Although xenobiology is not an area of particular interest for me typically, I have had my curiosity piqued of late as more and more of our merchant marines have been disappearing on missions. As Alissander insisted that the loss of crew was detrimental to our overall progress, I sent him and Dauntless to uncover the cause of the disappearances. After some brief investigation, they discovered a nest of Ur-Ghul close to one of our mining sites; fortunately, my crew-mates survived with minimal losses to their marine escort. Before sending in my modified necron warriors to clear out the infestation, I took the opportunity to study the habits of these elusive creatures.
Many believe that the Ur-Ghul are savage, wild creatures, at best tamed by the Drukhari for sport, but my observations seem to contradict this knowledge. Whilst it would be spurious to describe the creatures as having a "society", there is some form of pack culture which can be observed, with an internal hierarchy and even basic tool use. There is a kind of somatic communication, supported with basic vocalisations, and Jace assures me that they have a psychic presence, though how much this assists their interaction remains a mystery.
Ur-Ghul are known for their carnivorous appetites, finding even my servitors edible, which may have encouraged their use of basic tools, such as bone clubs and even some blades, most of which seem to have been scavenged from their victims. From my observations, the Ur-Ghul appear to have a concept of value, but only in a utilitarian sense; they make their lair in ore-rich caves, ignoring the wealth around them, but will fight over a standard infantryman's knife, as it is of far more use in their lives.
It seems to me that the Ur-Ghul have some primitive understanding of religion, though from whence this originates, I have no clue. The most senior of the Ur-Ghul I observed wielded part of a broken sceptre and carried a handful of smaller bones that he was wont to "cast" like a tarot. Whether this is is linked to their psychic presence and the Warp beyond that, I have no idea, but it is clear that the Ur-Ghul do have a link to the immaterium, as our Merchant Marines discovered to their dismay when I had them clear out the infestation on our intended mining site.
Somehow, the Ur-Ghul seem able to pull smaller warp-creatures to them in times of dire threat, particularly of a kind Jace informed me are called "Sanguine-Bellied Void Serpents", brutal, carnivorous monsters found on the fringes of the warp. How much "control" the Ur-Ghul have over the Void Serpents is unclear, but their speed and strength enable them to tear through even Necron metal in close quarters. However, with proper application of heavy weapons, the nest was soon cleared out and our mining activities recommenced. Should we encounter the Ur-Ghul again in the future, I shall make an effort to capture several to determine their suitability for Narcoflagellant modification.
The Ur-Ghul are used in Narrative Kill Team games using the Genestealer rules, as NPC antagonists and "random encounters" for multiplayer games. The Void Serpents use the Lictor Rules, for some added punch. Ur-Ghuls are from Blackstone Fortress and Serpents are from Malifaux.
