The Niskaru

The Niskaru are not generally thought of as a natural occurrence, although there is no generally accepted theory explaining their origins or the full range of their abilities. What is very clearly understood is that the Niskaru have an inherent hatred for all existence and the living things that inhabit it and are endlessly drawn towards ending it. This takes the form of destroying elements of civilisation such as infrastructure and culture as well as the murder of any beings – intelligent or otherwise – they encounter.

Physically, Niskaru typically manifest as bipedal creatures with elongated limbs. Almost all variants possess the ability to have long, biological blades emerge from their bodies – most frequently a single blade that originates in the palms – that have proven exceedingly effective in making short work of defences physical and magical. Study of the nature of the Niskaru and their blades is almost impossible to the rapid decay that follows death, though what little has been done would seem to indicate that the Niskaru evolve at a speed unmatched by any other biological lifeform, which results in any measure found to combat them inherently possessing a built-in expiration date.

Known Niskaru variants:

Niskaru Bloodhunters

The weakest and most populous of the lesser Niskaru, bloodhunters form the bulk of the Niskaru presence. Despite their position at the bottom of the Niskaru food-chain, they are far from cannon fodder, and especially when driven into a frenzy by the scent of blood, can tear through a division of trained swordsmen in seconds. They are typically around 10ft tall.

Niskaru Horrinoxes

Horrinoxes are the closest things the Niskaru have to mages, although their powers seem to exist on a different axis altogether and be governed by different rules. They are rarely seen on the frontlines, but a Horrinox will frequently accompany a group of bloodhunters in a supporting role.

Niskaru Tyrants

Niskaru Tyrants have haunted the nightmares of Dominion commanders and foot soldiers alike for millennia. Standing anywhere from 20-50ft in height, these winged creatures have spikes along their spines and a bite that can tear through almost every material known. In their presence, lesser Niskaru seem bolstered and will behave more aggressively, almost as if they fear the Tyrant more than the enemies they charge into with abandon. Mercifully, Tyrants seem to be few and far between, although a sighting of one anywhere near the Palisade almost certainly indicates a large attack is imminent. Tyrants possess the ability to cast spells in a manner like the Horrinoxes that follow them, although the source of their magical ability is not fully understood, as are the unique spells they cast.

Niskaru Lords

A Niskaru Lord has not been seen for thousands of years, and historians that study the creatures are divided on whether they are a full variant of the species or simply the ultimate form of a Tyrant.  The last time a Niskaru Lord appeared, what followed was centuries of torment, with coordinated Niskaru attacks that had never been witnessed before regularly breaking through the Palisade and travelling further south than they ever had before. The force that finally took down the Lord and the thousands of Niskaru that accompanied it suffered almost total losses, and the several hundred-foot-long skeleton of the creature still lies just a few dozen miles north of the Palisade.