An Alternate Look at the Craftworld Eldar

[Kage2020]

So, I thought that I would give an insight into (the pretentiously labelled) "Kage-verse" when it comes down to the Craftworld Eldar. This will be the basis for my idiosyncratic Craftworld for my mini painting (hopefully that will go well), so not a waste either way, but when it comes to the setting this is my basis for the Eldar as a whole that you can tweak to fit the established, canonical Craftworlds.

 

This is probably going to be more bulletpoints/thumbnails until I get to seriously write it up. (It seems that my little supplement was more fragmentary than I recalled!)

 

Inspiration: Peter F. Hamilton. The Reality Dysfunction. Edenist habitats

 

CRAFTWORLD SOCIETY/GOVERNMENT

The society of the Craftworlds is a strange hybrid of a number of distinct cultures and sub-cultures forced together as a result of the The Fall.

Three major parts of society/government: 

 

• Ancestor [The Past]. Eldar that have suffered death of the physical form. They transfer into the Infinity Circuit with full consciousness and can act individually for as long as they have the will to do so.
• Clan [The Present]. These are elective organisations drawing Eldar with similar ideologies and goals. They can be kin-based, but this is the exception rather than the norm. Clan leadership is exclusively derived from those indiviuals who have returned from following the Path of the Outcast.
• Seer [The Future]. Formed from a combination of the esoteric disciplines.
  • Farseers are separate/advisory, *not* the leaders?

 

Others to include: 

 

• The Court of Khaine.
  • Kaela Mensha Khaine (Shard; Infinity Circuit)
  • The Young King [Ancestor; ceremonial]
  • The Blood King [Clan; "Autarch"]
  • The Blood Sage [Seer]
• Other Courts?

 

THE PATH (Ai'elethra)

There are five (5) Paths to the Eldar Path: 

 

• Seer. Development of estoric abilities.
• Warrior. Development of martial abilities.
• Steward. Servants to society.
• Seeker. Explorers of science, art, and the esoteric.
• Outcast [Eshairr]. Those that fight the constraints of the Path.

 

This differs from canonical treatments where everything is described as a Path. The difference is the use of terminology for older materials, e.g. WD 127, which describes "Ways". Herein, "Ways" are subdivisions of each Path, e.g. the discipline expressed through the "Howling Banshee" is a Way on the Path of the Warrior.

 

The significance here is that an individual can become trapped on a Way OR a Path, with the former being more common than the latter: 

 

* Way-sworn. Individuals that have become trapped on a single Way, e.g. Exarchs of a single Temple.
* Path-sworn. Individuals that are trapped on a Path, but cycle between the Ways.

 

The wonderful thing about this structure, based on the original background, is that you don't have to invent some nonsense "Path of Command". Autarchs are, for all intents and purposes, Path-sworn Exarchs. (The selected Autarch would likely carry the term "Blood King" or "Blood Queen" if the gendered route is taken.)

 

Thinking More on Outcasts

Outcasts must necessarily forgo the protections of the Path. 

 

What are those protections? Compartmentalisation of the mind so that the Eldar focuses on the development of a number of related skills/abilities (Primary Abilities). They may readily access Secondary Abilities, or supporting skills that are otherwise not developed on any given Path/Way (as therein defined). Other skills/abilities that are not relevant are locked behind the construct of the Path and are more difficult to access.

 

Outcasts, on the other hand, allow the breakdown of these barriers. <-- Need some way of representing this. (C.f. corruption from GURPS Horror?)

 

TECHNOLOGY

Previously I had taken the route that the Eldar had mundane technology to which they added estoric technologies ("warpcraft"). I'm no longer sure about this and would love to discuss the possibilities with learned people of the 40k lore!

 

For example, previously I had Wraithbone as a nanopolymer (based on the literal definition of "psychoplastic") but should I lean towards the "fantasy" interpretation, i.e. psychically malleable energy (or the equivalent of ectoplasm)? This then became a channel for esoteric energies. The long-run idea is to avoid the notion that the Eldar can create matter and are functionally a post-singularity culture that is devoid of resource requirements. Unless they are...?

 

* * * 

 

There's a whole bunch of stuff not covered here. I thought that I would throw it out there in case something jarred inappropriately, or there were some possibly better (and newer) interpretations out there that would need to be synthesised into the broader whole etc.

 

Looking forward to the (hopefully) discussion!
 

[Kage2020]

On 2/17/2024 at 4:00 PM, Kage2020 said:

Inspiration: Peter F. Hamilton. The Reality Dysfunction. Edenist habitats

 

So I'm actually reading through this now, and so thought that I would post very briefly about why I find it inspirational when dealing with the Craftworld Eldar of the 40k universe (more so than the official materials).

 

I might be a child (ha! grognard!) of the period in which I picked up the 40k universe for the first time, but there were some quotes from the older materials that really resonated for me about how the Infinity Circuit worked that later materials have jarred with. Given that I prefer to mix newer materials on top of the older materials, in this case the older materials won out:

 

Quote

 

Warhammer 40,000 Compendium:

The message flashed across the craft-world at the speed of thought. All normal functions were suspended, and every Eldar on Saim-Hann came to the taluclu hall. Even the Ancestors of the Infinity Matrix watched through the craft-world's sensors. 

 

 

This notion that the Ancestors would do something like "take in a show" appealed and it called to the original Eldar that had taken up the science of the Old Ones and surpassed it. Their powers were such that they had conquered death. A huge contrast from the Infinity Ciruit-as-mausoleum which was far less imaginative (even though thematically tied into the dying race thing).

 

Turning to Hamilton's Edenists, one of the things that happens when one of them passes is that they go into the "habitat consciousness". For a "few centuries", at least, they remained engaged with the world around them. Participate in the conversations, watch children and grandchildren grow etc. At some point, however, they begin to find themselves merging into the full habitat consciousness and losing their distinctiveness.

 

This is where I see the point that the two bits of background---old and new---might interestingly merge. Thus, when Eldar consciousness/souls pass into the Waystone and, from there, are implanted into the Infinity Circuit to become spirit stones, they join the dead but not the undifferentiated consciousness and "soul energy" of the Craftworld. During the earliest period, they can, broadly speaking, continue their existence. The original 'fluff' talks about the ancestor spirits controlling and "powering" Eldar technology. 

 

On the other hand, when the spirit passes into the Craftworld consciousness, this is where the mausoleum angle comes in. Dragging the consciousness out of that place is actually harmful to the Craftworld consciousness and, thus more broadly, the Craftworld itself. Drawing forth an ancient hero to go joyriding in a Warlock Titan (or whatever) declines that consciousness, and energy, from the greater Matrix. It also requires the Spirit Seer---an individual that is gifted in drawing out the threads of memory, dreams, and consciousness to dive into and bring out the soul that the Eldar most need at the time.

 

* * * 

 

So there you go. A quick alternate take on the Craftworld Eldar and the Infinity Circuit/Matrix, and another reason why the Ancestor Council is a major part of Craftworld Eldar governance (for me). :)

 

 

 

[Kage2020]

H'okay. I finally came across the Wrath & Glory sourcebook, Inheritance of Embers. 

 

Oooh. Boy is this going to be a doozy. I think that I'll do a "Where I Read" through it, offering critiques to setting and mechanical information, and then use this to springboard to the other ideas.

 

Come along for the ride (he says to himself)!

[Kage2020]

FIRST IMPRESSION

As with all things 40k, this thing is just so darned pretty. I like the graphic design, even though it doesn't seem as high-quality as previous iterations (thinking about Dark Heresy etc.), but still... Darned pretty. 

 

AN ANCIENT SYSTEM

The introductory part of the book and one that, unfortunately, seems to set up the tone for the rest of the book. Herein it details the "home craftworld" for the setting, Gilead (wait: system or sector?), and there move to the Maiden World, Aral'dha. Despite the fact that it's a maiden world, there are lots of terms used that deal with post-Fall society. Fair enough. Let's just call these "bad anthropology" akin to Caesar's De Bello Gallica and how it dealt with the so-called "Celts". 'Nuff said.

 

In short, before the Fall, the Eldar created Aral'dha. Then stuff happened (like the Fall) and humans discovered and colonised the world. Quelle surprise. 

 

Perhaps the most boorish part of this is the typical writing that puts the Imperium as "the awesome": 

 

Quote

Inheritance of Embers, p. 5:

UlKarhi [the Craftrworld] knew little of Humanity save that they marshalled powers far beyond their limited foresight.

 

So, basically humans are powerful but without the kind of "vision" provided by the Eldar's Farseers. Put another way, there's lots of circular reasoning when it comes to pre- and post-Fall Eldar that is, perhaps, not that surprising. Further, everything and the kitchen sink is thrown in there (e.g. Chaos etc.).

 

One thing that I do like about the background is that the Eldar act in support of the Imperium to aid their own cause even if, ultimately, it doesn't work out to plan. Putting a kink in the vision of the Farseers is not a bad thing---especially given how they are treated, and written, by GW.

 

On the other hand, post-Ynnari background, so much of the setting is pushing all the (new) contenders into the setting. It feels a little shoe-horned.

 

I think that the most depressing part of this chapter is how it approaches the Craftworld Eldar in general: 

 

Quote

Inheritance of Embers, p. 7:

For the most part, Uk-Khari travelled the stars, coming to understand their greatly diminished place in the galaxy and how tremulous their position was.

 

Wait. Are they being literal in that a hiveworld literally collided with the Craftworld? Oh dear lord...

 

The rest of the chapter is about bringing in the Dark Eldar and the Harlequins. It's not pretty.

The next section is "Aeldari Characters". I'm hoping for more from this so that it can inspire my own TTRPG conversion for GURPS. :)

 

FWIW, I think that much of this can be laid at the hands of the GW "controllers" rather than the author(s).

Edited February 26 by Kage2020

[Kage2020]

Alright. Next section: Aeldari Characters.

 

The opening section offers no surprises, though the authors double down on the "emotional sensitivity" angle of the Eldar as the culprit to the Fall. This seemed a call to the older background materials rather than shoe-horning the Old Ones into everything, though I somehow doubt that they're going to give the Eldar back their technological agency (i.e. the statement that the Eldar took up to the technology of the Old Ones---the "warp gate network"---and mastered and improved on it to become the Webway).

 

AFTER THE FALL

Holy rusty leading fail on the first paragraph. The first paragraph is jarringly outside of the established paragraph style, presumably so that the layout artist could fit everything. This seems to be doubled-down on with the "Species" table, which feels really cramped both internally and in relation to the "Aeldari Factions" header that is crying out for more white space.

 

Content-wise, the authors set up more information about the predicate of The Path---emotions and their control. I wonder if they're really going to lean into this, perhaps even drawing inspiration from the old WFRP elves, but we shall see.

 

One thing that crops up here is the "Wraithsight", which is something that I've partially had a problem with because it was an inherently wargame balance mechanic that tangentially paralleled the notion of "wraith" as necromantic creations. For me this jarred with the quote from WD 113 (?) and the Warhammer 40,000 Compenium, quoted above. On the other hand, it does double-down on the notion of "warp sensors", or in this case the fact that the spirits are more in tune with the "Shallows", or the bits of the warp that are most "normal"/real.

 

Hmmn. Noted for conversion later, though I suspect that the whole Spirit Seer thing will be restricted for bringing Eldar characters out of the un-differentiated "Craftworld Consciousness" of the Eternal Matrix more than their whole "necromancer" vibe. (I can see why some love this, but I think that it needs to be a bit more rarefied.)

 

AELDARI FACTIONS / ASURYANI PATHS

Okay, nothing too surprising here. Continuing on with the earlier-created terminology that was broadly unnecessary, all of the roles that the Eldar can play are called "Paths" without any real organising principle. Unsurprisingly, I think that I'll stick with the five outlined Paths and just call them "Ways". This adds the additional wrinkle that something like the "Way of the Artisan" can be something that is found on the Path of the Seeker or the Path of the Steward (better names needed) depending on their relative focus. 

 

The "powers" that you acquire with the different "Paths" feels a little... forced in some cases. I mean, for some reason you gain "Wounds" for being on the "path of the Celebrant" and "Shock" on the counter-Path of "Mourner". It's almost a mechanical implication that the Eldar in question is self-flagellating or otherwise engaging in mortification of the flesh. But controlled mortification of the flesh, otherwise that's... whispers... evil. Drukhari. <smh>

 

Next up are some Asuryani Backgrounds (Accomplishments, Goals, Objectives). They're... fine, though I do have the token dislike for "Denied Destiny" (p.11) because it reinforces the notion that Farseers are "the leaders" rather than a component of leadership. Clearly, the horror expressed by the Eldar for those that are Way- or Path-Sworn doesn't extend to those on the Path of the Seer. <rolleyes>

On the other hand, some of the Objectives are interesting if one looks at the broader background of the Eldar. For example, "2: Devote an accomplishment or victory to an Aeldari god" could have some fun implications about the religious rituals of the Eldar post-Fall. Perhaps there (or here?) we have a more funeral bent, with rites that dully echo in the empty halls of gods?

 

THE [CRAFTWORLD] KEYWORD

More "powers" depending on which Craftworld you come from. I'm pretty "Meh" on this section, but I would have used "lenses" to cover this so I likely would have gone over similar territory if different ways of representing the differences. (For example, I can very much see the "Clan Council" as being markedly different on Ulthwé than Biel-Tan---even before you bring in the more kin-oriented version of Saim-Hann.) Of course, this approach is designed to give the Eldar more agency, not less.

 

WRAITH CONSTRUCTS

Gah. This is where the Wraithsight is transparently wargame balance, turning Wraith Constructs into a purely Imperial Robot analogue. They could have continued with a version of "Astral Sight" that would make their perceptions cool and interesting, but the irony of mentioning the "Mon-Keigh" when reducing the Wraith Constructs to "dance monkey, dance" is poignant. 

 

So much for the old "Tuisich Novasmair". Also, why would you play a Wraith Construct given this description? You have no anima.

 

CORSAIRS

This section does some legwork to give Corsairs ("Anhrathe") a bit more substance, essentially organising them around "Pirate Ship" motifs. Here the objectives seem... conceptually limited and the design "lenses" as problematic as those of the "[Craftworld] Keyword" (above).

 

DRUKHARI

Standard "dark elves" all things said and done. The Objectives and Backgrounds are okay, the latter more so than the former, but more "lenses" are provided with respect to Kabals, Wych Cults, and Covens of the Haemonculi. I imagine that there's only so much straw to turn into bread without going into more detail than the authors might have otherwise have been allowed.

 

HARLEQUINS

More Backgrounds, Goals, and Objectives. I feel that these were a little better handled than previous sections. Now group powers/associations are handled by "Masque".

 

At this point, the different sections are feeling very list-like. No surprise, perhaps, but it's feeling more of a slog to get through because of the lack of information on the different groups. Perhaps this is the best way to do things given that they are well-known army/troop types?

 

YNNARI

The new kids on the block that get power boosts to skills/etc. when something near your character dies. Hmmn. Thematically it will be interesting to see how this differentiates from what is likely to be the "psychic vampirism" of the Dark Elves.

 

ECHOES OF THE FALL

This is a box / pull box that has some interesting bits 'n' bobs about Eldar and corruption. I'm going to have to go back to the core rules of Wrath and Glory to figure this out and to see how much of the three sentences are that useful.

 

* * * 

 

Next up, Craftworld Archetypes, or where they put stats to all the troop types. Again, no surprise here. I've done it myself with things like the Adeptus Astartes, the Adeptus Mechanicus etc. It does focus you on the wargame more than the cultures and sub-cultures within but, alas, perhaps not that surprising.

[Kage2020]

So, CRAFTWORLD ARCHETYPES is up next. Thankfully with no jarring design changes mid-page! :)

 

GUARDIANS

Nothing surprising here, but an obvious place that they could have delved into "The Mask" that is described in older materials as a Guardian separates themselves from their Path/Way to take up Khaine's Mantle once more. It's mentioned as a thing, but little is done with it here.

 

RANGER

Here we have a mention of the Path of the Outcasts because of the stringent nature of The Eldar Path, but little more is done with it but to give a shoe-in for the Rangers of the bespoke Craftworld, Uk-Khari.

 

And, in fact, I'm going to stop there. There are archetypes for the following in addition to the two, above. I'll call out anything unique if something jumps out.

• Dark Reaper. Some potentially interesting information about the origins of the "Dark Reaper" that cold have deep-dived into the interaction of mythology and reality in the Eldar but... Nope.
• Dire Avenger
• Fire Dragon
• Howling Banshee. Another link to mythology with reference to Morai-Heg. That nothing is done with this suggests that figuring something out about the "Dead Gods" would be valuable to do in any subsequent interpretation. Noted.
• Striking Scorpion. The reminder of the Arhra / Karandras thing is interesting, especially as it pertains to Chaos. Noted once more.
• Swooping Hawk
• Warp Spider
• Warlock. Makes a bit more of a pitch for Warlocks being celebrities among the Eldar.
• Wraithguard. See the above---contradictions are appearing. Quelle surprise.
• Autarch. The totally unnecessary "Path of Leadership" that solved a problem that didn't need solving. Useful for inspiration, but it should be noted that these are the Path-Sworn to that of the Warrior.
• Farseer. Unsurprising focus on the prophetic powers of the Farseer, though kudos to the authors: they at least mention the fact that the Path-Sworn are viewed with mistrust. It's a shame that they don't do more with it.

And therein lies the end of the Archetypes, or army list as you might think of it. Perhaps later on in the book we'll have some examples of Eldar characters that come from something other than the Path of the Warrior or Outcast.

[Kage2020]

Next up are the other Archetypes: Drukhari, Harlequins, etc. Or, as noted previously, time for the wargame lists to find their stats. (Again, not surprising. Been there, done that. As guilty as charged.)

 

DRUKHARI ARCHETYPES

There seems to be little reason to provide detailed information fo what is included herein because of (1) familiarity and (2) its frequently an exception provided for the "unique" Craftworld (etc.) covered by the Wrath and Glory TTRPG.

 

Those included are: Kabalite Warrior, Wych, Hellion, Beastmaster, Incubus, Mandrake, Scourge, Archon, Haemonculus, and Sucubus. 

 

HARELQUIN ARCHETYPES

Ditto as form the above, but with the following troop types covered: Troupe Player, Death Jester, Shadowseer, and Troupe Master. The Solitaire is missing, but perhaps they cover that in the "Ascension" component that seems to be a hold over from the days of Dark Heresy?

 

The bespoke Troupe associated with the games setting hilariously sounds like a Bluegrass group: The Masque of the Calamity Trail. Yeehaw.

 

CORSAIR ARCHETYPES

A little bit more information here, or perhaps just information that I've not encountered before? Either way we get more Pirates (!) with:

• Voidreaver (the new recruit!);
• Voidscarred (the grizzled veteran non-conformist!);
• Soul Weaver & Wayseeker (the non-Warlock Warlocks---it would be interesting to have more information here); 
• Felarch (pirate captain that sounds like they mashed "felon" and "autarch" together); and
• Corsair Prince (your admiral).

[Kage2020]

Next up, we have ASCENSION PACKAGES that, earlier on in the book, seemed to imply a lot of heavy lifting to cover all the edge-cases. 

 

A PIVOTAL ROLE

A Harlequin role. Rather than playing a general role, like "Death", you are taking on the role of a specific mythological interpretation of the broader entity. The examples given are "Harvester of Torment", "majestic Lord of Crystal Bones", and "inescapable Rift Ghoul".

 

This ascension package allows you to swap some skills around, but given that I'm doing this the wrong way around---reading through the Aeldari supplement before reading through the core rules---I'll make a pig's ear of I go too much into detail here.

 

CHANGE OF KINSHIP

Swap from your "home" type of Eldar, i.e. Craftworld, Dark, Outcast, Harlequin, or Ynnari. This allows you to change around the "Keywords", which seem to be basic descriptors that give you access to the traits of that particular faction. Thus, become a Craftworld Eldar and you get to take a Path. 

 

Nothing too surprising here.

 

Dark Intrigue

This is a package that does Dark Eldar stuff to lose Slaanesh Corruption points.

 

LOST IN THE WARRIOR PATH

Once again completely missing out on the point of Ways and Paths. There's some potentially interesting information about the former bearers of the Exarch Armour, but they don't seem to make too much of this, which is a shame. At the very least it could have gone into the same territory as the "Powers of the Ancients" thing that they had going for Power Armour in Deathwatch (or whatever it was called).

 

Quote

 

Thinking on it, this seems like the perfect opportunity to bring in Corruption (c.f. GURPS Horror) as a way of handling the Legend that is the Exarch vs. the individual that takes up the mantle. As this corruption is acquired through the use of power abilities, the individual is gradually turned into the paragon.

 

Hmmn. This might also be something interesting to do with the Path in general?

 

I kind of want more information on "Exarchs" as they exist in all the Paths. Or is the implication that only the Path of the Warrior and the Path of the Seer are subject to being Way- or Path-Sworn?

 

 

WANDERINGS IN THE WEBWAY

Forty days and nights in the desert---just for Eldar.

 

NEW TALENTS

Seems fine with lots of variations of "powers" to be acquired. Things like "Beyond Mortality" are just Extra Lives etc. Useful fodder for conversion to give a bit of variation to the "archetypes" in question.

 

* * * 

As the next section details Playing an Aeldari, I'm going to take a break here and get to the 'ole day job. This section seems like it should be important so I want to focus on it.

 

[Kage2020]

As noted above, this seemed important not only for the integrity of the product, because the authors will help me to identify what I would want in this section either by doing a fantastic job of it (hands tied, I'm sure) or by... giving me enough space to write my own interpretation.

 

PLAYING AN AELDARI

A brief description of the physical perfection of the Eldar, and once again leaning (reasonably!) into their emotional qualities. There's a lovely double-edged sword in there that is simultaneously "We're a mage-ocracy!" and also something that I doubt that they, the authors, would be allowed to live up to.

 

Quote

p. 63
Every Aeldari ha ssome level of psychic potential, and the collective wisdom and visions of those trained in these skills make them valued members of their cultures. More than that, they're leaders. Through Soul Stones, living wraithbone, the craftworld Infinity Circuits, and the importance of Psykers in both peace and war, psychic connections are the knots that hold together their paling culture.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

One of the things that was long-speculated (and not particularly well done in Xenology) was the notion that the Eldar were themselves bioengineered in some fashion. I'm not talking about the agency-killing "Oh, the Old Ones did it" from the time when GW had to shoehorn everything into the War of Heaven framework, but the agency-fulfilling notion that the Eldar bioengineered themselves. They're just a little too perfect. Originally this was noted as part of the wraithbone-as-nanopolymer, but does this need---or should it---be revised to the more fantasy-esque plastically-malleable wraithbone/matter-as-ectoplasm approach? I mean, nothing says post-scarcity when you can magic up matter.

 

 

The book then goes into mention how the different factions protect themselves from Slaanesh. Craftworld Eldar perform ascetism, Harlequins are somehow protected by the Laughing God, Dark Elves are stabby-stabby, and Ynnari are... another possibly interesting feature of their "death powers":

 

Quote

 

p.64:

The Ynnari harbour the souls of the dead within the living...

 

 

That could be... interesting?

 

Either way, this is more repeating content that is perpetuated in the paragraph-long section, "Hope in Darkness".

 

The Paths Not Chosen

Sidebar/box goes into a little bit more detail about the Eldar Path and... this bit is potentially very nice.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

My previous approach was to create a "lens" of Primary skills that are the main focus of the Way, skills that are tangentially related or otherwise Secondary to the Way or more broadly Path, and finally Tertiary skills that were held back by the mental construct that is the Path. (This an homage to the premise of "bran wa shin" from WFRP. ;)

 

Just ignoring this in favour of, say, buying "ranks" in Racial Memory whenever you want to dive into the blocked, non-focused part of the Path is a nice "out" of the more mechanistic build that I was going with. 

Cool beans, authors. Cool beans.

 

 

ANCIENT PERSPECTIVES

With this section, we're getting more into the perspectives of the Eldar that would inform play, so cool there. It's interesting to note that they seem to be implying (but not necessarily) the multi-thousand year lifespans of the Eldar, contra the original background that had them living for just over a thousand years, as the norm? Eldrad, it would seem, has more to answer for in turning the exception of Farseers and Crystal Seers into more of a norm for Eldar in general.
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

The lifespan of the Eldar does bring in one interesting counterpoint of changing Eldar perspectives. Originally, pre-Fall, they were able to reincarnate into new bodies despite the long-standing predations of Chaos by that point. Being thrust into the Infinity Circuit then becomes the necromantic horror of a lack of choice. Yet, on the other hand, they still have the original notion that the Eldar spirits were... more.

I guess, thematically speaking, GW are more interested in the idea that the Infinity Circuit was a patch rather than an old system used in different ways?

 

 

For playing Eldar characters, however, they are noted as "cold and calculating" but there is little justification for it other than cleaving to old elven tropes.

 

PLAYING DRUKHARI

Given the nature of the Dark Elves, the calling out of collaboration between the GM and the players on the type of shenanigans, is well done and appropriate.

 

The Dark Eldar are represented as tragic beings trapped into the excesses of the past with few ways out and less desires to take them. And, well, that's it. This felt very much like the end of Monty Python and the Holy Grail where you were expecting more and didn't get it. O.o

 

PLAYING A CORSAIR

Here by contrast you get into the a way of portraying those on the Path of the Outcast differently to those on the Path of the Eldar (irony).

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Totally keep with the bran wa shin angle and having a mental/psychic "barrier" between the "id" and "ego". Perhaps include a "Corruption" mechanic of breaking that barrier, as originally intended, if yet more corruption scales don't get annoying. 

 

 

All said and done, Corsairs might be my favourite bit. They're like the traditional tropes of teenagers---just writ Eldar with ostentatious displays of wealth thrown in.

 

The final bit in the section is a box entitled "Aeldari and Other Factions" where it takes the 1990s, White Wolf-esque approach of giving broad brush strokes as to the Eldar thoughts on other factions.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

There are some potentially interesting angles here with respect to the Necrons, the Infinity Circuit, and Wraithbone/psychoplastics that should likely be considered.

 

 

[Kage2020]

H'oookay. Moving swiftly on. The next major sections are Psychic Powers and Gear (aka Armoury), which when it comes down to it I'm loving the British English spelling. :)

 

SOUL OF WORLDS

A couple of hazy paragraphs on Eldar "magitech" and psychoplastics.
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

This is perhaps the hardest section for me. Originally I had viewed the Eldar as being the cast-off, forgotten children of the Old Ones (once that background had been introduced), created for their connection to the warp but ultimately contaminated by the matterium and the use of the corrupted, mundane technology of the Necrons. A hybrid race, as it were, straddling the fence between "warp craft" and "science".

 

The pressures to push this over to pure magitech is getting harder with each edition. Herein it talks about "complex and varied psychoplastics" but then goes on to talk on as if it were ectoplasm once more. The materiality such of using their empathy and Psychoplasm (err, did I remember this correctly) to shape solid matter seems to have been forgotten.

 

Unsurprisingly herein, "Bonesinging" is made into weapon forming in the absence of more time and/or situational complexity.

 

 

BONESINGING

Despite my preferences against it, the imagery of a choral series of Bonesingers with resonant psychic energy forming waves of superposition to create "things" with harmonic overtones? Waaaay too cool. 

The powers are... uninspiring: Conjure, Repair/Ruin, and Shape/Reshape.

Quote

 

My thoughts: 

Revise?

As presented it's just a Control (<Wraithbone>) ability.

 

 

PHANTASMANCY

Because "Illusion" isn't cool enough for the Eldar, especially the Shadowseers. ;)

 

Abilities are cool-sounding: Fog of Dreams, Mirror of Minds, Shards of Light, Twilight Pathways, Veils of Tears, and the potentially setting-breaking Webway Dance (smh). 

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Just Mind Control w/Glamour shenanigans with a couple of exceptions, e.g. Twilight Pathways is Additional Attack and Webway Dance is some form of super-powered Jumper ability. Meh.

 

 

RUNES OF BATTLE

Warlock powers, here: Conceal / Reveal, Embolden / Horrify, E,mpower / Enervate, Enhance / Drain, Protect / Jinx, and Quicken / Restrain.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

What I really like here is the notion that it brings in dimensions of freedom, as it were, to the "Seer Runes" that the Eldar make use of. While the background has been somewhat lame in their use, the notion that they might represent combinations of a more finite number of runes is something that I have found interesting. Specifically, re-engineering the Elder Futhark with the series of three aettir being attributed to Past, Present, and Future that bring forth Eldar mythology could be great fun. In this case, specific combinations can be inverted relative to their normal configuration ala the Tarot. That's a potentially cool idea.

 

 

RUNES OF FATE

Fate: Doom, Executioner, Fortune, Guide, Mind War, and Will of Asuryan.

 

Fortune: Crushing Orb, Fateful Divergence, Focus Will, Ghostwalk, Impair Senses, Witchstrike.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Some of these terms like "Doom" and "Guide" sound familiar enough to my recollections of WD127 Seer powers that I used to some effect because they were wildly unbalanced (appropriately!) at the time. Other than that, my lack of knowledge of the current wargame is probably making it hard to judge these. Otherwise just more standard powers to convert with "cool" sounding names.

 

Since it reinforces my own concepts, I do like the idea of Fate / Fortune as this could represent an expression of the Future aettir in the Elder Futhark premise.

 

 

 

[Kage2020]

Next up is Armoury, which probably should not be a surprise.

 

THE ART OF WAR

This section leans into the whole psychoplastic and ancient themes of the Eldar established in earlier sections, with a bit coupled to <Anthropology (Eldar)>, probably mixed with <Area Knowledge (Local/Craftworld)> (somehow!) to acquire insight into the current trajectory of Eldar politics.

 

Okay, I can see that. I'm not quite sure how someone is going to be getting that level of information about closed (Craftworld) Eldar society, but there you have it.
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

One of the things that I like about this section is that it reaffirms the notion of having mundane technology into the mix, e.g. Dark Eldar technology. This also can be thought of as reintroducing the alloy, Eldaril. 

I cannot believe that I forgot about this angle and started second guessing myself!

 

 

THE SONG OF CREATION: WRAITHBONE

More information on wraithbone and reinforcing its (over) value.
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Originally I had thought of using wraithbone as a nanopolymer. Despite everything, I'm beginning to think that the specialist form of "wraithbone" is, indeed, ectoplasm. It just doesn't preclude the importance and widespread use of the other type of (technological) wraithbone / nanopolymers.

 

 

THE SCIENCE OF PAIN: DRUKHARI WEAPONS

The flip-side of the Eldar technology that isn't magitech.

 

THE GREY BETWEEN

A small section on how you can acquire the specialised equipment of the Archetypes. Quick insight: cold, dead fingers.

 

THE REST OF IT...

All the ups and downs of "gear" in the system, anything from "lasers" actually being lasers (doh!) onwards. Darklight. 'Nuff said.

 

Overall, though, even with the warts it's a wonderful little section to help with conversion to another game system (if you were likely to do so). I kind of like the "Helms and Masks" sections, though it wasn't quite what I had hoped...

 

Quote

 

My thoughts: 

I had hoped that this section would go into the whole psychological adoption of the mask. Ah well.

 

 

Upgrades and Equipment

A little bit disappointing considered the supposed ancient nature of Eldar tech.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

As before, something more akin to the "Ancient Powers" of Power Armour from Deathwatch might have been more fun, perhaps flavoured with Eldar mythology.

 

 

 

 

[Kage2020]

Although this is the bespoke Craftworld setting for the Gilead, ah, setting this was still a fun section to read through. The artwork on p.100 is wonderful!

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

In my head-canon of the setting, while Craftworlds might originally have had a "ship" shape that one might find in standard sci-fi fare (and they would have looked cool, too), over time I saw them taking on a more, I guess, efficient shape. That is, a disc-shape wrapped around the original core of the trading ship. This disc would have been filled with a honeycomb of different "domes" created by the whim/preferences of the Eldar. Between these individual sections were the power, environmental, and transport conduits that would have been necessary. 

 

Travelling through an Eldar Craftworld would have been a much different experience than the "linear" starhsips that it might have been based on, and which are the norm for other races. That is, basically Age of Sail.

 

 

WORLDS OF BONE

Yet another introduction to the Eldar Path and Ul-Khari and where we learn that the Eldar are such bad steerspeople that they can fly a Craftworld into a planet. In space.

 

THE ASURYANI

Yet more exposition on the Eldar Path. Here is where the book beings to feel a bit... messy? Disorganised?

 

There is some very brief and repetitive information on non-Warrior/Seer Paths that gets a little bit on the nose when it comes to the supplement: 

 

Quote

 

p. 101:

To witness the Asuryani on the battlefield might lead one to believe there are but two paths: those of the Warrior and the Witch. In fact there are many more.

 

 

And they go and mention three or four of them. <rolleyes>

 

Either way, it's a segue into talking about Ul-Khari and, presumably as this is the way that this always goes, how it is different from the norm? (Also, does the entire book need to be written in the same prose and not just state things plainly?)
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

While it's not original to this work---I believe I saw similar references in one of the novels---I do like the idea of "dead" sections of Craftworlds. This might be subsequently renegotiated into something for wraithsight and the "living" matrix/circuit (call backs to WD113).

I'm going to ignore the bits about wraithbone "freezing" on an ice world. I mean, it doesn't seem to have any problem in the depths of space, but put it on a world where someone can have a wolf and all of a sudden it's shuddering with the cold. <smh>

 

Ah, we're into the fourth page where we find out how Ul-Khari is special / exceptional...

 

THE BROKEN GOD

The Eldar tried rousing the Avatar with the Young King (now just an Aspect Warrior rather than an Exarch, for shame?), but to no avail. It's borken because, ah, the authors changed the background to make the Young King an Aspect Warrior rather than the expected Exarch. Yet if they but use an Exarch all will be well.

 

As with the whole Path of Command and the premise of paramount practitioners of a Path (Way-Sworn vs. Path-Sworn) they're inventing an unnecessary thing to make the bespoke Craftworld, well, bespoke.

 

ON HARDSHIP

The seemingly post-scarcity Eldar are now in a time of hardship on Ul-Khari because they crashed into a planet and, while they have the power to rectify the situation (the only solution being to blow up the planet) they do not because it would cause more harm than good. <smh>

 

I'm afraid this entire section feels contrived and awkward. I guess this is the problem when you're dealing with a race that is arguably incredibly powerful, even in their "dying" form, into a setting? Perhaps I'm glad that they're having this issue.

 

UL-KHARI ORNAMENTATION

Quote

 

p105:

They [ornamentations] hint at the empire that existed before the Fall, and in this way every Craftworld is like a shadow of what once. Those hints are usually so well-buried, however, that there's no practical way to deduce much about the specific worlds the craftworlders left behind.

 

 

And, yet, they can tell that Ul-Khari is losing weapons because a very specific Bonesinger is producing them?

 

THE TIDE OF RED FORSTS

Details of another catastrophe, this time involving Chaos and which required the Craftworld to be saved by a human Rogue Trader. 
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Oooh, this is the narrative equivalent of a GMNPC!

 

 

BENEATH THE ICE

... But wait! It gets worse! With Tyranids.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

They're throwing everything at this poor, beleaguered Craftworld even after an incompetent pilot!

 

 

ONGOING ACTIONS

Herein with more flavour text about how awesome the Aeldari are and how dangerous they could be... if only they weren't so focused on repairing the Craftworld that they crashed into a planet.

 

THE CALL

A psychic vision experienced by all Ul-Khari, but no-one knows what it is. Likely, as noted in the text, it will repair their borken Avatar.

 

PEOPLE OF UL-KHARI

Finally, something to sink the teeth into even if it is the boorish approach to Eldar governance. With that said, totally loving some of the face art that we see in the artwork, though I wish it was more extensive.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Here is where I begin to wish that the Eldar society presented in the background materials was a bit less two-dimensional. We can see this in the characters introduced who are, otherwise, spot on for what is described in the book.

 

 

The Exarch: Asurmen-Alaya

For some reason, the authors have changed the background on the Exarchs not only with the Young King example but with Exarchs fusing to their armour. (Wait, I do have a hazy memory of some arguing that this is the case for all Exarchs and not just the primary "special cases", the Phoenix Lords.)

Quote

 

My thoughts:

Gah!

 

 

The Sage: Seleithe Taranlys

Eldar wraithbone cyberware. 'Nuff said.

 

A SUNDERED KIN

Thankfully for Ul-Khari, other Eldar are present in this system that is chock-full of Eldar: 

• Our favourite Bluegrass/Ska band, The Masque of the Calamity Trail (Harlequin).
• The Greensteel Warriors are presented with their own version of Prince Yriel.
• The Dark Elves are also hear. Woot!

* * * 

 

Okay, I'm beginning to get a little whimsical/cynical here, so its probably best to take a break. After all, the next section is Outcasts of the Void, which talks---again---about the Outcasts in Gilead, as introduced above. Skipping ahead, there's a section for the Dark Elves and Harlequins, too. (Hint: The Dark Eldar section seems to be the largest despite Session 0 shenanigans.)

 

There's not much left of this particular journey into a detailed look at the Eldar in Wrath and Glory. 

[Kage2020]

Just a quick break to turn the frown upside down. I think that the authors have done a good job with what I presume they were given. I'm not sure why they are changing certain bits of the background to fit their specific exception Craftworld (maybe that background has already changed somewhat?), but for the most part they give you enough to hang a hat on for playing an Eldar. 

 

Mostly. This is not HARN, GURPS or whatever. So that kind of detail-based approach is perhaps unnecessary. Enough of a simplistic framework has been put out there to play stereotypes of the different factions. Craftworld Eldar are stoic and restrained; Dark Eldar are corrupt and sinister; Harlequins are even more aloof; Outcasts are temperamental. And, of course, all of them are really ancient.

 

The crunch thus far has been perhaps not the most inspired, but it has offered some interesting takes so I'm definitely getting something out of the cost of the book.

 

Not much left to do, so I'll finish and try and sum up my thoughts on it and where it takes me for a reinterpretation of the Eldar because, of course, nothing is better than reinforcing your own head-canon. ;)

[Kage2020]

The final sections in this WIR for Inheritance of Embers followed by some semi-structured thoughts on how to take this deep(er) dive into the Eldar of the 40k universe.

 

OUTCASTS OF THE VOID

(Yet) Another dive into descriptions of the Outcasts who exist, outside of the Craftworld yet still connected, as individuals or groups (sorry, coteries). I did like this quote, though: 

 

Quote

 

p. 114:

Others return to their Craftworld, but forever changed by their emancipation; they remain as outsiders amongst their own kin and join the ranks of the Rangers.

My thoughts: 
I like the sense of 'other' that this has, but to suddenly become a Ranger for the rest of their existence seems... ah, strange. Admittedly, this is one of the reasons that I have such individuals leading through the Clan Council---their perspectives changed but not, suddenly, a service restricted by temperament.

 

 

The description is beginning to get a bit tiresome as this goes yet more into ostentatious displays of conspicuous wealth as a way of centering the individual or allowing them to express their individuality / success. Again. I guess it doesn't really help that now even the art is repeating (top of p. 116).

 

LORDS OF THE WINE DARK HEAVENS

I need a hyphen in this title, but the following paragraphs are more "band of pirates" information from earlier, just using slightly different words (or word order). If anything, the pirate Eldar are unsurprisingly a hybrid of the Dark Eldar and their Craftworld Eldar brethren. After all, they are the "temperamental" ones and not the mentally jailed Craftworld Eldar or the excessive Dark Eldar.

 

Then on to Pirate Conclaves, because nothing says Pirates than Pirates scheming, politicking, and fighting each other with power sabers!

 

PRIVATEEERS OF THE VOID

A section on the tactics of the Pirates, which are the tactics of the Eldar in general: guerilla, fade and attack etc.

 

ANY PORT IN THE STORM

Herein detailing information on pirate bases, with popular ones being constructed by itinerant (alas, not peripatetic) Bonesingers. A sentence on when the teenagers come home to roost at a Craftworld, and clearly past their curfew.

 

PIRATES OF GILEAD

Princess Ferinwyr who, a paragraph later becomes "Ferianwyr" because of rapid-rebranding, does shenanigans---coming to the rescue of the Asuryani who flew their vessel and home into a planet (clearly deserving their fate), and coming to terms with the Imperium's rogue Trader. Now included is a hidden ship harking from the time of the Fall (like the craftworld that ploughed into a world) and with the ability to control a Talisman of Vaul, or "open and repair the Webway" that in the rest of the book people are glibly walking around (which is fine).

 

 

There follows a list of reprobates that don't agree with Ferinwyr/Ferianwyr, including at least a named Luke Skywalker. Sorry, Skykiller.
 

Quote

 

My thoughts:

One thing that I am liking are how these individuals are included in "plot hooks" that are mechanically described in terms of keywords, wargear, and bonus. This feels very much like a traditional dungeon crawl set up.

 

 

* * * 

 

THE DARK CITY / Progenitors of a Dark God

This is another chapter that once again I didn't bother to break into a different section.

 

The ancient inheritors of the Ancient Aeldari---with spikes 'n' stuff. Cynicism aside, there are some insights into the Dark Eldar as true inheritors of the technologies of the ancient Eldar, i.e. the traditional references to the artificial wombs as a means of promulgating their number.

 

Quote

 

My thoughts: 

Interestingly, if it didn't strike you before, the presentation of the Asuyrani as "tree huggers" is very strong here.

 

 

A CITY OF EXCRUCIATION / REALSPACE REAIDS

More of the same.

 

PATHS TO POWER

Separate descriptions of what the different archetypes of the Dark Eldar do. Cool.

 

GODS AND MONSTERS

I got excited here until I realised that I flicked through and found a later section. Either way, this section paves the way of an interesting section that details some more mythology / motivations that is fascinating and the kind of stuff that I would have like to see more of rather than the frequently-repeating prose.

 

HAKHLENNA DEEP

The mandatory "This is how Dark Eldar are different in Gilead" section with frequent name-dropping and the occasional jarring tense change or on p. 131 where the layout artist used the wrong Parent Page (assuming that they're using InDesign).

 

I'm finding it hard to get through this, but there are some gems in here. I enjoyed the implications of "Paragons of a Shattered God" and feel that it would be fun to splice it with the Harlequins.

 

* * * 

 

Perhaps cheesy, but Harlequins were ever a favourite of mine as they represented the "warrior poet" / mage archetype.

 

SERVANTS OF THE LAUGHING GOD

By now, the standard prose approach to describing the Harlequins in a well-trod path (not inappropriate). Some things that jumped out to me included: 

• Multiplicity of meanings (well, no surprise here; not really)
• Mask-wearing again---subsuming of ego by superego?
• Harlequins as ultimate interlopers

A TRAIL OF CALAMITY

Call out to our Bluegrass/Ska band in the title, woot! Seriously, though, this is the traditional "Harlequin exceptions in Gilead" because every faction has to be shoe-horned in?

 

THE HARLEQUIN'S MOTLEY

A great section. Totally surprised on how they handle this.

 

THE WEBWAY

Things in Gilead are different (tm).

 

THE FROZEN TEAR

An introduction to how a Masque is divided into different troupes. Cool. Also, introductions to Campbell-inspired archetypes within these troupes and masques. Double cool.

 

THE FALL OF STARS

A description of one of the primary performances of the Gilead Bluegrass/Ska Masque and notes of why a Solitaire is absent (with piquant notes of Gilead being special, of course!). Overall an interesting section and breakdown of how the different roles of Harlequins can play into a performance.

 

[Kage2020]

THE PANTHEON OF RUIN

This section is pure gold and a mine of potential information and inspiration. So much so that I'm not even going to comment except to say that you go and read this for yourself. 

 

GAMEMASTER'S GUIDE

The last chapter of the book where it talks about major themes of the Aeldari: Pride, Nostalgia, Doom, Loss, Regret and outrage, and Perseverance and Hope. We've been here before earlier in the book, which is a testament more to the organisation than anything else.

 

RUNNING MIXED PARTIES

A not particularly surprising, yet necessary, section. Perhaps the greatest bit about this section is the quiet intimation that the broader universe is a bit more... dynamic than perhaps expressed in the medium of a wargame.

 

* * * 

 

And there's the end of the quick WIR, sans Index. (Probably a good decision given the organisation of the book.)

 

* * *

Overall, while the prose of the book is frustrating in its repetition and style, this is not something that can be lain purely at the feet of the authors. It's a clear fingerprint of how Warhammer 40,000 is covered in places such as the Indices and Codex that treat the armies in the wargame. As much as a non-writer can say, it seems an easy way to handle the setting as you can wax lyrical and use it as a means of addressing broader themes and (lazy) mythology while not providing too much substance. The presence of Ul-Khari is part of the "exceptions" that provide the norm for the setting---by describing one thing, and how it differs, you don't describe the general rule. This is the non-cool version of exceptionalism.

 

For conversions to other TTRPG, there are definitely some things to bite into even if at the same time you are constantly asked to fill in details about "civilian" technology (or magitech) outside of the "reasonable"* focus on the archetypes. (* The fans of the setting/Eldar would have raged if they were not there.)

 

All in all, there were more than a couple of handfuls of interesting sections and, again, The Pantheon of Ruin provides (for me!) the prime example of this. There could have been more, yes, but what there is happens to be solid gold.

 

This book represents for me a reason to provide a broad-brushstrokes look at the Eldar as a means of giving players more to get to grips with. A society that is not simply led by Farseers because they can "see the future" (a premise that is obviously fraught with difficulty) but grounded in approaches to personal and group motivations---even ones handled by Aeldar major themes ala the Gamemaster's Guide section.

 

This would have been a steal at half the price, but at $20+ it was a tad too expensive for what you get.

[Karak Norn Clansman]

Wonderful presentation of your take on Craftworld Eldar. Most familiar from Warseer down to detail, and nice to see it laid out in one place, The honeycomb structure is highly familiar. I did not get around to making the planned trunctated octahedrons in wood due to difficulty with sawing, and so no physical mock-up model of honeycomb cells was made; although funnily enough my brother has turned out to be highly skilled at achieving advanced shapes like those with an electric sander. Do you happen to have a sketch or some sufficiently adjacent science fiction picture at hand to illustrate the following description of the disc-shape wrapped around the ships' core?

 

Quote

....a disc-shape wrapped around the original core of the trading ship. This disc would have been filled with a honeycomb of different "domes" created by the whim/preferences of the Eldar. Between these individual sections were the power, environmental, and transport conduits that would have been necessary. 

 

 

I am asking because I gained a clear picture of what I thought you meant on Warseer, but now I think you meant something a tad different from how I originally interpreted your description. I believe I have landed rather exactly where you intended it, thanks to the clarity of your description here, but better ask. In any case, highly evocative, and certainly good sparks for the imagination no matter the interpretation one lands upon; great sci-fi concepts, all. Of course, no picture is necessary, I'm just curious.

 

Anyhow, the subtle touch and logical approach you bring to bear on Eldar is highly appropriate, and I'm taking notes on all manner of thoughts of yours, not least for the Infinity Circuit and Spirit Stones.

 

Likewise, a stellar review of the Wrath & Glory: Inheritance of Embers book, with all its warts and better sides. Some fun stuff in there for sure. I am surprised that a 40k roleplaying game would endeavour to make their little corner of the galaxy that exceptional, when you instead would expect something typical of wider factions but still full of flavour. Eldar driving so badly they crash into a planet would be the last species in the galaxy of which I would expect such poor steersmanship, hahaha. That's basically an Ork story!

 

Since I'll probably never be in a position to buy this book, I'm finding myself wishing you had delved into some of the golden quality bits, to share examples of polished Aeldari background done right. But that's just the eternal curiosity and eternal tightwad in me speaking.

 

Very interesting thoughts on how choice parts of the background material here could be woven into your take on Eldar. I have nothing of substance to add, other than repeating that Farrer's short story Faces may be of interest because of masks. I find myself reading your thoughts here with care, and taking notes, but unlike with Squats this is not a background subject which comes naturally to me to delve deeper into and intuitively get the hang of so that I can craft more intricate interpretations of my own (although Eldar is far more graspable for me than psychic powers). On Warseer almost two decades ago, my budding thoughts on Eldar and discussions about them was me coming to grips with their exquisite worldbuilding, turning and gazing at it from various angles, and speaking with loremasters such as yourself about them. But I never got them like you have.

 

Speaking of which, a kind of bonus add-on. Sketches from 2006, inspired by our long discussions and reading more online about the enigmatic and intriguing Eldar than I could find in available GW publications. Also inspired by the metal Ranger miniatures released at that time. The third sketch is a Croneworld Eldar, just playing around with an outlandish concept mentioned on Warseer, but hardly fluff-compatible (and also lacking a pointy helmet).

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

All in all, an applause for your writings and endeavours and thoughts are in order. It's a treat to see Eldar handled this well with nuance. It's great to have you back, @Kage2020! Please keep at it; there is a demand for the Kageverse.

 

Besides, you may want to consider posting duplicates of your threads over on DakkaDakka, the other large 40k forum. That way you have better chances of netting replies by larger outreach. And maybe even going to the trouble of putting something up on Reddit (I have linklists of Warhammer subreddits if so): I know one can find good discussions there sometimes, but I am not sure if Reddit would be worth the hassle.

 

Cheers

Edited March 13 by Karak Norn Clansman

[Kage2020]

  

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Most familiar from Warseer down to detail...

 

To be honest, I don't think that there has been much development in all the years to warrant a sea-change to the interpretation of the Eldar. The main difficulties, as always, are fighting the "themes" to make them a race with more of an agenda despite also being a "dying" race (which is a problematic concept).

 

The new introduction---the Ynnari---is something that I'm still getting to grips with, both in terms of operation and aesthetics. I think that GW muffed them up slightly, but then again I had my own explanation about what would happen to Ynnead so perhaps I'm based. (Read: Certainly biased.)

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

I did not get around to making the planned trunctated octahedrons in wood due to difficulty with sawing, and so no physical mock-up model of honeycomb cells was made; although funnily enough my brother has turned out to be highly skilled at achieving advanced shapes like those with an electric sander. Do you happen to have a sketch or some sufficiently adjacent science fiction picture at hand to illustrate the following description of the disc-shape wrapped around the ships' core?

 

Hmmn. Generating this kind of art is difficult for me. Let me think on how it would be achieved. 

 

On the other hand, I've got a small CNC, along with some resin printers, that now I'm thinking about cool ways of getting physical representations. Of course, that still means creating something in Blender... *sigh*

 

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

I am asking because I gained a clear picture of what I thought you meant on Warseer, but now I think you meant something a tad different from how I originally interpreted your description.

 

Well, perhaps you could explain it back to me? I find that there's generally some value of this form of "Chinese Whispers".

 

Some of the newer artwork (or newer to me) might have influenced some changes to what I originally had in mind. Plus, with that said I need to look into the mathematics/engineering of grouping hexagons.

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

I am surprised that a 40k roleplaying game would endeavour to make their little corner of the galaxy that exceptional, when you instead would expect something typical of wider factions but still full of flavour.

 

The problem may be "wargame-itis", or writing that is dominated by giving a reason for every single wargame army to be able to duke it out at the locale in question. As I view it, if you're going to go with nuclear stupidity of having a Craftworld fly into a planet you really don't need to throw in the Tyranids and Chaos on top of that. 

 

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

...I'm finding myself wishing you had delved into some of the golden quality bits, to share examples of polished Aeldari background done right. But that's just the eternal curiosity and eternal tightwad in me speaking.

 

If inspiration continues to peak, I might flesh out some of the information that you're talking about.

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

I have nothing of substance to add, other than repeating that Farrer's short story Faces may be of interest because of masks.

 

I did not know this existed. Further, Amazon indicates that there are some related books. I picked up Masks and will look at the others if/when I can do so. Suffice to say that it takes me much longer to get through these materials nowadays.

 

Thanks for the pointer!

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

...although Eldar is far more graspable for me than psychic powers...

 

Perhaps the problem here is much of the information that is presented in the materials is hyperbolic. There's nothing that is really operationable and applicable to an individual characterisation?

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Please keep at it; there is a demand for the Kageverse.

 

I have my doubts on that, but maybe I have another thread in my to try and tackle the Adeptus Mechanicus based upon the limited fragments that I have from the GURPS supplement that I began to, as I laughingly refer to my process, write.

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Besides, you may want to consider posting duplicates of your threads over on DakkaDakka, the other large 40k forum. That way you have better chances of netting replies by larger outreach.

 

TBH, that sounds kind of exhausting. I don't think that I have the strength to do that anymore. The broader usership based upon the sea-change following the publication of the 40k RPGs were initially one of the reasons that I broke away from the setting and went elsewhere. (If one more person says, "Now, unlike before, we can play in the Warhammer 40,000 universe!" when there were materials around that would have allowed them to do that for years prior to the publication of Dark Heresy... *sigh*)

 

17 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

And maybe even going to the trouble of putting something up on Reddit...

 

I actually put a fragment on there in one of the 40k sections but... buggered if I can remembered where, now.

[Karak Norn Clansman]

There is indeed little in the way of development on Eldar. Not that much has been added to the background in 20 or 30 years. As to "dying race", my instinctive reaction to that is always defiance. I've never been a fan of it since reading Tolkien for the first time, and never will be. With all these dying elder races in fiction, my immersion into whatever setting is always going to be about swimming against the current in whatever niche I carve out and in the stories I tell. Which tends to be a decent starting point for giving them an agenda of their own.

 

Would you like to share your take on Ynnead?

 

Please don't go to the trouble of creating a visual if it's a bother. I'm just curious. :)

 

As to Chinese whispers, yes: Now that I think about it, I guess one crude analogy would be bubble wrap, where the bubbles are the hexagonal domes, and the flat plastic in between vaguely represents conduits and free space between the hexagons. In my Warseer understanding of your description, I understood Eldar Craftworlds to consist of deep layers of domes stacked one upon another, albeit with plenty of space in between and filled with conduits of all kinds. Think bubble wrap folded multiple times over on itself to cover up cubic area. Probably with an overarching interesting shape to the Craftworld ship, but the interior was many layers of domes.

 

My Bolter & Chainsword understanding is more akin to a sheet of bubble wrap wrapped in a single layer, or perhaps just two or three overlapping layers, around the original trade ship.

 

Haha, yes it's probably wargame-itis in action. And that's a lot all in one go to throw on a single system or world.

 

Quote

Perhaps the problem here is much of the information that is presented in the materials is hyperbolic. There's nothing that is really operationable and applicable to an individual characterisation?

 

Good question! Yes, it might be. I've always rolled with the hyperbole of Warhammer, and much of my storywriting improvements have been about embracing and learning to go over the top with a hyperbole which I would not have been naturally inclined to indulge in. With the new iteration of Squats (with GW's wonderful hyperbole), I immediately get a sense of how they tick and come up with my own interpretations rapidly, gaining fruitful ideas from drilling discussions over on DakkaDakka on the subject. Either Eldar and more so psychic powers might lack some handles for me to grip onto that Squats have been provided with, or it's just not a natural personal fit as per space dwarfs and it happen to be an instant marriage of idea and ideator. At least in my eyes, the Leagues of Votann are operationable. With them being tailored clones from a large number of different templates that continue to be changed (or at least the vast majority of them are clones in my interpretation, meaning they still reproduce naturally on the side) it could potentially drain away something from individual characterisation. But to me it's just another form of birth, and I'm laughing all the way to the bank when the sum total of the new Squat rewrite amounts to what fantasy Dwarfs might consider dying and coming to an unending heaven of hardy toil. It's paradise, baby! Rogue Trader Squats never had it this good.

 

I've always been interested in Eldar, but unlike how my imagination dance with the Squat worldbuilding, Eldar largely remain a mystery to me. Psychic powers more so.

 

Well, mysteries are fun. So that's all right.

 

As to Kageverse, thank you for writing together the fragments. You have great humour when referring to your process and head, and I'm copying the turn of phrase for generic future comic writing material, but please know that you're one of the great minds of the Warhammer 40'000 community. At least I and apologist are part of the demanding audience. And, to repeat; if and when you decide to write together your various background takes here in the discussion threads into polished background articles (even if short, that's all right), I'm game for doodling something tailored for your work. And obviously you're free and welcome to use any of my doodles and acrylic paintings in the gallery as decoration if you ever feel like it, no need to ask, just raid away. This is a standard offer I make for loremasters and anyone who asks.

 

Quote

TBH, that sounds kind of exhausting. I don't think that I have the strength to do that anymore. The broader usership based upon the sea-change following the publication of the 40k RPGs were initially one of the reasons that I broke away from the setting and went elsewhere. (If one more person says, "Now, unlike before, we can play in the Warhammer 40,000 universe!" when there were materials around that would have allowed them to do that for years prior to the publication of Dark Heresy... *sigh*)

 

Roger that. Understandable. If you're alright with it, I might sometime copy over the core content of some of your threads for the benefit of others interested in 40k background to DakkaDakka and suchlike, naturally crediting you and linking to your threads. It's good inspiration, and there are people who will like to read it and mull over it.

 

Kind regards

Edited March 15 by Karak Norn Clansman

[Kage2020]

10 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

There is indeed little in the way of development on Eldar. Not that much has been added to the background in 20 or 30 years. As to "dying race", my instinctive reaction to that is always defiance. I've never been a fan of it since reading Tolkien for the first time, and never will be. With all these dying elder races in fiction, my immersion into whatever setting is always going to be about swimming against the current in whatever niche I carve out and in the stories I tell. Which tends to be a decent starting point for giving them an agenda of their own.

 

Right?

 

Totally agree. Just without the cheesy Bill Pullman/Independence Day speech. 

 

10 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Would you like to share your take on Ynnead?

 

Please don't go to the trouble of creating a visual if it's a bother. I'm just curious. :)

 

My approach to Ynnead was to steal from GW's work on the Star Child from Realms of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness. 

 

We were given to understand that the "Eternal Matrix" existed as an emergent property of the Webway. We were also given to understand that Cegorach was "hiding" in the Webway. Thus, the notion of the "Metarune" (as I called it) was to have a New Man-esque avatar be born and, ultimately, for the Webway to collapse / spawn a new deity that would be Ynnead.

 

As I look at the information on the Ynnari, I think that this would more directly tie the Harlequins in along with the old background about the Solitaires. YMMV.

 

10 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

As to Chinese whispers, yes: Now that I think about it, I guess one crude analogy would be bubble wrap, where the bubbles are the hexagonal domes, and the flat plastic in between vaguely represents conduits and free space between the hexagons.

 

No, that works. I personally imagine stacked sheets of bubble wrap to make it "three dimensional". It's basically this: 

 

 

Increase the spacing between them and you have the space for all the stuff that needs to go in there. "Cells" on exterior locations are perfect for the kind of domes that you see in the artwork. It's just that all the rest of the volume can be "domes" too.

 

To see how this would work in a circle: 

 

 

10 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

My Bolter & Chainsword understanding is more akin to a sheet of bubble wrap wrapped in a single layer, or perhaps just two or three overlapping layers, around the original trade ship.

 

I don't think that it's hard to see how the structure would be created around a central "ship", though it does require that such a process be intentional. 

 

... And I've been called away to spend time with my son. I'll get back to the rest if/when I get the chance.

[Karak Norn Clansman]

Independence Day is new to me. Thanks for that, most cheesy, haha!

 

Thank you. Most interesting thoughts on Ynnead, and ties in well enough with previous background.

 

As to hexagonal domes: Ah, then I understood you correctly the first time around after all. Intentional is the word. Eldar are not Orks, unlike what the Rok-esque steering abilities of a certain Craftworld might suggest.

Edited March 16 by Karak Norn Clansman

[Kage2020]

On 3/16/2024 at 6:26 AM, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Independence Day is new to me. Thanks for that, most cheesy, haha!

 

FWIW, I would avoid the second movie.

 

On 3/16/2024 at 6:26 AM, Karak Norn Clansman said:

Thank you. Most interesting thoughts on Ynnead, and ties in well enough with previous background.

 

I think behind it all, I'm lazy. If I have to make a minimum effort to make something fit while not removing the agency of a race (ala the War in Heaven etc.) then I'll do it. ;)

 

On 3/16/2024 at 6:26 AM, Karak Norn Clansman said:

 

As to hexagonal domes: Ah, then I understood you correctly the first time around after all. Intentional is the word. Eldar are not Orks, unlike what the Rok-esque steering abilities of a certain Craftworld might suggest.

 

This might give you a little bit of a better idea from those quickly-identified images: 
 

 

As pictured, they're not really "domes", but I hope that you get the picture. You can increase the number of sides to make them spheres but in so doing you decreasing the packing efficiency. Similarly, you can make them taller and thus more sphere-like by reducing the scale/width of the upper- or lower-most hexagons while leaving the middle/perimeter hexagon the same size. 

 

Heck, you could put a sphere in the middle if you wanted.

 

There's also little reason that you could join different "cells" together to make something larger, is size was an issue, nor change the "top" of the hexagon if, say, it penetrated the skin of the Craftworld and you wanted an actual, honest-to-gods dome.

 

Really, it's just an organisational shape that can be as large or as small as needed. Individual hab "houses" to entire ecosystems...

If you didn't fancy the interstices between the cells, you could zero the space and just put all the internal gubbins within the cell.

[Kage2020]

I guess if it would be helpful I could turn this into an array in Blender to show how it might work...?

[Karak Norn Clansman]

@Kage2020: Very good explanation, thoughts and mock-up. Thanks. I have a clear picture of it now from all perspectives you have touched upon, but if you want to go the extra mile in Blender, then be our guest. Perhaps it could be of use in background articles of your own on Aeldari in the future? ;)

Edited March 18 by Karak Norn Clansman

[Kage2020]

4 hours ago, Karak Norn Clansman said:

@Kage2020: Very good explanation, thoughts and mock-up. Thanks. I have a clear picture of it now from all perspectives you have touched upon, but if you want to go the extra mile in Blender, then be our guest. Perhaps it could be of use in background articles of your own on Aeldari in the future? ;)

 

Maybe. The only reason that I do digital art, though, is that I suck at real art. In this case... maybe. :)

[Kage2020]

@Karak Norn Clansman --- I'm thinking of tweaking my interpretation of the Eldar and, for once, delving a bit deeper into the "magic species" or 40k-as-pure-Tolkienesque-fantasy vibe. I'm just wondering how far too take it and whether to ignore some of the more obvious "wargame balance" aspects (e.g. Wraithsight).

 

A quick correction on some previous terms. I think that using the example of the Court of the Young King (Khaine), I might rename "Clans" as "Courts". A part of this is reading more into the myths of Ireland and Britain and stilling liberally from the Tuatha de Danaan. So, Eldar now may belong to a Court rather than a Clan, thus getting rid of the kin-based confusion that normally results from the term's use.

 

I'm also thinking of ditching the focus on wraithbone as technology and going with the more fantasy version of "psychoplastic". There are going to be a huge amount of implications about the ability to be able to summon and shape "ether" (warp snot ;) ) but, heck, it might be fun. Heh, it makes the Eldar even more bat-&$#@ insanely powerful when you extend the arguments.

 

Rather than taking the (terrible) Xenology information on the Eldar that felt like a total cop-out, I do like the notion that the Eldar might be post-physical beings. Just thinking about the implications in that and why it doesn't just allow---given the ability of the Eldar to clone---to just churn out new Eldar using the recently dead.

 

And there's another thing: the ancestors. I really liked the interpretation that was originally put forth in the Harlequin article (WD105? 115? I forget) that the Ancestor Spirits were actively engaged in Craftworld Eldar society. Some of this is brought out in the idea of the three controlling Councils. Hmmn... Stealing from the Edenist habitats might be useful, i.e. while they still feel a connection with the universe, the Eldar are distinct consciousness that can be drawn out with ease. The eldest spirits, however, choose to merge themselves with the Craftworld consciousness that ultimately becomes part of the Eternal Matrix.

 

Hmmn. Pondering. Thoughts welcome on all things Eldar.