Rikti

The Riktis are a race of mysterious, extradimensional beings who invaded Earth to turn mankind into slaves during what became known as the Rikti War. However, their invasion was halted thanks to superheroes of the Vanguard, but at the cost of untold lives. Now a compliment of survivors remain entrenched on Earth in sites of the greatest battlegrounds such as Rome, Kuala Lumpur and Paragon City; and, while certainly outnumbered, still pose a serious threat to everyone that they encounter. While no one knows exactly how many Rikti still remain hidden, some estimates place it at a few thousand, while others suggest ten to twenty times as many.

After the Rikti War
Despite what their intentions had been, the affect the Rikti had upon human culture and society was not entirely negative. Thousands of tons of their equipment was recovered after the war - from spaceships to hand weapons, and thanks to their advanced technologies, mankind began to learn from their scientific discoveries. In Paragon City, war walls divide the city into several sections, through the use of forcefields that are employed based on Rikti technology. Other technology garnered from them includes portal systems (used to immediately teleport heroes back to hospitals when their life signs reach critical levels) and advanced hospital beds that repair damage at a cellular level. However, the black market booms with unaltered alien technology as well, making it equally a deadly force left on Earth.

International laws were changed to state that any artifact of alien technology found must immediately be turned over to the local government, who then in turn must hand it over to the Vanguard. Many private research and development firms have gone under government contract to help unlock the potential to be found in Rikti technologies, with the most significant being Crey Industries, who made some of the earliest and quickest advances in their research.

Minions

 * Ruin Monkeys: Created by the Rikti, these horrible creatures are let loose upon creation to wreak havoc. They possess a pack mentality, and can pounce with tremendous speed and ferocity.  They seem as if they come in a never-ending supply.
 * Rikti Drone: During the Rikti War, these flying drones swarmed throughout the sky, and even today sweep through the air with some frequency. They utilize quick and evasive maneuvering combined with sophisticated scanners and powerful energy cannons to complete their objectives.

Rikti

 * Battle Armor: Rikti battle armor is more advanced than any armor found on Earth during their time. It offers the Rikti protection from most normal kinds of physical attack, and is armed with powerful energy weapons.
 * Assault Armor: Built specifically to deal with super-powered opponents, this suit provides the Rikti wearing it with both excellent protection and firepower as well as flight capabilities.
 * Rikti Priest: While Rikti are not known to be religious, they do have members of their society that fill a role similar to priests. These cultural officials investigate instances of aberrant thought, and seek to correct them.
 * Rikti Magus: Some of the more radical members of the Rikti's Restructurist faction have mastered the magical arts, which they have stolen from a group of demon-summoning humans known as the Circle of Thorns.

Notable Rikti

 * Hro'Dtohz
 * U'Kon Gr'ai
 * Rider Death
 * Rider Famine
 * Rider Pestilence
 * Rider War