Kabal of the Bladed Lotus
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The Kabal of the Bladed Lotus are a Dark Eldar Kabal, described as one of the Great Kabals of Commorragh.[1] The Bladed Lotus is amongst the oldest of Commorragh's organizations, and they still practice the old ways that led to the Fall. Determined to preserve their twisted version of ancient Eldar culture, everything from their nightly feasts to their warfare has become ritualized, one action leading to another with a precision that belies the torment beneath.[4] In M42, the Kabal was split into pro- and anti-Ynnari factions.[5]
Contents
History
By M41, the Kabal was led by Archon K’shaic[2] who led his forces into many glorious raids, winning great favors in Commorragh. Among other operations, the Kabal is known to have attempted to raid the Gorgon's Forge on Medusa on a number of occasions.[3]
In M42, however, Commorragh became the site of the Dark Eldar Civil War. In course of his conflict, the Wych Cult of the Jade Labyrinth rebelled and joined the Ynnari before capturing the Port of Widows, a Dark Eldar base near Commorragh. This was a double affront to the Kabal of the Bladed Lotus, as the Cult of the Jade Labyrinth had been a long-time affiliate of the Kabal, while the Port of Widows was crucial to the Kabal's slave economy. Accordingly, K’shaic led a furious operation to punish the rebels and recapture the port, hoping to also gain some recognition of Asdrubael Vect by destroying Ynnari.[5]
The offensive failed, however, as a large section of the Kabal under the Archon's younger son Naeddre revolted and defected to the the Ynnari. This threw the Kabal into chaos, as many kabalites thought this to be a mere coup and were unsure how to react: Some declared their continued loyalty to K’shaic, some plegded to support one of the Archon's sons, either Naeddre or Qeine, and some tried to stay neutral until a winner emerged. As Naeddre's forces and the Ynnari were ideologically motivated and had the moment of surprise on their side, they soon defeated the infighting Kabal loyalists. K’shaic was killed, and Qeine declared himself the new Archon before ordering a retreat of all remaining anti-Ynnari Kabal forces. Naeddre contacted his brother to unsuccessfully convince him of the Ynnari cause, and then reorganized his forces to unite with the Port of Widows's defenders. He planned to ultimately evacuate the Port of Widows to leave for realspace.[5]
Known Members
- K’shaic - Last Archon of the united Kabal[5]
- Naeddre - Son of K’shaic, Archon of the pro-Ynnari faction[5]
- Qeine - Son of K’shaic, Archon of the anti-Ynnari faction[5]
- Evaeline - Flagship pilot, part of pro-Ynnari faction[5]
- Raevij - Ravager commander[5]
- Phaerl - Incubus of the Shrine of the Stalking Fiend, killed by Naeddre[5]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 93
- 2: Warhammer 40,000: Conquest - Archon’s Terror, card description
- 3: Codex Supplement: Iron Hands (8th Edition), pg. 16
- 4: White Dwarf 372 (UK), pg. 51
- 5: Turn of the Adder (Short Story)
