Pirates and Outcasts
Some Eldar find the rigid constraints of the Eldar path intolerable and leave their Craftworlds. Such Eldar are known as Outcasts. Many Eldar spend years or decades as Outcasts, but most eventually return to the Eldar path. They leave their Craftworlds and live elsewhere, often wandering the galaxy and visiting the worlds of men or the Exodites. These Eldar are realists and are often very tough, sinister, individuals; a complete opposite to the Craftworld Eldar.
There are also Eldar "Pirates"; unlike the other groups, these are not very clearly defined. Some Eldar Pirates are actually the long-ranging fleets of Craftworlds, and others are groups of Harlequins or Dark Eldar that are mistakenly identified. Some may even be an enduring fleet that fled from the Fall but lost or lacked a Craftworld to rally around, and have since forged a base on an asteroid or uninhabited world.
There are also those that have been forced to piracy and exile, however, often for their own actions and choices. Some Eldar refuse to obey the strict rules of the Craftworld or commit crimes among their people, and choose to flee rather than face judgement. One of the most famous pirates was Yriel of Iyanden, a former fleet commander who was exiled for leaving the Craftworld underdefended while pursuing an attack on the Eye of Terror. He and his crew formed a band of pirates that worked between various human worlds, often contracting their services out to them. He eventually assembled a sizeable fleet, and later returned to save Iyanden from the assault of the Tyranids.
Many Pirates are far less noble, however. There are many among them who have taken the same dark road as the Eldar of old, and work as pirates in order to fill their thirst for thrill and combat. In general, Pirates are quick-tempered and unpredictable, traits in the Eldar that surface rapidly once they are outside the ordered societies they build for themselves.
Outcasts (including Pirates) are not welcome aboard Craftworlds except briefly, for their minds are dangerously unbound and attract predators from the psychic realms of the warp. Daemons or other warp entities can home in to the mind of an Outcast and lodge in the psycho-supportive environment of the Craftworld's wraithbone core— which would be disastrous. Outcasts are also disruptive in another sense, for their presence can distract the young and inexperienced from the Eldar path by their romantic tales of travel and freedom. However, despite being unwelcome aboard Craftworlds, Outcasts often perform the vital role of acting as scouts for the armies of these same Craftworlds. These battlefield scouts are known as Rangers, and they also frequently act as snipers, utilizing superior camouflage technology and very powerful rifles.
There are also many other forms of Outcasts, extremists who like Eldar Exarches have travelled too far on a path to ever return to Eldar society. Examples include Explorers driven insane by a thirst for adventure and artifacts, and scientists exploring ancient taboo technology. For instance Adepts of Kurnous are hunters who travel the galaxy, hunting and killing the myriad of species populating the galaxy. They have limited contact with Exodite communities, but inevitably these deadly predators are driven to hunt the intelligent species of the galaxy - even those of their own race. Avengers are Outcasts who are driven to a lonely path hunting and visiting vengeance criminals and deviants. Disputed examples of them operating in Imperial and other alien societies have led to a certain mystique and legendary status to Outcasts of this kind. |