Wight

Overview

A Wight is an evolved, or more accurately, a devolved stage of the Ghast, being so badly decomposed that its body has swollen to an abnormal size. Contained through the aid of magic, a volatile mixture of virulent diseases and decomposition gases swirl within its misshapen form, straining perpetually to break free from their putrid prison. The pressurized toxins inside it put the Wight in a constant state of agony even in undeath, so much so that its only real motivation is to fulfill its purpose so that it might achieve the peace of a final death. It does so by plunging a dagger, the only weapon the Dark affords it, into its own bloated body when in the vicinity of enemies, which releases its contents in a singular explosion of infected pus and choking vapors. With no desire but release and no utility other than to sacrifice itself to kill or debilitate others, the Wight is more a weapon than a form of life, and their masters use them as such.

Being among the most feared of the Dark's vile creations, the presence of a Wight on the battlefield is as much a psychological threat as a physical one, often being enough to unsettle even the most stalwart veterans of the Legion. Aside from the damage caused by the explosion itself, the fetid substances it incubates can cause nausea and temporary paralysis without even mentioning the possibility of lingering disease. In addition to their uses in combat, the Dark has been known to use Wights to poison water supplies and for general demolition purposes. They are sometimes harvested for their festering tumors as well, which are potent explosives in their own right.

Characteristics

The most striking characteristic of the Wight is its grotesquely swollen body, which is so unnaturally enlarged from the internal buildup of fluids and gasses that in most cases the creature is barely capable of walking. Unlike other variants of undead, Wights are not directly created, but rather evolve from another type of undead, the Ghast. At some point during the normal lifespan of a Ghast, a transformation occurs, and its skin becomes waxlike and impermeable. This catalyzing event, which can be accelerated through the aid of magic, heralds the Ghast's transformation into a Wight, as the normal byproducts of decomposition will no longer be able to escape its body, and thus its form will begin to swell dramatically as they build up. The intense congregation of diseases and putrescence that this process eventually creates ensures that the Wight is typically accompanied by a host of corpse flies.

Though the transformation is magical in nature, certain outside factors, such as significant physical degradation, can easily prevent a Ghast from becoming a Wight. Furthermore, once this evolution has occurred, special care must be taken to ensure that the subject does not explode prematurely. Since all Wights are in an active stage of decay, should a particular Wight's body become structurally incapable of containing its contents, it will involuntarily explode, potentially causing devastating damage to its masters. For this reason, it is not uncommon for Wights to be kept apart from other troops.

Role in the Series

The Wight is a unique, single-use unit in the Myth series that can inflict massive damage and temporary paralysis upon a large number of units if used properly. Finding means to insinuate them into an enemy formation is no mean feat, however, as Wights are both slow and frail, giving ranged units plenty of time to pick them off from a distance where their concussive payload will be wasted. For this reason, Wights benefit more so than other undead from the ability to hide underwater indefinitely, as this is one of the more effective ways to surprise an opponent. Otherwise, it is best to try distracting one's foe with other units while sneaking in a Wight from another direction.

A popular practice particularly in multiplayer games, Wights can be preemptively killed (usually with the healing ability of the Journeyman or Heron Guard), which leaves behind a pile of innocuous Wight parts. The largest of these remains, often referred to as pus packs or pus packets, are still volatile, and can be picked up and thrown by Ghôls as makeshift paralytic hand grenades, creating a miniature version of the signature Wight explosion. While this sacrifices a fair amount of the potential damage of the Wight, it was heavily favored by many players in online matches, as the fleet-footed Ghôls could deliver their payload much faster and more easily than a sluggish Wight.