Thrashia
09-12-2005, 22:33
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Skaven/untitled.jpg
The Skaven are a race of malevolent rat-men that inhabit the underground of the world. The tunnels of their vast under-empire reach from the steaming jungles of the Southlands to the snow-covered steppes of the far North, from the western borders of Estalia and Bretonnia to the lost realms of the Far East. Their capital is the mysterious city of Skavenblight, hidden in the center of foul marshes. There, the mighty Lords of Decay, ruthless rulers of all Skaven, sit on the Council of Thirteen, scheming and preparing for the time when their armies will emerge from the subterranean realm to raze the entire surface of the world. Such is the ultimate ambition of the Skaven race, a destiny preached by the Grey Seers, who are powerful Wizards and prophets of the Horned Rat, the malevolent Skaven deity.
Skaven society is structured into a number of clans that constantly vie with each other for dominance, and their political system is dominated by endless treachery. In addition to the Warlord clans, which supply Clanrat Warriors, Stormvermin, Clanrat Slaves, and Rat Swarms, there are four major clans that contribute troops to the Skaven horde: Clans Pestilens, Eshin, Moulder, and Skryre.
Clan Pestilens, as the name implies, aims to spread disease throughout the world. Led by Plague Priests, the troops of Clan Pestilens include the Frenzied Plague Monks, Plague Censer Bearers, and Plague Rat Swarms, which attack the enemy with diseased, Poisoned Attacks.
Clan Eshin disappeared from the Skaven society of the Old World many centuries ago and was considered lost. Eventually, its members returned to Skavenblight, though many of their habits had changed. Clan Eshin had traveled widely, learned much in distant lands like Inja, Cathay, and Nippon, and perfected the art of silent and stealthy warfare. As such, Clan Eshin provides Assassins as well as light skirmishing troops and infiltrators called Night Runners and Gutter Runners to the Skaven horde.
The members of Clan Moulder are animal trainers who experiment with radical, and often Chaos-influenced, crossbreeds between the creatures they capture. Master Moulders and Packmasters lead units of Giant Rats and hideous Rat Ogres into combat.
Finally, Clan Skryre is the most experimental and intellectually advanced group of Skaven. Members of the Clan specialize in the blending of evil magic and arcane Skaven technology. The Clan’s Warlock Engineers have developed several types of ranged weapons that can have a devastating effect on the enemy: Warplock Jezzails, Poisoned Wind Globes, Ratling Guns, Warpfire Throwers, and the dreaded Warp-Lightning Cannon.
These troops are led to battle by Grey Seers, who sometimes bring Screaming Bells, giant magical bells pushed forward by the Skaven horde, and by Skaven Warlords who are the most powerful fighters in the Skaven army. These leaders have many different types of weapons and troops at their disposal and coordinate them in well timed attacks. Though the Skaven are numerous and almost always outnumber their foes in battle, they are, by and large, weak. Only when they have sufficient numbers do they have the nerve to enter into protracted combats, and only when they can bring their huge numbers to bear can they bring down the enemy. However, as many a commander who has watched his men fall to the teeming numbers of the Skaven horde can attest, the rat-men are formidable foes and can destroy even the most battle-hardened veterans by sheer weight of numbers.
The vast vermin host marched through the under-ways, moving quickly along the well trodden paths of their under-empire. Might armored stormvermin, the elite of all skaven warriors, marched with discipline and with silent snouts.
Masses of clanrats, ill trained skaven warriors, armed with their scimitars, spears, shields, and faith in the Horned Rat marched by, followed by the teaming hordes of skaven-slaves, small compared with true skaven, but no less affective in their massed ferocity.
Grey Seer Thanqoul's tail smacked the floor of the ground in pride. He was hearted by the size of the force the Council of Thirteen had given him. Nearly 40,000 of the best warriors from Clan Falcrest, along with groups of jezzail fighters from Clan Skryre, rat-orges from Clan Moulder, and the shambling figures of plague monks from Clan Pestilens. Thanqquol covered his snout as a group of them passed, their stink appalling even to him.
One of the under leaders, Clawleader Fabritek of Clan Falcrest, stepped forward. "Great lord! our spies report the human city above is unaware of our presence, the gutter runners have killed all humans who were in the under-tunnels," he chittered.
"Good-good! Go, soon victory over the manthings will be ours! Mighty will our victory be and spoils for us!" said Thanquol, he despised the clawleader, but the tall skaven was strong and led the stormvermin from Clan Falcrest, and thus Thanquol was weary of blasting him with his magic. Though he could when he wanted to, he chose to wait until the proper time when to do it, using plain skaven logic.
"We attack soon!" Thanquol chittered aloud. A cry of cheering erupted from the passing clanrats. "Victory! Victory! Victory!"
The Skaven are a race of malevolent rat-men that inhabit the underground of the world. The tunnels of their vast under-empire reach from the steaming jungles of the Southlands to the snow-covered steppes of the far North, from the western borders of Estalia and Bretonnia to the lost realms of the Far East. Their capital is the mysterious city of Skavenblight, hidden in the center of foul marshes. There, the mighty Lords of Decay, ruthless rulers of all Skaven, sit on the Council of Thirteen, scheming and preparing for the time when their armies will emerge from the subterranean realm to raze the entire surface of the world. Such is the ultimate ambition of the Skaven race, a destiny preached by the Grey Seers, who are powerful Wizards and prophets of the Horned Rat, the malevolent Skaven deity.
Skaven society is structured into a number of clans that constantly vie with each other for dominance, and their political system is dominated by endless treachery. In addition to the Warlord clans, which supply Clanrat Warriors, Stormvermin, Clanrat Slaves, and Rat Swarms, there are four major clans that contribute troops to the Skaven horde: Clans Pestilens, Eshin, Moulder, and Skryre.
Clan Pestilens, as the name implies, aims to spread disease throughout the world. Led by Plague Priests, the troops of Clan Pestilens include the Frenzied Plague Monks, Plague Censer Bearers, and Plague Rat Swarms, which attack the enemy with diseased, Poisoned Attacks.
Clan Eshin disappeared from the Skaven society of the Old World many centuries ago and was considered lost. Eventually, its members returned to Skavenblight, though many of their habits had changed. Clan Eshin had traveled widely, learned much in distant lands like Inja, Cathay, and Nippon, and perfected the art of silent and stealthy warfare. As such, Clan Eshin provides Assassins as well as light skirmishing troops and infiltrators called Night Runners and Gutter Runners to the Skaven horde.
The members of Clan Moulder are animal trainers who experiment with radical, and often Chaos-influenced, crossbreeds between the creatures they capture. Master Moulders and Packmasters lead units of Giant Rats and hideous Rat Ogres into combat.
Finally, Clan Skryre is the most experimental and intellectually advanced group of Skaven. Members of the Clan specialize in the blending of evil magic and arcane Skaven technology. The Clan’s Warlock Engineers have developed several types of ranged weapons that can have a devastating effect on the enemy: Warplock Jezzails, Poisoned Wind Globes, Ratling Guns, Warpfire Throwers, and the dreaded Warp-Lightning Cannon.
These troops are led to battle by Grey Seers, who sometimes bring Screaming Bells, giant magical bells pushed forward by the Skaven horde, and by Skaven Warlords who are the most powerful fighters in the Skaven army. These leaders have many different types of weapons and troops at their disposal and coordinate them in well timed attacks. Though the Skaven are numerous and almost always outnumber their foes in battle, they are, by and large, weak. Only when they have sufficient numbers do they have the nerve to enter into protracted combats, and only when they can bring their huge numbers to bear can they bring down the enemy. However, as many a commander who has watched his men fall to the teeming numbers of the Skaven horde can attest, the rat-men are formidable foes and can destroy even the most battle-hardened veterans by sheer weight of numbers.
The vast vermin host marched through the under-ways, moving quickly along the well trodden paths of their under-empire. Might armored stormvermin, the elite of all skaven warriors, marched with discipline and with silent snouts.
Masses of clanrats, ill trained skaven warriors, armed with their scimitars, spears, shields, and faith in the Horned Rat marched by, followed by the teaming hordes of skaven-slaves, small compared with true skaven, but no less affective in their massed ferocity.
Grey Seer Thanqoul's tail smacked the floor of the ground in pride. He was hearted by the size of the force the Council of Thirteen had given him. Nearly 40,000 of the best warriors from Clan Falcrest, along with groups of jezzail fighters from Clan Skryre, rat-orges from Clan Moulder, and the shambling figures of plague monks from Clan Pestilens. Thanqquol covered his snout as a group of them passed, their stink appalling even to him.
One of the under leaders, Clawleader Fabritek of Clan Falcrest, stepped forward. "Great lord! our spies report the human city above is unaware of our presence, the gutter runners have killed all humans who were in the under-tunnels," he chittered.
"Good-good! Go, soon victory over the manthings will be ours! Mighty will our victory be and spoils for us!" said Thanquol, he despised the clawleader, but the tall skaven was strong and led the stormvermin from Clan Falcrest, and thus Thanquol was weary of blasting him with his magic. Though he could when he wanted to, he chose to wait until the proper time when to do it, using plain skaven logic.
"We attack soon!" Thanquol chittered aloud. A cry of cheering erupted from the passing clanrats. "Victory! Victory! Victory!"