Kabal of the Dark Star

The **Kabal of the Dark Star** is a Kabal of the vile and hedonistic Drukhari. This major Kabal has a massive influence within the Drukhari society, mostly for its contradiction to Commorragh. Unlike the rest of their kin, they do have some puritanical light left within them, ones that they boast about. Known for their great weapons, sleek war machines, and flawless armor, their gear rivals that of even the Kabal of the Obsidian Rose. They are also held in awe by their kin for their mastery of the blitz, able to move with a swiftness astounding even for a Drukhari Kabal

Rather, they live within their own city, Zav'gor, one that is nearly as large as the Dark City itself and just as prominent. Those who wish to remain free from the oppressing chains of the Supreme Overlord will often flee to this city, known as the City of Tainted Light, pledging their allegiance to these Drukhari. And the enemies of Vect are so many, and the power of Zav'gor now so much, that this has led to the city's expansion to become a superpower capable of withstanding the might of Commorragh.

## History

### Before The Fall

It was during the Fall that things changed for a small house known as the House of Eshthal. This house had once been a mighty fortress known for its psychic foresight and wisdom. In addition, it was famous for its beautiful and exquisite art of bonesinging, and the crafting of its weapons. As time passed, however, and more and more Aeldari traded with them, a tragedy would fall upon the house and see it nearly destroyed.

On the planet once known as Zav'gor, the people of the house had two twins, champions of the gods themselves, who would assist them in anything they needed. These heroes, Zane Alysios Eshthal and Kanthorian Alysios Eshthal were renowned for their skills at manipulating the Warp and for the many feats of skill they would accomplish. From defeating the Shadow God to destroying the vile Consumer, they would conquer countless threats to the Ancient Aeldari Empire and become the population's favourites. Doted upon by the gods, they soon began to boast that nothing could beat them, not even the wrath of Khaine.

Angered by this, the Laughing God set upon them a trick, trapping Zav'gor in the Webway. There he began to kill the citizens, slaughtering them without mercy. Butchering until their blood created a torrent streaming down the roads. Upon hearing of this atrocity, the twins raced to save their planet. It is not known what exactly happened, but during the battle, when charging in to face the First Fool, the brothers were tricked into thinking the other was the enemy. As Cegorach watched, laughing at the horrific spectacle before him, the two brothers clashed with inconceivable strength, shaking the very foundations of the Immaterium.

In the end, it was Zane who won, but at the same time lost. A brother murdered in cold blood, a trap that saw their noble inspirations depend on mindless destruction. From noble heroes to tragic killers, each tainted by their own sin and blood. No longer where they exhaled heroes. Now, with the First Fool having destroyed their house while they fought, they were ashamed fools, their hearts misguided by their own pride, and arrogance which brought about their downfall. Driven mad by this realization, Zane searched desperately for anyway, no matter how dark or twisted, to bring his brother back, with his life ending tragically upon drinking the blood of the Crone Goddess.

The few survivors left took their knowledge with them and hid on the ruined planet until the Laughing God had fled at Zane's rage. Driven by shame and exiled by their fellow family branches, the remainder of house Eshthal stayed on their dead world as it drifted through the stars. Using their power, they managed to create a massive city that covered the entire surface, holding together the planet's broken chunks. With their knowledge of crafting and experience retained, they became a major place for weapons trading where armour and guns could be found. However, disgraced, the major, corrupted houses refused to trade with them. Instead, only the darker aspects of society, the pleasure cults, would trade with them. As their cultures mixed and collided, combining through their trade from which Zav'gor grew rich, the city became darker, a twisted and perverse version of what they had been. Soon, the remnants of Eshthal were nothing but an extension of the pleasure cults.

### The Fall

As Slaanesh howled into existence, tearing apart the veil of real space to destroy the very heart of the Ancient Aeldari Empire. As billions died, the people of Zav'gor remained hidden within the Webway. Realizing that their souls were practically for-sight and only keeping their life force fed would help them, for their sickness of mind marked them for consumption, they fought to keep their soulless depths fed and sated. However, this led to complete anarchy. Mindless riots and murders ruled the streets and it seemed the population would destroy them once and for all.

#### The Revolution

By the time the people of Zav'gor united, it seemed like it was too late for them to reclaim their planet. In the turmoil of their anarchy and civil war, another Kabal had actually swept in to take control, being tasked with this by Vect himself. The Supreme Overlord had wanted to get in the arms exchange centered around this new port, one that was coming to rival the Dark City itself. Desperate to grab it, he sent the Kabal of the Eternal Shriek to take over. At first, the enemy was successful in taking the critical, key areas to the port. However, it was then that things began to fall apart.

Under Ithvaulyan Eshthal, the city of Zav'gor united. With single unity fueled by the instinctual, desperate need for survival, they peacefully settled their matters and chose their Overlord. They also further split into splinters based on the different branches from the surviving parts of the house left. With peace and prosperity returning, they would unite for the challenges to come. With a common enemy, the splinters put aside their own petty squabbles and united under their new Overlord, Ithvaulyan, and drove out the enemy, reclaiming their forges and sovereignty.

### Kabal Organization

#### Leadership

A trait that defines the structure of the Kabal is that of its leadership. With the exception of one legendary being, only trueborns descending directly from the fallen house of Eshthal are allowed to hold the position of Overlord or Archon. In addition, only trueborns are allowed to lead units by serving as Hierarchs and Sybarites. All other members of the Kabal are considered to be a much lower class and can serve only as Kabalite Warriors. This may be because they are not trueborn, or because they come from a conquered Kabal from the past. Whatever the case, it is only this organizational system that holds them together and loyal, seeing as those in power are related by blood. In addition, this structure has been the very thing that keeps the Kabal strong and able to respond to their enemies, allowing them to keep hold of the power they wield in their city. They will brook no insult from outsiders and are quick to defend their brethren.

#### Division

Practitioners of strict order, knowing that such bonds are the only thing holding them together, loyalty in survival the only glue fusing them into one machine capable of navigating the fierce storms of the grim dark, keep a strict and rigid system that equally divides their warriors. This makes them stronger than other Drukhari Kabals where the power struggle is constant and the inner circle is demolished by conflict. With this unified front, they are a difficult opponent for sure.

Each shard is split into three different splinters, with each splinter containing around 4,000 Kabalite warriors. In addition, each splinter contains 1,000 Incubi and countless Venoms and raiders. They also are composed of at least 1,000 Hellions, 500 Reavers, and 500 Scourges. Each splinter even has its own personal fleet of Voidraven bombers and Ravagers.

In addition, thanks to their alliance with the Wytch Cult of the Bleeding Brides and the Haemonculi Covent of the Twisted Tendons, they are also often accompanied by Wytches and such beasts as Wracks, Grotesques, Talos Pain Engines.

### Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine of this Kabal is rather straightforward. Their assaults usually start with fast assault units such as Hellions and Grotesques emerging from the Webway and sweeping down on the enemy in stimulated, carefully chosen and pinpointed attacks, before running away. Then waves of heavy war machines such as bombers and Talos Pain Engines will advance and demolish the enemy, with the Kabalite Warriors and Wytches showing up to clean up the stray forces, the bulk of the enemy forces that remain after the vanguard forces destroy the most critical key targets. With the enemy weakened, the Kabalite Warriors can easily take down forces far greater than their own.

One thing that differentiates this Kabal from others is the way slave capturing works. These Drukhari refuse to kill innocent civilians. And when taking slaves, the innocent people whose hands are not tainted by the blood from battle, are taken not to be in an arena and die a horrendous, torturous death for mere spectacle and entertainment. Instead, they will act as personal attendants to the Drukhari warriors who own them. They are treated with care, given plenty of food and despite the fact they have worked hard, for it is they who gather resources and do distribution, they are given good places to call home well away from the dangerous, blood-stained streets. Instead, only military personnel and fighters are sentenced to such a grisly death.

This is to make a mockery of those who dared to banish them from the rest of society in ancient times. It is a way to show their arrogant pride in their slightly more noble than-average hearts. A way to get in the face of those who consider themselves pure is by showing that, despite the darkness and corruption all around them, they somewhat retain their sense of honour and chivalry. To prove that they can survive the moral storms of the world on their own, without the help of any outside structural laws. It sets them apart from the rest of the Drukhari society and serves as their point of rallying, an ideal to fall on that allows them a sense of superiority and excuse.

## Notable Memembers

### Ithvaulyan Eshthal

Ithvaulyan was a young child born of the house of Eshthal and the clan of Glendal from the Craftworld of Athlantyr. Always a calculating individual, it was he who first realized that the chaos would have to be controlled. Noticing that they would be destroyed if the warlords kept fighting for power, he took charge and, using his cunning intellect and the help of the Shadowed One, he managed to take down the other warlords and convince their servants to become loyal to him.

Now he rules upon a throne of riches gotten through the trading of weapons and slaves, yet you could not tell that by looking at him. His throne is bare and the throne room is devoid of any decorations. Rather than bask in the lust and many indulgences of his people, he prefers to keep his mind sharp and free of such sinful distractions. To him, boons gained in battle are meaningless if they are only for extended existence. Instead, he schemes to create a new empire for the Aeldari, one that will eclipse the ancient one and drive the Dark Gods back into the Warp. Because of this he carefully crafts alliances and plays all those around him to either willingly or unwittingly accomplish his purposes with limited collateral damage on his part.

So cunning is he that he must always be on guard for assassins, ones which Vect himself sneaks onto Zav'gor. Surrounded by Mandrakes and all other forms of xenos guard, including the Shadowed One, he remains a calm, cold individual who is careful not to let visitors pull any tricks on him. Using his resources in the most potent way possible, he has created a city to rival that of even the greatest Drukhari port. With the aid and allegiance of those refugees that are under his care, gained by fear, hatred of Vect, or his charm, he holds an arsenal matching, if not transcending, that of the Dark City.

He is particularly noted for his disgust when discussing Vect. To him, Vect is a fool who wastes such vast intelligence on something as trivial as one city. Rather than expand his influence and try to put his brain to something more sweeping, such as the rebuilding of an empire, he is nothing but a blight. A little child whose greed makes him incapable of being a proper leader of an entire race. By mishandling his resources, he worsens the chances the Drukhari have for revival and Resurrection.

### Tarsus

Not much is known about Tarsus, nor does he ever see it fit to reveal anything about himself. There are many speculations and theories that have circulated. Some say he was once an Asuryani or a student of Asurmen. Some state that he must have once been a Harlequin, while still some whisper that he was a fellow student of Arhra along with Karandras and, sick of what the Striking Scorpions had become, had chose not to fight the Fallen Pheonix Lord even though he could have triumphed. Only Ithvaulyan and Tarsus know for certain, but they are hardly likely to reveal his true origins.

Tarsus is always seen standing near the Overlord, a constant companion whose still and quiet nature causes him to blend into the background like a chameleon. Proud in his ancient armor that predates the Aeldari Empire, he is a statue of still power. The armor itself is decorated with powerful runes of warding telling of cheating death, surviving the end of ends, and gaining another final breath. These charms are so powerful that they create a nearly impenetrable barrier capable of turning away the sharpest blade or the strongest energy blasts.

However, when he is forced to protect his lord or is sent to lead a raid, he turns into a monster of cold, calculating nature. He is like a fallen angel, beautiful and unrivaled, yet dark and twisted, a monster of death. Pulling out two twin Klaives, each one is a weapon of unsurpassed craftsmanship. Each one holds a spirit stone containing the soul of a twin Old One. So powerful were the two Old Ones that they defeated C'tan. Thus even the tiniest cut from this blade has the psykic power to kill even the most heavily armored Primarch.

In battle he tumbles and twists with the mastery of an expert Harlequin, twirls with the art of the Howling Banshee Exarch, moves with the stealth of a Striking Scorpion, strikes from all sides like a Warp Spider, possesses the acrobatic grace of a Wytch, and has the nature of an Incubi Heirarch that refines, focuses, and hones his skill into a nearly orthodox style. Rather than speak his true name outloud, the people of Zav'gor are too fearful to speak of him directly, instead calling him the Shadowed One. His achievements are spoken of, including all the rebellions he has put down, but also his most famous duels. Among them are his fights with Jain Zar and Karandras, which saw him slaughter both the Phoenix Lords with relative ease, or the time where he forced Asurmen to flee in personal combat. For in battle both his blade and body blur till they are nothing but an indistinct, almost insubstantial stature. For no strike can hit him, it as though he is not there or has no true substance, a ghost of a being. Yet each strike of his passes through the enemies guard without hesitation, no matter what parry or desperate block is used. It is as though the blade and him are one, for nothing can stand in his way. Some even claim that he is Drazhar's equal, and could possibly win a personal duel there, or at least give the Living Blade the fight of his life.

He is noted for his extreme loyalty to the Overlord, something which is puzzling to others considering the fact that Tarsus could take over the entire Kabal himself, for none can match his mastery of the blade. However, for reasons unknown, though some say he owes Ithvaulyan a life debt, he refuses to betray his master and would give his life to keep the Overlord safe. He is also quick to strike any who dare insult the Overlord.

## Kabal Appereance

### Colors

The colors of the Kabal have a significant cultural meaning. A long time ago, before The Fall, it was by the fire of the chief star of the planet that the forges of Esthal were fueled. However, after the death of the Ancient Aeldari Empire, the star was killed. However, due to strange properties found within the star, as it dies its blackened core now emits with a murky, sickly brown light that can be seen from Zav'gor itself. To show their old ties and nobility, they now wear the colors of the star, with the armor being alternate black and brown like their star.

## Relations

### Allies

* **Kabal of the Perfection's Agony** - This Kabal, looking for support and protection from the obedient servants of Vect, whose vengeful wrath at losing his power over the central government of the Kabal, went to Zav'gor after hearing about its power. With their holding on their own lands insecure thanks to the massive recruitment of mercenaries, they pledged their allegiance to the City of Tainted Light. In exchange, the Kabal of the Dark Star has promised to help keep them protected as well as support them.

### Enemies

* **Commorragh** - The people of Zav'gor have not forgotten what Vect tried to do to them in his gluttonous greed. Because of this, they have developed an absolute loathing and contempt for the ambitious, brilliant individual who failed horribly to subjugate them. However, they also look at those in Commorragh with disgust, particularly those who stay loyal, if only by word, to him. Those who live there leech off of his treasury, cowering behind him for protection. Out of fear they refuse to rise against him and are nothing more than scum. To the Kabal of the Dark Star, any who bow out of terror are not true warriors and deserve nothing. Keeping a tyrant in power, one who doesn't even care about the legacy of their race is something that cannot be forgiven. They are traitors who must die before they ruin the chances of redemption.

This is furthered by the fact that Commorragh and Zav'gor often clash, raiding each other while trying to mess up the other's operations. This combination of constant subtle sabotage and outright violence ends with continually strained relationships. Seeing that Ithvaulyan refuses to stop his end of the strife until Vect steps down and Vect will never peacefully stand down, there is little hope for cooperation between these two forces.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Kabal

"*Vect. Hero of the Drukhari, one whose oppressive fist gave us order. Or so they say. It was but a curse, a wicked ruse with which to ensnare us. To enslave the captors and enchain those whose loyalties only lie with fear. Yet he has fallen a long way indeed, and at last he has met his match. Now I only wait for his final demise, one that shall shake the galaxy.*"
—The Shadowed One