The whole Skaven race is born of Chaos and buoyed up on the tides of Dark Magic. When the Winds of Magic blow strongly their race multiplies. In the tunnels and caverns beneath the cities of men Skaven numbers swell, and their great under-empire spreads like a dark plague. At such times Skaven Seers cast earth shattering magic such as brought down the old Dwarf Empire in a cataclysm of volcanic eruption and earthquakes.

The Skaven worship their own Chaos God the Horned Rat, who is the manifestation of their race and all their evil schemes to consume the world. Skaven magic draws upon the dark energy stream. The Skaven supplement this power with warpstone - solid pieces of black energy blown into the world by howling Winds of Magic during the original collapse of the warp gate. These small chunks of black energy radiate malign power, causing the mutation and corruption of ordinary flesh.

Only the Skaven can touch warpstone without suffering its evil effects, and even they become twisted and warped by its energy eventually. A Skaven Sorcerer can consume small lumps of warpstone during the battle and feed upon its power to fuel his spells.

There are two kinds of Skaven Sorcerers. The most powerful of all are the Grey Seers: the lords and masters of the Skaven race, second in power only to the Great Council of the Thirteen Lords of Decay. The lesser kind are the Warlocks who belong to the sorcerous Clan Skryre. Where humans have the Colleges of magic, the Skaven Clan Skryre pursues the study of magic and magic weapons. While the Grey Seers are the most powerful sorcerers, the Warlocks learn many potent battle spells and create devices which merge technology and magic.