Ahriman and the Dark Eldar during the 13th Black Crusade

[Shamana]

There was something I saw (and didn't see) in the last CSM codex that made me wonder if the fluff was being changed. As far as I knew, during the 13th Black Crusade Ahriman obtained an alliance with some Dark Eldar in order to access the Webway in his search for the Black Library, and the DE faction in general was somewhat neutral, using the confusion to gather slaves and wreak havoc. However, the new CSM codex makes no mention of Ahriman using DE aid, and in fact (iirc, I do not have the book right now) states that Dark Eldar actually fought against him alongside the craftworlders and the harlequin. So - did the Commorites switch sides when I wasn't looking, or am I missing something that explains it?


It is certainly possible that certain DE might have helped Ahriman, while others later fought against him, but there doesn't seem to be all that much on what they were doing - and you'd think a mention of Ahriman using the DE on his big project would merit a line in the CSM codex. Do you think this is a subtle change of fluff, or just stressing different parts of it? As a matter of fact, what sources exist on what the DE were doing during that time?

[Poseidal]

I think during the campaign, many Dark Eldar players fought against Ahriman alongside the Craftworlders (I'm not sure about the accuracy there, whether it was heresay or you could actually do it) and didn't like the blanket 'disorder' badge they were given, since the webway was theirs and they wouldn't want Chaos to trespass.

[Kakapo42]

Perhaps Ahriman managed to gain an alliance with the Dark Eldar, who let him into the webway, before double-crossing him and fighting alongside the other Eldar once they felt they had him trapped? That seems like a very Dark Eldar-ish thing to do to me...

[TheDungen]

Ahriman captured some inquisitor that had been to the black library and used his knowledge to access to webway. And while i think thta GW tried to sort DE with disorder the DE players quickly organised to oppose chaos at least in the 'webway planets'.

[AndrewGPaul]

I thought Ahriman was still searching for Inquisitor Czevak to gain access to the secrets of the Black Library (the Inquisitor being one of the few non-Harlequins to have entered the Library). Or has he caught up with him in the latest Codex?

[Shamana]

I thought Ahriman was still searching for Inquisitor Czevak to gain access to the secrets of the Black Library (the Inquisitor being one of the few non-Harlequins to have entered the Library). Or has he caught up with him in the latest Codex?

The latest codex does not say what happened after the Black Crusade... I think Ahriman used either Czevak or another inquisitor, but had not gained access to the library itself. I think he used DE assistance to gain entryway into the webway itself. As part of the EoT campaign outcome the harlequins and their allies kicked him out. They had, for a time at least, "obtained" Czevak and kept him, but iirc as per Atlas Infernal Czevak escaped (or was let to) with some relics, and Ahriman is still after him.

[Horus38]

The latest codex does not say what happened after the Black Crusade... I think Ahriman used either Czevak or another inquisitor, but had not gained access to the library itself. I think he used DE assistance to gain entryway into the webway itself. As part of the EoT campaign outcome the harlequins and their allies kicked him out. They had, for a time at least, "obtained" Czevak and kept him, but iirc as per Atlas Infernal Czevak escaped (or was let to) with some relics, and Ahriman is still after him.

^ Correct. The latest CSM book has him still trying to gain access to the Black Library proper. *spoiler alert* and gets his face cut off by the uber solitaires guarding it once he gets in.

[Horus38]

Ironically was just over at Black Library and saw one of the short stories from the Black Library Weekender -

'Shadow Play' by Rob Sanders: Inquisitor Czevak returns for the first time since Atlas Infernal, and this time he’s dealing with servants of Ahriman, a carnivorous jungle and, oh yes, dark eldar poisoners who want him dead.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Blog/Per...est-detal.html

[ryng_sting]

Never seen any mention of the DE helping Ahriman.

He got into the Webway using info torn from Czevak's mind: the Eldar repulsed him before he could make it to the Black Library.

He's still trying to get in.

[RunepriestRidcully]

^ Correct. The latest CSM book has him still trying to gain access to the Black Library proper. *spoiler alert* and gets his face cut off by the uber solitaires guarding it once he gets in.

Which page is that on??

[Horus38]

Which page is that on??

*Not sure if sarcasm

I'll recheck the page number of my Eldar fanboy manual. But more on topic, I do chuckle that Ahriman is so confident he'll be able to breach the BL defenses and go thumb through all the books.

[Spare Change]

I do chuckle that Ahriman is so confident he'll be able to breach the BL defenses and go thumb through all the books.

If anyone can, it'd be Ahriman.

And after reading the Blood Raven omnibus, I'd say the Harlequins don't find it all that amusing. Keeping him out has been far from easy for them.

[Scammel]

Last I heard, Ahriman had actually assaulted the gates of the BL, been stopped at the last moment by the timely arrival of some Harlies and that Czevak was in the custody of said Harlies.

[blackcherry]

The order of events happened like this:

It was mentioned in the 3.5 codex (perhaps earlier?) that Ahriman was looking for Czevak.
A little fluff piece in the lead up to the Eye of Terror campaign featured Czevak reading up on Ahriman and the end of it infering Ahriman had found him.
Come time for the EoT campaign and Ahriman has gained access to the webway by tearing the information from Czevaks mind. The eldar and dark eldar combine forces to repel him and his forces from the webway and the harlequins spirit Czevak away to keep him safe.

Then the events of Atlus Infernal kick in. Not to spoil those events, but

they are pretty awesome

[Denny]

If anyone can, it'd be Ahriman.

And after reading the Blood Raven omnibus, I'd say the Harlequins don't find it all that amusing.

I dunno, Harlequins find shooting genetically tailored enzyme-based toxins into their enemies and watching their DNA explode quite amusing.

Harlequin humour is, at best, an acquired taste.

[OgreBattle]

I'm pretty sure Wazzdakka is going to beat Ahriman to the BL once he finishes his webway project.

[Shamana]

I dunno, Harlequins find shooting genetically tailored enzyme-based toxins into their enemies and watching their DNA explode quite amusing.

Harlequin humour is, at best, an acquired taste.

What do you expect when their standup comedians carry shuriken chainguns and use their predecessors' knuckles as buttons for their coats?

Weird though, I could have sworn I read that DE helped Ahriman break into the webway somehow... but all I am finding to that end is the "The Eldar Webway, that ancient network of secret passages linking worldsmany light years apart, has been breached by the forces of disorder in the form of theThousand Sons Traitor Legion, and the Eldar's cruel kin, the Dark Eldar" comment.