40k LORE: Eldar Distortion Weapons
Today we delve into the dark forbidden armory of the Eldar – the sinister Distortion weapons.
lore via our sister site Lexicanum
Distortion Scythe
D-Scythes or Distortion Scythes are advanced Eldar Vortex Weapons. Considered a sinister and taboo weapon, D-Scythes can rip the soul of an enemy from their body and banish it to the Warp. When fired, a D-Scythe emits no visible blast and leaves behind no damage, save the motionless corpse of those targeted. D-Scythes are normally wielded by Wraithguards in place of their Wraithcannons.
The Eldar call the act of separating the spirit from its body ‘Cutting of the Crone’s Cord’, for in Eldar lore a strand ties the soul of a being to its material form. Tradition has it that only the Crone Goddess Morai-Heg herself has the right to sever this connection, for a mortal doing so is merely playing god. However as the desperate situation for the Eldar continues, more militant Autarchs are calling for more frequent deployment of these taboo weapons.
Wraithcannon
A Wraithcannon is an Eldar vortex weapon of deadly potency similar to the D-Cannon. Wielded by a Wraithguard and powered by the psychic energy of its spirit stone, the Wraithcannon opens a small temporary rift between real and warp space, tearing apart its target as it is torn between different dimensions. However, unlike the D-Cannon the Wraithcannon is more tightly controlled and more accurate.
Distortion Cannon
The Distortion Cannon or D-Cannon is a vortex weapon and the most dangerous of all Eldar weapons. Using the same technology which allows ships to enter the nightmare realm of the Warp, the D-Cannon causes an area of the material universe to momentarily collapse in on itself, essentially creating a miniature warp hole. If the target is lucky then violent, complex gravitational forces will merely tear it to pieces, guaranteeing almost certain death to living creatures or total wreckage to vehicles. If not, the target is sucked completely into warp space.
Even those outside the affected area can suffer from adverse consequences as the distortion of reality itself causes people and objects to be spatially displaced, potentially causing further damage. The only disadvantage of the D-Cannon is that by Eldar standards it is a short-ranged and inaccurate weapon. To an extent the D-Cannon’s unpredictability is to be expected, especially for a weapon which makes mockery of the laws of the universe.
The size of the warp hole created depends on the size of the D-Cannon, with larger weapons requiring more power and a larger chassis to mount them. The largest D-Cannons are those mounted on Eldar Cobras and Phantom Titans, and even Void Shields are useless in defending against them. These terrifying weapons are capable of swallowing multiple battle tanks in one hit, and the shockwave that results from their sudden closure can knock over other armoured vehicles lucky enough to avoid being dragged into Hell.
Efforts by the Adeptus Mechanicus to study and replicate this technology have ended in gruesome failure, particularly in 755299.M40 when unsanctioned work resulted in the Contagion of Eridanus and the deployment of a Grey Knight strike force to halt the daemonic intrusion. Since that incident draconian measures have been enforced upon the Adeptus Mechanicus to prevent their dabbling in heretical xeno technology, and those who ignore these restrictions can expect a visit from the Inquisition.
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~What Eldar weapon do you most fear?
