Wraith constructs are robotic Aeldari bodies made of wraithbone, animated by the spirit stones of dead Eldar. They’re the craftworlds’ last line of defence, and for a dying race, a necessary evil.
What wraith constructs are
A wraith construct is a mechanical shell of wraithbone built by the Eldar and powered by a soul pulled from an infinity circuit. With a seer’s guidance, a dead Eldar’s spirit leaves the circuit and flows into a spirit stone, which is then placed inside the construct. The living spirit drives the artificial body.
The Eldar also call them Ghost Warriors, Wraith-Guardians, and Wraith-Nobles. Bigger, mightier shells need greater souls to move them, so the most powerful war-sculptures can only be woken by heroes of real strength.
Why the Eldar dislike them
Most craftworlds see waking the dead as disgusting, a form of necromancy or grave-robbing within their own culture. So they rarely do it, and almost never in large numbers. Ghost warriors usually appear only as a last line of defence.
But the Eldar are a dying race with shrinking ranks, and the practice is growing more common. Many see it as a necessary evil, calling on the dead to fight when there aren’t enough living left to hold the line.
Iyanden and the Ghost Houses
Craftworlds devastated by war lean on wraith constructs far more than others. Iyanden and Altansar are the clearest examples. On Iyanden, some constructs refuse to return to their rest and have even gained political power through the Ghost Houses.
Iyanden’s dead take on roles that Guardians and Aspect Warriors would normally fill. They fight with endurance and implacability rather than the grace living Eldar show. The ruined halls where they dwell are called Ghost Halls, and they’re eerily silent because wraith constructs don’t speak.
Wraithguards and wraithlords there sometimes repeat tasks from their old lives: pacing the same garden path until ruts form, or standing motionless on a stage before an equally motionless audience. These domes are haunted by the dead who only half-remember living.
Types and scale
Wraith constructs range from the smaller wraithguard and wraithblade up to the towering wraithknight. The largest of all are the Eldar Titans, and they work differently: they’re too big for a single spirit stone to wake.
Instead, a Titan’s wraithbone body is built around an infinity circuit, which works alongside living Steersmen to move and fight. So the biggest constructs blur the line between a machine and a crewed vessel.
- Wraithguard, wraithblade, and wraithknight: conventional wraithbone shells driven by one spirit stone.
- Eldar Titans: too large for a single stone, built around an infinity circuit and guided by living Steersmen.
- Soul size matters: the stronger the shell, the greater the spirit needed to animate it.
Key facts
- Wraith constructs are wraithbone shells animated by Eldar souls held in spirit stones.
- They’re also known as Ghost Warriors, Wraith-Guardians, and Wraith-Nobles.
- The Eldar consider waking them necromancy or grave-robbing, so they’re usually a last resort.
- Iyanden and Altansar rely on them most, and Iyanden’s Ghost Houses hold political power.
- Eldar Titans are the largest wraith constructs and use an infinity circuit plus living Steersmen instead of a single stone.
FAQ
What powers a wraith construct?
A spirit stone holding the soul of a dead Eldar, drawn from the craftworld’s infinity circuit with a seer’s help. The spirit is placed inside the wraithbone shell and brings it to life.
Why do the Eldar find wraith constructs distasteful?
They see waking the dead as a kind of necromancy or grave-robbing within their own culture. Most craftworlds only use them in desperate defence, though necessity is making the practice more common.
Which craftworld uses wraith constructs the most?
Iyanden, which was devastated by war and relies heavily on its dead. Its Ghost Houses even hold political power, and its Ghost Halls are full of silent, half-remembering constructs.