Wraith Construct

This article is about the generic use of "Ghost-Warrior"; for the Eldar troop of the same name, see Ghost-Warrior.

Wraith Constructs,^[1] also known as Ghost Warriors,^[3a] Wraith-Guardians, and Wraith-Nobles,^[5] are mechanical Wraithbone constructs created by the Eldar race, empowered by souls contained within Spirit Stones drawn from an Infinity Circuit.^[1]^[2]

Overview

Saim-Hann Wraith Host featuring a wraithblade, wraithguard, and wraithknight.^[12]

With the guidance of a seer, it is possible for an Eldar spirit to separate itself from the infinity circuit after death and flow into a spirit stone. Such a spirit stone can then be placed within the robotic body of a wraith-construct, imbuing its artificial form with the living spirit.^[1] The greater the might of a wraith construct shell, the greater the soul needs to be in order to motivate it. A hero of great power must be called forth from their rest in order to animate the most powerful of these war-sculptures.^[7a] Though this process is seen as disgusting and distasteful to the Eldar,^[1] who view it as a kind of necromancy^[8] or grave-robbing within their own culture,^[5] it is increasingly in use.^[1] Most craftworlds rarely wake ghost warriors and seldom in large numbers. They are typically only brought back to the land of the living as a last line of defence.^[3c] Despite this, it is seen as a necessary evil for a dying race forced to call on the spirits of the dead to fill their ever-dwindling ranks.^[8b]

Craftworlds devastated by war, such as Iyanden and Altansar,^[4] are remarkable for their reliance on such constructs, with those of Craftworld Iyanden even given political power through Ghost Houses.^[3b] These are made up of numerous wraith constructs that refuse to return to their rest. So numerous and active are they on Iyanden that the dead willingly take up the craftworld's wars, taking on the roles that guardians and Aspect Warriors would. They overwhelm enemies with endurance and implacability, rather than the deftness and grace expected of living Eldar. These restless dead dwell in the ruined halls that were once their ancestral domes on the craftworld.^[3c] The Ghost Halls are eerily silent places, as wraith constructs do not speak. Various wraithguards or wraithlords are found doing seemingly meaningless tasks that may have had some significance to the individual in life, whether it be walking the same path in a garden until ruts form, seemingly attempting to eat or drink, or standing motionless and silent in a field or on a stage with an equally motionless audience. These craftworld domes are haunted by the dead who half-remember their lives.^[7b]

The largest of the Wraith Constructs are the Eldar Titans, so large are these creations that individual Spirit Stones are not able to awaken them.^[15] Rather, their Wraithbone forms are built around Infinity Circuits which work in tandem with their living Steersmen to deftly manoeuvre and destroy the foes of the Craftworld.^[14]

Senses

Iyanden wraithguard and wraithblade.^[12]

Wraith constructs perceive reality like an enigmatically vague dream.^[6] This wraithsight is the spirit viewing the world through the lens of the warp.^[1]^[13] This takes some time for the spirit to get used to and they might feel and see nothing, or perhaps only a coldness, when they are first awoken in a wraith construct.^[10] Although they cannot speak, they can communicate telepathically. As such those heroes with millennia of experience may take part in war councils; this most often occurs with wraithlords.^[8b]

They exist in both the real world and the spirit world. But the presence of a living Aeldari can help orient their senses and guide their actions. Living Aeldari appear as beacons or guides for constructs.^[8b] Wraith Constructs are nearly impervious to all forms of pain.^[9] Their ethereal warp-based vision can be interfered with through through disturbances, such as proximity with the Great Rift, causing strange or unpredictable behaviour.^[11]

These animated constructs tend to remember little of their past,^[6] aside from their strongest drives or extremes of personality.^[3c] Most Wraith Constructs use the name they went by in life, if they still remember it. If not, they tend to adopt a suitably imposing title befitting their new implacable and obdurate form. Wraith Constructs are typically directed with simple commands. They are also tightly bound to their craftworld.^[6]

Spirit Runes

Spirit Runes and their meanings.^[3d]

Only the extremes of an individual's personality survive the transition from a living being to spirit. Thus the personality of a wraith construct largely consists of only the strongest character traits and obsessions they had in life.^[3c] Every ghost warrior is marked with a spirit rune somewhere on their body to denote these primary traits. The Spiritseer selects the symbol when the soul is awoken from the infinity circuit. Each rune is chosen to reflect the Spiritseer's perception of the soul housed in the machine, so that other eldar may recognise the lingering memories of emotions that drive the individual ghost warrior at a glance. There are hundreds of different symbols, each with their own subtle meanings and inflections. The more complex the rune, the more intricate the desires of the soul contained within are.^[3d]

Spirit Seals

Banners of three Phantom Titans of Titan Clan Fir Lirithion with Spirit Seals shown at the top ranging from younger (left) to a squadron leading ancient (right). Beneath the seals are a runic version of the Fir Lirithion clan symbol and the Phantom Titan glyph with various weaponry.^[14]

The largest Wraith Constructs, the Eldar Titans require living Steersmen to guide them across the battlefield, wearing permanent headbands inset with Spirit Stones that allow them to meld their souls with those within the small Infinity Circuits of their titans, creating an ever-growing gestalt. As Titan Clans are often familial, this can reflect generations of Eldar within a single titan. To reflect the ever-growing nature of these war machines, Spirit Seals are drawn which include new runes for each new Steersman which joins with the Titan.^[14]

Infinity Symbols

Infinity Symbols are inscribed upon all Wraith Constructs to mark their spiritual connection to the Infinity Circuit from which they were borne.^[14] The meanings of these runes are known to the Spiritseers which mark the constructs,^[3d] however for reasons of their own Titan Clans will mark all of their titans with the same infinity rune.^[14]