| In regards to Clan Skryre; My thoughts on the Clan's organisation | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 27th January 2011 - 03:43 PM (927 Views) | |
| Warlock Matik | 27th January 2011 - 03:43 PM Post #1 |
(Z–>)90º – (E–N²W)90ºt = 1
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First off, I'm not sure if this should go here or in the Skryre section, seems it could go in either. I leave it up to you mods  So, as you probably guessed I'm a fan of Clan Skryre and my army is going to be themed on Skryre. However, I don't simply want to call it a Thrall clan and be done with it (in fact, before the U&H book I hadn't even contemplated it). However, I can't find much in the way of fluff that describes the structure of Clan Skryre, so in order to try and provide a basis for my fluff, I've come up with some thoughts on the make up of Clan Skryre: Basic pecking order:
At the very head of the Clan is Lord Morskittar, the obvious ruler of the entire Clan. Then we have Ikit, Chief warlock and Morskittar's favoured emmissary. This is where I start adding stuff. In my eyes, Ikit is essesntially the 'first among many' of the High Warlocks. Each High Warlock is in charge of one of Skryre's many sub-divisions, which are basically competing R&D groups. The work of each division may reflect the particular interests of the High warlock who runs it. For example, if a High Warlock is particularly interested in Doomwheels, then the majority of the warlocks in his division will be producing and improving Doomwheel technology (I say majority since warlocks will always want to have their own way  ). The same could be said for warp-lightning tech, poisoned wind, warp-rails, etc. There could be multiple divisions doing similar work (healthy competition ) or divisions that apply themselves to a wider aspect of Skaven technology, I would imagine that Ikit's would be the largest and most well-funded of such.Within a division, we have the High warlock in charge. Beneath him there are several master warlocks, who work on the larger, more valuable projects and have a number of lesser warlocks working for them. Alongside these are Skryre Warlords. These warlords do not rule their own clan but instead command a portion of Skryre's own military force, they may have a basic knowledge of engineering but more importantly they can recognise how the technology can be used effectively in battle. It would be no good for a warlock to be in complete charge of an army since he would likely be more interested in how well his device is working as opposed to how the battle was going as a whole, hence the need for skaven of a more tactical mind. Beneath these we have the regular warlocks who will either be working for higher engineers or on their own smaller plans. Chieftains are here for very much the same reason as warlords. I have included the warlords of Thrall clans on this level too, since I would expect that if something is in Skryre's best interests they would trust their own Clan Warlords more than those who claim to be loyal to their cause. Of course, 'trust' only goes so far with Skaven Underneath the regular warlocks I have included apprentices and engineers. The apprentices are warlocks who are just starting to get a grasp on magic and how to fuse it with technology. Engineers are the non-magical warlocks who prefer to tinker with mechanics rather than magic, hence why they are below their magic-toting peers. That said, it is entirely possible for these engineers to perhaps rise to chieftains and warlords if they are especially cunning. The rest kind of follows suit, based on the fact that every clan will have Stormvermin, Clanrats and Slaves to a greater or lesser extent. For Skryre, I would imagine that the number of stormvermin would be less than say Mors or Rictus, but the number of Clanrats and Slaves higher. The clan always needs to test its weapons somehow So, that's enough rambling. Comments and ideas are of course welcome, and thanks if you made it to the end 
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| Sketch | 27th June 2011 - 12:02 PM Post #2 |
scratchings and squeakings
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The overall structure seems pretty much perfect to me. At the higher echelons you really do make it sound like the workings of a university, and that there'd be immeasurable disdain between the various Warlocks for anyone who isn't specialising in their field. "Fool-fools! Can they not see that 'Warpfire Alchemy' (for Master Warlocks add 'with Applied Ignition Theory') is the only way forward?!" The middle ranks all seem to make excellent sense, in particular the way in which Warlords and Chieftains are incorporated in. Where do weapon team crews come in though? I wouldn't say they'd be as lowly as Clanrats as they must surely have had some sort of technical training to be able to use the weapon. However, given the tendancy of such weapons to explode, they must be to some extent expendable. Perhaps Apprentice Engineers who are out of favour? Likewise with Poisoned Wind Globadiers and Jezzail teams. I'd reckon these would be at at least the same rank as Stormvermin if not slightly higher given the expensive and technical nature of their gear along with the fact that they're reasonably rare, specialist troops. Just a few thoughts. I think Skryre has the most interesting ranking structure of all of the Clans.
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Raining Blood / M(elrik)atriculation / Twikitch's Triumph 
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| Warlock Matik | 27th June 2011 - 03:23 PM Post #3 |
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(Z–>)90º – (E–N²W)90ºt = 1
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Cheers Sketch  I definitely see Skryre as being more academic in structure than the other clans and your quote is exactly the sought of mentality I imagined For the weapon team crews and so forth, I always thought that they were clanrats who happened to be in the right (wrong?) places and times. So say a pack of clanrats are lounging about and a warlock enters, points his paw at two of them, squeeks 'Come with me.' and then the (un)lucky pair find themselves toting a warpfire thrower. They get a few quick lessons ('This makes flames shoot-shoot, this stops them, don't touch this one...'), maybe a couple of test shots then off they go. There's no doubt in my mind that the equipment they carry is of more worth to the Clan than themselves. A few pairs may live long enough to achieve some kind of proficiency with the weapon and then they might For Globadiers and Jezzail teams, or at least the gunrats for the latter, again they probably start off being picked from among the clanrats but as you say they are somewhat more specialised. They'd probably have more effort put into teaching them how to handle the equipment - putting a precise hole in a target with a jezzail is going to require more skill than spraying the whole area with a ratling gun - and they'd probably form some tight-knit groups (as far as that goes for skaven). As for where they all fit in the rankings I made up, I probably would put them as high as stormvermin (although perhaps I give them too much status) but I'd definitely put them above normal clanrats, so floating somewhere in between. I'd also put Jezzail gunners and globadiers higher than the weapon team crews, although possibly not by much. There's a plethora of other ranks and roles that need to be put in too - stuff like clerks and admins who get to distribute materials, power, labour forces and so on; or maintenance crews for the established technology and many, many more. I don't know if these require distinct levels or can just be dotted around throughtout the whole hierarchy. |
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| ShuNian | 28th June 2011 - 02:58 AM Post #4 |
Self-Proclaimed Miss Skavenblight
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Do you think a Warlock would be the one to sell his own weapons and establish his own prices, or be too busy with other things and let his apprentice do the selling? I imagine that would have a system because no one wants any of their underlings to save a few warptokens of profit for themselves, instead of handing over everything to their masters. How do you think that would work? |
| "All tunnels lead to Skavenblight..." | |
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| Silas | 28th June 2011 - 03:06 PM Post #5 |
The Great Bunny. Now with a mop.
:)
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I kidna assumed that in Skryre Stormvermin would be marginalised. Or at least the job of being 'elite' troops would be taken up by Globadiers and Jezzails. I could seem stormvermin with warp enhanced weapons still acting as bodyguards but I would put the specialist troops above any none bodyguard stormvermin in the hierarchy simply because they are Skryre and more 'pure'. |
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| Warlock Matik | 28th June 2011 - 04:12 PM Post #6 |
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(Z–>)90º – (E–N²W)90ºt = 1
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The thing with Stormvermin is you've got to remember that they'll still be birthed in Skryre's own breeding pens, along with a few Grey Seers (who'll be whisked off (maybe...)), so they are actually Skryre Stormvermin and will be stronger and tougher than most of the clanrats and hence will get a better position by 'might is right'. Although as you rightly say Silas, I imagine the vast majority of them will be posted to guard duty - either of higher-ups or their labs. But even the non-guards will most likely still be 'pure' Skryre, and a lot more imposing than most of the specialist clanrats, hence the higher rank position. As for merchants, I'm not sure. I think what you said, ShuNian, about them not trusting others to sell their wares is pretty accurate. I suppose it depends on whether the Skaven in question is part of Research or Production. If their work is unique or they've invented a new device, I can see them either offering it up to their superiors for rewards or keeping it to themselves with the intent to use it as an advantage (or having it stolen by a rival of course ). On the other hand, if a skaven is overseeing a production line or some other form of industry, then they've probably already got a contract going and just have to fulfill a quota to ensure they get paid. But what you're talking about, I think, are the low to middle ranking engineers who are only in small business, in which case I can only imagine it's every rat for himself as you said
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| Silas | 28th June 2011 - 04:26 PM Post #7 |
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The Great Bunny. Now with a mop.
:)
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True but the ones I am talking about are the grunt stormvermin. In the end a bunch of guys wielding orbs full of deadly gasses is much more impressive (assuming you have a gas mask) Are you my mummy? than a bunch of regular stormvermin. I would see the hierarchy going something like this.
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| Artfactial | 7th July 2011 - 06:24 PM Post #8 |
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Clanrat
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This made me think, the weapon 'teams' always have been portrayed as somewhat more buffed up rats than the regular clanrat. This would be essential to bear the weapon construction. The background and images reveal rivalry within the teams as well. With the one getting to actually wield the weapon having the relatively more cushy job than the operator of the machinery.So I guess there's some kind of hierarchy in there. |
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| blader4411 | 7th July 2011 - 09:31 PM Post #9 |
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The New Lunar Republic!
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My guess would be that of the two, the guy cranking is the lower ranking, while the Skaven actually firing the gun is more senior. Of course, if the guy firing (and thus in front) falls to a 'malfunction' or dies to enemies, then the Skaven cranking would logically be the next for promotion. -Blader |
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