Craftworld

Eldar Craftworlds
Capital	Alaitoc, Biel-tan, Iyanden, Saim-Hann, Ulthwe
Official Languages	Eldar Lexicon
Power	Middle Power
Size	Unknown number of surviving Craftworlds
Head of State	Varies, but Farseers usually prominent
Head of Government	Varies, but Seer Council usually prominent
Governmental Structure	Varies, but Seer Council usually prominent
State Religion/Ideology	Eldar Mythology
Demographic	Eldar
Military Force	Eldar Forces, Eldar Fleet

Craftworlds are massive, self-sufficient Eldar vessels, essentially mobile planets made of Wraithbone flying through space.

History

Craftworld Biel-tan before it got shattered

During the height of the Eldar Empire, the Eldar built the Craftworlds as large merchant ships. Somewhat questionably for traders, they didn't install any sort of Webway or Warp drives on the Craftworlds, instead forcing the Craftworlds to travel at sublight speed. Ultimately, this would be to the Eldar's benefit, for the amount of time spent between Eldar worlds allowed the Eldar on the Craftworlds to see just how far their people had fallen into hedonism. Realizing that something bad would happen soon, the Craftworld Eldar evacuated the Eldar still sane enough to realize how far they'd fallen from their depraved brethren, and fled, taking with them the repositories of Eldar history, science, religion, and pre-Fall culture.

Wait a minute doesn’t the landmass on that planet look kind of like the Isle of Ulthuan… nah must be Just a coincidence.

Craftworld crashes into a planet (Will of Iron comics). Damn these suckers are big.

Unfortunately, not all of them made it out of the Segmentum Obscurus in time, and many of the Craftworlds were caught in the creation of the Eye of Terror just as the hedonists were. So grimdark. One interesting note is that Khaine, for some reason, specifically manifested on the Craftworlds, as opposed to the Exodite Worlds or Commorragh, instead his Avatars emerged at the heart of every Craftworld in the Galaxy.

Following their initial expulsion the next major event in their history was the foundation of the Path System by which they live their lives, a regimented and sharply controlled social system designed to curtail their inherent impulses and emotional strengths. The foundation for this system is usually credited to Asurmen, first of the Phoenix Lords, who traveled to every Craftworld to both impart to them the Path System, as well as to begin the creation of the Aspect Warrior Shrines. Shortly after this the Great Crusade began and numerous Craftworlds were hunted down and destroyed by the Imperium as it expanded.

Today, the Craftworld Eldar comprise the largest populations of surviving Eldar. They have similar goals in preserving the Eldar, reestablishing their Empire, and fighting Chaos. However, the Craftworlds often disagree over how to achieve these things. This can lead to small conflicts between the different Craftworlds, but for the most part these are rare.

In a sense, all these Craftworlds combined (As shattered as they are) can be seen as the successor governments of the former Eldar Empire. One should not think of the Craftworlds as a unitary, or even loosely allied, polity, as they are distinctly separate governments and states who do not operate in anyway as a conjoined body. To put it simply; Craftworlds are not a single government, each Craftworld is its own political entity and they do not operate as a combined whole.

Tabletop

Back in the third edition of Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop released Codex: Craftworld Eldar, a "mini-dex" expansion booklet for the Eldar codex. It included five army list variants for the craftworlds Alaitoc, Biel-Tan, Iyanden, Saim-Hann, and Ulthwe. Each Craftworld receives a few unique units, and some receive army-wide special rules, a re-assignment of the available squads between the various categories (Troops, Elites, etc.), or even a different force organization chart. In the later Codex: Eye of Terror (released for the 2003 "Eye of Terror" summer campaign), Ulthwe got another mini-list for their "Strike Force".

Unfortunately, the Eldar got hit with the "less-is-more" bat in Fourth Edition, so the only difference between the Craftworlds on the tabletop throughout Fourth and Fifth Editions was that they had different colors and symbols. However, with the new Sixth Edition Codex, Games Workshop has bowed to fan demands seen an opportunity to make more money, and released a codex supplement all about Iyanden (unfortunately, it was written by none other than Your Spiritual Liege, and it shows). Seventh Edition passed by without any changes, but Eighth Edition is seeing a return of individual Craftworld rules!

Notable Craftworlds and specialties

The Big Five

Alaitoc -- Follow the Eldar Paths more strictly and therefore have less fun. This leads many to become arrogant outcasts and eventually veteran rangers and pathfinders. They are also archenemies of the Necrons, and fight the zombie-bots on a constant basis with little success.

Biel-tan -- Formerly the most powerful of the Craftworlds, Biel-Tan was fractured during the birth of Ynnead, and now exists as divided and nomadic fleets, some of which have fled into the Webway; others have joined the Ynnari, while some seek to continue on in the same vain as their old Craftworld, just vastly diminished. When it was a Craftworld, the Eldar of Biel-Tan were characterised by their wish to reclaim the old Empire of the Eldar before it got screwed over. Almost everyone was arrogantly warring with the lesser races. They wanted to rebuild the Eldar Empire, and believed anyone else who even touched a Maiden World were squatters to be removed. This Craftworld was notable for being even more arrogant than most other Eldar. Even other Eldar had difficulty dealing with them. Biel-Tan was fiercely protective of Exodite and Maiden worlds, and was known to reserve a special hatred for Orks, who are especially hard to exterminate from any planet they've managed to get a foothold on. In the original Dawn of War, Macha was from Biel-Tan (although current /tg/ canon suggests she spends much of her time on Ulthwé, due to Biel-Tan's lesser respect for Farseers).

Note that this Craftworld remains "active", despite the population having moved to reside in a fleet, and their warhost having fled to the webway, vowing to continue to scour squatters off of their erstwhile lawns, as both the Craftworld ship and its society are still around; it can reasonably be considered to be simultaneously ruined and active. It's still in the Big Five due to having so much fluff, past and ongoing.

Iyanden -- It used to be the largest Craftworld, but then it got OM NOM NOM NOM'd so almost everyone is dead. Fields lots of Wraith-units to make up for the whole "barely anyone left alive" thing. Known for their Spiritseers, necessary for an army like theirs, and for being the most frequently invaded Craftworld by far.

Saim-Hann -- Jetbikes all day erryday. Considered barbarians by some other Craftworlds, it is one of the least involved Craftworlds, rarely becoming caught up in events in the Galaxy.

Ulthwé -- They're a few inches away from the bleeding asshole of reality (which is why it's nicknamed "Ulthwé the Damned") so everyone is extensively trained for war, even the regular Guardians, who are called "Black Guardians". Also, this is where that dick was born. Also home to Caerys, Idranel, and Taldeer from the Dawn of War series.

All the others

Still Active

Altansar -- The home of Phoenix Lord Maugan Ra. Once thought lost in the Warp, Maugan Ra managed to find them and guide them out. Not very liked by the other Eldar, because they (rightfully so) think that nothing can remain untouched by the Warp. But don't mention that around Ra if you want to avoid repercussions. The only Craftworld, so far, to seemingly have completely joined the Ynnari.

Black Library -- Described as a Craftworld that exists wholly within the webway. Not much is known about its structure or politics, other than that it houses an unparalleled archive on the secrets of the galaxy, including the origins of Chaos. Is protected by dread sentinels, and only Harlequins (and the rare human Inquisitor) have the freedom to study here.

Ctho -- Another "lost" Craftworld.

Dorhai -- An isolationist Craftworld that see themselves as the sole untainted survivors of the Fall, so refuse to deal with outsiders. Similar to Kaelor

Il-Kaithe -- On an eternal crusade against Chaos, they are unusual in that they take their Bonesingers into battle.

Iybraesil -- A matriarchal society that likely employs large numbers of Howling Banshees. They have a great interest in the Crone Worlds.

Kaelor -- Paranoid isolationists, even amongst Eldar. Consider all of the other Craftworlds to be tainted in some manner, and so avoid contact, so they get ignored, though we know them to be tainted by association with C.S Goto, so we ignore them. Notable for their influence over the Jericho Reach and the fact their community cleaves to the old system of noble houses, so aspect shrines owe allegiance to nobles rather then the Craftworld as a whole.

Kinshara -- Not much is known, other than this was home to a magnificent weaponsmith. The story goes that Maugan Ra kidnapped this smith and forced him to teach the Phoenix Lord everything he knew about weaponcraft in order to manufacture the Maugetar. The Phoenix Lord was so pleased with the weapon that he mutilated the smith, cutting off his hands, tongue, and eyes so that he would never make an equal weapon ever again.

Lugganath -- BFFs with the Harlequins, they think that the Galaxy has gone down the crapper (no shit, Sherlock) and want to start anew in the Webway after ridding it of the Dark Eldar (which is not likely to happen). To do this, they're trying to find a Craftworld-sized webway portal.

Mero -- Sometimes referred to as "Meros". Only known to be a doomed Craftworld.

Mymeara -- Has an Imperial Armour book named after them detailing their fall from planet to Craftworld. Also home to the Phoenix Lord Irilyth and the Shadow Spectre Aspect Warriors.

Yme-Loc -- Munchkin motherfuckers who spam grav-tanks and Titans in battle. Unluckily for them, the Adeptus Mechanicus made off with several of their toys.

Ruined

Idharae -- Teamed up with Malan'tai and Alaitoc to fight Tyranids before Malan'tai got Doomed, then got themselves destroyed by the Invaders Space Marines. The Invaders also had the help of the Legion of the Damned and an unknown number of imperial assets. The Invaders also only attempted to attack after the craftworld had just fought off Hive Fleet Naga and was still in a weak position.

Kher-Ys -- Destroyed by a Slaaneshi daemon incursion. Oh, and a Keeper of Secrets possessed their Avatar during the fighting, you can imagine how much proverbial buttrape happened there. Sidenote : the whole story is a 40k version of the Breton legend of the sunken city of Ys (Kêr-Is).

Malan'tai -- Got LOLDRAIN'D by a unique Zoanthrope who feeds off psychic energy. Needless to say, after it devoured the souls on the Craftworld's Infinity Circuit, things went very bad for them. Are now extinct. The Grey Knights under the command of Anval Thawn went and saved the remaining soulstones from a Keeper of Secrets and were uncharacteristically generous enough to give them back to the Eldar.

Zandros -- Only mentioned twice, once as the home to a unique warrior aspect called the Slicing Orbs. The second time as the site of a duel between Karandras and Arhra throughout its shattered ruins and over the shrine of the aforementioned aspect warriors.

Unknown Status

Sethoywan - The master of this Craftworld was slain by Daylight, from the Imperial Fists. The exact time is unknown, but prior to the War of the Beast.

/tg/ made Craftworlds

• Craftworld Eonhar
• Craftworld Aylis-Nasturcane

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