This is a little side project of mine. A long time ago my wife (then-girlfriend) expressed a vague interest in Warhammer. The only model line she liked was the Dark Elves, mainly because of Wyches, so I bought her the army book and worked out a Wych army for her - even getting a few units second hand. Things were looking good! Then she read the army book... She was very off put by the violent nature of the Dark Elves, and combined with her first glimpse at what the rules look like scared her away. Now that AoS is in full swing I think it's time to revisit her army in the form of Aelfs. Now that there's no such thing as a Dark Elf I've devised a bit of background for a new and improved Aelf army incorporating Exiles, Highborn and whatever Wood Elves call themselves these days. Before I get to modelling though, it's time for some background shamelessly stolen from multiple video games! The Kae’Dorei – Pure Aelfs Hysh, the Realm of Light harbours many secrets. Its radiance and purity, both of its peoples and the lands themselves made the conquest of Chaos seem unlikely. Even during the early days after the Time of Myth had ended and the Time of Chaos was on the ascent it was not until entire nations had been exterminated by the unrelenting tides of evil that the realisation had sunk in. Their gods were gone, the war was lost, their kingdoms were condemned to be a footnote in history. Before this great doom fell upon the people of Hysh it was undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and established realms. Mighty kingdoms and empires spanned its continents, built by pale stone and yellowed clay, sustained by produce harvested from golden fields under the warm light of its many suns, the rich cultures and knowledge fuelled by faith in the divine and the pursuit of knowledge that only comes with a population without fear of the world it dwells within. It is unsurprising then that Hysh boasted a great population of Aelfs, more than any other realm could lay claim to. Though haughty and arrogant perfectionists, all Aelfs are keen of mind and have a peculiar attunement to magic. Few could resist the temptations of luxurious living coupled with a limitless pursuit of knowledge and all things arcane. The Realm of Light was therefore home to several burgeoning Aelf kingdoms alongside those of mankind. Aelf settlements were not an uncommon sight within human empires as well – indeed several kingdoms came to be governed by a ruling class consisting entirely of Aelfs and while violent disputes between neighbours was common all out war was unheard of for generations. It is from this Aelf saturated society that the Kae’Dorei emerged – the so called “Pure Elves”. The original Kae’Dorei were refugees; Aelfs of all origins brought together in the lower class conclaves of the poor displaced Aelfs of the other realms. While the kingdoms of Hysh busied themselves in their own glory, wilfully ignorant of the insidious return of Chaos beginning to plague the other Realms the Aelf refugees formed a coherent society of their own, deciding that it was better to rule themselves than be subject to the rule of fools. Eventually this self proclaimed independence led to conflict and the Kae’Dorei were exiled. Refusing to settle in nearby kingdoms they accepted aid when it was offered to them but otherwise set off in a search for a new home – somewhere unspoken for by moronic kings, greedy emperors and blind scholars. After some time this led them to one of the great seas of Hysh, a crystalline ocean so clear that one could see a hundred metres down with the clarity of peering through glass. So it was that the Kae’Dorei set off to sea in the elegant ships that only Aelfs can build, seeking their destiny on some unclaimed shore. The Purelands The Purelands is situated on an island the size of a subcontinent. A huge ring of jagged black obsidian glass cliffs encircles the entire island, broken only by the occasional mountainside fortress or coastal town that keep watch over the deep azure seas that surround it. Shipwrecks along this deadly coastline are common, and those hardy enough or lucky enough to survive usually find themselves permanent residents of these spartan seaside villages and spend the rest of their lives eking out a sparse living in these harsh conditions. Very few, even among the villagers know the truth of the bounty that lies just beyond the pinnacle of the seemingly unpassable cliffs. The whole island is in fact the crater of an enormous volcano from the Realm’s very formation untold millennia ago well before the coming of Sigmar or any of the other gods from the World that Was. There are few secret passageways through the mountains that lead to the crater, all of which are fiercely guarded by the seemingly abandoned fortresses carved out of the smooth black stone that makes up the mountainside. Even then, if one was to find one of these trails unguarded their journey would still be perilous and likely seem fruitless – for once you cross the zenith of the mountains you would be greeted by more jagged mountains for miles and miles, all shrouded in thick white mist. It is at this point that a normal mind would fall to despair and give up their pursuit of adventure. The Kae’Dorei were not such people, and by chance finding the shore were wrecked upon entirely devoid of inhabitants set about establishing themselves in the abandoned towns and castles and sending scouting parties into the mists on a somewhat regular basis. They had not travelled so long or so far merely to become underfed fishermen dwelling on the rocky face of an uninhabitable cliff like some starved seabird. No, they journeyed into the fog and what they found changed the history of their peoples forever. Once below the mist one can see the Purelands for what it truly is – a twilight realm of silver and gold lush with forests of all kinds. Untouched for untold ages the wild woods of the Purelands is home to great trees of a size and age rivalled only by those in Ghyran the Realm of Life. Lush rainforests, gnarled woodlands, peaty swamps and wildflower meadows abound in equal measure and beauty within the massive caldera. Thousands of species of plant and tree are found nowhere else in all the 8 realms, and the soil is rich and fertile and it was in these lands the Kae’Dorei would make their home. An Empire Found and Lost At the base of the inner cliffs, sheltered from the many suns of Hysh were the swamps of the Purelands. Water from the mists above, from the storms above them, and the melting snow from the mountain peaks trickled down to feed the wetlands with the purest water. It was here where the Kae’Dorei made their first inland settlements; small villages of floating huts anchored to the more solid islands within the marshes and linked by bridges and walkways. The simple yet elegant designs formed a stable base of operations for further forays into the heart of the Purelands and the constant supply of fresh water and food kept the adventurers well stocked and promoted a healthy growth in population that had not been experienced since before their exile over a century earlier. This signified a turning point for the Kae’Dorei and is recorded in their written history as the first days of their Empire. In truth, it took nearly another generation of exploring before the stable foundations of their civilisation could take root further inland. Despite its beauty and its bounty the Purelands was a dangerous place where many creatures dwelled. The natural beasts that once inhabited these lands had spent millennia being saturated by magic, for the power that infused the winds of Hysh had pooled in the crater and mixed with that of Ghyran, which the Aelfs could sense in the air but had not yet been able to locate the source of. Combined this formed an incredibly pure force, nigh incorruptible, but its concentration in the crater had led to a myriad of new and deadly creatures being born and many of these creatures held the trespassing Aelfs in no high regard. Over time through battle and through nurture the Kae’Dorei had made a large segment of the Purelands habitable. Hostile beasts were either driven away or tamed, and this new blended magic had become a useful tool in establishing the new Aelf Empire. Dangerous areas of forest were blocked off with impenetrable thickets of trees and vines, treacherous marshes had paths reinforced from below with the roots of swampland vegetation and food plants were seeded all throughout the cultured lands by the sides of walkways or the forests surrounding settlements. The settlements themselves took on a austere aspect similar to the ancient fortresses that lined the outer cliffs – simple blocks of unadorned stone formed fairly uniformed buildings, decorated only by the personal belongings of its occupants. From the perspective of an outsider it would seem more like the architecture of a militaristic human nation than one of and Aelf kingdom so in harmony with its surrounds – but it was that harmony with the land that the Kae’Dorei chose to emphasise in their culture rather than the grandeur of the other Aelfs from the old kingdoms and empires from which they fled. In less than two hundred years since the first of these stone townships was built the rest of the Purelands was pacified and the great Empire of Kae’Thalas was officially named. With the Purelands thoroughly under their control the Kae’Dorei meticulously sculpted and mapped the landscape. Vast tracts of wilderness were reshaped to suit the needs of Kae’Thalas, but to an observer it would appear as natural and untouched as the ancient land had been before the coming of the Aelfs. It was during this age of consolidation that the source of the Life magic that saturated the lands was found – a realmgate connecting to Ghyran. It appeared as a small cave situated atop a small plateau hidden among a sea of trees. Although barely the height of an Aelf a powerful wind blew from the gate, carrying with it pollen, seeds and the magic that was the source of all life in the Purelands. This was to become the heart of their great Empire – and a great stone palace was carved from the earth with the Realmgate situated above the throne. The Palace of The Wind was a beacon of life and light, untouched and untainted. Whoever sat on the throne was infused with the same magic as the land and gifted with many powers; long life, radiant beauty and an unmatched mastery of life and light. Under the rule of such a being the Empire would be eternal, or so they thought. As soon as their Empire was complete it began to break apart at the seams. Over the centuries several distinct groups had emerged, and a conflict in interests coupled with the absolute freedom imparted on individuals by the Kae’Dorei law (or lack of law in general) saw factions splinter off and form their own kingdoms. The Purelands had been carefully crafted to be a single united nation, and fragmenting as such caused massive strain on the Empire’s resources and booming population. The ensuing civil war was swift and merciless – those that would not join the Empire were killed, and those that resisted its dominion were ruthless in their defiance. In five short years the civilisation was in ruin and fully two thirds of the Kae’Dorei were dead. More to come!
Incredibly fun read! I do enjoy a good army fluff! Even the mighty can crumble under their own weight! More.
Aaaand the rest of it. Tribes of the Kae’Dorei At the end of the civil war those that remained realised that a overly populous Empire in such confines was impractical, and with the standing armies of Aelfs shattered the native creatures of the Purelands were a threat once again. A council was called in the ruins of the Palace of the Wind where a number of elders and leaders came to agreements on the terms of their continued inhabitance of the Purelands. If the Kae’Dorei were to survive they could never again be empire builders. So it was that the Kae’Dorei became separated into tribes. More than 100 tribes were defined by the council. It was agreed that each tribe would be small in number, and that none would claim authority over the others. Although every tribe would have its own customs and beliefs, the Kae’Dorei as a whole would dedicate their continued existence to the preservation of the Purelands. Over the centuries since then new tribes have been born and old tribes died. Cultures blossomed and wilted but among all the tribes there were a few simple constants. One of the prime concerns of the first council was that of resource scarcity – although bountiful the Purelands were isolated in the extreme. Their former Empire had experienced a population explosion that could not be allowed to happen again, thus a covenant was made to keep the tribes at a constant. When men reached a certain age they set out alone to cross the mountains and dwell on the outer cliffs. Many take up residence in the fortresses abandoned in ages past, sentinels constantly on the lookout for the threat of outsiders. Others move to the coastal villages, mingling with the other races that call them home. Others still board the few ships that leave the rocky shores bound for one of the many other kingdoms of Hysh, striking out into an unfamiliar world. Whatever the case, once they have made this ritual journey they cannot return. Their families mourn their passing as though they had died, for as far as the tribes of the Kae’Dorei are concerned they are indeed dead. Once they leave the crater of the Purelands the men take on a new name, their “Cliff Name”, and start a new life. Being long lived Aelfs these new lives can go on for near a century before old age takes its toll, and there are indeed more Kae’Dorei males in the cliffs surrounding the Purelands than inhabit the crater. There is no resentment or sense of loss for these Cliff Aelfs, it is merely another stage of life. Infants become adolescents, adolescents become adults, adults couple and become parents and eventually journey beyond the cliffs. Not all enjoy the transition and some inevitably rebel against it, but it is considered as natural as the passing of day to night. Women on the other hand are allowed to remain within the Purelands well into the twilight of their lives. Venerated as givers of life it is only fitting that they remain in this land of Life and Light. Once a woman reaches what is considered old age she will embark upon a journey of her own. Unlike the men this journey is not done alone, a caravan of Aelfs or in some smaller groups the entire tribe will accompany her as she travels to the heart of the old Empire – the Palace of the Winds. Here she remains with the others that dwell there, learning the ancient secrets of the magic that infuses the land. An Aelf studying within the palace has all of eternity to do so, for the power that invigorated the rulers of old sustains them in staving off death. When one reaches a certain level of understanding or enlightenment a ritual will be performed and her body will be destroyed, transmuted into a single seed to be planted anonymously along the roadside along with countless others. Her soul however does not depart for the Realm of Death, it instead becomes a forest sprite and for evermore watches over the silvered woods in the heart of the Purelands. Aside from these two traditions the Kae’Dorei have no real defined gender roles. This varies somewhat between tribes, but for the most part men and women both can be warriors, hunters, gatherers, spellweavers, artisans and take up whatever skill they feel is needed for the benefit of their tribe. And so it was that the Kae’Dorei continued the cycle of their existence throughout what little remained of the Age of Myth, for the coming of Chaos would defile their lands as it did elsewhere throughout the eight Realms. The Aesmel When Chaos came the Kae’Dorei were ill equipped to face the threat. For starters they had expected the danger to come from across the sea, not from the heart of the old Empire. The Palace of the Wind spewed forth a virulent cloud of disease and decay, for the realm of Ghyran was overwhelmed by Nurgle and though the gate remained a secret to the Plaguefather’s followers it brought the taint of a dying world into the Purelands. The tribes had no standing armies, and most of the weapons forged for war were in the keeps of the Cliff Aelfs. Word was sent to recall their wayward brethren for the first time in history, but it would be too late to save the Purelands in whole. Vast tracts of pristine forest became a twisted plagueland where the dead stirred from their sleep. Long dead corpses of Aelf and animal alike crawled from the rancid earth and set about spreading disease and decay to the yet untouched countryside, vile Daemons of Nurgle coalesced from the filth to wander in the wastes, chortling and chuckling in phlegmatic tones to some unspoken joke that only they could understand. The plagues attracted the attention of the Pestilens Skaven and the Purelands were on the verge of becoming a gigantic plague cauldron that would damn the entire Realm of Light to a horrific doom. One tribe, descended from the Highborn of ages past has taken it upon themselves to become the saviours of the purelands. Donning crimson garbs signifying the blood shed in battle and imbuing their weapons with the life and light of the Purelands this tribe set about exterminating the vermin that appeared within their lands. Their villages became a safehaven, and neighbouring tribes flocked to them for protection or to take up arms. Their ranks swelled, and now led by the pure heart of Lady Melissa, the Aesmel marches as the first Kae’Dorei army since the Empire to claim back their lands and forge a new future for her people. Will the Pure Elves be able to reclaim the Plaguelands from the forces of Chaos, or are they doomed to face the same fate as all of those left behind when Sigmar closed the Gates of Azyr to the other realms?
This type of cultural anthropology makes me want more! It's brilliant to get this kind of backstory, building this incredible culture. It's the kind of world building that can keep me engaged for hours!
I have a lot more depth to it all ferreted away in my mind but I have a lot of difficulty putting it on paper in a way that makes sense. I might add to this if inspiration strikes, but seeing as it's not really one of my many many many main projects right now it might sit on the backburner for a bit (unless my wife takes an interest again then BAM! speed painted army before she changes her mind.)
This is good, and'all... Ok it is very good, keep it coming.... .... But Szeratops is need of your attention and possibly a band-aid or two back in the story-that-was. I'm sure Mrs Fhanados is very nice, but don't forget your cold-blooded fanbase.
Szeratops and friends are not forgotten! It has been hard to put aside the time and brainpower to recreate the stuff that I lost and my mojo has really been 40k oriented lately. Here's something I've slapped together over the past few days to flesh out the Kae'Dorei a bit more. Of Death and War Although they strive to live in peace with one another and their environment the concepts of violent death and warfare are not lost on the Kae’Dorei. The Purelands may be a haven of Light and Life, but that by no means makes them a safe place. The great beasts that were once abundant in this previously untouched wilderness still exist albeit in smaller numbers and the wilds themselves as beautiful as they may be are still fraught with natural peril. Death may not be as common among the long lived Aelfs, as disease is rare and life sustaining resources are sufficient to sustain the current population, but it is still as much a part of Kae’Dorei life as it is to any human. Unlike humans though, the Pure Aelfs do not fear death nor grieve for the dead but there is still a sense of loss for those that die before they have their chance to cross the mountain or become one with the land. The exact ritual and ceremony to mourn those who have passed varies between tribes. Pure Aelfs also have a deep respect for the lives of all creatures that dwell within the Purelands. Although they are not averse to killing for food, skins or to ensure their own safety most tribes of Kae’Dorei will not kill for killing’s sake. Most tribes will offer prayers or small tokens of honour to a slain animal, indeed the woodland realm is littered with hunter’s shrines where someone from any tribe may leave a tooth or bone as tribute to the creature whose life was taken. Given the vast number of tribes and the variation of culture between them, there are some who take joy in the hunt and will deliberately seek out the great beasts for sport – but they are a minority and often frowned upon by decent Kae’Dorei society as savages. Civil conflict between tribes is fairly common, the very traits which led to the Kae’Dorei Empire fragmenting and becoming embroiled in destructive civil war still run hot in the blood of all Pure Aelfs. The nature of these skirmishes is very different from the fall of the Empire – the objective is rarely to kill the rival, but rather to best them in some way that proves the dominance of the tribe. Some tribes still bear the lethal weapons of ancient warfare but consider the application of restraint while beating the opponent as the ultimate show of skill and superiority, while other tribes will fight only armed with non-lethal weapons. Some forego combat altogether and compete in great feats of strength and skill, and some tribes have champions face one another in single combat to represent their people. As it is with conflict though, regardless of intent there will often be casualties. Neither side takes pleasure in the killing of an Aelf, both parties will mourn the loss of any who perish in the dispute. On the cliffs surrounding the Purelands it is a very different matter. Cliff Aelfs are hardened by their harsh surrounds and act swiftly and violently to deter intruders. The ruined fortresses that most have made their homes store massive caches of weapons and armour dating back to the time of their Empire and even before that. The seaside villages and ports are often the target of pirates or kingdoms eager to gain a foothold on this new and seemingly unclaimed land. Such raids were subjected to the brutal counter-attack of seafaring Aelf Corsairs hidden away in secret coves, or a well-equipped army of Cliff Aelfs from the tumbled down castles above which were assumed to be abandoned. For these Kae’Dorei outside of the Purelands crater death is their art. So separated are they from the traditions of mainstream Kae’Dorei society that many no longer have the same respect of life that is so ingrained in tribal life. Clad in ancient armour and bearing cruel bladed weapons it is little wonder that the Pure Aelfs consider Cliff Aelfs to be their “Dark Kin”, and mothers will often speak of them in cautionary tales to their children. Indeed some Cliff Aelfs have developed a cruel and sadistic personality in their decades of exile and it’s not unheard of for others of their kind to have to put them to the sword to avoid greater slaughter. Khaine is revered as a god of Death by the Kae’Dorei of the crater and the cliffs. Khaine is responsible for the death of both beast and Aelf in the purelands, whether caused by the shedding of blood whether it be combat, hunting or some accident it matters not. Even in cases where the cause of death is unrelated to an injury the beliefs of most tribes have a myriad of loopholes and clauses which will allow even an innocuous and unexplainable death to be the within the juristiction of Khaine. Indeed any death not directly inflicted by a Daemon can be attributed to the Bloody Handed God. The Aesmel With Chaos encroaching on the once vibrant lands a foul darkness taints the heart of the realm. Segregated as they are, the tribes of the Kae’Dorei stand little chance against the onslaught of the Dark Gods and their minions. As the taint crept into the land so too were the souls of the Aelfs changed. Many descended into an extreme state of melancholy and despair, easily overwhelmed by their foes in their apathy. Ordered society began to crumble into a worthless culture of self destructive stagnation. Seeing the effect Nurgle had on the Purelands drove one tribe into action. Lady Melissa saw the leaders of her tribe begin to wane. Their conviction was lacking and more and more often they failed to uphold ancient laws and traditions that had maintained the delicate balance of the Kae’Dorei for centuries. In short time she and her kin took control of their tribe, establishing themselves as the new leaders and exiling their now useless predecessors. She quickly enacted judgement upon those who continued to break the laws of her tribe and instituted a series of new, strict but measured laws to try and keep her tribe strong. Her greatest action however was to establish the Aesmel – the first army of the Pure Aelfs since the collapse of their Empire, and it was with this army she intended to force Chaos from the land and return it to a state of order. It has been centuries since the Kae’Dorei had a standing army. Over this time, as the men of the Pure Aelfs make the journey to the cliffs when they come of age they take with them weapons and armour from the time of the Empire – ancient relics held by their tribe bearing the colours and markings of their allegiance during the great civil war. Such things are held in both reverence and fear, for the civil war was the darkest stain on the history of the Purelands yet it was an age of some of the greatest Aelf heroes to walk the land since their arrival on the rocky shores of the island continent. Now when they are needed most, such items are scarce and to look upon the ranks of the Aesmel this is evident. The bulk of the Aesmel are womenfolk, for there are nearly six women for every man in the Purelands crater due to the ancient customs of the Pure Aelfs. Very few have the privilege of wearing any kind of heavy armour, most garbed in simple tabards and chestpieces. Many have declared themselves Brides of Khaine, but unlike other Aelfs who embrace Khaine the Aesmel are not frenzied savages. Taking on the warrior aspect of the Bloody Handed God under the regimented command of Melissa the Aesmel are an ordered and disciplined force of soldiers. While armour is rare, weapons are plentiful as spears, daggers, bows and axes are used often in the daily lives of those who dwell in the Purelands. The Magi of the Aesmel weave powerful enchantments over these weapons so that the glowing green blades are able to banish a daemon as easily as slaying a mortal, or parry a strike that would rend steel asunder. The vibrant red uniforms of the Aesmel are a defining visual trait. Red is normally avoided by the Kae’Dorei for its connection with blood and warfare, and it is for these very reasons that the Aesmel are garbed in such a colour. Secondary colours in a combination of white, black and grey signify what formations and battlegroups a warrior is part of and whose command they are under. Warriors from the same tribes are generally grouped together and many units bear banners or icons of their native tribes. Although Aelfs of royal blood or pure birth are want to wear their ancestry proudly, nobility of birth does not grant one rank or privilege in the Aesmel. Skill and competence alone determine rank, and while royalty is not actively persecuted the most pureblooded of queens is expected to bear her sword alongside the other warriors of the host. Regardless of their origins and occupation all members of the Aesmel undergo training under the tutelage of more seasoned warriors. Often these tutors are drawn from the Cliff Aelfs, for the number of Kae’Dorei of the Purelands who served in the last war is very few indeed. The result of these methods is something akin to the legions of the old Kae’Dorei Empire, a powerful force to rival almost any traditional army, albeit an inexperienced one that was yet to earn a major victory against its foes.
That's terrific, Fhanados. The bending of the fluff to suit the model collection and colour scheme will make me feel very different the next time my lizards get cut to ribbons by dark elves.
Hahaha why thank you! The intent is really to give me some justification for an all-female (or mostly female) Aelf army, which is what my wife wants but was a tad difficult to pull off in 8th given my choice was Wyches, Hags, Sisters of Slaughter or More Wyches. At the moment all I have is Wyches and some Corsairs (the sinister Cliff Aelfs!) but will add some Sisters of Averlorn, Sisters of the Thorn, Sisters of Slaughter (jeeze are all Aelf chicks related or something? This is getting weird!) and some dark riders, probably with some female heads once I find a source. Dark Elves (or Exiles, whatever they're called) being a force of Order really helps me too - she is a very anti-evil person when it comes to any kind of game. Not sure what model to use to represent her though. I intended on using the Handmaiden of the Everqueen (gorgeous model!) but now that it's OOP it's somewhat tricky to find one for a reasonable price.
Can she hear us right now? A = Yes. Price is irrelevant! Money is no object! Get the diamond encrusted one! A = No. Give her an old space marine and paint it pink. A = Maybe. How would this go? https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p...p2w2eqNyFL7ERadC1Z4fdawJP_gTNGuM=w340-h400-nc
But Fhanados - using Bowser as a cautionary tale here - it is possible to go TOO far in customising your army.
That Avatars of War elf looks pretty decent. I'm also thinking of the Sorceress on Black Dragon but I haven't seen the Sorceress of that kit in real life so it's hard to judge. Whatever I choose I might have to paint pants on it - I don't think she'd appreciate her tabletop self commanding an army in her bikini! Bowser's mushroom kingdom army is fantastic! If anything it says "psst Fhanados, you haven't gone far enough yet!".