Kreegan

The Kreegan, or Kreegans, are a fictional race of aliens who exist in the Might and Magic universe. The primary antagonists of numerous titles throughout the series of videogames, they first appear in Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven, and afterwards become prominent throughout further storylines set in the same universe.

Role
Throughout the series, natives of the fictional worlds the Kreegan infest have often mistaken the invaders for Demons or Devils due to their close similarities in appearance to the latter race. They travel from planet to planet in high-technological hive-ships which take on the shape of meteorites, waging war on the inhabitants and attempting to claim these worlds for themselves.

They are the sworn adversaries of the Ancients, a mysterious race of technologically-advanced beings crucial to the backstory of the series. Featuring most noticeably in the sixth and seventh installments of the Might and Magic series, they are briefly mentioned - but never encountered - in the eighth and ninth installments.

In addition, Heroes of Might and Magic III features the Kreegan as a playable race - the Inferno faction - and some installments of the Heroes Chronicles series include storylines which involve their race. The Kreegan have made their most recent appearance in Heroes of Might and Magic IV, assimilated into the Necropolis faction.

Backstory
Roughly 1,500 years before the events of the first game, the Kreegan attack outlying colonies under the control of the Ancients, instigating an all-out war. During these attacks, the Kreegan disrupt the Web of Worlds linking all planets under the Ancients' control, thus cutting off support from the homeworlds and rendering their techonlogy upon all affected worlds useless. These worlds descend into barbarism over the centuries, setting the scene for the games.

Heroes Chronicles: The Fiery Moon
This game is chronologically the first in the series to introduce a race of world-destroying Demons. Barbarian armies from the world upon which the Heroes series take place pursue a rogue demigod, Vorr, through a portal to a distant world known as the Fiery Moon.

There, they discover a once-lush world, transformed into a volcanic landscape by demonic creatures who now infest the entire planet. Though they are referred to only as "Demons", it is very likely judging from their description that these beings are Kreegans, having decimated the world in times long past.

Might and Magic VI
The Kreegans make their first real appearance on the Heroes of Might and Magic world at the outset of this game. One of their hive-ships hurtles toward the world of Enroth, landing in the Paradise Valley region on the continent of Enroth. The king of Enroth, Roland Ironfist, leads a crusade against them, but is betrayed by one of his wizards. His entire army is decimated, and only he and two others are captured alive.

Led by an Arch Devil named Xenofex, these Kreegans begin to spread across the world, some of their number (including Xenofex himself) traveling across the ocean to the continent of Antagarich. There, they subdue the Halflings of Eeofol and claim their lush land as their own. Throughout the course of this game, a band of adventurers is mustered and begins to bring about the destruction of the Kreegan menace. They finally succeed, infiltrating the hive-ship and destroying the Kreegan Queen in combat.

Heroes III: The Restoration of Erathia
In this game, the Kreegans appear as a playable faction. One of the early campaigns, Dungeons and Devils, is centered around their invasion of Erathia, a kingdom on the continent of Antagarich. The Kreegans form an alliance with the Dungeon Overlords and slay the Gold Dragon Queen of AvLee, then proceed to attack the Erathian capital of Steadwick. They take the capital for the first time in Erathia's history, a major victory for the alliance.

However, Queen Catherine Ironfist of Enroth has returned home to Erathia, and musters armies to liberate the capital from Kreegan rule. After the liberation, she receives a ransom note from Lord High Commander Lucifer Kreegan III of Eeofol, claiming that the Kreegans are holding Roland Ironfist captive and will only release him to Erathia for a sum of one million gold. Catherine refuses to pay and attempts to rescue Roland by force - he is transported to Xenofex's lair within Colony Zod and is not freed until the events of Might and Magic VII.

Might and Magic VII
The Kreegan continue to hold King Roland captive during this game. Towards the end of the game, the playable adventurers are charged by their main questgiver to slay Xenofex in Colony Zod. They travel to the Colony within the Land of the Giants, destroying the Kreegan defenders - including Xenofex himself - and finally rescuing the captive King.



Heroes III: Armageddon's Blade
This game explains the actions of the Kreegans directly after Might and Magic VII, focusing on the wars between Erathia and Eeofol after the death of Xenofex. Lucifer Kreegan, formerly Eeofol's Lord High Commander, usurps the throne and, driven by visions from Xenofex's spirit, orders his servant, a half-Human, half-Kreegan named Xeron, to gather the components for a blade capable of setting the world on fire.

Xeron is opposed by elementals, but manages to amass the three components and forces Antagarich's Grand Forgesmith, a former wizard named Khazandar, to build the "Armageddon's Blade". Meanwhile, armies from Erathia and AvLee gather to end his quest, invading Eeofol in the process. In a deciding battle, Xeron is defeated and the Blade is claimed by the enemy.

Queen Catherine Ironfist and the recently released King Roland pass the Blade on to the Elven Hero, Gelu, who enters Eeofol's capital city, Kreelah, and slays King Lucifer Kreegan. Soon afterwards, the Kreegans in Antagarich are reduced to wayward clans and groups which are later totally eliminated by Erathian forces. This brings an end to the Kreegan invasion on the world of Enroth.

Heroes IV
Despite having been eliminated from Enroth, the Kreegan make another appearance on the world of Axeoth, the setting of Heroes IV. As Enroth was destroyed by Armageddon's Blade, the natives of Enroth survived by passing through newly-summoned portals to the world of Axeoth. After some years, a necromancer named Gauldoth Half-Dead founds the kingdom of Nekross - the Kreegan dwell in this kingdom alongside the undead.

The Kreegan are mentioned by Gauldoth even before he travels to the so-called Fiery Realm and returns to Axeoth with many of their kind to bolster his army. A Demon named Suraze later leads a rebellion against Gauldoth, but is eventually forced to side with the half-dead king against the threat of Kalibarr, a lich poised to destroy the world. Eventually, Gauldoth overcomes Kalibarr, and the Kreegan on Axeoth continue to live on.

Variants
The Kreegan race is branched out into a variety of separate variants, including "Demons", Devils, Imps, Pit Fiends and the Elite Guard.

"Demons": These creatures appear throughout Heroes of Might and Magic III and the Heroes Chronicles series. They are not true Demons (the actual Demon race appears in Heroes Chronicles: Conquest of the Underworld) though are strongly similar in appearance. 'Demons' lead the armies of Eeofol throughout this game, and are recruitable units.

Devils: These Kreegan fight at the head of the Inferno faction in Heroes of Might and Magic. Tall, looming creatures armed with scythes, they move from one place to another by 'bamfing' from the physical world to their own plane of existence and back, and seem to be among the most powerful of their race. A Devil named Xex is a minor character in Heroes of Might and Magic III: Armageddon's Blade.

Pit Fiends: These are red-skinned Kreegan who appear in Heroes of Might and Magic III. Armed with whips, they are the slavemasters of the Inferno faction, dominating the weak with an iron fist. They are more powerful and durable than ordinary 'Demons'.

Imps: Seemingly the lowliest members of the Kreegan race, Imps appear in Heroes of Might and Magic III and IV as the weakest units in their faction. They are small, red or yellow-skinned creatures with sharp, biting teeth and claws, occasionally armed with pitchforks. An Imp named Skizzik appears as a main character in Heroes Chronicles: The Fiery Moon.

Elite Guard: An unofficial term for the unique Kreegans who appear in Might and Magic VI and VII. These Kreegans' body shape is more or less humanoid, with unusually large hands, and arms long enough for them to touch the ground while standing upright; in Might and Magic VII (although not in Might and Magic VI) the Elite Guard move in a fashion similar to that of gorillas. They are found throughout the lands surrounding the Hive in Might and Magic VI, and in the Land of the Giants in Might and Magic VII.

Other appearances

 * Kreegans comprise the bulk of Mutare Drake's Nighon army in Heroes Chronicles: Clash of the Dragons.


 * The Kreegan are briefly mentioned in Roland Ironfist's letter to his son, Nicolai, in Might and Magic IX.


 * Though not seen at all throughout the game, the Kreegans are mentioned many times towards the end of Crusaders of Might and Magic. The antagonist, Necros, seeks to reawaken a 'Kreegan Gate' and refers to the Kreegan as one of the 'Elder Races'.


 * Warriors of Might and Magic features characters of the Kreegan race named Klayexraan and Daglathor, the game's antagonist.


 * The Kreegan are central throughout Shifters, the sequel to Warriors of Might and Magic. The main character, Alleron, is capable of 'shifting' into one of their race, and a location named the 'Kreegan Temple' makes an appearance.


 * 'Demons' are mentioned in Might and Magic Book II: The Shadowsmith. It is possible that this refers to the Kreegans.


 * A fan-canon campaign was created for Heroes of Might and Magic V named Legends of the Ancients, continuing the Heroes IV storyline which was discarded by Ubisoft. The campaign's story features Malustar, a Kreegan hero from Heroes IV, and Ebora, a succubus from Might and Magic IX, among other characters from the series. It also includes the broken Armageddon's Blade.