Gangs of Desoleum

Notable gangs: The Bloodlines, Scalpel Kings, The Lacerationfex, Red Lions, Razor Angels

As the name suggests, these gangers love knives and almost exclusively use only bladed weapons; knives, swords, or any other weapon with an edge is worthy. Refraining from guns, they delight in using throwing knives as their main ranged weapon. In combat Fleshcutters are aggressive and fast, their primary weapons agility and speed. They are silent stalkers, preferring to sneak up on or ambush their foes; once battle commences, though, they are loud and wild, screaming with each cut they make. Fleshcutters place great value on personal combat, but prefer inflicting severe wounds to killing, for it ensures their enemies always carry the memory of who bested them in combat. Many of their blades are heavily serrated with thick, triangular points for maximum maiming; some coat their blades with pain-inducing toxins or nerve-acids to ensure the cuts are especially memorable.

Many Fleshcutters indulge in ritual scarring to mark initiations, memorable fights, significant events, and the like. Battle wounds, if received in personal combat, are often treated with dyes to produce highly visible scars that the gangers elaborate with additional cuts, to better show how they came to be. As in all of Hive Desoleum’s numerous gang factions, new recruits here must undergo a gruelling initiation, in this case one of blade and blood. A long, slow, painful cut is made along one arm, which must at least run from wrist to elbow. Blood and bone dust from dead members is forced into the cut, to make for an impressive scar. Initiation scars that are long and unwavering indicate the recruit bore the ritual without tremor, a high mark of gang respect.

Gang myth holds that the Fleshcutters were founded by members of a group of offworld warriors who had come to the planet to quell a hive uprising. In the stories passed down from Blademaster to Blademaster, this unit was accused of looting, and was to be executed but instead escaped into the depths of Desoleum. Their skill with their much-beloved blades made them a powerful force in the lower reaches, and many other gangs took to copying their style.

At some point soon after its creation, the group split as a still more violent faction, calling itself Fleshmaulers, took to using more extreme chain weapons. These gangers are even more violent and bloodthirsty than their progenitors, and use as standard such weapons as chainswords and chainaxes, many modified with barbs and hooks to produce even more horrific lacerations. They also use smaller chainblades and huge chain-glaives, the more maniacal even wearing chain-knucklers.

Fleshcutter gangs are hyper-violent and often gather new recruits ejected from other gangs for being too vicious, eager to fight and in the grip of a constant and unreasoning battle-lust. Some gangs, without even knowing or realising it, slowly fall to The Enemy Beyond as their lust for blood and pain grows too overpowering. Their scars subtly alter to resemble marks of Khorne or Slaanesh as their practices draw the blessings of these Ruinous Powers.

Notable gangs: False Faces, Skinners, Bonelovers, Deathskins

The Death Masks are necro-cultists who worship death in all its many and varied forms. Each ganger crafts and wears a mask made from the skinned face of his first victim, though some replace this with a new mask to mark an especially memorable death. Well- made masks with few marks or stitches needed are signs of high status, especially if the skin’s original owner is recognisable. The rest of a Death Mask’s grotesque clothing consists mostly of thick leather straps studded with bone and metal, as well as loincloths of shaved skin. They wear totems of carved bone, jaws, and appealing titbits such as fingers and ears. Skulls from cherished deaths or beloved relations are worn on belts or chains. Unlike most gangs, they do not venture into the Main Hive of Desoleum; many there believe them only as "dark fables" designed to frighten workers from abandoning their oaths.

Most Death Masks are meaty and large; unlike most other Underhivers, they invariably eat well, as plenty of flesh remains after the skinning is done. They slather fat and drippings across their bodies, making their skin rancid-smelling and foul. "There are no female Death Masks, for their codes forbid anything that can produce life in the ranks". In combat, Death Mask gangers prefer to use oversized hammers and clubs, the better to bludgeon their foes to death. When they do use ranged weapons, these tend towards simple, brutal weapons such as autoguns or heavy stubbers. Whatever his armament, no Death Mask would ever be without a flensing blade or similar short, sharp knife at the ready.

One peculiar trait that has been noted of the Death Masks is their habit of witnessing the exact moment of their foes’ deaths. Having mortally wounded an enemy, they become bewitched as they watch the dying foe, staring intently into the fading eyes and ignoring all else. Outside of combat, they conduct elaborate rituals to celebrate when one of their own dies. Some claim these death-rituals grant them increased power over the living, a disputed but worrisome matter given their already impressive deadliness.

Notable gangs: Dandy Longlegs, Babyfaces, Style Killers

Amongst the vicious gangs of Desoleum, the Cloudboys stand out not only for their deadliness but also for their cruelty. Their members are exclusively from the Highupper reaches; most are young toughs from noble families, those not in the line of ascension and constantly causing embarrassment to their houses. Some are banished to the lower levels; others leave on their own, eager to get away. Unlike almost everyone else in the hive, they have actually seen not only the sky, but looked down on the noxious clouds below them, just as they view almost everyone else in the hive.

Ex-nobles from the upper reaches who were disgraced, ejected, or exiled lead several of these gangs, some escaping before execution or impressment into the Desoleum Oathsmen Grenadiers. Their rough yet stylish demeanours easily attract those new to the lower hive areas, offering protection and the camaraderie of others from their social ranks. Others simply bring their retinues of followers along when they are forced to the lower Underhive regions, but once ensconced, these new gangs quickly carve out territory and control using the powerful weapons they brought with them.

Cloudboy gangs are known for their extremes of style and depraved ferocity. Their hair is worn in elaborate wedges and wild forms fashioned using masses of static-gel and glitterfoam. Some gangs sport elaborate masks, while others wear obsidian shades that sheen with fluid patterns of changing colours, all to preserve their identity during their time below, or simply as an affectation. Their clothing is also colourful but lethal, such as padded quilted vests laced with carapace scales, silken capes of monofibre flakweave, and ornate gloves covering metal plating. Many sport elaborate coats, sharpened boots, patterned leggings, and ornate hats, all made of materials unheard of in these lower reaches. Debates over which fashions are indeed the most cutting edge often result in actual cutting, with all colours quickly turning red.

"Cloudboys delight in always using overly genteel manners as they taunt their foes, relishing in their advanced vocabulary to belittle the scum around them before launching bloodthirsty assaults. It may seem these gangers treat their actions as a lark, but most are quite insane and view everyone else as lower beasts that exist only for their own amusement. Though their behaviour may appear courtly, Cloudboys are sadistic psychopaths amongst the most dangerous denizens even in the Underhive’s deadly environs."

Notable gangs: Ironmongers, Brassmen, Gearlovers, Cogworks

Entranced with technology, these gangs worship the machine, with many having strong links to agencies of the Cult Mechanicus in the higher hive levels. Most members have poorly-made and poorly-installed bionics and other mechanical augmentations; not waiting for actual injury to require the artificial replacements, they perform surgery once their hive-made devices are deemed fit for implantation. Their bionics are crude but powerful, and to wear tech a ganger has himself constructed is a sign of honour. Those gangs with an exiled Tech-Priest or Unknown leading it can feature truly imaginative bionics, items that would shock Mechanicum followers higher in the hive.

These gangers worship guns (often literally), especially energy weapons of any kind; rivals have gone to war just to capture a single plasma pistol. In combat, Tech-Gangs often have greater firepower but often not enough skill to use it properly. Many do better for themselves repairing vehicles and other machines across the Underhive expanses, becoming valuable enough to protect against enemy actions. Some gangs include actual Servitors, mostly captured in upper-hive raids. A few create their own from lobotomised members with implanted and experimental augmentations. These rarely live long.

Their garb is heavy and industrial, but always cut away clothing to reveal their proud mechanical augmentations. Many sport bald heads and paint their skin with metallic paints or even brush on molten metal, the better to bond with the machine. While few have working oath-cogs anymore, they try to create their own inferior versions, more to mimic the mechanical style than to indicate actual oath-data. Many Tech-Gangs have extensive networks amongst the tech-prospectors that trawl the sump-lakes for archaeotech relics and xenostech, and if new discoveries happen, these gangs are often the first to know.

Notable Gangs: Needle Boys, Painted Angels, Blood of Inks, Prettyskins

A recent offshoot from the Fleshcutters, the Painted Throngs grew to love flesh decoration above mere sliced scars. Colourful inks were mixed into the cut flesh, evolving into elaborate tattoos that finally lead to one gang, the Painted Angels, to break their ceremonial longknife and leave their primogenitors. Several other gangs followed suit, and new gangs sprang up until the Painted Throngs became a force in their own right.

The Throngs view themselves as artists and skin as their palate. "Insanely defensive over their inkwork, they would eagerly call someone out for simply bumping into them as it might damage newly-finished skinart". Many tattoos are done with luminen inks that glow in the dark, or metallic inks that reflect light in glorious patterns, the better for all to admire. For these gangers, tattoos are more than decoration though: they are the history, a way to memorialise important events and personages so they are never forgotten. The Throngs use tribal tattoos to mark special occasions, impressive feats and kills, loved ones who have died, and other personal events. Some of the older members literally are a walking history, showing hive-quakes, major fights, and other events the gang will always remember.

Induction involves an elaborate painting, usually across the chest or back, glorifying the gang’s symbol in a unique way. This is done with heavy, thick needles to ensure the result is especially memorable and lasting. Disgraced members have their tattoos peeled away (along with the skin) before being ejected into the Dark, falling down the endless pitfalls until their screams fade into the irregular thrum of the hive’s support machinery.

These gangers delight in using explosive shells and frag grenades in combat, viewing mangled flesh as the worst insult possible; many of these gangs brew their own acid-grenades from distilled sumplake waters. They rarely wear armour, as the Throngs value the displayed skin over its protection, but become frenzied should an enemy dare harm their skinart. Their inkwork is their main calling card; when they send a message to rivals, it is usually done with a captured enemy who is marked with their glyphic message, then sending him back (or sending him back in parts, should the message require a lengthy correspondence). Some enemies are simply used as practice canvasses, and especially good results are skinned off and mounted on intricate frames for all of a Throng to admire.

These gangs usually dress plainly, for their real clothing is their decorated skin. As their inkwork grows, they wear less and less, enduring any discomfort in order to better show off their art. Some sport feathers or other objects pierced through their skin as ornamentation, or as ways to counterpoint their needlework. Throng gang leaders often display sophisticated electoos that shift in design and pattern, xenos blood tattoos that slowly writhe over time, esoteric flesh-inks that react uniquely with each different genetic coding, marks that incorporate embedded gems and precious metals, and other extraordinarily rare artistic efforts. "Some have become so renowned that nobles have hired bounty hunters to bring their skins back for display at the next Apex carousal; such is their skinart pride that some Throng leaders have gone willingly to such a fate".