The galaxy’s finest warlords all have their own reasons for fighting and conquering among the stars – for the future of their people, for the glory of their god(s), or just for a right laugh. The Drukhari, for their part, are very uncomplicated in their objectives, and while their path to greatness may be wrapped in webs upon webs of complex schemes, the overall goal of “I am the best, give me everything I want” is as clear cut as they come.
Nothing quite marks a warlord as one of Commorragh’s hot 100 like owning a chunk of the Dark City itself, and so that’s exactly what you’ll be doing in their new Codex’s Crusade rules. Backstabbing, sabotaging, and being an all-round scumbag are all part of the fun.
It all starts by designating one of your Characters as the Ascendent Lord, which denotes them as the mover and shaker at the head of your push for prominence. This means that it’ll be their name and face on all of your territorial acquisitions – very good – but they’ll also have a giant target on their back and the attention of the Dark City’s greatest fiends – very bad.
CLAIMING TERRITORY
Each time a rule instructs you to claim a territory, first roll one D6 to select one of the two tables opposite (on a 1‑3, use table A; on a 4‑6, use table B), before rolling a D66 to generate a territory on that table. If that territory is unclaimed, you claim it – make a note of that territory on your Order of Battle. Each territory is unique and cannot be generated more than once for your ASCENDANT LORD. If you randomly generate a territory that is already controlled by your ASCENDANT LORD, generate another. If you randomly generate a territory that is claimed by a Rival Lord, immediately resolve a Hostile Takeover. Keep a note of any territories claimed on your Order of Battle.
In their previous Codex, the Drukhari had rudimentary rules for occupying districts of Commorragh for fun little bonuses, but now the system is massively expanded. Rather than gathering Raid Spoils to spend on abilities, you have a chance to gain a new territory after every battle – improving if your Ascendent Lord actually bothers to take part – and there are quite a few to scoop up.
TERRITORIES TABLE A (D66)
WEAPON FORGE:
The Splinterforge 11
The Hall of Hooks 12
The Sharpeners 13
Murder Cove 14
Talonforge 15
The Gallery of Blades 16
TOXIN DISTILLERY:
Sorrowseep 21
Well of Phantasms 22
The Cauldron 23
Vale of Vapours 24
Tormentia’s Boutique 25
The Fractal Alembic 26
ARENA:
Howling Gulf 31
Mesmoria 32
The Flensing Ground 33
The Coreloop Gauntlet 34
The Gallery of Glass 35
Rethvhyr’s Veinyard 36
SCOURGE SPIRE:
Spire of the Seven Talons 41
The Screaming Roost 42
The Gorenests 43
Pinion 44
The Stratus Sphere 45
Bladefeather Den 46
INCUBI SHRINE:
The Bloodrazor 51
Shrine of Naked Hatred 52
Shrine of the Cursed Night 53
The Covenant of Anguish 54
Shrine of the Crimson Hundred 55
Shrine of The Severed 56
DOCK:
Crimson Point 61
Shardbreak 62
Bleakharbour 63
Blodhavn 64
The Whisperdome 65
Dock of Thieves 66
TERRITORIES TABLE B (D66)
SPRAWL SLUM:
Drudge Pit 11
The Choke 12
Sufferer’s Row 13
The Fiendscape 14
The Parchway 15
Vect’s Heel 16
FLESH MARKET:
The Whispers 21
The Emporium of Tears 22
The Skinmongers 23
The Nervery 24
The Fleshpits 25
Traitor’s Auction 26
SHADOW DISTRICT:
The Evergloom 31
Direside 32
The Twilight Aisle 33
Netherweir 34
The Eyelid 35
Hope’s Horizon 36
NOBLE SPIRE:
Bleak Spiral 41
Ghal‑Harrow 42
The Crimson Spine 43
The Bonehalls 44
Knife of the Muses 45
Grovenspire 46
GANG TERRITORY:
The Splinters 51
Broken Noose 52
The Harrows 53
Backstab Alleys 54
Ebonspite Corner 55
Bladewrought Lanes 56
RAIDCRAFT WORKSHOP:
Ironveil Tontine 61
The Shadowloom 62
Forge of the Connoisseur 63
The Fear Smeltery 64
Blackforge 65
Wingcast Spire 66
You’ll see that each group of six has its own umbrella category, like the Arena, the Flesh Market, and the Noble Spire. Capturing any three territories in a category unlocks its special power for you, and they’re quite a varied bag of tricks.
The Incubi Shrine, for instance, gives your Ascendent Lord the ability to enlist the elite mercenaries as their bodyguards, even if they can’t normally join units of Incubi. Gang Territory, on the other hand, helps you take over a rival’s turf – but who exactly are the devious little tykes trying to muscle in on your ambitions?
DISTRICT ABILITIES:
INCUBI SHRINE
It requires tact – with fearless arrogance and ready wealth – to truly secure the allegiance of even a single shrine of Incubi. The reward is a cadre of murderously skilled bodyguards well worth any expense.
In the Declare Battle Formations step, your ASCENDANT LORD can be attached to an Incubi unit (if your ASCENDANT LORD is an ARCHON, while it is leading an INCUBI unit, your ASCENDANT LORD model has the Feel No Pain 5+ ability). If your ASCENDANT LORD is attached to an Incubi unit, at the end of the battle, unless all of those Bodyguard models have been destroyed, you can re‑roll all Leadership tests required as the result of Assassination Attempts during that battle’s Rival Activities.
DISTRICT ABILITIES:
GANG TERRITORY
There are those lordly residents who sneer at the idea of claiming territories in Low Commorragh. Those same arrogant fools are the first to have their heads hoisted atop a trophy rack when a less blinkered rival unleashes the fury of the many vicious gangs over which they rule.
Each time your ASCENDANT LORD attempts a Hostile Takeover, add 1 to its D6 result and, if that ASCENDANT LORD claims a territory as a result, increase your Crusade force’s Supply Limit by 50 points.
Without an interfering force, this ‘Occupy Commorragh’ malarkey is all just ticking boxes and cackling quietly to yourself. Luckily, the Dark City has no shortage of up-and-coming scoundrels looking to shiv their way to a better life, and so when you start your campaign you’ll generate three Rival Lords who also gobble up territories while you’re working your way up the food chain.
Each one has their own personality, chosen by rolling randomly on a table of Rival Traits. A Ruthless Machinator uses their silver tongue to coax more criminals to their side – giving them a small bump in Power over what they’d normally possess – while the Devious Opportunist makes an unfortunate turn of events for your Ascendent Lord even worse by engaging in Rival Activity twice should your boss keel over in battle.
RIVAL TRAIT
RUTHLESS MACHINATOR
This Rival Lord’s Power is 1 greater than the number of districts they control.
DEVIOUS OPPORTUNIST
At the end of the battle, if your Ascendant Lord fails an Out of Action test, roll one additional time on the Rival Activity table for this Rival Lord.
Rival Activity is what all self-respecting criminals get up to between games, as each rival gets to find out what they’re doing to make your life miserable. They might do nothing, or immediately expand their influence by putting a territory Under New Management. They might also, you know, just try and kill you. An Assassination Attempt is always a dicey affair, but if you fight it off, you get a little bit of experience to show everyone how cool and indestructible you are.
RIVAL ACTIVITY
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Randomly generate one additional territory for this Rival Lord. If that territory is already claimed by your ASCENDANT LORD or by another Rival Lord, it will attempt a Hostile Takeover.
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Your ASCENDANT LORD gains 1XP and must take a Leadership test; if that test is failed, your ASCENDANT LORD gains 1 Battle Scar.
Navigate all these plots and perils with aplomb, and you’ll be able to amass quite a collection of new Crusade Relics and Battle Traits, and the admiration of everyone who must now look up at your cruel magnificence from below. Manage to control all 12 districts of the city, and you even attract the notice of Supreme Overlord Asdrubael Vect! We’re sure he has some juicy rewards in store for your hard work.
PRICE OF SUCCESS
If your ASCENDANT LORD ever controls all 12 districts, they come to the attention of Asdrubael Vect himself: roll one D6 and consult the following table.
SUFFER NO RIVALS
Having determined that your lord has the potential to be a genuine irritant and sensing the opportunity to make a bloody example, Vect sees to it that they suffer a fate so horrible that it is best left to the imagination.
Remove your ASCENDANT LORD from your Order of Battle.
AGENT OF VECT
Your lord’s skill and audacity have piqued Vect’s interests. They are swiftly – and forcibly – recruited to serve at the Supreme Overlord’s pleasure.
Remove your ASCENDANT LORD from your Order of Battle
INTO SHADOW
A last‑minute tip‑off comes in time to save your lord from Vect’s closing talons. They flee into the underbelly of Commorragh, hoping one day to return for vengeance.
Remove your ASCENDANT LORD from your Order of Battle.
Ah. Well, it was good while it lasted. Speaking of people who irritate Vect, Codex: Drukhari hits pre-orders this weekend alongside the enigmatic Lady Malys, who would no doubt appreciate your bid for power while subtly slipping a fan blade into your ribs. At least she can’t be one of your rivals – then you’d really be in trouble.
