"The best slaves are those who do not know they are slaves. Look at Under-Altdorf. This city has grown to be the most powerful in all the Under-Empire… except for Skavenblight itself, of course. It has prospered so not by fighting the humans, but by using them, growing fat off their labour and industry. The Horned Rat favours cunning, favours those with vision. Skaven such as me, and you, Grey Seer Thanquol."
Under-Altdorf, known by its heretical title as New Skavenblight, is the second largest and most powerful subterranean Skaven stronghold within the ratmen's Under-Empire. The city is built beneath the Imperial capital city of Altdorf in the Reikland and boasts the second largest Skaven population in the Under-Empire, but the lack of available warpstone ensures that it will never rival the Under-Empire's capital of Skavenblight as the Skaven's greatest city. Control of Under-Altdorf is split between several Skaven clans, with Clan Skryre holding the lion's share of power.[1a]
Under-Altdorf, like many other Skaven strongholds, has subterranean rivers which flow directly into large ports and a harbour carved into the face of the rock. Second only to Skavenblight in commercial activity, large numbers of rickity Skaven trade-barges can be seen plying its harbour docks. The city itself is so large and powerful that it boasts its own governing council of thirteen Warlord Clan lords, in imitation of the Council of Thirteen that governs the entire Under-Empire from Skavenblight.[2a]
History[]
Under-Altdorf began like many other Skaven strongholds established beneath major Human cities; as rallying points for a potential invasion of the surface world in pursuit of the Great Ascendancy. Yet, despite the Skaven's enmity for surface dwellers, the city has grown wealthy, due in part because it steals wealth from surface Altdorf.[2a]
One particular event which cost Under-Altdorf dearly was when its council representative Grey Seer Thanquol was ordered by the city's governing Council of Thirteen to locate the Wormstone, a powerful magical artefact of Clan Pestilens that was hidden within the sewers of the city.[3a]
As part of this effort, Grey Seer Thanquol has almost singlehandedly thwarted the council's plans as well as destroyed nearly a tenth of Under-Altdorf's population in a great flood which he perpetrated, resulting in a setback that will see Under-Altdorf engaged in reconstruction efforts for decades to come.[3a]
Geography[]
Rumours of a large Skaven settlement beneath Altdorf abound amongst those who believe in such things. The truth is that the lair of Under-Altdorf is little more than a staging post and slave pen, beset by problems resulting from the sodden clay into which it is dug. The permanent garrison here is small but efficient. Clan Mors has a contract to guard the settlement and monitor the movement of slaves through it. Clan Skryre, Clan Eshin, and Clan Scruten also have a presence here, focused on gathering information from the city above.[4a]
Sometimes these clans pool their resources to great effect, but more often they waste time and energy undoing one another's efforts. Slaving and foraging parties originate from the settlement. The Under-Altdorf Council prohibits slavers from abducting Altdorfers within the city walls, deeming the risk of discovery and reprisal to be too great. Clan Mors slave-takers still have their quotas to fulfil, and a chieftain who has not been able to acquire enough slaves from the countryside may well plan a raid of Altdorf's rookeries to make up for the shortfall. Much of Under-Altdorf wends its way through the mud flats upon which Altdorf stands.[4a]
Cave-ins, flooding, and the intrusion of waterborne pests are constant problems for the lair's inhabitants. Skaven use the worst of the chambers for slave pens, but even the better warrens are damp and stinking. Sewage seeps in from the city above, afflicting slaves and Skaven alike with chronic galloping flux. Clan Mors desires to shift much of the Skaven presence into better-built, abandoned Dwarf tunnels that run above their position. Dwarfs and adventurers often patrol these tunnels, so the Skaven bide their time for fear of discovery.[4a]
Government[]
"My agents tell me that a tenth of Under-Altdorf's population was killed in the flooding of their warrens, that the damage inflicted upon that upstart burrow will cripple its growth for generations. It will be a long time before they dare think themselves as mighty as Skavenblight!"
- —Paskrit, Warlord-General of Skavendom debriefing the Council of Thirteen on Thanquol's failed mission to obtain the Wormstone and its disastrous results for his city[3a]
The council of Under-Altdorf, in imitation of the Under-Empire's ruling Council of Thirteen, meets in a large hall called the Supreme High Leader Nest. It was extravagantly ornamented with a motley collection of marble blocks and granite columns stolen from the city of Men above. A riotous array of colourful tapestries drooped from the walls, some of their Human subjects crudely disfigured to resemble triumphant Skaven warriors. The floor was a tiled mosaic of different coloured bricks while a crystal chandelier swung from the roof overhead.[2a]
Like the true ruling council of the Under-Empire, that of Under-Altdorf boasted thirteen seats, yet unlike the Council of Thirteen, no seat is reserved for the Horned Rat. Instead the positions of authority were shared out between the Skaven city's most important clans, with the exception of Grey Seer Thratquee's own seat.[2a]
One chair was held by Skrattch Skarpaw, the Shadowstalker of Clan Eshin, with a further two seats held by his subordinates. Another chair was held by Fleshtearer Rusk of Clan Moulder. Pontifex Poxtix was the Clan Pestilens representative on the council. Other seats were held by the Skaven Warlords of Clans Skab, Skaul and Mors.[2a]
The remaining seats were held by Clan Skryre, a potent display of that Great Clan's influence and power in the city. Warplord Quilisk was the highest ranking of the Warlock Engineers, a sinister figure with a lower jaw sheathed in metal and a riot of tubes and pipes running from a complex iron pump that led into his chest. The other Clan Skryre representatives were clustered around him and in obvious fear of the local clan-leader.[2a]
A final, non-voting seat, was reserved for a Clan Sleekit fleetmaster, a fat, sleepy-eyed ratman with thinning fur and the smell of weirdroot about him.[2a]
Council of Thirteen Politics[]
Under-Altdorf is the focus of great jealousy -- and great ambition, particularly among the members of the Council of Thirteen. Various factions in Skavendom seek to have something done about Altdorf, but disagree about what that something ought to be. Most Grey Seers agree that the Horned Rat warned them off from revealing themselves to the Empire prior to other schemes reaching fruition.[4a]
The 169 commandments found on the Black Pillar of Commandments seem to suggest this, depending on how they are interpreted. Seer Lord Kritislisk has proposed that Under-Altdorf be abandoned whilst the Grey Seers debate the theological implications of the Horned Rat's will. Lord Warlock Morrskittar of Clan Skryre is strongly opposed to the seer lord in this matter.[4a]
He argues instead that Altdorf ought to be subject to a grand act of sabotage, to serve as proof positive of the power of the Skaven (in general) and the Warlock Engineers (in particular). He has offered a fortune in warptokens to the warlock who designs a device capable of visiting sudden cataclysm on the city. He is currently judging a winner between Lord Warlock Kritchgrub, who proposes to undermine Altdorf and sink it into the mud, and Lord Warlock Ikit Claw, who suggests blowing the place apart with a titanic warpbomb.[4a]
Lord Gnawdwell is firmly opposed to any plan that might result in the destruction of Altdorf. It is a rich source of slaves and Clan Mors makes reliable profits through management of it. Whilst Gnawdwell is often criticised for his distrust of the Grey Seers, he is a strong supporter of the seer lord on this issue.[4a]
Lord Kratch Doomclaw of Clan Rictus argues that the Empire is a thorn in the side of Skavendom and that the destruction of Altdorf would benefit them all. Lord Gnawdwell complains that Kratch always adopts positions that disadvantage Clan Mors. Arch-Plaguelord Nurglitch VII takes the side of the seer lord, though in truth he cares little for the 169 commandments and prefers to preserve Altdorf because large communities of Humans make great testbeds for new diseases.[4a]
Lord Verminkin of Clan Moulder advocates following the advice of Lord Morrskittar. That Clan Moulder and Clan Skryre owe one another a fortune in warptokens might explain his loyalties, as well as the fact that he takes great pleasure in annoying Arch-Plaguelord Nurglitch VII.[4a]
Other members of the Council of Thirteen have no particular opinion on the matter, and just tend to take a position likely to upset their chief rivals. Lord Vrisk Ironscratch of Clan Skurvy has changed his mind on the issue many times, each time leading Warlord-General Paskrit the Vast to pivot to the contrary opinion.[4a]
Notable Under-Altdorf Council Members[]
- Grey Seer Thratquee - Thratquee was the representative of the Order of the Grey Seers.[2a]
- Skrattch Skarpaw - Skarpaw hailed from Clan Eshin.[2a]
- Two Unnamed Clan Eshin Skaven, both subordinates of Skarpaw.[2a]
- Fleshtearer Rusk - Rusk was the representative from Clan Moulder.[2a]
- Pontifex Poxtix - Poxtix was a a fanatical representative of Clan Pestilens, his body decayed and unpleasant to behold.[2a]
- Shipgnawer Nikkit - Nikkit was a rotund, sleepy-looking Skaven who represented Clan Sleekit.[2a]
- Warlord Gashslik - Gashlik was a representative of Clan Mors, and was massive in size as was common for that clan's Skaven.[2a]
- Warlord Staabnash - Staabnash was the representative of Clan Skab, and was said to be the rival of Gashslik. He was shorter than Gashlik, but broad and bursting with muscle.[2a]
- Warplord Quisilik - Quisilik was the representative of Clan Skyre and a high-ranking Warlock Engineer.[2a]
- Natwitch Nosetaker - Nosetaker was a tawny-furred ratman and the representative of Clan Skaul. As was typical for those ratmen, he smoked a pipe.[2a]
- The remaining seats were held by Clan Skyre ratmen.[2a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Children of the Horned Rat (RPG)
- 1a: pg. 56
- 2: Thanquol and Boneripper: Grey Seer (Novel) by C.L Werner
- 3: Thanquol and Boneripper: Temple of the Serpent (Novel) by C.L Werner
- 3a: Ch. 1: "Shadows of Skavenblight"
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Altdorf - Crown of the Empire (RPG)
- 4a: pg. 203