>>531004212
That's why I specified "bio-engineered", but I don't know about nanomachines since I can't be certain if they could have a goal, even self-preservation. Then again, considering how you can control skeletons, non-biological beings, this makes more sense
My main thought was that it could be a First Empire creation that they made as a failsafe during the skeleton rebellion, an agent that could resurface eventually to take control of the rebel skeletons and rebuild their civilisation, but seeing that the moon is in an unsalvageble state and nearing it's end due to The Eye slowly destroying the atmosphere and all plant life in the continent, the nanomachines just rewrite their directives to eventually kill all sentient life and speed up Kenshi's extinction (supported by the fact that the most common world state from destroying a faction is for their outposts to become ruined and overruled by wild life).

>>531003590
The fact that a few of them do show some semblance of personality kinda shits on my theory, but it's not like you have full control of your donuts, you can only influence their actions and what they respond in 1 to 1 dialogue

>>531002867
Armstrong himself is an example of nanomachines/parasites giving the host superhuman abilities.