Karandras is the Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions, the Aeldari’s stealthiest Aspect. He’s the shadow that kills before you know he’s there, and he took the title from a master who fell to Chaos.
Who Karandras is
Karandras, called the Shadow Hunter, is an Asuryani Phoenix Lord. He leads the Striking Scorpions, the Aspect that hunts from the dark and ends fights before they start.
He’s not the first to hold that title. The original Phoenix Lord of the Scorpions was Arhra, the Father of Scorpions, and Karandras was his greatest student.
From student to Phoenix Lord
Karandras was born before the Fall, and he survived it. He felt Slaanesh’s psychic scream and watched friends and family die around him.
Arhra later turned on the other Phoenix Lords and fled into the Webway, becoming known as the Fallen Phoenix. Karandras fought him on Craftworld Zandros for seventeen days and won, taking his master’s place.
Where Arhra raged, Karandras learned patience. He used Arhra’s martial arts to found Striking Scorpion shrines across many craftworlds, and like the other Phoenix Lords he wanders rather than settling down.
Weapons and the Shadow Sect
Karandras carries the Scorpion’s Claw Arhra’s Bane, the Biting Blade Isirmathil, and plasma grenades. His Mandiblaster, the Scorpion’s Bite, is far stronger than a normal Scorpion’s, strong enough to crack power armour or punch through Terminator plate.
When he picks followers, they form the Shadow Sect. They don’t assassinate one target, they wipe out whole enemy forces, stalking in silence until the moment they strike, then vanishing before anyone can fight back.
- Arhra’s Bane: his Scorpion’s Claw
- Isirmathil: the Biting Blade
- Scorpion’s Bite: his Mandiblaster
- Shadow Sect: his hand-picked killers
What he’s done
Karandras has fought across the galaxy for ten thousand years. He’s battled the Skavengers, stood with Imperial Space Marines against Horus’s Chaos forces, beheaded an Ork Waaagh! leader, walked alone into a Tomb World to destroy dormant Necrons, and faced the Tyranids.
He died during Waaagh! Arbuttz in M40, but his armour was recovered and he was revived during the Baran War in early M41. He also attended Eldrad Ulthran’s Council of Coalition, though it ended in violence, with Karandras and Maugan Ra fighting.
Key facts
- Karandras is the Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions, known as the Shadow Hunter.
- He succeeded Arhra, the Father of Scorpions, after a seventeen-day duel on Craftworld Zandros.
- His weapons include Arhra’s Bane, the Biting Blade Isirmathil, and the Scorpion’s Bite Mandiblaster.
- His elite followers are called the Shadow Sect, and they wipe out entire enemy forces.
- He died in M40 during Waaagh! Arbuttz and was revived in early M41 during the Baran War.
FAQ
Is Karandras the first Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions?
No. Arhra, the Father of Scorpions, came first. Karandras was his greatest student and took his place after defeating him in a seventeen-day duel on Zandros.
What is the Shadow Sect of Karandras?
It’s a group of his best students. Instead of killing one target, they stalk an enemy force and wipe it out completely before slipping back into the shadows.
Has Karandras ever died?
Yes. He fell during Waaagh! Arbuttz in M40, but his armour was found and he was revived during the Baran War in early M41.