Changes: Scourge

Revision as of 22:38, 9 March 2019

"You think that's summer rain falling? Ha! It is the blood of those who crossed the Scourges, boy. You cannot see them, but your foolish kin adorn the spires and crenellations of High Commorragh like grisly fruit upon the bough. Up there they bleed out their last, moaning and helpless, impaled through and through. No! Do not look upward! Catch a Watcher's eye, and it will be your blood that rains down next..."

— Edric Shiverhand, Slave-Elder of Gomor Sump

A Scourge is a genetically altered Drukhari mercenary who has had wings grafted onto his body and who now serves essentially as jump infantry in Drukhari raid forces. If one were to trespass amongst the jutting spires of Upper Commorragh, one might just make out the winged figures soaring upon the hot thermals of the Dark City.

If one looked carefully, these figures would be recognised as the Scourges, genetically and surgically altered avian Drukhari who have been refashioned into something far more deadly. If a gaze lingers too long, those same figures will swoop towards the watcher, seizing him and impaling him upon the sleek spires of their aeries.

Role

Scourges are an intrinsic part of the society of Commorragh. The omnipresent intrigues of the Dark City thrive on information, without which even the greatest of the Kabals is soon rendered impotent. The most secure forms of Vox transmission can always be intercepted and psychic communication is strictly forbidden to the Drukhari.

Instead, the Drukhari aristocracy pays handsomely for the Scourges to take their missives to their destination by hand. Each communique is sealed with tailor-made toxins, the antidotes to which -- usually -- are only held by the recipient. The Scourges are so vital to the intrigues of the Dark City that to kill one is to invite a very painful death by his or her fellows.

Considered the pinnacle of Drukhari body modification, the metamorphosis from warrior to Scourge is a lengthy and painful process, as one might expect of the Drukhari. A rich and daring Drukhari may surrender himself to the mercies of the Haemonculi and request that his bones be hollowed out by the drills of a Talos, that bands of new, vat-grown muscle be grafted onto his torso, and powerful avian wings and adrenaline dispensers be attached to his shoulders so that he is capable of undertaking true flight.

Even if the warrior survives this grueling procedure, he is still not yet a true Scourge, for he must then fly all the way to the corpse-strewn aeries of his new brethren. His still raw and bleeding wings carry him from the oubliettes of the Haemonculi to the topmost spires of the Dark City where the Scourges make their home and he must fight through the deadly fatigue, warring gangs of Hellions, vicious Reavers and all the other types of airborne terrors to be found in Upper Commorragh to get there. If he makes this vertical pilgrimage and manages to survive its dangers, he earns the right to call himself a Scourge, a member of a highly exclusive mercenary clique of skyborne warriors that looks with disdain upon those of their kin who remain tied to the ground.

Solarites

"Arrogant creature, you will pay for the insult of trying to force me to the ground. The mere thought of brushing my feet against the same dirt you tread sickens me. I will take your imminent screams of dying anguish as your crude attempt at an apology."

— Sorakhn Elish, Scourge Solarite

Solarites are veteran Scourges who are now considered leaders amongst those winged mercenaries. They generally are more skillful in battle and carry more advanced wargear.

They may also have pursued further body modifications from the Haemonculi, including having their skin replaced by feathers and their skulls elongated to give them the aspect of a great xenos raptor.

Wargear

Many Scourges, especially the veterans known as Solarites, are so removed from their former lives that they now sport feathers in place of hair and elongated skulls. No matter what their chosen appearance, all Scourges relish the arts of war. Because of this, and the immense wealth they earn from the Kabals, all Scourges possess highly advanced Dark Eldar wargear.

Clad in a form of porous body armour called Ghostplate, they descend from above, shrieking with the sheer exhilaration as they ruthlessly scythe down those who seek to escape. Scourges prefer to engage the enemy at range, for they are highly protective of their altered and now fragile physiques. They lay down punishing salvos of firepower, glorying in the screams of their dying foes while using their enhanced senses before wheeling about for another pass.

As a result all Scourge weapons are designed to be fired while in flight. The most popular is the Shardcarbine, an advanced variant of the Splinter Rifle with a much higher rate of fire, though Scourges also favour the Haywire Blaster, which releases the electromagnetic energy of Commorragh's captive suns in a powerful burst that fry electronics and the Heat Lance, which can disintegrate a foe in a blast of atomic fire. Scourges also usually carry a number of Plasma Grenades for hardened or heavily armoured targets.

Sources

Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 32
Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition) (Digital Edition)
Only War: Enemies of the Imperium (RPG), pg. 88
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest Collectible Card Game (Picture)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Quote|You think that's summer rain falling? Ha! It is the blood of those who crossed the Scourges, boy. You cannot see them, but your foolish kin adorn the spires and crenellations of High Commorragh like grisly fruit upon the bough. Up there they bleed out their last, moaning and helpless, impaled through and through. No! Do not look upward! Catch a Watcher's eye, and it will be your blood that rains down next...| Edric Shiverhand, Slave-Elder of Gomor Sump}}
-[[File:Scourges72.jpg|thumb|360px|A Scourge squad prepares to assault the enemy position from above.]]
+[[File:Scourge.png|thumb|250px|A Drukhari Scourge]]
-[[File:Scourge_vs_swooping_hawk_by_beckjann-d3atl5w.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Dark Eldar]] Solarite (Veteran Scourge) vs. [[Eldar]] [[Swooping Hawks|Swooping Hawk]]]]
+A '''Scourge''' is a genetically altered [[Drukhari]] mercenary who has had wings grafted onto his body and who now serves essentially as jump infantry in Drukhari raid forces. If one were to trespass amongst the jutting spires of Upper [[Commorragh]], one might just make out the winged figures soaring upon the hot thermals of the Dark City.
-[[File:Veteran_Scourge.jpg|thumb|290px|A Solarite (Veteran Scourge)]]
-[[Dark Eldar]] Scourges are extremely elitist mercenaries who have had wings grafted onto their bodies. Such items do not come cheaply in [[Commorragh]], for although the buyer may have enough of whatever the [[Haemonculi]] wants in exchange for their services, the process of 'Scourgification' is extremely extensive and agonising to the extreme, and some do not survive the surgery. Bones are hollowed out, layers of muscles, blood vessels and nerves are bonded to the spine and in some cases feet are replaced with talons, the better to grip onto ledges and railings. Eventually, the wings are surgically grafted on.
+If one looked carefully, these figures would be recognised as the Scourges, genetically and surgically altered avian Drukhari who have been refashioned into something far more deadly. If a gaze lingers too long, those same figures will swoop towards the watcher, seizing him and impaling him upon the sleek spires of their aeries.
-However the hardest part is to come, for even if the painful surgery is successful the individual is still not considered a true Scourge. In order to test their newly grafted and bloodied wings and prove themselves worthy, these individuals must fly from the Haemonculi's oubliettes to the uppermost spires, where the Scourges make their homes known as aeries. Some do not have the strength to complete the journey, falling from the sky much like the ancient Terran legend known as Icarus. Others are snagged by aerial predators, and eaten on the spot. Still others are butchered mid-flight by merciless gangs of [[Hellions]]. Only those who have the willpower, and strength of both body and mind to complete this arduous pilgrimage, are welcomed by their new brothers-in-arms.
+==Role==
-The Scourges are valued as untouchable messengers and mercenaries, for to kill one is to invite retaliation from his parent flock. Thusly, they are some of the wealthiest Dark Eldar in the city, and can afford to splurge on the most expensive equipment and weapons available, such as Dark Lances, Blasters etc. Sometimes they are hired/turn up uninvited for a realspace raid, and on these occasions, the full capability of winged shock troops comes to the fore. They attack wherever and whomever they please, and strike where least expected, utilizing their wings to quickly retreat or push forward depending upon the enemy's strength. In the aftermath of a realspace raid they will carry their slaves screaming to their nests in the highest spires of Commoragh, there to be used as a plaything by the Scourges.
+Scourges are an intrinsic part of the society of Commorragh. The omnipresent intrigues of the Dark City thrive on information, without which even the greatest of the [[Kabal]]s is soon rendered impotent. The most secure forms of [[Vox]] transmission can always be intercepted and psychic communication is strictly forbidden to the Drukhari.
+Instead, the Drukhari aristocracy pays handsomely for the Scourges to take their missives to their destination by hand. Each communique is sealed with tailor-made toxins, the antidotes to which -- usually -- are only held by the recipient. The Scourges are so vital to the intrigues of the Dark City that to kill one is to invite a very painful death by his or her fellows.
+Considered the pinnacle of Drukhari body modification, the metamorphosis from warrior to Scourge is a lengthy and painful process, as one might expect of the Drukhari. A rich and daring Drukhari may surrender himself to the mercies of the [[Haemonculi]] and request that his bones be hollowed out by the drills of a [[Talos]], that bands of new, vat-grown muscle be grafted onto his torso, and powerful avian wings and adrenaline dispensers be attached to his shoulders so that he is capable of undertaking true flight.
+Even if the warrior survives this grueling procedure, he is still not yet a true Scourge, for he must then fly all the way to the corpse-strewn aeries of his new brethren. His still raw and bleeding wings carry him from the oubliettes of the Haemonculi to the topmost spires of the Dark City where the Scourges make their home and he must fight through the deadly fatigue, warring gangs of [[Hellions]], vicious [[Reaver (Dark Eldar)|Reavers]] and all the other types of airborne terrors to be found in Upper Commorragh to get there. If he makes this vertical pilgrimage and manages to survive its dangers, he earns the right to call himself a Scourge, a member of a highly exclusive mercenary clique of skyborne warriors that looks with disdain upon those of their kin who remain tied to the ground.
+==Solarites==
+{{Quote|Arrogant creature, you will pay for the insult of trying to force me to the ground. The mere thought of brushing my feet against the same dirt you tread sickens me. I will take your imminent screams of dying anguish as your crude attempt at an apology.| Sorakhn Elish, Scourge Solarite}}
+[[File:Solarite.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Drukhari]] Solarite]]
+Solarites are veteran Scourges who are now considered leaders amongst those winged mercenaries. They generally are more skillful in battle and carry more advanced wargear.
+They may also have pursued further body modifications from the Haemonculi, including having their skin replaced by feathers and their skulls elongated to give them the aspect of a great [[xenos]] raptor.
+==Wargear==
+Many Scourges, especially the veterans known as Solarites, are so removed from their former lives that they now sport feathers in place of hair and elongated skulls. No matter what their chosen appearance, all Scourges relish the arts of war. Because of this, and the immense wealth they earn from the Kabals, all Scourges possess highly advanced [[Dark Eldar wargear]].
+Clad in a form of porous body armour called [[Ghostplate]], they descend from above, shrieking with the sheer exhilaration as they ruthlessly scythe down those who seek to escape. Scourges prefer to engage the enemy at range, for they are highly protective of their altered and now fragile physiques. They lay down punishing salvos of firepower, glorying in the screams of their dying foes while using their enhanced senses before wheeling about for another pass.
+As a result all Scourge weapons are designed to be fired while in flight. The most popular is the [[Shardcarbine]], an advanced variant of the [[Splinter Rifle]] with a much higher rate of fire, though Scourges also favour the [[Haywire Blaster]], which releases the electromagnetic energy of Commorragh's captive suns in a powerful burst that fry electronics and the [[Heat Lance]], which can disintegrate a foe in a blast of atomic fire. Scourges also usually carry a number of [[Plasma Grenade]]s for hardened or heavily armoured targets.
-Scourges look with disdain upon their earthbound kin they left behind, especially their veteran warriors known as Solarites. These veteran warriors are so far removed from their former lives that it is not unknown for them to sport quills, feathers in place of hair or elongated skulls.
-==Combat Role==
-Scourges are employed in a Fast Attack combat role, dropping from the sky on black pinions, their heavy weapons unleashing a hail of deadly splinters and pulses of dark energy. They attack wherever and whomever they please, and strike where they are least expected, utilising their powerful wings to quickly pull back or drive forward into their foes, depending on their enemy's disposition.
-===Equipment===
-Due to the wealth obtained by hiring out their services to the Kabals, Scourges are known to sport highly advanced wargear. Shrieking with exhilaration as they descend upon their prey from above, they are clad in specially crafted body armour known as ghostplate, which is both supple and porous. To protect their expensively altered bodies Scourges prefer to engage their foes from a distance, incorporating the use of the shardcarbine, an advance type of splinter rifle with a far higher rate of fire. Scourges also favour the use of the haywire blaster, an energy weapon that releases electromagnetic energy in powerful bursts and the heat lance, a powerful weapon that can completely atomise a foe.
 ==Sources==
-*''Codex Dark Eldar'' (5th Edition), p. 32
+*''Codex: Dark Eldar'' (5th Edition), pg. 32
+*''Codex: Dark Eldar'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition)
+*''Only War: Enemies of the Imperium'' (RPG), pg. 88
+*[http://www.cardgamedb.com/index.php/wh40kconquest/conquest.html/_/the-great-devourer/solarite-avetys-r393 Warhammer 40,000: Conquest'' Collectible Card Game (Picture)'']
+==Gallery==
+<gallery widths="200" position="center" spacing="small">
+File:Dark Scourge.jpg|A Drukhari Scourge standing in the shadows
+File:Scourge_Aerie_of_the_Black_Pinion.jpg|A [[Drukhari]] Scourge, Aerie of the Black Pinion
+File:Scourges.jpg|Drukhari Scourges
+<gallery widths="200" position="center" spacing="small">
+File:Veteran_Scourge.jpg|A Solarite Scourge, searching for its next prey
+</gallery>
+[[es:Azotes]]
 [[Category:S]]
 [[Category:Dark Eldar]]