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Neat character. Lots of good ideas and the figure really gets across the Outcast-with-history aspect.

Thanks guys! Glad he looks like he's been through some sh*t that's what I was aiming for

Yeah definitely have a go Ember legs and front torso are Guardian (with the shoulder pads cut off), cloak is High Elf Shadow Warriors, hooded head is Wildwood Rangers, Splinter Rifle is from the Raider kit, and arms are Harlequin (as are the mask and the greebles)

Also, I've been thinking about this dude. The original idea for him was as a lone wanderer, but then i started thinking it would be neat to do a little warband of deserters-turned-explorers. That was influenced somewhat by the little diagram of eldar cultures on the new BRB, where 'Outcasts' are their own separate culture alongside Craftworlders and Corsairs.



This makes sense when you think of it as their mode of life is completely different to the Craftworlders. It's only called the Path of the Outcast because the Craftworlders worldview is as set paths reaching towards set destinations.

Then, i thought of the kickass name they gave not-Araloth in AoS: a 'Nomad Prince'.

So, how cool would it be to make an Eldar 'Nomad Prince' as sort of a Beggar-Prince of the outcasts and deserters. Sort of halfway between Rangers and Corsairs. Something to expand the idea of 'Outcast' beyond the narrow idea of Eldar who get bored with the Path and go exploring, into something like a vagrant itinerant culture of wanderlusting Eldar every bit as deep and broad as Craftworld or Commorrite culture.

This guy is hopefully the first of a number of waifs and strays depicting that culture (and the other assorted horrors that lurk within the crumbling realms of the webway).

Because Lord knows i need another new warband to make

Interesting concept. Looking forward to seeing where it takes you.

Thanks man me too!

My thoughts on the word "Aeldari" are to have it be a little like the english word "gun". The word can be written as "gonne" or "gunna" to reflect the original spelling, "Gunnildr". So Eldar is the common word for the species, but "Aeldari" is more similar to the Eldar's own spelling.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense, and I'd be perfectly happy if it wasn't such an ugly sounding word even just 'Aeldar' I'd be happy with, but 'Aeldari' is just ungainly.

Ah! Cracked it! Just worked out why I don't like it. It doesn't fit the Eldar's root-language, it fits the Imperium's. Actually, it's a mashup between the two, which is why it sounds discordant.

The root of most of the Eldar's language is semi-Celtic, with some little twists to make it sound alien: 'Eldarten', 'Maugetar', 'Gergilath', 'Agaith', 'Ynneadlidh'. Meanwhile, the root-language for the Imperium's words is latin: 'Corpuscarii', 'Secutarii', 'Ministorum' etc.

Now, my latin is near non-existent, but I know that the suffix '-i' is a latin plural usually used for describing groups of people. Attaching it to an Eldar word just makes it sound fundamentally wrong, because it's not part of the same root set of phonemes. I've actually made a little Eldar dictionary from all the sources I can find online and in the codices I have (useful for making up names!) and I've looked through and can't find a single other instance of the Eldar using '-i' to describe a people or group.

Actually, looking through, it doesn't appear that the phoneme 'ae' makes much appearance either. There's one in the Dark Eldar codex 'Ilmaea', which isn't a true 'ae' sound as it's more of an 'a' followed by an 'ea' ('ea' is everywhere in Eldar words). The only other is in the BL novel Shadowpoint, which seems to have some iffy other duplicate words (which I've headcannoned as a different dialect). 'Ae' itself is a Saxon phoneme, which again fits the Imperium's medieval european/latin roots. I've actually used 'ae' in the naming conventions of my Exodites specifically because it didn't appear anywhere else in the Eldar language and made them feel like they were a different culture.

So, basically, the whole word just sounds wrong. Especially when there was already a word that means precisely what 'Aeldari' means (and fits all the other Eldar language conventions): Eldarith.

Apologies for the language pedantry but it's more of a simple thing that just makes a word sound wrong. It's like when you're hearing someone speak Spanish and then midway through the sentence they say 'Peanut Butter'. Somewhat jarring.

How about you post the dictionary on dakka, I for one find it interesting and I'm sure others would

Great idea here we go. Spoilered because it's a bit massive.

Wow yeah that's quite a massive file!

Hmm, I'm pretty sure I've heard 'ii' used to describe an Eldar group in the plural before... Alaitocii? Same for Biel-Tan, Iyanden and Saim-Hann?

You're right about the broader etymology but I don't think GW always stick to a singular 'real world' source for Warhammer universe equivalents. True the Imperium is largely 'German', but the Space Marine chapters are variously Norse, Mongol, Roman etc while you've got Arabic / US / Russian forces within the Imperial Guard and so forth.

The 'Stor Bezakht' (if I remember rightly) within the Iron Warriors definitely isn't named using overarching Imperial language structure!

I personally love the name Ynarii though, so maybe I'm biased

Yeah it's not a small one I've also missed out 'Kaelis Ra' for an instance of 'ae' too which is a bugger. Still think 'Aeldari' is a horrible word when 'Eldar' would be interchangeable in every single instance of it

Yeah I've heard that before too (although I think it's only from the Fracture of Biel Tan onwards). I've also used it as 'Selestini' for my exodites, so perhaps I'm being a little hypocritical. Plus, there's the 'Iceni' tribe of ancient British who fought the Romans, so there is precedent in the root-languages.

I also like 'Ynnari'. That feels like an Eldar word, and isn't ugly in the slightest.

Perhaps it's just a singular an irrational irritation with the word 'Aeldari'...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Have you ever stopped to wonder why Harlequins travel in packs? In the darkest nights, they remember they are not the apex predator of these twisted pathways... - Ilgaith who Wanders




Some say that of all the thousands upon thousands of Young Kings sacrificed to awaken the Avatar of the Bloody-Handed God...he is the only one to have been found alive. Perhaps this is true. Perhaps something altogether worse...




Our people must be strong to face that which is coming. The weak have no place by our side, lest they be the spear that wavers, the shield that drops, the flank that folds. - Message scrawled in blood, discovered atop the Laughing Mount



Remember the true nature of our Gods, cousin. The craftworlders may have cast him as their God of War, but first and foremost...Khaine is God of Murder.

That's awesome!

I already had my Eldar Eversor all planned out but I forgot about the Silver Tower elf dude... he could also be a very useful proxy!

I think the issue is, they have had IP rip-offs so often they're moving to things they can trademark. Eldar isn't a name they invented (it's actually my ex-girlfriend's dad's name) so they had to find an alternative.

As per Astra Militarum, Adepta Sororitas, Orruks, Duardin etc.

Thanks dude! Yeah it was partially inspired by your Eversor dude. Similar Khaine-worshipping bent, but basically one individual dedicated to murdering people because they believe the weak are a liability

Yeah I get the IP issues forcing a name change. Even 'Eldar' meaning elves is ripped straight from Tolkein. I just wish we could have got something a little more imaginative than sticking a few more superfluous letters into the same word.

Space Marines got 'Adeptus Astartes'. I mean how damn cool does that sound? It fits their language-profile, and references a kickass Mesopotamian war-goddess.

'Eldannar' would have sounded better, and that's simply derived from 'LamEldannar' which is the name for the Eldar language


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Last one of the dude(tte)s that was just awaiting the final touches for paint

What happens when a Warlock wanders the Outcast Path? Wild psykers. Powerful, in their own way. Lacking finesse, but unfettered access to emotion provides them with a turbulent rawness which can often achieve a similar effect.




Mostly they wander alone. On occasion they find Outcast bands who tolerate their presence, although usually for only a short while. A Hedge-Witch is a valuable resource, but a risky one. Out here, far from the safety of the craftworlds, the gaze of She Who Thirsts rarely falters.




Maegwen liked this band. Perhaps they hadn't learnt better yet, but even being tolerated for longer than was necessary was more than she usually expected. Perhaps she could make a real difference to these people. Perhaps through this she could atone for what she had done, all those years ago.



What did she do? I don't know...but there must be a reason she compulsively paints the bloodied hand of Khaine on her face...

That hand print is awesome!

I saw something similar on a white-armoued WHFB chaos warrior once & always thought it was cool, totally forgot about it but it looks way better on an Eldar wanderer!

Magnificent new additions. Loads of character and potential. The handprint is a nice touch, and well-executed.

These are incredible. The atmosphere each piece creates is something all converters of miniatures should strive for, and the fluff that goes with each one only adds to that. Good work, friend!

Thanks a ton guys! The hand-print was actually a bit of a coincidence. I'd originally intended to do some celtic-looking doodles (like my old Spiritseer: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--pAAw8xsx--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/cug2tjof2zhwgqy7h62t.jpg), but they just didn't look right. The whole model was so gritty and weathered that it just looked too clean. Earlier in the day I was flicking through TV Tropes reading about the trope of the '5 races', and wandered onto the Orc page. Unlocked my phone to see the time and there was a picture of an Uruk-Hai with the white hand of Saruman plastered on his face and thought 'bingo!'.

Very glad I did as I'm really chuffed with how it turned out!

Also, 10 internet points to anyone who can guess why she compulsively paints the hand of Khaine on her face

It's where she facepalms every time someone says 'Foetid FLOAT Drone'...

Haha! I'd expect more hand-prints for that one.

Perhaps it's also a result of all the times she's read about Eldrad being 10,000 years old when it's a literal interpretation of a piece of fluff that was meant to be taken with a mountain of salt...

Disappointment at how the current Craftworlders disregard Khaine's true purpose - god of murder?

 Verviedi wrote:
Disappointment at how the current Craftworlders disregard Khaine's true purpose - god of murder?

Yeah, they're just like SJW. Khaine being the god of murder doesn't fit their propaganda.

 Verviedi wrote:
Disappointment at how the current Craftworlders disregard Khaine's true purpose - god of murder?

Close actually, although that's actually more The Young King's motivations. My thinking with him is that through surviving the sacrifice he's both come to a greater understanding of Khaine and also gone through a sort of semi-possession where he is now an agent of Khaine's will in the materium.

Khaine might be shattered, but he's still a God of the empyrean (with all the tricks of possession and suchlike that the Chaos Gods have). If the Cegorach and Ynnead have their agents in the materium, so should he. However, being basically dead he hasn't got the power/intelligence/cohesiveness for full possession so he sort of imbued this guys with an idea of what he wants done and the means to do it.

At the risk of dispelling the mystery, The Young King's grand plan is to murder Eldar for the good of the Eldar. If he is able to kill you, then you are not capable of surviving the onslaught to come and will only be a hindrance. Note that the victory condition is 'survive', not 'defeat', so running away or tricking him is perfectly viable. If the Eldar fight and lose, they will need the best tricksters and cowards in the universe to do what Cegorach did and flee so the Eldar can survive and rebuild.

So, yeah, serial-killing Eldar for the good of the Eldar. No-one is the villain of their own story

Maegwen is a little more mundane/nice than that monster.

Loving the new models dude, the blood spatter is a great little touch of detail.

Thanks man! Blood for the Blood God is a wonderful thing

It is.

Would you mind posting group shot(s) of your entire project so far? I'd really like to see how your armies progress.

Yeah sure I'll see what I can grab/set up.

At the moment, this is the extent of my warbands (more warbands than armies as I don't think I could make a single legal force with any of them):

True Kin:


Wych Coven:


Exodites (of the INQ28 variety):


Ynnari:


Croneworlders:


Malari:


Outcasts:


Things that Go Bump in the Night:


Of those, none of them are really finished. I want to expand on my Kabal a little (they're basically jumped up street thugs who have just started calling themselves a Kabal, so some sort of Hellion Militia would be cool). I've got at least one more bio-engineered Wych nearly finished as I want to go a little further into the multi-limbed thing. My exodites will be revisited soon hopefully to make some more characterful rank and file dudes (probably using some of my Hunters, and some war beasts). The Ynnari need two more cultists for that warband to be up to strength, and then I think I might try another (related) Ynnari Cult with a similar aesthetic but different motivations. The Croneworlders are probably as close to being finished as any of them, although I've been dying to make a daemon prince from a Verminlord). The Malari will be getting quite a few more members, both Eldar and...others. The Outcasts I've got two more nearly built then awaiting paint, and ideas for a couple more (I want these guys to be like a depleted Guardian squad that had enough for various reasons and deserted). Lastly, the Webway Predators I've got at least two ideas that I really, really want to make (just because I have a thing about doing villains right).

Oh, and I need some craftwordlers too! I've got fluff written and ideas formed, just need to make some models and/or paint them (my Storm Guardians are the first lot). As the models are a little hard to make creepy/grimdark I've sort of gone a bit hard with the fluff to make up for that

I'll grab a pic of my Corsairs as they stand as well. My plans for them I'm not sure actually. I think I want to make a 'listening cell' of 5 or so models to represent what the intelligence-gathering organisation of the Khaine's Ravens is like, while the red-and-gold main army force is representative of the punative military forces of the Ravens that they use if anyone tries to mess with their intelligence operations. I've also got another 5 or so Corsairs modelled from a separate force (must post them up actually, even if they don't have paint yet). Those guys are more low-level than the Ravens, existing as a sort of band of 5 low-level mercenaries/scavengers/pirates.

I do also have some other vague ideas for other groups of Outcasts as it's such a varied thing to explore, and a few neat ideas for something to do with Biel-Tan being fractured (two ways I could go with that: battered and worn refugees and/or vengeful nomad fleet like if the Quarians from Mass Effect were xenocidal warmongerers). Someone also mentioned that it would be a damn sweet idea to try and make some craftworld citizens, but in the usual was of bending them to be slightly more grimdark and alien than you'd expect from your usual interpretation of Eldar.

Oh! Harlequins. Forgot about those. I've got three painted and the rest of a squad modelled, but haven't touched them in a while. I must admit, Harlequins are the ones that I've found hardest to do something weird with. I quite like the idea of them as sort of lone emissaries, trusted by Eldar (potentially in error) and thoroughly manipulative even by Eldar standards. Not quite sure how best to work that into a model though...

tl;dr I feel like I've come quite a way, but there's still veritable fathoms of depth to the Eldar that I haven't yet plumbed, and I'm determined to make them every bit as varied, detailed and nuanced as the Imperium no rest for the wicked!

Good post. Really shows off your cohesive, but individually distinct, takes on the Eldar. Looking forward to more.

Oh, and I need some craftwordlers too! I've got fluff written and ideas formed, just need to make some models and/or paint them (my Storm Guardians are the first lot). As the models are a little hard to make creepy/grimdark I've sort of gone a bit hard with the fluff to make up for that

Hah, that's exactly what I'm doing with mine. They may or may not have a certain someone (whose name starts with "A") messing with them, but then again that might just be another trick. Tzeentch definitely has something planed for them.

I do also have some other vague ideas for other groups of Outcasts as it's such a varied thing to explore, and a few neat ideas for something to do with Biel-Tan being fractured (two ways I could go with that: battered and worn refugees and/or vengeful nomad fleet like if the Quarians from Mass Effect were xenocidal warmongerers). Someone also mentioned that it would be a damn sweet idea to try and make some craftworld citizens, but in the usual was of bending them to be slightly more grimdark and alien than you'd expect from your usual interpretation of Eldar.

You could add the Biel-Tan ones to your Ynnari. They could be a group of survivors that blame Yvraine for the death of their craftworld, but decided their best course of action is to join her followers and wait for the right time to strike. If you want to, you could make those your citizens, as I'd imagine many of the Biel-Tan survivors wouldn't care about their former paths and just kinda drift off into the jaws of hesheit-who-must-not-be-named. Just make an eldar architect and I'll be happy.

Thanks! Here was me thinking I was at best a scatterbrained hobby butterfly i suppose there's no reason those things are mutually exclusive

Nice angle with Tzeentch playing with them of all the Chaos Gods Tzeentch is the one that i've had the hardest time working in to Eldar fluff, which is odd when you think about it as their spheres of influence are pretty similar.

I thought about making some multi-faction looking Ynnari but i'm so sold on my low-contrast almost monochrome look and too much white or any green would ruin that. I do however agree wholeheartedly that the majority of the Biel Tan survivors would be almighty pissed at the Ynnari, and Biel Tan don't strike me as the sort to forgive and forget...

Funny you mention an 'architect' as one of my ideas was that Bonesingers have their own form of exarch suits, or even just weird aspect gear. The GW model, while really damn cool, is just sort of the basic Bonesinger. To build their more grand and/or intricate works of technology they'd need something to augment their natural ability.

Ha I was about to reply to the prior post with "you've not seen the GW Bonesinger model?" but you pretty much covered that - and I like the idea that they must use tools or amplifiers of a sort to build things over a certain size...

Although a bit like a 'brotherhood of psykers' to amplify powers, I'd have thought there would just be a 'brotherhood of singers' rather than something as human as using a tool.

I've been preoccupied with painting my wraithguard & converting nurgle chosen but that post showing off your collection has got me wanting to convert more eldar... maybe those Sylvaneth-based Mandrakes which have been kicking about the back of my skull for a while...

Like a Choir of Bonesingers? Yeah i definitely like that idea and something as prosaic as a tool does seem a little mon-keigh.

Perhaps the idea is more like a Bonesinger Exarch. What happens when you go so far down the Path of Creation that there's no turning back...

Ooh neat! I definitely want to see these Sylvaneth-Mandrakes of yours