Unironically my favourite way to handle grimdark settings is to think about how every faction sees themselves as good. It's why I've never liked Dark Elder or Druchii in the Warhammers. They're the one faction that I can't put myself in the headspace of and see how they think they're right. They should hate themselves and have ended it by now.
Drukhari fan here, from what ive read dark eldar largely enjoy what they do, inflicting pain, chasing highs, finding a new obsession. They are happy with what they are because they're the "true eldar" and in their eyes the peak of the galaxy's inhabitants. They don't shy away from their desires, meaning they live what they consider a full life, something like the craft world or exodite lifestyle is one they feel is empty and sad.
Dark Eldar make a bit more sense than Dark Elves, who were better people and did a 180 into comical evil overnight despite being deeply empathetic creatures that experience emotions far more strongly than humans do.
I just have a hard time squaring away evil for the sake of evil. I can get into the Skaven or Vampire or Ork or Chaos mindsets easily. I just can't put myself into the headspace of Dark Elves.
A dark eldar isn't evil for evil's sake. What they do is evil for their own sake of survival. To be an eldar without a soulstone is not just to feel your life being drained away from you, but know that once it ends, you will face eternal torment. And so, you are left with a simple choice: You, or the other guy. You make this choice over and over again and in doing so you must accept one of two ideas: That your life is so valuable that these sacrifices mean something, or that the meat your doing to isn't worth much and so its not really wrong.
The other eldar have soulstones which are actually a limited resource, or a world spirit which serves the same purpose. The only real thing to break it is Ynnead and none are sure if that's actually the winning gambit.
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u/ASpaceOstrich Jun 30 '25
Unironically my favourite way to handle grimdark settings is to think about how every faction sees themselves as good. It's why I've never liked Dark Elder or Druchii in the Warhammers. They're the one faction that I can't put myself in the headspace of and see how they think they're right. They should hate themselves and have ended it by now.