Lugganath is minor Craftworld of the Eldar. In the Eldar Lexicon their name translates as "Light of the Fallen Suns". Their world-rune, the "Black Sun", is a reference to the lost glory of the original Eldar star systems. It is said that if a viewer were to look far enough into the void he would be able to perceive the last light of those dead stars -- as close to a metaphor for hope as the Eldar of Lugganath know.
History
An Eldar Guardian of Craftworld Lugganath
The Lugganath Eldar have turned their backs upon the material realm, for they consider its worlds already lost. Perceived as little better than Corsairs by other Craftworlds, the Eldar of Craftworld Lugganath are a society of renegades who seek to foster close ties with the Harlequins of the Laughing God, as the Lugganath Eldar hope to abandon this galaxy and start civilisation afresh and claim the Webway as their realm, possibly reclaiming the Labyrinthine Dimension from the Dark Eldar as well. It is their ultimate plan to secede from realspace entirely by finding a Webway gate large and stable enough to sail their Craftworld through, and a hidden spar of the galactic labyrinth in which to create a new home and thus find salvation for the Eldar within its twilight expanse. Having cast off many of the rigid ways of Eldar culture, the Craftworld has become a haven for outcasts of all kinds. They foster close ties with the Harlequins, for their knowledge of the Webway is unrivalled. Eldar Corsair fleets cluster around the docking towers of the Craftworld, amongst them the notorious Sunblitz Brotherhood. Under the watchful gaze of their Farseers, the hard-eyed people of Lugganath mingle freely with these warriors of the fringe. When Lugganath gathers for war, its armies are an eclectic mix of standing and auxiliary forces, a riot of colour in a galaxy grey with age. The Luggnath Craftworld is last known to have been active in the western quadrant of the Segmentum Obscurus in recent millenia. In 801.M41 forces from Lugganath attacked the stronghold of the Steel Hearts and destroyed this Chapter of Renegade Chaos Space Marines in its entirety. Later in 805.M41 forces from Lugganath aided in stymieing a daemonic incursion on the world of Cathox Prime and also in suppressing an uprising by Chaos Cultists on the world of Cathox Gamma.
Notable Events
- The Shattering of Lugganath (764.M34) - Craftworld Lugganath is invaded in force by the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion. Thousands die as the devotees of Slaanesh defile much of the Craftworld and drive the defenders back. The reeling Eldar rally at the Plaza of Reflection, where the Emperor's Children Noise Marines use their Sonic Weapons to collapse much of the Craftworld's graceful architecture upon the defenders, crushing hundreds of Eldar to death amidst splintered spars of Wraithbone. Seeing the devastation wrought by the terrible weapons of the Chaos Space Marines, the Autarchs of Lugganath authorise the use of Hemlock Wraithfighters. The Emperor's Children eventually retreat before the resultant barrage of necromantic energy, abandoning their dead and pursued every step of the way by vengeful Harlequins and unflinching, tireless ghost warriors.
- Slaughter of the Inner Council (421.M41) - A nameless messenger butchers the Inner Council of Craftworld Lugganath, smashing apart a statue of Khaine and using the shards as deadly weapons. Fleeing into the webway with a holocapture of her murderous deed, the young warrior calling herself Steel Fang is welcomed by the Wych Cults of the Dark City. She soon founds her own Cult, and her teachings in the art of improvised weaponry spread throughout the arenas of Commorragh.
- Destruction of the Steel Heart (801.M41) - Eldar forces from Craftworld Lugganath attack the stronghold of the Steel Heart Chapter of Chaos Space Marines, destroying the Renegade Chapter in its entirety.
- Cathox System Suppression (805.M41) - Eldar forces from Craftworld Lugganath help to defeat a daemonic incursion on Cathox Prime, and aid in the suppression of a Chaos Cultist uprising on Cathox Gamma.
- Dishonourable Alliances (909.M41) - A vast Imperial force comprised of the 52nd and 124th Valhallan Imperial Guard regiments leads an invasion of the ice planet of Klaihn. To prevent a sacred Eldar Temple of Isha from falling into the hands of the Imperium, Biel-Tan and Lugganath each field their most potent Ghost Warriors and Aspect Warriors in a unified force. Partially because of the strange, ethereal blizzards that plagued the world, and the stubbornness of the Valhallans, what was intended to be a fast strike results in a protracted and exhausting conflict. Eventually, the Eldar reach the temple and encircle it with Ghost Warriors, only for a Warp-blizzard to bring new terrors in the form of a wave of Daemons. An uneasy alliance is struck between the Eldar and the Imperial forces to purge the planet of frost-blighted Slaaneshi Warp-horrors. However, the Eldar have a greater plan, and lure the Daemons and Valhallans into a bloody conflict against each other that greatly reduces the numbers of each. Though the Valhallans are finally victorious against the Warpspawn, the Ghost Warriors easily rout the exhausted Imperial survivors.
- Fall of the Seers of Lugganath (975.M41) - The Craftworld of Lugganath falls prey to the disease known as the Brittle Coma. Its Seer Council projects their spirits into the Garden of Nurgle, hoping to find a cure, but instead meet a tragic and unsettling end.
- Sanctity Breached (998.M41) - Furious battle erupts in the twilight realm of the webway as Chaos Space Marines of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion fight their way to within sight of the Black Library. Their leader, the master Chaos Sorcerer Ahriman, is thwarted by a powerful force of Eldar Harlequins and allies from both Craftworld Ulthwé and Craftworld Lugganath. Several major arteries of the webway are choked with the dead before the warrior-psykers of the Thousand Sons are driven from the secret paths by a concerted attack. The breach caused by the rampaging Chaos Sorcerers is runically sealed, but as a result, a section of the webway is lost forever.
Appearance
Lugganath has become a haven for scoundrels and pirates, and it is not uncommon for their Guardians to bear the icons or patterns of the Harlequin masques or Corsair forces they fight alongside. Comparisons have been drawn between the Craftworld's own colours and the fiery orange of the Corsairs of the Sunblitz Brotherhood. Whether this similarity is a coincidence or an indication of some deeper connection between the two factions is open to speculation.
Sources
- Codex: Chaos Daemons (6th Edition), pg. 22
- Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 21
- Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition), pg. 110
- Codex: Eldar (6th Edition), pp. 17-19, 21, 23
- Codex: Eldar Craftworlds (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pp. 43, 48, 184-185
- Dataslate - Eldar Ghost Warriors (Digital Edition), pg. 13
- Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pg. 149
- Warhammer 40,000: Battle Missions (5th Edition), pg. 33
- White Dwarf Magazine 236 (UK), "Codex: Eldar - Arrogant Threat," by Gav Thorpe, pg. 11
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
Gallery
