians. As such they can pilot vehicles & ships and command both land based & fleet encounters with strategic competence, albeit lacking in artistic flair. They also have a higher vocabulary than other members of the Covenant apart from Elites and Prophets.

Brutes are known to descend into a highly aggressive berserk killing-rage when all their pack mates have been killed. Their incredible physical strength coupled with a dogged self-determination to kill their target makes a berserk Brute a force to be reckoned with, powerful enough even to kill Hunters (if they slam into the Hunter enough). Also, when berserking, they will not hesitate to attack an enemy, even if the target is in a vehicle, such as a Ghost. If the target is in a Spectre or Wraith, they will board it and attempt to kill (in a Wraith) or force the enemy out (such as in a Warthog or Spectre). Interestingly, they will neither attack nor hijack a low flying vehicle (such as a Banshee).

There is a substantial difference between the Brutes of Halo 2 and Halo 3. The Brutes of Halo 2 had very little armor, were unclothed and unshaven. The Brutes of Halo 3 were largely shaven, clothed in tight-fitting garments that reflected their rank and were adorned with Power Armor. This probably had something to do with the Brutes' new-found rank after the Elites' split from the Covenant.

The aesthetic and graphic differences between the two games also had a strong dichotomy between them, for the Brutes in Halo 2 were less detailed and less anthropoid than they were in Halo 3. This is a result of the technology available at the time the two games were made.

In Halo: Contact Harvest, it is stated that before Jiralhanae reach full maturity, they naturally release pheromones. Other Jiralhanae can smell these pheromones and tell how others are feeling by the scent. When they do reach maturity, they learn to control the releases of their pheromones and most likely stop them all together.

Source:

• Halo Wiki: Jiralhanae
• thedemonapostle