Skaven

"Steeling themselves, the pitiful remnants of the citys once proud populace descended. In the ancient hall of kingship they found the Dwarfs, now naught but gnawed bones and scrapes of cloth. And there they saw by the dying light of their torches the myraid eyes about them, glittering like liquid midnight as the rats closed in for the kill.....The manlings stood back to back and fought for their lives, but against such implaciable ferocity and countless numbers of the verminous horde, their weapons were useless. The tide of monstrous rats flowed over them one by one, dragging them down to be torn apart, the yellow chisel-teeth sinking into their soft-flesh, the dark futted mass drowning their pitiful screams with their hideous chittering....."

- Translated from the Tilean tale "The Doom of Kavzar" also called "The Curse of Thirteen"



The Skavens are a race of humanoid rat creatures that currently lives within a massive continent-spanning underground network of tunnels, called the Under-Empire, where at the very heart of Skavendom lies the great skaven city of Skavenblight, the species capital city and the probable birthplace of the Skaven race. The Skavens as a whole is one of the Old Worlds most numerous species, often having a population number of around a hundred million in the Old World alone, as these creature breed at a very high exponential rate. Such is the size and numbers of the Skaven race that in nearly every major stronghold or cavern that the skavens occupy, the average population numbers would be around the hundreds of thousands, and are often near other large population centers of races such as humans, often scavenging over the filth of these races or as a staging point for a possible invasion unto the city from below.

The main skaven religion that dominates nearly every single aspect of the Under-Empire is the veneration and worship of a minor Chaos God, known by many names, but its well known title is that of the Horned Rat. This diety takes the form and appearance of a massive horned rat, with its symbol of power being the number 13, along with the rough equilateral triangle and the horned bell as its holy icon. With those few people that do know their existance, these eye witnesses describes the skaven race as an often unjust society, where the concept of wit and strenght is considered above all other traits, and the ideals of compassion and cooperation is often denied existance within this Under-Empire. As such the Skavens as a whole are divided, often far more divided then any other race in the Old World, due to the fact that this society promotes methods such as backstabbing, assasination, and betrayal as an essential part to progress through their society. Such ruthless lack of cooperation has led many of their kind to do things that would endanger or perhaps ensure the death of nearly hundreds of their own kind -- all for the greed or ambition of just one Skaven. Such corruption and dis-union has made the Skaven race to splinter into hundreds, if not thousands of unstable, clan-based societies, where each skaven clan has a certain skill or trait that is often seened as "unique" to other skaven communites, providing either food, goods, or weapons of war for the trade of other goods made by other Skaven clans.

Origins of the Skavens
"Once upon a time, long long ago, Men and Dwarfs lived togather beneath the roofs of one great city. Some said it was the oldest and greatest city in the world and had existed before the time of the longbeards and manlings, built by older and wiser hands in the dawn of the world"

- Translated from the Tilean tale "The Doom of Kavzar" also called "The Curse of Thirteen"

A few radical scholars and academics argue endlessly over the true origins of the Children of Chaos known as the Skaven race. Some has speculated that the Skavens are an off-shot or a variant of the Beastmen race, while others have insist that the Skavens were not descended from man, but an evolved and mutated version of the normal rat. However, the vast majority of these men would all agreed that there is no such thing as Skavens, and even those that speak openly about the subject would be shunned by normal society, and at its worst burned at the stakes for such a heretical talk. Skavens are naturally shy, and difficult to determine, as their society and race dwells naturally in the underground tunnels far from the reach of normal observers. Along with this, the Skaven would only surface during their violent and inexplicalbe wars, from which once defeated or victories would slump back to their tunnels and mysteriously dissapear.

The only source of origins, scholars could gather about the first existance of Skavens was mentioned in an old Tilean tale called the "Doom of Kavar". Copies of these tale have all but been destroyed or gone missing over the course of the centuries, some speculated that Imperial authourities accussed the text as heretical and burned all the knowledge it hold. Others believe that the Skavens might have even had a hand in this dissapearance. The tale however lives on within the lands of Tilea, as the story is a very common one amongst the farmers and commons that live in the rolling country-side of that land.

The Doom of Kavzar

 * "Once upon a time, long long ago, Men and Dwarfs lived togather beneath the roof of one great city. Some said it was the oldest and greatest city in the world and had existed before the time of the longbeards and manlings, build by older and wiser hands in the dawn of the world. The city lay both above and below the earth, in keeping with the nature of the populace that dwelt there. The Dwarfs ruled in their great halls of stone below ground and wrestled the fruits of the rock free with their day-long toil, while the manlings reaped the fields of swaying corn that surronded  the city with a patchwork blanket of gold. The sun smiled, men laughed, and everyone was happy.


 * One day the men of the city decided that they should give praise to their gods for their good fortunes. They planned a temple such as the world had never seen before. In the central square a colossal hall would be built and topped with a single, clud-piercing tower. A tower so tall it would touch the very heart of the heavens. After much planning, with the help of the longbeards, they set about their monumental task.


 * Weeks became months and months became years and still the manlings built. Men grew old and grey working on that great temple, their osns cotinuing their work through summer sun and winter rain. At last, after many generations, work began on the great spire itself. Years passed and the tower reached such a height that the manlings found it ever more difficult to take the stone up to the top. Eventually the work slowed to a crawl and finishing the tower seemed impossible. Then one came among the men of the city who offered his help in their great scheme. He asked a single boon of them in return and claimed that if they would grant he would complete the tower in a single night. The manlings said to themselves. "What have we to lose?" and offered to make a bargain with the grey-clad stranger. All he wished was to add his own dedication to the gods onto the temple structure. The manlings agreed and the bargain was struck. At dusk the stranger entered the unfinished temple and bade the manlings to return at midnight. Clouds swept over the moons, cloacking the temple in darkness as the manlings left. All over the city, men watched and waited as the hours slipped past until, near midnight, by ones and twos, they gahthered again in the temple square. The wind blew and the clouds parted as they gazed up at the temple. It rose like an unbroken lance against the sky, pure and white. At its very peak a great horned bell hung gleaming coldly in the moonlight. The stranger's dedication to the gods was there but of the stranger himself, there was no sign.


 * The manlings rejoiced that their fathers 'fathers' work was done. They surged fowards to enter the temple. Then, at the stroke of midnight, the great bell began to toll, once.... twice.... thrice. Slow, heavy waves of sound rolled across the city. Four... five... six times the bell rang, like the torpid pulse of a bronze giant. Seven... eight... nine, the rolling of the bell grew louder with each ring, and the manlings staggered back from the temple steps clutching their ears. Ten... eleven... twelve... thirteen. At the thirteenth stroke, lightning split hte skies and thunder echoes through the night. High above, the dark circle of Morrslieb was lit by a bright flash and all fell ominously silent. The manlings fled to their beds, frightened and puzzled by the portents they had seen. Next morning they arose to find that the darkness had come to their city. Brooding storm clouds reared above the rooftops and such rain fell as had never been seen before. Black, like ash, the rain fell and puddled in the streets, slickling the cobbles with darky iridescent colours.


 * At first some of the manlings didn't worry, they waited for the rain to stop so that they might resume their work. But the rain did not stop, the winds blew stronger and lightning shook the high tower. Days stretched into weeks and still the rain did not stop. Each night the bell tolled tirtheen times and each morning the darkness lay across the city. The manlings became fearful and prayed to their gods. Still the rains did not stop and the black clouds hung like a shroud over the fields of flattened corn. The Manlings went to the Dwarfs and beseeched their help. The longbeards were unconerned -- what matter a little rain on the surface? In the bosom of the earth all was warm and dry. Now the manlings huddled in their dwelling, fear gnawing at their hearts. They sent some of their number to faraway places to seek help but non of them returned. Some went to the temple to pray and sacrifice their dwindling food to the gods but they found the temple door closed to them. The rain grew heavier. Dark hailstones fell from the sky and crushed the sodden crops. The great bell tolled a death knell over the terrified city.


 * Soon great stones cleft the heavens, rushing down like dark meteors to smash the homes of the manlings. Many sickened and died from no apparant cause, and the newborn babies of the manlings were hideously twisted. Skulking vermin devoured what little stored corn there was left and the manlings began to starve. The mangling elders went to see the Dwarfs again and this time demanded their help. They wanted to bring their folk below ground to safety, they wanted food. The longbeards grew angry, and told the manlings that the lower workings were flooded and their food had also been devoured by rats. There remained barely enough food and shelter for them and their kinsmen. They cast the manlings out of their halls and closed their doors once more.


 * In the ruins of hte city above each day become more deadly then the last. The manlings despaired and called for succour from the dark gods, whispered the names of forgotten Daemon Princes in the hope of salvation. But non came -- instead the vermin returned, bigger and bolder then ever. Their slinking, furred shapes infested the broken city, feasting on the fallen and pulling down the weak. Each midnight the bell tolled thirteen times on high, seeming now brazen and triumphant. The manlings lived as hunted creatures in their own city as great rats packs roamed the streets in search of them.


 * At last the desperate manlings took up such weapons as they had and beat upon the Dwarfs door, threatning that if they did not emerge they would drag them out by their beards. No reply came from within. The manlings took up beams and battered down the doors to reveal the tunnels below, dark and empty. Steeling themselves, the pitiful remnants of the citys once proud populace descended. In the ancient hall of kingship they found the Dwarfs, now naught but gnawed bones and scrapes of cloth. And there they saw by the dying light of their torches the myraid eyes about them, glittering like liquid midnight as the rats closed in for the kill. The manlings stood back to back and fought for their lives, but against such implaciable ferocity and countless numbers of the verminous horde, their weapons were useless. The tide of monstrous rats flowed over them one by one, dragging them down to be torn apart, the yellow chisel-teeth sinking into their soft-flesh, the dark futted mass drowning their pitiful screams with their hideous chittering.....


 *      Translated from the Tilean tale "The Doom of Kavar" also called "The Curse of Thirteen"

 

History
The nature of a Skaven is one of pure urgency -- unless led or directed by powerful leaders a Skaven would naturally try to find the quickest and most easiest solution to any problem. If a Skaven pause in its efforts, it would often be as a result of them explaining the brilliance of their plan to themselves or others, or contemplating a scheme to further increase his own status or destroying anothers. As a result, many Skaven society has little focus or reason of producing or recording their history. Being well remember is denied existance within the Under-Empire for Skavens as a whole are a very greedy and jealous race, and would rather undermine or put down their fellows rather then to praise or love them for their achivements.

In a sense, the only way for a person to know much about the Skavens is either through recorded events of them from other races such as the Dwarves. These recordings includes tomes and scrolls describing several invasions led by these ratmen along with names of places or leader, and events significant to their race. Those extremely rare moments when a clan do have recordings still within the archives of their clan, are apparently far too biased and over-exaggerated to really covince any historian of its reliability, and as such many scholars consider any Skaven recordings as nothing more then false or just plain propaganda for its clans.

The Rise and Fall of Skavenblight and the Time of Woe ( -1860 to -1600 IC)
Little is known about the earilest records concerning the origins of the Children of the Horned Rat after they overran the city that was to become Skavenblight. Some speculate that they began to warred amongst each for the dominance and resource of the city. Other think that they began to seek other deposits of warpstone within the tunnels of underneath them. Regarless, it wasn't until around 1600 years before the coming of Sigmar that the first true Skaven began to emerge out of the pit beneath the ruined city. Not only that, but the Skaven population is begining to rapidly grow, despite the numerous starvation and diseases already rife within Skavenblight.

Pressure began to mount as food and living space becomes a very scarce commodity for the populace and so the leaders of the city had to find alternative ways to expand their already shrinking domain. The thought of venturing unto the surface world was discarded due to the fact that the Old World was far too dangerous to travel, as the Skavens are still far to few and weak to fight off against the beast, Orcs and Goblins, and barbarous human tribes that inhabit the lands. And so the Skaven sorcerors gathered in a grandiose scheme to open up new ways of transport beneath the surface where the ratm could rule supreme. All their considerable quantities of Warpstone were gathered to power a crude machine in hopes of possibly amplifying the Sorcerors formidable power in order to aid in their great ritual. Deep beneath Skavneblight, the invocation began, as the diabolical device of spinning whells, whirling gears, and makeshift power accumulators throbbed and smoked as it absorbed and magnified raw magic unto the horned ratmens ritual.

The ground shook and the groans of shifting rocks almost drowned out the shrill climax of the chanting seers. High above them, within the crumbling momuments of the city, the great Bell-Tower tolled as the structure swayed and creaked like the mast of a ship at sea. Then, for the first time, but far from the last, the great machine of the Skaven failed them, as an unknown part of the ingenious but imperfect device failed in the most critical of moments. Catastrophe occured.

With a blinding flash of pure malevoance, a tidal wave of raw magical energy swept through the underground chambers of the city and unleashed its power upon the world. Tunnels collapsed, buildings fell, and the land began to heave and collapse. The entire undermined plain sank as geyers of flame erupted from the tortured ground. The damaged was even more devastating as the energies swept outwards. Soon the whole of the Old World began to buckle as the titanic force erupt in all directions. The Worlds Edge Mountains began to buckle under the relentless assault, as the surging energy crashed against the spine of the entire mountain range. Long dormant volcanoes erupted to life from the East and the lands was scarred for all eternity by geyers, lava's, and earthquakes. The great realm of the Dwarven Kings has begun to go undone, as their whole kingdom was destroyed in front of their eyes. The catastrophe was an ill-prepared event, and all those that knew about that horrible time remember it sole as the "Time of Woes"

The Coming of the Lords of Decay and the Great Migration ( -1600 to -1500 IC)
After the great catastrophe befallen the Skaven race, their once mighty city was laid low as crumbling masonry littered the streets with rock and stone. But even this dreadful event had not expelled the world of the Skavens, for from underneath the ruins, small knots of survivors began to claw their way out. As they emerged, all they saw was destruction, no building stood undamaged, all was in ruins, except for the great bell-tower that loomed over the great city. A seething mass of these survivors began to crowd around the great temple doors as they begged their god for guidance in this "Time of Woe", but none dared to enter, lest they incure his holy wrath. Even as the Skavens began squabbled and fight at the footsteps of the grand temple, the great chapel door swung open and twelve figures emerged, eerily back-lit by the mystical light within the temple.

The twelve grey-clad ratlords spoke with one voice to the assembled multitude. The time has come for the Children of the Horned Rat to spread across the world, to multiply in the dark places, to gather strength. The great Horned Rat had whispered his plan and it was the Lords of Decay, as they named themselves, who were to lead them. With the Skaven hordes finally united under the guidance of their god, the horde began to burrow once more into the caverns of the Seerlords below. Upon their entrance they found that the Seerlords have indeed succeeded in their ritual. Great cracks within the earth had created long passages that stretched into a massive highway of tunnels beneath the spine of the Worlds Edge Mountain. The surviving Skavens had heeded their gods will, and the horde began to divide into twelve armies, each lead by one of the Lords of Decay as they spread their corruption where ever they go. Like a cancer eating at the world, the Skavens have spread far and wide amongst the tunnels and caverns that their Seerlords provided them. Within months, the Skavens have already began numerous raids and attacks against Dwarven mines and settlements along the spine of the Worlds Edge Mountain, and from this, the glorious Under-Empire has been brought to reality.

Over the next few hundred years the Skavens have became a widespread race, with clans spreading to nearly all corners of the world. But each clan, no matter how far and wide, will always consider Skavenblight to be the one true capital of their race, with operatives and diplomats making constant contact to their home city. During this time, rumours began to spread across the Under-Way about a massive hoard of warpstone deposits located within the southern reaches of the Worlds Edge Mountain. The mountain in question, known as Cripple Peak, has within its roots a motherlode of the darkly mineral deep within its sundered core. Over time the erosion had carried warpstone dust far across the land, turning the region around the mountian into a blistering hell-scape. The waters and lakes near the mountain glowed with an omnious green, and was haunted by mutated serpents of alarming size, as mutated creatures roamed the slopes beneath the peaks. With so much warpstone to be gained from this mountain, the Skavens launched multiple expeditions towards the mountains in hopes of gaining more of this precious mineral.

However, the Skaven expedition began to face heavy resistance as each clan tried to encroach upon the great peaks underground tunnels. Reports from scouts and raiding parties began to flood in to the expedition, that the mountain is currently occupied by a great horde of Undead warriors, lead by the great Necromancer Nagash, and the Mountain he currently claims is the great Fortress of Nagashizzar. Massive armies of the undead regularly patrol and mine the many tunnels beneath the mountains as they haul the warpstone minerals towards their lord, further amplifying his already formidable power. Initially each Skaven clan greedily attacked Nagashizzar separately as they try their best to be the first to grab the riches of the mountians. But the formidable fortress was not so easily overtaken, and the Skavens were pushed back time and again. As this grueling war of attritition between the two factions began to stretch into the decades, this series of invasions and engagement were now known by the Skavens as the "War of Cripple Peaks".

The War of Cripple Peak and the Great Ritual of Nagash ( -1300 to -1200 IC)
With so much Warpstone to be gained in this expedition, and lacking any unifiying guidance to coordinate their attacks, the newly formed Council of Thirteen had to step in and take over. Under their leadership, the Council directed the numerous clans into an effective fighting force, coordinating massive attacks using the numerous tunnel networks to infiltrate the mountians from below. So it was that not one clan but many hordes burst into Nagashizzar, seeking to overrun it from below as they done so already to many Dwarf Holds. But the undead hordes of Nagash were limitless, thousands upon thousands of warriors would rise up against the assaliant that dare to defile their masters home, and those that were killed in battle, only rose up to further increase their numbers. Savage tunnel fighting lasted for days or weeks and even months underneath the mountain, but the Skaven could not wear down such a powerful foe and a stalemate soon ensured.

In an effort to bolster the Skaven numbers, the Council have employed the service of Clan Skyre and their Warlock-Engineers to break the deadlock, bringing with them their deadly machinary to help further aid their war effort. However, Nagash anticipated this, and with his astounding power he exerted his will upon their machines and the crude constructs would briefly flickered and then died. Desperate to achieve a victory on the fortress, the Skavens struck the lands above, besieging Nagash's human followers. Whole cities burned, and the Skavens looked as if they would be able to crush their foes from the surface, but the humans feared Nagash far more then the Skavens, and the conflict dragged on for more then a century. It was finally after a hundred years of stalemate that the Council realized that they cannot win this war, and that this expedition is costing far to much resources to continue.

It was at this time that the Council had also recieved an envoy from Nagash himself -- proposing a ceasefire and a pact of cooperation. The pact came into terms that in exchange for the Skavens aid, Nagash would supply the ratmen with huge quantities of warpstone mined beneath Cripple Peak. Although the Skavens greed desired the entire warpstone deposit for themselves alone, the Skaven armies could not fight another century long stalemate and the horde begrudglingly agreed. After claw-marking the pact, the Council of Thirteen ordered all Skaven forces to maintain a diplomatic distance while they attempted more stealthy methods to usurp the coveted resources. Most efforts failed, but reconissance reports of other significant sources of warpstone were being discovered around the peaks. When Nagash sent more emmisaries to offer the Council more warpstone in exchange for luring Orc tribes into the Cursed Pit, the Council redoubled their spying efforts to find out what Nagash was planning.

At first their spies could learn little, save that the growing armies of the Necromancer set sail unto the Sour Sea in ships of bone. Upon their return, observers reported the ships bore only a single prisoner -- a human king of some southern realm. Then something began which the Council needed no spies to report -- a great gathering of terrible dark energy being felt over Cripple Peak. Mounting storm clouds of dark power herald a mighty spell intended to reshape the entire world. Nightmares stalked the surface world and portents of doom were abounded. The Grey Seers were struck by vision of the imminent future and dark omens were present everywhere. Fearful of the coming doom, the Council of Thirteen hurriedly gathered within the halls of Skavenblight. Using every single assets available to them, the now unified Council scried far and wide for clues to Nagash's intention. To their horror, far to the south, they found their awnser flowing like a dusty river of bone. A massive horde, probably the largest army ever known in history with literally millions upon millions of restless undead warriors going on the war march, awnsering the summoning call of Nagashizzar.

It was already the mightest army the world has ever seen and more of the foul undead are already rising to join the growing legions. Before such an army, no foe in the known world shall be able to stop them, not even the Under-Empire. Terror gripped the Council, for the Skaven Lords knew that the Under-Empire will be the first to be besieged by this massive horde. Their network of spies, observers, and lookouts had relayed information that all was silent in Nagashizzar, as the Great Necromancer was in a trance after his monumental undertaking of the great ritual. The entire Council realized that Nagash must be destroyed, or else the Necromancer will be the one true ruler of the world as the Lord of the Dead. But none in the Council knew how to undermine such a powerful entity such as Nagash, and the Council argued on what their course of action will be. No Skaven in the entire Under-Empire has the courage or skill to face such a foe, and so the Council need to look for another more willing champion.

The salvation of the Council, and indeed the entire known world, laided deep within the dungeons of Nagashizzar itself. The human king, the ruler of a long gone kingdom laid broken, but his will is still strong, and dire vengance burning within this very heart. The Council acted quickly, the man-thing needed a weapon so mighty that it will ensure the death of Nagash and the wielder itself. It mattered not if the king shall die, for he knew that his own life is fading, and he will ensure that the world will not suffer the same faith as his people had. All of the Council members agreed, and so they began the creation of the dreaded weapon. With utmost urgency the Council forged a blade made of the purest warpstone ever gathered from Cripple Peak. The Grey Seers all wove mighty spells and curses of doom upon the molten metal, whist the Warlock-Engineers of Clan Skyre inscribed dire-runes so deadly that to read them would mean death. The final attachment to this mighty weapon was a device embedded within the hilt of the sword which allows the Council to watch and channel their powers upon the king.

Before the blade cooled, it was sheathed within a large lead casket and was rushed towards Cripple Peak to stop Nagash before its too late. Using secret tunnels to gain access to Nagashizzar, a lone hooded Skaven crept within the dungeon. Silently he freed the king and opened the lead casket before fleeing into the darkness. The King grasped the sword, and with unholy power the Council guided the King towards the throne room. Burning with rage, the King entered the dark room, with Nagash sitting alone in his throne. With the dust-clouds of the Undead Horde coming nearer by the hour, the King knew that he needed to end all this now. With faltering steps the king approached, hesitating before the towering figure. Aided by the Council's metal urging, the King struck. At the last moment the Liche Lord raised a claw to ward off the blow. The Fell-Blade was far to powerful to ward and had thusly clove through Nagash spell and cleaved the Necromancers upraised wrist. In retaliation, the Great Necromancer snapped out of his stupor to unleash a deadly blast at the King.

The Council reeled as they channel more and more power to protect their pawn from harm. Two ancient Ratlord fell dead as they helped to deflect such a titanic blow. It was an epic struggle to behold as the King of the Dead and a King of the Living fought for dominance of the mortal world. With his last bit of strenght, the King once more drove on and struck once more upon the Necromancers decaying body. The king went mad with vengance, hacking at Nagash with ever bit of strenght he still possess until at last his swords deadly enchantments took hold. Soon the deadly blade smashed through the iron-hard bones of the Lich Lord, until finally it laid shattered in a thousand peices, and the threat to the world was over.

The Council saw their champion stagger away as the King looked across his once beautiful land. His land and his people were no more, and the King wept at the sight, despair washing over the fire within his heart. The King walked aimlessly back to his homeland, as the Fellblade took more and more of his life and soul away. The King walked, his body and soul being eaten and drained until he finally fell upon the River Mortis. There, the King died, and the legendary hero's body was never seem again.

The Skavens quickly overran the fortress, as the Undead Horde quickly evaporated into dust and littered bones. The Council oversaw the complete destruction of Nagash's remains as the Skaven cast the Lich Lord onto a warpforge, destroying him utterly. Unknown to the rest of the world the threat to all life was averted and the most powerful necromancer the world has ever seen was slain by the treachery of the Skavens.

The Council of Thirteen, in upheaval after the loss of its Seerlord, ordered Skaven Clan Rikek to procueed with mining operations on Cripple Peak while the Council oversaw their works. The Clan leader, Warlord Graskk, became an aspiring member of the Council of Thirteen, and quickly established himself a permanante seat within the Council Chamber. The Clan crushed what was left of Nagash's Empire, including the enslavement of the humans under Nagash's former reign. Using both Skaven and Human slaves, the clan exavageted never-before-seen amounts of Warpstone out of the Peaks and flowed it back like a river towards Skavenblight. With this much wealth, the Clan naturally grew in power and influence and then renamed Cripple Peak as "Fortress Rikek".

The Invasion of Karaz Ankor and the Fall of Karak Eight Peaks (-701 to -300 IC)
Out of all the nations that face the wrath of the Skavens within the Old World, none such Kingdoms have felt such defeats at the hands of these vermins like the Dwarves of the Kingdom of Karaz Ankor. Long before the Fall of Karak Eight Peak, the Skavens have already made numerous succesful invasions against the Dwarves, due to the most part were the Skavens success of unearthing the long forgotten Under-Way -- a massive network of underground highways that previously connected all the holds of the Worlds Edge Mountains togather. Such highways allowed the Skaven armies to located and fight the Dwarven holds from below, giving way to tunnel-fighting all around the many mines and tunnels that the dwarves previously claimed. This has also made several Skaven clans to establish settlements or strongholds beneath each hold -- either to keep an eye on their weakening kingdoms, or as a staging point for their upcoming invasions. As a result nearly every single major hold has beneath its foundations one or more Skaven settlements with a variety of different clans having claim upon it. This ensured that the mines will never be safe from any form of attacks, as these well-made tunnels proved valuable for any Skaven army wishing to make a frontal assault against the lower levels.

After the unprecedented earthquakes and volcanic eruption during the Time of Woe, the Skavens began their fresh assault on the now weakened Kingdom. The first major hold to have felt the Skavens wrath was the lost hold of Karak Varn. With the lower levels already flooded, the hold came under attack by Night Goblin tribes, taking advantage of the chaos. The Dwarfs fought on valiantly, and seemed like that they might indeed keep their city from the Greenskin hordes. Using the element of surprise the Skavens erupted from the lower workings, and smashed headlong against the Dwarven host defending the keep. Though experts at tunnel-fighting against the sneaky Night Goblins, the numberless hordes of the ratmen proved to numerous for the Dwarves, and the host was eventually destroyed and the hold lost. Along with Orcish armies invading the city from above, each hold have been assailed from both above and below from both Skavens and Greenskins alike, and soon the dwarves began to lose mine after mine, hold after hold, until finally only just a handfull remained.

Although forced to relinquish many settlements and minor strongholds, no Dwarf in their right mind would ever imagined losing the glorious kingdom of Karak Eight Peaks -- one of the largest and most powerful of the Dwarven kingdoms, with one of the largest network of mines and tunnels in all of Karak Ankor. By the time a Skaven force was sent towards Karak Eight Peaks to mine several tunnels for the Skaven to use, the Skavens have found that the Dwarves have changed their style of underground warfare to counter their efforts. With full awareness of the Skaven threat, the Dwarves began to mobilize their forces to counter each new threat the ratmen posed. Soon invasions that were sent underground were faced with sturdy resistance as the tunnels and hallways of the Dwarves were littered with death-traps and matchless Runesmith-produced arms and armour. With typical Dwarfen precision, the Dwarves began to use heavily armoured units of Dwarven warriors called "Ironbreakers" to regularly patrol or guard the narrow passages beneath the hold, where the Skaven numbers become indecisive. Those Skaven forces that managed to bypass these patrols and tunnel their way into the upper levels were soon faced with a firing line of Dwarven riflemen handgunners, and cannon batteries, mowing down the Skavens with a merciless barrage. A vast amount of Skaven blood was spent for every inch of ground they take from the Dwarves, but for every level they control, yet around each new bend could be found another well-protected stronghold.

Unable to overcome such formidable defences, the Warlord clans sought the guidance of the Council of Thirteen to aid in their efforts. The planning took nearly ten-generations before completion, but it guaranteed success and full control of the kingdom. The first step in the plan was to convince the local Orc tribes to stop fighting each other long enough for them to assault the Dwarves on the surface. The second step would involve slowly poisoning the Dwarves sewers and wells with warpstone fragments. This took time to build up the toxins slowly, but over the following months the Dwarfs began to grow weakened, their bodies straining to fight against the corruption within them. In the next step, the clans would purchase Giant Rats from Clan Moulder to launch sudden surpise attacks against the now weakened Dwarfs. But it would be the weaponry of Clan Skyre that made the decisive difference within the war. The powerful but portable Warpfire Thrower was capable of melting and punching through the gromril-reinforced gates of the hold, and as a result had no problems blasting the Dwarven shieldwalls that form in front of such barriers. The Dwarves began to gave ground, but still they were determine to hold out and kill as many of these vermins as they possible can.

It was during the fighting that the Warlock-Engineers of Clan Skyre began to first deploy their newest and most deadliest of expirements. Called the poisoned wind, this orb of glass has the capability to ensure a deadly gas attack that proved highly lethal to all that breath it. Neither armour nor stout determination could combat the fumes, and soon many Dwarfs, both mighty warriors and unrivalled artisians alike, died agonising death in the pitch blackness beneath the world. After well over a century and a half of bitter and constant warfare, the last few hundred Dwarfs fled the sacred city, and the Warlord clans have finally taken the City of Pillars.

The fall of one of their largest and most prized kingdoms served notice that the Skavens were unlike the other threats to the Dwarven realm. The Dwarves knew their enemy well, while Greenskin tribes uniting to rampage or Chaos invasions were cataclysmic events, there were just one event, and those that survive the ensuring slaughter, always rebuilt and live life another day. But the Dwarves knew the Skavens are not like that, they are numberless, no respite, nor relenting. Since losing Karak Eight Peak, there had been attacks under every major dwarfhold. Once deemed unassailable, even Karaz-a-Karak, the everlasting stronghold of stronghold, has been penetrated. Its lowest levels are now sealed with powerful runes and under constant guard, for the Dwarfs know what awaits within the depths below.

With each new coming invasion or bitterly contested counter-attacks, underground warfare has continued to change and evolve. The Dwarfs, steadily pushed back from their narrow hallways began defending the grand halls and caverns. Here vast armies formed, daring the Skavens to amass their forces and assault them headlong. The Dwarven shieldwall stretched unbroken for miles. The Skavens took the bait and only after suffering repeated massacres did the ratmen adopt newer tactics. Taking examples of those tunnel fighting around Karak Eight Peaks, the Skavens began amassing large amounts of siege engines and war-machines to be used in the larger halls and caverns of the Dwarf holds. This has also led to the development of digger machines used to dig through the thick rock walls more easily and doing suprise attacks or ambushes on the upper levels. The Skavens has also began to deploy Clan Skyre's Warlock-Engineers and Globadiers to use against the Dwarves, being fairly effective in the cramped conditions where their Posioned Wind Orb, and Warp-fire Thrower proved decisive. Just like water roaring through stone, the Kingdom of the Dwarves begins its mutual decline and erosion as the constant wars and invasion have taken its toll on its people. Karak Izil was plundered and its ruined halls left to the Greenskin hordes. The mines of Grim-Duraz in the Grey Mountain were taken by Clan Morbidus, while Mount Gunbad and Mount Silverspear has fallen to both Greenskin and Skaven armies. Invaded by both above and below, the great Everlasting Realm of the dwarves beguns to buckle under the relentless assault.

The Rise of Clan Mors and the Fall of Clan Rikek ( -300 to -100 IC)
Skavens and Greenskins often benefit from the spoils of the same Dwarfhold, but not in the wildest of warpdreams could the two ever been considered allies, and as a result the Skavens are in a near constant war with the numerous tribes of the Greenskin race that inhabits much of the surface world. After the fall of Karak Eight Peaks, the Warlord clans began to systematically plunder and inhabit the ruins of the city. However, due to their earlier planning, the Greenskin armies from above have indeed succeded in penetrating and invading the upper levels after their victory from the Dwarves and established several tribes from within the vacant halls and caverns that were left abandoned. Wishing to keep the hold for themselves only, the Skaven clans began to engage another fuitless war against the Greenskin tribes inhabiting the upper levels of the peaks. After a climatic battle in the ceremonial halls of the western quarter of the city, Clan Mors -- the most powerful of the Warlord clan that was leading the Invasion of Eight Peaks -- has collapse the vaulted roof of the city, sealing off the Greenskin tribes from the more desirable levels and simultaneously crushing Warlord clan Gritak and several other rival clans in the process, leaving Eight Peaks in the possession of Clan Mors. Shortly after their success, the Council of Thirteen have approved of the clans claim to make the City of Pillars as their main stronghold.

Since delivering the fatal blow at the City of Pillars, the dreaded Clan Mor began its rise to a powerful position in the Under-Empire and indeed even the position within the Council of Thirteen. The plunders won from the invasion of the dwarfhold gave Clan Mor's both wealth and prestige, making them the largest and most strongest of the Warlord clans, rivalling that of even the Four Great Clans. Not only that, but Clan Mors ransacking of Dwarven armouries and mansions had lead to their elite Stormvermin legions with access to well-made Dwarven armour and weapons. Queek Headtaker, Clan Mor's most active Warlord, and second only in command to Council member Lord Gnawdell himself, have become so audacious with his war against the Dwarves as to send the beard-things warnings before launching his organised dismantling of yet another Dwarf mine-workings.

Just as one Clan began its rise to prominece and wealth after the War of Eight Peaks, another has meet their doom after a great enemy has once more returned to reclaimed that which was rightfully his. Even after several centuries have passed, Clan Rikek was still a fairly powerful Warlord clan within the Under-Empire as thier wealth accumilated from Cripple Peaks has ensured a position for the Clan Warlord in the Council of Thirteen. Their dominace over the mountain lasted for over 300 years, until the day came when a shrouded figure approached the gates of Nagashizzar, now Fortress Rikek, and demanded entrance. The Warlord was enraged at this insolence, and ordered his clan-rats to swarm over the interloper. Just when the clan-rats reached their suppose victim, they froze in fear at the horrid sight. From behind the cloacked stranger, a host of Ghouls lumped behind the stranger, and with a flick of his hand, the gates swung open with an unnatural force. Removing his hood, the assailant revealed his skeletal face and glowing eyes upon the Vermin hordes within the fortress. All of them knew him, for they heard tales of his tremedous power -- Nagash has returned and Clan Rikek was crushed within a single night.

When the handful of surivors reached the doorsteps of Skavenblight and relayed the event to the Council, the Ratlords dispatched an army upon the mountain, and the fruitless long war was reborn anew. The Councils true intentions however, was to seek information about Nagash and is current state. From what they could gather Nagash is still formidable, but not as strong as he once was. With the last few Warpstone deposits being mined and hauled back to Skavenblight, the army withdrew from its siege, leaving Nagash alone in his empty Fortress. Nagash remained in his stronghold, unassailable, but too weak to venture out, and remained in his weaken states for centures to come.

The Rise of Pestilen and the First Skaven Civil War  ( 17 to 600 IC)
For many years the Under-Empire have been in one way or form united, for none could defile the order of the Council of Thirteen and their numberless hordes of ratmen, but it was in the year of 17 IC that rumours began to rise in the West, as a growing power began to present itself upon the Under-Empire once more. Ages ago, during the Great Migration, this power were just one of many clans migrating out of Skavenblight and making their own domain within the known world. They had passed beyond the knowledge of the Council of Thirteen, all that was remembered that they swore they would one day return. The name of the clan has long been forgotten, the only thing that was certain was that they ventured unto the hot dry deserts of Araby and there they found it. A secret tunnel never before seen in the world, no one knows where they found it, but that the tunnel stretched beneath the very Oceans of the world, and made its way towards the dense damp jungles of the Lizardmen Empire of Lustria.

From below, the clan arose from under a great Temple-City deep within the central jungles. There, they claimed the city for the glory of the Horned Rat, and fought off and killed the Lizardmen armies that tried to reclaim their city. But it was not these mighty reptilians that proved the downfall of their clan, but one enemy that no sword nor spear can ever destroy. The dire swamps and jungles of Lustria began to takes its toll on the verminous horde, as diseases of many kinds began to sicken and kill the clan from the inside. With only a few hundred of their brethren left, the vermins begged their lord and saviour, the Horned Rat to deliver them from this nightmare. With their fur soaked in sweat and blood, with boils all around their bodies, their fevered brains were wracked by visions call down upon them.

It was then that the Skaven knew now what they had to do. If they dedicated themselves to the Horned Rat, they will be spared. If they scoured the lust jungles of the south for victims to be sacrificed, the Horned Ones hunger will be appeased. If they grew to worship the very diseases that is killing them, they will finally be borned anew. And so from the darkest desperation they were born -- Clan Pestilen has finally arisen from this world.

From the temple they hid, until they came with boils and rotting flesh, hideous and pox-ridden, their bodies were forever changed to dedicate themselves to the Horned Rats wishes. And so Clan Pestilen began its rise to power from Lustria, and they shall return to claim their rightful place amongst the great Council. Clan Pestilen grew strong, plundering the ancient archives of the ruins cities of Lustria, of arcane secrets long hidden in the vaults of the city. They brought back sacrifice after sacrifice for their vile god, bringing to him the blood and body of their reptilean enemies. The clan looked further and further to dedicate themselves more to the essense of corruption itself, for their devotion for their god was unquestioned. The clan had grown strong and now Lord Nurglich, the traditional titles for the strongest of the Plague Lords deemed it was time for their brood to return...home.

The pestilent host spent a decade fighting their way towards the shoreline, and it was there that they create a fleet of rotting ships to bore them towards the Jungles of the Southland. There their clan was established, strongholds were built, and fortress lairs were raised, and the clan prepared for their confrontation with their brethren of the north. When the emmisaires of their clans reached the doorsteps of the Council Chamber in Skavenblight, they demanded that they would reclaim its rightful place amongst the great Council and become one of the Lords of Decay, as was promised to them from the Horned Rat. Enraged at this transgression, the Council killed the emmisaries and threw their rotting corpses in the outskirts of the grand city. In retaliation, Clan Pestilen moved forward with their long-planned offensive against the other clans. With biological weaponry, and the will of the Horned Rat at their sides, the Clan devastated whole Strongholds of Skavens all around the Southlands. One major clan, Clan Merkit fought on against the uncoming horde, but Clan Pestilent planned a faster solution, and unleashed foul cauldrons filled with warpstone and putrescence upon the network of caverns within Merkit's Stronghold. Toxic fumes ran wild across the tunnelways and soon, the entire clan began to cough and die within a matter of hours. It was said that only Lord Merkit and his honour guards managed to escape the onslaught.

With the loss of Clan Merkit, the Council responded by amassing several armies of Clanrats, supported by the Warlock-Engineers of Clan Skyre in their push against Clan Pestilen. However, the Council were far too late, for by now, several Southland Clans had already been overthrown and began to turn thier alligance to the new growing power. With the clans under their control, Clan Pestilen's armies grew more numerous, with the clan having the numbers to now be able to make their own push north. As the years passed, the war was escalating uncontrollably unto a full fledge Skaven Civil War, with whole armies of their kind slaughtering each other for the cause of the ambitious few. The war grew so fierce that it also began to take its toll on the Under-Empire, both financially, militarily, and politically. So unstable and incompetent was the Council at dispatching Clan Pestilen that several other Warlord Clans revolted against their former Overlords, either joining Clan Pestilens cause, or made war for their own personal gains.

The Civil War dragged on for the better part of four centuries as the civil strife killed untold thousands, if not millions of Skaven lives, but neither side could get the other one to yield, with the northern hemisphere still dominated by the Council of Thirteen, while the Plague Lords controlled the South. Many clans stood apart, joining sides with whoever had the upper hand, while others join with those that sell the highest bitter. Plagues, sorcery, and double-crossing was growing extremely rife amongst the Under-Empire, for so then usually, until finally the war grind onto a very uneasy stalemate. For many years, the Council tried and failed many times at dispatching the treacherous clan, but none could find a particuarlly good solution at countering Clan Pestilens biological warfare. It was by the blessings of the Horned Rat, that their salvation came not from the South or West, but the East. Just like Clan Pestilen before them, a growing power too took the ancient Migration of their ancestors, and made their way towards the East, and it was there that they did not learned disease and plagues, but one of a more silent and deadly nature. The deadlock was broken by the reapperance of another long-lost clan, for the assasin-adepts of Clan Eshin has finally returned to the Under-Empire.

The black-clad assasins of Clan Eshin pledge their wholly allegiance toward the Council of Thirteen, bringing with them offerings and gifts of the heads of Warlords, Chieftians and Plague Lords that dared to overthrow their holy dominance. The Council waste no time to use the Clan's skillful assasins to good use, killing off Warlords and powerful Leaders to further disrupt Clan Pestilens war-effort. Soon support for the clan began to erode, and slowly but surely their Clan was losing the war. Realizing that their position is becoming unattainable, the Plague Lords requested a parlay with the Council and a cease to the fighting. The Council reluctantly agreed, and Lord Nurglich made his way towards the capital city of Skavenblight. After surviving several assasination attempts on his way to the city, Nurglich abased himself at the Great Temple of the Horned Rat and unreservedly placed the resources of his clan at the disposal of the Council of Thirteen.

However, many within the Council wanted him dead for the Civil War that he had brought upon the Under-Empire and desired his execution, but Nurglich anticipated this, and to further his point, he revealed to the whole Council a single small vail. With fanatical eyes he told them that he was carrying a vial of Yellow Skull Fever, one of Clan Pestilens most dangerous diseases and any further attempts at his life would leave him no other choice but to release the contagion there and now upon the very heart of Skavendom itself.

Swallowing their pride, the Council greeted their long lost brethrens back with open arms, and Arch-Plague Lord Nurglich earned the right to a trail by combat against one of the Council of Thirteen. Althought it was a near thing, the Plague Lord used a posionous bite to defeat his opponent -- Lord Vask, the most vulnerable member of the Warlord clans within the Council Chamber. With that deed, Clan Pestilen have achieved what the Horned Rat had promised his children, and now Clan Pestilen will ensure that the whole world will know about them soon enough.

The Black Plagues and the Great Skaven Wars ( 600 to 1111 IC)
With the great war over, and two of the great clans finally coming back to the fold, the Council once more took back control of the Under-Empire. Over several centuries, the Under-Empire once more recovered, and once more the armies of Skavendom grew large. With Clan Pestilens mighty plagues, and the deadly assassins of Clan Eshin within their arsenal, the Council felt it the time to finally fulfill the promise the Horned Rat had promised upon his Children.

It was during the winter of 1111 IC that the Council finally put their plan into motion. Using Clan Pestilens most mighty plagues, and using the adepts of Clan Eshin, a small task force of Skaven assasins inflitrated the Empires many cities, and upon their task completion, the plagues will see to it the near destruction of the Empire. The plagues spread like wildfire upon the Empires numerous populace as whole towns and cities were ravaged by these fouls diseases many starting to call the "Black Plague". The first signs of infection within the populace were ominous blotches on the skin and body, followed by swelling of joints and agonising fever. Victims could last from minutes to a mere few weeks before the disturbing final stages occur, when the infected writhed in convulsions for torturous hours. The lucky died quickly, and in their death the corpse turned a dark ashen grey.

The plagues were dispatched within Imperial cities simulatiously, in order for the Plagues to spread quickly, without enough time for Imperial forces and govermental institutes to order an immediate quaratine. Such cities that were infected includes the provincial capitals of Nuln, Altdorf and Talabahiem, where the cities immense trade-routes and highways helped to spread the plagues to neighboring villages and towns that were not targeted by the Skavens. Those towns that caught news of the plagues began to close their gates to everybody, people and refugees alike. The only major city that escaped the worse of the plagues was the Imperial city of Middenhiem, where the local leaders of the city began their own quarantine efforts, closing viaducts and trade routes from the outside world.

Whole villages were lost, and the numbers of the dead began to outnumber those of the living as the Empire dies its slow death. So much misery and death were brought upon the populace that many began to lose hope, and bands of flagellants were a common sight roaming around the few towns and villages that were still left in the Empire. It was finally at the start of Spring did the plagues began to subside a bit. Many once more began to regain a bit of hope, and felt that the worse was over, but they didn't know the true nightmare that will come to destroy them all, as the great Skaven Wars will soon bring the Empire to its knees.

As if this was the sign to attack, thousands upon thousands of the verminous host began to emerge all around the extremely weakened Empire. In a matter of time, the whole country-side fell into the hands of the Under-Empire, as the Imperial armies of the Empire were far too few and weakened to make an effective resistance. Whole armies were outnumbered and destroyed, with the corpse of the slain being eaten up and the crop and livestock plundered by the Skaven armies. Even fortified towns with stout walls were being assailed at by the hordes, as even these formidable defences were destroyed with relative ease by the Skavens War-Machine. The Imperials were helpless against this sudden onslaught, and only the bastion cities of Nuln, Averhiem and Altdorf managed to hold on against this coming assault, while the north is beginning to buckle under the still rampant plagues.

By 1115, the incompetent Emperor Boris Goldfather was killed by assasins sent by Clan Eshin operatives. Having done nothing during the Black Plague, the hated Emperor simply hid himself within his manor and had party after party while his people suffered during this dire time. His death was little remembered and little loved. Along with his death, the armies of the Under-Empire continue their tyrannical grip around the outskirts of the city, with starvation beginning to take its toll upon the cities defenders. Soon these cities are becoming the only bastion of human resistance all around the land, and if they fall, then the Empire is finished.

Several years later, slaving operations were being implemented as the horde systematically rounded up those humans still surviving outside the cities walls. Those captured were being hauled within long columns of carriages to be brought to the slave-pits of the former towns of Ubersriek and Pfeildorf in the province of Wissenland. Those lucky enough would worked above ground, where they will plant and grow the food necessary to keep the Skaven war-effort going, while those less fortunate would work at the mines doomed never to see the light of day ever again. As slaves and plunder were stripped from the Empires lands, the status of Clan Pestilen grew exponentially. Even the other Lords of Decay (try as they might) could not deny the potency of the dreaded Black Plague. Taking advantage of the situation, and the momentous amount of influence and wealth the clan has gathered, the Plague Lords overthrew and supplanted two of the other Council members, giving them 3 seats within the Council Chambers.

In 1118, the flames of hope began to flicker within the hearts of the Empires populace once more. News are coming in from the north of a crusader army being assembled within the confines of the city of Middenhiem. After having relieved a siege intended to bring the city down, Elector Count Mandred began to gather whats left of his forces and reunite with the other Elector Counts as they try to push the Skavens out of their homeland. Unbeknownst to Mandred, the Skaven armies were starting to die off like flies as the very Plagues they sought to use was turned against them. Soon whole armies of the vermin were dying out, unable to find a cure for the hellish disease their lords had presented upon the world.

With the Skaven armies in disarray, and lacking the overwhelming numbers to beat their foe, Mandred took the initiative and rallied the surviving Elector Counts to his Anti-Skaven crusade. Unable to stand against the vengeful Imperial armies, the Skaven were pushed back time and again, as the plague continued its course around their ranks. In their last-ditch efforts to win the war, the Skavens counter-attacked the Imperial army in the battle known as the Battle of the Howling Hills. The battle was a near thing, but the timely intervention of Mandred cutting off the head of Great Warlord Vermik of Clan Mors shattered what little vestige of courage the vermin horde has left and soon the armies were massacred. Within the following years, the final Skaven army was defeated at a battle near Averhiem, marking the end of the war. All Skaven hope of victory was lost that day, and the great Skaven Wars was brought to a close.

After their defeat, the Under-Empire was ravaged by disease and war, and could not continue their war-effort against the Empire. Along with this, the Skavens took soo many prisoners and slaves back to the Under-Empire that the Council feared a massive slave-revolt. The Council then decided to take their time to recover and take on the Empire at another time, but sadly it would not be so. Over the next 25 years, the man-things recovered more rapidly than the Lords of Decay thought possible. Under Emperor Mandred Skavenslayers stern rule, towns were rebuilt, land were settled, and the Imperial armies grew large once more. Even worse, Mandred ordered a constant guard against anymore ratman interventions amongst the Imperial cities of the Empire and was the founder of an orginization known as the Sewer Watch, meant to halt anymore Skaven incursions into the sewer networks. Not only that, but the long feared Slave Revolt also occured, with further outbreaks of the Black Plague consuming entire clans. (suspicously, many though)

Due to their nature, the Council members began to point blame on each other rather then take responsibility. This division eventually split the Council between the three Plaguelords and the other Council members as each side spit piles of accusation and blame on the other side for the loss of the war. Not only that, but those diseased ridden clans demand compensation for the plague that ravaged much of their strongholds. The unstability eventually forced the Council to halt any further operations within the Empire, except for one last act of vengance. In their pride, the Council sent a single Skaven assassin within the bedroom of Emperor Mandred and slew him in his sleep. The Emperors passing was heartly mourned by his people.

The Red Pox and the Invasion of Bretonnia (1786 to 1812 IC)
After the disatrous defeat at the hands of the Imperials, the Council had to develop a different method of approach with the other human nations of the Old World. In their desire to follow up the unbelievable success of the Black Plague, the Council tried to use a more sudtle method on taking on thier next victims. Using Clan Eshin operatives, the Skavens were the instigators for several war that had erupted during this century, including the Invasion of Jaffar and the Crusades and the Wars of Errantry. Though succesful in their plot, the wars didn't give the Skavens any lasting victories that would turn the fortune of the Under-Empire like before. It was where Clan Eshin failed, Clan Pestilen once more persuaded the Council members to unleash another plague upon the nation of Bretonnia.

Using the same method used against the Empire, the Skavens unleashed the Red Pox upon the sewer networks of the city of Bordeleaux. The scourge was once more succesful, and nearly 1/3 of the populace was infected in killed, but the Baron Giscard Du'ponte acted quickly and ordered the Poor Quarter of the city to be sent to the torch, killing both innocent people and the vast majority of the infected populace. This act, for its deplorable lack of humanity, halted the contagion to further spread. However, just a quarter of a century later, the full assault was launched by the Skavens and nearly all of Bretonnia and northern Tilea blossomed with a virulent outbreak of the Red Pox. As the nightmare that unfolded within the Empire once more repeat itself, whole country-side was lost, with the cities of Brionne and Quenelles soon fighting for their lives against the verminous hordes of the Skaven Empire. It seemed that this time, the Under-Empire shall triumph, but fate has an ill-will towards the ratmen, and once more their glorious victory was taken away from them. A combined army lead by the Duc de Parravon and the Wood Elves of Athel Loren arrived just in time to stop the Skavens. With their combined might the managed to break the siege of both cities and upon the Battle of Remarche, the Skaven armies were scattered and massacred by the Bretonnian Knights. And so another attempt to subjugate the man-things under the iron-claw of the rule of the Skaven race ended in shame and paw-pointing.

The Second Skaven Civil War and the Coming of the Horned Rat (1850 to 2302 IC)
Outraged at these two monumentous defeats, the Council members once more point out blame to Clan Pestilen for such a disastrous lose of both money and prestigue and demanded that the Plaguelords be cast out of the Council of Thirteen for their incompetents. After months of tense political maneuvering, blackmail, threats, bribery, and assasinations, a vote of this matter was ordered by the other Council members. Rather then be cast out, the Plaguelords would rather fight to keep their position and status and plotted to instigated a revolt against the Council. On the day of the vote, the Plaguelords accused the other Council members as heretics and renewed another conflict between Clan Pestilen and the Council of Thirteen creating the Second Skaven Civil War. Several Warlord clans rose up with them, and fighting eventually ensured between the Albino Stormvermin guards of the Temple of the Horned Rat, and the Plague Monks of Clan Pestilen. Anarchy ran wild within the streets of Skavenblight as different factions vie for control over the city.

Clan Skyre have long forseen such an uprising from the heretical monks, and thusly began their own offensive against Clan Pestilen. Using their powerful war-machines and advanced weaponry the Warlock-Engineers began making fotifications and defenses all around the grand Temple. Ikit Claw, one of the Under-Empires most promising Warlock-Engineer took command of the forces stationed within the ruins of Skavenblight, and was promoted by his superiors to the rank of Chief Warlock, ostensibly to restore order within the city. WIthin weeks, Clan Skyre made precautions to stop any at all Clan Pestilen troops from making their way inside the temple, and thusly stationed their highly trained Jezzail sniper teams up on the sacred Bell Tower to provide covering fire, while Warlock-Engineers stationed diabolical war-machines of all kind to every entrance that leads into the temple. Unable to over-come such defenses, the Clan Pestilen armies were repulsed from every one of their assaults, giving Lord Morskittar, Lord Warlock Engineer the status and prestigue he needs to offical declare himself ruler of all Skavenblight. Along with his new suppose rulership, Lord Morskittar plans to re-establish te Council beneath his tyrannical rule. However, even his ingenious mind could not stop the infighting from spreading all over the Under-Empire as dozens of factions began to rise to prominece to take advantage of this anarchy.

And so it went for 400 years once more. Dozens of factions have arisen and fallen within the course of this age, with the war being marked by a constant shift of allegiance and loyalty, a war that only further amused their vile god. The most powerful factions within this Civil War, were headed by the three Great Skaven Clans, along with several allied clans that support their cause. Clan Moulder, Clan Skyre and Clan Pestilen, all headed their own great factions within the Under-Empire while Clan Eshin remained neutral during the conflict in order for them to profit from the constant infighting by hiring out their deadly expertise to the highest bidder.

It was during the War that Clan Skyre restablished their main stronghold within the confines of Skavenblight. Within time, Clan Skyre has assembled a mighty force of infernal devices and engines of destruction on a scale never before seen in the known world. It was with this gathering of newly developed apparatus that Chief Warlock Ikit Claw detected a strange rising of dark magical energies being eminated from the far north. Dark omens were abound throughout the world, as Morrslieb -- the Chaos Moon -- hung low towards the earth, and showers of warpstone meteorites rained from the skies. Dark energies are sweeping once more from the north, as the largest Chaos army ever assembled at that age and time, gather for the great slaughter that will engulf the lands of the Empire. Unknownst to only the few within the Under-Empire a great event is coming, and only Lord Morskittar was well prepared for the great ritual that the Grey Seers were plotting to unleash.

The Grey Seers visited every Skaven stronghold up and down the Under-way, and gave a single ultimatum -- be at the annual feast of Vermintide or suffer the wrath of the Great Horned Rat. The Grey Seers knew that this pitiful war must end, otherwise the dreams of World Domination that the Horned Rat has both gifted and demanded from his children will never been fulfilled. And so, the Grey Seers shall invoke a spell that shall bring the Under-Empire to its knees in servitude towards the one true rulers of Skavendom. Soon, entire clans made their way towards the great ceremony, while others, fearful of a trap, sent representatives of their clan to the gathering, but none dared to stay away altogather, for fear of their ill-mercy god's wrath. For only the second time in their entire history, a member of each clan gathered at the footsteps of the Temple of the Great Horned Rat, to bear witness the great ritual that was being summoned. An atmosphere of fearful expectation could be smelt upon the assembled masses as the temple doors swung open and the full order of 169 Grey Seers filed out. Seerlord Kristislik was the last of the Thirteen Thirteens to step out, and with him carried a skin-bound book, from which he set upon an iron altar.

As he speaked, leading the incantation, the very air seemed to twist and a distant ominous crackling could be heard as the grand ritual began to take shape. They Grey Seers picked up the chant and amplified their lords voice. The intensity rose as they began the sacrifices. One by one, 169 slaves died in increasing agony, with the last one dying to the torments of the Seerlord himself. Their squals of fear and pain reached out to the very bowels of creation where the Horned Rat gnawed at the roots of reason. The Great Bell tolled as the brooding skies began to darken and chains of lighting lashed out to illuminate the dreadful scene. Again and again rang the unholy bell, so impossibly loud that it drowned out the sounds of chanting and thunder alike. At the thirteenth toll the bell stopped, and an eriee silence filled the whole city.

In the sudden silence, the great Seerlord opened his jaw and screeched, as a massive cloud of vapour rose up and engulft the very sky in its darkness. A titanic claw reached out from the void and ripped apart the very curtains of reality, and there he sat. With skin blacker than black, and two blood-red eyes as wide as castle gates stared out into the teeming masses of his own children. All in that city knew who they were staring at, and all knew that they are nothing but servants to their one and true ruler.

As one, the Skaven hordes fell prostrated, pressing their muzzles hard unto the cool stone, with some dropping dead from the dreaded sight. It was then that the titanic hand once more ripped through reality and reached out and scooped up a score of squaling Skavens. As his hand retreated, a score of massive yellow-fanged jaws flashed in the dark gloom as the Great Horned Rat consumed them whole. After his feast, the Horned One gazed out over his quailing children and reached out again and again. It was after his final feasting that he withdrew his paw, and revealed to his children a gift. There standing at the very center of the crowd laid a glowing pillar of the purest warpstone, with 13 sides, each marked by 13 blocks of glowing runes. These runes contained the unholy verminous commandments of ruination and the dicates of rulership, along with prophecies of the Great Ascendancy.

Then their lord and god, whispered to the assembled horde with a voice of a million scratching and gnawing rats. His dreaded voice spoke, and told them that their pitiful wars amused him greatly, but these quailing must cease. He demanded that the Skavens must spread his corruption in order for the Skaven race to inherit the world and assure his full return. He demanded the reformation of the Council of Thirteen and swore that all must obey their commands or feel his eternal wrath. Only his favoured could touch the sacred pillar, and thusly only the chosen ones could join the great Council. With his final commandents, the Horned One retreated back to the netherworld, with the crack within the fabric of reality narrowing and sealing behind him. Until finally, all was silence, their god was gone, and the horde stood silent and fearful.

The musk of fear hung havy over the survivors as they blinked at the black pillar and reassured themselves that the Great Horned One had really been there and was really gone. Fear still gripped the teeming masses as they stared at the unholy sight, but the each of the Lords of Skavenblight knew that they must touch the pillar, in order for thier acendency towards the Council be assured. Lord Rakin was the first to touch the pillar. He burned with black fire until his corpse collapse and only ashes remained. Over the long night, each Skaven Lord and Chieftian strode to the unholy pillar and places their paw upon the warp-encrusted stone. Many did not survive, as a multitude of the Ratlords burned with unholy fire, as the Horned One denied them his chosen. Only twelve lived, with each Lords of Decay being imbued with an aura of dark magical energy, truely the blessing bestowed by the Horned Rat himself. From that day forward, the Council have remained unchanged. Many Skavens have touched the pillar and died. Some have survived, but none have the skill and courage to defeat the first Chosen of the Horned Rat. And so it began that the Skaven were once more united under the rulership of the Thirteen.

The Unification of the Under-Empire and the Reformed Council of Thirteen ( 2320 to 2521 IC)
After the great Summoning of Vermintide once more united the Skaven race under the rulership of the Council of Thirteen, the clans began to become more obedient and willingful to the Council's wishes. Fearing that the Horned Rat might once more return to bring down punishments for their sins, the Clans began to become more coordinated under the orders of the Council of Thirteen. Open warfare between clans have dissapeared almost completely, and more and more of the Clans began to bow themselves to the Council, eager to gain their favour, and indeed the favour of the Horned Rat himself.

Ever since the Civil War started several hundred years ago, the Skaven population was kept in check, as the constant warfare, plagues, and back-stabbing have eliminated a vast majority of their population numbers. With their population in the rise once more, and looking to stop the clans from endlessly enslaving each other, the Council directed their energy to further support their cause. Coordinated by the Grey Seers -- the Councils chief messenger and representative -- the Skaven clans began to attack and enslave several towns and villages at the outskirts of the Blighted Marsh. Whole communites were enslaved and taken from their homes, leaving entire villages empty, while others were sunken within massive sinkholes that collapse the foundations from below. Grey Seers continue to rush outwards from Skavenblight, scurrying in all directions and giving out orders and edicts towards the other numerous clans within the Under-Empire. These horned mage-rats personally handed their edicts to the Chieftians and Pawleaders of the clan, and sometimes, these Grey Seers would take personal command of the operations.

With this strict line of communation and orders from the Council, many clans began to coordinate themselves into fighting the other races of the Old World. The Warlord Clans of Foul Peak and Fester Spike all but ceased their fueding over territories in order to combined their forces to overpower the many tribes of Night Goblins that have taken shelter within the caves and caverns of the Vaults. Clan Pestilens, supported by Clan Septik, led the attacks out of Putrid Swamp, and raided the southern country-side of Wissenland of both plunder and slaves. Their raids and slaving operations were proven succesful, until the time came when retaliatory armies from the city of Nuln responded to the treat and sent their troops against the clans. The pestilent host was pushed back, and fled underground, unable to fight against the massive army.

What the Council ordered their subordiantes to do was simple -- scavenge along the edges of the human nation, but that was all. The Council knew they couldn't win an all-out war against the human nations of the Old World, and simply bidded their time for a more oppertuned moment. From the Black Chasm and otehr less strongholds many attacks were levelled at smam towns on both the Empire and hte Bretonnian side of the Grey Mountains, probing for weakness, and instigating further war between the alliance of these two nations.

The Invasion of Nuln (2499 IC)
           Main Article: Gotrek and Felix 

After long years of building up strenght underneath the cities of the Empire, the Skaven once more brought another full-scale conflict to Imperial lands. A long campaign of manipulation and bribery culminated in open wars in Nuln. It had long been discovered that the man-things of the Old World could be bribed or blackmailed into aiding the Skaven cause. Many key individuals, the most of important which was the Cheif Magistrate of the secret Police of Nuln was under the manipulation of the Skaven. The Chief Magistrate was a very stern, determine, and studious man, bent on the eradication and extermination of Chaos and Mutants, ever since his childhood home was "supposively" destroyed by a massive peasant (supposively mutant) revolt which lead to his fathers manor being burnt to ashes leaving him a young and lonely destitute. The reality of which however, is far more depressing and dark, for Friz von Halstadt is actually a phycopath, so bent on the eradication of mutants and chaos worshippers, that he is killing both innocent nobles and peasants mercilessly without remorse or conscience. Such paranoia, is due in the most part to the manipulation of the Skaven leader that was currently in possession of the invasion, giving the Cheif Magistrate rumours and lies in order for him to be manipulated into killing key individuals within the nobility.

Grey Seer Thanquol, is the Council of Thirteens most favoured Grey Seer, and one of the most intelligent and masterful sorcerors in all of Skavendom. He was originally sent to manipulate the Magistate into killing several noblemen within the city, instigating a civil war between the Imperial Capital of Altdorf and the City of Nuln in the process. Luckily, an unlikely duo managed to stop the complot before it truely take shape. Gotrek a Trollslayer, and Felix his human chroniclor came into the great city to look for a job when they sudden got tangled within the Skaven invasion.

Their exploits includes uncovering the Cheif Magistrates dealings with the Skavens and killing him before he killed more and more nobles to fan the flame of civil war. Along with that, the first Skaven attacks on the city, were twarted by these two heroes,which includes the destruction of a Clan Skyre expeditionary force ransacking the Imperial armoury, the destruction of a cadre of Plague Monks of Clan Pestilen and the dreaded Cauldron of a Thousand Pox, and finally the burning of a grain barge carrying Clan Moulders secret biological weaponry to be used against the Imperials.

Ironically, these two warriors were actually led to these locations by none other then Grey Seer Thanquol himself. After the death of the original Warlord that was suppose to take command of the Invasion, Thanquol was elevated to the rank of supreme commander of over 10,000 Skaven troops stationed below Nuln, with Clan Skab being the main contributor. Thanquol felt insulted and enraged at these premature attacks, as it was a direct challenge to his power as supreme commander, and thusly he made sure that each and every one of the leaders were twarted by the duo. However, the previous engagements, including the plague and biological weaponry had backfired upon the invasion as well as the Imperials. After several weeks, the invasion force was struck by it, and soon only 5,000 Clan Skab soldiers were barely healthy to fight on the day of the invasion. Taking the intiative before the plague and biological weaponry kill the last of his army, Thanquol commence his invasion force upon the city. Using the sewer networks as their main highway of transport, the army attacked the sleeping city in the dead of night, burning, pillaging, and killing all in their path. Grey Seer Thanquol took personal command of a few hundred Stormvermin into teleporting themselves into the palace of the Elector Count Emmanuelle herself. There the skaven forces killed and siezed all the nobility within the dancing hall of the palace.

Unbeknowst to Thanquol, a trio of Skavens were trying to plot against them, due to the most part for learning about the treachery of Thanquol in aiding Gotrek and Felix in destroying their premature attacks on the city. Each of these Skavens were the leaders of the three attacks staged eariler in the invasion, and now they sought revenge. Using Thanquols own method against him, they told the duo of warriors where Thanquol was, and what he was planning to do. After the two fought against the Skaven forces invading the city, Felix read the note and lead a large crowd of militia and commoners into the palace of the city, killing all the Skavens that were in their way. Ironically, one of the trio of Skavens was killed by this mod, with another one of them being killed in an accident that he had started. The third one, the representative of Clan Moulder was the only one to escape. Amongst the slaughter, there were small engagements and street fighting all along the winding streets of the Poor quater, with militias and the city garrision putting up a tough fight against the invading forces, until finall the small Imperial army stationed at the Noble Quater began to rally and push the Skaven forces back.

When the mod reached the palace and entered the main dancing hall, the duo was just in time to save the Countess from being killed by the Grey Seer. Aided by a hidden Imperial Wizard amongst the captured crowd, the duo was blessed by magical wards and was protected by the fould sorcery's of Thanquols staff. Squirting the musk of fear, the Grey Seer scurried away and escaped from the duo's grasp. With the Imperial armies and militias rallied, they began to systematically push back and kill of the remaining Skaven forces.

In the aftermath, nearly half of the city was in ruins, but weeks later recontruction was in process, and the duo was given thanks for their aid against the Skavens. The Council of Thirteen was in great upheavel at this major lost of both money and troops, demanding Thanquol to awnser for his failures. Luckily for Thanquol, Seerlord Kristilik pointed out that Clan Skab (the main contributor to the invasion) was a traitrous clan who was rumoured to have been planning a revolt against the Council. The other members reluctantly resign their accusations, and the Grey Seer's hide was saved by the Seerlord from utter anniliation.

Society
"Sometimes - you might think I'm as crazy as a doom prophet - but sometimes I think those rats are watching me. You know, spying like. Sigmar preserve me, but I don't like it much. I'd hate to see it if the rodents ever got their way. Still, I get paid for catching a pole-full. Give us another one, Bessie."

- Rat-catcher Ludwig Nusbaum addresses the other customers after drinking too much ale in the tavern

Skaven society is dominated by a treacherous clan based hierarchy, from which clans of warlords make up the bulk of the ever growing population of male ratmen. The militaristic clans form a hierarchy defined by the law of the strongest ruling over the weakest. At the top of the pyramid of power of any clan is the Warlord (hence its name), the most cunning and strongest of all the Skavens within the clan, and along with his rulership is forced to comply at all times with a high "kill or be killed" scenario where nearly everyone under his reign would try one way or another to usurp or overthrow his tyrannical rule. A Warlord Skaven is usually physically larger and more imposing than their counterparts, but the more succesful and longer living once tend to be far more intellecual, often expert strategist and politicians, a required trait if a Skaven leader wishes to live more then a month of his reign. In order to advance within hierarchy pyramid, Skavens tend to practice the "anything goes" logic which includeds back-stabbing, poisoning, cheating, assasinating, and otherwise killing off your other competitors lest they try to kill you first. The daily life of the Skaven is marked by continuous fights and struggles for supremacy, as and such, a Warlord or leader of a number of Skavens will always have to suspect everyone of anything in order to survive within this cruel society.

Just below the Warlord, and therefore in the position most likely to dethrone him, there is a whole series of minor commanders, cheiftians and pack leaders. Below these is the warrior caste, mainly formed by the more elite warriors called the Stormvermin, with those below them usually consisting of the regular Clanrats. At the base of the pyramid, the foundation on which all society is built around, is the "working class", the insignificant and expendable slaves or worker. Slaves and workers can be of varying races or culture, and are more often then not prisoners of war or members of a rival clan that was at some time defeated and subjugated towards a more powerful Warlord clan as  a spoil of war. These slaves and workers are used to perform forced labor, used in dangerous experiments, or as cannon fodder in battles whilst other more "valuable" troops are spared. Their lives are miserable, painful and fortunately for them, very short.

All the huge mass of individuals forming the Clans follows the same patterns of tyrannical hierarchy. A Skavens life is a lawless and miserable world where the weak are killed, and the strong survive, provided they constantly monitor their backs, of course. Amongst the Skavens, back-stabbing and betrayals are not considered dishonorable behavior, but simply the most traditional way to advance in society. Since all Skaven are always waiting for the chance to tease the next for personal gain, any act of treason that is attempt will not work unless it is particularly witty or have the gift of opportunity. As a result, this unstable system gives rise to an extreme high level of paranoia to nearly all of the most insidious and cunning leaders at all levels of the society. The Skaven hierarchy is very obvious, and all subordinate will do whatever is necessary to display a clearly visible respect (without a shred of sincerity, but with great pomp and ceremony) lest they will be the next suspect after a failed assasination attempt. Similarly, any Skaven who holds a position of responsibility (albeit symbolic), would exercise a despotic control over their inferiors.

All Skaven know their status within the clan, but the positions between them can change rapidly. A few rapid betrayals (or even a single well given stab in the back) can convert a lowly soldier into the position of the Paw-Leader even before the body of his victim has dropped. In this same vein, it can be said that a Skaven Warlord or Chieftian will always and forever will be only "a stab away" from his subordinates, before being eaten alive. Everyday life at all levels of society Skaven is marked by constant "pushing and nudging " in relations of power, as each individual is conspiring day and night to improve their own personal reputation or status, or undermining others amongst his kin. Alliances are created, broken and then re-form constantly. There is not even equality between individuals of the same social status as there will always someone in the group who is considered ahead of the other. Each Skaven scrutinizes all other pack members within the group, looking for their weaknesses that can be used against them, and as a result would often be scrutinized by them also. At all levels of the pyramid, but especially in the lower classes, the power struggles often take the form of direct physical confrontations. Most Skavens suffer terrible scars from these battles, and many may often lose an eye or an ear as a mark of the brutality. A crippled Skaven resulting in one of these confrontations usually won't last long and will eventually be eaten by the more desperate of their kin. If the winner does not get killed instantly, the cheering mass will pounce on him to disembowel and devour him in his weakened state. After all, it would be foolish to pass up such an easy opportunity to feast....

All clans constantly fluctuate in the numbers of members they currently have, as the Skaven population increases exponentially during times when food is plentiful, and come down drastically during times of starvation. At its greatest extent, a Warlord Skaven has the power and influence to control a clan with around hundreds of thousands of individuals, spread across many dens and underground fortifications all across their occupying territories. The exact number of different clans that are scattered throughout the Under-Empire is near un-countable, due to the fact that the Skaven clans will commonly kill and perhaps even destroy each other in an often short amount of time, leaving the numbers of Skaven clans changing exponentially. Possible numbers might be around the hundreds if not thousands, but the precise number changes almost daily, as the largest and most powerful Warlord clans would pursue and destroy the minor clans, absorbing its members as warriors or slaves, or simply devouring or feasting on the survivors. Clans growing too fas or too slow will eventual lead to internal rivalries, which would be the result of the Warlord not exerting enough authority to his subordiantes, eventually leading into a small scale civil war between small factions within the clan.

For any non-Skaven, all Warlord may look alike. However, for a skilled observer or a Skaven themselves, they are very clear differences between each and every one. Clan marks, interspersed with symbols of their horrible rat god, can often be painted, engraved or smeared on their shields and banners. Some clans such as Clan Grutnik or Clan Mordkin are known to dye his fur in a specific color to identify each other as a member. Others would even have fire runes or icons of their vile clan on their skin, so show to their enemies who they are dealing with.

The most successful clans such as Clan Mors, have better weapons and armor than the others, because of the widespread looting conducted in their long military campaigns. Members of Clan Carrion are so fond of rummaging through garbage, that they will always be loaded with piles of detritus from the battlefields in which they fought, and scrap pieces of the ruins the other clans didn't bother gathering. Warlord Clan Volkn would often be armed with swords of gleaming obsidian metal, mined from the depths of their volcanic lairs. However, when the hordes of ratmen assemble for battle, these visual differences are diluted in the whole horde, to the point that even the Skaven themselves often use their keen sense of smell to locate their clan kin. The Four Great Clans have full control over the masses of their Warlord clans, as each of the four have enough wealth, influence and power to either subjugate or enslave any clan they see fit. Each of these large clans have their own special weapons, tactics and combat doctrine that single outs them from the rest of the Horde. Clan Moulder is a clan dedicated to the taming and creation of massive Beast of War to be used for Battle or traded off to other clans for an expensive fee. Members of Clan Eshin are feared and elusive murderers, with assets within and beneath the cities of men meet the mandates of the Council of Thirteen by terror and murder. Clan Skryre's troops are known by most as the Warlock-Engineers, masters and blenders of both science and magic, and have within their arsenal, terrible inventions both made and maintained by these tinker-rats which includeds the lethal Warpfire-Thrower and the equally deadly Poisoned Wind Globe. Clan Pestilen troops are commonly known by the Skavens as the Plague Monks, an order of fanatical disciples of disease and poxes and are devoted to the spreading of pestilence and plagues throughout all their domains.

Biology
"All decent folk find the common rat repulsive. Harbinger of disease, it scavenges on our waste-heaps and frightens our children. How immeasurably worse then is the foul Skaven - standing on its hindlegs in foul parody of a human. Rats as tall as man, and blessed with the most vile intellect and cunning. They are the dark side of our souls, come to destroy us for our sins."

- Albrecht of Nuln. Burned at the Stakes 1301 IC



Skaven are described as a cross between a rat and a man. Skaven have the appearance of large bipedal rats and possess just enough sufficient intelligence to make simple tools, converse in a developed language and those more gifted are able to cooperate and control advanced weaponry. The longest age a Skaven would usually live is an expected lifespan of about 20 years or less, asserting that, were it not for the (often violent) internal competition of their species, they might live well past their 50. More powerful members of Skaven society tend to live far longer, even hundreds of years, due to the use of drugs, magic, or frequent use/exposure to the unstable agical substance called Warpstone.

Skaven are roughly man-sized, the typical specimen being between four and five feet tall on average. Most have brown, often dirty or matted fur, with large fangs in the upper jaw structure, with red eyes, over-grown claws, and a naked tail growing to almost a meter in lenght. Those born as white and grey-furred ratlings are prized among Skaven litters, as they will often become Grey Seers -- the Skaven equivalent of a priests and wizards. Black fur is looked upon as the sign of a true killer, so the elite Stormvermin corpes draw their members from only those black furred ratlings, however it is also common for lighter colored Skaven to dye their fur, especially if they happen to be a member of the Stormvermin. Albino Skaven are rare but not unheard of, and are considered special and unique in the eyes of Skavendom, and held in higher esteem. As such, those born as albino are often taken from birth and trained to become the elite of the elite -- the personal Stormvermin honour guard of the Council of Thirteen.

It is almost guaranteed that nearly all male skavens are to take part in one aspect of society, whether it be as a worker, warrior or slave. Females in Skaven society are both seen as physically and cultural incapable of being anything other then to aid in the production of more Skavens. As such they are often called simply as "Breeders", for the females lack a sufficient brain for them to do anything other then eat, sleep or breed. Though Breeders are far larger than the average Skaven (around 10 foot tall), female Skaven can't take care of themselves and rely on eunuchs to feed and protect them. Female Skaven typically produce three to five litters a year, each containing about 20 younglings called ratlings. They are also blind, due to the lack of use during their life-span.

Hierarchy
"Skaven society is a tyranny moderated by assassination."

- Bagrian, an Ancient Scholar who was assassinated by the Skaven. All copies of this quote were destroyed. Except (as of yet) this one.



The Council of Thirteen is the ruling body of the Skaven race. They sit at a long horseshoe table made of pure warpstone and engraved with one of many of the Horned Rats commandments. Seats 1 through 12 are seated such that the more extreme numbers such as 1 and 12 are held by the higher ranking members of the council, while the middle seats such as 6 and 7 are held by the lowest ranking members. Seat 13 is the symbolic seat of the Horned Rat, and it acts as a tie-breaker in votes amongst the other members, with the "Horned Rat's" vote typically being interpreted by one of the Grey Seers, often from the Lord Seer himself. This effectively gives the Grey Seers an extra vote, as they also hold seat 1.

The council hierarchy is often unstable due to the constant political battles each Council Member has with one-another and would lead many in the room to constantly shift allegiances, backstabbing, cheating, lying, or otherwise trying to undermine each other, even hiring assassins to dispatch their rivals, much to the amusement of their malevolent god. This political and social structures helps many of those that know their existence to justify why a rapidly-reproducing, disease-resistant race like the Skavens does not rule more of the world, and probably the most obvious awnser is simply the Skavens lack unification for a cause and therefore always fighting each other, often more so then fighting any common enemy. Indeed, if its not for the race's constant infighting, the Skaven could easily have the means to overrun the entire surface world. Each member of the council is open to replacement at any time. The applicant must simply challenge his rival to a fight to the death; if he wins, he takes the place of the loser on the council. Though rare, more than one member of the Council has been replaced this way. Council members (and their seat numbers) mentioned in the backgrounds include:


 * 1st Seat: Lord Kritislik (Seerlord)
 * 2nd Seat: Lord Skrisnik (Grey-Lord of Clan Skrisnik)
 * 3rd Seat: Lord Sneek (Nightlord of Clan Eshin)
 * 4th Seat: Lord Paskrit ("Warlord-General of all Skavendom")
 * 5th Seat: Kratch Doomclaw (Warlord of Clan Rictus)
 * 6th Seat: Warlord Gnawdwell (Warlord of Clan Mors)
 * 7th Seat: Lord Vittrik (Grey-Seer)
 * 8th Seat: Nurglitch VII (Arch-Plaguelord of Clan Pestilens)
 * 9th Seat: Lord Verminkin (Packlord of Clan Moulder)
 * 10th Seat: Tyrant Azarskittar (Grey-Lord of Clan Khesherisk)
 * 11th Seat: Lord Burr (Guardian of the Temple)
 * 12th Seat: Lord Morskittar (Lord-Warlock Engineer of Clan Skryre)
 * The 13th seat on the Council is always empty, it is the symbolic seat of the Horned Rat.

Kritislik occupies seat number 1 on the Council table, with Lord-Warlock Morskittar as seat 12; hence these two are the most powerful members of the Lords of Decay. Although each member is technically equal in power in terms of political votes, Kritislik is considered the most powerful member on the council for he has two votes, for acting as both Seerlord and the interpreter of the Horned Rat. Verminkin, Lord of Clan Moulder occupies seat 9 while Paskrit occupies seat 4. Then theres was Nurglitch I the Plaguelord who brought Clan Pestilens to prominence by defeating Lord Vask for a place on the Council of Thirteen (this being part of Clan Pestilens' terms of surrender following the first Skaven civil war).

Below the council in the hierarchy of the Skaven race are the Grey Seers, prophets of the Horned Rat himself, and the most powerful sorcerers in the Under-Empire. Grey Seers have prophetic powers and are usually grey-furred; hence the name. While the Grey Seers are often physically weak, they make up for this weakness with that of cunning, guile, and the use of magic. Most other Skavens fear and hate grey seers in equal measure. The most feared symbol of the Seers is the "Screaming Bell," a massive, horned bell mounted on a carriage and pushed into battle, the daemonic chimes enthusing the Skaven hordes to a fighting frenzy. The rest of skaven society is organized into innumerable clans, with each being led by a Warlord, and under him various commanding positions such as Chieftians or Paw-leader. Four clans are traditionally more powerful than the rest: Clan Pestilens, Clan Moulder, Clan Eshin, and Clan Skryre. These four are collectively known as the Great Clans, and dominate the back-story of the race and the political and military structure of the Under-Empire

If a Clan or army see fit to replace one of their warlords with one more powerful then any ordinary Skaven, they would often be led by a daemonic beings called the Vermin Lords. Believed to be some sort of avatar of the Horned Rat, Vermin Lords were greater daemons that even the Grey Seers feared and acquiesced themselves to. Grey Seers often threaten to summon a Vermin Lord to ensure obedience, but in truth, they are loath to do so as these creatures are more powerful and cunning than any living skaven and their lust for power and love of betrayal are legendary.

Economy
The basic economic system of the Skaven is extremely simple: the strongest take everything they want. Whenever a plunder is taken, the Warlords, Chieftians or Sorcerer who directs the raiding force, takes what they choose first, then the other warriors will pick what they want, or leave them be. The food, however, is distributed a little more evenly. The most powerful clan warriors have the best weapons and food, plus the ability to have their own den in the Clan and mate to create their own litters. The exchange of large quantities of arms and slaves between different Clans is common. However, if there is really a form of currency in the Skavenseconomic system, it would most likely be the distribution and use of Witch Stone, also called Warpstone or Wyrdstone. This material is used for any public or private commerical activity within a clan in small amounts, complementing the basic economic system that is needed to run the clan functionally. In larger quantities, this material is often exchanged between other Clans for food, slaves, weapons or to hire out mercenary forces for their wars. It is also valuable when close diplomatic and political dealings are made between Chieftians or political leaders.

The Clans given an annual ten percent of its income of Warpstone to the Council of Thirteen to be recognized by the latter and thereby obtain protection and recognistion within the Under-Empire. This action is known as the "Warpstone Tax". If a Clan all but refuse these taxes, they are subjugated to open hostilities from within Council of Thirteen, and would be denied assistance or aid from their other Clans, and will usually be a prime target for those other major clans seeking to gain easy plunder or slaves. These large amounts of Warpstone reserves would naturally be administrated by the Council of Thirteen alone, least a very greedy Skaven will run away with all that wealth for himself. Those Clans that pay their taxes are delighted with the exchange of goods and magical artifacts in proportion to the amount of Warpstone that have contributed to the reserve. If a clan chooses to deliver more than ten percent of their Warpstone to the reserve they would be rewarded with having more powerful magic items, goods and services. The magical artifacts are created by own Grey Seers, while goods and services are administrated and exported by the other Clans that make up the Under-Empire. Warpstone is an also valuable source of personal wealth, and can be used as currency for the exhange of other personal services and goods the Skaven would require.

Military
"If gutter runners failed its was because they were too subtle, They should have attacked head-on, in a massed rush, blades bared. That is the Skaven Way! That is the Clan Skab Way!"

- Lurk Snitchtongue, former War-leader of Clan Skab

The Skaven armies of the Under-Empire are numberless, thousands upon thousands of warriors, war-machines, and beast of war, and can arguably be considered the largest and most numerous armies in the entire Old World. Such is the numbers that these vermin have within their grasp, that many Pack-Leaders and Chieftians would often care little for the loss of a few hundred Skaven lives, for everyone knows that there will always be more of then ready to take their place. An individual Skaven warrior is of little match against any of the other races on a one on one fight. Without allies to aid him, a Skavens cowardice would naturally make him flee from direct combat, only fighting if he is sure of victory over his opponent. As a result, the strongest advantage a Skaven army will always have is its numbers -- even smaller Skaven armies would naturally have around several thousand troops within its command, usually outnumbering their enemies by nearly 5 to 1, giving the hordes the bodies they need to overwhelm their larger and more powerful opponents with weight of numbers alone.

As such, the Skaven armies naturally adopt the common wave-based tactic when their are in battle, naturally attacking in a large frontal assault intended to either absorb the enemies missle barrage and ammunitions, or to soften up their foes before the elite crack troops rush in for the kill. The majority of a single Skaven army will usually be directed and contributed by a single Warlord clan, with supporting detachments from the Four Great Clans to aid in their battles.

A Skaven army would naturally consist mostly of Clanrats -- weak, cowardice, and lightly armoured -- these troops are the basic frontline soldiers and the most numerous army unit within the army. Alongside these Clanrats are the more heavily armoured and trained Stormvermin warriors -- the elite of the Skaven armies of the Under-Empire -- who are meant to hold the line and fight in a coordinated phalanx of shield and spear when in combat. There will also be detachments of other troops hailing from a variety of different clans to give support to the army. Such detachments would include teams of Gutter-Runners, groups of Jezzails and Warlock-Engineers, and even packs of Rat Ogres or War-Beast from the cages and pits of Clan Moulder. With that, each army would be lead by either a Warlord, a Grey-Seer sent by the Council, or even on rarer cases, by the dreaded Verminlords -- Servants and greater-deamons of the Horned Rat himself.

The basic formation of attack the Skavens would usually deploy is a frontal wave of expendable units to wear down the enemy with limitless numbers. The first wave would usually consist of Slaverats, absorbing the missle fire of the enemies ranged units, and tire the enemies front-line. The next wave would consist of Clanrats supported by Clan Skyre weapons team to provide support. When the battle seems dire, the army would then send their elite Stormvermin troops in to hold the line or spear-head the killing blow to the opposing army. The army would also naturally have war-machines hired out by Clan Skyre or Clan Pestilent to provide artillery fire for the horde. Such war-machines would include the deadly Warp-Lightning Cannon, the Plague Furnance and the Plagueclaw Catapult.

Core Infantry

 * Slave Rats - Although not official considered a part of the army, the Slaverats of many clans still play an important and vital role during the heat of battle. Their main purpose in the battlefiled is to swarm head-long against the front of the enemy army, tiring or absorbing much of the fighting while the more proper soldiers of the clan rush in afterwards to support them. They would also do menial task when not in the battlefield, which includes forced labour, mining, tunnelling, or become a reserve food supply for the Skaven army. Slaverats would usually be smaller and weaker then the ordinary skaven, due to the fact that most of them have been hardly fed their entire lives, and the constant labour and abuse they suffered from their masters have made them what there are today.
 * Clan Rats - These ratmen formed the bulk of most Skaven armies. These warriors would naturally be considered nothing more then Skavens who have arisen up to aid their clan when in times of war. These troops are usually very lightly armoured, using a variety of weapons and armor scavenged or looted from many areas these ratmen have previously raided for goods and weapons. When in battle, Clanrats would form into their own block of infantry, usually lead by a Paw-leader and directed against the enemy lines as expendable units to absord the full brunt of the enemies attack. When in need of extra fire-power, a Clan Skyre detachment of Warpfire-Throwers would be attached to the block, and provide assistants in combat. Those within the group however will be very uneasy with these pyromaniacs, as there had been many tales of whole blocks of Clanrats being burned to cinder by the faulty aim of a single team of Warpfire-Thrower.
 * Stormvermin - These Skavens have been raised from birth to be deadly killers and diciplined soldiers since the day they were taken from their mothers at infancy. Stormvermins would naturally be black-furred Skavens, the fur indicating them an the perfect warriors in their society. These troops would be trained in the formation of a crude Phalanx, using both spear and shield in a coordinated attack against their enemies. They would also be naturally heavily armoured, given the best food and gear available to them, and living much more luxurious lives then the ordinary Clanrat. These troops are only commited into the front when the battle is turning bad for the Skavens, and the need for more hardened warriors are required to ensure victory.

Clan Pestilen Infantry

 * Plague Monks - the most common infantry fielded by Clan Pestilen, these group of fanatics are utterly dedicated to spread their corruption within the enemy ranks. When engaged in combat, these Monks will chant various verses and curses from the Book of Woe -- endlessly repeating the Liturgus Infectus, or the Rites of Infection towards their foe. When they are near the enemy, the Monks will go on a fanatical frenzy, killing their enemy with rusted swords and iron-tipped staff's to infect those they hurt with unimaginable diseases. Due to their diseased bulk, Plague Monks can survive injuries that would normally kill an ordinary Skaven.
 * Plague Censer-Bearers - A plague censer is a hollow spiked metal ball attached to a lenghty chain meant to be used as a weapon by the Plague Censers. Within the hollow spike, are lethal doses of warpstone and vile contagions that releases a foul greenish cloud that will cause flesh to erupt into sores and fluid-filled blisters. If inhaled, the fumes will cause the lungs to be clogged with foul fluid, creating an agonising death to those that breath it.
 * Plague Priest - The rank of a Plague Priest is the highest obtainable rank within the clan, the ones higher then them are the Plague Lords, the most senior of the Plague Priest. A Plague Priest is a Skaven who has a deep understanding of the foul magic their clan has harnessed over the ages, and as such, are capable magicians who can vomit geyers of lethal substances, or curse their foes from afar making them erupt in putrid boils. They are also naturally resistance to many forms of attack, due to their body having grown toughen by the very plagues they carry. They are also responsible to the overseeing of Clan Pestilens siege equipment, such as the Plague Furnace or the Plague Catapult.

The Four Great Clans
Of the many diverse and multi-cultural clans that engulf much of the Under-Empire, there are none so powerful both militarily, politically, and influencially as the Four Great Clans. Each clan will always have a cadre of senior members in order to administrate the social structure of their society, and often the most senior or powerful of these members will become the leader of the entire Clan. Such is the influence and power of these clans that almost every single Lord that took control of these clans were once part or is currently part of the Council of Thirteen. Each of these clans also specialize in a unique trait that has provided the clan with fame, power, and influnce that had made these four so infamous.

Clan Moulder

 * Clan Moulder is a Skaven clan that is mostly located within the far northern reaches of the Under-Empire, situated extremely close to Troll Country. Their stronghold is known as Hell-Pit and is where Master Moulders use warpstone in a mad combination of alchemy and genetic engineering to breed all sorts of monstrous beasts to be used for their own personal wars or be sold to other clans for a very expensive price. As such they are a very wealthy clan, and is considered the most richest clan in the entire Under-Empire. Their war-beasts are often a mad combination of rat and other monstrosity, being fused together to create many creations of great danger such as the wolf-sized Giant Rats and the enormous Rat Ogres -- an extremely muscular and dangerous Skaven sub-breed. To reflect their lower intelligence, they are led by Packmasters on the battlefield, and suffer severe penalties if the Packmaster is killed. Including the creation of these beast, the clan has also made many modification to other creatures, often creating monsters that sometimes have the body-parts of other creatures sowed onto them. Their city, Hell-Pit is one of Skavendoms most powerful fortress, for such was the infamy of this dreaded city that few dare ever to siege the fortress. The city has within its walls, teeming mass of Skaven workers, warriors, and moulders, each doing a part in the great economy of their clan. The city also holds the largest collection of Clan Moulders many experiments where an entire section of the city -- called the Colosseum, is dedicated to the holding and testing of these monsters combat effectiveness. Their current leader, Pack Lord Verminkin is also a member of the Council of Thirteen.

Clan Pestilen

 * Clan Pestilens is a Skaven caln that is mostly based in the southern part of the world, and has been the cause for both of the two Skaven civil wars (the first war was caused by their demands for wealth and position following their resurgence, and only ended after the activities of Clan Eshin assassins forced Pestilens to sue for peace, while the second war was caused by Clan Pestilens trying to seize power after the Council of Thirteen ousted them, and only ended after the Grey Seers summoned the Horned Rat itself to restore order). The clan was considered lost in the jungles of Lustria after a long and grueling war that burned through many decades of fighting between the denizens of the Lizard Empire and Clan Pestilen. However the clan once more resurfaced, and change extraordinarily. The Skavens of the clan had become completely devoted to The Horned Rat in his role as the harbinger of disease and plague. They are immune to most diseases and use the very plagues they worship as deadly biological weapons against the other races. Due to their diseased bulk, their plague monk troops are extremely tough, and deliriously fanatical in combat, providing a needed role of holding up powerful enemies without breaking in the often unreliable armies of the Skaven. They also use other biological weapons to annihilate their enemies such as the use of rats infected with various foul contagions, and the deadly plague censers, flails laden with burning warpstone, that emit lethal poison gas. Clan Pestilens also use a form of artillery called the Plague Catapult that fire their foul diseases upon the enemy ranks, devastating whole armies within a matter of days if not treated. Their own leaders are subject to the diseases which includes the Plague Priests, the senior member of the clan's many Plague Monks, which whom can preach to their demented followers from atop a Plague Furnace, a foul wheeled carriage that spreads disease in its wake. Their current leader, Plaguelord Nurglich the VII is also a member of the Council of Thirteen.

Clan Eshin

 * Clan Eshin was also considered lost for a long time, having traveled to the far Eastern lands of Nippon and Cathay, and never returned for much of a century. When they returned, they, too, had changed. They ended the first Skaven civil war by assassinating the leaders of Clan Pestilens and their allies. They had become the assassins of Skaven society, skilled in the art of the silent kill. In the background literature, they provide a type of secret police for the Council of Thirteen. They played a large role in the backstory of the Storm of Chaos worldwide campaign, as the ones who placed the Doom Hemisphere under Middenheim. They are represented in the army by Night Runners, cheap expendable units of skirmishers; Gutter Runners, who function as a scout force; and Assassins, elite close combat characters who can hide in units of regular skaven until they strike at enemy characters. All three are described as being on one development path. The best Night Runners become Gutter Runners, the best of which become Assassins. The most feared and deadly Assassin in all of Skavendom, however, is Deathmaster Snikch, a master of stealth, sabatoge and assasination, his presence is one of the most dreaded figures in the entire Under-Empire, for he is one of the worlds most deadliest assasins, and few if any managed to escape his wraith. Their current leader, Deathmaster Snikch, is also a member of the Council of Thirteen.

Clan Skyre

 * Clan Skyre has devoted their entire clan to the study of magic and blending it with insane science and engineering, and due to this, they have become the strongest of the Four Major Clans. Their engineers, one of the most brightest and most talented Skavens in the Under-Empire are responsible for the creation of nearly all of Skavendoms most diverse and powerful warmachines. Such weapons includes the creation of the Ratling Gun, the Warpfire thrower, the Jezzail, the Plague Mortar and the fearsome Warp-Lightning Cannon to name a few. The engineers and magic practioners of this Clan are called Warlock Engineers -- Skavens who are able to harness the winds of magic to devastating effect often combining it with the use of technological weaponry. They would often sell these war-machines to the highest bidder, making them a very wealthy Skaven clan. This clan was also responsible for the creation of the "Doom Hemisphere", a device that when triggered and activated explodes with enough force to level an entire city into oblivion. Only a few tempted to use such a device, for this gave the one in control of it, untold power, and an incident included a Doom Sphere nearly obliterating the capital city of Skavenblight itself. This device was also placed underneath the Imperial city of Middenheim during the great Storm of Chaos. The device was intended to be detonated after Archaon's siege had either succeeded or failed, which would level much of the city and leave the Skaven to overwhelm any survivors of the blast. Fortunately for the residents, the device malfunctioned, detonating without enough force to obliterate Middenheim but resulted in a significant change to the caves and tunnels found beneath the city, as well as killing hundreds if not thousands of Skaven warriors and men in the tunnels who didn't escape the blast in time.

The Minor Clans
Under these four great clans, a massive number of diverse and multi-cultural clan mostly makes up the bulk of the entire Under-Empire. This category can go from the smallest of clans to the largest of the Warlord clans. Thought the vast majority of these clans are far weaker then their more stronger brethren of the Four Great clans, some have either become so powerful, wealthy, or numerous as to be in par or even equal to the influence and wealth of the Great Four.
 * Clan Mors -- the most numerous and powerful of the Warlord clans, after their great conquest and campaign against the Dwarves of Karak Eight Peaks. Notoriously wealthy and numerous, this clan has the most well-armoured Stormvermin troops in the Under-Empire, after ransacking Dwarven armouries of powerful and well-made Dwarven armour and weapons. Their power and influence is in par or even equal to that of the Great Four. Their Warlord has a seat within the Council of Thirteen.
 * Clan Rictus -- is a Skaven clan that has breed an unusual high number of Stormvermin. Their Warlord has a seat within the Council of Thirteen.
 * Clan Skab -- lives under the city of Nuln, and was the main contributor to the Invasion of Nuln. It was recently severely decimated, with its Warlord being assasinated by Grey Seer Thanqual. Considered a traitor clan by the Council after their defeat.
 * Clan Scruten -- established in the Wasteland.
 * Clan Carrion -- expert scavengers and looters, scavenging the flith and trash of races or even other Skaven clans
 * Clan Festerlingus -- established in the Southlands, and an ally clan of Clan Pestilen
 * Clan Gritak -- was betrayed, enslaved and wiped out by Clan Mors during the War of Karak Eight Peaks.
 * Clan Krizzor -- established in the Dark Lands. 
 * Clan Makris -- was too ambitious and defied the Council of Thirteen at an early date. As punishment the clan was butchered without mercy and now completely destroyed.
 * Clan Merkit -- was one of the first victims of the First Skaven civil war. The ultimate fate of the handful of survivors is unknown.
 * Clan Rikek -- a formerly powerful Warlord clan that established itself in Nagashizar and was all but annihilated by Nagash upon his return . The final fate of the few survivors is unknown.
 * Clan Skurvy -- a fairly powerful Warlord clan who specialize in the making and maintaining of boats and barges, and have the largest of the Skaven fleets.
 * Clan Skuttle -- possess the second largest fleet in Skavendom. Arch rivals of Clan Skurvy.
 * Clan Sleekit -- a notable Skaven clan who is a rival of Clan Skurvy, and has within their clan a considerable number of barges and ships.

Notable Skavens

 * Grey Seer Thanquol - Arguably one of the most talented and powerful of the Grey Seers in the entire Under-Empire, Thanqoul is both a mastermind and one of the most powerful sorcerors the Council has within their desposil. Grey Seer Thanquol was originally the most favoured of Grey Seers within the Council of Thirteen, and has personally lead many operations and in one or another succeeded in their master's wishes. His somewhat successful exploits includes the commanding of 10,000 Clan Skab troops in the near destruction Nuln, the decimation of Under-Altdorf, the killing of the High Priest of Sokt, the prophet of the Lizard-God, and the near anniliation of Karak Azgal and the summoning of the Bloodthirster Skarband, to name a few. With those somewhat successful achievements, the Council of Thirteen gifted Thanquol with a powerful staff, an amulet of the Horned Rat, and his very own Rat Ogre bodyguard as reward for his "success".