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{{DarkEldarPortal}}
 
{{DarkEldarPortal}}
A '''Kabal''' is a self-governing socio-economic paramilitary organization. [[Dark Eldar]] society is comprised primarily of these Kabals, as well as the [[Haemonculi Covens]], the [[Incubus]] sect, and the [[Wych Cult]]s. These Kabals send out raiding parties through [[Webway]] portals in order to collect alien beasts, slaves, and anything else the Kabal may need.
+
A '''Kabal''' is a self-governing socio-economic paramilitary organization. [[Dark Eldar]] society is comprised primarily of these Kabals, as well as the [[Haemonculi Covens]], the [[Incubus]] sect, and the [[Wych Cult]]s. These Kabals send out raiding parties through [[Webway]] portals in order to collect alien beasts, slaves, and anything else the Kabal may need. The smallest Kabals may consist of hundreds of Dark Eldar, but their territories often consist of scattered hideouts and other secret locations. The largest Kabals contain millions of skilled soldiers.{{Fn|1a}}
  
[[Archon]]s, the leaders of Kabals, have no real code or law structure to restrict their actions, save for the "Eye for an Eye" philosophy shared by Dark Eldar. Because of this, it is equally as likely for Kabals to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal as it is for a Kabal to declare war on another for seemingly no reason.
+
[[Archon]]s, the leaders of Kabals, have no real code or law structure to restrict their actions, save for the "Eye for an Eye" philosophy shared by Dark Eldar. Because of this, it is equally likely for Kabals to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal as it is for a Kabal to declare war on another for seemingly no reason.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
Kabals are the direct result of the [[Fall of the Eldar|Pre-Fall]] [[Eldar]] pleasure cults. Originally, they were a gathering of like-minded individuals who all strove to attain the same goal, usually to reach the pinnacle of a sensation, as was the goal of all Eldar, hence the birth of [[Slaanesh]]. These pleasure cults, at the lowest point of the Eldar's decline, had devolved into little more than street gangs feuding over the territorial rights to ritually torture or kill civilians.
+
Originally, the Dark Eldar society revolved around a small number of noble houses before [[the Fall]] and for a time after it. The descendants of these aristocratic houses were a part of the hedonism that ultimately led to the Fall. They ruled from their own province in the central mass of [[Commorragh]], a port established entirely in the Webway that was outside the jurisdiction of the Eldar councils of the time. Elitism was a way of life, and the houses would seek out and kill anyone who threatened their position. They fought for dominance against the [[Solar Cults]] and emerged victorious. However, during M32, a Cult called [[Kabal of the Black Heart|the Black Heart]] was founded by a slave called [[Asdrubael Vect]]. Commorragh had remained as stagnant as it used to be, until Vect's clique planted agents that would make ready for his ascension over the noble houses. {{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|3}}
  
Once the Eldar were all but wiped out, the remainder of these cults found safe haven in the Webway, and each helped build [[Commorragh]] in the manner best suited to their beliefs. This further cemented their desires to keep and mark territory, which in turn spurned on the creation of a more structured, militant organizational structure in the cult. At this point, they stopped being Pleasure Cults, and developed into the Kabals we know today. Those that were too young or insular to previously align with a Pleasure Cult formed Kabals of their own, and began claiming their territories as well.
+
The Kabals became the ruling force in Commorragh after Asdrubael Vect took control of the city, replacing the old aristocracy with Kabalite power. The new system ensured that power would not be inherited but instead taken by force. In many ways, the brutal meritocracy of the Kabals resembles Vect's own rise to power. Many of Commorragh's surviving noble families fashioned themselves into Kabals, but they have not forgiven Vect for usurping their power.{{Fn|1a}}
  
==Chain of Command==
+
As of [[M41]], some of the greatest Kabals of Commorragh are the [[Kabal of the Black Heart|Black Heart]], [[Kabal of the Flayed Skull|Flayed Skull]], [[Kabal of the Obsidian Rose|Obsidian Rose]], [[Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue|Poisoned Tongue]], [[Kabal of the Last Hatred|Last Hatred]], [[Kabal of the Bloodied Claw|Bloodied Claw]], [[Kabal of the Dying Sun|Dying Sun]], [[Kabal of the Falling Moon|Falling Moon]], [[Kabal of the Severed|The Severed]], [[Kabal of the Lords of Iron Thorn|Iron Thorn]], and [[Kabal of the Broken Sigil|Broken Sigil]].{{Fn|1a}}
{{DEHierarchy}}Positions within a Kabal are quite clearly defined, and anyone overstepping their rights as dictated by their position is seen as attempting to overthrow their superior, usually with fatal consequences.
+
 
 +
==Chain of Command and Organization==
 +
{{DEHierarchy}}
 +
Positions within a Kabal are quite clearly defined, and anyone overstepping their rights as dictated by their position is seen as attempting to overthrow their superior, usually with fatal consequences. However, even the lowliest of the chain can find security if they manage to become a part of a larger kabal. Killing a Kabalite is to commit hostile action against an entire Kabal.{{Fn|1a}}
 +
 
 +
Competition for membership is rough, as one could expect. Kabals can act with a sense of immortality, for it is rare for an entire Kabal to ever be destroyed completely, and there is a never-ending supply of new aspirants ready to commit to the varied and often violent initiation rites.{{Fn|1b}}
 +
 
 +
It is also not unusual for Kabals to employ different kinds of mercenaries and spies. Many also rely on the [[Haemonculi Covens]] for stranger methods of surveillance.{{Fn|1b}}
 +
 
 +
The Covens are also responsible for the extremely important service of regenerating the dead elite of the Kabal after realspace raids. In exchange, the [[Haemonculus]] responsible for the healing process will take a permanent portion of the soul from their patient for unknown purpose as well as a significant number of slaves - the currency of [[Commorragh]]. For this service to be possible, however, the Haemonculus must to be able to get the corpse in question (though no matter how mangled or broken) back to life in a short amount of time. The revival must happen within a day or so from the battle, which is one reason why Kabals make great efforts to return back quickly from the raid, so that their deceased of high status - barring occasional "accidents" for certain cadavers - will still have another chance at life.{{Fn|2}} This service is typically available only to figures such as Archons, Dracons, Trueborn,  and successful Sybarites due to its prohibitive cost and high demand.
  
 
The chain of command for a standard Kabal is:
 
The chain of command for a standard Kabal is:
 +
*[[Archon]]
 +
*[[Hierarch]]
 +
*[[Dracon]]
 +
*[[Trueborn]]
 +
*[[Sybarite]]
 +
*[[Dark Eldar Warriors|Warrior]]
  
*'''[[Archon]]'''
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== See also ==
*'''[[Hierarch]]'''
+
*[[List of Kabals]]
*'''[[Dracon]]'''
 
*'''[[Kabalite Trueborn|Trueborn]]
 
*'''[[Sybarite]]'''
 
*'''[[Dark Eldar Warriors|Warrior]]'''
 
 
 
==List of Kabals==
 
A list of all currently known Kabals can be found here: [[List of Kabals]]
 
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
* [[Codex: Dark Eldar (3rd Edition)]]
+
*1: [[Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition)]] ''"Kabals of Commorragh"''
* [[Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition)]]
+
**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 12
* [http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/darkeldar/extras/torturerstale/default.htm Torturer's Tale]
+
**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 13
* [[Codex: Eldar]]
+
* {{Endn|2}}:[[Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition)]] pg. 34 ''"The Eternal Cycle"''
[[Category:Dark Eldar Kabals]]
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* {{Endn|3}}:[[Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition)]] pg. 48 ''"The Rise of Vect"''
 +
===Uncited===
 +
*[[Codex: Dark Eldar (3rd Edition)]]
 +
*[http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/darkeldar/extras/torturerstale/default.htm Torturer's Tale]
 +
*[[Codex: Eldar]]
 +
[[Category:Dark Eldar]]
 +
[[Category:Dark Eldar Kabals| ]]
  
 
[[de:Kabale]]
 
[[de:Kabale]]

Revision as of 09:00, 31 January 2016

A Kabal is a self-governing socio-economic paramilitary organization. Dark Eldar society is comprised primarily of these Kabals, as well as the Haemonculi Covens, the Incubus sect, and the Wych Cults. These Kabals send out raiding parties through Webway portals in order to collect alien beasts, slaves, and anything else the Kabal may need. The smallest Kabals may consist of hundreds of Dark Eldar, but their territories often consist of scattered hideouts and other secret locations. The largest Kabals contain millions of skilled soldiers.[1a]

Archons, the leaders of Kabals, have no real code or law structure to restrict their actions, save for the "Eye for an Eye" philosophy shared by Dark Eldar. Because of this, it is equally likely for Kabals to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal as it is for a Kabal to declare war on another for seemingly no reason.

History

Originally, the Dark Eldar society revolved around a small number of noble houses before the Fall and for a time after it. The descendants of these aristocratic houses were a part of the hedonism that ultimately led to the Fall. They ruled from their own province in the central mass of Commorragh, a port established entirely in the Webway that was outside the jurisdiction of the Eldar councils of the time. Elitism was a way of life, and the houses would seek out and kill anyone who threatened their position. They fought for dominance against the Solar Cults and emerged victorious. However, during M32, a Cult called the Black Heart was founded by a slave called Asdrubael Vect. Commorragh had remained as stagnant as it used to be, until Vect's clique planted agents that would make ready for his ascension over the noble houses. [1a][3]

The Kabals became the ruling force in Commorragh after Asdrubael Vect took control of the city, replacing the old aristocracy with Kabalite power. The new system ensured that power would not be inherited but instead taken by force. In many ways, the brutal meritocracy of the Kabals resembles Vect's own rise to power. Many of Commorragh's surviving noble families fashioned themselves into Kabals, but they have not forgiven Vect for usurping their power.[1a]

As of M41, some of the greatest Kabals of Commorragh are the Black Heart, Flayed Skull, Obsidian Rose, Poisoned Tongue, Last Hatred, Bloodied Claw, Dying Sun, Falling Moon, The Severed, Iron Thorn, and Broken Sigil.[1a]

Chain of Command and Organization

Part of a series on the:
Dark Eldar Kabal Hierarchy

Positions within a Kabal are quite clearly defined, and anyone overstepping their rights as dictated by their position is seen as attempting to overthrow their superior, usually with fatal consequences. However, even the lowliest of the chain can find security if they manage to become a part of a larger kabal. Killing a Kabalite is to commit hostile action against an entire Kabal.[1a]

Competition for membership is rough, as one could expect. Kabals can act with a sense of immortality, for it is rare for an entire Kabal to ever be destroyed completely, and there is a never-ending supply of new aspirants ready to commit to the varied and often violent initiation rites.[1b]

It is also not unusual for Kabals to employ different kinds of mercenaries and spies. Many also rely on the Haemonculi Covens for stranger methods of surveillance.[1b]

The Covens are also responsible for the extremely important service of regenerating the dead elite of the Kabal after realspace raids. In exchange, the Haemonculus responsible for the healing process will take a permanent portion of the soul from their patient for unknown purpose as well as a significant number of slaves - the currency of Commorragh. For this service to be possible, however, the Haemonculus must to be able to get the corpse in question (though no matter how mangled or broken) back to life in a short amount of time. The revival must happen within a day or so from the battle, which is one reason why Kabals make great efforts to return back quickly from the raid, so that their deceased of high status - barring occasional "accidents" for certain cadavers - will still have another chance at life.[2] This service is typically available only to figures such as Archons, Dracons, Trueborn, and successful Sybarites due to its prohibitive cost and high demand.

The chain of command for a standard Kabal is:

See also

Sources

Uncited