The kandra are a race of shapeshifters created by the Lord Ruler through the use of Hemalurgy. Each kandra possesses two Hemalurgic spikes that grant them sentience and the ability to absorb and perfectly replicate the bones - and therefore the appearance - of any creature. They serve humans through a system of magical Contracts, taking on the forms of the dead to act as spies, bodyguards, and agents. Kandra society is ancient and deeply structured, governed by a council of Elders called the First Generation. Despite their servitude to humans, the kandra possess their own culture, religion, and fierce sense of identity. Their relationship with the Lord Ruler is more complex than simple obedience - he is both their creator and their god, and his death throws their entire civilisation into crisis.