Enoulian

The Enoulian is a small–sized race, roughly 1.5 metres in height, with thin bodies and smooth pale yellow skin. Their faces are featureless, with vertically–pupiled eyes and only thin slits for mouth, ears, and nostrils. Though they only wear simple clothing (normally loose fitting hooded smocks, rough shoes, and belts), they are far from technologically ignorant and use sophisticated weapons employing alien sciences. Their bandoliers carry crystalline ammunition for their shard weapons, and Enoulians have learned to utilise other weaponry, both xenos and Imperial, as well. They communicate in high–pitched squeaks and hand gestures, but most are able to speak in broken Gothic.

Background
From the time Solomon Haarlock ventured into what would become the Calixis Sector, the Imperium has encountered and eliminated dozens of xenos species. In the uncharted regions beyond the sector’s borders, however, alien races still abide, awaiting an opportunity for vengeance. The Enoulians are one such species, and their hatred for the Imperium is strong.

Calixian scholars theorise that the Enoulians might originate in the Halo Stars, as these xenos are often encountered in the Malfian subsector. Enoulians are often employed as mercenary fighters by heretic and criminal organisations. They react violently to symbols of the Imperium, however, and will never knowingly work for Imperial forces. Only the most strong willed of the race seem to be able to restrain themselves in the presence of the holy Aquila, lest they go into berserker rages.

In combat, Enoulians favour ambushes and ranged attacks, using their shard weaponry as well as throwing knives, but in melee they are formidable due to their deadly whisper lines. Their bodies are nearly frictionless, save for the palms of their hands and soles of their feet, making it difficult to fight them in close combat. They are also known for attacking en masse against opponents, with several ganging up on the unfortunate target in a coordinated assault.

Hiring Enoulians is never certain. They do not accept any standard currencies or precious metals, and instead must be offered a variety of apparently worthless items such as fossilised bones, fragmented rocks, space debris, dead plants, and the like. If the Enoulians favour one of the items, they will accept it and accept the work. If not, they turn away and another offering must be tried at a later date. Analysing the acceptable offerings and trying to predict what will work has become an art form for the criminal underground, with “guaranteed acceptable” items going for high prices on black market. What they do with these items is an even greater mystery, but once accepted, they guard them as fiercely as a Rogue Trader guards his Charter. Most people take the Enoulians as childish given their craving for such baubles, but some in the Ordo Xenos worry whether some hidden pattern to these items could reveal a darker and more threatening purpose.

While the criminal may have difficulties acquiring the service of the Enoulians, the heretical seem more successful of late in employing these aliens. Sightings of Enoulians warbands fighting alongside the forces of the Archenemy are increasing, and the sizes of the warbands are growing in number. That the alien has been welcomed by the heretic seems more and more certain. Where the Enoulians may have long ago been merely footnotes in mankind’s conquest of the Calixis Sector, they are now becoming a dangerous puppet race to be used against the Imperium. Their zealous hatred of the Imperium and its agencies overrides all else, and all signs indicate the races’ hatred may cause it to slide into perpetual servitude to Chaos.