Kills-in-Shadow

Athletics 54
Dodge 67
Lore 22
Parry 67
Subterfuge 62

**Kills-in-Shadow** is one of the Fatebinder's companions. She can be recruited in Act II.

## Background

Kills-in-Shadow is the last of the Shadowhunters, a powerful Haven tribe of beasts that destroyed tribes such as King-Vipers, Alerion, and Thornstags. She is a pack alpha, broodmother, and even has magical abilities usually reserved for tribe mystics. She’s also frightening, hairy, stinks of wet animal and has an insatiable bloodlust for violence and slaughter. Beyond that, she is also a clever hunter, a brutish, skilled fighter, and is tenaciously loyal (unless, of course, she has sensed a weakness) to whomever she chooses to follow, whether that be her ruthless sister, Creeping-Death, who was the last leader of their savage tribe, or a human Fatebinder stronger than even the toughest of Beastwomen. Kills-in-Shadow is intelligent but uneducated, hulking but agile, and an unapologetic killer but not evil. She’s a highly evolved predator, forever marked by the magic of Haven’s dark forests–primarily driven by instinct and an insatiable lust for violence. She is also boastful, daring, smart, easily excited, and has a quirky sense of humor. She often snorts, snarls, growls, and chuffs with laughter.

Killsy is a hunter from birth - or as she insists, from the second season of her life, when she made her first kill. For years she served as Bolverk to her sister, Creeping-Death, until the Disfavored invasion during the Conquest that saw her tribe destroyed. After losing her tribe, she journeyed east, towards Azure, marking her way with slaughter. Eventually, she came across a pack of caitiffs, beast outcasts, and assumed command over them. This led her to the Stonestalkers, where she once again served as Alpha under Hundred-Blood, teaching the liberated slaves how to fight and destroy their former masters.

As the last surviving Shadowhunter, she’s on a single-minded hunt for blood and vengeance, and will not be satisfied until each and every Disfavored has been wiped from Terratus. And though her kith were slaughtered mercilessly during Kyros’ conquest, the Shadowhunters had a reputation for being one of the most vicious tribes of the Tiers. If most Beastwomen are hyenas, Kills-in-Shadow is a lone lioness–proud, regal, and wholly deadly. Drawn by a spectacular display of strength and prowess, she is now stalking the Fatebinder’s scent.

## Interactions

### Recruitment

* Kills-in-Shadow is encountered in a random encounter in whatever area you're traveling through after starting your quest chain: Haven, Blade Grave, The Contested Lands, or the Stone Sea
* An easy way to gain early loyalty with her is to slap her. Slap her and defeat her tribe in combat to gain early loyalty.

### Combat role

*See Kills-in-Shadow talents for a complete breakdown of Kills-in-Shadow's talents.*
Though lacking access to many of the more sophisticated items of equipment, Killsy compensates with natural armor (her thick hide), natural weapons, and natural resilience coupled with a talent for stealth. She excels at initiating combat with a strong initial attack and then standing her ground as a damage-dealer. Her Ravager Talent tree emphasizes her hunting instincts, turning her into a terrifying fast attack fighter capable of dealing tremendous amounts of damage. The Titan tree on the other hand is designed to maximize her longevity and performance against multiple enemies. Note that while she can equip two-handed weapons, she uses them one-handed; be sure to train the correct skill should you feel the need to do so with a trainer.

Currently, her Titan build offers incredible amounts of damage output unparalleled by any other companion.

Her key weakness is, unsurprisingly, the lack of armor for her to wear. She has a lot of hit points, but they will run out if she is surrounded or fighting multiple fast attacking foes. The best way to maximize her utility is to focus on big, slow targets that need a strong, firm hand to break apart, while her allies swat the flies.

### Quests

* Return to the Wild and In Chains: Killsy offers information crucial to a just resolution of the case.

### Other interactions

* With Loyalty 1, you can ask her to spar, giving you the opportunity to, well, fight with her. You can stab her (or curl up into a ball and whimper), or use Lore 28 to blast her off of you, or Athletics 28 to headbutt her. This gives a boost to her Loyalty.
* Sirin has an unique interaction with Kills-in-Shadow: After asking Killsy about the current situation, if she asks about siding with the Tiersmen and talk back, you can backhand the Beastwoman. If Sirin is present, she will offer to sing a song of pacification. Accepting it earns Major Fear with Killsy (as you did not assert your dominance) and Average Loyalty with Sirin. If you refuse, you gain Major Loyalty with Killsy and Average Fear with Sirin.
* At the beginning of Act III, she will confront you if you are working with the Disfavored. You will be able to convince her to back down with Loyalty 2 or 3, promise her you will work towards ensuring the safety of all Beasts, or deal with her more... Directly.
* Bringing Killsy along to Bastard's Wound is recommended. Not only does she have a large number of interactions with various beastmen, she also participates in the examining of the murals in Fractured Depths and Darkened Hollow. After examining at least three, she will request to talk with you and offer her feedback. She will provide her theory on the relationship between the Bane, beastmen, and the Oldwalls in an indirect way, then demonstrate real-time adaptation to her surroundings by becoming one with the shadows. With Lore 33 you can suggest it's a natural beast ability, Subterfuge 56 suggest it might be dangerous magic akin to that of Reef-Talon, or just ask if the mural taught her to do that. She will gain the Infused Shadows artifact/ability.

## Reputation

Loyalty
* Appreciates dominant, straightforward ways. A good way to earn major loyalty is to slap her in the face during your first meeting, then proceed to lay down the hurt on her and her runts.
* Interactions
	+ Respects challenging her to fight when you first meet her.
	+ Ask her about any new hunts whenever you talk to her for a quick minor loyalty boost (they stack quickly).
	+ Enjoys a sparring match. And a game of rut-mate-slaughter. Or being told to bathe. Asking about hunts. Really, she appreciates any interest in her.
	+ Pleased by bringing her to meet Fatebinder Nunoval at Plainsgate (Chorus).
	+ Assert dominance over Sirin by refusing her offer to sing Killsy a song of pacification (see above).
* Quests:
	+ Likes breaking the Edict of Stone, bringing life back to the Stone Sea.
	+ Pleased that the Earthshakers joined your fight against Kyros.
	+ Pleased by seconding her words against Graven Ashe.
	+ Likes sparing Left-Claw and silencing the crowd during In Chains/Return to the Wild.

Fear
* Making her fear for her survival naturally increases this counter.
* Dislikes underhanded ways or not showing dominance.
	+ Allow Sirin to sing Killsy a song of pacification (see above, Major).
* Quests
* Killsy will gain Fear for every quest you complete for the Disfavored.
	+ Enraged by the decision to execute Left-Claw.
	+ Dislikes breaking the Edict of Stone and blighting the Stone Sea.
	+ Disappointed by the decision to eradicate the Stonestalkers.
	+ Mortified by attacking Hundred-Blood.

## Quotes

Killsy: "Am bathing. Right now." Her red eyes brighten with amusement.
Barik: "Don't simply drag your fetid tongue over another matted patch of fur. Stand under a waterfall or kneel in a stream. The crying statue in Edgering Ruins comes to mind."
Killsy: "Is washing with waterfall how packmate became trapped in iron? Did not think to shed iron shell first?" She runs her tongue over her fangs and rumbles a satisfied purr.

## References

1. ↑ Official bio on the *Tyranny* homepage.