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Date of Birth: Undisclosed Age: Undisclosed Race: Darkelf Gender: Female Hair: Silver White Skin: Grey (if possible) Eyes: Crimson (if possible) Height: A little taller then average Weight: Deceptively slender, fairly strong
Place of Residence: Undisclosed Place of Birth: Undisclosed Known Relatives: None
Occupation: Witch elf Weapons of Choice: Dual swords Professions: Undisclosed
Enemies: High Elves, so far... Likes: A good battle and a sturdy elf to abuse from time to time. Favorite Foods: Sirlion steak, medium rare. Favorite Drinks: blood red wine Favorite Colors: Red, Black, Silver and Purple. Dislikes: An unfair fight, when she's on the receiving end. Hobbies: Hunting for particular peices of obscure information and new contacts, Blood Sport, Torturing the undeserving and Carpentry.
Physical Features: Feminine oval shapped face, with high cheek bones, large cat shaped crimson eyes and full pouty lips. Special Abilities: Only those bestowed to her by Khaine, if any. Positive Personality Traits: Death singing in her hands Negative Personality Traits: Death singing in her hands Misc. Quirks: Silveya tends to be fairly quiet. A single word here or there to sum up her entire thoughts. She allows her swords to sing for her and feels little need to communicate past the song of blade and blood. Unless of course it is to widdle some useful tidbit out of another or perhaps to earn a wicked smile from her cohorts.
name for the site ? « Result #8 on Aug 13, 2008, 10:34pm »
I cant decide on a name for the site...so post a suggestion, also it would be great to have someone to mod each army but thats way down the road. I'll be glad for any help with the site.
The Black Ark « Result #9 on Aug 13, 2008, 10:52am »
Credit to Underway and Shadowspite for this fanbased article from Druchii.net's Cult of Pleasure Initiative.
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“The mist rose up without warning from the dark water, grey clouds so thick that we could see barely a yard in any direction. It had been a clear day, yet within a few minutes it was black as midnight. Dieter went below to fetch the captain, but he was nowhere to be found. He'd vanished from his cabin without a trace. We’d just about decided he must have thrown himself overboard, even though no-one had seen him do it, when we heard the screams.
I thought they were just seagulls at first, but no seagull screams like that. Sigmar help me! They took Franz. He was as close to me as I am to you now when he just seemed to jump into the air and disappear. The beasts... birds... daemons or whatever they were... just snatched him off the deck. Others were being picked off too, yanked up into the sky to Sigmar knows what horrible fate. We could hear our poor shipmates’ screams mingling with those of the beasts that had carried them off.
The mist thinned and for a moment, we thought the nightmare was over. Then we saw the castle.
You're trying hard not to laugh. I know you think I'm insane. I would not be here otherwise. It doesn't matter anymore. I know what I saw and I know it is impossible all the same. Maybe I am crazy... Maybe it'd be easier if I were...
It loomed from the evaporating mist just off the port bow, a damned castle floating in the ocean, huge and dark and somehow hideous and beautiful at the same time. It seemed to be made of black glass and even though its outer wall was but a few yards away, I couldn't make out any joins in the stonework. The castle looked more grown like a living thing than built. The towers were far taller and more slender than those of any castle were in the Empire. From the lofty tower tops purple banners fluttered in the breeze. There were letters or runes on the banners, but I could not read them. My eyes felt like they were set to burst from just looking at them.
Moreover, the skulls... they were everywhere, stuck on poles all over the castle walls and hung on chains from the sides of the towers. Not just skulls, though. Some heads were newer, still with flesh on them. It was heads of men, women, and even little children. Sigmar have mercy on me, I could not look away, no matter how terrible the sight.
The sea was roiling. I swear there were... things... under the water. Huge black eyes stared at me... Ancient, hungry and utterly evil... Daemons of the Deep! Sigmar save us all!"
<Patient becomes delirious and has to be restrained. Interview resumed several minutes later.>
"I am sorry, Sisters. I wouldn't have hurt you, I swear. I just wish I could forget what I have seen!
We tried to alter course away from the castle, but there was no time. Its foundations must have extended out under the water. The timbers shrieked, then buckled and cracked. We'd run aground a hundred leagues or more from land. We were completely helpless. Utterly doomed.
Then they came. From every doorway and arched window of the castle, they streamed, falling upon us like daemons. They were clad all in black, or shades so rich and dark they appeared black. Their armour was black too, lacquered and glistening in spiked and segmented layers, like the legs of a beetle. Their blades shone like polished silver even in the gloom. Their faces... By Sigmar, they were so beautiful... I am sure there were maidens among them, though it was impossible to determine which. They were so pale and cold, as if ice water flowed in their veins. Perhaps it did. I saw none of their blood, for none of us could so much as scratch them. Their eyes were death!
Some of us they killed, taking their heads as trophies to add to their obscene collection. Others were not so lucky. Gods forgive me, but I hid, crawling under a pile of headless corpses. My poor shipmates... The stench of blood and death overcame me and I fainted.
When I awoke, the black castle was gone and I was alone in the broken carcass of my ship..."
- From an interview with ‘Marcus Schelper’ inmate of the Altdorf Asylum recorded by Sister Constanz Gelt IC 2397
The greatest of all ships in the Warhammer world is undoubtedly the black ark of the Dark Elves. Able to carry entire fleets of lesser ships, savage monsters and whole armies of corsairs and warriors within their vast, cavernous holds, the black arks serve as the furthest outposts of the Witch King’s empire.
The black arks were created in the time of the Sundering, the Great War that raged between High Elves and Dark Elves over five millennia ago. In that conflict, great spells were cast against the magic that confined the Chaos wastes to the north. This sorcerous backlash created a tidal wave of immense proportions that smashed down upon the original homeland of the Druchii.
The Dark Elves, grasping control of the swirling winds of magic, cast dread spells upon their fortresses, saving them from the raging ocean that flooded into Nagarythe. The spells tore the fortresses and castles free of the bedrock and let them float upon the froth and turmoil that had submerged their homeland.
Thus were the black arks created, floating keeps and castles that now patrol the waters of the world, bringing back captives to the Witch King’s cities.
As each fortress, keep, and castle was unique in its design and construction, each black ark is also distinctive. Modifications over the years to accommodate their new naval function have made them more diverse with each passing century. Most black arks are comparable in size to land-based castles and fortresses, but a few are the size of small cities and can carry thousands of Dark Elves and their slaves.
Despite individual variation, all black arks share many basic features. Most important are the method of propulsion and the ability of the ark to float, as well as the sorcerous mists that disguise the vessel and confound any enemy that attempts to close with her. All of these features are products of the black ark’s unique ability to capture, store and transmit magical energy.
Deep in the bowels of the ark, at the very centre of the ship, lies something the Druchii refers to as the ‘ darkwell ’, a large reservoir of the magical substance known as dhar . In order to understand what dhar is, one must be aware of the true nature of that form of Chaos energy known as ‘Dark Magic’.
The winds of magic that blow out across the world from the polar Chaos Gateways are split into eight distinct ‘colours’, but there are many places in the world where these eight winds are channelled together into churning vortices of raw power. Where these vortices become trapped, either by the vagaries in the flow of the eight winds or by the malevolent intent of an evil spell caster, the magic precipitates out of the Aethyr as a cool, viscous liquid of a black so dark it seems to drain all warmth and light from its surroundings. This dark fluid is known as dhar and it is the raw power source of pure destruction and entropy that ignorant mortals call ‘Dark Magic’. Dhar naturally sinks deep into the earth and, given enough time, crystallizes into the horrifically dangerous substance known as warpstone. While dhar does not mutate living flesh as easily as warpstone, it is still hazardous to mortal creatures, attacking the mind, and causing delusions and insanity in all but the most evil-hearted and strong-willed.
The darkwell of a black ark oozes the stored dhar within it throughout the ship, a stain of Dark Magic that permeates every corner and aspect of the ark. The energy of the dhar can be harnessed using any number of ensorcellments. The spells that were cast upon the black ark to keep the vessel afloat rely on this dhar. The very hull of the ship absorbs the magic hungrily, reducing its density and allowing the ark to float partly above the waves.
The mists that surround every black ark are a reaction between the naturally divided winds of magic and the dhar seeping out of the ark onto the surface of the water. The mixing of winds and ooze creates a disorienting hallucinogenic mist that permeates the air wherever an ark travels. Over the years, arks have been modified with special conduits to collect the dark fluid and channel it into strategic locations around the ship. When it flows more quickly, the mists become denser and thicker, allowing the ark to use them to foil enemy attacks and to thwart those who wish to use magical or mundane means to discover the black ark’s intentions.
Even the green witch lights that glow eerily in the darkness of the ship’s hold are powered by the darkwell. They ignite in the presence of the black fluid and, as long as it permeates the ship, the lights will never go out.
A darkwell, however, does not last forever. As the power of the darkwell is used, the store of dhar within it lessens and the magical potential wanes.
All black arks are equipped with sails to catch the winds of the world and power them towards their destinations. Massive sails attached to the towers and monstrous masts catch the breezes and move the massive bulk of the black ark through the water. However, not all the sails are designed to catch the mundane winds. Some harness the winds of magic instead. These rune-covered sails collect the winds of magic and transfer their energy down the masts of the ship. At the base of each mast is a crystal, which focuses the different colours of magic and distils them into dhar. The distilled magic is then brought to the darkwell, replenishing the magical store of the Black Ark.
These special sails are also the reason a black ark can sail against the wind. By running up mundane and magical sails together, a black ark captain can skilfully use both the winds of magic and natural winds to move in any direction, as the winds of magic blow from the poles of the world while the natural prevailing winds usually blow from the east or west. The dhar contained within the darkwell can also be used by the ship’s sorceress to power spells of propulsion should the masts be damaged or the winds weak and variable.
The hull of each ark is unique due to local variations in the original Nagarythii geology and architecture upon which they once rested, but all black arks hide most of their massive bulk beneath the waves. Like an iceberg, black arks have at least two thirds of their mass below the waterline. This is why an ark may look like it only holds a crew of a few hundred may in fact accommodate thousands more, hidden below decks.
The lowermost bilge decks of black arks are usually abandoned. They hold a few small caverns that open to the sea and collect all the scum and waste that trickles down from the levels above which then leaks into the ocean. Dhar permeates even this underused part of the ark, ensuring water and waste only travel out of the ship. This is an efficient way of waste removal and many small creatures live in the filth, waste, and dankness of the lowest levels of a black ark.
The decks directly above the bilges are known as the dungeon decks and are reserved for mounts and other lesser beasts. Cold ones and dark steeds are stabled here, while hydras nest in damp caves. These creatures are kept locked up until such time as they are needed for landing arises. Convenience dictates the slaves be kept here too as main diet of the beasts is slaves. In addition, as this level is just above the bilge decks, waste from the beasts is allowed to leak through cracks and holes directly into the bilge decks, separating the Druchii living above from the disease and disgusting conditions of the dungeon decks.
The next decks up are split decks on most black arks. The forward half of the ship is known as the stores deck. This is where all the valuables captured by Druchii raiding forces are kept, where the multitude of artisans required sustaining the army labour, and where the galley and food stores are kept. It still lies below the waterline.
The rear part of the ship is known as the beast pen. This monstrous cavern occupies the entire rear of the ship from the dungeon decks to the stern gate. It is a welldeck, where water from the ocean freely flows into the cavern so ships and sea-monsters can take shelter within the walls of the black ark. As the Druchii use many large and ferocious beasts in their navy, this cavern is usually populated by a number of beastmasters who live in apartments next to the beast pen. There are also many roosts and nesting places for dark pegasi, manticores, and even dragons carved into the walls of the cavern. Wooden platforms, cranes, towers, and walkways are built into the cavern walls and ceiling so the beastmasters may reach their charges and tend to them. The entrance to the cavern is usually closed, protected by a massive steel door and portcullis. This huge gatehouse, called the stern gate or beastgate, ensures only by the will of the captain can anyone enter or leave. The beastgate is a modified version of the original gatehouse of the fortresses prior to being naval craft. The gatehouse was extended upwards and dug downwards to accommodate the sea dragons and hell drakes captured by the Druchii fleets.
The top deck is just below the main courtyard of the black ark. It usually houses most of the troops that live in the black ark. This is where the lowly crossbowmen and spearmen play their dice and the corsairs sharpen their blades. The deck is divided into many compartments to help support the structures built upon them.
The upper decks and courtyards of the black ark appear almost identical to the ancient courtyards the Druchii race built in their fortresses. The only differences are the dark stairways leading down into the lower decks and the huge masts springing out of the rock. Around the courtyards are massive towers, the largest of which are usually flanking the beastgate and on the bows of the black ark. Large walls linking these towers form protective vantage points from where repeater crossbows can be fired. The towers are designed to accommodate many reaper bolt throwers and their crews. The tallest towers hold the accommodations for the ship’s captain and other high-ranking officers, as well as the sorceress whose spells maintain the black ark. From the tops of these towers, the actions of all the crew within the ark’s main courtyard and upon its walls can be seen.
A black ark may seem like its only weapons are its massive bulk and the many missile weapons that can be brought to bear from its walls, but the Druchii are nothing if not inventive. Positioned in the outer walls of many black arks are small drawbridges, large enough for three elves to cross abreast. These ironbound planks have large metal spines and spikes attached to their underside. When the black ark approaches an enemy ship, these boarding planks drop down onto the deck, jamming them into the wood and holding the other vessel fast, making capture slaves and vessels at sea almost effortless.
A black ark in combat is a horrible sight. Mists of magic foil the enemy’s attempts to target it with bolt throwers or cannons. Black fletched bolts from reapers and repeater crossbows slam into the enemy ship as the black ark draws closer. Huge winged beasts appear from the beastgate and descend upon unsuspecting enemy crew. Still the black ark grows closer, tower upon tower, spire upon spire, and a huge castle looming above the largest ships of the known world. Suddenly, ironbound planks crash down onto the deck and the corsairs begin to swarm onto the enemy ship.
If the crew of an enemy ship foolishly attempts to board a black ark, they will find more than corsairs defending their ship. Many caverns and empty rooms, not being used to fill the needs of the crew, contain horrible traps and vicious monsters waiting to attack the unwary boarders.
Within these broad parameters, black arks can vary greatly. Some may have many boarding ramps, others more Reapers. Some may be massive behemoths with many towers; others have only four simple towers and a curtain wall between them. Most black arks carry a temple dedicated to Khaine, often at the bow of the ship, built into the defensive towers and wall structure. A few have huge harpy roosts constructed in the mast-tops and massive caverns dug into their underwater sections to accommodate many beasts and slaves. Each black ark is unique but despite their differences, every one rank as one of the most feared ships to ever sail the seas.
Part One: The Commoners - Family The family is the core of Druchii social structure. ‘Family’ in this context means those elves blood related or married to blood related kin. Thus, the size of a family can range from one person who lost all his kin in battle to over a hundred elves, as due to their long lives, there will frequently be up to six generations alive, or perhaps more in some cases. Combined with inter-family marriages, this will naturally result in some families becoming vast organisations
The inner structure of a family varies, depending on its size and its primary occupations. Generally, one family member will be deemed the family head. This will most often be an elf from the oldest living generation, but it can also be a younger, more determined or competent elf who managed to wrest control from his or her predecessor. As with almost every aspect of Druchii society, there is no differentiation between genders in regard to leadership. Larger families will usually be divided into several households, each of which will have its own leader who in turn answers to the overall leader of the family.
Among commoner families, this leadership is not usually executed via orders made legitimate by written law; instead, it is an informal kind of leadership.
Thus, single family members might speak up on a shift of power within the family – or in punishment and/or isolation of the insubordinate member(s). Within families, intrigue and scheming are generally limited to discussions about how to proceed with business or politics, enabling the Druchii to have a group of others whom they can trust. Family members will help each other out when in need, protect each others interests, and entrust important tasks to each other without doubting the trustworthiness of their relative.
However, internal family intrigue is not completely unheard of. Sometimes, family members will break up into different factions, triggered by an especially intensive argument about the business, politics, or inheritance. Still, this is far from common, and as murder is considered a capital offence and punishable by death, it is rarely more than a few years before the factions unite once more.
- Business Most families concentrate on one business, though some larger families may extend their activities over several different ones.
The occupations of commoners may range from slaves, other trades, the running of large smithies or other production facilities to simple services like guarding a noble House’s estates or working in port administration. Most actual property is owned by noble Houses, though, so a family working in the smithing business would not own the materials and equipment.
It is important to note that not even Druchii commoners do a great deal of menial work, as this is the task of the uncounted number of slaves. Only where the elven skill is needed will the Druchii actually work themselves – for example in the final steps of crafting armour or fine furniture. All work that requires less craftsmanship is done by slaves that are supervised by the craftsman who will put the finishing touches to the piece.
One important tool in business and politics for both commoners and nobles is marriage. Marriage arrangements help forming alliances between families or Houses or elevate a commoner to the rank of nobility (see below). Sometimes marriages are arranged few years before the child in question becomes an adult, and sometimes at a time in between those two extremes. Houses/families generally tend to wait with arranging a marriage until there is a useful opportunity. Rare, but not unheard of, is the revoking of marriage arrangements due to a change in alliances.
It should be mentioned here that Druchii society is monogamous, though it is very common for widows and widowers to remarry not long after the death of their partner. This presents another opportunity for political marriage, and as such it is rare that a Dark Elf will remain a widow or widower.
- Military Through their occupation, most families have a quite close relationship to a single noble House. It is this noble House that the family will usually fight for as warriors when called upon. Families may cut their ties with the noble House and serve another if the financial and/or political situation warrants, however, and some families, especially large ones, are affiliated with several noble Houses. Generally, Dark Elven commoners fight in war as normal Druchii warriors, equipped with light armour, shields, and either spears or repeater crossbows. Some commoners join more specialised units, though, which in most cases means they have to leave their family. While there are some families that have chosen, for example, the raiding life together as Corsairs, this is not required, and single elves can join these brotherhoods, leaving their family behind. Other military units generally only accept individual elves joining their ranks; the Executioners and Witch Elves are mostly commoners, but they are all members of the Executioner sect of Har Ganeth or the Temple of Khaine respectively. The Black Guard consists of individuals chosen at birth, which is considered an honour for their family. The Shades are completely independent of the rest of Druchii society, and as such, no commoner may join them.
Part Two: The Nobility - Families Noble families are organized very similarly to commoner families. However, there are some differences. Noble families are called Houses, and their individual power can vary a great deal. They are commonly divided into two categories, the Lesser Houses and the Greater Houses.
The Greater Houses are those which own estates in Naggarond and regularly attend the court of King Malekith and in addition form the High Council of Advisors, having great influence in politics concerning the whole of Naggaroth. The Houses of the Drachau, as well as some of the more influential Houses of the other cities are considered Greater Houses in addition to this. Members of the Greater Houses are known as highborns, or Oribhain (singular: Oribhein).
Lesser Houses are those which have no seat in the High Council, but only in their city council. The Lesser Houses also include those noble families that have been dispossessed in some way, and only have marginally more influence than commoners. The members of the Lesser Houses are called nobles, or Fain (singular: Fein).
A Lesser House can in time gain enough influence and financial power to be considered a Greater House; likewise, a Greater House can lose influence and their seat at Malekith´s court with it. Thus there is even more incentive for competition amongst the Houses.
Another difference is that while among commoner families there is no general rule regarding the family leadership, among the noble Houses it is common tradition for the leader of a House to nominate their successor while they still live. This usually happens before the House goes to war, or when the leader starts to show signs of age (which, for an elf, means that his death through natural causes is perhaps no more than a few decades away). The newly designated heir is given the family’s token of nobility, which proves to all that he is the intended heir. Sometimes this is done secretly, but in many cases, it will be done when all or most of the family are present. This token is a tradition from long before the Sundering; the status of being a noble family is not only represented, but even legally dependant on this token, although if it is lost or destroyed, Houses are normally given a chance to retrieve or replace it if their political/financial power still warrants it. The form this token takes varies between Houses; it can be a weapon, armour, a ring, or something completely different, and it often has magical properties.
The inheritance is only leadership of the House, not the property, as the latter is considered property of the House as a whole as opposed to property of an individual elf. This is another reason why there is rarely infighting within Houses, as no member wants to risk becoming alienated from their kin.
In battle, the members of noble Houses gather in elite units like the Cold One Knights or charioteers – though the latter also include some commoners who have proven their worth in battle – and form the officer corps of the army.
Armies levied by a House or a group of Houses for their own purposes are invariably led by either the House’s lord or one of his close relatives, always appointed by him. In order to assemble an army for the sake of the House’s own purposes, the House must first petition their Drachau or the King to be allowed that venture. In order to receive permission for a military operation, the House must prove that it has the financial assets to maintain the army during the operation and that it has the means to assemble an army fit for the task in the first place. The House will have to call upon affiliated commoner families to send a portion of their members to their army, to hire or to call in favours for the services of special regiments from the other organisations mentioned in Part Three, and negotiate transportation with the fleet. Only when all this is done can they submit their petition, and even then, the Drachau can deny them permission if he pleases. In this way, a Drachau has a lot more control over where the military forces of his city are employed, and can stop noble Houses from gaining too much power through raiding if he wishes. The Drachai (plural of Drachau) can order an army to be assembled at any time, and both noble Houses and commoners are bound by law to follow their call to arms. Invariably, an army levied in this way will have easier access to specialised troops and equipment, as well as in most cases being much larger than an army assembled by a single noble House. This kind of army will often be led by the Drachau himself. But if not, he can give command of the army to any highborn of his choice.
- Rising to Nobility
Druchii culture places a lot of emphasis on competition and survival of the fittest. Thus, it is only natural that Druchii society allows commoners to rise in rank if they perform well. While there are poor nobles who have nothing left but their clothes and weaponry, it is undesirable for society as a whole to have wealthy commoners. This would result in some commoners being more influential and powerful than noble Houses, and would lead to a lessening of respect for the nobility. Therefore, commoner families who gain enough wealth, power and property are regularly elevated to the rank of nobility, in effect forming a a new Lesser House and being given a seat in their city’s council. Likewise, individual commoners can be accepted into a noble House through marriage or adoption if a special deed or a long term of loyal service to the House warrants that, or as part of a business arrangement. While the former - elevating a whole family to the status of a Lesser House - can only be done by a city’s Drachau or by the Witch King, the latter is an option for all Houses.
Part Three: The Temple, Convent, Cult and Others
In addition to the commoner families and noble Houses, there are a few noteworthy organisations that have similar influence to Greater or Lesser Houses in Druchii society. These are the Temple of Khaine, the now practically legal Cult of Pleasure, the Convents of Sorceresses, the Beastmasters and the Dark Elven Navy.
Each of them would warrant their own article, however, and therefore only a few aspects shall be mentioned here. None of the above organisations rely on family bonds, but enlist individual elves from both common and noble families in their ranks. Those who feel the urge to join them are generally free to do so, and it is frowned upon for their families to hold them back. On the other hand, having a family member in the higher ranks of these organisations can be of great benefit to their relatives. Most of these organisations tend to be egalitarian regarding the social rank of their new members, although their political connections to the Houses often mean that nobles rise in their ranks quicker than commoners. The importance of noble birth for an individual’s career varies.
In the Navy, noble birth is very helpful. Among the Beastmasters, it is virtually useless, with skill and connections to higher ranking Beastmasters being more important factors. Joining most of these organisations means joining them for life. Leaving them is only very rarely possible without being considered a traitor. Exceptions to this are the Navy and the Beastmasters – joining them for a time, most commonly a century or two, is considered a good career move. The influence of the individual organisations varies, though usually the Temple is the most powerful among them, closely followed by the Convents. In some cities this can differ. In Clar Karond the Navy is more influential than the Convents, and in Karond Kar the Beastmasters have more influence than the Temple.
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