Kaela Mensha Khaine
The Eldar God Kaela Mensha Khaine (normally abbreviated to Khaine) also known as the Lord of Murder,[9] is associated with murder, violence, strife, destruction and war. Though shattered in his duel with Slaanesh during the Fall of the Eldar Khaine lives on in fragments lodged within the craftworlds of the aeldari and it is from Khaine's that Aspect Warriors derive their aspects.[10]
Contents
Overview
Khaine is one of the two surviving gods of the Eldar pantheon; Cegorach the Laughing God being the other who escaped through guile. Khaine survived the birth of Slaanesh through might alone. After a titanic battle in the warp, Slaanesh shattered Khaine into fragments since she was too exhausted to destroy him completely. From where each of these scattered shards came to rest an Avatar of Khaine would take root. These walking fragments of myth are awoken by Aeldari to this day in order to wreak fury and destruction in battle.[4b]
Many scholars believe him to be a manifestation of the Eldar's racial passion as manifested in battle and warfare. "Kaela Mensha" is not technically part of Khaine's name, but is a title he bears. It roughly translated to "bloody-handed", a reference to the blood that eternally drips from his hands as a reminder of his murder of the ancient Eldar hero, Eldanesh.[4e] The word Khaine signifies the essence of murder.
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Mythology
In Aeldari myth, Khaine was amongst the ruling triumvirate of gods. He was the first brother to Asuryan, the Phoenix King, chief and oldest of all gods. Khaine was second only to Asuryan in power, and was often shown to be at odds with the third member of the ruling triumvirate, Vaul the Maker. Khaine is also the most violent and reckless of the gods.[4a]
Tears of Isha
In the myth known as the Tears of Isha recalls how the Aeldari race was born as mortal children of Isha and Kurnous. Lileath dreamed that Khaine would be torn into a hundred pieces by a great mortal army. Once Khaine knew of this he began to destroy the Aeldari. The weeping of Isha was heard by Asuryan and he learned of Lileath's dream. The Phoenix King placed a great barrier to protect the few Aeldari still alive, thus dividing mortals and gods forever.[4d]
Doom of Eldanesh
The myths of the Tears of Isha and subsequent Swords of Vaul lead to the Doom of Eldanesh.
It is said that Khaine slew the Aeldari hero of myth known as Eldanesh out of jealousy. The war god struck down the hero when Eldanesh rashly denounced his patron deity. This act brought about the War in Heaven (Eldar), according to aeldari myth.[4c]
Asuryan was so appalled by his murder of Eldanesh, a mortal hero, that he cursed Khaine and made his hands drip eternally with the blood of Eldanesh so that everyone would remember what he had done.[4a] This bloody hand is an eternal mark of shame given to Khaine by Asuryan for the butchering of Eldanesh.[6b]
Bloody Blades of Khaine
One of the mythic tales of the Bloody-Handed God is that of their triumpth over the White Wyrm Oghanothir. The armoured bulk of this titanic serpent eclipsed the sun whenever it rose up to strike. The legend tells that Khaine hunted the great beast across the stars and eventually found its nest in the heart of a hollow moon. As the monster merged from its lair, Khaine hurled a pair of bloody blades, made from the gore that dripped from his left hand. The darting blades removed the creature's eyes from its sockets. This strike ensured that Khaine would be able to defeat Oghanothir.[6a]
War in Heaven
During the War in Heaven, Khaine fought and defeated the Nightbringer, shattering his necrodermis, although the resulting metal shards pierced his flesh, tainting his form with "the Aspect of the Reaper." It is also said that this event precipitated the eventual Fall of the Eldar: The Nightbringer planted the fear of death within all mortal creatures except the Orks, which furthered their survivalist emotions. In the depths of the warp, beings created during the turmoil of the War in Heaven would feast on these feelings and grow to sentience, setting into motion a chain of events that would close the Path of Rebirth for Eldar souls forever.[5]
Fall of the Eldar
Khaine is also believed to have been assaulted, defeated, and dominated by Slaanesh sometime after its awakening in the 29th millennium (by the Imperial Calendar). Following this, Khorne, Chaos God of war, battled Slaanesh for Khaine, rightly claiming the Eldar deity as his property. During their struggle, Khaine was driven into the material world, where he shattered into a thousand pieces such that neither god may claim him.[1] The dread Avatars of Khaine are the mere splinters of the ancient war god that can be called upon by a sacrifice of an Exarch who is chosen to be the Young King who are then absorbed by the essence, thus becoming the Avatar of Khaine wielding the might of the War God himself.[1]
Modern Worship
The "Warrior Aspects" followed by the Eldar Aspect Warriors embody the different aspects or facets of Khaine - each Aspect Warrior type closely follows a particular aspect through long training and dedication, and each fulfills a distinctive role in combat:[2][10]
- The Dire Avengers exemplify Khaine in his most noblest aspect as the punisher of for the unworthy and enemies of the Eldar.[2][10]
- The Howling Banshees represent the Khaine's fury.[7] They also come from Morai-Heg, who was said to have persuaded murder god to cut off her hand so she could access the knowledge in her own blood. In return, she granted Khaine the power of her daughters, the Banshees.[10]
- The Dark Reapers represent Khaine in his most sinister role as the destroyer and reaper of souls.[2][10]
- The Striking Scorpions represent Khaine as Murekh the scorpion Khaine disguised himself as during the War in Heaven to sting Vaul's hand and prevent him from completing the hundred Swords of Vaul[10] (Murekh also serves as the Eldar word for Shuriken Pistol[12]). Striking Scorpions also represent Khaine as the hunter and the killer.[7]
- The Fire Dragons represent Khaine's wanton elemental destruction and the Dragon.[10]
- The Swooping Hawks represent Khaine's ceaseless persistence in judgement and retribution.[7] Their name is from the hawks, who according to Eldar mythology are the spirits of those who have been taken from murder, hovering above their killer to mark their guilt.[10]
- The Warp Spiders represent Khaine as the trapper, ensnarer, and slayer of those who would dare intrude in the realm of the gods.[7] Their name comes from the creatures of the same name as well as Ahnakh-Yth, the Weaver, who was one of the daughters of Morai-Heg who had her powers granted to Khaine.[10]
- The Shining Spears represent the spear of Khaine, which in fables say struck like lightning and killed with a single blow.[10]
- The Shadow Spectres represent Khaine as the eternal warrior, for whom death is no release from duty.[11]
- The Aeldari fighter pilots of the Crimson Hunters seek to emulate his pursuit and wounding of titanic prey in order for it to be possible to slaughter it. They also emulate the speed of the blinding blades thrown by Khaine to blind the monstrous White Wyrm he pursued.[6a]
But not only Aspect Warriors of the Craftworlds follow Khaine. The Dark Eldar Incubi still practice and follow the teachings of Khaine. In the heart of their obsidian shrines, failed initiates are burned as offerings to iron statues of the bloody-handed god.[8]
The greatest Eldar warriors may, if the need arises, offer their lives as sacrifices to awaken an Avatar of Khaine, one of the most powerful units the Eldar possess.[4e]
Trivia
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- Khaine might be based on the character of Cain who in Abrahamic religions is known as the first murderer.
See also
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Compilation, The Eldar Path pgs. 48-50
- 2: Codex: Eldar (2nd Edition), pgs. 8-10
- 3: The Art of Warhammer 40,000 (2006), Eldar Avatar, David Gallagher, Codex Craftworld Eldar cover, 2000
- 4: Codex: Craftworlds (8th Edition):
- 5: Dawn of War: Tempest (Novel), Chapter Six
- 6: Codex: Eldar (9th Edition):
- 7: Wrath & Glory - Aeldari - Inheritance of Embers - pgs. 22-30
- 8: Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 31
- 9: Codex: Aeldari (10th Edition), pg. 13
- 10: White Dwarf 511 (UK), pgs. 78-81
- 11: Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pgs. 141-143
- 12: Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition), pg. 56
Uncited
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