Husk

This page contains spoilers.

Husks are powerful magical beings that exist in the world of Never Satisfied. The process through which husks come into being is currently unclear, but they arise from humans who are "consumed by magic". Husks are considered incredibly dangerous, and security forces including the guard and the representative are tasked with containing and destroying them. Others, such as Dr. Isra Karim, her wife Neith Karim, and former research partner Dr. Malliet, have researched husks with the goal of curing them of their condition.

Origins
Husks are human or formerly human, and the process through which they become husks is currently unknown. The process in some way involves familiars, as all known husks do not have a familiar, and display traits of their former or destined familiar. The familiars of former magicians who have become husks no longer exist as distinct entities.

There appears to be a popular conception that husks are "magicians that eat their familiars". While literal consumption may not be involved, Rin Soga became a husk after inadvertently shooting her own familiar, Wolfe, lending some level of credence to this theory.

Description
Husks vary in appearance, behaviour, and power level depending on the individual person they have developed from, as well as their current tier.'

Tiers
Neith Karim describes four husk tiers. A husk's tier is not fixed; they can shift between these states.

Tier one husks are the most human-like in both appearance and behaviour. They look largely indistinguishable from their former human selves with the exception of their eyes, which glow brightly with the colour of their magic. This can be disguised through the use of dark or coloured glasses, enabling tier one husks to pass unnoticed through society. It is apparently difficult for husks to retain the tier one form.

Tier two husks are still largely humanoid, but cannot always pass as human. They begin to show features of their familiar, such as fur, feathers, claws, or horns, and may have other exaggerated physical features like long hair or greater height.

At tier three, husks are very clearly non-human, with more notable animalistic features and a somewhat larger body size. They are extremely powerful at this stage, but also heavily emotional, making them dangerous. Nonetheless, it is possible for a husk to retreat from the third tier.

Tier four husks are, according to Neith Karim, the source of the term Husk, as they are simply "shell[s] of magic and emotion" and "there is nothing left of the person they used to be." Tier four husks appear to be massive in size and have relatively few remaining human features, although they may retain an overall humanoid body plan.

Individual features
The animalistic features of a husk's upper-tier forms are related to their former familiar. For example, Thierry Rothart grows claws, a beak-like nose, and blue feathers, resembling his former peacock familiar. This is likely true even of non-magicians (who do not, therefore, have obvious familiars) who become husks; for example, it is indicated that Su-Yeong, whose second- and third-tier forms resembles a goat, would likely have had a goat as a familiar, had she managed to become a magician.

Abilities & Behaviour
Husks grow more powerful at higher tiers, but also lose control of their mental faculties. Their behaviour, especially at upper tiers, is ruled by powerful emotions such as rage and despair, which they seem to have difficulty regulating.

Unlike with magicians, for whom gemstones serve as an extra supply of magic, when husks wear gemstones these serve to siphon off some of their excess magic, assisting them in retaining control of a lower-tier state. . Other 'magic sinks' exist as well; Ivy occasionally serves as one for Thierry.

Rin Soga indicates that she will make a particularly adept husk due to her skill and training as a magician and guard, implying that husks can use magic in much the same way as human magicians, although they may also have unique abilities.

It appears that Su-Yeong was able to in some way manipulate Lucy, although it is unclear whether that is a husk-specific power or an effect of Lucy's unique magic-siphoning ability.

Perception
Public perception of husks is very negative, with the common view being that husks are mindless beasts, or former magicians who have cannibalized their own familiars.

Husks are generally perceived, first and foremost, as threats; the automatic response of authority figures is to eliminate them.

Dr. Karim states that husks draw their power from their eyes, and that the sheer quantity of raw magic generated in such close proximity to the brain is what results in their loss of mental faculties. .

Known Husks
There are currently three confirmed, living husks: Thierry Rothart, Su-Yeong, and Rin Soga. A husk was also responsible for the apparent deaths of Dr. Malliet and Morgan ; the identity and fate of that husk is currently unknown.

The Crocodile lady is a husk featured in an issue of The Triad; she may be fictional, legendary, or historical.

It is implied that Lucy's magic-siphoning ability may be in some way related to husks.