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I just had a thought, wouldn't the best way for Dark Eldar to avoid getting et by Slaanesh be to pledge themselves, body and soul, to Khorne? I mean they'd have to change a bit, but Khorne and Slaanesh aren't exactly going to meet up and swap souls of followers, so they'd be pretty safe. You know, comparatively.

Thoughts?

They have the best way: not dying. It's not foolproof, but you've gotta admit it's the most hardcore solution to the problem that anyone's come up with: just keep snorting space coke and screaming your defiance at the universe, because hey, you *might* not eventually die.

Khorne wouldn't allow them to continue their pleasure and pain driven society, as he finds such hedonism to be disgusting.

 Kain wrote:
Khorne wouldn't allow them to continue their pleasure and pain driven society, as he finds such hedonism to be disgusting.

yeah I said they might need a few changes. But really they are for the better, how long can you poke your fingers in your pointy ears and scream nananana before it becomes a bad idea, that's basically what they are doing.

 motyak wrote:

 Kain wrote:
Khorne wouldn't allow them to continue their pleasure and pain driven society, as he finds such hedonism to be disgusting.

yeah I said they might need a few changes. But really they are for the better, how long can you poke your fingers in your pointy ears and scream nananana before it becomes a bad idea, that's basically what they are doing.

Khorne would force them to be an austere society that only really knows how to live when the time comes for mass slaughter and butchery.

I don't think the Dark Eldar could deal with adopting a puritanical view with where they can stick their genitals in/what they can stuff into them.

Tzeentch at the very least would let them maintain some degree of their relentless pursuit of pleasure and selfishness

Or they could really troll the craftworld Eldar by selling themselves out to the C'tan and thus piss on the legacy of the Old Ones.

 Kain wrote:
Or they could really troll the craftworld Eldar by selling themselves out to the C'tan and thus piss on the legacy of the Old Ones.

Funny as this would be (I can imagine the look on your average Eldar's face), Dark Eldar are after all else is said and done, still Eldar. I doubt even they would stoop that low.

The Eldar mind experiences emotions much stronger than other races - so really only two paths are possible. One of strict adherence and limiting the range of experience (ie the Path for Craftworld Eldar), or giving in and allowing it (the Fall and the Dark Eldar to this day). Perhaps one or two Dark Eldar could make the change and worship a different Chaos God - but they must still realise that in the end, that God will still use their soul as a plaything for eternal torment in one form or another. Becoming a Craftworld Eldar and using spirit stones, or worshipping the Laughing God and joining the Harlequins, would still be the better options.

That's an interesting idea, Motyak, for real. I can totally see it.

That said, there is another explanation, beyond Khorne not accepting them or vice versa (because of Eldar pride, etc.)

I actually think the Dark Eldar enjoy what they're doing.

I think they like enslaving people and torturing them. It's a perverse pleasure beyond just holding back Slaanesh.

It's like I eat to live, but I also enjoy the taste of food. Even if there was some technology that allowed me to survive even without food, I don't think I'd take it because food is yummy.

Thus, I imagine the Dark Eldar wouldn't consider other alternatives. What they got suits them fine. Let's say even if Khorne offers them this, they'd be like "Nope, I like what I got."

 Super Ready wrote:

 Kain wrote:
Or they could really troll the craftworld Eldar by selling themselves out to the C'tan and thus piss on the legacy of the Old Ones.

Funny as this would be (I can imagine the look on your average Eldar's face), Dark Eldar are after all else is said and done, still Eldar. I doubt even they would stoop that low.

The Eldar mind experiences emotions much stronger than other races - so really only two paths are possible. One of strict adherence and limiting the range of experience (ie the Path for Craftworld Eldar), or giving in and allowing it (the Fall and the Dark Eldar to this day). Perhaps one or two Dark Eldar could make the change and worship a different Chaos God - but they must still realise that in the end, that God will still use their soul as a plaything for eternal torment in one form or another. Becoming a Craftworld Eldar and using spirit stones, or worshipping the Laughing God and joining the Harlequins, would still be the better options.

So the Old Ones are the one thing all Eldar hold sacred?

 Kommissar Waaaghrick wrote:
I actually think the Dark Eldar enjoy what they're doing.

Not only that but every last one of them is full of the same pride and arrogance you can see in Craftworld Eldar, only notched up to eleven. The Dark Eldar aren't concerned with things like "our people" or "stopping Chaos" so much as they're interested in becoming number one. They're convinced they can pull off their own thing for however long it takes, and if warrior Timmy should die along the way it was his own fault for being weak.

Have you ever heard the phrase "to cut off your nose to spite your face"?

Yes, you could sell yourself into slavery to the enemy of the people chasing you and trying to enslave you in order to avoid being enslaved by the first people, but that misses the point of trying to avoid being enslaved since you end up enslaved anyway.

I thought it was clear that most Dark Eldar love what they're doing. If I recall correctly, Dark Eldar actually CAN turn their back on their decadence and cruelty (be it by turning to a corsair lifestyle which is slightly less evil... if only slightly, or by joining the Harlequins. Dunno if they can join a craft world or exodite world, though), but most don't because they LIKE their lifestyle.

Asrubrael Vect even claims that the Dark Eldar lifestyle is the true and pure eldar lifestyle. After all, it's the lifestyle the Eldar were living before that dumbass Slaanesh had to come along and ruin it all.

 Kain wrote:
So the Old Ones are the one thing all Eldar hold sacred?

No, not at all - but selling out to the C'tan spits in the face of the Dark Eldars' own pride. It'd be like the Black Legion deciding they'd fold back into the Imperium because they didn't get along with the World Eaters.

 Super Ready wrote:

 Kain wrote:
So the Old Ones are the one thing all Eldar hold sacred?

No, not at all - but selling out to the C'tan spits in the face of the Dark Eldars' own pride. It'd be like the Black Legion deciding they'd fold back into the Imperium because they didn't get along with the World Eaters.

"That's it Angron! I've had it with you going out doing your own thing! I'm going back to the Imperium now!"

"..."

"FETHING WHAT!?!"

"Oh high lords of Terra, I pledge my allegiance to you once more and renounce chaos"

"..."

"FETHING WHAT?!?"

I think the Dark Eldar are perfectly happy with their situation. Those that aren't can become Corsairs, Harlequins or even defect to the Craftworlds... or get murdered. All of the fluff and the handful of novels and short stories we have paint them as loving the hell out of the way their society works.

Further, it points the problem with the Dark Eldar out as more of an affliction. Slaanesh is slowly eating their souls as she already has a hand wrapped around them. I'm not sure allying with Khorne would fix that... even if it did, they'd be in the same predicament where when they die they'll probably be devoured by Khorne. Some of the fluff makes a point that all the Chaos Gods (except maybe Nurgle? He does have a thing for Isha after all...) love deliciously deep Eldar souls. And to be fair, absorbing all the suffering of souls to stave of Slaanesh is just a bonus - they were already doing that before hand. That's how s/he was born - now its just a little more urgent to keep up the flow of tears.

Most importantly, the Dark Eldar don't think they are hiding and afraid to face their threats. They believe they are the true inheritors of the Eldar legacy, and in fact they ARE living in the fashion from right before the fall. So they are right - they are the ones continuing to be what Eldar had been for millenia before She Who Thirsts was born.