Kabal of the Shackled Soul

So I am seeking to create a unique fluff for my Kabal. I have some basic ideas and some potential ideas I've been tossing around with locals but for the most part it seems the meta locally is to play only pre-existing material and to avoid creating your own fluff. As a result it has been exceedingly difficult to create the fluff side, but I have managed to with effort create at least some personality and idea. The following is what I have so far. Though I am totally willing to jump out of the boat I've built to new ideas, and would love them pitched at me.

Further Kabal Name ideas would be appreciated. I also was originally trying to go with an odd theme, by focusing on replacing the heads of my Kabalite Warriors and Trueborn with Madusae heads, and potentially finding ways to slowly add in details that would look like Beholders and Beholder lore. As I've recently been fascinated with these D&D creatures and was recently a 'were Beholder' in a larp I play in. Although it seems since I started I have drifted to this Penal Colony idea.

Take Note, that the mention of Hive Fleet Chernobyl and the Blood Knights references my girlfriends' Tyranid, and a friend of mine's Space Marine Chapter that they play and I have attempted to incorporate them into the Lore of my Kabal. The color scheme and what I have in models so far can best be viewed in this thread.



Humble Beginings

At the time they where just Eldar. The event that created the Dark Eldar, had yet occurred. Rumors circled through the upper class, and those associated with the darker side of the Eldar culture of the realm buried between spaces where pleasure and pain where explored by all. It was during this period of time, briefly before the birth of Slannish and the corruption of the Eldar within the dark city that word finally reached a noble house who's goals and ideals where far form that of it's denizens.

Realizing that if such rumors where true that such acts needed to be exposed, the house collected their forces and made efforts to penetrate into Commorragh. Eventually they had help from an allied force of operatives, Harlequins. Lead by a Death Jester instead of a Troupe Master. Finally they managed to sneak their way in through the dark corners of the Eldar Craftworlds, and establish a method to steak out the various criminal activities within.

Then the event occurred. Unaware of the evacuation by many Eldar, the noble house and it's allies where caught within the web way when the corruption erupted from the Warp. Much like the other Eldar, many where subtly changed forever. For them, they where not already delving into the dark arts but as their souls where consumed slowly even the strongest hearts must turn towards survival.



Repurposing

They where no longer affiliated with the Eldar, whom where in disarray and regathering their people across the stars. The two groups who had worked in an allied effort, had been and where caught in the aftermath. Now trapped in the shattered realms that made up the city of Commorragh they had to find a new way to survive. Overtime, they pushed their efforts to quick hit and run squads, taking both from other Kabals and from small real space raids. They attempted to keep it at a minimal.

It came to be a realization that they where not going to survive this way, and where slowly giving in to their temptations as feeding became harder with time. More violent measures had to be taken and as it became clearer that their moral where on the line and fading an attempt to control and occupy their fading morality was made.

How does one, trapped in a shattered realm, who must survive on the suffering of others both maintain their 'humanity' and continue to survive? One cannot simply go after the other Dark Eldar because they will be found out and rooted out. They simply did not have the man power for that. Meanwhile striking realspace, as much as the other races where lesser, it did not make it any more right an action. So what then?



Penal Colony

They had found themselves worked deep now into the slave trade. Although their morals had slipped they had discovered small measures to maintain a ready supply of suffering without total compromise. Many Kabals took slaves, many needed slaves, and most didn't care where they came from. Even in the dark city, there where laws and a ready supply of kabals wanting vengeance upon one another. The Noble House, now a Kabal established itself readily as a new source of slaves. By capturing Dark Eldar, so vile they where wanted by the upper class Kabals for 'crimes' if one would call any sort of law int he land as real law, and took captive those they where paid to by Kabals and their leaders seeking vengeance but not wanting their hands dirtied.

Working within the system, what little or corrupted a system it was, they established a small colony in one of the pocket realms. Here they gathered slaves, and turned criminals into slaves. They sell what excess they collect to other Kabals, and train many of those who enter their doors to become... more subservient for those seeking such slaves.  

This was not a total compromise. In a sense they where maintaining their identity by enforcing and acting upon this mockery of law. With the rise of Vect and his Kabal, what started as a shambling concept excelled as Kabal leaders saw them as 'usefuls tools' for getting rid of pests within the dark city.



Of Other Realms

With time, and resources they began exploration. Many of the pockets of Commorragh have access to other realms and thin veils between realities. As Madusae became more prevelant and desired among the Kabals, they sought to corner the market. Discovering at least one way to access a realm from which Madusae come from, many slaves where used to create hosts to the creatures, so that they could become 'higher priced' slaves for the market. Many where taken back to the colony to be... Trained to be more valuable to the Archons of other Kabals.

As training Madusae became prevalent, they began delving into other creatures found throughout the webways and pocket realms. Many Sslyth where employed with time, to help 'man handle' the large number of 'merchandise' that had been gathered. Ur-ghouls became part of the slave forces and many Kabals once becoming aware of the ability to purchase these slave forces, started utilizing 'kabalite warrior' slave squads more regularly. After all, why send your own men first, when you can use these slaves for distractions and some collateral damage.

Many of the fascilities started to be repurposed for growing 'new slaves', and as time passed some of the slaves among the colony where born and raised within it's walls. Feeding off the pain of one another, and fighting to survive only to be sold off often times to face certain death on the battlefield or extravagant torment at the hands of another Kabal.



Death's Canticle

While the Archon and his Kabalites established a base of opperations, trade, and activities in the Dark City to ensure they where valuable to the Kabals and Cults of the city the Harlequins who had been caught in the aftermath had set out on a different path. They left Commorragh in search of answers and understanding. But driven mad by the hunger and lead by their now corrupted Death Jester leader they carved a path of destruction across a portion of real space.

When they had returned, they did not immediately return to the Kabal but instead found their way into the Incubi and their ranks. As time passed, the once Harlequin where no longer recognizable. Now they where Incubi, and returning to the Archon and his Kabal to continue their alliance and service to their own survival.

As the two where united, deep within their hidden pocket space both had collected a small array of force and having lost touch with a great aspect of who they where began to launch real space raids, using the most skilled slaves to capture new slaves and using these raids to train newer slaves. During one such raid, they captured an Eldar captain and his squad. He fought so bravely they had decided to give him a gift. A permanent place within their ranks as a slave Captain, and his squad now all acting as hosts to Madusae so that he may forever know the pain of what he had lost and continue to lead them into what one day may prove to be his death... But to the amusement of the Archon, he simply wont let the Captain die.

It was during one of these excursions that they discovered one of their regular spots for raiding had been desolated. They gathered their forces and trailed the destruction feeding off the remains of many of what survived the destruction that had laid waste. During this exploration that they discovered a number of Tyranid separated from their hive mind and fighting with Space Marines. When one had finished the other they swooped in to take the rest.

From the remains of the Tyranid they discovered powerful poisons that when applied to their weapons and mixed with their already powerful poisons they had a great deal of strength behind them. They also discovered the space marines, where easy to take now weakened by the Tyranid force they had encountered. The Marines where called 'Blood Knights' and where apparently a chapter dedicated to the eradication of this specific group of Tyranid which they had named Hive Fleet Chernobyl.

This lead to them deciding to track the Hive Fleet. Since, anytime it comes close to a world, the Kabal moves in picking off the scraps and taking the easy route to acquiring a large mass of slaves while avoiding the Tyranid except in small pockets in order to acquire new poisons and weapons made from their chitin.

I like the fact that you've detailed their slide from somewhat principled pre-Dark Eldar, through their acceptance of slavery, to their full-on embracing of it as a Dark Eldar Kabal! I think the gradient shows just how some of them must have been affected by the degeneration and decadence of the Fall.  Seeing that side of their past is something that gives them a real sense of history and how they became what they are.

I wouldn't personally use a fallen Harlequin, as my feeling is that Cegorach looks after his own and they are a thing apart from normal Eldar society. (Just my preference.) I'd say use the model, as it is converted, but don't make him an actual 'convert'.

I particularly liked the idea of the Kabal following a 'Nid swarm and nipping in to get their poisons and ingredients ... It's typical of the Dark Eldar arrog- that is, rock solid self-belief ;)that they would play around the edges of something so dangerous ... "we can handle it!" - they are often risk-taking adrenaline junkies, after all. All the more so if it gives them an edge.

I'd like to know more about them, and the Medusae connection, as this is a part of the fluff we don't often see.

All in all, I'll be looking forward to seeing how you develop your ideas! Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss anything, or ask here

EDIT: I forgot to say how much I like the way you've illustrated your fluff

The following is a timeline I created based on the fluff I've created for my Kabal. I am naming them The Kabal of the Shackled Soul, unless a better name surfaces. Much of the history is based on actual games I've had, and small kill team campaigns. Others are created as part of the fluff and to create the general feeling of what my army and the idea of my army is. Besides the name this is the more finalized version of the lore/fluff presented above. Including alterations to the presented material.

Timeline of the Shackled Soul

Investigation into Commorragh and Fall c.M31

Taibshe son of the Eldar Noble House who with a squad of his Warriors infiltrated Commorragh, and started recording the activities of other houses in order to report back. Somehow during their investigation they became trapped, unable to return to the Craftworld as the self imposed exodus began. Taibshe and his Eldar brothers where caught in the Fall.

A Realm of Their Ownc.M31-M32

Taibshe lead what forces he had in small strikes across the lower levels of Commorragh. Taking victims from other Noble Houses and Kabals in order to maintain themselves. Eventually they acquired a number of Raiders by stealing them and they managed to leave Commorragh for one of the Satellite Realms. There they found a small moon sized world, that had been shattered into pieces inside the realm and established a home. Realizing they where not going to survive Archon Taibshe established his men as a Kabal and with their new equipment started real-space raids.

The War of the Sun and Moon c.M33
With the Noble houses engaged in combat with the Sun Cults, Archon Taibshe takes advantage of the dissaray of a number of small skirmishes to claim the remains of as many Raiders, Venoms, and 'slave stock' as he can. Many of the missing materials and fellow Dark Eldar are considered missing or destroyed in combat.

Vect's Conquest and It's Uses c.M35-36
After Vect and his Kabal rose to power, and the power structure shifts within Commorragh Archon Taibshe takes advantage of the change to establish his Kabal early on. Having remained hidden for the most part until now, he presents his warriors to the newly ruling Archons throughout the realms as enforcers, willing to 'enforce' the rule of other Archons in their own realms, and territories for relatively easy fee.

The Kabal of the Subjugated Eye 379c.M37
Many Archons saw this as an opportunity to gain hold over another Kabal or to ensure their own men did not fall to the dirty work of dealing with the criminals of their realms. However Archon Taibshe was ahead of them at every step. Both maintaining his own forces, and keeping to his word and dealings with other Kabals in capturing and selling off those whom many Kabals saw fit to remove. It was during this time that a rival Archon, known as The Máthair, set Archon Taibshe and his squad up for a trap. Attempting to draw them after an imaginary criminal, and ambush them in a well planned and executed strike in the streets of Commorragh.

At first the attack seemed like it was going to be successful, but as it started from among the Subjugated Eye, Máthair's forces turned their guns on themselves. Taibshe had in anticipation of a move, sent a number of his men disguised as members of the Subjugated Eye to trail their warriors. When they came to attack, they joined in a mock strike before using the opportunity to turn on them. The entire Kabal of the Subjugated Eye was taken away to Taibshe's pocket realm.

Of Old Allies and New 423c.M37
Dracon Slacán launched a real space raid against a space marine force named the Truth Seekers. During the conflict a group of Harlequin joined the battle, forcing the Truth Seekers to retreat and leaving a few behind not by choice, at the hands of the united forces. As Slacán gathered his rewards for this battle he approached the Harlequin who remained on the field. It was made clear then that they where part of a force who where once allied with their former Noble House in many of it's activities. The two exchanged pleasantries, and the Harlequin where invited to visit the Kabal.

Oddly enough, they took up this gesture more curious then anything of the events and life of Taibshe. Whom was very curious himself to see the strange visitors and cautious as it was not to his plans. A dinner was thrown, and as they where once more in communication yet another unexpected visitor arose. As rumor had spread that one could potentially trust the Incubi on their code of honor, the same was whispered about Taibshe on many occasions.

Months later, an Incubi shrine would be established on the colony as Incubi joined the ranks of the Kabal of the Shackled Soul and rumor has it among them often are Harlequinn in disguise. Since, more often then one would expect Harlequinn have been whispered to join them on the battlefield.

A Penal Colony 630c.M37
Throughout their many raids and activities, Taibshe's Kabal had never been able to establish an alliance with any of the Homunculus Cults. As a result when one of their men died, often among new recruits and those born true blooded. Their numbers and much of their forces had started to be composed of slaves they had taken from other Kabals, the crime of Commorragh, and creatures plucked form the pocket realms and other worlds.  Realizing their force composed primarily of prisoners and 'merchandise' they perfected their facilities to reflect something of a penal colony. A prison system much to their own amusement.

It became top priority to find high priced merchandise, and many of their realspace raids became more of training activities to teach their slaves how to be used properly as cannon fodder for their prospective buyers. A Few among them where taken in among the Kabal who earned their worth and proved their usefulness to be uncanny.

It was then, the Kabal acquired it's name... The Kabal of the Shackled Soul.

A Deal is Struck 327c.M38
As the realm is built and their reputation for good merchandise rises. Many Kabals turn eyes away from them, seeing them as more of a source for 'pawns' then as a threat. Much to the delight of Archon Taibshe. Others saw them as threat enough but did not make any moves, as any fighting between them often ended with more 'merchandise' for the Shackled Soul. Seeking better merchandise and to establish his worth among the Kabal, Imreas a young warrior explored across the shattered realms that connected across the pocket until he found one of significance yet undiscovered.

It was brought forward to Taibshe that an entrance to the realm of the Madusea had been discovered nearby, a parasite creature that went for a high price on the market... Taibshe awarded Imreas by throwing him in to test out the stability of the entranceway---and immediately getting him possessed by a Madusea parasite.

Weak prisoners, and those too weak to be worthy of anything on the field where collected and it became policy that when one could not pull their weight, they would be dipped into the realm like bait. Making Taibshe and his Kabal at the top of the Madusea trade.

Conflict with Captain Laoch 633c.M38
An Eldar vessel came under attack by a real-space raid of the Shackled Soul. As the fight lead them ducking and weaving through the halls of the ship The Mair Mac, the Captain Laoch gathered his best warriors and lead the defense himself. Utilizing the ships auto-locking mechanisms, auto-defenses, and a number of key tactical points he brought an incredible amount of Devastation to the attacking forces and managed to lead his men to an escape vessel launching to the surprise of the Shackled Soul.

Archon Taibshe gave chase. Across many months, the vessel managed to dodge them tactically and eventually crashed on a small Imperial World. There the conflict continued through the streets, and against Imperial forces. The chase, much to Taibshe's amusement and frustration also awakened what turned out to be the tomb world under the hive city streets. Eventually the shackled soul captured Laoch and his men and drug them back to Commorragh.

There Loach was forced to watch his men one by one be turned into Madusea, and he was forced into slave armor. Taibshe choose to keep him alive, his skill on the battlefield would be useful and he would be forced to continue leading his men---further to Taibshe's humor even after they had become Madusea.

A Waugh Today for a Soul Tommarrow 450c.M41
Returning to real space and the world that they had captured Loach on in an attempt to acquire more goods and out of interest to see if they would be prepared for them they encountered a number of already waring factions present. An orkish Wauugh had landed planet-side, by a group calling itself the Flamming Fungus Foxes who had been engaged with a Sisters regiment the Order of the Chalice. Several raids where made picking off at the side battles that where created between them. It was discovered the Orks wanted a number of strange and oddly Orky looking objects that had apparently fallen onto the world. Realizing the potential for casualties, the Kabal faked a defeating line till the Sisters encountered the objects and acquired them.

Then stepping back watched as the Orks swarmed forward focusing entirely on the main defensive line of the Sisters. Once either side was too devastated to fully defend itself, the Kabal of the Shackled Soul swooped in, and although they where unable to acquire the objects for further jollies they acquired a sufficient number of new slaves.

A Brief Encounter with Death 621c.M41
A final raid was made upon the same world still devastated and locked in war. Repeatedly the world seemed to be a fresh and good picking ground for bodies as the Orcish wauugh continued and the sisters held out. Far from the battle the Kabal was seeking fresh survivors whom may of managed to survive way from the battlefields. It was then they spotted drop pods. Suddenly Archon Taibshe found himself surrounded by Grey Knights in terminator armor.

His Forces where becoming overwhelmed with the few but powerful marines. It was then that a force of Wyches, known as the Wynter Cult arrived. Neither force where aware that the other would be present and the Wyches engaged the Grey Knights in combat, using powerful and well designed Hydra Gauntlets and techniques. Fire was added to the fight as the Shackled Soul regrouped and started to join the Wyches in their assault.

Reinforcements appeared to be arriving from above for the Grey Knights when a series of key shots forced the drop pod to deviate and strike a nearby building seemingly killing the occupants and destroying any hope of the Grey Knights victory.

Once the battle was over, a loose alliance was formed between the Wynters and the Kabal of the Shackled Soul.

Hive Fleet Chernobyl 950c.M41
The Kabal of the Shackled Soul after months of planning went to launch a full scale raid of a small Imperial fortress world that had fallen to Chaos. Upon arriving they discovered the world was already devastated by something powerful, and more then curious the Archon ordered them to trail the destruction. Over the course of several small skirmishes with a space marine chapter 'the Blood Knights' who Taibshe knew was also making a move against the fortress world---the Archon and his men came across a Tyranid force, small and separated form it's main faction he waited for the Blood Knights and the Tyranid to finish fighting. The Tyranid being killed off, he took the opportunity to strike and capture the Blood Knights.

He was informed of the Tyranid, and Hive Fleet Chernobyl... An extremely poisonous fleet of Tyranid whom the chapter of the Blood Knights where founded to destroy. Interested, he had his men gather the remains of the Tyranid they could find and examine it. It's poisons where strong and realizing they could utilize both the poisons and the powerful carapace as armor, a large sum of forces where deviated from the Colony to constantly follow Chernobyl around, striking at those who where cut off from their forces and taking what resources they could including Chernobyl's own targets if they managed to survive or escape the onslaught.

The Kabal Today 999c.M41

The Kabal of the Shackled Soul continues it's real space raids, now focusing almost exclusively on the trail of destruction left behind by Hive Fleet Chernobyl and often joining in the battles against any and all forces Chernobyl and those caught in it's path. Many slaves, material, and poisons are gathered from these battles. Those who are taken back to the Colony are forced into hard labour and often trained to fight taken on raids and into battle to feed both the Kabal's need for pain and need for money, as those who have proven themselves strong enough sell for a high price to other Kabals. Thier primary merchandise consists of Madusea, often left unchained and given weapons to be trained as warriors rather then just pets for the Archons willing to pay for such extravagancies.

The Prisoners

Among Dark Eldar betrayal, treachery, and murder are quite common. As Kabals fight for power, territory, and in many ways self preservation. The Shackled Soul in many strange ways have a front row view to this behavior, in a much smaller and sometimes bloodier scale. The countless slaves that make up their forces all live unbound in a prison catacomb like facility only truly well navigated by the Shackled Soul themselves.

It is within these grounds that The Shackled Soul tests it's prisoners for quality and usefulness. Prisoners are never fed, but must feed off each other to survive, unless they of course are of a non-Dark Eldar race... and those are often given few rations hidden in painful and horrific almagamations of tormentful traps and flesh rending puzzles. Within the walls of the prisons the slaves have formed many gangs and leaders have formed from the various groups. Gang-Warfare much like lower Commorragh seems ever present within the catacombs.

This is much to the amusement and planning of the Shackled Soul. Powerful groups are often plucked and taken on excursions as rewards for their dominance within the walls, and those who have proven themselves skilled and useful are often sold to other Kabals. Few refuse this, for it is one of the few ways to garuntee being able to acquire real suffering again to maintain their strength, although some have managed to feed steadily on other prisoners.

Sometimes gangs and groups are implanted, for further amusement of the Shackled Soul into the prisons. Such as Loach and his men when they had been turned to Madusea. Rumor is it is one of the Archons favorite games to take a leader, turn his men / friends into madusea and leave them stranded in the catacombs to see how both the leader fairs, and suffers.

The Prisoners when taken to real space raids or raids against other Kabals, have tried more then once to turn on the Shackled Soul but never successfully. All are branded with a symbol that is recognizable among the Kabal as a mark of the slaves, similar to an Eye in mocking humor to the Subjected Eye.

Important Figures

Archon Taibshe
Leader of the Kabal of the Shackled Soul, he has been around since prior to the fall. Once a noble Eldar who fought for justice, the fall and it's corruption eventually sank deep within him and brought him and his warriors into the depths of the society. Stranded on the streets of Commorragh, Taibshe built his Kabal from the ground up by stealing from other Kabals and taking many prisoners before establishing a base in a pocket realm.

Captain Laoch

First of many of individuals whom would suffer Archon Taibshe's favorite torture. After a several day conflict, Laoch and his men attempted to escape a real space raid, that had Taibshe follow them across several worlds. When it ended Laoch found that his men had been captured and turned into Madusea and with his own capture he has since been forced to return to leading them or the creatures that now use their bodies as hosts.

Dracon Slacán

Has lead several real space missions and has since made contact with several of Taibshe's former noble houses' allies. Reuniting these allies at least for common or aligned missions.