Why are there spirit stones?

I've noticed that the Dark Eldar models have spirit stones. I like the design and appreciate the opportunity to paint the gems -- but according to the fluff I've read and listen to people speak about, they don't use them!

So why are they on the models? It seems like a paradox to me (still looks nice though).

The only spirit stone like things that occur to me are the ones on some of the vehicles - and I always presumed those were a power source design or something.

I can't think of anything that has close to the number or setup of spirit stones Eldar have though. Which model(s) are you referencing?

I think you'd right: they seem to be only on the vehicles. I purchased some Venoms and a Ravager, and there are gems on them

The stones on DE I never really thought were Spirit Stones. I always thought that they'd house their suit's technical systems, like what Craftworlders have, or have activation runes that, when touched, release a lot of stimms into the wearer's veins.

they're just gems, think about all other gems on non eldar models. Cavash got the right idea, just partof the armor, weapons, part of the control systems of the raider/ravager.

As you know dark eldar don't use spirit stones, in fact the only true spirit stones that dark eldar carry are broken ones, on the incubi, as decorations. As you may or may not know, the final incubi ritual involves killing an aspect warrior and breaking his gemstone.

You don't even have to paint the lumps on the vehicles like gems, they're just part of the system, of the tech.

Ravagers do not have gems AFAIK. Dont have them with me, but I dont recall them... Venoms do, because they are originally a Harlequin vehicle of Eldar design and actually use spirit stones IMHO. As for RWF, seriously dont know... I paint them as a "Darklight Energy Node".

aurynn wrote:

Venoms do, because they are originally a Harlequin vehicle of Eldar design and actually use spirit stones IMHO. As for RWF, seriously dont know... I paint them as a "Darklight Energy Node".

No there are 3 types of venoms actually, dark eldar, made from "normal" metal,etc... and then you have the harlequin one and the corsair one. 3 types all with different weapon options, the last 2 are wraithconstructs.

The dark eldar venoms has different type of exhaust and engines, it's also a bit bigger than the harlequin & corsair venom who are based on the vyper design

I stand corrected. Thanks! This actually answers my question about DE using metals! Is it confirmed somewhere in the fluff? I mean the fact that our Venoms are Metal?

And if they are bigger, why cant they carry 6 passengers...   

aurynn wrote:

I stand corrected. Thanks! This actually answers my question about DE using metals! Is it confirmed somewhere in the fluff? I mean the fact that our Venoms are Metal?

And if they are bigger, why cant they carry 6 passengers...   

I'm almost certain I read something about handfuls of asteroid belts near Commorragh that are used for mining alloys needed for various industries, pretty sure it was Path of the Renegade. It's probably a rather alien metal that's been engineered in bizarre ways (ghostplate, for instance, is merely plated armour with pocketed gas and a miniature forcefield).

Incidentally I hadn't thought of the energy-gem-node idea but I like it tremendously.

Fidra wrote:

Incidentally I hadn't thought of the energy-gem-node idea but I like it tremendously.

Oooor... a shield (FlickerField) emmiter. Because it is strange to have hull-mounted energy nodes... OMG... How nerdy that sounds... ROFL

aurynn wrote:

Because it is strange to have hull-mounted energy nodes...

Because dark eldar are known for the ability to build logical and resilient structures

I wonder if they couldn't be used to capture souls to torture, feed off of and perhaps even feed Slaanesh? I remember the designers talking on YouTube about how the souls of the Dark Eldar are like buckets of what with a hole at the bottom, needing to be refilled constantly as they're consumed by.. Slaanesh? Can't remember exactly

I wouldn't say that they have to be metal, but could be whatever material the manufacturer can get their hands on.

If every Archon is different and every Kabal has its own quirks then why assume that they all have equipment made from the same materials?

Venoms have round thingies on their wings that are shaped the same as the round thingies on CWE vehicles, but those aren't necessarily spirt stones. Sometimes you see them painted like gems, while other times they're the same colour as the hull, even in different parts of the same model. If I recall correctly, when not painted as gems they're supposed to be blisters containing sensors and such. If painted as gems on DE vehicles they could just be decorations, or perhaps the emitters for the flickerfield.