The Dark Eldar, or Drukhari, are the cruel cousins of the Aeldari. They live in one city hidden inside the Webway, and they raid the galaxy for slaves, plunder, and the suffering that keeps them alive.
Who they are
Dark Eldar are an ancient race of elf-like humanoids, close kin to the Asuryani and other Aeldari. They don’t rule worlds. They have one city, Commorragh, tucked away in the Webway, and from there they launch raids across the galaxy.
They’re pirates and slavers first, mercenaries second. Torture isn’t a side effect of what they do, it’s the point. It’s also how they survive.
Asdrubael Vect rules Commorragh and, in practice, the Drukhari as a whole. He’s the one who started calling them Eladrith Ynneas, back in M32.
Why they raid
The Fall of the Eldar nearly wiped out the race and gave birth to Slaanesh. Every Eldar soul is bright in the Warp, and Drukhari souls are no exception. Slaanesh hungers for them.
Other Aeldari use spirit stones or world-ships to hide. Drukhari don’t. They feed Slaanesh a steady diet of other people’s pain and souls instead, which slows the god’s grip on them. Stop raiding, and they start to wither. That’s the whole engine behind their culture.
It also explains the arrogance. Drukhari see everyone else as livestock, and they’re not shy about saying so.
How they fight
Speed and technology are their edge. Drukhari hit hard, hit fast, and leave before anyone can organise a response. They’re not built to grind out a war of attrition.
Raiding parties ride anti-gravity skimmers, which let them move a lot of warriors quickly while staying mobile. They arrive out of the Webway with little or no warning, grab what they want, and vanish with the captives.
What they lack is staying power. Fewer bodies than most factions, and they don’t take a punch well. If a Drukhari raid stalls, it usually goes badly for them.
- Extreme mobility thanks to the Webway
- Fast anti-gravity transports for large raiding parties
- Advanced weapons and technology
- Low resilience and low numbers compared to most armies
Commorragh and its society
Commorragh is a single city, but it’s the size of a civilisation. It’s split into sub-realms run by rival Kabals, with Wych Cults, Haemonculi covens, and other factions jostling for power underneath Vect.
Politics there is assassination, betrayal, and spectacle. Vect has held the top spot for millennia by being better at all three than anyone else.
One thing to keep straight: Drukhari and Asuryani are the same species, split by choice. They don’t get along.
Key facts
- Dark Eldar are also called Drukhari, and they’re kin to the Asuryani Aeldari.
- They live in Commorragh, a single city inside the Webway.
- Asdrubael Vect rules Commorragh and the Drukhari as a whole.
- They raid for slaves and plunder, and torture is how they stave off Slaanesh.
- Their armies rely on speed, skimmers, and technology rather than numbers or resilience.
- The faction’s origins trace back to the Fall of the Eldar.
FAQ
Are Dark Eldar and Drukhari the same thing?
Yes. Drukhari is the name they use for themselves, and Dark Eldar is the common Imperial term. Both refer to the same faction.
Where do the Dark Eldar live?
Almost entirely in Commorragh, a vast city hidden inside the Webway. They don’t hold planets the way most factions do.
Why do the Dark Eldar torture people?
It’s how they keep Slaanesh from consuming their souls. Feeding on others’ suffering sustains them, so raiding isn’t optional for them.