In the Warhammer 40,000
universe, the Kroot are a species of humanoids that evolved from avian creatures. Kroot are tall aliens (a
good half-meter taller than most humans), their avian ancestry giving them a
bird-like
beak and
long quills protruding from their heads like
hair. Smaller quills, possibly the evolutionary remnants of feathers, can be found scattered over their bodies.
A Kroot Carnivore Squad, including Kroothounds and a KrootoxAn unusual feature of the Kroot is that they evolve by selecting traits of their defeated foes to absorb by eating them. Due to this, the many Kroot warbands across the galaxy often look radically different. Kroot leaders are known as Shapers; they are generally the Kroot with the best ability for recognising desirable traits in defeated foes and tell his Kindred (the word for a Kroot clan) what to
eat to suit the task at hand. For instance, a Shaper who wants his Kroot to gain muscle mass
will take on campaigns against Orks to acquire the right
DNA, while extensive feeding on flying predators
will allow the Kroot to grow wings. This eating of their foes
ties in with the religious beliefs of the Kroot: they believe that when a warrior of any
race dies, his warrior spirit should be kept, and the only way to do this is by eating his flesh. The Kroot practice this in their "burial" customs, in which the body of the deceased is consumed by the kindred.
Kroot who prey extensively on a particular species
will begin to take the characteristics of that creature. In sentient species such as Orks and Humans, they may also take on cultural aspects of that
race as well. Kroot who have fed on Dark Eldar, for example, soon begin to show signs of the cunning and intense cruelty the Dark Eldar are known for.
