Three Elven princes -- Tithrain, Carvalon and Finudel -- fell beneath the wicked blade of Malekith and the claws of Sulekh.[1k]. Led by the new Phoenix King, who had taken the name Caledor to honour his grandsire, the armies opposed to Malekith fought a cunning campaign of ambush and counterattack. Purple lightning leapt from Malekith's fingertips and cut down scores of Elves while Sulekh belched forth clouds of noxious gas. High Elf fleets patrolled the coasts and made raiding more perilous year by year. He would strangle all hope from his enemies, and then finish them forever. The Convent of Sorceresses spied a fleet leaving the port of Lothern, and aboard the flagship was the Phoenix King. It was an accursed weapon and the moment Aenarion drew it from the altar he doomed both himself and his line.[1k]. From hidden coves, Dark Elf raiders looted gold convoys and slave-traders, and brought back the riches of kings to adorn the palaces of Malekith. Thus has many an enemy died midway through a blow he thought fit to end the battle, his life stolen by an impossibly swift blade, guided by a quicksilver mind.[1c]. Bitterness and anger at what he viewed as Asuryan's betrayal of his right to rule had fuelled Malekith's will, sustaining him through the long years of agony that he had endured. For all the strength of the Naggarothi host, such was the cunning artifice of the defences and the resolution of the High Elves that Malekith's army could make no headway and the siege ground on for many years.[1k]. It was Morathi's assassins that found Imrik and they closed in on their prey with evil intent. The unknown but foul heart of the cults on Ulthuan was Nagarythe, but Bel Shanaar was hesitant to act against the lands of Aenarion's own people. Battles between Dark Elves and High Elves are exceptionally bloody, as the Dark Elves hurl themselves at their foes with unending ferocity and the warriors of Ulthuan stoically stand their ground despite the terrifying beasts and merciless agonies unleashed upon them. For nearly ten years, the High Elf fleets sunk any Naggarothi ships that approached the northern coast. Faced with the ferocious assault of the foul-smelling beasts, spearmen and archers fell back in disarray before the Dark Elf charge. [1], News post on R. A. Salvatore's official website, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales, Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt: Cutter, "I am R.A. Salvatore, fantasy writer, geek, gamer... : IAmA", http://www.rasalvatore.com/article.aspx?siteNews=245, "Drizzt Do'Urden Returns in an All-New Trilogy (Exclusive)", "N.Y. Times Bestselling Author R.A. Salvatore - Esigning", "Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales #1 - Neverwinter Tales (Issue)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R._A._Salvatore_bibliography&oldid=994906746, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, In collaboration with Seven Swords, R A Salvatore created the bot chat responses for the computer game, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 04:24. Left empty, mighty Anlec was destroyed by Tethlis' army; razed from existence by blade, fire and magic. Menreith was determined not to suffer the same fate as his forefather, and the Battle of the Waves is remembered as one of the most closely fought and bitter naval battles between the two nations of Elves. Laithikir had learnt to follow the High Elf ships, her Black Ark swathed in shadow and storm, tracking their ever-increasing journeys to the lands of the orient. All the while, they began to spread their poisonous beliefs, and the ancient Ulthuani cults of pleasure began to grow again. Within forty years Tethlis' offensive, which would be recorded in High Elf annals as "the Scouring," threatened to push the Dark Elves out of Ulthuan altogether. She set hideous tests of magical and mental strength to find the most promising young seers and witches from amongst the Dark Elves. Aided by renegade sorcerers, Hotek used the Hammer of Vaul to construct a suit of armour for the crippled Malekith; although his body had been all but broken, the prince of Nagarythe had clung to life. If Tethlis attempted to draw the Sword of Khaine, they would strike at once, cursed to sell their lives to prevent the Phoenix King from drawing the Murderer of Gods.[1k]. In the confusion and anarchy of the following centuries, the Dark Elves found rich pickings. It was perhaps untimely, then, that Caledor chose to heap pressure upon Malekith by launching an offensive against the Shadowlands in a bid to reclaim the Blighted Isle for Ulthuan.[1k]. When news of the rout reached Malekith he flew into a rage, tearing the head from one of the messengers and hurling it at his fellow heralds. He bade the Dreadlords of Naggaroth take ship about the globe, sowing terror wherever they might. A beacon of hope, Aenarion fought across Ulthuan and in his presence the warlike nature of the Elves was awoken.[1k]. The burning would never stop, and so Hotek fused his newly-forged armour directly to Malekith's body. Weakened by a lack of supplies, the army of Naggaroth was forced from the fortress by Mentheus’ phalanxes of spears.[1k]. Black Arks beached across Nagarythe and the armies of darkness smashed through Phoenix Gate and Unicorn Gate. The commander of the Tower of Oblivion, Randelle Doomwhisper, then offered to ransom the children back to the townsfolk. In Naggaroth, the survivors of the war drifted back to their homes, quiet and chastened by defeat. Malekith laughed at the thought of the betrayal of both races that had once lauded him as a hero. Malekith had another reason to be confident. Malekith unleashed his own sorceries, driving the mystics insane and boiling the blood in their veins. Unlike Morathi, who kept the innermost secrets of the Cauldrons for herself, the Hag Queens' revivification was only temporary. [1k], It was not long before news began to spread across Naggaroth that cheered the cold hearts of the Dark Elves and stirred in them their old desire for slaughter and mayhem. The Witch King led his army from his black chariot, and the fighting raged for the better part of three weeks. After attacking Anlec with the aid of Prince Finudel and Princess Athielle, co-rulers of Ellyrion, Prince Thyriol, who had presided over the First Council which decided that Bel Shaanar, and not Malekith, would succeed as Phoenix King, along with two other mages from Saphery, Prince Bathanair of Yvresse and Prince Charill and his son Lorichar of Chrace, took Morathi back to Tor Anroc after she had accepted Malekith's deal of clemency in exchange for handing over to him the leadership of the cults. He sent his riders to every city in Naggaroth, and recalled the greater part of the Naggarothi fleet. Her temperament was evil and unpredictable, and only the Witch King could approach her. With prayers upon his lips, Aenarion hurled himself into the white-hot flames. For the Dark Elves, all of the world's bounty is theirs to do with as they wish -- provided that they have the strength to claim it. In return for sacrifices and dark favours, N'kari would hunt down Alarielle and devour her soul. Though they understood little of what their dark lords asked of them, the humans learnt well enough from the whips of their masters how to dig ore from rock, herd cattle and forage in the woods. For decades the two fought against the Daemons and the Elves learnt their warcraft well. Even those who approach them in skill and intellect, the Naggarothi dismiss as weaklings, sneering at the laws and traditions that waste resources nurturing the weak even as they shackle the ambitions of the strong. Meanwhile, Morathi used her sorcerous powers to divine the intent of the princes and sent a cadre of assassins to slay the future Phoenix King. Dark Elves do not value their slaves' lives, and often kill one or two to show the other slaves their brutality. At first, their attacks were directed solely against their kin in Ulthuan, to take food and other supplies. Advantage was also sought in subtler ways: Dark Elf ships shadowed Ulthuan's merchant vessels as they plied their trade, learning the location of the High Elves' closest allies. Season by season, the dreams inflicted upon Morvael became darker and ever more disturbing, turning the Phoenix King into a nervous, gibbering wreck. In this way, for hundreds if not thousands of years, countless millions of doomed souls have been taken back to Naggaroth to a fate worse than death.[3m]. An expedition led by Eltharion of Tor Yvresse attacked Naggarond itself -- with stolen clothes Eltharion and a small group of warriors snuck into the Witch King's capital and opened one of the gates for Eltharion's army to enter. It had increasingly come to his attention that the globe was now home to many ascendant powers, and he determined that their wealth would be seized and harnessed to the Witch King's cause. It was at this time that Aenarion met with the first of the Dragontamers, the powerful mage Caledor. The war at sea swung back and forth as much as the war on land, but after two hundred years of naval battles, the High Elves were gaining the upper hand. To the east, a group of Dark Elves founded the city of Clar Karond, linked to Naggarond and Hag Graef by underground tunnels. The High Elves of Ulthuan remembered the lessons of the civil war and Malekith was unable to forge across the mountains to attack the Inner Kingdoms. The Assassins seeking the Everqueen came upon their prey one night, almost by chance. As well as campaigning across the lands that would eventually become the Empire, Bretonnia and the Badlands, Malekith travelled even further abroad. With promises of blood and slaughter, and dire threats of pain and humiliation, Malekith had broken Sulekh to his will and fed her upon magical warpstone so that she was truly monstrous. He and his sorcerers would unbind the magic of the Ulthuan vortex created by Caledor Dragontamer, unleashing the full fury of the Realms of Chaos upon the island once more. Fighting for their ancestral lands, the Naggarothi were hate-filled and vicious, and Caledor's advance swiftly stalled. Every detail of an opponent's poise and stance speaks volumes to an attentive Elf, telling him not only where and when the enemy intends to strike, but also the manner in which the act of attacking will weaken the foe's guard. He brought down storms of lightning upon his foes and engulfed armies with conflagrations of white flame. [1a], Yet even should every other land bow to their rule, the Dark Elves know that they cannot claim their glorious inheritance whilst their hated brethren, the High Elves, endure. Warhammer Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Malekith was confident that, divided and leaderless, Ulthuan would not resist him this time.[1k]. They have embraced this revelation with a burning passion that shames the cold hearts of their ancient cousins. Sensing that not even his personal attention could hold back Tethlis' vengeful advance, Malekith left the Blighted Isle on the back of a Manticore and sent word that his fleet was to return to Naggaroth. Cities were washed away and tens of thousands of Elves perished. If the Dark Elves attacked before a new Phoenix King could be chosen, they would be able to use the confusion and disarray to secure victory.[1k]. The results of these clandestine attacks proved to be far greater than Malekith had ever hoped. Fuelled by Daemonic pacts, their magic was the stronger and the shields of the Phoenix King's mages began to crumble. It was to these dark wizards that Malekith turned. All of Malekith's will and energy was bent on breaching the defences of Ulthuan.[1k]. Guided by Dark Elf steersmen, this flotilla crossed the Sea of Malice to await its human cargo. The Dragon was eventually slain with dark spells, but by then Anlec was lost and Malekith was forced to quit Nagarythe once again, his bitterness and rage greater than ever. They were warriors and most had known nothing but war -- against Daemons, Orcs, Beastmen, and lastly against their fellow Elves. Gone was the raging anger, replaced now by a harsh coldness that pierces the soul of any who looked upon the Witch King.[1k]. Arrows and spears pattered harmlessly from the Witch King's armoured body and the scales of his Dragon. [1k], As before, Anlec became the foundation of the Dark Elves' occupation and was rebuilt over the course of a decade using iron-hard black stone from the quarries of Naggaroth. Black-cloaked horsemen rode down those that tried to flee and hunted for survivors escaping across the barren tundra. Whether by the hand of foe or friend, Tethlis died at the Shrine of Khaine, and with him the last remaining desire for war was quenched. For three weeks the siege continued, until at last the Witch King arrived with the army of Naggarond. Aenarion then heard news that was to quench the fire of his heart and turn it into a chill hatred. Indeed, so much cruel delight did these manipulations elicit, that Malekith could well have continued upon this path for many centuries more, had his spies not brought unwelcome tidings: despite their woes, the High Elves had not lost heart. The High Elves had burnt their own lands and seen their people slaughtered in the fight against the Dark Elves, and they had no more stomach for battle. Every Black Ark returned to the Sea of Malice and an army the likes of which had not been seen for five centuries prepared for invasion. Such expeditions were fraught with danger, as storms and marauding beasts took their toll. The city was little more than a ruin when Malekith left, and as a last contemptuous act, he summoned up a great wave to drown the remains. They were brutal and stupid, but the Dark Elves did not care, for humans also bred quickly and were physically strong.[1k]. Malekith dispatched Khainite Assassins raised and trained in Har Ganeth, to sow disorder in the High Elven colonies and Dwarf fortresses in the new world, to ensure that no accord could ever be reached between High Elves and Dwarfs. [1a], The Druchii are raiders, slavers and heartless reavers of the first degree, their every whim being nothing more than to sow misery and pain to all that oppose them, for misery and pain is the very lifeblood of their existence. Knowing their intent was to capture him, Caledor cast himself into the sea in his full armour, escaping the torturous revenge Malekith had planned for him. At one unfortunate port, the Dark Elves encircled the town and barred all escape, before the Witch Elves were unleashed to wreak havoc within the walls. The War of the Beard, as known to the Elves, but also known as the War of Vengeance by the Dwarfs and the War of the Ancients by Humans, refers to a devastating, world-spanning conflict which erupted 2,000 years before the birth of Sigmar Heldenhammer, waged between the Dwarfs of the Worlds Edge Mountains and the High Elves of Ulthuan and her colonies. Yet the beauty of the Dark Elves is a cold beauty, being said to take a man's breath away, both figuratively and literally. Some of his people still clung to a pitiful existence in the ruins of Nagarythe, while the Blighted Isle, and upon it the Shrine of Khaine, was held by neither side. Many Elves became indolent and selfish, indulging their heightened senses with ceremonies dedicated to exotic, forbidden gods. [1b], Thus do the dread hosts of Naggaroth spread across the world, their fell banners dancing grimly on the wind, each warrior alert to the prospect of wicked joy that every battle brings. Fight with hacking, slashing and spells. Yet for all the power of Chaos unleashed by the sorcerers, they could not prevail and were forced to flee Saphery and seek refuge in Nagarythe and the kingdoms of Ulthuan its armies now occupied.[1k]. Though he feared to wield the Sword of Khaine himself, Malekith was well aware of its powers and the vengeance Caledor would wreak upon the Naggarothi should he claim it. Here the Elves met the Dwarfs and soon the two races were fighting side-by-side, their armies waging war against the fierce Orcs of the mountains and the hideous Chaos beasts who now inhabited the deep woods. The High Elves' offensive was utterly unexpected, and a column of glittering knights charged from Griffon Gate and Dragon riders soared overhead. Nobody was above Malekith's scrutiny, from the lowest Elven farmer to the most vaunted prince. Seemingly in the nick of time, the Corsairs' ships arrive to help the stranded Orcs, but it is Aragorn who jumps off the lead ship, followed by an army of the dead. The High Elves hit the Dark Elf convoys hard and then retreated, sapping the strength of Naggarond's fleet. The handful of Ulthuan's princes who had survived did not stand idle. The stones of the buildings were stained red with blood. Over and over the images emerged from the coruscating energies, each time a little different, a small detail or event somewhat changed as the flowing threads of fate intertwined and unravelled, changing the future.[1k]. Eventually, Girathon's natural talent for schemes and politics caught up with him -- he finally died at the hands of his master when the Witch King learnt of a plot by Girathon to seize control of Ghrond. Ranks of spearmen advance remorselessly across the field, a shadow of death that consumes all who stand in its path. With so many warriors lost in the attack on Naggaroth, Morvael was forced to institute a system of militia levies on the people of Ulthuan, insisting that all High Elves be trained for military service. Some of the princes of Ulthuan asked for a cooler, steadier head to guide the Elves in the rebuilding of their civilisation. With his capital established, Malekith turned his attention back to Ulthuan. It was then, at the very moment that the vortex failed, that a new power entered the contest. The Dark Elves fought savagely and the massacre is celebrated as the "Day of Blood." All Elves are beautiful, but such beauty is different between the three peoples. The severed heads were tossed down the steps at the feet of which Dark Elves bit and clawed each other to grab the heads and take them home. Few can match the Dark Elves in sheer cruelty, sadism and hubris. Still not content with driving the Witch King and his armies from the mainland of Ulthuan, Tethlis pressed onwards to the Blighted Isle. These renegades raised their armies and marched forth with glee. West of Har Ganeth, the tribes gathered under the shadow of the Black Pillar -- a towering shrine to the Chaos Gods carved from obsidian and studded with the skulls of sacrifices. Yet even as the princes gathered at the Shrine of Asuryan, a greater part of Malekith's plan was set in motion. Rulership of the Dark Elven kingdoms is rigidly structured, its titles and positions stemming from the ancient traditions of pre-Sundering Nagarythe. The captives were taken back to Naggaroth; to whatever unholy end none can say.[1k]. Never again would Malekith be allowed free passage to ransack and burn the shrines and cities around Ulthuan's Inner Sea. Kidnappings and murders blighted the cities of Ulthuan. He wandered through its ice-trapped streets, between colossal buildings that hurt the eyes to look upon. Yet for the Dark Elves these were uncharted territories and for each fleet that returned with prizes and slaves, half a dozen came back to Naggaroth in failure.[1k]. Though lacking the sheer size and grandeur of its previous incarnations, this new Anlec was still a formidable fortress and a secure base from which Dark Elf armies once more besieged Griffon Gate.[1k]. Enraged that Alarielle still lived, Malekith turned all of his fury upon the High Elves. [1l] Down the ages, there have always been nobles clever enough to avoid falling victim to the Witch King's explosive temper, and it is no different now. The Witch King sensed a growing weakness in the heart of the High Elves, a softening of their souls as generations passed and the bloody battles of the Scouring slipped from living memory. Naggaroth will rise, Ulthuan will fall, and a vengeance thousands of years in the making will finally see its bloody conclusion. Within twenty years, more ships came and went from Clar Karond than Naggarond and Hag Graef combined. Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for The DemonWars Saga; and The Legend of Drizzt, for which he created the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden; and Vector Prime, the first novel in the Star Wars: The New … In her death throes Sulekh cast Malekith from her back, pitching him into the ranks of the Phoenix Guard. By shadowing the fleets of Ulthuan, she was able to raid the busy seaports and convoys that traded with the High Elves. While the cities of the Dark Elves grew in Naggaroth, their exploits further afield also increased. [1c], With every year that passes, the power of Naggaroth ascends to greater heights, built upon the backs of slaves and fuelled by a constant stream of plunder from far-off lands. Even as Imrik thanked these warriors, he received word from one of the princes' messengers of the terror being unleashed by the armies of Nagarythe.[1k]. [2d], Dark Elves are bitter, vicious killers that detest all other creatures -- even other Dark Elves. [1k], Direct war against the High Elves would serve no purpose, Malekith realised. [1l], Down the ages, there have always been nobles clever enough to avoid falling victim to the Witch King's explosive temper, and it is no different now. In a cold rage, Aenarion swore that he would destroy every Daemon in existence in vengeance for this heinous act. The Wood Elves are held in contempt by both the Dark Elves and the High Elves, for they seek neither to rule nor control, only to endure.[1c]. He asked that he be allowed to honour his father's memory and serve as his successor, but there were voices raised against this course of action. Yet from the blood and slaughter emerged the greatest Elf hero to have ever walked the world: Aenarion. They were cultists of Khaine, the God of Murder, and their bloody sacrifices made a great spectacle for the Dark Elves.

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