Druchii Society

[Moderator]

DRUCHII SOCIETY
Dark Elf society is quite often harsh and brutal, as one would expect from a people driven by the reverence of Khaela Mensha Khaine (The Bloody Handed God) and in no small part to the worship of the Chaos Gods, especially Slaanesh (a driving force behind the still thriving Cult of Pleasure within Naggaroth.) Most Druchii worship both Khaine and Slaanesh in the same way that Old Worlders will revere many gods according to their desires.

From an early age Dark Elf children are taught that upon their death they will join Khaela Mensha Khaine in his kingdom and that His way is the way of all things; all blood belongs to the Lord of Murder and the more blood is spilt the greater their rewards will be when they die and their souls depart for the kingdom of Khaine. This is the main reason in which many thousands of captives are ritually sacrificed upon the alters of Khaine throughout the year, each one is an offering to the Bloody-Handed God.

The six cities of Naggaroth are dominated by noble families, much like the kingdoms of men are. In fact the only differences between mannish civilisations and that of Naggaroth is that the Druchii rely almost entirely on slave labour and openly worship the Dark Gods and actively promote debauchery in whatever shape or form. Slaves are bought from the slavers of Karond Kar by wealthy families so that they maybe used for such purposes. Dark Elf corsairs have restricted the areas in which they raid for slaves over the past centuries mostly due to the continued ascendancy of the human race, which the Dark Elves are loath to admit. The most popular places are the more fragmented regions of the Old World, such as Estalia and Tilea, and places closer to home such as the New World and coastal regions of Ulthuan. However, the Old World is rarely the target of open raids any more and such events can only be found in peasant folklore these days.

Some of the festivals which the Druchii enjoy are detailed below.

The Harvest of Souls: One of the most popular times of year is the Harvest of Souls. Each noble family must try to outdo each other in the number of slaves they sacrifice to Khaine (a Dark Elf family may own from one hundred to as many as a thousand slaves.) The more slaves a family sacrifices the less chance that they will feel the knife of the Witch Elves' blade on Death Night (see below.) Once the slaves have been sacrificed, excited Dark Elf children wait at the doors of the Temple of Khaine for the priestess to hand them the severed heads of those sacrificed. The children would then race each other to the spikes that dot the city walls where they would plant their gruesome trophies. Inside the temple the victims are disembowelled and their entrails and hearts placed on sacrificial pyres. The Witch Elves then remove the skin of the victims and sow it together to make one large sheet. A family's status could then be measured by the size of these macabre decorations as they are draped along the city walls.

Death Night: One of the nights when the Witch Elves (Druchii: Tulluch) are unleashed upon the citizens of the cities of Naggaroth. Be they a highborn noble or a child, no one is safe on the streets when it is Death Night because on this night everyone is equal just as death can come to anyone be he noble or beggar. When Death Night comes all the citizens of a city bar themselves in their homes for ten nights (the duration of Death Night). However, the Witch Elves do break into the houses and drag away their victims to the temple of Khaine where they are ritually sacrificed to the Bloody-Handed God. Newborn babies, however, are offered to the Lord of Murder in the Cauldron of Blood. Most perish this ordeal but those who survive are taken by the temples where they are inducted as assassins. The morning after Death Night, the survivors celebrate their escape by sacrificing one of their own household to Khaine - usually a slave or an elderly relative - as thanks for sparing their lives and those of their children.

Hunting: This isn't so much a festival but a regular pastime for most Druchii families. All families have slaves, the more a family has the greater their status, and from time to time they will release one or two into the wilds of Naggaroth and hunt them for sport. The Dark Elf huntsmen usually ride on horses and use strange mutated beasts to track and find their quarry for them, so that it is virtually impossible for any slave to stay free for long and even then the freezing temperatures at nighttime is enough to kill anyone as well as the mysterious Shades who lurk in the mountain passes. Dark Elf children, or those approaching adulthood, accompany the hunts, eager to prove themselves, and once a slave is found their fathers blood them as a sign of their maturity and bravery. But the Druchii don't only hunt slaves, they also hunt the beasts of the forests and mountains. Being so close to the Realm of Chaos means that there are many warped and, frequently, dangerous monstrosities lurking in the wilderness for the Dark Elves to either capture or slay for sport. The bones of particularly mighty beasts are used to decorate Dark Elf houses and are even used as eating tools.

The language spoken by Dark Elves is Druchii. When the exiles first came to Naggaroth in ancient times they spoke the High Elven tongue (Tar-Elthárin). Now the language has degenerated slightly, although Druchii still shares many similarities with Tar-Elthárin, so that it sounds like the words are forced out and it lacks the pattern and fluency. However, most Dark Elves can speak the classical Tar-Elthárin language, such was spoken in Nagarythe of old, and it is normally used for formal occasions.

[Moderator]

ARMS AND ARMOUR
Dark Elves of noble birth are permitted to wear two swords at the waist, a testament to their higher status. Moreover they never dress themselves. This is the task of two squires who ritually attire the noble in his armour. The noble's chest is anointed with the symbol of Khaine in purified blood. Then a long flowing robe, called a khaiton, made from rich silk patterned with spells and charms, is put on next. This is a symbol of war and martial prowess which the noble also wears out of armour too. Over the tunic is worn a padded aketon with mail sleeves and long mail skirt, called a dalakoi (strength against death), and to keep the mail in place it is lined with a soft leather made from human or doeskin.

Next, a back and breastplate is worn to protect the torso. Especially wealthy or influential nobles will have this armour forged from galvorn metal. A short gorget is also added to give extra protection for the upper torso. Wealthy nobles will wear a pair of pauldrons (shoulder guards) although this tends to be more for aesthetic purposes rather than affording great protection. However, some nobles hold great stall for their pauldrons and wear pieces of amazing design and beauty. The pauldrons are laced directly to the breastplate through the gorget. Sometimes they are one piece but are typically two or three connected plates. The laces are left visible at the front and are decorated with flesh hooks at the ends.

Laced to the forearm are long gloves with armoured hands. Vambraces, typically with war spines (a skilful warrior can use them for trapping and breaking weapons), are then fitted to the arms. Nobles often wear a helmet of composite parts: an open-faced tall helm, a visor and bevor. The visor is laced onto rings on the helmet and the bevor is laced directly to the breastplate and offers a very good protection for the vulnerable neck area.

Daggers and swords are slung on narrow crossbelts. The status of a warrior at the court of the Witch King is dependent on how many weapons he wears, but two blades are most common, which is a symbol of nobility. Shields are typically curved at the base allowing them to be used as offensive weapons. Fluttering from a lance tip a cavalryman carries are usually long ribbons or pennants. Runic script, in varying languages from Druchii and Tar-Elthárin to Arcane Elf and Dark Tongue, is embroidered on the pennants, proclaiming a knight's dedication to the Witch King and his deeds and the history of his family for all to see. Other notable weapons include the draich (great sword or two-handed blade), uraithen (repeating crossbow), and drannach (heavy spear).

Flesh hooks, shaped in Druchii runes, are hung from a Dark Elf to proclaim his allegiances, battle honours and family. Along with flesh hooks are also hung keikalla (spirit bells), which serve to ward off, it is claimed, the malevolent spirits that haunt the barren areas of Naggaroth, and to proudly announce their presence.

A note on ceremonial weapons
Dark Elves enjoy duelling and ritual combat and with this come many weapons. Often it is the case that duelling weapons used to be used by the ancient Naggarothi but have since outlived their purpose so that few exist or are only forged for the purpose of duelling. Two such weapons are the ghlaith (spineblade) and the lakelui (soultaker). Both weapons were forged during the height of the Cult of Pleasure some five millennia ago. The Elves then, made many weapons designed for ritual combat to impress onlookers with their skill at wielding them. They were also used for warfare in those days too (only traditionalists use them these days). The ghlaith is a sickle-shaped weapon used to deliver a paralysing blow to the lower back or limbs. The lakelui is a much longer weapon, and was used to dispatch an opponent once they have been immobilised. As it was in the past, if an opponent wasn't immobilised before the killing blow was dealt the knight would be met with howls of derision, which often led to the execution of the knight himself.

[Moderator]

Dark Elves have one major source of income: slave labor. Dark Elves raid all other lands, particularly Ulthuan, home of their enemies the High Elves. They take food and treasure, but the main purpose of their raids is to obtain slaves. Slaves play an important part in Druchii society, as they perform the menial chores that an enterprising Druchii deigns to be below him. Slaves also make up the bulk of the ritual sacrifices to the god Khaine. Dark elves do not value their slaves' lives, and often kill one or two to show the other slaves their brutality.



The Dark Elves take to sea in their Black Arks. Kept afloat by magic, the Black Arks travel far and wide to procure slaves. Each Black Ark is home to a small army of Dark Elf raiders and a small fleet of raiding vessels. These forces can be landed on the coast of an unsuspecting kingdom, perform a lightning raid, and be off before any of the local defence forces are able to react. In this way countless millions of doomed souls have been taken back to Naggaroth to a fate worse than death

[Moderator]

origionally posted by Salenn here

cultofhatred.guildlaunch.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=654298&sid=23b40ee038e1cd3e56c555cc3a328469&gid=25876

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.