Mengil Manhide's Manflayers

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Mengil Manhide's Manflayers are one of the Regiments of Renown from Warhammer Fantasy. They are a Dark Elf mercenary band, consisting of guerilla style warriors led by the noble turned mercenary captain, who in later additions would be retconned into a cruel fiend even by Druchii standards.

Fluff

First Edition lore

During the spring of his last year, a Dark Elf named Kraal the Hearteater, essentially an elf version of Charles Manson, gathered all the young men of his immediate family. Spells were cast, sacrifices were made, and these elves were initiated into their family cult. At the completion of the ceremony, Kraal expelled them from the forest and forbade them from returning until each had slain a human warrior or died in the attempt, a family tradition.

Mengil, Kraal's son, quickly acclimatized to his new social role despite never having left his forested home before. He found a huge Norse champion, killed him, skinned him and fashioned the skin into a cloak. Mengil found that he liked the marauding life so much that he decided against returning to his father's people and set out on a life of banditry and mayhem.

He founded a company of Dark Elves and modelled their style after his, establishing both the dress code of flayed skin over armor for of his followers and his full new name - Mengil Manhide. The company was further strengthened when Mengil joined forces with the Dark Elf renegade Champion, Ean Hawkbane, who had a large trained owl which served both in combat and as a scout.

Fifth Edition lore

Numerous changes were made, and this is where Mengil got really edgy. Kraal the Hearteater was now a powerful and cruel lord from Clar Karond who set his sons gruelling tests to weed out the weak through death if the failed. Mengil's test was to hunt down an armed slave, a powerful Norseman, that Kraal had released into the forest around Clar Karond; Mengil wouldn't be allowed back into the city until he killed the Norseman and returned with proof of the deed.

Mengil tracked down and killed his quarry, and when he overcame his foe, rejoicing in the thrill of the kill. Here's where he starts to get edgy. Mengil smeared blood across his face and drank deeply from the Norseman's heart before skinning the Norseman and eating his flesh. Mengil wore the bloodied skin as a cloak. Unlike First Edition lore, Mengil returned to his old mean, wearing the cloak of flayed skin as he walked back into Clar Karond, earning him the respect of his father and the honorific title 'Manhide'.

When he was old enough, Mengil joined the ranks of the Corsairs of Clar Karond, his rapid rise was tarnished by his increasing viciousness (coming from Dark Elves, that's saying something) and unpredictability. His superiors had him conduct lightning raids, slaughtering any defenders and retreating with what captives he could before a counter-attack could be formed. But Mengil would more often stubbornly refuse to retreat and strike at the larger defensive force.

While his skill, ferocity and leadership often ensured he was victorious, he generally returned with few slaves, for Mengil took perverse pleasure in killing. Not only did he slay even those who surrendered, he'd continuing to hack and cut up their bodies long after life was gone. He continued his practice of skinning, and at times eating, his defeated foes, and his father's halls in Clar Karond were bedecked with savage trophies reaped from all over the world. He also had a cannibalistic taste for Dark Elves who got on his bad side, which made his comrades and subordinates even more afraid of him.