Under-Empire

"All tunnels leads to Skavenblight"

- A common phrase used by Skavens, indicating that the heart of the Under-Empire lies within the boundries of the city itself



The Glorious Under-Empire, sometimes known as Skavendom or the Underground Empire, is a massive continent spanning empire that holds uncountable miles of tunnels and passageways that stretch from the Ice-capped mountains of the north to the damp swamplands of the south, and from the great plains of the East to the lush jungles of the West. Though arguably one of the most largest and farthest Empire in the entire Warhammer World, the Under-Empire empire is by no means an entirely united nation. Though the Council of Thirteen have direct and absolute control over Skavendom, they are utterly helpless to the great inter-clan warfare that has engulfed much of the Skavens long and arduous history. As such, the Under-Empire is in actuality a loose confederation of smaller clan-based kingdoms that are only tied togather by their utter belief in the Horned Rat, and the tyrannical ruling of the Council of Thirteen.

The great city of Skavenblight acts as the one true capital of the Skaven race, and as such it is also situated at the very heart of the Under-Empire. Most of the vast territory that make up the Under-Empire are usually held by the more larger and stronger of the Skaven clans, with the more smaller ones having only a territory of a mere few miles, usually at a backwater region that the greater Clans wouldn't find any use for. Most major Skaven stronghold or cities are usually within the vicinity of larger population centres like the cities of the great Clan-Empire. These cities were built for either the purpose as a staging point for an upcoming invasion of the suppose city, or rather a city that has grown fat and prosperous by the garbage these cities throw away. Another important part of this Underground Empire is the massive highway of tunnels that connects much of the numerous Burrows togather. This massive highway is known as the great Under-Way, an ancient tunnel that was carved into the spine of the entire Worlds Edge Mountain, and was created by the ancient Dwarves of Old. But the Dwarves no longer take care for these abandoned tunnels, and this lack of vigilance has given the Skavens a great advantage, for each and every tunnel that branches out of the main highway will always lead to one or more Dwarf holds that would have taken decades to tunnel towards without the aid of the Under-Way. Though the Skavens stake claim to the tunnels, they are by no means safe, for an untold number of numerous species have taken hold in the dark caverns, with the abundance of Skaven bodies as a natural food sources for marauding bands of Greenskins, nest-lairs of brooding Spiders, and on rarer occasions, even Chaos-Spawns or Chaos-tainted creatures that have gotten lost in the maze-like passages.

This goes the same to all the other tunnels that the Skaven occupy, as a vast majority of tunnels used by the Skavens are often good lairs for numerous other species as well. Seeing themselves as the Masters of their underground realm, they would sometimes go into conflict with other Underground realms such as the Dwarves of Karaz Ankor and the Night Goblin tribes of the northern mountains. Ever since their emergence, the Skaven race had been at a constant and every escalating war with these two races, forcing those within the war to improve and create newer and deadlier ways to fight more effectively with the cramp conditions of the tunnels. This has lead to the creation of the very first drilling machines meant to cover longer distances that a horde of Skavenslaves can ever do. Skavens have even created biological weaponry that proved decisive in underground warfare, creating toxic fumes and gases that kill those who breath it within a matter of seconds. From here on till the end of time itself, the Glorious Under-Empire shall fight to the end against the Dwarfs of Karaz Ankor, with only one of them claiming the deep dark depths of the world as their own.

Major Strongholds
The Skaven race has innumerable strongholds and burrows from every corner of the entire Old World. Though most of these are usually a collection of smaller villages and nest-lairs the more larger and prosperous cities are formed near other population centres, growing fat and wealthy by the scavenging of the surface dwellers thrown away goods. Most of these cities would sometimes have their very own small Council of electives, each a representative of other Skaven clans that has previously stake claim to the city. With so many Skavens from different clans all in one place, the results ensured that there will always be a massive power struggle within the governing system as numerous Cheiftains and influencial politicans fight, kill, and assasinate their rivals to only further their own ambitions. This has ensured that nearly all Skaven cities will tinker to the brink of Civil War, but only the fear of the strenght and power that each Clan held has managed to make many leaders think twice before coming into open conflict.

Strongholds within the Clan-Empire (The Empire)

 * Under-Altdorf - Some consider it to be the largest and most prosperous of the Skaven cities, as a result of their leaders finding more oppertunities of exploiting the riches of the surface-dwellers rather then to waste money fighting and controlling them. This has ensured that the city is only second to Skavenblight itself, a severe consideration that has made the Council of Thirteen feel uneasy towards their fellows within the Altdorf Council. Some had even openly consider the city as the "New Skavenblight", a heretical talk that would ensure the death of those that preach it. But none could deny that the city is growing rather powerful, with population numbers growing ever so larger as there are no wars to keep the Skaven population in check. Though once powerful and wealthy, the city as of late had gone into many misfortunes as nearly 1/10th of the population (a considerably large number) has died by the floodings and treacherous deeds of Grey Seer Thanqoul, an act that ensured future generations of Skavens will be stemmed, leading to the population grinding to an erupt halt.
 * Under-Middenhiem - Another large Skaven city, the denizens that occupy the lower reaches of the mighty Fauschlag have been at a constant grueilla warfare with the Imperial authorities of the city. This has lead to occasional small skirmishes between Imperial and Dwarven Patrols guarding the tunnels, and small parties of Skaven warriors raiding the upper reaches. The Skavens occupying the lower deeps are meant to watch and spy the city, waiting until the opportuned moment to inflitrate the city and wreck havoc amongst its populace. As such there is a considerably large garrison of Skaven troops stationed there. As the coming of the Storm of Chaos event, the tunnels underneath the city have grown from small skirmishes, to all out tunnel warfare as the Council of Thirteen, with the aid of all the four Great Clans make ready to proceede with "Project Supremacy" -- a diabolical plan meant to ensure the destruction of the city with the use of the very first Atomic Bomb, called the "Doomsphere".
 * Under-Nuln - A minor Skaven garrison, the occupants of this nest-lair have formely participated in the recent Nuln campaign intended to take the provincal capital from below and destroy all those trapped within the walls of the city. This invasion force of around 10,000 Skaven warriors was lead by the diabolical and tyrannical rule of Supreme Commander Thanqoul, a Grey Seer representative of the Council who took command of the Invaison after the untimely death of its former leader Vermek Skab. Vermek Skab was also the Cheif Warlord of the notorious Clan Skab, a Skaven Clan who previously lived beneath the tunnels of Nuln. Currently, the Clan is decimated, with a vast majority of their clan members dying during the Battle of Nuln.

Source

 * Warhammer Armies: Skaven (7th Edition) pg 10 - 13
 * Thanqoul and Boneripper: Grey Seer (Novel)
 * Thanqoul and Boneripper: Thanqouls Doom (Novel)
 * Vermintide (Novel)
 * Gotrek and Felix: Skavenslayer (Novel)