Home › Worlds & Places › Commorragh
At a glance
Commorragh is the Dark City, the greatest city of the Drukhari, hidden within the labyrinthine dimension of the Webway. Once a port city of the ancient Aeldari empire, it survived the Fall because it lay outside realspace, and over the millennia since, it has grown into a sprawling, impossible metropolis of spires, docks and sub-realms. It is a place of wonders and horrors, where the Drukhari indulge every whim and feed on the suffering of countless captives.
The Drukhari are cursed. Like all Aeldari, their souls are hunted by Slaanesh, the Chaos god born from the excesses of their ancestors. Rather than seek the spiritual discipline of the Craftworlds, the Drukhari survive by feeding on the pain of others, which keeps their souls from fading and holds Slaanesh at bay. Commorragh is the heart of this hideous economy, a city built on suffering.
The city is ruled by Asdrubael Vect, the Supreme Overlord of Commorragh and master of the Kabal of the Black Heart. Beneath him, countless Kabals, Wych Cults and Haemonculus Covens vie for power, wealth and the favour of their master. Intrigue, betrayal and murder are constant, and only the strongest and most cunning survive.
Geography & environment
Commorragh lies within the Webway, a labyrinthine dimension that connects distant parts of the galaxy. It has no single fixed form. It is a sprawling conglomeration of spires, docks, arenas and sub-realms, linked by portals and walkways, and it grows constantly as new territories are claimed and old ones collapse. Its architecture is a mix of the ancient Aeldari style and the twisted, barbed designs of the Drukhari, with spires that pierce the sky and walkways that stretch over bottomless chasms.
The city is lit by the Ilmaea, captured stars that hang above the spires and bathe the city in a strange, cold light. These black suns were stolen from realspace in ancient times, and they provide the city with energy. Their light is harsh and unforgiving, and it casts deep shadows in which the city's predators hunt.
The city is divided into many districts and sub-realms. The High City, home to the most powerful Kabals, rises in great spires above the Low City, where the poor, the weak and the outcast struggle to survive. Beneath it all lie the Haemonculus Covens' laboratories and the sprawl of the slave pits. Some sub-realms are so vast that they contain their own skies and seas, while others are small pocket dimensions accessible only through hidden portals.
The High City and the Low
The High City is the domain of the Kabals. Their spires rise above the city, each one a fortress and palace in one. The greatest of these is the Corespur, the central spire that houses Vect's palace. From its heights, the Supreme Overlord looks down on the city he rules. The Kabals compete for territory, slaves and influence, and their rivalries are played out in the city's streets and in the shadows of its spires.
The Low City is a dark and dangerous place. Its streets are home to the poor, the weak and the outcast, who survive by preying on each other. Gangs of Hellions roam the skies, and Mandrakes lurk in the shadows. The Low City is also home to the Wych Cults' arenas, where gladiators fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowds. The arenas are among the city's most popular attractions, and their champions are celebrated as heroes.
Beneath the city lies the domain of the Haemonculi. These master torturers and flesh-sculptors work in hidden laboratories, where they experiment on captives and refine their arts. They are among the most feared of all Drukhari, and they hold a special power: the ability to restore the dead to life, for a price.
The economy of pain
Commorragh runs on suffering. The Drukhari feed on the pain of others, absorbing it to restore their vitality and keep their souls from fading. Without a constant supply of suffering, they would wither and die, and their souls would be claimed by Slaanesh. This need drives the Drukhari to raid realspace, capturing slaves and bringing them back to Commorragh to be tortured.
Slaves are the city's currency. They are bought and sold in the slave markets, put to work in the city's industries, and tortured for the pleasure of their masters. Some are sent to the arenas to fight, others to the laboratories of the Haemonculi. Few survive for long, and those who do are broken in body and mind. The constant demand for fresh captives is why the Drukhari raid so relentlessly, and why entire Imperial worlds have been emptied of their people in a single night.
The Drukhari also trade in other goods: weapons, artefacts, drugs and exotic creatures. The city is a hub of commerce, and its markets are filled with wonders from across the galaxy. But everything in Commorragh has its price, and the price is often paid in pain.
History
The Fall
Commorragh began as a port city of the ancient Aeldari empire, built within the Webway to connect the empire's worlds. As the Aeldari descended into decadence, the city became a refuge for those who indulged their darkest desires. When the Fall came and Slaanesh was born, the Aeldari empire was destroyed, but Commorragh survived. Its location within the Webway protected it from the psychic shockwave that devastated the empire.
The rise of Vect
In the aftermath of the Fall, the city was ruled by noble houses who controlled its wealth and power. Asdrubael Vect, a former slave, rose through cunning and ruthlessness to challenge them. He founded the Kabal system, organising the city's warriors into factions that owed loyalty to their leaders rather than to noble bloodlines. When the noble houses were weakened, Vect struck. He destroyed the old order and made himself the Supreme Overlord of Commorragh.
Dysjunctions
Commorragh is protected from the warp by powerful defences. But these defences are not perfect, and sometimes they fail. When this happens, the warp floods into the city in a catastrophe known as a Dysjunction. The most devastating of these came when the Great Rift opened, and daemons poured into the city in numbers not seen for millennia. In the chaos, rivals moved against Vect, but the Supreme Overlord survived as he always has, and he crushed those who had dared to challenge him while the city clawed its way back from the brink.
The Ynnari
In the wake of the Great Rift, the Ynnari emerged, seeking to resurrect the Aeldari through the power of Ynnead, the god of the dead. Lelith Hesperax joined the cause, and her presence drew many Drukhari to the Ynnari. The movement was a threat to Vect's power, and he has worked to undermine it from the shadows.
The Supreme Overlord
Asdrubael Vect is the most powerful being in Commorragh, and perhaps the most cunning schemer in the galaxy. He has ruled the Dark City for thousands of years, and in that time he has survived countless assassination attempts, coups and betrayals. His enemies say he plans for every eventuality, and that every apparent setback is part of a larger scheme.
Vect rules through fear and patronage. He rewards those who serve him well and destroys those who fail him. He plays the Kabals against each other, ensuring that none grows strong enough to challenge him. And he maintains a vast network of spies and assassins, who watch for any sign of disloyalty. Even his closest servants are never sure whether they are trusted.
Vect's ambitions reach far beyond Commorragh. He has struck at the Imperium, at the Craftworlds and at the forces of Chaos, always seeking to expand his power. Countless tales claim that he has quietly steered wars between other races to his own advantage, setting his enemies against each other while his raiders reap the harvest. Whether these tales are true or not, they ensure that Vect is feared by all who know his name.
Commorragh and the Webway
The Webway is a labyrinthine dimension that lies between realspace and the warp. It was created by the ancient Old Ones and expanded by the Aeldari, and it connects countless worlds across the galaxy. Its tunnels are protected from the warp by psychic barriers, and they allow travellers to cross vast distances quickly and safely.
Commorragh is the largest of the Webway's hidden realms. Its location allows the Drukhari to strike anywhere in the galaxy, emerging from portals without warning and vanishing again before their enemies can react. This mobility is the key to the Drukhari way of war. They do not hold territory in realspace; they raid, take what they want and return to the safety of their city.
The Webway is not entirely safe, however. Many of its passages have been damaged or corrupted over the millennia, and some are infested with daemons. The Harlequins, servants of the Laughing God, guard its secrets and travel its paths, and they are among the few outsiders who are welcome in Commorragh.
People & culture
The Drukhari are a cruel and decadent people. They believe themselves superior to all other races, and they treat everyone else as prey. They live for pleasure and power, and they indulge every whim without restraint. They are also deeply paranoid, for they know that their rivals are always plotting against them.
Their society is built on hierarchy. At the top are the Archons, who lead the Kabals. Beneath them are the Kabalite warriors, the Wyches, the Haemonculi and the many other factions of the city. Loyalty is fleeting, and betrayal is common. The only constant is the pursuit of power.
The Drukhari also have a love of art and beauty, though their tastes are twisted. They decorate their spires with sculptures made from living flesh, and they compose music from the screams of their victims. Their fashion is extravagant, with armour adorned with blades and spikes, and their skin is often pale and marked with scars.
Kabals, Cults and Covens
The Kabals are the city's political and military power. Each is led by an Archon and made up of Kabalite Warriors who raid realspace on swift skimmers. The Kabal of the Black Heart, ruled by Vect, is the most powerful. Others, such as the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue and the Kabal of the Flayed Skull, are rivals who scheme constantly for advantage.
The Wych Cults are gladiatorial orders who fight in the arenas. Their Wyches are lithe and deadly, and they fight with blades, nets and razorflails. The Cult of Strife, led by Lelith Hesperax, is the most famous. Its arena shows draw huge crowds, and Lelith herself is the city's greatest champion.
The Haemonculus Covens are the city's torturers and flesh-sculptors. Their master, Urien Rakarth, is one of the oldest beings in Commorragh. The Covens create monstrous servants such as the Talos Pain Engines, and they can return the dead to life, at a price that binds the revived to them.
Defenders & war-machine
Commorragh is defended by its many factions, each of which has its own forces. The Kabals field Kabalite Warriors, Ravagers, Raiders and Razorwing Jetfighters. The Wych Cults provide Wyches, Reavers and Hellions. The Haemonculi provide Wracks, Grotesques and Talos. The city is also home to elite warriors such as the Incubi and the Mandrakes.
The city's greatest defence is its secrecy. It lies within the Webway, and few outsiders know how to find it. Those who do must navigate a labyrinth of portals and paths, and the city's many enemies have rarely been able to strike at its heart. When a threat does arise, the Drukhari set aside their rivalries just long enough to destroy it.
Notable battles
- The Fall (M30): the birth of Slaanesh destroys the Aeldari empire, but Commorragh survives within the Webway.
- The rise of Vect: Vect destroys the noble houses and becomes Supreme Overlord.
- The Great Dysjunction (M41): daemons flood into the city after the opening of the Great Rift; Vect returns to restore order.
Trivia
- The Ilmaea are black suns stolen from realspace in ancient times to power and light the city.
- Vect is a former slave who rose to become Supreme Overlord.
- The Haemonculi can return the dead to life, at a price that few can ever fully repay.
- Commorragh's location in the Webway makes it almost impossible to find.
- The Corespur, the central spire of the High City, houses Vect's palace and the seat of the Kabal of the Black Heart.
- The Drukhari can live for thousands of years, as long as they continue to feed on suffering.
- Lelith Hesperax is regarded as the finest bladesman in the Dark City, and her displays in the arena draw some of Commorragh's largest crowds.
- The Incubi are a warrior cult of mercenaries who serve whichever Archon pays them, and they are among the few Drukhari who value a code of honour.
