| “ | We are hunters for His Dark Majesty. We are the ilken. And we have been sent to retrieve our quarry. | ” |
Ilken are huge demonic entities, with large wings and venomous claws.
Contents
History
Ilken were created by Erawan using the Wyrdkeys so he could add expendable aerial troops to his armies.
Empire of Storms
Several ilken were sent to hunt down Elide Lochan and were killed by her and Lorcan. Later, and army of five hundred were sent to kill Aelin, but were all destroyed.
Kingdom of Ash
Ilken were used in Erawan's battles as air support and shock troops, dying in the hundreds but killing many more rebel soldiers. Erawan used them to attempt to break the charge of the Rukhin in the last battle, but it was unsuccessful. When Erawan was killed, the ilken all died at once.
Personality
All Ilken are described as pure evil, and were created to be so. They enjoy tormenting others and causing death, destruction, and mayhem. When Lorcan encounters them for the first time in Empire of Storms, he describes the Ilken as "part human and part whatever Erawan had done to them."
Physical Description
Ilken are huge creatures, approximately eight feet tall standing on their back legs. They have demonic, soulless, black eyes, as well as sharp claws and jagged teeth. Their skin is a mottled blue, so dark as to be almost black. They have long, lightly muscled limbs that have been ruthlessly crafted and honed. Ilken have five-fingered hands with long, flesh-shredding claws. They have smashed in, bat-like noses that reveal double rows of needle-like teeth. When they walk on their hind legs, they bend backwards. After further experimentation by Erawan, ilken now have wings.
Powers and Abilities
Ilken have the ability to fly, and are extremely skilled in both combat and murder. They lack the characteristic Valg abilities of umbrakinesis and psychic manipulation, or control over shadows and the ability to cause fear, but make up for those losses with their battle prowess and savagery. They have extremely venomous claws, able to cause a slow, agonizing death. Ilken are able to talk like mortals and Fae. They are able to melt shields created by magic, such as Lorcan's. The only way to kill them is by beheading or fire; they are able to heal themselves very quickly.
Appearances
Trivia
- Ilken were the only Valg species created solely by Erawan.
- Ilken are the only Valg species with the ability to fly.
- Ilken do not possess the characteristic Valg abilities of umbrakinesis or psychic manipulation, and they are also not parasites, unlike most Valg.
- Aelin once killed five hundred of them with one blast of fire, proving that they are as weak against fire as most Valg.
