- "The Gods in the Warp have freed us // For their love (?) // Let the stars bleed"
- —Translation of alleged Krylithid script
Artifacts and ships drifting in the void of space, deposited forth from Warp Storms or crashed millenia ago on undiscovered planets, are the only evidence the galaxy has for the existence of the Krylithids. A mysterious, bizarre, strongly psychic xeno race, arguments rage among those who know of them about the origins of the Krylithids. Whether they are from the distant past or future, or perhaps even extragalactic origin, one thing the Ordos Xenos and Malleus can agree on is that the Krylithids do not exist in any great number in the present. This is the sole source of relief among researchers of this vile race, for Krylithids represent a race that was favoured by Chaos to an extent comparable to, if not greater than Humanity itself.
History[]
- "The False Queen dies // The galaxy burns"
- —Translation of two often-appearing Krylithid glyphs
There are certain disturbing parallels between Krylithid recorded history and human history, as much as can be deciphered by Inquisitorial Xenolinguists. Scittering heiroglyphs inscribed on the petrified walls of ships describe a ‘Grand Hive’, controlled by an immortal High Queen. The Queen created lesser genetic copies of herself, who controlled their drone subjects with pheromones.
One soldier, a legendary member of the Warrior Caste, was chosen from their number by the Ruinous Powers. Touched by all four Chaos Gods, this warrior led a rebellion against their homeworld and their Queen Caste. The war lasted several centuries, lasting roughly 1,000 standard Terran years, before the High Queen fell, mauled to death and eaten by the Everchosen Warrior, and her own genetic spawn fallen to the temptation of Chaos.
From this point what remained of the extremely advanced Krylithid society degenerated into feuding warbands, under charismatic Warriors or Queens and fell into infighting common to servants of the ruinous powers. Different Hives dedicated to different Gods tore each other to shreds, reducing their Empire and large swathes of the Galaxy to ruins.
The Ordo Xenos and Malleus note a very disturbing parallel between the fall of the Krylithid Empire and the Horus Heresy that almost consumed the Imperium of Man. The Krylithid Empire worshipped analogues of all four Chaos Gods, even Slaanesh, who seems to have blessed them through the alinear nature of the Warp. Because of the fall of their realm to the utter depravity that is Chaos, they were eventually consumed in a Warpstorm. Artifacts, ships, and in very rare cases, the cryonically frozen specimens of the race are occasionally vomitted forth from the swirling eddies of the Immaterium.
Biology[]
- "Attempting to accurately catalogue the so-called 'natural' features of these depraved Xenos is an exercise in futility. Where evolution has failed them, the Ruinous Powers have lent them aid."
- —Magos Xenobiologis Trynex
Krylithids are extremely large, approximately three meters from head to tail. Their bodies are segmented carapace and arthropodlike, with several appendages sprouting from the central mass, with prehensile tendrils for dextrous tasks. The head of the creature is an elongated, proboscis with a bony crest protecting six eyes and a very large brain. Six sinewy wings sprout from the creature’s back.
A Krylithid’s brain is by far its greatest asset. It is biologically simply more intelligent than most races in the galaxy, capable of complex problem solving and feats of science and mathematics nearly unconsciously. They are also naturally psychics, which makes them ideal targets for Chaos. Interestingly, even in a Hive based society, Krylithids were not controlled by a Hive Mind, instead a drug-like addiction to Queen Pheromones, one that was sublimated by the Ruinous Powers.
Krylithids reproduce via implanting their embryos into a living host. After feeding on the host’s biomatter, the larva bursts from a ruptured bag of skin and liquefied meat slurry to grow into an adult Krylithid within hours.
Technology[]
- "To reacquire relics of mankind's golden age, even if it is infested by Daemonic filth, is beautiful in its nostalgia. Acquiring the relics of these Xenos, as useful as they are, is to see aberrant tech married to the Warp. Blasphemy in flesh, soul and steel. "
- —Anonymous Warpsmith of the Iron Warriors
From specimens collected, it is clear that Krylithid technology vastly outstrips most others, being comparable to Eldar or Necron Tech. Krylithid technology seems to be an unsettling blend of biomatter and technology, fused seamlessly, and often seething with Warp energy.
Krylithids have fully embraced Chaos and almost all their weapons are in some way mutated or utilize the Warp as an energy source. Their ships have no Gellar field, but are coated in a psychically-resistant slime to protect the crews. Krylithid vessels travel the Immaterium at a speed almost unheard of by humans.
Artifacts and weaponry made by Krylithids are sometimes usable by humans. These relics are greatly sought after, as they are mastercrafted works of Xenoarchitecture, seething with Chaotic energy.
The most rare kind of artefact discoursed into realspace are the majestic Dyson Hive, an artificial megastructure, enshrouding a star, that houses the cryogenically frozen remains of a Krylithid Hive. The appearance of such a seething nexus of Immaterial energy almost always heralds a Warpstorm consuming the surrounding area.
Society[]
- "Strong survive and weaklings die // We eat their flesh on earth // The Gods drink their souls in Heaven (?)"
- —Translation of Krylithid script, found near a nest facility.
After the fall of the Grand Hive (previous records being unavailable similar to Pre-Heresy human records), Krylithid society degenerated into something resembling the Traitor Legions in the Eye of Terror, thousands of squabbling warbands, dozens of xeno champions competing for the attention of the Dark Gods. It appears that the Krylithids recognized four Chaos Gods, rough equivalents of Khorne, Tzeentch, Slaanesh and Nurgle. Their names are unpronounceable, but roughly translate to Carnage-Eater, Silent Weft, The Queen Eternal and the Barren King. Krylithids recognize countless lesser Chaos powers as well, including the Masked God and Malice.
Krylithid society, as it was, was likely very different before their Empire took on Chaos worship as its official religion, however, after that, Krylithids are just as depraved, sadistic and unpleasant as any Chaos cult, with access to near magical Xenotechnology.
Different Krylithid Hives are either dedicated to a specific God or Chaos in general. Each Krylithid serves a function within the Hive, but each one is permitted and indeed expected to grow its own esteem in the eyes of the Hive’s patron. Chaos Champion Krylithids, bearing true Marks of Chaos, are terrifying opponents, capable of tearing entire Space Marine squads apart. Like those of the Traitor Astartes, these Champions are followed by lesser warriors that follow the same God or path.
Krylithids certainly exist who worship one God exclusively but it is far more common for Krylithids to worship a pantheon. They often favored two allied Gods.
Castes[]
Krylithids are born into specialized castes from birth, though due to their alien mindsets it is impossible to tell if any were considered 'superior' to others. After they adopted Chaos as an official religion, mutations spread rampant through their society, merging different caste traits and even molding Krylithids into specialized servants of their gods.
- Queens - Serving a similar purpose to a terran insect queen, Krylithid Queens were known for spawning more than any other of the xenos in the hive. While not directly controlling others of their race, they do produce Queen Pheromones that are highly addictive narcotics to Krylithid biology. Because most of their biomass is devoted to neural tissue, they are incredibly intelligent and specialized psykers, even more than the standard telepathy and minor psychic powers of their race.
- Warriors -The biggest Krylithid breed. Usually around 4 meters in length, Warriors are the fighter caste, with monomolecular claws and near impenetrable carapace. After the fall of the Krylithid empire, Warriors and Queens are roughly analogous to Chaos Lords and Sorcerers.
- Drones - Semi sentient automatons. They are the most common, least dangerous worker caste.
- Shapers - Serving a function somewhat similar to fertile males in an ant colony, Shapers are usually intellectual administrators of the hive. and are responsible for shaping the genetic code of the hive for maximum efficiency. Shapers uniquely have the ability to spawn specific breeds of Krylithids, are were known to be fleshcrafters par excellence.
- Chosen - A pseudo-caste that only appeared after Chaos overtook the Krylithids. These creatures are the rough equivalent of the specialist troops of the Chaos Space Marines, such as the Rubricae or Berserkers. Assigning traits to these are difficult, as mutations and blessings make each a unique and terrifying monster. They usually are aligned to two allied gods, as opposed to one.
Krylithids in the Dark Millenium[]
- "There are some secrets in this universe even I do not seek to know. Every time you think you have seen the worst the stars can shit out, something else drifts on by,"
- —Coronus Marr, Rogue Trader
Krylithids exist in the Milky Way only when their derelict ships and artefacts are discourged from the Warp and found by unfortunate Void Sailors. Krylithid ships sometimes, though very rarely, contain thawable, living samples of cryogenically frozen Krylithids, but the xenos are universally hostile, carnivorous and depraved Chaos worshippers.
It is possible and often viable for organizations like the Dark Mechanicus to scavenge functional xenotechnology. Said technology often tends to be haunted, possessed or cursed, but that rarely deters organizations with such interests.
Some hardline factions among the Traitor Legions despise the Krylithids, especially those who see humans as Chaos’ most favored subjects.
Possible Origin[]
- "It is a mistake to wonder why these Xenos behave so much like humans. It is a mistake to wonder why humans behave so much like them. Each one is a reflection, seperated only by a crack in time's mirror."
Studying the remains and artefacts of the Krylithids has lead to a disturbing conclusion, most famously espoused by the Chaos Sorcerer and Warp Entity Zurvan the Untethered. According to to this theory, there is a reason that Krylithid history seems to mirror that of the Horus Heresy, and why very few signs of their artifice has been found. According to this theory, Krylithids may not merely be extragalactic, but in fact extratemporal entities from a neighboring timeline. The Warp is more than capable of bridging the gap between probabilities, and proponents of this idea believe that Krylithids are simply another form of humanity in a different parallel reality.
This theory is staunchly rejected by more ardent xenophobes among the forces of Chaos, primarily the Word Bearers and Emperor's Children, who find any variation of the human form, temporal or otherwise, aberrant. Nontheless, it is difficult to ignore or disprove this idea, especially with so little evidence either way.
Notable Artifacts[]
Hellshrieker[]
Artifact dedicated to the Queen Eternal, recovered by a Xenoticant warband of the Emperor's Children on M37. Roughly the size of a Sonic Blaster, the Hellshrieker is a strange instrument with an unknown power source, that incorporates the living, tortured bodies of three Krylithid larvae as its barrel. The agonized squeals of the larvae are amplified into a psionically-charged blast of noise capable of deforming molecules with its intensity. Efforts to duplicate this weapon, or understand its power source have met with failure.
The Endless Maw[]
Possessed, techno-organic, mastercrafted chainsword dedicated to the Carnage-Eater. Recovered by the Crimson Slaughter in M39. Literally made of rows of roaring, biological teeth extracted from its victims, the Endless Maw is infused with a Daemon made to interact with a Krylithid wielder, and is thus even more alien than usual. It is capable of chewing through Ceramite and Adamantine with terrifying ease however, the teeth being sharpened to a fractal degree and capable of rending atomic bonds.
The Parasite Oven[]
An artefact aligned to the Barren King, the Parasite Oven was recovered by the Pale Reapers in M38. The Parasite Oven is a strange, organic womblike structure. A living being can be inserted into the cocoon of flesh, and a microscopic storm of warp energy creates a disease from the nightmares of the victim, expelling it as the first, always virulent carrier.
The Mind Hive[]
Created by the Silent Weft, the Mind Hive is a lattice of mutated, pulsing neural biomatter, linked blasphemously through a series of electronic wires. The Mind Hive allows the wielder to literally store the minds of their kills within one of the nano-drives, interfacing with it at will. This allows the wielder to quickly develop super-intelligence, at the risk of subsuming the original personality under the howling chorus of trapped minds.
Quotes[]
Add your own!
- "I am no stranger to using the power of the warp in my creations, but this, this is obscene. Let us pray that none of these creatures survive and function in this era. "
- "And now they have a fragging insect as their champion. Heretics these days are nuts."
- —Sebastian Bane, after observing recon Servo-skull data