Bezogs

Bezogs are a fictional species of small, burrowing mammals that appear in fantasy literature and tabletop role-playing games. They are typically described as native to temperate forested regions and coastal scrub on the archipelago of Nareth, a setting used across multiple works. The name Bezog is often attributed to early field notes by explorers in the world’s lore.

Adults measure roughly 20 to 30 cm in body length with a compact body, short legs, and a stout tail. They wear dense, woolly fur that ranges from gray to brown, with a lighter ventral surface. They have large rounded ears, a broad snout, and powerful forelimbs with strong claws adapted for digging. Their dentition supports an omnivorous diet of insects, seeds, berries, and fungi, though diets vary by region.

Bezogs are primarily nocturnal and solitary or forming small family units. They construct shallow burrow systems with multiple entrances, which provide shelter and cache food. They emerge at dusk to forage, returning before dawn. They have a varied reproduction: breeding season in spring, litters of 2–4 young, weaned after several weeks, with a lifespan around 5–7 years in the wild. Predators include small carnivores and birds of prey in some regions. They play a role in soil aeration and seed dispersal.

In culture and media, bezogs are frequently depicted as approachable, non-threatening creatures that young adventurers encounter early in campaigns. They are commonly used as starting companions in role-playing games due to their size and curious nature. The fictional taxonomy places bezogs in the genus Bezogus and family Bezogidae, though exact classifications differ among sources.