Title: The Birth and Rise of the Dark Eldar: An In-Depth Look
In the grim darkness of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, there exists a myriad of fascinating beings. Today, we delve into the perverse depths of one such race — the Dark Eldar. These cruel sadists have mastered the art of soul and body torture, using their unfortunate captives as sources of a twisted form of sustenance. Should you ever find yourself in their clutches, trust me, you would rather entrust your soul to the Emperor’s mercy than endure their torment.
The Dark Eldar’s origins trace back to when the Eldar Empire was sinking into the abyss of depravity. Pleasure-seeking Eldar were indulging in extreme hedonism, not only on their planets but also in cities constructed within the Webway. However, their decadence had a devastating consequence: the birth of the Chaos God Slaanesh. Upon its arrival, countless Eldar lost their souls to this insatiable deity, except for those who took refuge in the largest city, Commorragh.
Survivors of the cataclysm, the Dark Eldar, unlike their Craftworld kin, felt no remorse for their sins. Their souls were only partially consumed, driving them to madness but leaving them with a twisted form of life. Fearful for their souls and devoid of soul stones, these Eldar discovered a horrific path to survival — by torturing victims, they could nourish their souls with agony and suffering. This malevolent ritual not only elongated their youth but held off their ultimate consumption by Slaanesh, the ‘Hungry Beast.’
United under their grim cause, the inhabitants of Commorragh ventured into the real world on gruesome hunts. Their prey – millions of living beings, captured as slaves. These raids continue even today, for life is a fleeting resource, and without a constant infusion of suffering, the last vestige of the Eldar Empire would cease to exist, thus birthing the Dark Eldar.
Physically, the Dark Eldar differ little from their kin. Their skin is pale, almost ghost-like, a result of dwelling in a sunlight-devoid city. Subsisting on the souls of their victims, they live for many millennia but are not truly immortal. Over time, they’ve developed a grotesque dependence, a ravenous hunger for foreign souls.
Interestingly, psychers are notably absent among the Dark Eldar, a phenomenon uncharacteristic for their kind. Some theorize that their psychic abilities vanished due to an excessive focus on physical perfection — their constant conflicts and wars have made them physically superior. Others argue that the use of psychic powers might draw the unwanted attention of Slaanesh. As a result, sorcery is strictly forbidden within the borders of Commorragh.
The Dark Eldar, or Drukhari as they call themselves, compensate for their psychic deficiency with an array of psychically charged artifacts. Their technology closely mirrors that of their Craftworld kin, with the only exception being the absence of Bonesingers. Hence, they rely on building and assembling items instead of growing them from Wraithbone.
Commorragh, often referred to as the Dark City, is a colossal agglomeration of islets of various sizes, constantly swirling in an endless whirlwind. Towering over these islets are gigantic black spires, their sizes capable of driving the weak-minded to madness. The Dark City is more accurately a vast network of satellite kingdoms and cities interconnected by countless portals and hidden pathways within the Webway.
Ruling over Commorragh is the Supreme Overlord, Asdrubael Vect. The primary ruling elite are the Kabal, a group of Drukhari that obey the Overlord’s will. The Dark City’s population exceeds entire star systems, making any major Imperial Hive World seem like a dollhouse in comparison. The sky of Commorragh is lit by stolen stars, or ‘Ilmaea’, dying stars moved into the Webway to feed their energy to the Drukhari realm. Between the spike-covered spires, endless streams of ships constantly fly, showing the bustling life within the dark city.
Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where we delve deeper into the twisted society and culture of the Dark Eldar.
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