Blood Eldar

*"Do not conflate me with my dishonourable cousins, whelp. The Blood Eldar fight with honesty alone, we fight with honour and dignity; even if it does not fit your narrow definition. If a battle is won through trickery and backstabbing, then that victory is worthless. A victory through lies and falsehoods is like winning a board game by breaking your opponent's pieces. It is hollow and despicable. I could rend your heart in a second with but a twitch of my blade and not **one** of your rotten parlour tricks could stop me." - The **Blood King** arguing with a Drukhari Archon.*

The **Blood Eldar**, also known as the **Eldarith Kaela** and the **Kaelari,** are a sub faction of the Dark Eldar and are well renowned for their love of slaughter and disdain for trickery and deception. The Blood Eldar could be considered one of the most honourable of the Dark Eldar Factions, being dictated by a strict code of ethics.

Unlike their Drukhari counterparts, the Blood Eldar primarily fight with close-combat weapons, preferring to rend flesh and eviscerate their opponent from close range to honour the Bloody Handed God. As a result of this preference, firearms and projectiles are rarely seen in the Kaelari force and are looked down upon as a cowardly form of warfare.

The Blood Eldar are located in the crimson city of Gashtoth, a vast subsection of the malevolent Dark City of Commorragh. From here, the Blood King, the ruler of the Blood Eldar, rules his murderous subjects with a blood-splattered iron fist.

As previously mentioned, the Blood Eldar have a disdain for the deception, trickery and backstabbing that often characterizes their Drukhari cousins, instead opting for a more open and direct form of warfare and allow themselves to simply enjoy the thrill of slaughter. This has even lead to outright banning any use of such tactics, deception and trickery especially poisoning, injuring or killing someone without adhering to the code of duels, will label you a fallen. Fallen are then open competition to anyone and whoever slaughters them gains a significant raise in the standing of others and the station of the Fallen along with all their worldly possessions.

## Culture

Although the Blood Eldar are a frenzied faction that cause mayhem on every battlefield, they are governed by a strict set of rules set by the Blood King back from the very creation of the faction. This set of rules is named the Red Code and it dictates the appropriate conduct in battle, duels, rank, succession and many others facets of Kaelari life.This code is drilled into new Cultsmen as soon as they are designated for integration and it starts with the core principles.

* If you bring death, it shall by a blade and a blade alone
* If you bring death by piercing your opponent's back, you must pierce your front in return.
* Never flee from the enemy, if a scar is earned on the back, another shall be given on the front.
* Under no circumstances do you abandon your weapon.
* Never be captured alive.

These Core principles define what it means to be Kaelari and all members must follow them unquestioningly.

### Armour and Clothing

It is a convention among the Blood Eldar for warriors, especially Warchiefs and Champions of Anath Raema to wear certain horns or antlers upon their helmets as well as the pelts, furs, skin or limbs of those they have hunted. The habit of wearing horned or elk-like helmets is meant to be a grimly ironic mockery of the conventional prey Aeldari would hunt before the fall, such as Elk, Rams, Whales, Bears or other bipeds.

## Religion

The Kaelari, worship the siblings of savagery Khaine and Anath Rhaema. they enjoy war, fighting and hunting due to their gods' alignments and cause.

## Organization

### **Infantry**

#### Cultsmen

Cultsman are the basic infantry of the Blood Eldar and what comprises the majority of a Kaelari engagement. Cultsmen is the lowest rank a Blood Eldar can attain but, because of the factions fixation on honour with murder, Cultsmen are still a respected warrior within the Haemocult.

#### Anathi Hunters

When a Cultsman has spent many years on their path of war, becoming more and more adept at the art of murder, they come to a crossroads and must follow either the path of Khaine or that of his sister, Anath Raema. Those who fall into the path of Anath Raema are more dedicated, and single-minded in terms of their prey enjoying the thrill and pursuit of a target as opposed to the joy of murder. Anathi Hunters usually chase the stronger, larger and more powerful targets in a battlefield and are typically seen at the throat of enemy commanders.

Usually, Anathi Hunters are referred to colloquially as Huntresses as the majority of them are female, although it is not impossible for men to take the role.

#### Khainite Slayers

When a Cultsman has spent many years on their path of war, becoming more and more adept at the art of murder, they come to a crossroads and must follow either the path of Khaine or that of his sister, Anath Raema. Khainite Slayers are the brutal and enduring elite of the Blood Eldar, usually taking the front lines to indiscriminately slay their foes. As long as they are cutting through flesh and bringing death in their wake, they are fulfilled.

### **Fast Attack**

#### Rend Skimmers

The backbone of the Kaelari's speed and agility is its Rend Skimmers. These vehicles are stout and agile jetbikes covered in hooked barbs in-between giant cruel scythe-blades to maim as it darts through a battlefield. Cultsmen usually ride these agile menaces and do so while using the craft itself as a weapon; only carrying their own personal blade as a backup weapon.

## Notable Blood Eldar

* The **Blood King** - the leader of the Blood Eldar and overlord of Gashtoth
* **Severitas** - Champion of Khaine