Wood Elves (Warhammer)

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For more general description of Wood Elves, see Wood-elves, and for other meanings, see Wood Elves (disambiguation).

In the Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe the Wood Elves are the Elves who dwell within the enchanted forest realms of Athel Loren, although small forest enclaves also exist elsewhere in the warhammer world. Also known as the 'Asrai' in their elven tongue, their ancestors were once High Elves who chose to stay in the forest when other High Elves chose to return to their island home of Ulthuan after the great War of the Beard which severely weakened elven dominance in the Old World. As such, the Asrai no longer hold any fealty toward distant Ulthuan and their High Elven cousins.

The Wood Elves are reclusive brothers-in-arms with their sylvan home, and when the hunting horns call them to war, the forest itself rises to battle alongside them. Fey spirits of the forest such as the ancient Treemen and vicious Dryads awaken to fight alongside the elven kin. In strategic terms, the wood elves prefer ambush and guerilla tactics, using the dense terrain as a weapon against foreign raiders. Because of their sparse population, all Asrai are trained in the art of the bow from a young age in order to protect their sacred homeland. Their skill with the elven longbow is rightly feared, and such is their skill that most invaders never see the arrow which snipes them from the shadowed boughs of the woods.

The Asrai consider themselves one with nature, and their very existence is dependent on the forest. Athel Loren is ruled over by two god-possessed avatars, Ariel and Orion, embodiments of nature and the hunter. Considered savage and wild by their High Elven cousins, the Asrai are a neutral yet fickle race, focused only on survival and the protection of their forest and culture. Humans of Brettonia, as well as the Empire understand even less of the Asrai, viewing their forests as haunted places where trespassers simply disappear. They are very seldomly glimpsed by outsiders, and in the rare occasions where contact occurs, they are regarded as a ghostly and mysterious presence, almost an innate force of nature.

1 The Wood Elven Army
2 Character
3 External links

[edit] The Wood Elven Army

The Wood Elven army is comprised of the following units:

[edit] Lords

Highborn

Highborn are the lords and ladies of Athel Loren that have lead the Asrai in peace and in war since the elves first came to the forest. In battle, this powerful Lord has greater skill with the longbow than normal Elven lords, but stands less chance of surviving with the aid of mundane armour. Other than the mandatory longbow, this Elf lord is no different from regular Elven lords in terms of statistics. He may buy 'Kindreds' of many types including Waywatcher, Eternal, Alter, Wardancer and Wild Rider. These confer various abilities. He may be mounted on a variety of sylvan creatures, including a Dragon, Elven Steed, Great Eagle or a Great Stag.

Spellweaver

The Lord-level Mage has the customary aptitude with spell casting, especially from the Lore of Life, and the lore of Athel Loren. Comes with the mandatory longbow, and is allowed to mount Unicorns, Elven Steeds, and Great Eagles.

Treeman Ancient

A Wood Elf army may include a Treeman Ancient as a Lord Choice. By upgrading a normal Treeman, he gets improved abilities and wider choice of Spites, spirit creatures which confer beneficial effects on the Treeman Ancient.

[edit] Heroes

Noble

The basic Wood Elf Hero Choice. He is similar to a Highborn, but with lower statistics. He can also choose a Kindred for an additional cost, but he cannot be mounted on a dragon, and can't take as many magical items or spites as the Highborn. One Noble can be assigned as the army's Battle Standard Bearer for a small additional cost. However, he is still a valuable addition to an army.

Spellsinger

The basic mage of the Wood Elf army. Can only use spells from the lore of Athel Loren.

Branchwraith

The leaders of the dryads, this Hero Choice is arguably the weakest without any additions due to its average strength in combat. However it can also be given some magical abilities, and has access to some spites that are restricted to the other heroes, which make it a respectable choice.

[edit] Core Units

Glade Riders

Swift horse masters that ride their graceful elven steeds without peer. Most Glade Riders come from the Equous glades, which border the edge of Athel Loren, where there is plenty of space for the elves to practice their horsemanship. In gaming terms, Glade Riders are the fastest and most agile choice in the Wood Elves army, barring Warhawk Riders. However Glade Riders come in greater numbers than their flying cousins and therefore are more reliable. Their main role in the Wood Elf army is to utilise their mobility to set up a flank or a rear charge, take out enemy war machines, pick off lone characters (especially mages), or just generally annoy the enemy. In games with an objective, Glade Riders are great at grabbing the objective last turn. They have the Fast Cavalry rule, which makes them excellent at hit and run tactics. Their main downside is their lack of armour and relatively high points cost.

Glade Guard/Scouts

Glade Guard are the main troops in a Wood Elf force. Not to be confused with earlier versions of Glade Guard who are armed with spears, the new Glade Guard are the basic archers of a Wood Elf force. Basic, however, is probably not the best word, as these archers are amongst the best in the game. Elven stats combined with several beneficial rules make them amongst the best archers in the world. They suffer no penalty for moving and shooting and have Str 4 arrows at short range, as well as the normal Wood Elf rules.

Eternal Guard

Eternal Guard are comprised of sons and daughters of the nobles. When winter arrives, Athel Loren remains dormant. The lithe dryads grow sluggish, and the forest sleeps. The Eternal Guard defend the Athel Loren's sacred places in winter and otherwise protect their lord unto death.

Dryads

Dryads are hateful and spiteful spirits of the forest. They lure outsiders into Athel Loren by taking the forms of beautiful elf maidens, before shredding the interlopers to pieces when they step foot near the forest. When the Wood Elves first inhabited the forest, they became more attuned with nature. Eventually, the Wood Elves would harness the power of nature and ally with the forest spirits to the benefit of both. Dryads function as one of the basic close combat units for the Wood Elves, and are the embodiment of Athel Loren's neutrality and ability to defend itself.

[edit] Special Units

Wardancers

Wardancers are the elven equivalent of berserkers--they have no armor, move fluidly, weave 'dances of death' around their opponents, and are immune to psychological effects such as fear and terror.

Warhawk Riders

Warhawk Riders are light, flying units used mostly for march-blocking and hit-and-run tactics. They are highly skilled elves riding agile, giant hawks, and resemble a sort of 'flying cavalry.'

Tree Kin

Tree Kin is the name given to the spirits of Athel Loren that bond themselves with dead trees to create an abominable, moving tree monster. They are, in essence, lesser forms of Treemen. Tree Kin tactics closely resemble that of other monsters its size, like a Troll. They are great monsters that induce fear.

Wild Riders

As the personal guard of Orion, Wild Riders are aggressive and impulsive cavalry and much tougher than Glade Riders. They have transcended the status of elf and, through Orion have become akin to the forest spirits. They, like all forest spirits, become dormant during the winter but experience a violent rebirth in the spring, raiding nearby Bretonnian territory.

[edit] Rare Units

Great Eagle

A Great Eagle is just that--an eagle of epic proportions. They live in the Grey Mountains near Athel Loren and have a special connection with elves. Wood elves use eagles as deadly flying monsters.

Treemen

Treemen are the most powerful spirits in Athel Loren. They, unlike Tree Kin, are permanently bonded to a living tree, making a connection that only death can sever. Also, Treemen are ancient beings--some are old beyond mortal reckoning--of gigantic size and have many abilities that Tree Kin do not, such as the mystical ability of tree-singing.

Waywatchers

Waywatchers are elite scouts/rangers that have honed their skills to a point where they can remain concealed and unmoving for days on end and then let loose a volley of arrows instantly and with deadly precision. They are the best non-hero archers in the game and use similar tactics as scouts.

[edit] Special Characters

There are numerous special characters within the Wood Elf lore, many not represented by the Games Workshop produced Army Book. Included in their number is Wychwethyl the Wild, Scarloc and his scouts (which until recently had rules as Dogs of War), The Lost Kindred, Naieth the Prophetess, Thalandor and Gwandor, Lothlann the Brave, Durthu, Sceolan, Gruarth the Beastmaster, and Coeddil the Treeman.

Also are those which have been given rules to be used within games of Warhammer. These are either within the Army Book, or are outlined on the Games Workshop website. Among these are Drycha, Orion and Ariel, Naestra and Arahan (riding Ceithin-Har or Gwindalor), and Skaw the Falconer.

Wychwethyl the Wild

A wardancer of exceptional skill and agility. It is he who performs the ritual dance of the beginning of spring which awakens the King and Queen in the Wood after their long sleep in the Oak of Ages. In Battle he is unsurpassed in his reckless savagery.

Scarloc

Scarloc is known both within and beyond the Forest of Loren. Leading a band of scouts he often ventures far into the lands surrounding the Wood Elf Realm to gain advance warning of impending threats.

Scarloc is skilled in the interpretations of tracks and protents, and will sometimes even warn Bretonnians if he finds signs of their common enemies. Thus he has become a trusted friend of many Bretonnian Barons and is welcomed at their castles, especially when he brings the excellent venison of Loren! It is usually Scarloc who acts as the emissary of the King of the Wood and he it is who is sent to escort friend through the forest to the King's Glade.

Scarloc not only knows the Forest of Loren, but also has intimate knowledge of other great forests in the Old world acquired during his scouting expeditions. It is even said that there are small bands of his kin secretly dwelling in many forests utterly unbeknown to the rulers and peoples of the lands. They are undoubtly there not only as waywatchers but to befriend and protect any Treeman or Dryads who may still dwell there. Scarloc's men have been known to turn up unexpectedly on many a far flung battlefield, screaming out of the trees to aid those ambushed or surrounded by Orcs or other vile foes.

Naieth the Prophetess

She is skilled in the arcane art of divination. Only a select band of mages know this secret lore. By means of divining rods cut from magical trees she is able to "feel" the flow of magic deep within the ground. It is by the guidance of these diviners that the Asrai enact their waystones to direct the flows of magic where it is closest to the mortal world.

In this way the Wood Elf mages have created a web of magical protection around Athel Loren. Changes in the flow of magic can be detected using divining rods and used to predict impending danger or presence of intruders in the forest. Naieth has become so adept at interpreting these signs that she is known throughout Loren as The Prophetess.

Whereas other mages study the ways of the elements, trees and beasts, Naieth has devoted herself to the arts of divination. Altrough there are mightier mages with greater power upon the batllefield, Naieth will sometimes accompany the Wood Elf host to battle to use her unique and subtle skills to help her kindred. She is briefly mentioned in the entry for Drycha in the Army Book.

Thalandor and Gwandor the Black

Thalandor was known as "Doom Star" because he would swoop over the dark forest by night hunting for Goblins trying to creep into Athel Loren under cover of darkness. If he spied any from on high, he would swoop down between the pines and attack without mercy, riding upon the back of Gwandor, his faithful Great Eagle.

Gwandor the Black is perhaps the most famous of the Great Eagles. This mighty bird carried Thalandor into battle against the undead hordes of the Vampire Count of Sylvania, and it was the bravery and power of Gwandor that saved Thalandor's life on that grim day.

A Wood Elf contingent which had marched to help the Empire by scouring the grim pine forest of Sylvania for signs of Count's army, was overwhelmed by Skeleton hordes. The Location of the enemy was revealed, but almost at the cost of the entire elf contingent. With their general slain, the Elves fought a rearguard action and many escaped. Thalandor heroically held back the hordes with his magic until he was beset by Carrion and badly wounded. The Elves escaped, thinking Thalandor had fallen. Meanwhile, Gwandor fought ferociously to rescue his master and carried the wounded Thalandor speedily back to the safety of Loren where he was healed to fight again.

Lothlann the Brave

Lothlann earned his nickname The Brave at the Battle of Creaking Yew. Here he took up the battle banner from the hand of the slain Athryn the Strong when the Elves were in desperate battle against the Skaven. When the Elves saw the banner rise again with Lothlann bravely galloping among the foe hewing from left to right, they surged forward like an irresistable tide. Thus they utterly defeated the ratmen, scattering them in a headlong rout. Since then, Lothlann has had the honour of bearing the sacred battle banner of Athel Loren.

Durthu

Durthu resembles a wizened and gnarled old oak tree. He is immensely old and has endured in the depths of the forest for untold ages. On rare occassions he is glimpsed among the shadowy glades or even found by wandering mages. If the Forest of Loren is invaded, Durthu will become disturbed by shouts and wanton destruction of the invaders. Enraged, he will lurch through the forest seeking out the intruders and attack them with savage fury that defies description.

Sceolan

Sceolan is the oldest and most cunning of the wood elf warriors. He fights on foot and will usually lead warriors from his own kindred of the Oak Glades. Not only does he use the Longbow, but he is an expert hand-to-hand fighter and adept at organising ambushes in the depths of the Forest.

Gruarth the Beastmaster

It is said that his name was originally Gruarth, but to most Elves he is known as "The Beastmaster". He has forgotten his name and even the words of Elven tongue if he even knew it. Now he speaks only to the beasts of the forest with their own calls and gestures. He dwells on the margins of society, in depths of the forest and shares the lairs of wild beasts by night. By day he hunts with his feral brethren and feasts on the same prey.

Drycha

Previously (5th edition of Warhammer) Drycha was friendly to the Wood Elves. However, in her newest incarnation she is bitter and a perfect representation of the forest's spite towards its inhabitants. The Beastman Morghur died within the glade Drycha was bound to, causing her to become corrupted and lose her mind. She has become a staple character for full tree spirit army lists.

Orion

Orion has gone through a number of changes (even a centaur in previous versions), yet has been settled on in recent times as the avatar of Kurnous, the god of hunting. He strides high above all others, and charges into battle alongside his Hounds. He is the King of the Asrai, born in Spring by arcane ritual, to rule through to Autumn and die before the winter.

Naestra and Arahan

Thought to have previously been a single person, the maiden Naestrahan, they were lost in the woods for years, getting deeper and deeper into Athel Loren. When they finally returned, it was as two women: twin sisters alike in every way except one was white haired the other was black haired. They ride to battle upon either their dragon Ceithin-Har or their Great Eagle Gwindalor.

Ariel

Given rules on the Games Workshop website, Ariel has changed significantly in the new version. She is darker and more alignment uncertain, like the rest of the elves. She is the 'handmaiden' or avatar of Isha (whereas Orion is the avatar of Kurnous) who rules over the Asrai as their queen through from Spring to Autumn.

Skaw the Falconer

Given rules on the Games Workshop website, Skaw is a reclusive elf preferring the company of birds and beasts over elves. He joins battle with his cat-o-nine-tails style whip and sends out his falcons to tear apart his foes.

[edit] Character

The Wood Elves of Athel Loren are mysterious and secretive beings, rarely seen beyond their forest borders. Those foolish enough to set foot within their woodland realm invite the fury of the Wood Elves and their Forest Spirit allies, whether in open combat or through sudden ambush.

Dark forms move through the twisting branches and dense undergrowth. Tiny darting shapes flit between the trees on the very edge of vision. Athel Loren sees and feels everything within its boundaries and is watchful and secretive, perfectly willing to destroy those that seek to enter. Only the insanely brave, mad, or foolish dare to cross into Athel Loren, for the forest is a haunted place, filled with unquiet, malicious spirits. Furthermore, Beastman lord Morghur has not yet established settlements inside it, but is seeking to corrupt the forest in the name of Chaos.