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 Jimsolo wrote:
"Nobody escapes from Commorragh."

Now I have an image of Vect sounding and acting like Commandant Klink

People do escape (or are let go) - the Dark City is in fact not impregenable or invoilate - given the Dark Eldar like to try and scheme against each other they open portals to other realms, worlds, let deamons through - anything you can think of they do to each other.

If it would make a rival look bad (or just be amusing) , helping others scape or inflitrate is something they woudl indeed do.

One of the descriptions of the city in an older codex is from an escapee - an imperial citizen - Lasko Pyre (declared heretic and who killed himself) - the story that Jimsolo is talking about - the line about "no one escapes" is a reference to even if you get out - mentally its always with you.

Also the Dark Eldar may indeed let some go to spread the word of exactly how dark and terrible they are - they are all to quote Iron Man (on Loki) "he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered"

Lasko Pyre Is also the only known slave to escape, so...

Trystis wrote:
Lasko Pyre Is also the only known slave to escape, so...

Actually, there's also the force of Salamanders escaped too. Yes, they were aided, but in a city full of plots, is it so far fetched to assumed that also happens to other captured individuals?

It's likely people do escape (aided or otherwise), but with regard to Imperials, they'll either be told to keep it confidential, or killed upon their return after being mined for information. The policy for dealing with people with information about publicly unknown elements of Xenos Horrificus (such as Commorragh will be) is likely similar to that of people who interact with Chaos.

Lasko Pyre is only known because he managed to publish his account, and was subsequently declared a liar and heretic as a result by the Inquistion, who would obviously know he was actually telling the truth. A lot of planets will have encountered the Dark Eldar, but barely anyone will know about them having a planet sized city of horrors in another dimension. Most Imperial citizens don't distinguish between the Eldar and Dark Eldar, and likely just see the latter as Eldar pirates.

A strike cruiser of Salamanders managed to escape with the help of two other chapter all taking major casualties. They were never actually captured though, and were part of a plot of Vects to kill off the noble houses. They managed to get in and out because Vect purposely left the webway gate open. They rescued 0 slaves.

Why is it likely? There is almost no evidence for it happening very often at all. In fact the evidence is that it is nearly impossible.

Trystis wrote:
A strike cruiser of Salamanders managed to escape with the help of two other chapter all taking major casualties. They were never actually captured though, and were part of a plot of Vects to kill off the noble houses. They managed to get in and out because Vect purposely left the webway gate open. They rescued 0 slaves.

Why is it likely? There is almost no evidence for it happening very often at all. In fact the evidence is that it is nearly impossible.

There is the Dark Eldar Codex incident and also the one in the Salamander novels where they rescue some Astartes who have been Gladiator slaves. IIRC the captured Eldar Seer escapes from the city in the Dark Eldar trilogy?

As I said the Dark Eldar love a bit of theatre and letting a few escape to spread the word about just who dark and terrible they are fits their personality and style. As I also noted - "no one escapes" is a reference to the psychological impact of what is done to you, and what you see there not just the physical likelihood hood of escape.

Otherwise how would a normal Imperial citizen escape at all..............

The Dark City is not a mere fortress - its a series of warring realms and Houses with innumerable ways in and out - some sealed, some just hidden.

Does a month count as a necro? Anyway, it looks like soon enough we'll have another example of someone who escapes from Commoragh after being a pit slave.

Guess what. He's a Space Wolf.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/dark-city-ebook.html

I think it could be possible to escape. As others have said Commoragh Is full of intrigue and it's possible that one house would enable another's slaves to escape to weaken them/make them look bad. But a Rambo style jail break? THAT, is unlikely

kaszak wrote:

BobtheConquistador wrote:

Which is why he hitches a ride with some Eldar pirates

If someone could manage to trick an enemy with vastly superior technology and lay waste to/stealth their way through their city (which is in itself at least the size of a planet, most likely bigger), he might as well just march into the Imperial Palace, kick Big E off the throne and take his place.

He probably already has.

It might be rumored that Ork Kommandos have infiltrated Commorragh numerous times. The only problem is nobody, not even the Kommandos themselves who allegedly did the infiltrations, have seen this happen because nobody has ever seen a purple Ork before. The only clues as to these infiltrations are reports of faint whispers of "Git" or a subtle "Hurhurhur". It is also rumored that the Black Library and the Imperial Palace have been infiltrated in a similar manner.

I'd say the only way of getting in or out is if one of the Dark Eldar want you to do so.

Anything is possible if you write it well.

Anyone who makes an absolute statement like 'never' simply hasn't been paying attention to 40k fluff. The impossible happens all the time. The higher the odds the more epic the outcome if the heroes succeed.

Yes, it would make sense for the protagonist to go for stealth through most of the tale. Realizing that Commorragh would overwhelm the hero(es) in short order if they are discovered builds tension toward the inevitable final firefight. It IS 40k, so bolter porn is well nigh required at some point.

It also makes sense if internecine intrigue among the Dark Eldar plays a major role in the escape. If the prisoner(s) are in the hands of a Kabal which needs taking down a peg the likes of Vect or Malice might well provide the protagonist with subtle nudges or create coincidences that further their efforts.

Inquisitors are all too human, with human motivations and failings. If the prisoner was important enough, or too dangerous in Dark Eldar hands, or even personally important to the Inquisitor one might well arrange an escape attempt. Of course, the rescue team remains completely expendable, and the Inquisitor may only want to 'rescue' the prisoner to interrogate, experiment on or imprison them...

Being 40k there should be significant casualties, heroic sacrifice and tragic loss. At least one betrayal should be worked in as well. As others have said, it's Grimdark - a clean escape with all prisoners and a happy ending don't really fit the genre.

My two cents.

It's a Space Wolf short story, so it's fairly predictable what will happen.

There will be a human sidekick who gets killed.

The theoretically highly competent prisoners will be unmotivated and have no idea what they're doing.

The Space Wolf will show up and tell them how to do their jobs.

Yay, the imperium wins.

Made all the more egregious by the fact that the prisoner in this case is a Wolf Lord himself.

Well, Furyou, to me any story that features a Space Wolf is egregious by definition. I loathe the scions of Russ as much as the general population of 40k fans seem to loathe the Smurfs from Ultramar.

Two cents more.