Children of Thorns - Children of Thorns: The Children of Thorns are an exiled kabal of the Drukhari who are active in the Calixis Sector, the Koronus Expanse and in the permanent Warp storm of the Screaming Vortex in the Segmentum Obscurus in search of slaves, wealth and new technologies that they can use to reclaim a place of prominence -- if not the outright overthrow -- of the Dark City of Commorragh in the Webway.When voidfarers in the Koronus Expanse speak of the fickle and vicious ways of Aeldari Corsairs, their tales most often speak of the corsairs known as the Children of Thorns, who are actually a renegade kabal of the Drukhari. Clad in glossy, beetle-black Kabalite Armour, the proud and capricious Kabalite Warriors of the Children of Thorns are merciless in combat and are said to slaughter their enemies to the last once battle is joined.The Children of Thorns are one of the weaker Drukhari kabals. Exiled from the Drukhari's city of Commorragh, the Children of Thorns consist of ex-slaves, fugitives, the dregs of Commorrite society, and fallen Drukhari lords who have come together in an attempt to regain their glory. To do this, they spend most of their time in realspace in search of slaves and plunder and have even allied with ambitious Human lords, such as the secessionist Duke Severus XIII of the Calixis Sector's Periphery Sub-sector.They are also active within the Warp storm known as the Screaming Vortex, where they also collect slaves and weapons from among the Human Heretics and servants of Chaos who find refuge there.While other kabals desire to overthrow Supreme Overlord Asdrubael Vect so they can take his place as the rulers of the Dark City, the Children of Thorns want instead to tear down the old order of the Drukhari and replace it with their own. To do this, they secretly arm their followers lurking in the deepest, darkest sub-reality sinks of Commorragh, who wait for their chance to strike back against their oppressors.It is said that one is fortunate to hear the keening war cries of the Children of Thorns and live to tell of it. The leader of the Children of Thorns is a female Aeldari archon who long ago cast herself from the strictures of the Asuryani Path to lead her Children of Thorns in bloodshed across the Halo Stars in pusuit of the Path of Damnation. Her true names long ago discarded, she is now simply known as the "Mother of the Shadows."When attacking in the void, the night-black ships of the Children of Thorns prize stealth above all other tactics. Only once they have ensured complete surprise and a perfect position of attack, they strike with ferocity and precision, crippling their prey and leaving the foes' voidship reeling and boarded by screaming, dark, and graceful shapes that kill and kill until there is nothing left alive and the prize is theirs.Despite their terrifying reputation, the Children of Thorns have had dealings with a number of Rogue Traders in the Koronus Expanse and have even made compacts with a few or fought as mercenaries for those brave enough to seal such a bargain. It is perhaps these ties that give the Children of Thorns the phenomenally accurate information that allows them to strike at Human voidcraft close to the Maw with such accuracy. One or more Rogue Traders have sealed a compact with the Children of Thorns -- one paid for in the blood of their rivals.