Sslyth

Dark Eldar Portal

Sslyth^[4]

Sslyth (Serpentes vindicum)^[2] are an alien species that inhabit the galaxy as mercenaries and are typically seen within an Archon's Lord's Retinue.^[1]

Overview

Malice, a Sslyth mercenary in Commorragh.^[11]

Millennia ago, the brutish race fell before the temptations of unbridled excess and quickly became one of the most favored bodyguards of the Dark Eldar. Their serpentine bodies combined with two sets of arms allow them to carry enough blades to be a dervish is melee whilst simultaneously firing and reloading ranged weapons. Their lightning fast reaction speeds allow them to jump to their employer's defence and quickly dispatch anyone foolish to harm their master. Their scales are hard enough to serve as armour while seemingly being impervious to pain. Their combination of brutish ferocity, professionalism, and relative loyalty is why they are often chosen as a bodyguard detail for an Archon or powerful Drukhari gang leader. Dark Eldar make poor bodyguards due to their treacherous nature which is why Sslyth are often recruited from the ranks of the aliens that inhabit the Dark City of Commorragh in order to protect their master from an inevitable coup.^[1]

Sslyth^[2]

While savage in appearance, they in fact possess a great intelligence.^[2] These coil-kin are laudably efficient and coldly professional in their business with Drukhari, rarely getting out of hand with slaves as a Dark Eldar might. The Sslyth language is deceptively complex. It consists of a limited vocabulary with innumerable possible inflections. Many Drukhari don't bother learn a working knowledge of this xenos tongue.^[5] It is more common to see a Sslyth conversing in a sibilant interpretation of the Drukhari language.^[7]

Sslyth are also known to have fought as part of the xenos mercenaries of the Alpha Legion's Sons of the Hydra in their campaign to eradicate the Ultramarines' Successor Chapters guarding the rimward edge of the Maelstrom in late M41.^[3a] They took part in the successful ground assault against the Marines Mordant's Fortress-Monastery the Bas-Silica on Vitrea Mundi.^[3a] Here they fought alongside the Tarellians, Morralians, Galgs, Fra'al, and Eldar Outcasts, and were united with them by a shared seething hatred of humanity.^[3a] The use of different species was chosen to provide maximum strategic flexibility, and their extremely varied combat styles made them very difficult for even the Marines' Veterans to defend against.^[3a][3b]

The best way to deal with Sslyth is to take advantage of their poor tolerance for cold. Upon exposure to cold temperatures they will fall into a death-like coma.^[2] Sslyth have wrestling matches, sometimes as entertainment to Dark Eldar onlookers.^[8] A Sslyth den is called a venom-nest. Some Dark Eldar groups trap individuals in these venom-nests as retribution for wrong-doings.^[9]

Sslyth are sometimes armed with Kabalite armour, Shardcarbines, Splinter Pistols, and close combat weapons.^[10]

Named Sslyth

• Malice - Mercenary in Commoragh^[11]

Images

• 

  Sslyth in the service of a Dark Eldar Archon

• 

  Sslyth Mercenary^[6]

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• In Sons of the Hydra, Quetzel Carthach was said to have included xenos in his close circle of advisors.^[3a] While Omizhar Vohk is the only confirmed advisor, Sslyth or members of the other xenos mercenaries Carthach used may have been included among them.

See also

• List of sentient species
• Deathwatch: The Flesh of the Angel (Short Story)

Sources

• 1: Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 35
• 2: Liber Xenologis, pgs. 84-85
• 3: Sons of the Hydra (Novel):
  • 3a: Part I, Chapter δ: The Viper's Nest
  • 3b: Part I, Chapter γ: Turning Tail
• 4: Codex: Drukhari (8th Edition), pg. 51
• 5: Lukas the Trickster (Novel), Chapter 3
• 6: Warhammer 40,000: Conquest, Sslyth Mercenary - Gift of the Ethereals set
• 7: Shadow Play (Short Story)
• 8: The Treasures of Biel-Tanigh (Short Story) - Path of the Dark Eldar (Omnibus)
• 9: Haemonculus Covens - A Codex: Dark Eldar Supplement - Covens of Commorragh, The Black Descent
• 10: Codex: Dark Eldar (7th Edition), Court of the Archon
• 11: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (Video Game)