The Eldar
The Eldar, or Aeldari as they were known in the Eldar Lexicon before the fall of their lost realm, or the Asuryani (followers of Asuryan) as they refer to themselves, are an ancient humanoid alien race whose vast empire once extended the width and breadth of the known galaxy. The Aeldari Empire was without equal, and they counted themselves masters of the stars. But millennia ago, the Aeldari's overweening pride and their fall into hedonistic practices led to a cataclysm that all but eradicated their kind and led to the birth of the Chaos God Slaanesh.
Despite their boundless power, the heart of their civilisation was torn out by this catastrophe of their own making, forcing the surviving Aeldari, now calling themselves "Eldar," to flee upon gigantic, continent-size starships called Craftworlds. Now they cling to survival by a thread, fighting the horrors of the galaxy with ritualised discipline and consummate skill.
The Eldar race has a long and complex spacefaring history, so long, in fact, that little is known for certain about the course of their physical evolution and early planet-bound existence. The original Eldar homeworld was destroyed during the catastrophic collapse of the Eldar civilisation known as the Fall of the Eldar. The remnants of Eldar culture that survived the cataclysm preserved much of their species' history in the form of traditional stories, songs and dance. Written records, monuments and visual records were almost completely destroyed except for a few instances where they were taken aboard voidcraft fleeing from the doomed worlds.
As a humanoid race, Eldar are physically similar to humans, although not entirely identical by any means. They possess longer and cleaner limbs, and fine ascetic features with penetrating and slightly slanted, almond-shaped eyes. Their ears are also slightly pointed, but otherwise, they could pass as human at first glance. The most obvious difference between humans and Eldar can only be seen when they move, for the movements of an Eldar radiate a subtle grace which is impossible for a human to emulate. This can be seen in even their slightest gestures or the dexterity with which they manipulate small objects.
The Eldar mind, while similar in general to the human psyche, is far more inclined towards extremes. Because of this, Eldar are more intelligent but also far more intense than humans. Although an Eldar and a human can both feel grief or joy, the Eldar's experience is likely to be far more extreme.
This natural inclination towards emotional extremes is both a blessing and a curse to the Eldar. On the positive side, it gives them an unparalleled appreciation of life and an unrivalled ability to express themselves through music and other creative endeavours. A melody or gesture made with grace and skill can elicit an intensity of pleasure which is unimaginable to a human. But this potential for joy is paralleled by an equal capacity to feel despair, ambition and even hatred. Confronted by grief or other personal setbacks, an Eldar suffers mental torments which far exceed the boundaries of human anguish. The extreme nature of their temperament makes it very important that the Eldar maintain a measure of self-control at all times, for it is dangerously easy for them to become entranced by and ultimately dependent upon the experiences that their culture offers them. They must learn to control the darker side of their natures, which is no less an essential portion of the Eldar psyche – and the source of the catastrophe that nearly caused their extinction.
The Eldar are a naturally psychic race, and all Eldar possess the potential to become powerful psykers if they choose to pursue this path. The Eldar can use these innate abilities to shape matter, which lies at the foundation of their extraordinary command of technology.
Though highly advanced and feared across the galaxy, the Eldar are still a dying people – a shadow of their former glory – and their race teeters on the brink of final annihilation.
"For the ancient Aeldari, life was a cycle of birth, the fulfilment of desire, and a comfortable death, safe in the knowledge the soul would live again. The birth of their nemesis, the Dark God Slaanesh, shattered that cycle forever. Now, these once-great starfarers cower in the shadows, too afraid of their own lusts to embrace the full spectrum of sensation. It is a fate they justly deserve. In truth, there can be no escape from the doom they have brought upon themselves – not this side of the grave. Fate is a cruel mistress, and not to be courted lightly."
— Ahriman, Arch-Sorcerer of the Thousand Sons
"The Reborn are the only hope left to our people. They seek to unite the Aeldari entire -- to bring together not only the Craftworlds, but every scattered shard of our race, be they Outcast, Exodite, or soul-hungry Drukhari. With the Whispering God's net gathering us together away from the sight of evil, we shall be reforged. We shall be a people that look forward in hope, not backwards in despair. Follow them, cast aside your Waystone and the crippling fear it represents, and we shall soar on the winds of fate once more."
—Lathriel, High Farseer of Biel-Tan
Genetic Descendants
Related Myths
Comments