High Elves
From WARpedia
This article describes the history and background of the High Elves. See the article Shining Guard for information about the High Elf army in WAR.
In comparison to humans, High Elves are tall, fair and slender. They are almost physically flawless and rarely succumb to disease or mutation and can live for hundreds even thousands of years. They are usually seen as being arrogant, aloof, and overly concerned with beauty and art, a reputation which is not completely unfounded for in return they generally view themselves as being superior to other races. They hold an ancient enmity towards the Dwarfs, ever since the disastrous War of the Beard when the two races fought a bloody war against each other that lasted for centuries. They have fought against the spread of Chaos since it first appeared in the world, but their bitterest stuggle is against their own kin, the Dark Elves.
[edit] Overview
Commonly known as High Elves, the Asur inhabit the ancient Elven kingdoms on the island of Ulthuan. Since the time of the Sundering, Asur culture has shunned its darker nature, tending to emphasise traits such as nobility and purity. Their poetry and music can seem fairly simple and abstract at first, but it invariably contains dual meanings and hidden depths designed to clear the mind of emotion and focus the attention upon the essence of the piece. Asur craftsmanship is founded on the work of artisans who dedicate centuries of their life to mastery of their craft, as they strive to find the perfect balance between form and function. Their work tends to be incredibly intricate, involving elaborate detail and intricate decorative touches, yet their items are also ideally suited for the purpose for which they are made, whether it be blades, armour or the humble work of a carpenter.
The armies of the High Elves are primarily based around the citizen levy. Every adult Asur must spend time in the militia as an archer and a spearman, training to be a warrior so that when called upon, almost the entire population of Ulthuan can be mobilised for war. The bulk of the cavalry is made up of the lesser sons of the High Elf nobility, known as Silver Helms. Additionally, the kingdoms of Ulthuan can provide specialised troops as required: White Lions of Chrace, Swordmasters of Saphery, Shadow Warriors from the Shadowlands, Ellyrian Reaver knights, The Maiden Guard of Avelorn, Tiranoc charioteers, and the fabled Dragon Princes of Caledor. The Phoenix Guard are perhaps the most elite of all Asur warriors, silent guardians of the Shrine of Asuryan.
Whilst lesser races must study the magic in its corrupted, broken form, High Elf Archmages harness the power Qhaysh, or High Magic, as pure, mystical energy. The minor spells of the Lores Of Magic taught to the wizards of the Empire by the legendary High Elf Mage Teclis are but a pale reflection of the power that can be wielded by an Archmage fully trained in the magical arts at the White Tower.
The Asur are ruled by the twin thrones of the Phoenix King and the Everqueen, the marriage between which symbolises the twin nature of the Elven psyche. The Phoenix King is the commander of the armies of Ulthuan and determines the level of engagement with the world at large, while the Everqueen is the spiritual leader of the Asur, responsible for the inner wellbeing of the people and the land in which they live. The current Phoenix King is Finubar Seafarer, a former prince of the trading city of Lothern which accounts for Ulthuan’s renewed and vigorous interest in distant lands.
It is through the medium of trade that most Asur activity outside of Ulthuan takes place. Elves have always been extraordinary sailors, and their ships regularly ply the seas of the world taking the work of their artisans to the trading ports of the more civilised nations of the world. While friendly traders are welcomed to Lothern, High Elven mages have laced the seas around the island with fey enchantments and wards to keep out any unwelcome visitors. Several Asur colonies and enclaves can be found throughout the Old World and beyond, mostly to protect the trading interests of the mercantile families, although some date back to a time before the Sundering.
[edit] The High Elves in WAR
When the call came from Emperor Karl Franz imploring the High Elves to help the Empire defeat the forces of Tchar'zanek, Finubar had already begun the preparations to send a fleet to aid them. He knew that with the Dwarfs engaged in the defense of their own lands against the Greenskins, the Empire would fall to Chaos, and with it all the nations of the Old World. Taking personal command of the expeditionary army, he left the defense of Ulthuan in the hands of Tyrion and Teclis, along with the elite members of the Shining Guard. Mere days after the sails of the fleet disappeared over the horizon, the sea to the west was blackened by the looming towers of a vast flotilla of approaching Black Arks. The shores of Ulthuan were attacked by wave after wave of black-clad Dark Elf warriors. The High Elf defenders, outnumbered and outmanoeuvred, were forced back, watching in despair as their homelands were overrun by their hated enemy.
The Dark Elves press hard towards the heart of Ulthuan, driven by the desire to possess the island they were exiled from millenia ago and to reclaim the Phoenix Throne for the Witch King. Only the Shining Guard, fighting across many scattered fronts, can prevent them from being victorious.
