History Characters / WarhammerHighElves

* TheLostWoods: Ulthuan contains two prominent but distinct examples:
** Avelorn: Located in the northernmost of the Inner Kingdoms, Avelorn is the oldest kingdom in Ulthuan and the origin of all elven civilization. It's a literally magical place, enchanted in the most joyful ways, with many magical and fey creatures living beneath its canopy. The residents are almost all nomadic, traveling the forest and making pavilion camps, and artists, poets, and lovers are drawn here. It's mores are libertine, [[EthicalSlut love and joy are shared freely]], and it's generally understood that the rules of decorum around most of Ulthuan don't apply in Avelorn. The Everqueen makes her court here, traveling around the forest with her Handmaidens and enterage.
** Chrace: In contrast to the above, Chrace is the northeastern most Outer Kingdom of Ulthuan, and is a much more foreboding place, full of tall old growth forests and prowled by dangerous predators and occasional shades. Its location puts it in the path of Dark Elf invaders, and the residents of Chrace are known for being [[HadToBeSharp vigilant and self-reliant by necessity]]. However, the wood shaped and cut from here is valuable, as are the pelts are of many creatures who dwell here, such as the white lions from whom the [[PraetorianGuard Phoenix King's cadre of Chrace-born bodyguards]] take their names [[NemeanSkinning and cloaks]].

* IncestIsRelative: {{Downplayed|Trope}} with his relationship with Alarielle. They can both claim descent from Aenarion, though they're also both many generations removed.

[[Characters/WarhammerTheEmpire The Empire]] | [[Characters/WarhammerBretonnia Bretonnia]] | [[Characters/WarhammerDwarfs Dwarfs]] | '''High Elves''' | [[Characters/WarhammerDarkElves Dark Elves]] | [[Characters/WarhammerWoodElves Wood Elves]] | [[Characters/WarhammerLizardmen Lizardmen]] | [[Characters/WarhammerVampireCounts Vampire Counts]] | [[Characters/WarhammerTombKings Tomb Kings]] | [[Characters/WarhammerChaosGodsAndDaemons Daemons of Chaos]] | [[Characters/WarhammerWarriorsOfChaos Warriors of Chaos]] | [[Characters/WarhammerBeastsOfChaos Beastmen]] | [[Characters/WarhammerChaosDwarfs Chaos Dwarfs]] | [[Characters/WarhammerSkaven Skaven]] | [[Characters/WarhammerGreenskins Greenskins]] | [[Characters/WarhammerOgreKingdoms Ogre Kingdoms]] | [[Characters/WarhammerOtherFactions Others]]]]-]]]

* {{Expy}}: His history, design, and psychology take a lot of cues from [[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms Shevarash the Black Archer]], a minor Forgotten Realms elven deity of vengeance. They're both ancient elves from a DoomedHometown who pledged eternal vengeance against the Dark Elves/Drow that destroyed their homes and became mythical boogeymen to the entire race as a result. Both are grim, dour, and humorless, are legendary archers, are associated with shadows and darkness, tend to be seen as a NecessaryEvil by their High Elven comrades, tend to encourage PayEvilUntoEvil and TerrorHero tactics, and seem to keep popping up long after they should have died. They both even prefer black arrows.

->''"We are the chosen of Asuryan, beloved of the gods and heirs to the world. Our armies are the finest in creation; swift where our foes are lumbering, cultured where they are barbaric. Give no thought to failure, nor defeat – we are the Children of Ulthuan and we shall prevail."''
-->'''Phoenix King Aenarion the Defender'''

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The ''Widowmaker'', or ''Sword of Khaine'', is a terribly powerful sword said to be a splinter of Khaine’s own sword. Central to Aenarion the Defender’s story, it allowed him to cut swathes of daemons with ease, but it also an ArtifactOfDoom that [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil corrupted]] not only Aenarion, but a good chunk of the Elves from Nagarythe with him too. It is thankfully not available in the game proper but the End Times, we learn more about its powers; every successful hit with the ''Widowmaker'' wounds automatically with a ''Multiple Wounds'' bonus and it ignores armor saves as well as boosting its bearer’s stats in Strength and Toughness to Champion of Chaos level. Finally, it is so powerful nothing in game, be it spells or special rules, can destroy it.

[[folder: Bel Shanaar]]

[[folder: Caledor I]]

* HereditaryCurse: The source of one, begun when he drew [[ArtifactOfDoom The Widowmaker]], the [[WarGod Sword of Khaine]]. He needed its power, but he, his descendants, and to a lesser extent all elves, would forever exist under the shadow of it's influence.

* HereditaryCurse: The source of one, begun when he drew [[ArtifactOfDoom The Widowmaker]], the [[WarGod Sword of Khaine]]. He needed it's power, but he, his descendants, and to a lesser extent all elves, would forever exist under the shadow of it's influence.

* DyingRace: They're frequently said to be a dwindling people although this is apparently relative. They routinely absorb casualities that would bleed the Empire white in the fiction.

* {{Seer}}: Either by reading the prophecies of Asuryan or by standing atop the walls of his shrine to observe Ulthuan and meditate, Caradryan is now the most knowledgeable seer of the Elves.

[[Characters/WarhammerTheEmpire The Empire]] | [[Characters/WarhammerBretonnia Bretonnia]] | [[Characters/WarhammerDwarfs Dwarfs]] | '''High Elves''' | [[Characters/WarhammerDarkElves Dark Elves]] ([[Characters/WarhammerMalekith Malekith]]) | [[Characters/WarhammerWoodElves Wood Elves]] | [[Characters/WarhammerLizardmen Lizardmen]] | [[Characters/WarhammerVampireCounts Vampire Counts]] | [[Characters/WarhammerTombKings Tomb Kings]] | [[Characters/WarhammerChaosGodsAndDaemons Daemons of Chaos]] | [[Characters/WarhammerWarriorsOfChaos Warriors of Chaos]] | [[Characters/WarhammerBeastsOfChaos Beastmen]] | [[Characters/WarhammerChaosDwarfs Chaos Dwarfs]] | [[Characters/WarhammerSkaven Skaven]] | [[Characters/WarhammerGreenskins Greenskins]] | [[Characters/WarhammerOgreKingdoms Ogre Kingdoms]] | [[Characters/WarhammerOtherFactions Others]]]]-]]]

* MageTower: The famed tower of Hoeth, half a mile high and guarded by many illusory spells, shelters the greatest repository of magical knowledge in the world. The Loremasters of Hoeth studying within it are the greatest mages of Ulthuan although they do not necessarily wield magic for battle.

* CoolSword: In spite of his frailty he still carries a blade, known only as the ''Sword of Teclis''. He forged the weapon himself in a sort of self-enforced RiteOfPassage, in order to prove his skills as an enchanter. Teclis rarely actually uses it in combat, which is a shame since it wounds on 2+ dice rolls and ignores Armour, making it very powerful and just a step down from the famed ''Runefangs''.

* CoolCrown: Teclis wears the ''War Crown of Saphery'', a helm decorated with a distinctive crescent moon and which imbues him with such magical power that he is considered a level 5 Wizard.

** Avelorn: Located in the northernmost of the Inner Kingdoms, Avelorn is the oldest kingdom in Ulthuan and the origin of all elven civilization. It's a literally magical place, enchanted in the most joyful ways, with many magical and fey creatures living beneath its canopy. The residents are almost all nomadic, traveling the forest and making pavillion camps, and artists, poets, and lovers are drawn here. It's mores are libertine, [[EthicalSlut love and joy are shared freely]], and it's generally understood that the rules of decorum around most of Ulthuan don't apply in Avelorn. The Everqueen makes her court here, traveling around the forest with her Handmaidens and enterage.
** Chrace: In contrast to the above, Chrace is the northeastern most Outer Kingdom of Ulthuan, and is a much more foreboding place, full of tall old growth forests and prowled by dangerous predators and occasional shades. Its location puts it in the path of Dark Elf invaders, and the residents of Chrace are known for being [[HadToBeSharp vigilent and self-reliant by necessity]]. However, the wood shaped and cut from here is valuable, as are the pelts are of many creatures who dwell here, such as the white lions from whom the [[PraetorianGuard Pheonix King's cadre of Chrace-born bodyguards]] take their names [[NemeanSkinning and cloaks]].

* TreeVessel: {{Downplayed|Trope}} by the High Elves. Each ship in their navy is formed from a single enormous tree, carefully planted and attended by elven wizards channeling [[GreenThumb Ghyran]], magically forming it into the needed shape over hundreds of years before uprooting it and moving it into a drydock for finishing. The hull is a hollow trunk and the masts are carefully shaped branches, it's own sap rung out to form tough and tight outer seal.

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: A mix of the Ancient Greeks (more specifically being the cultured and educated but still very badass Athenians to the Dark Elves' warlike and positively Darwinian Spartans) and the Byzantines with a little bit of Edo period Japan (foreigners are forbidden to set foot on Ulthuan, except for certain designated ports) for flavor. If you were feeling rather sardonic, you could also make the comparison to {{Eagleland}} as the possessors of the strongest navy and air forces in the world (even using ''giant eagles'' as mounts) and a (quasi) democratically elected government and generally being a bunch of snobby jerkwads who annoy everyone else with their ceaseless (though well-intentioned and quite often needed) political and military interference.

The High Elves are the very definition of the EliteArmy. What they lack in number they compensate in quality, fielding highly trained units of infantry or cavalry, from the humble militias to the Phoenix Guard, Swordsmasters of Hoeth, or Prince Dragons of Caledor (although they mostly ride horses nowadays), most of which lack toughness but strike fast and true. Around these units the High Elves make ample use of Mages whose mastery of the Winds of Magic is supreme on the battlefield. They can also call upon powerful monsters such as Phoenixes or mighty Dragons for help.

** Chrace: In contrast to the above, Chrace is the northeastern most Outer Kingdom of Ulthuan, and is a much more foreboding place, full of tall old growth forests and prowled by dangerous predators and occasional shades. It's location puts it in the path of Dark Elf invaders, and the residents of Chrace are known for being [[HadToBeSharp vigilent and self-reliant by necessity]]. However, the wood shaped and cut from here is valuable, as are the pelts are of many creatures who dwell here, such as the white lions from whom the [[PraetorianGuard Pheonix King's cadre of Chrace-born bodyguards]] take their names [[NemeanSkinning and cloaks]].

* LadyLand: Gaen Vale, a volcanic island just off the southern coast of Avelorn. The island is sacred to Isha, mother goddess of the Elves, where the magic of creation flows free and wild, with her oracles tending shrines on the slopes and other acolytes who attend the place. Because the place is so sacred to Isha, sentient males are not allowed to set foot on it on pain of death and any ship with men on it will be warned off with a TwangHello from it's attendants. Every Asur woman is expected to make a pilgrimage to this island at least once in her life.

* SecondLove: Averted: his relationship with Morathi is largely implied to have been one of lust; he thought Morathi beautiful, but it's implied a combination of the Sword of Khaine's influence and his awareness of Morathi's true nature kept Aenarion from ever truly loving her.

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: A mix of the Ancient Greeks (more specifically being the cultured and educated but still very badass Athenians to the Dark Elves' warlike and positively Darwinian Spartans) and the Byzantines with a little bit of feudal isolationist Japan (foreigners are forbidden to set foot on Ulthuan, except for certain designated ports) for flavor. If you were feeling rather sardonic, you could also make the comparison to {{Eagleland}} as the possessors of the strongest navy and air forces in the world (even using ''giant eagles'' as mounts) and a (quasi) democratically elected government and generally being a bunch of snobby jerkwads who annoy everyone else with their ceaseless (though well-intentioned and quite often needed) political and military interference.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The ''Widowmaker'', or ''Sword of Khaine'', is a terribly powerful sword said to be a splinter of Khaine’s own sword. Central to Aenarion the Defender’s story, it allowed him to cut swathes of daemons with ease, but it also an ArtifactOfDoom that [[ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil corrupted]] not only Aenarion, but a good chunk of the Elves from Nagarythe with him too. It is thankfully not available in the game proper but the End Times, we learn more about its powers; every successful hit with the ''Widowmaker'' wounds automatically with a ''Multiple Wounds'' bonus and it ignores armor saves as well as boosting its bearer’s stats in Strength and Toughness to Champion of Chaos level. Finally it is so powerful nothing in game, be it spells or special rules, can destroy it.

* AmazonBrigade: The Maiden Guard of Avelorn are an elite troop of female warriors tasked with protecting those areas of Ulthuan that are most sacred to [[EarthMother Isha, the Elven Mother Goddess]]. The majority of the Maiden Guard fight as Sisters of Avelorn, skilled archers who fire bolts of mystical, [[FirePurifies purifying flame]]. The most talented of the Maiden Guard are chosen to become the Handmaidens of the Everqueen, the fiercely loyal [[PraetorianGuard bodyguards and heralds]] of the High Elves' spiritual leader.

* CulturedBadass: The Maiden Guard, and the Handmaidens in particular, are expected to emulate the Everqueen in her role as a paragon of everything elvenkind should strive to be. Thus, besides being deadly warriors and fearless guardians of Avelorn's holy and tainted places, they also pursue spiritual refinement and are accomplished artists.

* EnergyBow: Sisters of Avelorn do not shoot regular arrows but bolts of flame borne out of Isha’s power shaped like arrows that burn the enemy. As a result, they get ''Flaming Attack'' and inflict a penalty to armor save hit on the attacked model from the destructive force of the arrows.

* AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome: The ''Shieldstone'' grants Alarielle and the unit she joins a 5+ Ward save.
* BlowThatHorn: Alarielle’s presence enables her army to take the ''Horn of Isha'' to battle, which will grant a +1 to Hit bonus to the bearer’s unit for one turn.