I think Rist was the original source of the Krjalki practice of turning into Monsters.
They were strong supporters of the EWF and practiced rituals which allowed them to call upon Lefthanded Fertility Powers when the moment was right. In battle, the Rist Initiates were known to to grow copper fingernails, turn their skin into bark or eject sporific spores.
When the humans fought against the EWF, they left Rist alone as they were ill-equipped to deal with it. Rist left the humans alone as they found it convenient to be free from 'entangling alliances' with the corrupt and grasping Youfland Princes. Rist then became a haunted place where Angels feared to tread.
When the Lunars burned Rist to the Ground, the survivors fled to Hellwood. They took their rituals with them and tried to adapt it to the new land as the old cult centres were now ash. They may have even asked some decreipt Hellwood natives for advice. But when they successfully practiced their draconic rites upon the new soil, Chaos entered it through the roots and transmuted the spirits they had prayed to before into Krjalk. The leaders didn't care as they thought it was an acceptable price to pay to live in the Promised Land but since then over the decades, Chaos has been warping Hellwood so that it has begun to extend its tendrils outside the inner circle of Krjalki.
All IMO.
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