I must say it's a very interesting Craftworld it sounds like a place of duality. Just like the Eldar themselves, open yet closed, natural yet artificial. It'd be hard for the Eldar to forget their pantheons or legends since they often literally are the basis for some words, means and writings (from my understanding of Eldar lore and fluff) but if they tried hard enough I guess they could mostly remove them from all other aspects of their lives.
They are quite different from my own Craftworld to put it lightly! But I'd love to read more of it! Love the colours too the contrast it nice and would most certainly look great on the tabletop! (if you play). Good job and keep it up!

Thank you indeed for the compliments, nice to know it seems to be on the right track; and honestly, yeah that's in part what I was going for in many respects. The few times we have seen craftworlds show up in fiction have specified that they differ heavily from one another, with Valedor pointing out how alien Iyanden is compared to Biel-Tan even in terms of exterior design. Each one has grown and developed over the thousands of years to better reflect the ideologies of its inhabitants, or certain ways of life, and it seemed the best way to quickly cite just how different Yin-Sarr had become, both in terms of how they view the galaxy as much as dealing with other life forms. There is another side to their more determined nature however, but that's actually coming up in the next bit which is better examining their culture and how they operate on some levels as a society.

Anyway, even if that wasn't the case, in all honesty i'm actually trying to leave it open to interpretation. The problem is with far too many armies these days, or lore in general, that there is no ambiguity. While it might depend upon the writer whether a faction is morally upstanding in this case or not, or how they behave, they always seem to stick to one specific way of presenting them. With this one, a lot of the elements i'm trying to leave open to see however the reader wants to view them, within reason of course. So, as it develops people can be used to see it as an overly paranoid culture who lost their greatest assets over their inability to confront their own failings, or an eldar society

Thank you, glad you're enjoying seeing it, though honestly the fact that they abandoned their old ideas is such a difficult and unthinkable task is kind of why I did it. Much as people rightfully love it, Warhammer 40,000 is a very stagnant setting at times and all too often it doesn't take advantage of how much time has truly passed. Besides certain key events, most writers these days seem to jump right from the Scouring to the end of M41, meaning all too often it can seem like a hundred years has passed at the most, rather than ten thousand. However, even then it seems that thoughts ideas and ideologies have only shifted slightly in many regards. We saw the Emperor start to be revered as a god during the Horus Heresy, and the church was built following those events with widespread worship. The problem is that the way it's set up suggests it could have been done in three, perhaps four, generations at the most, and we never see too may of those ideas evolve. It's the same thing with many of the Traitor Legions as well. By the end of Fulgrim the Emperor's Children are fully corrupt, effectively the same warriors seen raiding the Imperium in ten thousand years time, and there's little variation between the two.

Another hey problem was that, all too often thanks to how little we know of them, the craftworlds vary very little on a cultural level. There are exceptions of course such as Biel-Tan being militant and Saim-Hann being a more unfettered style of life, but the rest tend to be exceptions. There's little to really place emphasis on how differently Iyanden, Alaitoc, Idharae or even Ulthwe developed from one another in how their tales of their gods varied or developed. Even their basic language remained the same, with Mymeara and Altansar having no communications issues despite millenia of isolation from the rest of their kind. Eldar might age slower than their other races to be sure, but even then if you look at how English language has changed in the last hundred years alone you'd be shocked. That and, to cite your own point, we did have certain bits of our language which originally had very different meanings or were based upon older forgotten pantheons, with Thursday once being known as Thor's Day for example. Yeah, English might be a mongrel amalgamation of dozens of different origins, but I hope that gets my point across.

The idea as a result was to show how the Fall could impact the eldar, how their gradual isolation and parting from one another would affect them in varying ways. It's not going to be going massively in-depth with a lot of this stuff, but i'm trying to create enough contrast and variation here to really show how different certain styles and presented ways could be. In this case how Yin-Sarr's borderline Year Zero might have affected them culturally in many ways, having them perform acts other eldar would never even think of or causing their language to uniquely evolve, leading to further isolation from others among their kind. Not to mention, of course, how this would affect their military and each of their Houses as well given how many are noted to have strong links to the gods or revere aspects of them.

Anyway, sorry if that was long winded but I wanted to fully answer your point.

On the linguistic standpoint, there wouldn't be a huge amount of change compared to English since English has primarily changed due to outside forces. A couple invasions and some asshole academics who wanted to dress the language up more. There are languages that have changed very little over a thousand years of human civilization.

Now, slang and titles would probably be very different. Aspect warriors would hone their craft in different ways. Eldar are also psychic so there wouldn't be as much linguistic shift since concepts and words can be shared directly. If they interact with corsairs a lot then there would be some mixing. If anything, an isolationist craftworld would have difficulty communicating because it changed too little.

I meant to look over this thread a long time ago because it covers a lot of my interest. I don't know what kind of writing you're interested in, but one concept that's useful is the Iceberg Theory. It's a Hemingway thing. Only 10% or so of your story is visible to the reader. The rest is hidden from plain sight, under subtext or other subtleties. With such an isolationist society, your writing itself could reflect the guard nature of the craftworld in an almost meta way.

And finished at long damn last. My apologies for the delay, but the entire project underwent a substantial overhaul at one point, resulting in me going back on several past ideas and altering a few basic theories which simply did not work in this case. As such, it took far more time than expected, but here we are at last. Admittedly, the final part about Foreign Association and Affairs is something I might make a few general changes to at a later date, but so far as i'm concerned this is done.

Many thanks to those who offered their thoughts and suggestions for source material when it came to this project, without you this couldn't have been made possible. Really, the Dark Eldar trilogy in particular proved to be especially helpful, and that was one I was almost ready to skip entirely.

I'm also editing a link into the opening post to make it easier to find for later on.

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Name: Yin-Sarr
Meaning: The last scream which burns in the heavens.
Current location: Galactic north-east
Main colours: Dark crimson, bright yellow, white.
Reputation: Isolationist, Distrusting
Motto: (Approximate primary Gothic translation) "Death need not be the end of hope."

Background:

It is a terrible fate to be the scions of a dead god. To watch their greatest triumphs fail, see their effigies burn and their realms consumed by a being of hungering night is a sight burned into their racial memory. Each reacts differently, shaping their cultures and the ways of their children for millennia to come. In some such a tragedy inspires fear, in others resentment or even rage, and the all-consuming desire to cling onto the ashes of a revenant empire. Yet in one it inspired rebirth, to cast away all that their ancestors had forged in favour of building an enduring dynasty among the forgotten worlds.

The few mariners who brave the dwindling stars of the galactic north speak of a voidborne relic from lost ages in hushed dread tones, knowing it only as an ill omen and by the celestial warriors which follow in its wake. To these mon-keigh it is known by many names: The Baleweaver, Chiron's Longship, the Talon of Thrakan; each fearing it as some god slaking its wrath upon mortal races. Yet none among them know its true nature, or the ambition which drives it onwards even as the galaxy slides ever further towards midnight.

Known to antiquity as Yin-Sarr, the craftworld was unique even among the nomadic trade-cities. Serving as a self-appointed pioneer and outpost of the Empire it would disappear into the galactic east for countless centuries at a time; its task was not to spread wealth among the heartland but uncover feudal species to exploit for their treasures. Documenting thousands cultures across the sea of constellations, it escaped annihilation only by sheer chance. Descending from the Webway to recharge its solar sails whilst returning to the Empire’s heartland, the craftworld was met with a convoy of eldar vessels light years from its borders. Ill equipped for any long journey, its crewmen initially refused contact entirely, only relenting upon realised how little the craftworld's leaders knew of the Empire's decay. From these exiles they learned of a world gone mad. They spoke not of a people in their ascendance but a realm of decadence, populated only by degenerate murderers and savages. Enraged at the very suggestion of the depravity now found in the Empire the Yin-Sarrians were ready to slaughter the exiles, until they were proven all too true.

In a screaming cry echoed in the voices of trillions of eldar, Slaanesh tore its way into existence. The craftworld's leaders could only watch in mounting horror as its birth cries ripped open the fabric of reality itself, consuming the core worlds of their Empire. At the sight of such an act, they did as all surviving eldar would and turned tail, racing for the fringes of the galaxy itself. Spurning contact even with other survivors out of fear they might have borne the corrupting influence which had damned their species, Yin-Sarr went into seclusion, hiding among the fringe worlds. Throughout the next ten millennia it would remain there, seemingly dormant, retaining contact only with the cluster of Exodite worlds founded by the fleet they had encountered on that final day.

Gradually forgotten to history, Yin-Sarr slipped into legend. Exactly as its Farseers had wished. Their return to the Eastern Fringe had not been any mad flight of terror, but a calculated decision. Far from the bleeding Eye which had consumed their home, they began appearing again among the primitive alien societies of worlds charted for resources. Already seen by some as mythical entities or servants of their gods, the inhabitants of these planets were easily bent to their will, selecting those species they felt deserved to ascend and advance at a rapid pace. This was no act of compassion or charity however, but one of self-preservation.

Eldar numbers were growing fewer with every passing year. Gradually dwindling as they bore Asuryan's final gift, they simply could not afford to lose more of their kind in war. So, as the Old Ones did before them, Yin-Sarr began to shape primative species into their armies. Some worlds were intentionally seeded with the remnants of defeated WAAAGHs!, to ensure they would grow strong with conflict. Others were besieged by disasters, civil wars or strife to harden them against a future of eternal war, each guided by the subtle manipulations of Yin-Sarr's Seers. Yet for every one allowed through to improve their skills at war, the craftworld intervened to protect them from dozens they were unprepared for. Explorator fleets sent to these planets disappeared into the Warp, druchii raiders were silently cut down even as they fell upon seemingly defenceless primitives, and Rogue Traders mysteriously found themselves side-tracked to new destinations. Even going so far as to destroy the fledgling Jagged Revenants chapter when they threatened a protectorate race, the craftworld savagely defended its interests.

While many would die out across the millennia, to failed trials as much as outside threats, the few who remained had been molded by ten thousand years of atrocities and invasions. Each was a warrior race, loyal only to the craftworld, those relentlessness was only matched by their brutality. The perfect living weapons to fight in the name of a Yin-Sarrian Empire. Tested against isolated ork worlds, Imperial outposts and even slumbering Necron tomb complexes, as M42 dawns Yin-Sarr gathers its allies for battle. With the Imperium crumbling, now is the time to ensure eldar dominion across the galaxy once more...

Culture And Traditions:

For many of the eldar on Yin-Sarr, tradition is something to be despised as much as it is revered. While they view kin obsessed with their lost empire and deities with disdain, clinging to the ghosts of a dead regime, many societal traditions are regarded as sacrosanct. Maintaining face in front of another House or rival group is something crucial to their kind, and breaking with etiquette even among social greetings is considered a high offense. This is perhaps at least in part thanks to what has further cemented a rift between themselves and the rest of their species, as has their treatment of their distant cousins.

The exact importance and nature of certain traditions wildly varies between each House, with each retaining entirely different standards of etiquette. While certainly loyal to a core system and series of laws, how it is interpenetrated can result in seemingly contradictory functions. Many mistake this for a weakness at first, as it creates continual friction among their people, but such individuals often do not fully understand the intention of such a society. Rather than ensuring the certainty of internal war, they encourage constant vigilance for the slightest weakness and the ability to adapt to a hundred different personal codes. Yet most importantly, it trains each eldar performs their role without fault. With each House's power relying upon maintaining status, reputation, and cultural understanding of others, many are trained from birth to retain the traits they need to seek out failings and control their serf races. Furthermore, for as often as they indirectly combat one another, the looming threat beyond their borders is what fully unites them, with some Houses existing purely to serve in that role. Many even go so far as to act as a proxy foe in times of peace, testing the defences of the craftworld and probing its weaknesses to ensure no House ever allows its guard to fall.

Despite breeding social conflict, order is maintained by devotion to the craftworld as a whole and obedience to their superiors. Discussions and councils among their kind are rare indeed, and conflicts of opinion or dissatisfaction are settled purely by societal rank. In the few cases that some are regarded as being on equal standing on their Path, it is settled by a rapid display of skill, with the loser falling in line without question. Despite this ordered nature, Yin-Sarr's populace favour changing Paths at an astounding rate. Understanding of a Path is valued far higher than mastering it in a martial or skill based sense; resulting in many breaking off and following another way of life so that they might be given time to contemplate their discoveries. Unconventional to say the least, this has led to others returning to certain Paths later in their life rather than leaving them entirely as would be encouraged on the likes of Alaitoc or Iyanden.

Perhaps the strangest part of Yin-Sarr's nature and its culture is its attitude towards xenos races, and the future of the eldar. The craftworld is, as all are, determined to survive no matter the cost to others. On the edge of oblivion, they would see the galaxy reduced to ash so long as it ensured the final end of the Primordial Annihilator and the ascendance of a new Eldar Empire. However, as the millennia has worn on, many have begun to question if this is even truly viable. With so many ruined craftworlds now drifting among the stars, with their numbers dwindling with each passing day, any chance of true victory appears increasingly unlikely. This has seeded a sense of grim. fatalistic determination among outlying members their kind, who now seek to endure by any meaning or means they can conceive.

Should the Ynnead gambit fail, should they prove to be unable to defeat Slaanesh and the last of the eldar fall, their eternal war will have been a pointless endeavor; a footnote following the Fall at best, and little more than the thrashing last moments of a dying beast. As such, their serf species serve more than just as fodder. Many, through subtle and obvious means, have had their cultures altered to match the ways of the eldar. Through a baseline copy of the Path system and various innate teachings, they have been trained to limit the affects of Chaos and even taught to suppress psykers from an early age. Certain, cruder replicates of eldar values even exist among these species, reflecting the craftworld's societal hierarchy. While little more than a shadow of the complex meanings and ideals the eldar hold dear, some Farseers hope that from this seed these aliens might evolve to become their successor should they dwindle to nothingness.

Craftworld Description:

The few who have been permitted access to Yin-Sarr's inner domains have described a spartan, almost joyless world. Whereas most craftworlds are sanctuaries, refuges and relics containing the remnants of their past society, these eldar have all but abandoned their prior identity. No statues are made in worship to their race's pantheon, few remaining banners still depict the eldar gods at all, and the very act of speaking about the Empire is a taboo at best. While the exact reason is lost to the ages, it has been suspected that this may have been the result of some mad act of shame;' with their ancestors destroying symbols of the flawed realm they once venerated so not to repeat any of their mistakes. Only a scant remnants such as the Shrine of the Avatar remain, and none truly know how many relics may have been lost amid this alleged purge.

The only link to Yin-Sarr's past which has remained truly untouched, even encouraged to flourish, are the craftworld's gardens. Stretching for kilometers at a time, these grounds are home to species once unique to the maiden worlds, many of which are now all but extinct. Considered almost sacred, they have even been allowed to run wild and grow unchecked, bereft of the control found elsewhere. These grounds are often used as meeting places between the craftworld's Farseers and diplomats from their primitive serf races. Assisting in making their leaders more malleable to their will, they serve to unsettle the primitives by gathering them in locations familiar to their kind, yet leaving the sight of vast alien citadels dominating the skies overhead. It is also among these jungles that many of their Aspect Warrior shrines can be found, particularly those of the Striking Scorpion, who favour the dense and enclosed fauna.

The true cities of the craftworld dominate the upper tiers over the gardens. Linked by vast complex walkways and bridge networks, these core bastions are closer in some respects to Imperial Hive Cities than others of their kind. Total privacy is considered a lie here, and many buildings are openly planned with rooms separated less by walls than simple aesthetic choices. This is in stark contrast to the streets beyond, many of which are so narrow it is difficult for two eldar to walk abreast. This is in part a reflection of the ordered nature of their society, and the greater level of trust shown to the closest of their kin, but also a defensive choice. These streets and bridges make the massed offensive formations favoured by the Imperium's armies or Ork WAAAGHs! impossible, forcing them to advance piecemeal into eldar territory. At the same time the interior layout of many buildings have been constructed to serve as easy staging areas during defensive actions, or even bottlenecks to divert an army away from vital areas of the city-ship.

As the craftworld itself has evolved over the millennia, it has gradually transforming to reflect the guarded mentality of its population. While its exterior hull still bares signs of extravagance and a far more open nature, most have long since slipped away. The massive crystal domes which once dotted its surface have long since been covered by massive slabs of wraithbone, leaving only a scant handful still open to space. Furthermore, the solar sails which one adored its dorsal have gradually been drawn back, pushed to its aft as the craftworld's fore expanded into a protective armored bulk. When viewed from the void beyond, Yin-Sarr itself now resembles a squat arrow-headed bastion of wraithbone.

Military Doctrine & Formations:

In spite of their militant nature, Yin-Sarr's warhost is often seen as a last resort. Deployed only when all options have been exhausted, they are treated as the craftworld's ultimate sanction, tasked with utterly annihilating a foe. While some mistake this at first as a sign of weakness, it is more a reflection upon their thought process and core ideology. Why risk others knowing of their existence and the lives of so many warriors, when fate itself can be reshaped in their favour?

Examining the strands of fate, Farseers pick out and alter careful events at a whim, sometimes offering a minor nudge to alter future events or altering the social consciousness of a population. Their favoured tactic is societal manipulation, telepathically implanting concepts or widespread ideas which alter the nature of a people. While this process is undeniably slow, often taking centuries at a time to bear fruition, its effectiveness cannot be denied. Mon'keigh factions can be easily played against one another by this means, and more than once the very racial memory of certain xenos raiders have been altered until they view the eldar as unearthly reapers of souls. Most importantly however, it has also allowed the craftworld to rapidly expand their influence, making primitive xenos races more accepting of their rule. By this way of war, many battles have been won without their foes ever witnessing an eldar upon the field of battle.

Yet, when battle itself it is unavoidable, Yin-Sarr's first response is always its fleets. Boasting an astounding armada of capital ships despite the craftworld's limited resources, many fleets have underestimated the eldar, only to quickly be surrounded and annihilated by wave upon wave of fast moving voidcraft. Such conflicts are often over within mere hours of sighting one another, but a more favoured tactic is utilising the vessels of their serf species. While certainly crude by comparison, many have benefited from the guidance of eldar shipmasters and reflect the eldar way of war. Many a Rogue Trader has underestimated the speed at which these craft can strike, and are often only aware of any eldar presence once Aspect Warriors have boarded their vessel.

The ability to disguise eldar involvement in war is not merely limited to their fleets, and the warhost itself is remarkably bereft of eldar. The backbone of any assault often consists almost entirely of xenos serf warriors, trained to take the place of Guardian squads or more highly valued Wraithguard. Unwilling to risk either civillians or their honoured dead in war, Yin-Sarr instead deploys these warriors as as front-line fighters. At a fundamental level, each warrior is individually outfitted and equipped to cover as many roles as possible, from close engagements to anti-armour duty. This allows them to overcome their inherent lack of speed when compared with eldar warriors, quickly adapt to the flow of battle; isolating enemy units and separating them from the main force, before Aspect Warriors move in to deliver the killing blow.

However, Guardians are not the only unit absent from the warhost. Thanks to their isolationist policies, none are permitted to walk the Path of the Outcast and truly explore the galaxy, robbing Yin-Sar of Rangers to call upon in times of war. Instead, the few who break away often join the Exodite clans allied with the craftworld, sometimes going so far as to permanently settle among them. This has allowed them to foster closer ties, and as a result Dragon Knights have become a common sight among eldar expeditions. While lacking the innate speed and firepower of a jetbike, their value as scouts is immeasurable, as is the speed at which they adapt to even the harshest Death Worlds. Advancing far ahead of the warhost, many worlds have fallen thanks to these warriors rapidly silencing artillery positions and scouts; then annihilating rearguard position of an amassed enemy force once the battle is joined. In return for these services the Exodites themselves benefit from greater arms and equipment, and many clans even retain archaic variants of Wraithknights to assist in the defence of their lands.

Foreign Association and Affairs:

Despite limiting itself to patrolling its protectorate worlds, Yin-Sarr nevertheless retains a close watch on galactic events. Everything from the rise of the Red Corsairs to the slow death of the astronomican heralds a new beginning for the universe, and it is one the craftworld can ill afford to ignore. As such, while the craftworld's power is supposedly limited to a handful of systems, for past millennia it has slowly been working its agents into a number of prominent Imperial worlds among the Eastern rim. From traders to bureaucrats, many serve as unwitting spies for the eldar, having been abducted and then mentally remapped by their Farseers. In some cases these acts are subtle, opening a window into the mind of the mon'keigh so his ever act and sight might be broadcast back to the craftworld. In others, entire "mask" personalities are woven into their neural pathways, taking control when required and acting in their service.

Such spies often find their way into positions of power, or serve as the lynchpin for adjoining worlds among the Imperium. Given the apparent incompetence or poor decisions made under their leadership, these figures have been gradually weakening the sectors world by world, as much to prevent expansion as to slowly inspire a hatred for the Terran government. The moment a pro-Imperial power becomes a true threat, the eldar agents can incite chaos, anarchy or infighting to ensure that these worlds remain a backwater slum, barely able to support themselves.

When the most direct intervention and control is not possible, the Yin-Sarrians seek to ensure an optimal future comes into play. The right man in the right place can so often mean all the difference on a world, and it is not unheard of for the craftworld to shape an entire alien life to their will. At the very least, the birth, upbringing, career and eventual defection of Arch Magos Thrachan to the Tau Empire has been confirmed; an act which would give the fledgling aliens an edge against a multitude of future druchii raids.

Even when confronted by their own kind, Yin-Sarr remains closed off and shuns contact with its kin. Among the Craftworld Eldar, only Biel-Tan is regarded with any measure of respect thanks to their relationship with the Exodites, while all others are treated as potentially corrupted by Chaos or treated with disdain for venerating their dead gods. This makes contact difficult at the best of times, and is hardly helped by Yin-Sarr's language barrier. While they retain an older dialect of the eldar language, their lexicon seems to have directly altered the meaning or even removed several words linked to the gods entirely. This has resulted in stilted and oddly clipped inner language, with some terms replaced by those normally exclusive to the Exodites.

Despite this often rocky relationship, Yin-Sarr rarely displays true hostility towards any craftworld, merely guarded refusal to accept any direct contact with their kind. On odd occasions, they have been known to assist other forces, returning lost soul stones to their homes and even diverting impending cataclysms from their borders. While they might not support their actions, they are merely viewed as misguided and untrustworthy rather than deserving of true hatred. In stark contrast to this, the druchii and their corsair brethren are regarded with absolute contempt, representing the worst their race is capable of. Seeing them as little more than remnants of a power which should have been annihilated millennia ago, the craftworld has actively hunted fleets to extinction and kabalite forces are destroyed on sight.

On many occasions, Yin-Sarr has laid traps for their degenerate kin, using their serf races as bait before moving in for the kill. These are intended not to merely defeat their foes, but subject them to utter humiliation before annihilating them completely. Some have been found in the wake of a battle, left naked and chained in place for the predators of a Death World to find, while others have been stripped of all feeling, sight and taste before slowly burned alive. Even those who retreat are relentlessly hounded by the Yin-Sarr warhost, and their forces have been seen pursuing kabalite raiding parties back into the Webway, waging war within its corridors.

The only value the Autarchs see in these splintered factions is their strength of arms. This refer not to the warriors themselves but their vessels and machines of war, as many corsair kingdoms retain relics not seen since the Fall. As such, upon finding the home of a pirate prince, Yin-Sarr often deploys its forces en-mass to capture as many vehicles intact as it can. Centuries of planning can be put into these operations, even triggering entire wars among lesser races to draw them out of hiding or stretch their forces too thin. This would go some way to explain the rapid growth of the Yin-Sarrian fleet, and the mysterious number of Haven Spire fortresses which now stand guard over allied Exodite worlds.

Swooping Hawks best Hawks!

Preach brother!

This was well worth the wait! The intrinsic distrust for everyone else Craftworld as potentially corrupted or moribund with the worship of the dead gods works nicely with the isolationist edge to their policies, even going so far as to not even have the Path of the Outcast. Yet it all works together, without being too extreme, so that they do look like a plausible development from and reaction to the events of the Fall.

The use of proxy races is really striking. Eldar always suffer from low numbers and solve it in various ways: the use of Tubeborn, the use of the dead, the use of civilian militia. If we know that the Eldar are capable of influencing others' destinies to serve their own - and we do - then this method, while not something we've seen elsewhere, really does feel like a logical extension from it for a given value of Eldar

That the isolation from everyone except the Exodites leads to language differences again makes sense and the precise nature of their avoidance of the gods colouring their world-view also provides a reciprocal reason for the other Craftworlds not to be too cordial. Biel-tan excepted, of course, because they have the Exodites in common and a shared interest in maintaining a fairly rigid discipline. But even these two are different enough not to be friends, more acquaintances.

I'm curious how they deal with those Corsairs who are much closer to the Craftworlds, such as those who ally with Lugganath? Do they see all Pirates as simply more mobile Dark Eldar, or is it their perceived lack of discipline in being freebooters?

Definitely glad to know you enjoyed reading it then, this one was definitely a lot tricker to nail down compared to past army articles. Honestly, I was concerned that the whole conquering empire thing might have been pushed a little too far or their connection with the Exodites exploited far too much on the whole, but it's good to hear that it seemed to balance out overall. There's certainly a little more i'm planning to write - either a couple of short character bits or perhaps major engagements - which might expand upon some of the points here and answer your questions, but i'll give a quick response here.

The reason they actually hate the Corsairs is down to two things. One you've picked out well, that they basically view them in the same light as the Dark Eldar - undisciplined, uncontrolled and loose cannons who can only bring ruin to their race. This isn't helped by certain acts such as how many have taken slaves en mass, wage war upon one another or in some cases enacted wanton slaughter purely so they might revel in it.

However, the second reason is because these these bands so often retain such a close connection to the pre-Fall Eldar Empire. It's noted in lore that more than a few of these warbands are led by the remnants of the Empire's nobility or their old houses, so Yin-Sarr basically views this as a kind of personal retribution for all their ancestors wrought upon the galaxy. This leads to more than a few problems as they basically see each and ever Corsair group in the same light, and are either unable or more likely unwilling to differentiate between the more benign factions, sometimes to the detriment of other eldar. For example, Exodite worlds are known to make pacts with Corsair fleets so they might have some form of orbital protection, but Yin-Sarr wouldn't care about that. They might certainly offer to take their place, but they would still want to see the Corsairs annihilated and their ships taken as spoils of war. This could be to the detriment of the Exodites themselves, especially if Yin-Sarr is located far from their home.

It's actually intentional flaw I added into them. I try to ensure that there's a few of these in each army, never fully spelled out but still present so they're not seen as overly perfect, and in this case it's a near black/white view of the galaxy. This might be true of most, but it's one which can come back to bite them or even harm the very empire they are trying to found.

Anyway, thanks again for taking the time to leave a few compliments, after working on this one for so long it was good to hear some positive feedback.

You are welcome. That was my feedback experience, I could go and try to find something negative if you like? Truly though, I didn't see anything to take issue with. The differences your Craftworld has with 'regular' Eldar culture are things that sparked questions and reflection, such as my question about the Corsairs above. (That also means that it passes the Jorimel Test for whatever that's worth ) Partly because I feel that the places where it differs are internally consistent with their stated world view. I also feel that if I were to ask a specific question, you would either have an answer, or be able to logically extrapolate one based on the known character of the culture. This makes the background seem realistic as a whole. One could make an army from there and it would feel unique.

The flaws work as flaws, because they open the Craftworld up to risks, but they also work as characterful culture, because there is a clear reason for them as to why they believe and act as they do. Honestly, I think you've done a great job with this.

I should do this for my own Craftworld ... but I fear that good intention in unlikely to come to pass. I also tend towards "Iyanden, only before all the nids and so on, when it was just "the largest known Craftworld"" as my own setting, but that's partly because I remember that far back