THE CLANS:
History of Clan Eshin
After the disaster at Skavenblight, and the appearance of the Grey Lords, Clan Eshin set off to the East under the leadership of a Grey Lord known as Lord Visktrin. While crossing the Mountains of Mourn in the far east, Lord Visktrin was mortally wounded in a battle with a dragon. Before Lord Visktrin died, he appointed a successor and commanded the Clan to continue east. When they arrived in Imperial Cathay, they learned of the intrigues of the Far East. By observing the Warrior Monks of Cathay and the cold efficiency of the Ninja of Nippon, they honed their skills in such deadly arts.
Description of Clan Eshin
Clan Eshin is one of the most powerful clans in the Skaven Under Empire. Their clan is synonymous with murder, poison, and assassinations, and even their reputation is a weapon itself. They hire their services out to the other clans, and despite their feigned political neutrality, are deeply immersed in plotting and scheming. Not the most influential, or the largest of Clans, they are one of the most feared, and they have an incredible degree of knowledge about the other Clans, learned from spies and agents.
The Leader of Clan Eshin is the Nightlord. From there, the Clan follows a convoluted Hierarchy appointed by the Nightlord. All appointments must be approved by him, giving him powerful control. The leadership of the Clan exists based on proximity to the Nightlord. He does rely on a series of recommendations, allowing for a lot of political rivalry and plotting. Inter-clan assassinations, done well, are secretly approved of, while botched assassinations against Clan Eshin members are punishable by death.
History of Clan Moulder
Like Clan Eshin, Clan Moulder was guided to the Hell Pit and it's domain in Kislev and the world's edge mountains by a Grey Lord known as Lord Malkrit. The Clan has maintained a low profile, gathering it's time and it's resources. They avoid interfering in the politics of Kislev. During the last incursion of Chaos, a great battle was fought around the Hell Pit, and many of their creatures were tested in the battles around Hell Pit.
Description of Clan Moulder
Clan Moulder have gained their power from their special breeding projects, and their acquisition of Warpstone. From their Clan home of Hell Pit they carry on experiments in breeding. By applying Warpstone and selective breeding programs, they have developed an army of beasts that can rival any force that the other clans may field. They sell sterile beasts to other Clans to afford their experiments.
The leader of Clan Moulder is Packlord Verminkin. He controls a small ruling elite, consisting of Breeders and Trainers. Since many of the Clan are focused on training and breeding the creatures, the politics and scheming within the Hell Pit is a little more subdued. Once members of Clan Moulder leave the strict hierarchy of the Hell Pit, they often plot against each other, so that most politics within Clan Moulder takes place outside of the Clan, amongst the members on excursions and missions.
History of Clan Pestilens
The history of Clan Pestilens begins with the Disaster at Skavenblight, and their consequent pilgrimage to Lustria, where they developed their own "cult" within the Cult of the Horned Rat. They had been forgotten, and rearrived to the Old World, battling Skaven Clans in the Southlands, and went to war with the Council . This war finally ended in the reintegration of Clan Pestilens into Skavendom. They were then responsible for the release of a number of diseases into the Old World, and played a role in the Second Skaven Civil War.
Description of Clan Pestilens
Clan Pestilens are foul and verminous, spreading plague and pestilence through their foul rites and experiments. Responsible for many of the plagues that swept the Old World, they are responsible for more deaths than any other Clan. Filled with ritual, the members of this Clan adopt a bizarre cult version of the Cult of the Horned Rat, organizing themselves along religious lines.
The leader of this Cult is the Plaguelord, who is, according to the Priesthood of Pestilence, the favored of the Horned Rat. The Plaguelord is the head of the Clan and the Cult of the Priesthood of Pestilence. He wields phenomenal power over the fanatic followers. His servants are the Plague Priests, who make up the ruling hierarchy of the Priesthood. Below them are the Plague Monks, the fervent soldier followers of the Priesthood, who are half mad with religious fervor. A small faction, the Plaguelords, are kept separate from the Clan, and it is these Plaguelords who create and concoct the deadly plagues, diseases, and miasma that give Clan Pestilens so much power.
The stronghold for Clan Pestilens exists underneath the humid jungles of Lustria, and a number of captured strongholds in the Southlands. They also have a strong foothold in Skavenblight, maintaining their own quarter there.
History of Clan Skryre
After the disaster at Skavenblight, the Greylords led the Skaven to all corners of the world. However, the Grey Lord who commanded Clan Skryre, kept them behind at Skavenblight. It was here they focused on the study of their foul arts, and picked apart the machinery that had created the disaster, tearing apart it's secrets. When the local Clans sought to conquer Clan Skryre's holdings, they turned their knowledge to war, and quickly enslaved a number of Clans. Clan Skryre quickly rose to great power in the Council, and the Warlocks of Clan Skryre played an important role in battling the Undead at Cripple Peak.
When the Council, and their dominion over Skavendom was challenged by Clan Pestilens, they turned to an alliance with Clan Eshin. With the introduction of all these new and powerful major Clans, Clan Skryre's supremacy was gradually eroding. When the Second Civil War broke out, as the result of Council actions at the behest of Clan Skryre, Clan Skryre unleashed used it's mighty arsenal and seized and held the Shattered Tower for the remainder of the war. Eventually when the war ended with the Incarnation of the Horned Rat, and Clan Skryre resumed it's role in the Council.
Description of Clan Skryre
Clan Skryre is a Clan that bases it's power on knowledge and a bizarre blending of magic and technology. The power in the Clan is based not on Chieftains and Warlords, but rather ability in the magical arts and technological knowledge. The Warplock Engineers of Clan Skryre form the leadership, with those who are the most powerful assuming dominance over the less powerful. The head of the Clan is the most powerful Warplock Engineer, Lord-Warlock Morskittar, also one of the most powerful Councilmembers.
The troops that Clan Skryre uses are armed with an arsenal of weaponry. Not only are their opponents hammered by the magical knowledge of Clan Skryre, but they find themselves attacked by Doomwheels, Warpfire Throwers, Warplock Jezzails, and Poison Wind Globes. Although their numbers may be small, their weapons are capable wreaking mass destruction, and many of the Skaven's greatest victories have been due to the ability and weaponry of Clan Skryre.
The Lesser Clans
Clan Khesherisk
Clan Khesherisk was the most dominant Clan in the Southlands and Araby. They had controlled or dominated nearly all of the rival Clans on the continent. They were partially responsible for the incitement of the Crusades between Araby and the Old World. They have suffered a number of defeats at the hands of Clan Pestilens, and have lost over half of their territory. Clan Khesherisk was supported and aided by the Council in it's battle against Clan Pestilens. Although they have suffered immensely in the conflict, they still remain a fairly influential force, with it's lord, the Grey Lord Azarskittar still maintains a place at the Council of Thirteen. With the exception of the holdings lost in the Southlands to Clan Pestilens, Clan Khesherisk still maintains a strong and fanatical following which is often in conflict with Clan Pestilens.
They live off of mining and the wealth of the Southlands and Araby. Much of their profits are spent to import Black Wheat from Skavenblight. Clan Khesherisk also has a large population of slaves seized from above, and from the Savage Goblins tribes, and many of the Clan eat their slaves routinely. Grey Lord Azarskittar himself, and his closest Clan Guard consume only the flesh of slaves and captives from battle, and will eat nothing else. It is this diet that Grey Lord Azarskittar credits with his long life of a hundred centuries. He will also hibernate for months on end to maintain his long life. All of his Clan Guard are fanatically loyal to him, and all the Clan Guard of Azarskittar have the skill Frenzied Attack.
Clan Mors
Clan Mors is one of the more successful and numerous of the Warlord Clans. Their Clan Warlord is the Lord of Decay Warlord Gnawdwell. Clan Mors controls the City of Pillars, a strategic Skaven stronghold. The City of Pillars was originally the Dwarven City of Karak Eight Peaks. After battling for two hundred years with Clan Gritak against both Dwarves and Goblinoids. After successfully driving the other races out, and destroying or enslaving their allies, Clan Gritak, the city was theirs.
Clan Rictus
Clan Rictus, along with Clan Mors, is one of the most powerful of the numerous Warlord Clans. They hold Crookback Mountain, a former Goblin Stronghold. Their leader has a seat on the Council of Thirteen, Lord of Decay Kratch Doomclaw. This clan gains incredible wealth from the Goblin slaves it takes, the rich mines in the area, and recovery of Warpstone from the Dark Lands. They are steadily progressing into the Dark Lands. They maintain their strength through large regiments of tough Stormvermin.
Clan Scruten
Clan Scruten is a Clan controlled by the Grey Seers. They moved into the Marienburg area a few hundred years ago by Grey Seer Kritislik. The Clan has a stronghold in the Cursed Marshes near Marienburg. The Clan is unusual in that it often operates above ground. It is used by the Skaven as scouts on the surface, used to escort Grey Seers and other Council Agents in Rural or Wild areas.
Clan Skrisnik
Clan Skrisnik is one of the most quiet and least well known Clans, and also one of the most powerful. Along with Clan Khesherisk, it is the only Clan still led by a Grey Lord. The leader of Clan Skrisnik is one of the most powerful Skaven alive. Grey Lord Skrisnik is a Warlord and Grey Lord of his Clan, the third highest Grey Seer (he has held the same position for five hundred years), and is a Lord of Decay, holding the Second Seat, making him one of the most powerful of all Skaven. Clan Skrisnik controls all the Skaven holdings in Estalia. Lord Skrisnik was partially responsible for the direction that the Inquisition took, feeding the Inquisitor's all manner of false information, weakening Estalia and doing away with the Skaven's competitors.
Lord Skrisnik's power on the Council is an enigma to many, even those on the Council. Conservative, ambiguous, his role is a questionable one. He is however one of the greatest schemers to ever have been produced by Skavendom, and his machinations are so subtle as to defy conception. None have ever crossed his will and not paid a heavy price.
Clan Skrisnik is not too powerful or numerous, but is well entrenched. Very conservative, they play a very small role in Skaven Society, and few really even know that they exist, or know of the extent of their power, for they seek to influence things subtlety. Grey Lord Skrisnik has an eternity for his plans to hatch.
With his position in the Cult of the Horned Rat, he uses many of the Council Agents to help his Clan in undermining Estalia. The ignorance of the Estalians to the presence of this evil below their land is an attribute to Clan Skrisnik's abilities.