Death Night

Death Night is a yearly event in the cities of the Dark Elves. ^[1]

During this night Witch Elves lusting for blood scour the streets searching for Dark Elves who must lock their doors and shutter their windows. Anyone who is discovered on the streets is and the selected houses are broken into and the petrified inhabitants kidnapped. All these unfortunate victims are then taken to the temple of Khaine to be sacrificed to the Lord of Murder, although some tales state they are brought to the height of pleasure before being being subjected to a torment of pain. ^[1]

Families who survive through Death Night without any of their number being taken will usually thank Khaine by the sacrifice of a slave or an older family member.

It is unclear if this is the same night as Geheimnisnacht (or Hexensnacht).

Assassins

A young child may be spared form being sacrificed, being trained instead as a cult assassin. They are trained from an early age how to fight and few opponents can match the skill of an ordained Assassin. ^[1]

History

To break the stalemate between them herself and Morathi, Hellebron commanded hundreds of nobles and sorcerers that supported Morathi to be abducted from their beds and sacrificed and it is said Morathi herself had to flee on her Dark Pegasus. Malekith summoned Hellebron the next morning and the Priestesses revealed that she had created her own Cauldron of Blood, an artefact that had previously only been available to the Witch Kings mother. The display of magical prowess required to create the cauldrons led to the Daughters being called Witch Elves from that day onwards. ^[1]

Morathi countered by declaring herself Queen of the Cult of Khaine, much to the anger of Hellebron but she was partially placated by Malekith declaring that the Witch Elves would be able to stalk the streets of his cities each year in a repeat of the first Death Night. The Hag Queens who bathed in the new cauldrons did however find that their regained beauty faded across the year and had to be restored by new sacrifices on Death Night. ^[1]

Sources

• 1: White Dwarf 259 (UK), The Dark Coven, pg. 18-21
• Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (7th Edition), ^{Needs Citation}