Kroot
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The Kroot (scientific name Krootis aviana,[4a] referenced by the Imperium as Kroot Carnivore[6a]) are a humanoid species of xenos. They appear throughout the galaxy, but are most frequently associated with the T'au Empire.
Contents
History
Early History
The Kroot originated on their homeworld of Pech, and there is evidence to suggest that their evolution was avian in origin. Thousands of years ago, an Ork Rok crash-landed on Pech and the Greenskin survivors were promptly eaten by the native inhabitants. After several generations, the first true city of the Kroot had been erected around the wreck. Using their newly incorporated Orkoid DNA, the Kroot were able to interact with the Mekboy technology found aboard the crashed Rok. Within the span of a few thousand years, the Kroot had used the Greenskin technology to create five primary "Hive" cities, factory farming, and mining. They were also able to construct their first warp-capable spacecraft in the form of Warspheres and take to the stars. Soon the Kroot were able to colonise several worlds close to Pech.[1]
The Kroot eventually came into conflict with the Orks once again, and faced a long string of losses despite their new technologies and society.[1]
Union with the T'au
By M38, the Orks had occupied many of their worlds including Pech, which was now heavily depopulated. Into this situation came the T'au First Sphere of Expansion, and forces from Dal'yth rescued hopelessly outnumbered Kroot on the world of Krath. The T'au soon became compelled to aid the Kroot, who accepted these new interlopers as their allies. In a ten-year conflict dubbed the War in the Place of Union, the Kroot and T'au were able to reclaim the core Kroot worlds. The war ended with the liberation of Pech by the Kroot and T'au.[1][27]
Following the liberation of Pech, the famed Kroot Shaper Anghkor Prok swore allegiance to the T'au Empire at the Sacred Oathstone of his homeworld. He also advocated a return to the old ways, declaring that Pech should not be re-urbanised. Instead the Kroot would return to their primal lifestyle they had enjoyed before the coming of the Ork Rok. While the Kroot swore allegiance to the T'au Empire, many would venture out into the Galaxy to fight as mercenaries and collect useful DNA. After a period of time they would make a pilgrimage back to Pech to share their genetic spoils with the greater Kroot race.[1][27] Since then, the Kroot core worlds have fought loyally for the T'au and Greater Good, provided they receive sufficient payment.[8a]
The primeval aggression of the Kroot makes them effective shock troopers, though their savagery is viewed with disdain from their T'au allies. However, the habits of the Kroot are still tolerated, so long as they don't eat fallen T'au warriors.[11]
First contact with the Imperium
The Kroots' first encounter with the Imperium was during the Damocles Crusade on the world of Sy'l'kell. Troops of the Brimlock 17th Dragoons were in transit to the front lines from their Landing zone when they were ambushed by Kroot. The column's forward scouts were eliminated by Kroot Carnivores before they could get a warning off to the regiment following behind. As the main body of the regiment pushed through a narrow forested defile, the Kroot fell on them. Three Kroot kindred were involved in the attack. Surprise was complete and scores were killed in the opening moments of the ambush. Colonel Konstantin Griffin and Commissar Eigerman quickly recovered and held the Imperial line long enough to fight clear of the trap. From then on the column was continually harried by the Kroot, until Colonel Griffin linked up with the Space Marines of the Scythes of the Emperor. With the two Imperial forces combined the Kroot faded away deeming the combined strength too much for direct confrontation.[1]
Biology
The Kroot originated on the world of Pech and, though their physiology is humanoid, there is evidence to suggest that the roots of their evolution may be avian in origin. They retain vestigial beaks and have a light, almost hollow bone structure, with four digits on each hand and foot. Their skin is rough with small, barbed spines, similar to the elongated quills on their heads, protruding from various locations on their flesh.[4b] Skin pigmentation ranges from earthy brown colours and dappled greens to vibrant oranges and everything in between.[16b]
Kroot are tall and their bodies have a wiriness to them that appears deceptively fragile. In actuality, Kroot musculature is extremely powerful and composed of dense fiber spindles with a greater power‑to‑mass ratio than is found in humans. Swift muscle contractions create a whiplash effect, allowing the Kroot to deliver powerful blows with great rapidity. On the ground, the Kroot tend to move with a bounding, hopping gait, but in dense forests, they can spring from tree to tree at great speed.[9d]
Depending on the feeding directions of the Kroot Shapers, the colouration of each kindred can vary quite considerably. It is also common for Kroot from each kindred to have particular tribal markings painted onto their skin. Kroot mature quickly, with their most rapid period of growth occurring in the first ten years of their lives. By the age of twelve they are considered adults and it is not unknown for Kroot to live to over a hundred years old, their skin becoming increasingly pitted and leathery in their last few years of life.[1]
The limited specimens that have been made available for study are found to have brains composed of a front and rear hemisphere. It appears that the larger, frontal hemisphere controls the functions of logic, reasoning and memory while the rear, less developed hemisphere is more attuned to imagination and creativity. If this is indeed the case, it would go some way to explaining the pragmatic approach to life of the Kroot and their current technological stagnation.[1]
The Kroot head is crowned with a great mass of tough, flexible quills that appear to be a part of the Kroot's sensory apparatus. These quills contain what seem to be ganglia running from the frontal lobes of the alien's brain and, in this position, would be extremely efficient at receiving and interpreting information on the surrounding environment.[13a] The olfactory cavity within the Kroot skull is also enlarged, with multiple sense organs within both it and the mouth.[4b] Their eyes are without pupils and generally a milky white. It is likely that they are able to see further into the infrared end of the spectrum and can sense the body heat generated by their prey.[Needs Citation] All of these combine to make the Kroot formidable trackers and pack hunters extremely difficult to sneak up on.[18a]
The Kroot generate little in the way of waste, excreting it in the form of a pungent, oily sweat that has a variety of properties, depending on what the Kroot has consumed. The most apparent benefits are that this sweat appears to be heat-retardant to a degree, has antibiotic properties, serves as insulation, and can cause a poorly-aimed blow to slide clear.[18a] It is suspected that the Kroot can alter the properties of this secretion in order to leave pheromone trails, mark territories, leave warnings and even communicate with one another.[18a] This may also be some form of control that extends to lower life forms such as birds and animals, as there is evidence to suggest that the Kroot employ empathic pheromones to prevent such creatures from being startled by them and giving away their position in battle.[9b] Combined with this method of communication, the Kroot can learn new languages at an astounding rate, matching posture and tone to the sound of foreign words in order to discern their meaning.[Needs Citation] Their own verbal communication is a mixture of clicks and whistles, possibly reinforced by these pheromone exudations.[4d]
They favour primitive garb: harnesses worked from the hides of animals and adorned with bones, handcrafted amulets and circlets.[9d]
Shaping
A unique feature of the Kroot is that they evolve by absorbing the traits of other species, a process accomplished by eating their flesh. For instance, Kroot that eat particularly muscular species such as Orks will take on more muscular physique themselves.[4c][4d] Kroot can change substantially from this process, even growing wings.[15] Due to this, the many Kroot warbands across the galaxy often look radically different. Kroot leaders are known as Shapers[4d]; they are generally the Kroot with the instinctive ability to recognise desirable and detrimental traits in defeated foes and instruct the kindred what to eat to suit the task at hand.[4f][6a] Should anything inorganic and indigestible be consumed, the Kroot must regurgitate it, with considerable discomfort.[1]
This eating of their foes ties in with the religious beliefs of the Kroot: they believe that when a warrior of any race dies, his warrior spirit should be kept, and the only way to do this is by eating his flesh. The Kroot practice this in their "burial" customs, in which the body of the deceased is consumed by the kindred.[2]
The Kroot digestive system is extremely efficient, capable of breaking down almost any organic material into an energy form that can be stored in specialised organs scattered throughout their bodies, called nymunes.[9d]
However, the strangest quirk of Kroot digestion is their ability to extract potentially useful strands of their food's DNA. Adeptus Mechanicus Genetors have long been aware that much of the double helix structure of DNA is in fact blank and used to separate those areas that do contain genetic information.[16a] The Kroot have somehow inherited the ability to incorporate useful DNA codes into their own genetic makeup.[6a]
The process is not an exact science and there are many examples where it has gone awry, leaving some trapped in evolutionary cul-de-sacs, the Krootox and Kroot Hounds being the most visible evidence of this. At some point in their evolutionary history, both sub‑species of Kroot fed upon creatures that were possessed of traits they wished to take on, but in doing so, atrophied their intelligence. The Krootox are now much larger and stronger but became lumbering creatures, more akin to forest-dwelling herbivores than their smaller, more intelligent kin. The Kroot Hounds became faster and leaner but, like the Krootox, their intelligence was reduced, becoming little more than vicious predators.[4f] The Kroot use these variants of themselves as labourers, pack animals, mounts, and even as weapons, especially the gargantuan Knarloc.[13c][13d]
There are other variations, such as the smaller, flying Kroothawk (which is revered by Kroot as a possible evolutionary ancestor)[13b] and the serpentine Krootworm, as well as other, more terrifying creatures. Deep within the forests of Pech, there exist beasts that were once Kroot but have since descended hideous evolutionary paths to become monsters that feed on their own kind. Such places have become cursed and only the bravest or most foolhardy Kroot ever venture within their haunted depths.[Needs Citation]
The consumption of certain creatures is forbidden by Shapers. These include:
- Tyranids, which the Shapers have declared inedible (which means something far more horrible to a Kroot than it does to a human) because the Shapers are repulsed by the Tyranid's particular way of changing their genetic makeup.[6a]
- Humans who worship Chaos, though Kroot are not always able to to distinguish cultists from the average human.[6a]
- The T'au, due to their role in saving the Kroot's homeworld of Pech from Orks; consuming T'au flesh is a crime that brings swift and deadly retribution from the Shapers.[6a]
Kroot are able to "taste" the taint in the meat of dead Genestealer hybrids, even if the mutations are not visible.[3a] Purestrain Genestealers are particularly dangerous for Kroot to consume, as it reduces them to slaves of the Hivemind. In one instance, eating part of a Genestealer's head caused a Kroot to mutate rapidly into a berserk multi-limbed hybrid.[30]
They are unable to effectively shape the living metal of the Necrons, and doing so produces hideous effects as was demonstrated on Caroch.[10]
Variations
Psychic Kroot
The Silver Skulls of the Adeptus Astartes encountered Kroot that had assimilated DNA from the Eldar and gained powerful psychic powers, which allowed them to cover themselves in an illusionary disguise that hid their true nature, appearing instead as dark, midnight-blue creatures with smooth skin, long sinewy limbs, clawed fingers, and large amethyst-purple eyes set in a comparatively small, elongated face that came to a triangular point with two nostril slits at the end, no visible ears, and a mouth full of a double set of razor-sharp teeth. Their psychic disguise was only ruptured when their cerebral connection was broken, such as when their head was severed, after which they would revert back to their true Kroot form.[5]
They also displayed the ability to generate multiple psychic illusions of themselves in battle, which appeared to their enemies as completely corporeal and capable of causing harm. However the illusions were extremely vulnerable to psychic attacks and would dispel back into thin air when hit by one.[5]
The Silver Skulls recognised that Kroot with psychic potential posed a grave threat to the Imperium and recommended the planet where they were encountered on be cleansed.[5]
Green Kroot
Kroot who have eaten a fungal diet of Orks can turn green, muscly and boisterous.[15]
Subspecies
Kroot subspecies are variations of Kroot whose ancestors pursued strands so regularly that they became fixed in their attributes and have lost their ability to evolve with new strands. Subspecies have also lost much of their intelligence as well as their ability to speak the Kroot language. However they can still understand the verbalisations of the Kroot and the pheromones secreted, making the link between Kroot and their subspecies in battle seamless.[18a]
Known Subspecies
- Krootox
- Kroot Hound
- Vulture
- Kroothawk[13b]
- Knarloc
- Great Knarloc
- Krootor[28b]
- Krootworm (characterized as 'diminutive')[18a]
- Twelve-leg (characterized as 'skittering')[18a]
Culture
Kroot live in kindreds, which function somewhere between mercenary companies, extended tribal families and nomadic warbands. A kindred can vary in size greatly, and each has its own codes, traditions, scent-variants, as well as skin pigmentations.[18a]
Bonds between members of a kindred are extremely close, and to attack one Kroot is to raise the ire of its entire kindred. Kroot within a kindred are able to identify each other by scent, vocalisations such as squawks and howls, and the rattle of their quills when they smell blood.[18a]
Kroot greatly revere their ancestors. Known collectively as the Roots, the ancestors are venerated for conserving the wisdom, knowledge and strands that enabled the Kroot of the present to live and continue their family lines.[18a]
Kroots operate in a clan-based culture across the various homeworlds. These clans are overseen by Elders, who dispatch Kroot across the galaxy, often to serve as mercenaries in order to strengthen the clan via genetic absorption.[12]
In order to gather genetic material from all over the galaxy, the Kroot offer themselves as mercenaries, and sell their services to anyone willing to pay them.[9a] They travel the galaxy taking limited contracts from both major and minor races, and are regularly employed by the T'au. While the contract with the T'au is supposed to be an exclusive one, the Kroot regularly send out their Warspheres to continue their mercenary trade amongst the wider cosmos.[6b] Despite being mistrusted by most in the Imperium, they are very faithful to their contractors. They see it as their life's duty to absorb the many genetic traits across the Galaxy, and betraying a client would jeopardise this mission.[14]
Technology
Outwardly, the Kroot seem to be a simple pre-industrial society, seemingly incapable of achieving powered flight, much less travelling through space.[4c][4d] In fact, after their first encounter with the Orks, the Kroot built cities and industry, but following their defeat and annexation into the T'au Empire, Anghkor Prok advocated the Kroot return to their traditional ways and technologies, keeping only the warp-capable Warspheres.[22c]
The primary weapon deployed by the Kroot is a rifle whose design is derived from the fighting staffs used by their ancestors. This weapon is fitted with blades on the stock and the end of the barrel, which the Kroot make deadly use of in close combat.[16a] Originally a slug-thrower, the weapon was modified by the T'au to fire a charged particle similar to their own Pulse Rifles. This modification quickly became standard for all Kroot.[Needs Citation]
The Kroot Rifle is not the only weapon the Kroot make use of. There is the large Kroot gun, which is tied onto the backs of Krootox. Next, there is the Kroot hunting rifle. Longer then the Kroot gun, the Kroot hunting rifle has a potentially longer range, but the Kroot must remove the attached blades.[Needs Citation]
Besides these primary weapons, Kroot make use of a variety of more exotic firearms such as the Accelerator Bow,[22a] Dart-bow,[24] Krootbow,[25] Kroot Long Gun,[23] Kroot Scattergun,[22b] Tanglebomb Launcher,[24] and Kroot Bolt Thrower.[26] Moreover, Kroot mercenaries often bring back weapons from previous employers, further diversifying their armoury.[6b][15]
Religion
The Kroot believe in a variety of gods, including Vawk and Gmork[13e] who are credited with creating the universe.[13f] Kroot see the eating of the dead as a sacred act and honour their own fallen by consuming them in burial ceremonies.[2]
Known Kroot
- Anghkor Prok — A Master Shaper and legendary Kroot hero who fought against the Orkish invasion of Pech.
- Dahyak Grekh — Mercenary tracker.
- Doakhye Trosk.[20]
- Gorok — a Kroot Shaper met by Ciaphas Cain who helped keep the peace between loyalist and xenos-following Imperial citizens on the planet Gravalax.[3b]
- Grark Krarh.[20]
- Lokh.[21]
- Mataba.[19b]
- Ohrak'tcha Yabek.[20]
- Omutu.[19a]
- Orak (or Orek) — A Kroot Shaper fighting under Commander Brightsword.[2]
Kroot Kindreds
- Bonegnashers[9c]
- Coldfire Kindred[9c]
- Fleshtakers[9c]
- Kechlykka Kindred[18b]
- Misthound Kindred[29a]
- Murabla Kindred[17]
- Oathbreakers[9c]
- Omchak Kindred[18c]
- Tuskbreakers[29b]
- Uh'eht Kindred[18a]
Known Kroot Worlds
- Akchan-Kur
- Asphodel (planet) — Swamp World.[28a]
- Caroch
- Chata — Jungle World.[18a]
- Krath
- Kraw — Forest World.[18a]
- Ky'san
- Nokoh'mys — Artificial planetoid.[18a]
- Okwa — Frozen world.[18a]
- Pech — Homeworld
- Por'loq — Verdant world.[18a]
- Yuun'chen
Related Videos
See also
Sources
- 1: White Dwarf 264 (UK), pgs. 94-98 — Index Xenos: Savage Evolution
- 2: Kill Team (Novel), Chapter Six, pgs. 201–208
- 3: For the Emperor (Novel) — Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium (Omnibus):
- 4: Xenology (Background Book):
- 5: Primary Instinct (Short Story)
- 6: Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos:
- 7: The Art of Warhammer 40,000, pg. 216
- 8: Codex: Tau Empire (6th Edition):
- 9: Only War: Enemies of the Imperium:
- 10: Codex: Necrons (7th Edition) — A New Epoch Begins
- 11: Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition), pg. 35 — Alien Auxiliaries
- 12: Blackstone Fortress (Novel), Chapter 16
- 13: Liber Xenologis:
- 14: Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress Background Booklet, pg. 16
- 15: Warhammer Community: Birds of a Feather Feast Together – The Kroot Are the Galaxy’s Premier Hunters (posted 26 August 2022) (archived from the original on 4 September 2022, last accessed 26 July 2024)
- 16: Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition):
- 17: The Inquisition (Background Book), pgs. 94-95
- 18: Codex: T'au Empire (10th Edition):
- 19: Codex: Tau (3rd Edition):
- 20: Warhammer Combat Cards, card description
- 21: Mindshackle (Short Story)
- 22: Kill Team: Into the Dark Rulebook:
- 23: Kroot Lone-spears Snipe Specialists, Bust Tanks, and Slink Back into the Underbrush (posted 19 February 2024) (archived from the original on 5 April 2024, last accessed 26 July 2024)
- 24: LVO Preview 2024 – Don’t Get Caught by the New Kroot Hunting Pack (posted 19 Sept 2024) (archived from the original on 5 July 2024, last accessed 26 July 2024)
- 25: Rogue Trader: Into the Storm, pg. 146
- 26: Forge World Rules for Great Gnarloc (posted April 2004, archived from the original on 24 March 2004, last accessed 11 April 2025)
- 27: Codex: T'au Empire (8th Edition), pg. 14
- 28: Black Crusade: The Tome of Blood:
- 29: Rogue Trader: Edge of the Abyss: Chapter III: Foes and Rivals: The Kroot
- 30: A Forbidden Meal (Short Story)
| Kroot Forces | |
|---|---|
| Command | Master Shaper • Shaper (War Shaper • Flesh Shaper) • Shaper Council |
| Kindred | Carnivore • Headhunter • Hunter • Lone-spear • Stalker • Tracker • Vulture |
| Farstalker Kinband | Kill-Broker • Kroot Tracker • Warrior • Cold-Blood • Pistoler • Heavy Gunner • Long-Sight • Cut-Skin • Bow-Hunter |
| Beasts | Kroot Hound • Krootox (Krootox Rampager) • Kalamandras • Knarloc • Great Knarloc |
| Other | Punji Traps • Warsphere |
| Castes | |
|---|---|
| Allied Races |
Anthrazod • Boaburi • Brachyura • Charpactin • Demiurg • Domati • Formosian • G’nosh • Galg • Greet • Humans • Hrenian • Jagordian • Ji'atrix • Kroot • Morralian • M'uh'ja • Nagi • Nicassar • Ostense Council • Phosiab • Pohu-Agg • Ranghon • Tarellians • Thraxians • Vespid • Vorgh • Yabi-Yabi |
| Military |
Fire Warriors • Kor'vattra • Merchant Fleet • Auxiliaries • Information Awareness |
| Culture | |
| Notable Characters |
Aun'Va • Aun'shi • O'Shaserra • O'Shovah • Puretide • El'Myamoto • T'au Sha'ng |
