Ascended nerubian

Concept art.

Ascended nerubians (known in development as evolved nerubians) are an elite type of nerubians found in Azj-Kahet. In return for the nerubians' loyalty, the Harbinger Xal'atath has provided them with knowledge of a dark alchemical process through which they can evolve chosen nerubians into paragons of their race, enhancing their viciousness and turning them into deadly soldiers. Queen Ansurek has eagerly embraced these modifications and offered up her army to achieve Xal'atath's goals, but not all nerubians share Ansurek's enthusiasm for change and have in response begun to plot against her.

An ascended nerubian.

Ascended are created through the alchemical machinations of toying with the Black blood of the Old Gods. This process created several other forms, such as the nerubian hulk and skyrazor, though the Ascended were presented as the first new evolution of nerubians in millennia. Created by a process closely guarded by Izo, the Grand Splicer, they are noted as being astonishingly fast, powerful, and cunning. They are able to harness powers that are otherwise unattainable by other nerubian forms, while still being masters of venom and spellcasting. Their only drawback in concern to the rest of their kindred is that they cannot sense scents, a key part of nerubian culture. The usage of nerubian pheromones, which was cultivated over eons, is completely absent with the Ascended. Not only this, but they also cannot emit these pheromones with any sort of consistency, causing a divide among the ranks of Azj-Kahet, with some stating that they are aberrations or incomplete. Their physique is also unlike any of the other nerubians, adding to further strife.

As demonstrated by Xal'atath, the Ascended hold another hidden key feature, subservience to the Void. Using her powers, Xal'atath can completely dominate the mind of the Ascended, bending them to her will. Y'tekhi, an infiltrator working on behalf of  [22] The Weaver, was unable to resist Xal'atath, turning on her allies and nearly killing the adventurer and Lilian Voss.

Notes

• Despite being referred to as one, The First Ascended is not actually an ascended nerubian, instead she is a nerubian hulk. This may be an intentional epitaph, however, to mock the person the Ascended once was.
• Though created through a similar process, the nerubian hulk and skyrazor are specifically not ascended, instead referred to as their own type.
  • Nerubians such as Rasha'nan and Broodtwister Ovi'nax were also modified in a similar manner, though they too are not referred to as Ascended.
  • Queen Ansurek herself appears to also have been modified slightly, being granted additional legs and a humanoid half that is more akin to the Ascended rather than how she was beforehand, though she is still referred to as a nerubian queen.