Mandrakes are the Drukhari’s shadow-born killers, feared even in Commorragh. They slip out of darkness, cut down their prey with glimmersteel, and vanish before anyone can strike back.
What are Mandrakes?
Mandrakes are a distinct breed of Aeldari that hail from Aelindrach, a shadowy sub-realm within Commorragh. They’re not your typical Drukhari, they’re something far stranger. They’re native to the Midnight Dimension, a realm of shadow that overlaps with the Webway, and they can slip between shadows to emerge from any dark corner.
Unlike other Drukhari, they live apart, often as cannibalistic wild things that even the hardened denizens of Commorragh fear. Most Drukhari see them as wild outsiders. They don’t join kabals or cults. Instead, they hire out their blades for slaves, pain, or stranger payments like a treasured memory or a heartbeat.
- Native to the Midnight Dimension, a shadow realm overlapping the Webway.
- Inhabit Aelindrach, a dark district of Commorragh.
- Live separately from mainstream Drukhari society, often as cannibals.
- Feared even by other Drukhari for their lethality.
Origins and theories
Nobody knows exactly how Mandrakes came to be, not even the Drukhari themselves. Some say they’re just shadows given life, others claim they’re descendants of a forbidden cult that escaped the Fall by hiding in shadow. Their shadow-skin might be warp exposure. There are whispers that they were created by Haemonculi for the Wych Cult of Grief, or that they predate Commorragh and taught the Drukhari to feed on pain.
What’s clear is that they’re tied to the Midnight Dimension. During the Dysjunction caused by Yvraine’s apotheosis, the Mandrake leader Kheradruakh used a pyramid of a thousand perfect skulls to open a gate to that realm, unleashing its horrors.
- Theories include: shadows brought to life, a cult that hid from the Fall, or creations of Haemonculi.
- Some believe they taught Drukhari to sate the Thirst through pain.
- Kheradruakh opened a gate to the Midnight Dimension during the Dysjunction.
Abilities and weapons
Mandrakes hunt from the dark. Their shadow-skin makes them nearly invisible unless they’re in direct light, and they can step out of someone’s own shadow. Younger Drukhari call them creepers for good reason. This ability, combined with their unnatural strength, makes them deadly assassins and hunters.
In combat they’re brutally strong, closer to an Ork than an Eldar. They use glimmersteel blades and hooked weapons designed to draw out as much pain as possible. They can channel that stolen agony into a blast of cold fire from their claws, freezing victims in place so they’re easy to capture. Mandrakes often take slaves as payment.
Archons often hire them for assassinations, realspace raids, or as guardians, paying with slaves or stranger things like a treasured memory or a heartbeat.
- Use glimmersteel blades and hooked weapons to maximize pain.
- Can unleash cold fire to freeze enemies.
- Possess shadow-skin for near-invisibility.
- Can travel through shadows to ambush prey.
- Often paid in slaves or unusual currencies.
Notable Mandrakes
Kheradruakh is the most infamous Mandrake, a legendary figure who opened the gate to the Midnight Dimension using his pyramid of a thousand perfect skulls. He’s a symbol of their otherworldly power and their connection to the darker corners of the Webway.
Even Archons are careful with Mandrakes. The fact that Commorragh’s cruellest residents fear them says a lot. Their shadow realm also hints at parts of the Webway and the warp we still don’t fully understand.
Tabletop rules
On the tabletop Mandrakes are fast, fragile, and sneaky. They deep strike, infiltrate, and stay stealthed, and they can’t be shot unless the attacker is within 18 inches. Their baleblast and glimmersteel blades both have devastating wounds. With a Pain token, they can fade away at the end of the opponent’s fight phase and go back into reserves.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Movement | 8″ |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Wounds | 1 |
| Invulnerable save | 5+ |
| Unit composition | 1 Nightfiend and 4 to 9 Mandrakes |
| Points | 75 for 5 models, 150 for 10 |
| Keywords | Infantry, Aeldari, Blades for Hire, Mandrakes |
| Faction | Drukhari |
Key facts
- Mandrakes are shadow-dwelling Aeldari from Aelindrach, a sub-realm of Commorragh.
- They come from the Midnight Dimension and can step into realspace through shadows.
- Their shadow-skin makes them nearly invisible in anything but direct light.
- They’re known for extreme strength and use glimmersteel blades to harvest pain.
- Kheradruakh opened a gate to the Midnight Dimension during the Dysjunction.
- On the tabletop they’re fast, fragile, and excellent at hit-and-run tactics.
FAQ
What are Mandrakes in Warhammer 40k?
Mandrakes are shadow-dwelling xenos from the Midnight Dimension, a realm overlapping the Webway. They inhabit Aelindrach in Commorragh and are feared for their lethal abilities.
Are Mandrakes Drukhari?
They’re often classified as Drukhari Aeldari, but they’re distinct, living apart and native to the Midnight Dimension. Some sources treat them as a separate breed, and most Drukhari see them as wild outsiders.
What is the Midnight Dimension?
It’s a shadowy realm that overlaps with Aelindrach. Mandrakes are native to it and use it to move through shadows into realspace.
What are Mandrake abilities?
They have shadow-skin for near-invisibility, can step through shadows, wield glimmersteel blades, and unleash cold fire to freeze foes.
How do Mandrakes fight on the tabletop?
They’re fast, stealthy infantry with deep strike and infiltrators. They can’t be targeted by ranged attacks beyond 18 inches, and with a Pain token they can fade away into reserves after combat.