Dark Elves
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A dark and vile contrast to the High Elves of Ulthuan, the Dark Elves of Naggaroth are masters of torture, combat and dark magics. Led by the king Malekith, they plunder the coasts of all races and are an ever-looming threat over the relative peace that the High Elves have endured.
Official Information
Official Information from EA Mythic
“Hear my lord of the Druchii. From the distant Cathy to the usurped lands of our accursed kin, from the cold lands of Norsca to the steaming jungles of the Southlands, our armies are rightfully feared. We alone keep alive the great and noble traditions of our ancestors of Nagarythe. Only we follow the path laid by mighty Aenarion the Defender. Only we follow the true way.”
Long ago, when Chaos was first unleashed upon the world, the Elven champion Aenarion drew the dread Sword of Khaine from its altar and used its terrible power to save his people from annihilation. When Aenarion died, his son Malekith was deemed unsuitable for the throne. Although he was a mighty warrior, a great sorcerer , a brilliant general and the rightful heir, many Elves opposed his coronation. They feared he was too focused on war, and potentially a de-stabilizing influence on the High Elf race. In retaliation, over many years Malekith engineered a terrible civil war that divided the race of Elves into two factions.
It was the High Elves who emerged victorious and drove the evil Dark Elves out from the ancestral home of their race. Under the leadership of Malekith the Witch King and his Sorceress mother Morathi, the Dark Elves sailed across the Great Western Ocean and founded for themselves a new kingdom in the northern reaches of the New World. This land they called Naggaroth, meaning 'land of chill'.
Unlike the High Elves, who continually seek to suppress their passions lest they be overcome by them, the Dark Elves willingly embrace their hedonistic nature. Dark Elf society emphasizes individualism, selfishness, and pride. They have little regard for one another and even less for the other races of the world, whom they see as potential slaves and subjects.
In battle, the ruthless warriors of Naggaorth blend Elven discipline with savagery and ferocity, for the patron deity of the Dark Elves is Kaela Mensha Khaine, the bloody-handed God and the Lord of Murder. Nowhere is this more evident than in the beautiful and deadly Witch Elves, who serve in the Temples of Khaine and revel in violence and bloodshed.
Since their expulsion from Ulthuan, the Dark Elves have desired nothing more than to return to Ulthuan and avenge their defeat, reclaiming the land they believe to be theirs by right. In the Age of Reckoning, Malekith learns of an impending Chaos invasion of the Empire and uses this knowledge to set in motion a chain of events that will leave the island home of the Elves defenseless against an invasion. At the Witch King's command, a great fleet of Black Arks – great floating islands laden with soldiers, monsters, and engines of war – sets sail across the sea to conquer the island kingdom of Ulthuan and fulfill the destiny denied the Druchii so long ago.
Current Information
Centuries of waiting in their fortresses on Naggaroth have paid off for the Dark Elves, who have long awaited a lax in security from their High Elf brethren. Recent events initiated by Chaos and the Orcs and Goblins have given Malekith and his Dark Elf brethren their ultimate chance at capturing the High Elf island of Ulthuan with relative ease, as most High Elf troops have been sent to the Old World in an effort to hold back the assaults of Chaos and the Orcs. For now, Malekith finally has his chance to reclaim what was taken from him unjustly... the throne of the Pheonix King.
Malekith ponders the message. He is well aware of the terrible plague sweeping through the Old World. If the forces of Chaos launch an attack while the Empire is weakened by the plague, the Emperor will have no choice but to call upon the nearby Dwarfs for reinforcement. With the aid of the Dwarfs, it is possible the Chaos host might be turned back. If, however, the folk of the mountains are unable to come to the Empire's defense, Emperor Karl Franz will be forced to turn to the High Elves of Ulthuan. Malekith is doubtful that his kinsmen will abandon the great nation of men in its hour of need, for doing so might deprive the High Elves of a valuable ally. No... the High Elves will respond, and will likely send several legions of warriors to repulse the Chaos attack, leaving Ulthuan vulnerable.-Age of Reckoning
The following is taken from TenTonHammer's Erik Mogensen Interview:
Erik: These two races are, I think, one of the bigger challenges facing us. Elves are tall, thin, pointy-eared folk right? Easy, right? Well…not so much. They are those things of course, but Warhammer Elves have a unique spin on that archetype. They have an air of mystery about them; an alieness that needs to come across. My hope is that we’ll do them justice, and that players will have a slight feeling of unease around both races.
In terms of how they’ll be brought to life, they give us an opportunity to really explore the magical and more ‘fantasy’ elements of the Warhammer World. The Elves are all about magic, and giant eagles and dragons, and elegance (evil elegance in the case of the Dark Elves!). Like with the other races, I’m really looking forward to seeing people walk around in the Elf lands and to finally see that side of Warhammer Elves.
Careers
None at this time...
Locations
None at this time...
Views on Allies:
Chaos - As the land of Naggaroth borders the Chaos Wastes, there has always been an uneasy series of wars and alliances with the forces of Chaos who inhabit the north. As factions of both the Dark Elves and Chaos forces have aligned in worship of Slaanesh they have sometimes been able to come together based on a common faith.
Orcs & Goblins - According to the new information given in the Age of Reckoning introduction, Malekith has given both an Orc and Goblin powerful amulets to solidify their hold on the various greenskin tribes. It is unknown as of now if these amulets are what have compelled the Dark Elves and greenskins to ally against the forces of order. Only time will tell...
Views on Enemies:
Empire - Viewing the humans of the Empire as little more then cattle, the Dark Elf raiders come to the coasts of the Empire and take prisoners to bring back on their Black Ark to Naggaroth. A constant battle is waged by the Empire against the Dark Elf raiders that come to pillage their lands.
High Elves - Millenia ago, the heir to the Elven Crown Malekith attempted a coup to take the Crown of the Pheonix King; however his bid was usurped and he was forced to endure a trial to prove if he was truly worthy to become the new Pheonix King. Failing the trial and being left horribly scarred; Malekith and his supporters launched a horrible civil war against the High Elves. The war ended with the a High Elven victory when Malekith's home and most of his supporters were lost to the ocean.
A great number of Malekith's supporters as well as Malekith himself escaped across the sea to new lands which they named Naggaroth. Now Malekith and his Dark Elves wage war against the forces of the High Elves to reclaim the Pheonix Crown and the throne that rightfully belongs to Malekith.
Dwarves - With a similar view of the dwarves as is held against the Empire, the hatred between the Dark Elves and the Dwarves is only intensified due to the fact that the Dwarves view all races as equal and see "an elf as an elf". This means that the transgressions of the High Elves have also been attributed to the Dark Elves thus making their hatred of one another even greater.
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