Steel your heart, dear reader, as we turn our eyes towards the twisted beauty of Slaanesh’s mortal champions, available to pre-order this weekend in Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm.
The Dread Pageant is dressed to kill, sporting some new looks for the Hedonites of Slaanesh. You’ll also find their cards right here in this very article – it is the season of giving, after all!
Vasillac the Gifted
The cruel-hearted leader of a warband of Godseekers dedicated to finding Slaanesh, Vasillac stumbled across Beastgrave and became obsessed with the delicious despair of the living mountain. After a lifetime of pushing his own limits, only the most extreme and exquisite pain can excite him. His extensive and intricate scars attest to the severity of his affliction, including a ring bound through his wrist – mere flesh piercings are for the weak!
The gaudy workmanship of his weapons and armour, bedecked with baubles and trinkets, signals his vainglory. The six eyes on the gleaming polished daemonic face of his shield reflect the sacred number of Slaanesh, and his long spear is both beautifully-wrought and wickedly barbed.
Glissete
A gifted dancer-killer, Glissete seeks to prove herself through acrobatic acts of graceful murder. Her pose exudes confidence and familiarity with her long blade, while you can just about hear the clink of her jewellery.
The flowing, loose clothing and veiled mask are a new look for Slaaneshi warriors, while the ribbed ferrule of Glissete’s weapon haft (also found on Vassilac’s spear) subtly recalls some of the earliest designs for the warriors of Chaos, stretching back decades.
Hadzu
The counterpoint to Glissete, Hadzu trades out the stylised glaive for a hunter’s weapon. But this isn’t just any bow – it fires cruel arrows that inflame dark desires in his victims instead of seeking to kill them outright.
As you might imagine with the minimal armour, both of these mortal warriors consider it a mark of pride that they inflict pain without being hit in return, favouring light and flexible materials.
Slakeslash
The model that’s garnered the most attention from the community (and for good reason), is the Slaangor, Slakeslash. He’s at once graceful, delicate, utterly brutal, and disturbing.
There’s no mistaking him for his savage beastmen kin, armed with a viciously hooked sword and enormous pincer claw. With a distinctive silhouette, this large and imposing model still appears lithe and agile. Perhaps his appearance is a taste of things to come…
Taken together, the Dread Pageant look every bit the sadistic and resplendent warriors of Chaos you’d expect from the mortal followers of the Dark Prince. If you compare them to the models recently revealed during the Decadence & Decay Online Preview event, you can see the Hedonites of Slaanesh range is shaping up to be something very special indeed.
Stack the Deck
If you want to get a taste of how this warband will play, feast your eyes on the warband-specific cards you’ll find in Direchasm right here!
Check back soon for a look at the other warband in Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm – Myari’s Purifiers. You’ll be able to pre-order the box on Saturday*, so you’ve still got a little time to crack out the cards and get back in the swing of things with some practice games!
Head to our Facebook page now and let us know which fighter is your favourite – and why it’s Slakeslash.
* Unfortunately, Direchasm has been delayed in Japan. Keep an eye out for more information as we have it!