The High Elves

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The High Elves

Antanar's Book of Tactics

The Battle Report Archive

Unoffical Information

Collecting a High Elf army

The Noble Race The High Elves are a wise and aincent race, whose chronicles date back to when the world was young. Their deeds and acheivments were legend before the tribes of man ever arose to power in the Old World. Proud of their noble heritage, the High Elves are a graceful and cultured people, yet unflinching in battle. They are masters of arms and the secret of High Magic, and once aroused, their wrath is terrible to behold. From their island home of Ulthuan, they ply the seas, trading with younger nations and defending their homeland from assault. No enemy has breached the gates of Lothern, the most fabulous city in the world, and few have trespassed into the secret interior of Ulthuan - and lived to tell the tale.
		The Realms of Ulthuan YVRESSE Yvresse is a misty realm surrounding the old city of Tor Yvresse. The people of this land raise regiments of some of the most determined and steadfast warriors of Ulthuan, as befits the homeland of Eltharion and so many other paladins. The favoured weapon is the spear, and the warriors fight shoulder to shoulder with almost unshakable discipline. THE SHADOWLANDS The kingdom once known as Nagarythe was destroyed by the sorcery of the Dark Elves during the Sundering. Its population was scattered and became nomadic, wandering in the wilderness of northen Ulthuan. The warriors of this realm are known as Shadow Warriors. Organised in small bands, they specialise in seeking and ambushing Dark Elf raiders. They favour dark tinted armour and tunics and plumes decorated with dark colours, especially blues and sombre greys. COTHIQUE This realm has rocky coasts and trecherous seas, so it comes as no surprise that its inhabitants are all skilled seafarers. In the coastal cities hals the Elven warriors are at sea at any time, while the other half are at home guarding the coasts. Elves whose families came from Cothique can be found in all the great Elven colonies overseas. The warriors are also sailors who spend much of their time at sea and fight most of their battles against seaborne enemies and raiders. Encounters with sea monsters are a regular part of a warriors life, and some wear cloaks made from the hides of these creatures or armour styled in the fasion of sea serpents heads. Armour is often tinted in shades of green or blue. AVELORN This wooded realm is the domain of the Everqueen. Those who dwell here specialise in archery. It is said that some of the Wood Elf kindreds of Athel Loren in the Old World are descended from the people of Avelorn. The most renowned regiment of Avelorn is the Everqueens warrior guard of Elf Maids. Warriors of Avelorn are most likely to wear green plumes or embroided decoration with floral designs. Armour may sometimes be styled in floral or leaf shapes. CHRACE Chrace is mountainous and forested region. The inhabitants are all renowned as skilled hunters. Warriors often wear furs or animal pelts over their armour as cloaks or decorative collars. The most famous are the Lion Guard who guard the Phoenix King. They are distinguished by their white lion pelts and woodsmen's axes. CALLEDOR Caledor is a sparsely populated, rugged, volcanic region which has been the home to Dragons since ancient times. The folk of Caledor favour hot fiery colours for their plumes and decorative motifs, and they are the only Elves who commonly use black for plumes and crests. The taming of Dragons is a warrior tradition in Caledor, and it is from here that the Dragon Princes come. Their armour is often tinted green or sometimes red, and its design is intended to reflect the scales and horny spines of the Dragons. Such is the pride of the Dragon Prince, that theirs is the only banner that remains errect while all the other banners are dipped to ackknowledge the rule of the Phoenix King prior to battle. ELLYRION Ellyrion is a region of verdant open plains, and is domain of the horse kindreds with their herds of fine Elven Steeds. By tradition, the warriors of this realm are expert riders, taught from a young age the arts of horseback warfare. These warriors, known as Ellyrion Reavers, are experts with both spear and bow. A distinctive feature of the Reavers is their elegant, flowing plumed helmets. EATAINE Eataine is the mightiest of the Kingdoms of Ulthuan, centered around the Emerald Gate and the city of Lothern. Many merchants dwell here and send forth colonists to the four corners of the known world. This is a populous region which maintains a large number of troops. Its warriors are skilled with both the bow and the spear and are excellently equipped with the finest weapons and armour. The nobles dress in splendid robes and often wear ornate armour decorated with precious gemstones and valuble metals. These warriors fight on both land and sea, and have detachments skilled in the use of the repeater bolt thrower, which can be either mounted onboard or removed for use on land. The best warriors sever in the Sea Guard, a large body of troops whose regiments are based in Lothern, but also travel throughout the world with the Phoenix King's armies. TIRANOC Originally, this coastal realm had broad expanses of sandy beach and rolling downlands, riing suddenly into snow capped peaks. Of all the realms of Ulthuan it was the most wealthy and the most densly populated. The warriors followed a very ancient tradition of fighting from chariots as suited the landscape. During the Sundering Tiranoc was flooded by the sea and dissapeared almost completely. The coastal cities were overwhelmed and their mercantile descendants survive today only in far flung colonies. Inland, on the lower slopes of the mountains, the warriors cling to their age-old tradition of charioteers of great skill. SAPHERY This realm is noted for wizardry and within it stands the White Tower, home of the Loremasters of Hoeth. It is a sparsely populated land. The nobility of Saphery study the arts of magic and many choose to fight in battle as wizards. From all over Ulthuan determined young Elves also come to Saphery in the hope of being accepted into the order of Swordmasters of Hoeth. These elite warriors are trained by the Loremasters in the most ancient and arcane of Martial Arts. Their distinctive weapon is the double-handed broadsword, a massive weapon they weild as easily as an ordinary Elf might brandish a knife or dagger.
		The Book of Years THE GOLDEN AGE These years are not dealt with in the Chronicle of the Phoenix Kings. During this time the Everqueen ruled Ulthuan from Avelorn and many realms were founded by adventurers departing from that primeval land The time ends with the coming of Chaos and the time of violence that then ensued. Aenarion The Defender (Imperial Calendar -4500 to 4920) 1 Aenarion passes through the sacred flame and then defends the Shrine of Asuryan against the Chaos Horde of Morkar. 2. Aenarion arrives in Caledor and is recognised as the chosen of Asuryan by Caledor Dragontamer. The great dragon Indraugnir becomes Aenarion's steed. They fly to Vaul's Anvil where the Dragon Armour of Aenarion is forged along with many weapons that will eventually become heirlooms of the great Elf noble families. Technically, the rank of Prince in present day Ulthuan belongs to anyone who can show possession of one of these ancient weapons. 3. The war against Chaos begins in earnest as the Elf Dragonriders descend from Caledor and take the fight to the enemy. 21. The forces of Chaos are driven back for a time and a fragile peace descends on Ulthuan. Aenarion marries the Everqueen Astarielle and two children, Yvraine and Morelion are born to them. 30. The forces of Chaos attack Avelorn. The Everqueen is slain and her children believed lost. In fact they are in the care of the treeman Oakheart. Wracked with grief, Aenarion flies to the Blighted Isle and draws the sword of Khaine. Armed with this terrible weapon he is all but invincible for a time. 39. Aenarion rescues the witch Morathi from a Slaaneshi warband. They make court in Nagarythe. 40. Caledor Dragontamer concludes that the only way to stop Chaos is to drain the winds of magic from the world. He starts repairing and expanding the ancient network of standing stones which has stood on Ulthuan since the dawn of time. 42. Morathi bears Aenarion a child, Malekith, the future Witch King of Naggaroth. 79. The battle of the Isle of the Dead. At the heart of this epic battle Caledor Dragontamer creates the magical Vortex. Aenarion suffers a mortal wound and as his last act he flies to the Blighted Isle and drives the Sword of Khaine back into the altar. Aenarion's body is never found. Bel Shanaar The Navigator (Imperial Calendar -4419 to -2750) 1. The coronation of Bel Shanaar marks the end of the war with Chaos and the start of the great period of rebuilding that sees the rise of Tiranoc to pre-eminence among the elven realms. 255. The foundation of the first colonies in the New World, on the east coast. Malekith defeats the Orc warlord Gritok Redfang and saves the city of Athel Toralien. 300. The Elves land in the Old World. Malekith befriends the Dwarf king Snorri Whitebeard and together the armies of Dwarfs and Elves begin to drive the remnants of Chaos from the lands. As the colonies prosper wealth begins to flow back into Ulthuan. 1000. The Cult of Pleasure begins it's slow spread through Nagarythe and across all Ulthuan. 1580. Bel Shanaar himself visits the newly founded Dwarf city of Karaz-a-Karak and signs the pledge of eternal friendship between Dwarfs and Elves. Malekith stays on as ambassador and remains on friendly terms with the Dwarf kings. 1630. Malekith begins his great period of wandering around the world in search of magic artefacts of elder times. 1644. In the northern wasteland Malekith finds the Circlet of Iron in the ruined city of Vorshgar. 1645 Malekith returns to Ulthuan and denounces his own mother as a Slaanesh worshipper. The Cult of Pleasure is revealed as being secretly given over to the worship of Slaanesh. 1668. The massacre at the Shrine of Asuryan. Bel Shanaar assasinated. Malekith is burned by the sacred flame and horribly mutilated. Later that year his assasins try to kill the future king Caledor the first who is rescued by a band of Chracian hunters, the ancestors of the White Lions. Caledor The Conqueror (Imperial Calendar -2749 to -2199) 1. Coronation of Caledor. Malekith flees to Nagarythe. Civil war erupts across all Ulthuan. Brother turns against Brother as the devotees of the Cult of Pleasure stir up trouble in every city and town. 10. The renegade wizard princes flee Saphery and join Malekith. Hotek, a heretic priest of Vaul, steals the sacred hammer from Vaul's anvil and makes his way to Nagarythe. 13. Malekith is sealed within his great black armour and is hailed as the Witch King. The intensity of the war increases. 25. Caledor defeats the Witch King at the battle of Maledor. The Witch King flees and decides to implement his master plan. 26. As a result of the Witch King's interference with the Vortex much of northern Ulthuan is sunk. The renegade wizards raise the Black Arks and depart to the north to found the Dark Elf kingdom of Naggaroth. There is little the High Elves can do to stop them at this point. Tiranoc is lost beneath the waves and the cataclysmic unleashing of energies devastates the land. The Elves begin to rebuild their shattered land. Contact is lost with the Old World colonies. 119. A Dark Elf expedition returns to Ulthuan and hostilities resume. Caledor recognises the High Elf army for begins the building of the Gateway fortresses in the northern passes. 150. Griffon gate, the Unconquered Fortress, is finally completed. It is the first of a series of massive strongholds that will eventually guard the approaches to the Inner lands. The war rages on unabated as the Dark Elves seek to gain access to the Inner Lands and conquer the Holy Shrines. The High Elves resist them. 324. The dragon ship Indraugnir, armed with the magically forged Starblade ram, sinks the Palace of Joyous Oblivion near the Blighted Isle. This is the first time a Black Ark has ever been sunk and marks the beginning of the High Elves' naval ascendancy over their dark kindred. 530. The elves finally succeed in driving the last Dark Elves from northern Ulthuan and begin to sweep the northern seas clear of their ships. 532. Caledor orders the first of ill-starred expeditions to the Blighted Isle. 549. The High Elves take the Blighted Isle. Caledor does not draw the Sword of Khaine even though it would give him the power to defeat the Witch King. On his way home a great tempest seperates his flagship Indraugnir from the rest of the fleet. Sails torn, driven to the very coast of Naggaroth, the ship is overwhelmed by Dark Elf reavers. Caledor throws himself into the sea rather than be captured. Caledor the Second (Imperial Calendar -2198 to -1600) 1. An uneasy peace settles over Ulthuan. The survivors from Tiranoc and what was once Nagarythe start the rebuilding their lands. The remaining elves of Nagarythe, which has become known as the Shadowlands, take up a wandering, nomadic life shunning the trappings of civilisation. 10. Contact is re-established with the Dwarfs. Trade begins again. 193. Dark Elf raids begin against Dwarf trading caravans. 198. Dwarf protests are ignored by Caledor the Second. Increasing acrimony enters relations between the two races. 201. The War of the Beard begins. This will eventually exhaust the strength of both empires and lead to ages of bitter feuding. There are many periods of peace where both sides claim victory. 224. Caledor the Second personally kills Snorri Halfhand, King Gotrek's son, before returning to Ulthuan in time for the hunting season. 230. Morgrim, Snorri's cousin, kills Caledor's brother Imladrik. 250. The Dwarfs destroy the colony of Athel Maraya. 596. Caledor the Second comes to the Old World to personally supervise the defeat of the Dwarf kings. 597. Caledor the Second killed by Gotrek Starbreaker. The Phoenix Crown is lost. Announcing their victory the Dwarfs retreat to the mountains and refuse to fight any more. As the Elf host is assembled for a suicidal attack on Karaz-a-Karak news reaches them that the Witch King has once again invaded Ulthuan. Caradryel The Peacemaker (Imperial Calendar -1599 to -997) 1. The Black Arks Citadel of Ecstatic Damnation and Jade Palace of Pain are beached to become the core of the fortress of Anlec in the Shadowlands. This will provide the Dark Elves with a base from which to launch many massive attacks. 10. Caradryel orders the recall of the Elf armies from the Old World to combat this new threat. Demoralised by the long war with the Dwarfs, the Elves are in no position to deal with the resurgent Naggarothi. 98. The last Elf army departs from the Old World, leaving behind a few hardy colonists who refused to go. What will become the Wood Elf realm of Athel Loren is founded. 102. Caradryel introduces the system of rotating units to the Gateway fortresses so that the garrisons are always at full strength. Intermittent war rages throughout Ulthuan once more as the Dark Elves consolidate their hold on the northern lands. 602. Caradryel dies peacefully. Tethlis The Slayer (Imperial Calendar -996 to -692) 3. The first Dragons begin their long sleep. 5. Formal military training for Elf regiments begins. 10. Tethlis launches the Scouring, a great drive north that will culminate in the slaying of every Dark Elf in Ulthuan. 50. Naggarothi counter-offensive reaches Griffon Gate and is caught in a carefully prepared trap. 74. The battle of Grey Canyon. A massive army of Dark Elves is caught by surprise and destroyed while camped in the Shadowlands. 264. In a last ditch attempt to win the war the Witch King launches a desperate winter offensive across the Shadowlands. Protected by spells against the cold his army advances. They take several Elf fortresses and precipitate some of the most bitter fighting ever between the Elves including the imfamous Siege of Tor Lehan. After this battle there were no survivors on either side. 300. Anlec is destroyed. No stone is unscoured. The Altar of Khaine is toppled into the sea. 303. A great armada sails for the Blighted Isle and Naggaroth. The Battle of the Waves is fought on the Blighted Isle.Tethlis dies afterwards under mysterious circumstances. The armada turns back. Bel Korhadris The Scholar King (Imperial Calendar -690 to +498) 11. The foundations of the White Tower of Hoeth are laid down and the longest period of continual peace in Elf history begins. 400. The first Loremasters assemble round the half-complete tower. An entire town of mages and scholars springs up within it's walls. 1187. The White Tower is complete. The Order of Sword Masters is incepted. Aethis The Poet (Imperial Calendar +498 to 1120) 107. The great statue at Griffon Gate is completed It's fearsome appearance strikes terror into the hearts of the Elves' enemies, but is also a memorial to the countless Elf warriors who have died defending it. 200. Representatives of the Phoenix King arrive in Cathay. They return laden with silk, jade and spices. Trade between East and West begins to flourish. 203. Explosive growth of the seaport of Lothern begins. The Cult of Pleasure makes a secretive reappearance. The Sword Masters of Hoeth begin thier long secret war against the Cult. 255. Dark Elf slave-ships begin roaming the globe and bring entire tribes to Naggaroth in chains. 621. Aethis is assasinated by his own chancellor, a secret follower of Slaanesh. Morvael The Impetuous (Imperial Calendar +1121 to 1502) 2. The High Elf punitive expedition to Naggaroth is massacred by the Dark Elves, aided by a screaming horde of drugged slave warriors. 10. The Dark Elves rebuild the citadel of Anlec in the Shadowlands. 12. The Griffon Gate is besieged. Morvael appoints Menteus of Caledor as his general and introduces the levy system of mandatory millitary service that will eventually produce the great citizen soldier armies of Ulthuan. 20. The siege of Griffon Gate drags on. The great keep is completely encricled by triple rings of ditches and warmachines. 25. Siege of Griffon Gate is finally lifted by Mentheus leading an army mainly composed of spearmen and archers from Chrace and Cothique. 82. The fortress of Dawn is built at the southern tip of the Dark continent. 97. The citadel of Sunset is built at the southern tip of Lustria. 380. Mentheus is slain assaulting Anlec. His dragon, Nightfang, goes beserk and routs the Dark Elves. Wracked with grief Morvael re-enters the scred flame, commiting ritual suicide. Bel-Hathor The Sage (Imperial Calendar +1503 to 2162) 200. Norse raids begin. Magnus the Mad arrives to besiege Lothern with 200 men. Confronted with the 10,000 strong Lothern Seaguard he orders his men to charge . . . 400. Facing increasing numbers of Norse raids the Mages of Saphery draw a shroud of mists over the eastern sea approaches to Ulthuan. Bel Hathor issues his interdict forbidding humans to set foot on Ulthuan. 498. Finubar departs for the Old World, landing at the Bretonnian port of L'Anguille. He travels extensively over the Old World, opening relations with the Empire, Bretonnia and even the Dwarfs. 530. Finubar reaches Athel Loren and rediscovers the Wood Elves. 548. Finubar returns to Lothern and persuades Bel-Hathor to raise the Interdict. Trade starts to flow into Ulthuan as never before. Finubar The Seafarer (Imperial Calendar +2163 to present) 138. The Great Chaos incursion. Dark Elves invade Ulthuan with many Chaos allies. The Everqueen is saved by Tyrion. Teclis forges his sword and departs the White Tower. The Witch King is defeated at the Battle of Finuval Plain. Teclis leaves with Finreir and Yrtle to join Magnus the Pious in the fight against Chaos in the Old World. 140. The Dark Elves are driven out of Ulthuan after two years of relentless warfare. 141. Teclis founds the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf. 163. Teclis returns to Ulthuan and takes up the position of High Loremaster in the Tower of Hoeth. 260. Eltharion, son of Moranion, leads a highly successful raid against Naggaroth itself. It is the first time High Elves have entered Naggarond and returned alive. 262. Grom the Paunch, a notorious Goblin king, sails from the Old World at the head of a mighty Goblin war host. Landing in Yvresse, the horde ravage eastern Ulthuan before being defeated by an Elf army lead by Eltharion at Tor Yvresse. 339. Erik Redaxe raids Cothique at the head of a great fleet of Norse reavers. An Elf war fleet led by Tyrion defeats the Norse in a huge sea battle and drives them away from Ulthuan.