Myrkridia

Overview

The Myrkridia have existed in the world of Myth since time beyond memory, long before any reliable records detailing the origin of their species and its violent nature could have been kept. It is known, however, that they have long been the enemies of men, and have tirelessly assaulted them for as long as the two races have been in contact. They are responsible for the eradication of countless human settlements, and their constant and savage aggression kept the nations of man in a paralytic state of fear for hundreds of years. Frequently challenged just to prevent further losses at Myrkridian hands, it would not be until the rise of Connacht that humans would even entertain the thought of striking back against their nightmarish aggressors. Not only did the Hero of the Wind Age achieve countless victories against the Mykridia, Connacht the Wolf pursued and imprisoned their entire species within the Tain, a device built specifically to retain them.

This was not the end of humanity's suffering at the hands of the Myrkridia, however, as Soulblighter, a former ally of Connacht, would discover a means to release them from their magical exile in the aftermath of the Great War. Having fallen into legend over the course of their millennial absence, the Myrkridian horror story became nightmarish reality as the human kingdoms scrambled to respond to a threat they could scarcely believe. Led by King Alric, the Legion would eventually find and kill the Summoner, who provided Soulblighter a means to quickly repopulate the Myrkridian numbers. Without a way to renew their ranks, the Myrkridian menace would eventually pass, though small groups of the vile creatures presumable still roam the world.

Racial Characteristics

Myrkridia are quite intimidating in appearance, with prominent fangs and sharp talons on both their feet and hands, which are their primary weapons in combat. They typically stand about a head taller than a human (or up to three feet in the case of Myrkridian Giants). Myrkridian society seems to value nothing outside of brutality and strength, as they will not hesitate to kill and devour even their own kind should they display any sign of weakness. The only structure which Myrkridia are known to build are grotesque skull platforms made specifically from the heads of those they have killed.

Though the combination of their aggression and their penchant for flesh-eating have led many to believe that Myrkridia are nothing more than savages, there are several indicators that they are in fact intelligent. Though rare, Myrkridian mages do exist, and are capable of teaching their skills to others of their kind who are magically inclined. Furthermore, Myrkridia do communicate amongst themselves, and also have an apparent understanding of human language. They may even be capable of speaking in a human tongue, though this is unknown, as few Myrkridia would have an interest in doing so.

Role in the Series

Introduced in Myth II, the Myrkridia are among the most powerful melee units in the series. They possess very good foot speed, and their attacks are both fast and extremely powerful. In fact, the only downside is the fact that a Myrkridia will "berserk" when it is severely injured (under 25% health). In this mode, a Myrkridia cannot be directly controlled, and will attack any nearby unit; it will continue attacking in this fashion until it is killed. Despite this drawback, there is not much that a group of Myrkridia cannot handle. Most other units will have to rely on sheer numbers to defeat them, as the speed and strength of Myrkridia is unparalleled amongst the game's basic units. Even typically fearless colossal units like the Trow must respect the rapidity and ferocity of their attacks, since a well-managed group of Myrkridia can take them down with a minimum of casualties.