The Webway is a hidden labyrinth that sits between realspace and the Warp, letting the Eldar cross the galaxy without touching Chaos. It’s also the thing the Emperor tried to steal for humanity, and that plan broke the Imperium before it ever began.
What the webway actually is
Think of it as a maze of glowing tunnels woven between the Materium and the Warp. It’s part of both, yet belongs to neither, which is why it’s often described as a network of veins rather than a true dimension.
The passages range from corridors barely wide enough for one Eldar to vast arteries a whole fleet can sail through. Its exterior looks golden when seen from the Warp, and psychic wards keep it sealed against things that would love to get in.
Modern Eldar don’t fully understand its shape. They know how to use it, not how it all fits together.
Why the Eldar depend on it
For the Aeldari, the Webway is the only sane way to travel. Warp travel exposes you to daemons and madness, while the Webway mostly keeps those dangers outside the walls.
It once tied the Eldar Empire together across the stars, with nodes at Craftworlds, Crone Worlds and great port cities. The paths aren’t laid out like a spiderweb, so a map of it looks almost random.
- Craftworlds use it as a hidden anchor, and their exact position is a secret kept by the Seers.
- Broken sections become dead ends, traps, or daemon-infested tunnels sealed with runes of power.
- Harlequins speak of places where time runs backwards, and one where it doesn’t move at all.
The Emperor’s webway project
During the Great Crusade, the Emperor started a secret plan to give humanity its own Webway access. The goal wasn’t just faster travel. He wanted to cut humanity off from the Warp entirely, starving Chaos of its power.
A portal was opened beneath the Imperial Palace using the Golden Throne. New tunnels were built by a Mechanicum caste called the Unifiers, but they lacked the psychic protection of the original Webway, so the Emperor’s will had to hold them shut.
When the Eldar realised humans were inside, they started sealing their own portals to block an invasion. The project ended when Magnus the Red used a forbidden ritual to warn the Emperor about Horus, and the psychic backlash tore the wards apart.
How the webway shows up in the setting
Drukhari raid through it from Commorragh, the Harlequins perform in it, and the Imperium still finds the occasional unstable doorway in. Dolmen Gates let Necrons force their way in, but the Webway reacts badly to those breaches and seals off infected branches.
Inquisitor Bronislaw Czevak even theorised that regular Webway travel plays a part in Eldar longevity.
Key facts
- The Webway is a tunnel network between realspace and the Warp, used by the Eldar for faster-than-light travel.
- It contains psychic wards, and its broken sections hold dead ends, mazes and daemons.
- The Emperor tried to give humanity its own Webway access during the Great Crusade.
- That project used the Golden Throne and a portal beneath the Imperial Palace.
- Magnus the Red’s ritual shattered the wards and ended the project.
- Harlequins say some parts of the Webway distort time, including one where it runs backwards.
FAQ
Is the Webway the same as the Warp?
No. It sits between realspace and the Warp, part of both but belonging to neither. That’s what makes it safer than Warp travel, though not completely safe.
Why did the Emperor’s Webway Project fail?
Magnus the Red used a forbidden ritual to warn the Emperor about Horus, and the psychic backlash destroyed the wards protecting the human-built tunnels. Daemons flooded in and the project was lost.
Can humans use the Webway?
Rarely, and not reliably. The Emperor built his own tunnels for that purpose, but they’re gone. Dolmen Gates let Necrons force entry, but the Webway seals those breaches off.