They are the scourge of the Republic during what is known as The High Republic era, and writing over at StarWars.com, Story Group member Emily Shkoukani dips into the fractious hierarchy of the Nihil in the latest Inside Intel.
Starting at the lowest rank, the Nihil consists of Strikes, Clouds, and Storms, which form a Tempest (overseen by a Tempest Runner); and at the very top, the Eye sits adjacent with three Tempest Runners. From the outside looking in, these words hold little distinction, but within the organization, these titles are hard-earned.
Making up a majority of the organization and sitting at the bottom of the hierarchy are Strikes. Strikes are the foot soldiers of the Nihil, and they are expendable to those further up the food chain. Those Strikes that don’t find themselves a casualty in crossfire can make their way up to being a Cloud.
A Cloud is both a rank and a name used to refer to a group of Strikes. A person with the rank of Cloud is in charge of a group of Strikes, distributing orders and keeping the newer recruits in line. As members of the Nihil continue to progress within the organization, the tactics used to rise in ranks become more devious. Whereas a Strike might be promoted to Cloud for merely recruiting a handful of new members, a Cloud might sabotage any competition in their way of becoming a Storm.
Like Clouds, a Storm refers to both a rank and a group of Clouds. A person holding the rank of Storm is in charge of a group of Clouds (individuals), oppressively commanding their underlings. If “Storm” didn’t have enough meanings, it is also sometimes used in chants such as, “Who are we? The Nihil! What do we ride? The storm! Who guides us? The Eye!”
- Hardcover Book
- Gray, Claudia (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages - 01/04/2022 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
