#lekara

           The Barraki were momentous, with all of Xia more or less gathered beneath at least one of them; Something never before seen with any other empires in history. A select few groups retained independence, such as the nomadic Skull Raiders or the northern kingdom of Iconox; But generally speaking, wherever one stepped, they would be within the borders of a Barraki’s empire.

           Predictably, the Barraki were not sated with just a sixth of Xia; And upon encountering the empires of one another, declared war. Each hoped to have total control over the entire island, and be forever remembered throughout Xia as THE Xian Emperor. Thus ensued the War of Six Kingdoms, by far Xia’s bloodiest and most brutal conflict. Young soldiers were freshly-churned out and slaughtered, villages and cities erected before being burned down, as the Barraki directed the entirety of their kingdoms’ efforts towards conquest.

           But one day, just as the War of Six Kingdoms began to reach a stalemate; The Barraki vanished, seemingly from thin air. Decapitated and leaderless, their empires collapsed as others attempted to take control in the ensuing vacuum of power. Six kingdoms fractured into many more, and eventually, the dust settled and Xia resumed its normal business prior to the creation and expansion of the Barraki.

           Shortly afterwards, Xia’s industrial revolution began. Inventors and engineers began devising brilliant schematics for powerful machines that could change the face of Xian industry, mechanizing the process of mass-production. Factories were built and devised, and complex technology and lights spread that relied on electricity and other intricate forms of energy to be fueled. Xia itself became engulfed in this wave of technology, reliant on the machines that made up the island itself; And in turn, the entire island of Xia became dependent on the Codrex, the Eternal Engine that powered it all.

           Despite conspiracy theories, the Barraki did not die; If anything, they ascended. Rumors of a massive ‘treasure’ at the core of Xia, a secret worth dying over, reached their ears. Eager for an advantage over the others, the Barraki set out in the dead of night with a small group of their most trusted followers and attendants, and explored the caverns below Xia. There, they came across one another, and after a brief conflict, the six Barraki headed off alone to Xia’s core.

           There, they found a titanic, metallic sphere; An ancient machination potentially older than Xia itself, located within its heart. Entranced, the six Barraki recognized that they had found something larger and grander than even all of them combined; And so they reached out and touched it.

           Like the Great Forge of Okoto, the Codrex activated –or perhaps reactivated- at the touch of six, powerful souls. In a burst of energy, the Codrex’s mechanisms began to turn, generating pure energy that had no outlet to go, building up.

           Upon being struck by the flash of energy, the Barraki were changed. Like the Mask Makers who awakened the Great Forge, they were imbued with pure Life energy that rendered them immortal beings with superhuman qualities and attributes. Feeling the raw power coursing through their veins, the Barraki realized they had found Xia’s greatest secret; And like any secret, it would cease to be a secret if everyone knew of it.

           A quiet agreement was made over blood that night, signed with the massacre of all their nearby attendees and servants to keep quiet. The six immortal Barraki agreed to go into hiding; It seemed that the best way to rule Xia with the Codrex was to do it from the shadows. If their subjects saw them last eternally throughout the decades without aging, inevitably people would try to find out the truth of their immortality; And in turn, they would learn of the Codrex. Thus, the Barraki must remain hidden, to the chagrin of some like Pridak or Kalmah- Although Mantax and Takadox were perfectly fine with this.

           Through proxies and puppets, they contacted engineers and inventors. By analyzing the Codrex’s ancient mechanisms, these inventors were able to reverse-engineer the Eternal Engine and create advanced forms of technology. A great city was established and founded, right above the Codrex, and its powerful machines and factories all got their power from massive underground cables connected to the Eternal Engine below. The Barraki began to rule through proxy, puppet-leaders, often assassinating minions once they had reached their usefulness and trading them out for fresh blood; No one could truly be trusted at this point.

           And as that famous city of legend grew and expanded, the knowledge of its technology spread. The rest of Xia began to industrialize, and more cities allied with that City of Legends, sharing in its massive swathes of infinite energy, none the wiser as to its source. All of Xia became rooted in technology, separating further into a strict lower and upper-class. To compete with anyone else, a Xian must have powerful technology; But that technology was useless without an energy source. And by controlling Xia’s main source of energy, the Barraki had total dominion over the entire island…

           Since then, the Barraki have ruled from the shadows, guiding Xian politics, economics, and so forth. They have influenced and swayed Xian culture from the shadows, directing upper-class nobles and elites from the darkness. Only the most esteemed of the Powers That Be know of their existence, and it is a true privilege to meet the Barraki first-hand and learn of the six who control all of Xia.

           Xia became more or less ‘conquered’, save for the district of Zakaz; But that needed to remain lawless, so as to create a thriving wartime industry. Inevitably, the Barraki found themselves bored, having found total control, but being unable to flaunt it. They wished for more lands to conquer, but there was nothing beyond Xia except the endless oceans and their raging hurricanes.

           Then came Kratakal, the Rahkshi from Okoto. Through the son of Makuta, the Barraki learned of another land out there; The mythical island of Okoto, a natural paradise of spirits, elements, and power. It was a land brimming with life-energy, the very thing that the Codrex generated, the very power that made the Barraki immortal. They saw the reality-warping abilities of the Kraata and became obsessed. Plans were discussed of launching a Xian invasion of Okoto, so the Barraki could relive their old glory-days as warlords and conquerers.

           Alas, it was not meant to be; The massive hurricanes beyond Xia ensured that travel between islands would be nearly impossible. A small, sleek canister could make the voyage, but ultimately it would be an impractical venture. The likes of Pridak were incensed, not caring about the cost because to the warlords Okoto was THEIR right, as kings entitled to ruling. If it weren’t for that blasted ocean, they could easily invade Okoto; The Brotherhood of Makuta and its swarms of Skull Spiders would be no match for them, they reasoned!

           Once again, it seems as if fate smiled upon the Barraki. The Shadowed One, leader of the Dark Hunters, succeeded in hijacking the Codrex right beneath their noses. This would normally be a disaster; But with Makuta’s Mask of Life, The Shadowed One transported the entire island of Xia right next to Okoto, before being foiled by an Okotan expedition and slain by his own lieutenant Lariska. With the Codrex back beneath the Barraki’s control, the island of Okoto was now just beyond the shores of Xia, barely even a few miles away…

           Since then, the Barraki have mobilized their armies. They have begun to exercise their authority, pulling together nations, governers, and soldiers to invade Xia. The six warlords, eager to conquer Okoto after all this time, have now kickstarted the Xian-Okotan War. Now, their forces clash with the Okotan Alliance, who stands against their mindless expansion and conquest.

           On the side, a Xian rebellion, a revolution unlike any other has begun to brew. With Xians seeing that a better life IS possible through Okoto, many have had enough are choosing to rebel. Thanks to the Okotans, knowledge of the Codrex and its role as Xia’s primary energy-source has spread throughout both lands. Now a rising rebellion is forming across the island, hoping to overthrow the Powers That Be, and leading them is the Order of Mata Nui; a secrective organization that has recently revealed itself and hopes to defeat the Barraki.

           With all bets off the table, the Barraki have revealed themselves. And while many question how these six warlords are alive after all this time –with some theorizing them to just be impostors- there are those who know the truth. The Mask Makers Ekimu and Makuta recognize the effects that an ancient machination has had on those six, having felt identical immortality themselves.

           While the Barraki lead a war against the Okotan Alliance, they also lead a war against the rebellion; The Core War, named after the primary objective of the Eternal Engine. Whoever controls the Codrex, controls Xia’s power and thus the entire island by consequence. The Barraki are incensed by the blatant insolence of their subjects, and hope to suppress them. In the process, they have formed a tenuous alliance with the Brotherhood of Makuta. The Barraki know that Makuta is not to be trusted, and likely intends to betray them (they have their own plans vice-versa)… But regardless, the Brotherhood wants the Okotan Alliance gone, and so do the Barraki.

           These aligning interests are for the best; With the Brotherhood’s capture and execution of Kratakal, they now control the Kraata and the means of creating them. And without Kraata, the Barraki can’t power their Exo-Toa armies. Thus, the Brotherhood and Barraki are allied, and under Makuta’s orders, Roodaka is producing Exo-Toa and various other war machines for the six warlords at a fraction of the cost. Together, the Barraki will take over Okoto; And in time, they will prepare for Makuta’s inevitable betrayal, and deal with the Mask Hoarder later.

           After all, that fool couldn’t even conquer an entire island! Meanwhile the Barraki have control over Xia, AND will soon dominate Okoto. Soon… for now, they are secretly paying the Nynrah Ghosts and other engineers to create ‘bootleg’ forms of Kraata energy and wave-lengths, hoping to find a way of powering the Exo-Toa without the Power Serpents. Kraata are simply life-energy, and the Codrex produces this constantly; All they need to do is replicate that special wavelength, and perhaps they’ll be able to power their Exo-Toa without need of the Brotherhood!

           Once THAT happens… They’ll be prepared to eventually betray Makuta. But for the timebeing, that upstart failure has his uses.

           There are six Barraki warlords;

           Pridak is the self-appointed leader of the Barraki, a title that means little practically-speaking. Easily the proudest and arrogant of them all, Pridak believes it his divine right to rule and conquer, having clawed his way from the bottom and arriving at the top. Thus, he believes all his victories are earned, and that more are due to him. Pridak is a ruthless, vicious individual with a penchant for bloodshed and a love for battle. He is hot-headed and can kill subordinates on a whim before perceieved slights against his godly honor. Nevertheless, he can still manage to be practical… It frustrated him when he couldn’t invade Okoto at first, but he nevertheless listened to reason. How else could he be such a brilliant tactician, having created the largest empire of the Barraki?

           Suave, confident, and charismatic- These all describe Pridak. He believes himself to be the peak and pinnacle of physical being, and it is not hard to see why; He loves posing for paintings and sculptures. A few parties have seen him roam around entirely naked for guests to enjoy his beautiful, sculpted physique. Pridak is terrifying and intense, and demands total loyalty from guests and minions; Once, he ordered a noble to kill her husband to prove her loyalty to him, reasoning that words meant little without actions to back them up. Pridak is entertained in combat and loves to personally participate in it, enjoying a good fight as well as brutally tearing apart his enemies.

           Takadox is a beautiful, dazzling Barraki. Once a pharaoh in the deserts of Zakaz, even before he found the Codrex he had scarlet eyes; Enchanting eyes of psychedelic beauty, like staring into a kaleidoscope of colors. Since his beginnings, Takadox has had the unique ability to hypnotize others, and since becoming immortal those abilities have become even more powerful. Through hypnosis, clever manipulation, and ruling through proxies, Takadox was able to back-stab his way to the top.

            He is an incredibly charming and distracting individual, with a beautiful voice like a siren’s. Takadox is musically-gifted, and it is considered the greatest honor to listen to him sing. Takadox is both a composer and a conductor, having penned brilliant works of music before leading orchestras of the most skilled musicians into playing them. Much pressure is put upon performers to convey his music, and failure can mean execution.

          Takadox loves to treat others as puppets, toys, and play-things, utilizing his hypnosis to completely control servants. He has employed it upon performers to better control them, and he greatly enjoys forcing people to do things they never would through hypnosis; It makes Takadox feel powerful and superior. He is a natural sadist, making his slaves do his bidding and exhausting them to the point of death, knowing they can’t refuse, and has had many he has hypnotized –ranging from servants to nobles that have angered him- dance for his amusement. Takadox has used his hypnosis to access the secrets of others, and values total control over anything else. A master-manipulator, he doesn’t need to be flashy, and is fine with pulling the strings from the shadows.

          Ehlek is a Lekara; A race of aquatic beings found both on Xia and Okoto. Ehlek succeeded in uniting the Lekara clans scattered around Xia’s shores, rivers, and lakes, uniting them beneath his banner and controlling most of the island’s water-source. By controlling the waterways, transport between his empire was the fastest and most efficient, making up for a geographically smaller size; Ehlek managed to expand his armies beyond the shores by inducting kingdoms bordering him, but regardless it seems his specialty was in the water.

          Ehlek is aware of his outsider-status as a non-human among the Barraki, and knows that they underestimate him for allegedly being limited to the water. However, Ehlek understands that water is also the essence of life, and far-outdwarfs the land with its oceans; He believes that in the end, HIS armies will rule, expanding into the vast oceans while his fellow Barraki remain isolated on comparatively tiny islands.

          He is a high-strung, short-tempered individual, capable of bearing grudges eternally. Ehlek has a tendency to lash out bitterly at those he perceieves as having wronged him, or even just for having things that he does not. Since his ascension as an immortal Barraki, his temper has cooled; But he can nevertheless be an impulsive, wrathful leader, and he has employed incredibly brutal executions in the past, being a person with little trust.

          Hailing from darker regions of Xia, Mantax and his people were taught by necessity to hide and lurk in the shadows, striking rapidly and concisely. A master of stealth and assassination, Mantax led an army of samurai against his rivals, with his own personal clans of shinobi to perform murders on select individuals. Mantax is a stern, secretive individual; He is the least socially-inclined of the Barraki and not much for small-talk, always keeping an eye out for danger. For everyone he meets, he makes sure to understand exactly how to kill them should the need arise; To Mantax, he has no friends or allies, merely enemies he hasn’t killed yet.

          Easily the most elusive of the Barraki, Mantax is an incredibly patient and cautious warlord. He knows when to cut his losses and retreat, and prefers subtlety and being unknown. He appears the least to nobles in formal events, instead using his time gathering information on others, surveying Xia, and training his own fighting skills. Information and secrets are the key to victory for Mantax, and he is always vigilant and keeping a close-eye on is fellow Barraki. To call him paranoid may not be entirely correct, as it would imply that Mantax’s wariness is unfounded.

          Carapar is a loud, boisterous, and seemingly-agreeable individual. He hailed from the steppes and plains of Xia, leading nomadic tribes on horseback as he swiftly raided, conquered, and pillaged his enemies’ settlements. Carapar is proud of his raw, physical strength and prowess, being the largest of the Barraki. Unlike the others, he likes to be seen as approachable and amicable, like a friendly politician who will gladly shake one’s hand and brightly smile at them. But beware- Carapar is at heart a treacherous, cunning individual with a mind for dirty tactics. He has no honor, and will resort to any trick in order to win; Once, he violated the rules of parlay with an enemy tribe, poisoning the food at their feast to ensure his victory. Yes, there were also children present at that feast; But he does not care.

          While his tactics can be subtle, by the end of the day Carapar is a brute in how he considers others. Since his rise to power as an immortal Barraki, Carapar has often visited subordinates unprompted, hoping to charismatically pull them into his circle of supposed trust. He has led frequent hunts with honored guests, occasionally heading into Nynrah to kill Vorox and take them as trophies; He has a penchant for displaying the heads of creatures, and even sapient enemies, that he has slain. Sometimes a servant will exceed his patience, and Carapar will drop the façade entirely before bluntly getting his point across.

          Kalmah is a hedonist, an emperor who once led legions of centurions to conquest. Now, he throws the most lavish, extravagant parties; According to him, he fought for the right to be a king, so it only makes sense that he lives like one. Kalmah prizes luxury, wearing the finest threads, all while greedily hoarding wealth. The flashiest of the Barraki, Kalmah suffers from frequent boredom and will hold brutal games and gladiator matches in the Coliseum Atero, all for his personal amusement.

          He has a penchant for the finer things in life, such as delicious cuisine, and he has a zoo of exotic animals and beasts, many of whom are the last of their king, and others from Okoto itself. Unfortunately, Kalmah is also a sadist, and he enjoys subjecting his pets to cruelty. Sometimes he’ll feed others to them, or force nobles or servants that have displeased them into facing off against beasts in the arena. Kalmah can be loud and spoiled about what he wants, and believes himself worthy of praise. He enjoys parades, and would rather not dirty his own hands, being displeased with the ‘lesser’ facets of life and preferring servants do the deed for him. Kalmah is highly possessive of his wealth, and to have his own possessions dirtied is a personal insult to him by extension in his eyes.

          The six Barraki wielded armor and weaponry in the past; Since their ascension amongst the Powers That Be, they have since taken to wearing more modern clothing. Nevertheless, they’ll still dress up every now and then, either to show off or train and hone their combat skills, ensuring they remain sharp as ever. And with the recent Xian-Okotan War, the Barraki have begun to don and wield their old armor and weapons like the good old times…

          In combat, Pridak wields his Shark Tooth Blades; A pair of incredibly-sharp swords, said to be crafted from hundreds of carefully-compressed shark teeth. They are of a beautiful craftsmanship, and capable of scarring even Protosteel; Weapons befitting of a king, in Pridak’s eyes. Pridak’s Shark Tooth Blades of a beautiful ivory that is stark-white, an identical coloration to his armor.

          Takadox wields a pair of long, thin blades that are slightly-curved at the end; He prefers to hold them upside-down, as part of his confusing, dance-like fighting style. Ehlek has a pair of Protosteel tri-talons that he attaches to either hand, to shred opponents with. Mantax wields a long sword, but also prefers daggers and hooks. Carpar has a wide, dual-edged blade, while Kalmah relies on a pair of whips in combat, as well as a crossbow, preferring to keep his opponents at arms-length.

          As a whole, the Barraki jointly-rule Xia as part of the League of Six Kingdoms. They hold the most wealth and stocks in just about every property and company out there, and their authority is absolute. With a snap of their fingers, they could rend an entire city razed, and there is no one who is permitted to disobey them. Even incredibly secure locations like the Archives must fully-yield to the authority of a Barraki, who is immune to rules that are normally uniform amongst all.

          The Barraki have orchestrated Xian politics to ensure an oligarcy with them at the top, keeping workers in line while having a select group of nobles for their upper-class. Xia is structured to leech as much power and wealth as possible from the island and its inhabitants, with even a war-time economy established in the district of Zakaz. To those that know them, they are truly the most terrifying people in existence; Servants are usually dominated by the most advanced and loyal of machines.

           They displayed powerful regenerative abilities to the surprise of the Nynrah Ghosts, but this also made them difficult to kill; Even worse, the plague in their flesh was highly-contagious, and discovered to be of a rapidly-devouring, flesh-eating variety. Realizing they had a genuine liability and biohazard on their hands, the Nynrah Ghosts made the decision to destroy all Zyglak and incinerate them.

           Unfortunately, the Zyglak proved rather resistant to high temperatures and fire, and attempts to freeze them did little, as the creatures were able to easily break through their frozen bonds; It would take incredibly low temperatures to freeze them, and their own cells rapidly recovered from crystallization.

           Trydahk became concerned; The Zyglak had been made prior to the Nynrah Incident, so there was an entire district of Xia’s finest scholars and students outside, vulnerable to the Zyglak and their plague. Eventually, he came up with the reasoning that if the Zyglak could not be killed, and if containing them was also risky… Why not banish them?

           Thus, the Nynrah Ghosts gathered all of their Kahgarak, and had the bio-weapons open portals to the Zone of Darkness with their Rhotuka, hurling the captured Zyglak through them. It was a long and arduous process, but eventually the Ghosts succeeded in rounding up every single Zyglak and banishing them. Afterwards, the facility they were in was quarantined, and eventually sterilized through a Xian Heart of Fire, just to be safe.

           While the Zyglak remaind out of sight and mind for their creators, the creatures themselves were still troubled with their own existences. Their very recent experiences and trauma, combined with their relative youth and inexperience, left them permanently scarred in just about every way possible. Hurt, abandoned, and dejected, the Zyglak quickly grew bitter against reality itself, shunning their own creators for rejecting them as mistakes. They grew to hate all others who weren’t Zyglak, on the reasoning that outsiders weren’t accidents like they were.

           Not without reason, the Zyglak realized that all others would likely hate and reject them. Indeed, a few Zyglak had attempted to escape back to the World of Light through the two-way Kahgarak portals, escaping out into Nynrah where they were pursued by the Vahki, with the Xians being horrified and labelling such individuals as monsters. Despite attempts to communicate, these few Zyglak were still quarantined, and unable to cope with their own naturally-deadly bodies, something they had no control over, those Zyglak were banished back to the Para-Realm once again with even-further fractured minds.

           After hearing the experiences of these few Zyglak, the rest of the species only had their paranoia and suspicions confirmed. Hurt, lonely, and without the proper support and guidance they needed in their formative years, the Zyglak became reclusive, territorial shut-ins; Not that there was really anyone else in the Para-Realm, anyway.

           Exploring Dark Xia, the Zyglak became accustomed to the Dark World, feeding on the darkened plantlife within, their own bodies developing an affinity for Shadow in the process that made them even stronger and harder to control, for those who were interested. Living in perpetual darkness with little to do, the Zyglak attempted to alleviate their boredom by crafting spears from the darkened material that made up the Para-Realm. They made up stories and tales, myths that explained how the world worked; But such myths were very simple and unimaginative. Through no fault of their own, the Zyglak had little creativity as a result of little access to anything that could inspire them.

           Years in the Para-Realm conditioned them to darkness, and towards hating the Light. Unable to properly cope with their pain –both emotional and physical, Zyglak had chronic pains- their stories turned into revenge fantasies upon their creators, and eventually all Non-Zyglak. The Zyglak began training with their make-shift spears, learning combat from one another and developing the crude beginnings of their own culture.

           When other creatures and rejects came through the Kahgarak portals, the Zyglak ate them; Usually such bio-weapons could not speak for themselves, and anyhow the Zyglak had been conditioned by trauma to be hostile. In addition, they were hungry for anything that wasn’t the dark landscape of the Para-Realm, finding even bad tastes to be preferable to bland nothingness for their palates. The Zyglak grew to worship their sole neighbor, a titanic crustacean known as the Zivon; Occasionally, offerings would be made to it, in hopes that the beast would leave them alone.

           Eventually, the Kraahl arrived on the shores of Dark Xia, and the Zyglak reacted with hostility. After an initial clash, both groups came to an understanding as mutual rejects lost in the Para-Realm. Nevertheless, the Zyglak could not fully trust the Kraahl, and so both groups made the agreement to mind their own business and territory, ceasing interaction.

          Nevertheless, during their brief exchange –as well as the occasional interaction between more adventurous members of either group- the Zyglak learned of Okoto, of other civilizations, as well as myths, many involving Umarak the Deity of Shadow. In turn, the Zyglak explained to the Kraahl the island of Xia, as well as the Nynrah Ghosts who made them and the Kahgarak that banished the species.

          When Tahu, Hahli, and Kualus were sent to the Para-Realm, they briefly scoured the area before coming across the Zyglak. Recognizing them as outsiders, the incensed Zyglak, screaming their war cry of ‘Vengeance!’, began their pursuit, attacking in full force. They chased the trio for a while, even getting the Zivon involved in hopes that the three would make a worthy tribute. Eventually however, the trio managed to escape the Zyglak’s grasp, and escaped through another Kahgarak portal afterwards.

          Ever since the Xian-Okotan War began, many more groups and individuals have begun to access the Para-Realm, among them Xian soldiers working for the Barraki. While the Okotans battle the Xians in the Dark World, the Zyglak see both sides as threats and are choosing to wage their own war as well, with hunting parties ambushing outsiders and brutally slaughtering them. With their powerful abilities and affinity for Shadow, the Zyglak quickly proved to be lethal, feared opponents who would strike from the deepest darkness. They have reacted in similar hostility to Yagavo and his army of Night Wraiths, who seek to harvest the Kraahl to create more of their number; The Zyglak have come to the mutual aid of their Kraahl neighbors a few times, and have grown to trust and even worship Kraltarak; The Toa of Shadow is comprised of both Kralta, as well as the legendary Umarak they heard so much about.

          Some Zyglak have escaped out into the World of Light in the chaos, and are now leading active attacks against literally everyone else. They have responded aggressively to the Brotherhood of Makuta’s attempts at negotiation, not trusting Makuta, especially after seeing his harvesting of the Kraahl; The fact that he is aligned with their Nynrah Ghost creators does not help. Many Okotans treat the Zyglak with disgust, although there are some among the Xian Revolution –usually those mutated by the Nynrah Ghosts- who offer a hand.

          As the Zyglak interact with other groups more frequently, some are beginning to see the inklings of hope in their own hearts… Some witness the gestures made by others, and wonder if perhaps peace and co-existence CAN be made… Alas, the Zyglak are afraid of taking a risk and do not want to be rounded up and exterminated. For now, they remain a hostile threat to all, and the flesh-eating plague they carry remains a dangerous liability. Currently, the Zyglak are waging war against literally everyone else, with the sole exception of the Kraahl, who they can now almost be said to be allied with.

          Zyglak are large, reptilian beings with scaly hides, easily towering over the average Xian/Okotan. Their heads are pale, with elongated snouts filled to the brim with razor-sharp teeth, and bulbous red eyes that glow in the dark; When hunting, Zyglak can dim the glow of their eyes to increase their own stealth. Their bodies are primarily dark-red, with their legs being more of a dark-blue in coloration and digitigrade and structure.

          The Zyglak have a hunched-over posture, with spines running along their backs, and long claws on their hands and feet. Their long, whip-like tails are orange, and their flesh appears to be necrotic, constantly in a state of decay while at the same time regenerating; This, along with their unintended existence as total accidents, contributes to unstable bodies with chronic pains that keep them awake at night.

          Zyglak possess great physical strength, and are extremely durable, able to withstand large amounts of physical damage. Any damage they do sustain is quickly mended by their potent, regenerative abilities; A Zyglak can regenerate entire limbs, and even being sliced in half won’t necessarily guarantee death for them. They are immune to other forms of harm, such as the elements and poison.

          Fire doesn’t seem to burn them, and it takes incredibly low temperatures to freeze a Zyglak; Even then, their bodies can easily break through the ice frozen in their cells, which are able to rapidly recover from crystallization. Even when completely frozen, a Zyglak’s cells work quickly to raise its body temperatures and melt the ice. Zyglak are likewise unaffected by electric shocks; They are amphibious creatures, able to breathe both on land and in water, and there doesn’t seem to be any acids that can damage them, or any poisons that can kill them.

          Zyglak have borderline-invincible immune systems, and seem unable to get sick; Their bodies are, however, constantly infected with a potent flesh-eating plague. This plague spreads on physical contact; It can be smeared onto victims by a Zyglak through their palm, quickly devouring people alive and breaking down their flesh and even bones. Thankfully, this plague doesn’t seem to be carried through bodies of water; A Zyglak has to actively rub a victim against their necrotic scales in order for the plague to transmit.

          Due to their prolonged time in the Para-Realm and absorption of its plantlife mimicries, the Zyglak also possess an affinity for Shadow. This has only enhanced their above-mentioned immunity to most attacks, but those with a strong will and better understanding of Darkness can even shoot forth bolts of energy from their palms! The Zyglak typically wield crude spears crafted from materials found in the Para-Realm; Any Zyglak can channel their innate connection to Shadow through these spears. When hurled against an object, these spears begin to absorb whatever they come into contact with, channeling the consuming power of Shadow in the process.

          Zyglak are omnivorous, able to eat and digest just about anything; Their hardy stomachs can even digest metal, to an extent! They prefer to live in dark areas, especially those that are wet. Zyglak reproduce in a manner similar to starfish; If one eats enough, it can make the conscious effort to grow another Zyglak from its body, with a head and limbs emerging before the new Zyglak splits off after growing large enough. Other Zyglak can be grown unintentionally from severed limbs, from time to time.

          Efforts to reproduce were few, with most new Zyglak being aforementioned accidents; Sustenance is little in the Para-Realm, even if Zyglak are also hardy creatures that can go long periods without food or water. But since their active warfare against Xians and Okotans alike, pressure is being placed on one another to replicate and grow their numbers, and hope is rising that perhaps the Zyglak can one day take over the world for themselves. Maybe then, they can find peace…

          The Zyglak have their own hissing, rasping language that they share among one another, although they can speak the language of Xians and Okotans relatively well, too- Not bad for beings who had to grow up on their own, without access to educational materials or writing of any sort!

          Their culture is primitive, as a result of their unfortunate circumstances. The Zyglak have no recipes, choosing to eat their meals entirely raw; For the longest time they did not have the luxury of cooking, and had no tools to work with. The Zyglak mostly lived as scavengers during their isolation in the Para-Realm. Their sense of taste and smell is adequate, but they have potent night-vision and can electro-magnetically sense others to a degree.

          Zyglak typically prefer to hunt in small groups, often trailing victims and prey before ambushing them from the darkness. Oftentimes, their brute strength alone is enough; Their fighting skills could use some improving, but are otherwise impressive considering what they had to work with. Zyglak can go long distances tracking prey, and are seen by many as unstoppable monstrosities.

          As a result of both circumstance and their constant, chronic pain putting them in frequent stress, the Zyglak are often aggressive, hostile, and short-tempered. Intruders and outsiders are usually attacked on sight, without question, although sometimes the Zyglak may feel kinship to those why see as fellow rejects and outcasts. When they aren’t hunting, the Zyglak often dwell about and ponder their own miserable existence, often undergoing an existential crisis in the process. A few likely have depression, but lack the medication and therapy they need to cope with their illness.

          The Zyglak have some sense of religion and myths, thanks to cultural exchange with the Kraahl and their own imaginations inevitably running loose. Upon creation, their sole neighbor was the Zivon, a massive beast of colossal power. Although the Zivon initially tried to hunt and eat them, the Zyglak succeeded in evading the beast, and seeing it as the only creature in the Para-Realm, began to worship it. Many saw it as a God, others saw it as a protector; Most viewed it as a wrathful being to appease with gifts, hence the occasional tribute and sacrifices. Meals would occasionally be set aside for the Zivon by the Zyglak; In turn, the Zivon learned to appreciate the creatures and their tribute. The fact of the matter was that the Zyglak also tasted terrible and gave the Zivon a terrible stomach ache.

          Additionally, there were those who worshipped Umarak, due to stories from the Kraahl. They saw Umarak as the progenitor and source of the darkness they lived in and thrived upon, which was… Not at all inaccurate, honestly. They had hit the mark with such a view, and saw their affinity for Shadow as a double-edged blessing, functioning also as a curse. Of course, when Umarak himself appeared alongside his chosen Kaita, the Zyglak chose to instead thank the Deity of Shadow rather than hold any grudges. He could not be blamed for their banishment to the Para-Realm, after all, and Kraltarak holds some sympathy and pity for the race. Rejection is all too familiar for them…

          The alliance between the Zyglak and the Kraahl is both one of some worship towards Kraltarak, but also a genuine understanding as a result of being neighbors for so long. And as interactions increase, with both groups coming to the aid of one another, something close to a genuine respect, and maybe even friendship, is beginning to develop. Indeed, around the Kraahl, the Zyglak’s dispositions tend to improve somewhat, and Kraltarak has used their power over Shadow to help numb the creatures’ chronic pains.

          The Zyglak unfortunately do not feel the same comradery towards anyone else; In their war against their perceived enemies, they have particularly targeted the Nynrah Ghosts, taking great pleasure in the pain and suffering of their creators. Those Ghosts that are captured are brutally torn apart, infected with the Zyglak’s plague, and even eaten; The Kahgarak are similarly despised.

          Recently, the Zyglak have come into contact with the Frostelus and Lekara. The Frostelus proved to be wary of the Zyglak and vice-versa, managing to drive off the creatures with an onslaught of frozen ice. However, as some Frostelus and Zyglak interacted, they too came to an understanding, and beginning to mind one another’s own business as they stay within their respective territories; The Frostelus are content with their homes in the north of Okoto, so the Zyglak have free reign anywhere else.