Role Player's Guide to High Elves

By Jesswar (01-06-2007)

Elthania Moonsorrow gazed over the corpses of her dark kin. Hewn, scorched and arrow-riddled bodies littered the field. Already, carrion were beginning to tear strips from the flesh of the fallen. This was not right. Yes they were Druchii, but they were still Elves. Elthania summoned a crack of thunder so loud and so near, that the carrion scattered from the field. "Bury the dead...all of them" she commanded. She heard some nearby Shadow Warriors scoff at her command, but she ignored them.

The war had been going on for millennia and the thought of the already-dying Elf race killing each other brought tears to her eyes. The Elves were the greatest race ot walk the earth; no one matched the Elves in mastery of magic, blade and knowledge. Yet the Elves slew each other like mere human barbarians. It was not meant to be this way, yet it continued to happen with no end in sight. Elthania hefted her staff and motioned for her bodyguard of Swordmasters to advance. A new war was coming and she would have to slay many of her dark kin before Ulthuan would be safe.

Warhammer, to newcomers, may seem on the surface to be just another generic fantasy setting. Oh how they are wrong!

Names
High Elves have very poetic names. High Elven names must be musical in sound and will often feature heavy use of vowels. Some classic examples of High Elven names used by Games Workshop can be found below:

Eltharion
Aenarion
Alarielle
Caledor

Please keep in mind that the above four names are those of great and mighty High Elves and should not be used in W.A.R. They do, however, demonstrate the poetic sound found in Elven names. As for surnames, anything poetic and/or titular can be used. Words involving nature, emotions, the elements or creatures of fantasy are all highly recommended for High Elven surnames.

Values
The High Elves value many things but one that stands out from the rest is knowledge. One would be hard pressed to find a race with more adept mages, scholars, philosophers and cartographers than the High Elves. This also ties in with the High Elves being, without a doubt, the unrivaled masters of naval exploration. No race can compete with the fleet of Ulthuan. Masters of the sea, High Elven ships have been to all corners of the earth seeking the knowledg of the world. With knowledge comes power and in this the High Elves are not lacking.

Likes
Themselves: High Elves are incredibly haughty and self-righteous. It could even be argued that their pride, vanity and general attitude borders on narcissism. All of the Warhammer: Age of Reckoning races consider themselves better than the others, but the High Elves have an edge. This edge is the simple fact that the High Elves really are the best at so many things. They are the best mages, fencers, sailors and the most knowledgeable in worldly affairs. Even in the few cases where they are not the best (such has blacksmithing or equestrianism, in which the Dwarfs and Bretonnians are undisputed masters, respectively) the High Elves are nonetheless highly competent.

Dislikes
Chaos: Although for the last few millennia the main concern of the High Elves has been the constant raiding by their twisted kin, Chaos is an even more ancient enemy of the High Elves as was the case in the earliest days of their civilization. Before there were such things as Dark Elves or Wood Elves, the High Elves were primarily responsible for filtering the raw Chaos energy sweeping into the Warhammer world from the collapsed gates of the Old Ones. Indeed, the eventual willingness of the High Elves to help the humans was not for altruistic purposes. The humans, if provided with the proper tools, would become the next weapon to be used against Chaos.

The High Elves are in decline and they cannot win a war against both the Dark Elves and Chaos. The High Elves know full well, perhaps more than most, that Chaos is the great enemy that eclipses all others. Chaos existed before the Dark Elves and will sadly exist long after them. For this reason Ulthuan needs her allies like never before.

Religion
One thing that still loosely binds the fractured Elven race is their polytheistic religion. Although each Elven civilization has taken a strong following to a different deity. Isha, for example, is acknowledged by all Elves as the mother goddess of Nature, yet the Wood Elves revere and worship her much more than their distant cousins. Khaine is the Elven god of War. Yet, the Dark Elves worship him as their primary deity and as the god of Murder.

The god Asuryan is the chief god, guide and judge of the Elves and it is he who the High Elves worship en masse. Asuryan is the oldest of the Elven gods and who's symbol is the Phoenix. It is he who judges the would-be Phoenix Kings as they take his trial and enter his flame. Woe-betide those whom he deems unworthy! Both a great irony and tragedy, it was the harsh judgment of Asuryan which helped contribute to the millennia long war that has all but destroyed the Elves as a united people. Still, one can be certain that, in the grand scheme of things, the judgement of Asuryan was and is always best for the race of Elves.

Battle Cries