I know that some of you here know their roles too, but on the request of POTS I present to anyone who doesn't already know: Unreal History!
Just a little information on each monster to help people understand them (whether they want to or not).
If somethings wrong then I'm sure you'll let me know, and NO I did not copy this from somewhere, the references to Unreal's beta versions are from a site but the rest is all me.
Pupae are baby skaarj spawned by the Queen, given time they will grow into one of the other types of Skaarj. Flies are wildlife native to Na Pali, in Unreal's beta versions they could shoot stingers much like tentacles, but they took these out to enforce the "low threat pest" idea. Mantas are also native to Na Pali, they seem to find the sun very important as you can often find them basking on rocks, and cave dwelling species with no access to sunlight are both paler and weaker. Tentacles are native to Na Pali, cave dwelling predators. Devilfish are native to Na Pali, simply big carnivorous fish. Squid were never used in Unreal, but would probably have joined the Devilfish as mindless predators. Slith, whilst apparently unintelligent are used by both the Skaarj and the Mercenaries, whilst still doing their own thing in other places. Found swimming around lakes in the wild, or swimming around big tanks of acid in Skaarj or Mercenary bases, I never figured out excactly how these guys work. The game designers had plans for Fire slith who swam through lava and Nitrogen Slith who swam through...guess. Sadly they never made it into the game. Krall are a warrior race enslaved by the Skaarj and forced to serve them, they are given all the jobs the Skaarj don't want to do themselves.Thus they take pleasure from finding anything lower than themselves to abuse and kill. Krall Elites are more skilled Krall, often found as team leaders. Skaarj Scouts are lightweight fighters, used for scouting, killing nali, acting as security guards, and other semi-military jobs. Skaarj Warriors are full soldiers, and don't do unimportant jobs like the Scouts. Skaarj Assassins are veteran warriors, and as such are found in places where their skill is needed. Skaarj Lords are the champions of the Skaarj race, commanding whole armies of soldiers and protecting the Mothership. Skaarj Berserkers are genetically modified skaarj, much bigger, stronger, and tougher but also very aggressive, used when they won't get too close to other skaarj, such as guarding some button in an isolated temple. Ice Skaarj are a very rare subspecies of skaarj, possessed of high health and immunity to the "Frozen" damage type, they are deployed in situations where it's so cold other skaarj couldn't fight properly. Skaarj Troopers are new recruits in the "gun" class of skaarj, not yet trained enough to take part in real war, they are found as guards. Skaarj Infantry are fully trained "gun" skaarj, garrisoned where they may be needed. Skaarj Gunners are the heavy weapons of the gun Skaarj class, used when toughness and/or big explosions are required. Skaarj Snipers are almost as fragile as they look, but as we all know are damn good shots, always placed somewhere out of harms way, such as a big tower. Skaarj Officers with their white platemail armor are the toughest and most skilled type of gun Skaarj, and as their name implies they lead groups of gun skaarj and manage bases. Lesser Brutes are used when the cost of a full Brute isn't necessary. Brutes are genetically modified, heavily armored monsters used the by the Skaarj as guards, a task they excel at because they have no need to eat, seep, or do anything other than destroy.They take about a third less damage from explosive attacks. Behemoths are experimental prototypes for the next generation of Brutes. You only find 2 during the whole of Unreal, as secret weapons deep underground. The Skaarj have certainly been hard at work though, as you find no fewer than 8 during the Xpack level Foundry Taryidium Plant. Warlords are a type of Skaarj, obviously powerful and rare, but they aren't mentioned once by anything in the game, almost like the stereotypical "lone hero". Only 1 is encountered in Unreal, first for a brief battle in the lava filled cavern of Level 28: Demonlord's Lair, where he escapes by teleporting, and again in Level 33: Skaarj Generator. In the Xpack you meet another as a boss enemy in a Nali Castle amidst the mountains. Mercenaries are a bit of a mystery, as whether they are friends or foes of the skaarj is uncertain.The evidence for them being enemies of the Skaarj, is that at the entrance to their fortress, Terraniux, you find a skaarj warrior standing over a dead merc and trying to open the door, which is suspicious.
Also, the areas you find mercs in NEVER have any skaarj, krall, or brute units, which also implies they are separate factions.
In the Xpack maps Watcher of the Skies and Gala's Peak, Mercenaries replace the Ice Skaarj on difficulties above Easy, like a takeover.
In Watcher of the Skies, a skaarj aircraft flies overheard in the snowy canyon, the skaarj rarely seem to use ships for anything, so why use an aircraft to look at mercenaries?
The evidence for them being friends of the Skaarj is in their name, which implies that they're, well, mercenaries.
Following the mercenary idea, maybe the lack of other units in their bases is because they simply do their own thing, maybe part of the alliance contract (as a metaphor) is "leave us alone".
The Ice skaarj replacement could just mean that on higher difficulties the Skaarj sent mercs to guard those areas instead.
About the plane, if they were enemies you would expect the plane to have shot the Mercenaries, or vice versa
Elite Mercenaries are simply more skilled Mercenaries. Titans are a mystery to me, whilst sometimes found wandering the landscape as big, stupid beasts, they are other times found in gladiatorial arenas, references to them carved in stone in nearby areas, or overseeing vast amphitheaters in temples like some kind of magical guardian. Stone Titans are never found wandering around, and are confined to the mystical guardian theme of Titans, sitting on a throne in a mountain guarding a bridge over a lake of fire etc. etc. The Queen is the heart of the Skaarj empire, deep inside the Mothership. The Skaarj refer to her, or possibly the area she lives in as "The Source" a fitting term as all Skaarj grow from the Pupae she mothers. Oddly enough for the ruler of a bloodthirsty race of aliens who want to dominate the galaxy and subjugate all races, the Queen is fond of her children and if you kill a her Pupae near her, she screams so loud it shakes the room. Nali Rabbits are native to Na Pali, small, harmless little hoppy things who eat grass and squeal if you frighten them.Although wild, you find them in a rabbit hutch in Level 25: Bluff Eversmoking. Cows and Baby Cows are native to Na Pali, found either as wandering herds in the wild, or kept as cattle by the Nali. Due to the lack of any noticeable udder, it doesn't seem to be for milk, but it's hard to imagine a Nali killing and eating one. That being said, in Xpack level 4: Glathriel Village you find Devilfish with knives stuck in them, caught by a Nali fisherman. If a cow is harmed, the entire herd will enter a "defensive mooing" mode where they all nod their heads up and down and repeatedly moo at the target. It's worth as a defense is approximately zero.NOTE: War Cows have a certain kinship with regular Cows, and are likely to become annoyed with those who harm them for no reason.
Nali are the only indigenous creatures of Na Pali who have a culture. They live in small villages where the raise cows, meditate and grow plants. Strangely for creatures who live in thatched roof villages, there are castles, temples, and monuments carved of stone, perhaps indicating a more technological phase of Nali history. The obvious answer of rich and poor, taken from the Medieval period of human history cannot be applied, as the Nali have no system of wealth or status.When the Skaarj arrived they chose the Nali as slaves, killing and torturing any who refused. Yet the Nali are not done fighting, they will frequently open secret passages for the player in Unreal 1, a form of quiet rebellion against the Skaarj, and Nali corpses can be found with weapons still clutched in the hands, suggesting a less quiet rebellion. Should the Nali ever fight back on an organized scale they would be a very powerful guerrilla movement thanks to their powers of hovering, flight, teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, and the ability to see the future. Such powers raise the question of why they are slaves in the first place, yet the amount of time it takes for individual Nali to teleport, (between 5 seconds and over 80 seconds) supplies the answer that not all Nali have all theses skills, or can use them well.Because of their status as slaves to an evil race of aliens who help the player when they can, Nali have a classic "goodie" appearance, yet not all is as it seems.In Unreal Level 7: Dark Arena, you find prisons, torture chambers, and even a gladiatorial arena, whilst in Level 12: Temple Of Vandora, there is a sacrificial altar with a groove for blood to run off.
Only the Nali, Skaarj, and Mercenaries are capable of constructing buildings, and the Skaarj and Mercenaries do not build medieval structures out of stone.....Nali history has had dark times, it appears.
Spinners are cave dwelling creatures found only in certain parts of Na Pali (the Xpack to be precise).Like most Spiders they can fit through tiny gaps. (at least for story purposes, they have a hitbox like everything elses) Predators, also called Pack Hunters, are also Xpack creatures, with unique coding that makes them run away and find friends when attacked. They are often found eating Brutes, Nali, Cows, anything they can sink their teeth into. Blobs are simply big, acidic bacteria which float through space, often found in laboratories.Being amoeba they are completely mindless, and rush towards anything living and try to consume it.
