Vrykul

The Vrykul are a race of half-giant humanoids that live within the frozen continent of Northrend. Originally servants of the Titans, at some time before the commencement of the Northrend Campaign they began to serve the Lich King, supplying his Scourge army with living and unliving soldiers while loyally worshiping the former human as their death god.

Not all Vrykul pledged themselves to the Lich King however, with several factions of the proud race remaining fiercely independent. Of these factions there are two which stand out. The Kvaldir, who exist as an entirely aquatic variation of their race and the Brunnhildar Frost Vrykul who directly oppose the Lich King and remain loyal to their titan born patron Thorim.

The Vrykul are the progenitors of the Human race.

History
The origin of the Vrykul are considered to be a mystery even with all the revelations that were brought into the light during the Northrend Campaign. Like many other races on the planet they were created by the Titans when they remade the world after sealing away the Old Gods beneath the earth in their prison facilities. A large race of half-giant humanoids, these beings spread across the northern reaches of Kalimdor, claiming territories in what would, many centuries later, be known as the continent of Northrend. Despite the large amount of territory that they claimed in the northern reaches of the continent however, it is clear that they were, as a species, largely isolated from the other races of the world. Prior to the Northrend Campaign there were no records of their existence even in story and myth, implying that they either remained entirely undiscovered by the other races during the pre-sundering period or that all records of their existence were lost after the sundering shattered Kalimdor into the continents that exist in the present day.

What is known however is that sometime before the first invasion of the Burning Legion, which would bring about the Sundering, the Vrykul were affected by the Curse of Flesh, a permanent, chaotic spell effect which mutated all the races that loyally served the titans. This curse slowly affected the beings that constructed entirely from metal or stone, changing them into mortal creatures of flesh. The Mecha-gnomes, Earthen, Tolvir and Mogu were all greatly affected, their metal and stone skins being transformed, however in the case of the Vrykul, who were already flesh and blood prior to the creation of the curse, the spell had a very different effect. Rather than transform them into a deformed version of themselves, the spell affected their offspring, turning their young into weak, sickly beings incapable of basic feats of strength which were common among true Vrykul children.

The birthing of these 'abominations' was something that disturbed the Vrykul greatly, to the point where their reigning king, Ymiron, decreed that they were to abandon the titan gods that they once served and that all the stunted offspring were to be killed immediately with severe punishment being handed out to any Vrykul who disobeyed. While many of the stunted offspring were killed by the King's decree there were many Vrykul who refused to follow the order, instead taking their children far away from the territories of their people and after passing on the stories of their people and giving them the skills they needed to survive, leaving them to survive on their own. These stunted abominations became the first known humans to exist and their descendants would eventually form the seven kingdoms of humanity starting with the early Arathorian Empire.

After the sundering of the world it is unclear what happened to the Vrykul. There are many theories of what happened to their race but the general accepted theory is that those that survived the sundering were placed in form of hibernation where they continued to live without aging until they were reawakened some time before the Northrend Campaign. It is also rumored that those who were blasted beneath the waves during the sundering were altered by magical energies that surged as a result of the destruction, changing them from the flesh and blood Vrykul to a ghastly sea variant of their former selves known as the Kvaldir.

Currently
The Vrykul were dealt a heavy blow during the Northrend Campaign, with many of their settlements raided by forces that arrived in Northrend seeking to punish the Lich King. Many of their leaders including King Ymiron and Queen Angerboda were slain by adventuring heroes. Despite the massive loss of life and the deaths of the heroes that they regarded with such high esteem, the Vrykul race still exists with significant numbers not including the Kvaldir who remain beneath the waves.

Appearance
Vrykul appear as very large humans, with both males and females appearing to be very muscular although the males often sport large beards which travel down to the middle of their chest.

Types
There are a few sub-species of Vrykul. These sub-species remain true to the standard Vrykul physiology although there are notable differences in their appearence.

Iron Vrykul
The Iron Vrykul have stone or metal skin and are engraved with powerful runes. Despite the similarities in appearance however they are not actual Vrykul by direct blood relation. Loyal to the corrupt watcher Loken, the Iron Vrykul were created by the former guardian using one of the ancient Titan Forges within the city of Ulduar. Their counterparts, the Iron Dwarves, were created in a similar manner by the Forge of Wills within the Halls of Stone.

Frost Vrykul
The Frost Vrykul are a variation of the Vrykul which have adapted to the cold climates within the northern most regions of Northrend. Unlike their fellow Vrykul in the southern areas, the Frost Vrykul have blue skin and are covered in ice with many of the males sporting icicles which hang from their beards and armor. The Frost Vrykul almost exclusively serve the Lich King with two exceptions those being the Brunnhildar and Sifreldar clans. These two clans are fanatically loyal to their titan patron Thorim and are compromised entirely of female Vrykul with the men being used only for manual labor and breeding.

Kvaldir
The Kvaldir are perhaps the most mysterious of the Vrykul variations. Strictly located in the coastal regions and within the deep seas, the only tie they have to their Vrykul brothers and sisters is their general shape. They have green skin and hair and are covered in algae, barnacles and seaweed. Interestingly enough, when the Kvaldir are slain they do not leave behind a corpse, they simply dissolve, leaving only their possessions behind along with any seaweed and barnacles which were attached to their forms. Rumored to be the Vrykul who were blasted beneath the seas during the sundering, they are loyal to the elemental lord Neptulon and are often in fierce combat with the Old Gods and their naga servants beneath the oceans of the world.

Val'kyr
One of two variations of undead Vrykul. The Val'kyr are almost angelic in appearance, sporting ethereal wings and almost transparent bodies. Compromised entirely of females who were selected for service by the Lich King, they once served as his messengers as well as potent necromancers which not only raised many corpses for service within the Scourge army, but also punished any Vrykul who died in battle, raising them as undead Varguls. After the fall of the Lich King, the remaining Val'kyr joined the Forsaken Queen Sylvanas and have since been aiding her in the resurrection of new soldiers for her own armies.

Vargul
==== The second of two variations of undead Vrykul. The Vargul are mostly the dishonored remains of Vrykul who have failed to ascend during the challenge at the village of Jotunheim although any Vrykul of significance who falls in combat is also raised to serve the Lich King in this wretched form of undeath. They are at best, decomposing corpses, with their bones showing and most of their skin and muscle having been destroyed by the reanimation procedure and are treated as such, although their extreme resilience to pain have ensured that they retain a place within the Lich King's forces. ====