Zeraks

The Zeraks are a mysterious and dangerous race from the Unknown Regions the Halo Zone. They are considered a large threat to other races as well as the forces of Chaos due to the race devouring the souls of their victims and foes in order to increase their own power.

Biology

The Zerak’s true biology is unknown as Zeraks are a race that evolves through the process of devouring souls. How this is done is unknown but clearly through some unknown means the Zeraks evolve into different types of sub-species within their race. Many of these forms, size wise, are equal to a Space Marine or larger, and also contribute to the race’s hierarchy underneath their gods and intelligence. However survivors of creatures from a nightmare with many who have seen them and live sometimes lose their minds describe their forms. Despite this, the Zerak’s forms are mostly between Eldar, Ork and Human, with the normal body structure such as arms and legs. The only similarity that the Zeraks have between themselves is that they have red sclera and dark yellow eyes.

Sub-Species
During invasions or other events in which the Zeraks interact with other species, the Zeraks feast off the being’s souls. It differs from humans, space marines, orks, eldar and even Tyranids. From eyewitness reports, Zeracs appear to feast off of a soul that greatly intrigues them. After eating a certain number of souls, the Zerac begins an evolution into a different form, gaining different features, characteristics, abilities and personalities. It also seems that depending on their evolution, it places them in a certain hierarchy within their race and military.

Overlords
Powerful Zeraks that have consumed thousands of souls and conquered many worlds in the name of the Dark Overmasters, who have given them great power and authority over the race’s armies also known as Fractions.

Dreads
The elite fighting force of the Zeraks. This sub-specie have consumed souls that have given them great strength and fighting skills, combined with decades of experience, they are also the race’s veterans, given some of the best weapons and armor to use in battle They are about the same size of a space marine and a few are the size of a terminator marine. The Dreads are usually used as guards for the Overlords or as high-ranking officers.

Drifters
The Drifters are different from the other sub-species, instead of serving the Overlord of their army that they use to serve in they instead only serve the Overmasters. They are given free reign of where they go and what they do as long as it benefits the Zeraks and sometimes act as assassins. They wear light armor or clothing, suiting their names as beings who travel the darkness of space.

Gladiators
Gladiators are under the same category as the Drifters are except that they must fight alongside the Fraction that the Overmasters assign them too. They wear specialize design armor and weapons that suits their certain battle style and usually take the roles as commanders in a Fraction, assassins or bodyguards for the Overlord that they are sent to serve. Other sub-species see the Gladiators as champions of the Zerak’s gods.

Casters
They are the psykers of the Zerak race. The Crafter’s appearances are slimmer then the other sub-species, as well as more frail because the psychic power robs them of the requirements for close combat. Their skin is usual purple or pale and can float too. Sometimes they act as the communication officers between the Zerak’s forces

Striders

Similar to the Dreads, the Striders are some of the Zerak’s best warriors in the art of stealth and assassination. They have slim reptilian bodies and have their weapons fused with their own limbs.

Reapers
The Reapers are the light infantry like the Maulers but have more of an authority amongst the Zeraks, like a field officers underneath the Dreads and Overlords. Their bodies are about the same as an Eldar though their size is the same as a Space Marine. Sometimes they act as special operatives for important missions.

Maulers
Maulers are the heavy infantry of the Zerak race, around the same size as a Terminator Marine and an Ork Nob. They have pale and white skin and have a primal like appearance. They can act both as range-fighters and melee fighters. There are those amongst them that completely lose themselves due to the Mauler’s low emotional control. These Maulers are called Savages.

Eliminators
They are the largest of the Zerak sub-species, as well as less intelligent. The Eliminator's size is equal to a Chaos Obliterator, Dreadnought or Tau Battlesuit. They are slow and do not speak, so it is hard to tell how high their intelligence is but they are fierce fighters. Their bodies are covered in heavy platting armor along with weapons strapped to their arms, which they have four of.

Stalkers
They are the only flyers among the Zerak sub-species. The Striders have a mix of insect and bat like form. They work well in groups and at nights, and many times people say that its like the skies themselves are screaming due to their voices that cause panic amongst the enemy.

Trackers
Trackers are the second lowest sub-species in the Zerak’s hierarchy, though they serve a better role then the Lurkers. Instead they act as scouts and snipers, due to their slim short bodies along with high tracking senses.

Lurkers
<p class="MsoNormal">They are the most numerous out of all the Zerak sub-species, excluding the Drones. They are about half the size of a regular human, grey skin and hunchbacks. The Lurkers serve as the main infantry and as shock troopers too, hiding within the battlefield with bombs in order to surprise the enemy.

Drones
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"> The Drones are the main fighting force of the Zerak's armies. Human size with pale skin and no distinguishing features, they are considered the cannon fodder of the Zerak’s race as well as the first stage of the Zerak’s evolution while others believe that they are the original form of the Zeraks before they began devouring souls for their evolution.

Crafters
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"> The Crafters are the builders of the Zerak's war machines. Have midget like bodies with psychic powers but because of their purpose to building do not possess high fighting capabilities so they are kept in the back during battles. Sometimes they act as hackers due to their skills in technology.

Herders
<p class="MsoNormal"> Herders harvest souls from a battle or from dead worlds to be used as food for the Zeraks. Long pale purple skin beings with two tails and four arms, to better serve in harvesting left over souls while being able to move in difficult places. The souls they gather are to be brought back to the Zerak’s homeworld to be fed to the next generation or to increase more evolutions amongst their forces.