Eldar Ulthwe Factbook [Now open, inc. Q&A]

[Eldar Ulthwe]

The Craftworld of Eldar Ulthwe

...And of the tears of Isha, Vaul forged spirit-stones by which she could speak with her children, that the Eldar not be wholly parted from their mother...

The Eldar are an ancient people. Their long history is one of both triumph and horror, a fact of which the Eldar of the present are exceedingly aware.

History of the Eldar

Once, the Eldar had an Empire that spanned many worlds. They took dead planets and seeded them with life, shaping them into lush paradise worlds. They reached ascendancy in all fields they explored, and nothing seemed beyond them.

Art, music, science... the Eldar excelled at all.

But their nature was an extreme one, and their very strength held peril, for in their enthusiasm for finding new knowledge and new sensations, they delved into darker fields of action.

The consequences were dire. The Eldar sank headlong into brutal depravity. Murder and horror stalked their streets, cloaked in the glittering beauty of their finery. Bloodshed and agony ran rampant, and no cruelty seemed too great.

Not all, however, were lured down this path. Some fled, in the Exodus, settling on far-off planets to lead a simpler life. They became the Exodites, and they endured. Some tried to stay and restore civilisation to the insanity gripping their people. It was a vain effort, but they managed to gather others like them, free of the hedonism of the cults gaining power. They gathered upon the Craftworlds, the ancient worldships used to explore the vastness of the galaxy, gathering anything that could be saved of their ancient people; any plants, any animals, any artefacts of days long gone. They took what they could, and they departed.

Behind them, the rest of their people grew darker still, until at last the final consequence made itself known.

A Dark God, a Ruinous Power, a thing of Chaos was born in that time, formed of the darkest impulses of the Eldar.

Slaanesh, whose name the Eldar do not speak.

Billions upon billions of Eldar died, souls torn away to feed the newborn Chaos God. Even those far distant from the outlet of Chaos ripped into the material world felt the foul grasp of their race's nemesis upon their spirits.

Those known as the Dark Eldar hid within the ancient network of travel, the Webway. They, survivors of the pleasure cults, swiftly realised the impact; their souls were slowly being drained as they lived. Sheltering in the Webway, they remained a cruel and violent kind, turning their attention to tormenting others, ripping out the souls of other beings to sate the God hungry for theirs, repairing the damage to themselves with stolen spirits.

Of the Craftworld Eldar, many failed, their Craftworlds failing to escape in time and being consumed. Those that did survive, however, haunted by what had taken place, reformed their society utterly, that they might never again fall into depravity and be devoured like so many of their kin. Never again would they succumb to decadence.

They had seen the price, and it was far too high to pay again.

Past History of Ulthwe

Ulthwe was one of the last Craftworlds to escape the Fall of the Eldar, and was consequently caught very close to the new rift in reality, the Eye of Terror. This has had a profound effect upon the people of Ulthwe.

They are more vigilant and frequently grimmer than their kin on other Craftworlds. They hold themselves in constant readiness for battle with the creatures of Chaos; a battle that takes place far too often. Furthermore, some strange quirk of their location has seen to it that their psychic powers develop further than those of many other Eldar.

This Craftworld has weathered conflict after conflict, guided by the greatest Farseer their people have ever known; Eldrad Ulthran.

To this day they speak of him with reverence. He guided and protected them for over ten thousand years, his powers of foresight serving well to preserve the Eldar as a whole.

In a dark time of despair, however, he was lost to the Eldar. Some say he was devoured by the Great Enemy, but others look upon the crystals he created with which he could guide a battle from afar. They see that not all of these crystals have faded from life, and hope beyond hope that it means that Eldrad lives yet. One day, they say, one day Eldrad will return to us. The Eldar have little cause for optimism, but they cling strongly to the few chances for such a feeling that they can get.

Ulthwe

As a Craftworld, Ulthwe is at once a ship and a world in itself, a self-contained biosystem, with forested and natural areas as well as urbanised ones. These natural areas provide a breathable atmosphere to the Craftworld and renewable resources. There are sections that are uninhabited and awaiting reconstruction. Vast space docks located outside the Craftworld house fleets of spacecraft.

Ulthwe, or more properly Ulthwé, is a contraction of the Craftworld's full name, Ulthanash Shelwe, meaning 'Song of Ulthanash.' It is thus named for an ancient hero of the Eldar people.

One of the more famous and integral aspects of the Ulthwé craftworld is that of the Seer Council. Formerly led by Eldrad Ulthran, the council both overtly and secretly interferes with other races in an attempt to steer fate in their favour. This has no doubt allowed the Eldar of Ulthwé to survive so long in such a perilous position. Part of this method means that attacks carried out by the Ulthwé Eldar may seem purposeless or as serving no immediate reason - they are instead often meant to influence events far in the future, which has given the Eldar the reputation of being capricious and random.

Eldar Mythology

The mythic cycles of the Eldar are long and complex. Their language and culture even in the present are interwoven with references to what has gone before, and the Eldar place much significance upon the tales of the past.

In the tales of the Eldar, there was once a time in which their gods walked among them, teaching and caring for them in peace and prosperity.

This changed, however... though the tale of the change is a long one, and best left untold for the moment.

To understand certain references made by the Eldar, the gods one must know include Asuryan, the Phoenix King, leader of the pantheon, to whom the Eldar still direct the most potent and dire prayer; Shea Nudh Asuryanish ereintha Asuryanat- (May the blessings of Asuryan protect the children of Asuryan from abomination); Isha, the goddess of the harvest and the earth, considered the mother of the Eldar; Kurnous, the hunt-god, lover of Isha and father of the Eldar; Morai-Heg, the Crone Goddess, whose banshee children are the namesakes of present Eldar warriors; Vaul, the smith-god, forger of the greatest swords and other creations; Lileath, the Maiden Goddess of prophetic dreams, for whom the Lileathan Worlds or Maiden Worlds are named, the paradise planets made by the Eldar; and Kaela Mensha Khaine, the Bloody-Handed God of War, both foe and protector of the Eldar at times.

Most of these gods were devoured by the Great Enemy when it awoke, though Isha is said to be held prisoner by another Chaos God as though a macabre parody of a marriage has taken place, and Khaine was shattered into fragments whose strength still lingers in the Craftworlds.

One God retained his strength and form; Cegorach, the Laughing God, a trickster who fled from the foe destroying them. With his cunning, he wrenched certain of the Eldar free of the Great Enemy; they are the Harlequins, mysterious travellers beyond even the knowledge of their fellow Eldar.

The last true god of the Eldar is as yet unborn; Ynnead, not part of the ancient cycles. It is said that Ynnead will be formed from the souls of the Eldar, stored within the core of their Craftworlds, and that he will rise at the end and destroy their terrible foe.

The other God associated with the Eldar is their deadliest enemy, the Chaos God of lust, excess, pleasure, perfection and hedonism. Without the waystones that all Eldar wear, this God would devour each of them as they died. The Eldar do not name their foe, and refer to the entity as She Who Thirsts, She Who Is Not Named, The Great Enemy, The Great Serpent and similar epithets.

Craftworlds and Crystals

Eldar Craftworlds are made of Wraithbone, a strange material psychically formed from Warp energy by the powers of the Eldar. It shields those within from psychic impacts, which is also what protected the Craftworld Eldar from the psychic shockwaves wrought by the birth of She Who Thirsts.

Infinity Circuits are the core of a Craftworld, and contain the souls of the dead, held and protected there. These souls form a kind of collective consciousness for the Craftworld itself; the vessel of the Eldar has a soul and mind.

Waystones are small gems worn by each Eldar to capture the soul upon death, preventing it from being drawn away and devoured. The Eldar highly value the waystones of the dead, and go to great effort to retrieve them. The gems are implanted into the Infinity Circuit, where the soul merges with others.

The term 'spirit stone' is often used interchangeably with waystone, but it also refers to the larger crystals formed which hold, at need, the souls of past warriors so that they may walk again in Wraithbone constructs, fighting as towering warriors whose existence seems, to them, little more than a dream. Some keep spirit-stones with them, that they may have the guidance of those long gone.

Rune-stones are inscribed with Eldar runes, and are used by Eldar Seers to foretell the future. They channel their power through the runes, and are thus shielded from the dangers of direct contact with the Warp.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

"Ask not the Eldar a question, for they will give you three answers, all of which are true and terrifying to know." - Inquisitor Czevak

The Eldar

The Eldar, sole inhabitants of Ulthwe, are humanoid in form, but markedly and distinctly not human. Taller than a human, with longer, cleaner limbs, Eldar are built along considerably slimmer lines. They have pale, unmarred skin, long pointed ears, and keen, penetrating, somewhat slanted eyes. Their eyes and hair come in a number of shades, with hair of white, black, gold, red or numerous other variations being possible, and eyes of any colour from dark to grey, or gold, violet, blue, or other notable colours.

Eldar move with grace. This fact is undeniable. An Eldar in motion has catlike grace, and swiftness in movement beyond that of a human. The overall impression tends to be one of deadly and very exotic beauty. They are long-lived by human standards, and most will live more than a thousand years unless they die from accident or disease. Eldar also have much faster metabolic rates than humans, and their cardiac and neurological systems are more advanced. These traits manifest in their vastly heightened reactions and agility compared to humans. Even when using human languages, Eldar voices are musical and flowing.

The Eldar feel all things strongly. A passionate people by instinct, only rigid control can hold back the tides of their emotions. Where a song might please a human, an Eldar would feel utter delight; the loss of a loved one, likewise, is deep and consuming despair. Sensations and emotions wash over them constantly. The Eldar of the Craftworlds work diligently to restrain the darker side of their natures, mindful of the price they would pay for slipping into hedonism and decadence; their very souls.

One of the most notable traits of the Eldar is their strong psychic potential. Most, if not all Eldar have the potential to develop as powerful psykers, if they choose to hone the abilities that are their birthright. This has had strong impacts upon Eldar society, from the value of psykers to the presence of Twinblades and other similar Eldar, twins or triplets who have become psychically attuned and linked while in the womb, allowing them to fight as one, with absolute synchronisation in combat.

Eldar Images

The Eldar Language

The Eldar language is a complex one, as befits its speakers. Spoken by an Eldar, even the most commonplace words sound like song. Few outside the Eldar know even a little of the language, and the Eldar do not encourage others to learn it. The language is rich with symbolism, references to ancient legends or past events that hold some relation to the topic at hand, making oblique references that only those well-versed in Eldar lore could understand and thus use to pick up the deeper meanings of a conversation.

The Eldar language is written in runes that can have a number of meanings; each rune could mean one thing when written, another when applied to the armour or robes of an Eldar, and yet another when used on some construction to depict an Eldar concept relating to their own people. Hopeless confusion is the usual response by those attempting to decipher Eldar runes, unless they are especially intelligent and knowledgeable.

The Eldar Paths

The Eldar restrain their passions in a way that is quite possibly unique. Eldar, upon reaching adulthood, choose a Path, an area of focus to which they dedicate themselves utterly for a cycle of their existence. They direct their attention toward their Path, rather than indulging in the extremes of their natures. This path will be studied, practiced, and eventually mastered. Then the Eldar chooses a new path and the process will begin anew.

Each new role does not completely replace the previous, but merely adds to the Eldar's accumulated experience. As Eldar pass through these different roles they explore the many aspects of their own character. An Eldar of a thousand years or more will usually have experienced many different roles and attained a very sophisticated understanding of the universe.

The Paths are selected based upon how they address the facets of each Eldar's need - for example, one who has experienced the 'touch of Khaine,' the great anger within, becomes a warrior to tame and slake this rage so that it will not cause harm, and one who takes the Path of Service does so to foster humility and a sense of duty.

All Eldar who tread a path must be cautious, for all of them are dangerous for the Eldar mind. Some Eldar focus and obsess themselves to such an extent upon a path that he becomes unable to leave it upon completion. They will continue to tread this path until their death. This fate is a terrible one for the Eldar, and such individuals are said to be lost upon the path. This can be done on purpose, if necessary, but to the Eldar, one who is lost on the Path is an example of tragedy, for they will never again have the chance to know more of themselves than the Paths already walked. There are an unknown number of paths, and each of them has further specialisations.

There are a vast number of civilian Paths, like the Path of the Artisan, or the Path of the Mariner, which is walked by the crews of Eldar ships. Technicians, traders, administrators and explorers; all are walking the paths they have chosen. These civilians are not wholly divorced from war, however; they make up the body of a Craftworld's militia, called to fight when necessary.

The most prominent Paths, however, are those most often seen by outsiders. The Path of the Warrior is the means by which Eldar sublimate their bloodlust, creating separate personae for battle. Eldar Aspect Warriors devote themselves to embodying some trait of Khaine, the Eldar god of war. They don this Aspect as they don their armour and helms, and let it slip away afterwards when their own faces are once again bared to one another. In this way, they slake their compulsion to fight, but cultivate another 'self' for these actions, so that they may walk among their people at any other time and feel untainted by the violence in their souls. An Eldar lost on the Path of the Warrior is an Exarch; their skills are incredible, but they have given up their own identity to bear the name and armour of a legendary warrior, carrying on that legend and identity.

The Path of the Seer is vital to the Eldar way of life. Eldar Spiritseers handle the spirit-stones and supervise all actions regarding them. Eldar Bonesingers call from the immaterium and shape the Wraithbone that is a key element of Eldar construction and armour. Eldar Warlocks are those who have walked the Path of the Warrior and now combine this skill with their psychic powers, leading Eldar fighters into battle or defending Eldar leaders. Those lost on the Path of the Seer are Farseers; their psychic powers are phenomenal, and they see the future, often with chilling accuracy. Theirs is a strange and powerful sacrifice; they frequently live thousands of years longer than other Eldar, and they lead and guide the Eldar with their visions, but they have given up their freedom to choose other Paths so that they might better aid their people. Eldar Farseers, in some ways, do not naturally die. Instead, they become Crystal Seers; at the end of their lives they gradually transform into crystal, joined to the Craftworld, their spirits linked utterly to it.

"The young do not desire the discipline of the Path, but rather their curiosity drives them to try every fruit from the tree. Thus it is that so many take the Path of Wandering or the Path of Damnation in their first years of adulthood, and so the great tragedy of our kind is played out again and again as the number of our people shrink from generation to generation." - Kysaduras the Anchorite, Introspections Upon Perfection

Eldar Outcasts are those who find life on a Craftworld too restrictive. It is perhaps misleading to refer to this as a Path, since they have stepped beyond that structure. These outcasts tend to become Rangers, wandering warriors with lethal aim with a sniper rifle. Those who go further are Pathfinders, respected despite their distance for their ability to scout out any location. An Eldar who becomes an outcast is viewed with some mistrust by other Eldar, but if they choose to return to the Paths they are welcomed home as though they never left.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

"When there is no other way, the perilous path is the only road to salvation." - Eldrad Ulthran, Farseer of Ulthwé Craftworld

Facts of Ulthwe

Government and Notable Persons

Ulthwe is governed and guided by the Seers' Council, the strongest Seers of Ulthwe. Once, the great Eldrad Ulthran led this council. In his absence, a new Farseer stands as head of the Council:
Farseer Imirindiel. She presently leads Ulthwe, and this is unlikely to change in any part of the foreseeable future that the Council are willing to share. Very much aware that she cannot hope to surpass the sheer strength of her predecessor, she is nonetheless determined to keep Ulthwe on the proper course. Under her guidance, Ulthwe has begun to seek tentative connections in the wider universe, to better combat the vast array of threats. Where Ulthwe intervenes, one may be assured that there is likely some great significance to a situation, no matter how simple it may appear.

Artist's representation of the Farseer.

The Seer's Council includes other representatives of Ulthwe, such as:
Farseer Hauvan Da, noted for his combat against a daemon prince.
Warlock Elarielle, who frequently accompanies Farseers away from the Craftworld.
Warlock Skesiqu'alarian, who would vastly prefer a more isolationist Ulthwe, but contents himself with mocking the various shortcomings of the non-Eldar of whom he is forced to examine the antics. If a communique from Ulthwe seems particularly acidic, there is a high chance that Skesiqu'alarian was the sender.

Other known figures of Ulthwe include:
Delegate Quilanolos Serceniaran, long-suffering delegate to the IPPETASP organisation, sent primarily to ensure any kind of discouragement of persecution of Eldar. Rumours that he was chosen merely because his long name would prove difficult or aggravating to others are unconfirmed.
Na'rekil and Na'elaya, Twinblade Striking Scorpions who at times accompany Farseer Imirindiel.
Warlock Minelien Sareth, a rather withdrawn and retiring sort. She speaks little, but sees much.

Governmental Workings

The predominant means by which the Craftworld is governed lies with the Seers' Council. Chosen from the strongest and most dedicated Seers of Ulthwe, they combine psychic foresight with intense thought on what, exactly, will benefit Ulthwe. Much of Ulthwe is kept running in day-to-day matters by civilian administrators who deal with routine affairs easily. The other pillar of authority comes from the Aspect Temples, home of the Aspect Warriors. The Exarchs who lead those temples consult with the Seers' Council regularly, and it is with their advice and agreement that the Farseers direct the Craftworld to act. Filtering down into further levels, each Eldar Path has walkers of greater seniority and wisdom, who advise and regulate younger members of the Path; the closest human equivalent, perhaps, would be some kind of guild for each profession in which the most experienced in their craft both aid and influence the less experienced.

Population and Immigration

The population of Ulthwe is one hundred percent Eldar. No non-Eldar has ever been or is ever likely to be a citizen, and few non-Eldar have ever set foot upon the Craftworld save in the worst times of war, at which point they are Ulthwe's enemies.

Immigration is limited both by restrictive policies and a lack of applicants. In order to become a citizen, one must be of the Eldar, untainted by Chaos, and willing to abide by the laws of the Craftworld. (It need hardly be said that the Dark Eldar are automatically considered tainted.) In theory, this is almost an open-door policy for other Craftworld Eldar, and even any Exodite Eldar who might feel the desire to live on a Craftworld. The Harlequins are citizens of no place, but are never denied access to Ulthwe.

The low Eldar birth-rate means that Ulthwe is not expanding at nearly the rate a human settlement would. On the other hand, longer life-spans do mean that the citizens do not need to be replaced as often by the next generation.

Production and Supply

Ulthwe is a self-reliant nation. By default it does not import goods, but rather produces whatever is needed or finds some other way to fill the need in question. All food is grown in the specialised bio-domes devoted to various crops, tended to by diligent Eldar farmers.

Of other goods, the majority are produced using Wraithbone, the semi-living psychoplastic called forth from the immaterium by Eldar seers. The Eldar have mastered the art of creating their goods using very few raw materials. The minds of their people are their greatest resource, as their psychic powers shape the Wraithbone and grow the crystals required for Eldar goods.

Society and Culture

Much of the Eldar social structure is contained within the system of Eldar Paths. Beyond this, however, the Eldar are aesthetes and lovers of beauty; they have a rich tradition of music, song, dance and art, all conveying deep intricacies of their culture. Though the Harlequins are the primary performers of displays of ritualised history, the Craftworld Eldar also have their dancers and singers.

Though in these latter days careful to shun all depravity, the Eldar maintain feasts, festivals and dances, in which they may embrace for a time the joy of being alive and together despite all that has befallen their people. The Feast of Forgotten Sorrows, for example, is a celebration of life, a time to set aside the ancient melancholy afflicting the Eldar people. Without these bright moments of happiness, it is doubtful that the Eldar could continue as they do. Another Eldar occasion is the Festival of Illumination, preceded by the Time of Shadow, when the Craftworld is darkened in preparation. At the Festival of Illumination, the Eldar may indulge their passions and celebrate for the duration without fear, purging themselves of the memories of the event afterwards.

Eldar are primarily monogamous in nature, but may court for shorter periods of time, to share briefer intimacies whilst still on a compatible Path with their chosen lover. One may love, for instance, the Artist, and yet feel incompatible with the Mariner he or she chooses to become on the next Path. In the end, however, taking a life-companion is preferred.

Children come rarely to the Eldar, but when they do, they are prized. They are cared for in a creche system whenever their parents are otherwise occupied, and no Eldar child is left alone or unattended. They are gradually taught over time the ways of their people, readying them for that point of maturity in which the child will choose their first Path and become an adult.

Military

The military forces of the Eldar of Ulthwe are substantial, honed by the grim necessities of many centuries of warfare and wariness.

Black Guardians
Ulthwe's Black Guardians are its standing militia. They are comprised of the civilians of Ulthwe, those who do not currently walk the Path of the Warrior in itself. All adult Eldar are given some Guardian training, so that in times of need they may be called up to defend the Craftworld. They have spent a long time in this role, comprise the bulk of Ulthwe's military, and civilian or no, each Guardian will likely have been hardened by centuries of training and combat against terrible foes.

Aspect Warriors
Aspect Warriors are those who have chosen the Path of the Warrior. They train themselves to embody an aspect of the war-god Khaine, and are capable of setting aside their usual emotions to become deadly soldiers without hesitation upon donning the armour that symbolises this shift in their psyche. They are carefully trained so that they can kill in this eager guise and sate the passion for battle, and yet lay it aside when they remove their armour, their peacetime selves untainted by violence and bloodlust. They effectively cultivate a 'second self' that is permitted to feel the anger and readiness to kill that they must restrain at all other times.

The different Aspect Shrines each cultivate a different facet of warfare. The Howling Banshees, for example, represent enraged close combat, while the Striking Scorpions embody strength, toughness and the surprise attack, and the Warp Spiders favour hit-and-run attacks. Other Aspects include the Shining Spears, Dire Avengers, Swooping Hawks, Dark Reapers, and Fire Dragons.

Warlocks
Eldar Warlocks are those Seers who have already walked the Path of the Warrior and who choose to combine the two, bending their psychic talents to military affairs. They tend to lead Guardian Squads, and to serve as bodyguards for Farseers.

Wraithguards and Wraithlords
The Wraithguards are warriors risen from the dead to fight again for their living kin. Their bodies are comprised of Wraithbone, and they bear the soulstones of the warriors chosen to rise again. Wraithlords are similar, but much larger, and usually are guided by the souls of Exarchs, those who lost themselves on the Path of the Warrior and thus utterly embodied their Aspect of war. They are rarely called upon, for the Eldar are reluctant to disturb the rest of their departed, but if the need is dire they may be created.

The Avatar
The Avatar is a massive figure of fiery metal and terror-inducing power. It is, in fact, a fragment of the war-god Khaine. It sits immobile and dormant deep within the Craftworld until a time of great need, at which point the Eldar awaken the shard of their warrior god so that it may fight for them once more.

Vehicles
The Eldar utilise a number of vehicles in battle, from the speedy and single-rider Jetbikes, most often favoured by Jetbike Squads and by the Shining Spears, to Wave Serpents, swift and efficient troop transports. Falcon Grav Tanks carry heavier weapons, but all of the aforementioned vehicles make use of anti-gravity technology and speed along without ground propulsion.

Ground-travel based vehicles include the bipedal War Walkers, which serve both as scouts and as heavy weapon platforms, and the vast Titans, shaped in a manner akin to the flowing lines of armoured Eldar warriors save for their huge size; they include Revenant Titans, Warlock Battle Titans and Phantom Titans.

Eldar Ships
The Eldar Fleet uses ships of graceful design, lighter and faster than many other vessels, but also somewhat more delicate, relying upon their speed and holofields to evade fire rather than withstanding it in direct hits. They frequently use solar sails for propulsion. The forms include battleships of the Void Stalker class, cruisers such as the Eclipse and Shadow Cruisers, light cruisers of the Aurora and Solaris classes, escorts like the Aconite and Hellebore-class ships, and fighters such as the Darkstar Fighters.

Weapons
The Eldar favour shuriken weaponry, which fires razor-sharp crystal discs at opponents, sharp enough to scythe through flesh with ease. They also utilise lasers of numerous kinds, monofilament wire, chainswords especially in Striking Scorpion hands, and power weapons such as Witchblades and Singing Spears, weapons that function only in the hands of Eldar psykers, and are used by them to channel their powers into each strike.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

"The stars themselves once lived and died at our command, yet you still dare to oppose our will." - Farseer Mirehn Bielann

Ulthwe's History and International Relations

Conflict in New Olwe

Few details about this conflict have been released as yet. What is known, however, that Farseer Imirindiel herself went to Olwe to battle a mage of frightening power, whose dark habits had left no doubt that he had to be stopped before he threatened the Eldar.

Battle for Joack Twelve - (link)

Joack Twelve was always going to be a contentious place. Chosen by the Eldar as an area in which some of their number could try to raise young ones away from the constant threat of attack upon the Craftworld, the planet would not have had troubles if a group of Space Marines had not landed there and attempted to convert the native population. A war began in which numerous forces converged; the Eldar would have avoided it had the forces of Chaos not landed on the planet. Compelled by the need to stop this attack so they could evacuate the last of the Planetborn, the Eldar who'd settled there earlier, Farseer Hauvan Da allied briefly with the Space Marines. The climactic battle that followed saw Hauvan Da personally fight a daemon prince, who was destroyed with his aid by a Space Marine Chaplain Hauvan Da had chosen to distract the daemon for. As reinforcements came for the Space Marines, the alliance teetered in the balance; fortunately for the Eldar, the Chaplain was a man of sufficient honour as to allow them to take their forces, evacuate their civilians, and leave the planet, which the Eldar did swiftly.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Further Resources

Images

Eldar with Gyrinx
Eldar Home
'Uncertain Future' - a casting of the runes.
Seer - "Crystals, crystals everywhere."
Female Eldar Aspect Warrior.
Ulthwe Farseer.

A young Seer.
Female Eldar Exarch.
Female Seer.
Male Eldar warrior.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Allies

Craftworld Saim Hann
Iybraesil
Altansarr
These are fellow Eldar, allied to protect the Eldar people as a whole.

Sidhelen - An Elven nation taken under Ulthwe's wing and treated as being akin to an Exodite world.

Other Connections

Ulthwe's Database of Other Nations

Opinions of other nations regarding Ulthwe

Eldar Ulthwe
A passionate and powerful species, the eldar would make excellent allies. However relations may be strained, depending on what the eldar, in turn, think of us. Until we know their opinions for sure, we count them among our allied nations, and would not hesitate to provide aid unconditionally.

Eldar Ulthwe: We find this nation to have respectable and very reasonable policies, particularly their policy on immigration. It is much like our own, though we have made special exceptions. It is rare to find a nation willing to prevent the import of cultural baggage into its borders. In addition to that, we find many of their neutral views to be refreshing and enlightened. Although we haven't reached that apex in our development, we hold great respect for a nation of this nature. Diplomatic relations would be of great benefit to both sides. :: RANKING -- profitable, fascinating ::

Ultanash Shelwe

Our policy regarding eldar is a special one, and given the circumstances the only thing we find undesirable about your nation is relative conservatism compared to the previous craftworld we have encountered.

Because of prior experience with our... old ways... your people would be generally ruled out for any kind of conquest (you have reason to fight to the death) and it would be essential to win your trust and cooperation. The only scenario in which we would ever intervene in your affairs would be those where you directly attacked us or your actions were demonstratively harmful to many innocent humans.

Eldar Ulthwe is a nation somewhat distant from our understandings. We do not really communicate with races, such as those present in your nation, due to uncertainty over their...abilities. However, there seems to be a sound political system in place, although your economy seems to be incompatible to trade with ours. As such, we regard you as a neutral nation.

It is saddening to read this and to be reminded how far the mighty might fall should they take but one false step. I am truly saddened by the fate of the Eldar, and yet I can not help but be fascinated by your people. As your society is truly alien to us we can not use most of the usual tools such as economy and freedom. You nation, or ship should I say?, has an open door policy on immigration for those of your species so I can assume that those who do not wish to live by the laws of your ship may leave at any time. I would be honored to be Allies with your people, and you would be welcome in the IIRK as we Kreanolthans are quite open to non-humans that don't try to kill us on sight. -- Grand Councilor Firinos Aniki.

Eldar Ulthwe

An interesting civilization that has links with the Eshairr, the original Eldar inhabitants of Eden, except for the fact they are not pirates and neither they do speak French like the Eshairr. From Solarian contact and experience with the French-speaking Eldar pirates, they expect these aliens to be quite proud of themselves and a bit of douchebags, but no real threat for Solarians, specially considering they have a great enemy in common with the Solarians, who also consider Chaos to be a greater threat than even the worst alien out in the multiverse. As long as the Allah-worshipping half-humans don't ruin everything, something which won't happen because they are gone, the relations between the Confderation and Eldar Ulthwe will be perhaps cold, but still more leaning to alliance than to hostilities.

And thus, besides a very far future(or perhaps never) interference to promote a freer society among their people, it's unlikely the Solarians will ever meddle with their businesses as long as Chaos exists as a greater threat to both civilizations than any threat they could pose to each other.

"The eldar of Ulthwe is a race of elves who live in a living spaceship called a craftworld. The eldar are a sad race for not only have they lost many of their kind in a war agaisnt a chaos god but their souls are not able to be saved even now from the the claws of chaos. If anything I would not only allow these people to come to Orcoa but they may settle in Orcoa without fear of bigotry or violance. May god and his angels of death protect you in war."
Emperor Zach

Eldar Ulthwe:
You’re old, we get it. No need to flaunt your oldness and what not. Although, you women have some of the best upper areas in the galaxy, and we like that, a lot., seriously they’re fantastic. Anyway, we’d rather not here your song, and just hear you speak. Seriously, stop singing at us. You’re rather tall, that also annoys us. The Liberals would probably like you because you’re rather humble. The Monarchists would set you on fire, as always. In total, we wouldn’t really do much about you. You seem to be just another group of tall, Elvin, singing people. With messed up ears that we would really just like to tear off.

@Eldar Ulthwe- An advanced civalizacion of extraterrestrial space elves. Unlike our elves who milk yaks and live in the Northern Tundra, they're hypocritical and they REALLY like crystals for some reason. Their military is formidable and we wouldn't screw with them...

The Craftworld of Eldar Ulthwe

As many nations of the species named Eldar so can we even with Ulthwe see that they live on huge contraptions named "craftworlds"*. This specific species is one that you should pity even more than the normal non-human for it is one that is on the process of leaving our galaxy one at a time as their numbers dwindle every day. This however is not why as their enlighten and superiors should look down upon them but it is because they are a cursed species and when they dies so are their souls drained to the god of the chaos fate** called "slahnessh" or "the dark prince". However this species do also have a horrifying past were they in acts of decadence preformed both acts I would not speak of in any civilized company and killed and tortured each other as art. This is according to both the Eldar and followers of the Chaos fate consider the reason why the dark prince was born and why he takes his power from decadence and pain. What however is most chocking is that this species despite its dark past still lingers in the arrogant belief that they are a superior species and humans instead of the perfection of evolution is a plague that should in the best cases be ignored and in the worst do they even attack and exterminate planets that they consider their own. I can finish by saying that this species as you my dear reader can understand is a species that clearly lacks human rule and I hope that soon any of our space faring brothers and sisters will take pity of them and take them in under their superior wings***
* Which is for those of my readers who are unaware a huge "spaceship" that can even rival small planets in size.
** Which is in fact one of the few religions that are banned according to law by the absolute royal federation for those who wishes to know more would I recommend the book "Cults and darkness" written by yours truly and take a closer look upon illegal religions in our loved federation.
*** A figure of speech as there have been no proof that travelling in space will cause humans to evolve wings.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Ulthwe's Archives

Here, pieces of literature will be kept. Many, alas, are fragmentary, or imperfectly translated from the Eldar language.

The following excerpt from a greater text and tells of the ancient Fall of our people. It was translated by a human scholar, who found himself unable to find equivalent words for some concepts.

'First, in sunrise lost, an' tears of Isha true-spoke are [untranslatable],
Arose in firmament-arched-of-iron, Ymgir-Star-Hungry (lords Misrule).
We/us pantheon dwell, excel [untranslatable], for them, we stand, an'
wraithsword bear.
In pearls of Vaul is Dragon becalmed.
In chains of Kesnous is [untranslatable] ensnared.
In blood of Lilien is Siren silenced.
An' in laughter, just that, confounded is, this Deathly Kaelis-Ra, and lost
for [untranslatable].
But in victor-clasp pantheon stood, we/us beside, and triumph
[untranslatable] beget.
Yet all are lost, and is on hunger sated.

'Second, in ages unchaste, when distant [untranslatable] gods were,
With triumph of age-lost victory swollen, an' purpose lost to
[untranslatable] cry:
Arose the Thirst.
Arose the spake of we/us.
Arose this echo of [untranslatable] timely excess.
A parting of ways, then. Collapse an' ruin an' blood, and this
[untranslatable] shall the Fall.
(From grace an' youth, we slip)
Some to the green and the soil, long before.
Some to the dark and the [untranslatable], bestride atrocity-veil,
Some to the wraitharks, an' chased an' thrown out 'pon horror-tide.
An' all else are lost beside.'

Excerpt from The Treachery of Vision, written by the legendary Farseer Eldrad Ulthran.

BEGINNINGS SWIRL INTO the forgotten past, like ideas fading into the inconstant oceans of memory. They swim, free-floating on
the cusp of the empyrean, flickering in and out of reality, as though prodding at the consciousness of a submerged mind. Without
warning - or with warnings so subtle that they pass as mere comets' tails or clouds of burning gas - an old beginning can push
itself out of forgetfulness and cast itself into the glare of a new sun, dragging itself out of the oceans of darkness and into the light
once again.
There are but few whose thoughts sense the eddies and dances of moments gone by, and fewer still whose souls sail the very brink
of the abyss from which the ghosts of beginnings and ends emerge into our world. And those few are both the best and the worst of
us, for there is nothing hidden to them in the great expanse of time. But even the greatest of them is not always free to choose the
sea-lanes on which their visions might sail.
The future is no different from the past. It is nothing more than a beginning yet to come, and it curdles in the endless ocean of
time, riddling the depths of the invisible realms with immaterial phantasms. It is the idea of a current and the suggestion of a
storm; it is the gathering cloud that persuades a sailor to drop anchor, to head for land, or to brace for the coming of hell. But not
every wisp of vapour births a maelstrom, and not every sailor looks up to heaven.
The future grows from myriad beginnings, but each of those beginnings also have a beginning of their own - an infinity of
regressions back to The Beginning, before which an origin was not even a word and the future was an unbounded explosion of
light. It was not a moment or an event, but a tear in the very fabric of our universe, through which the empyrean and the material
realm could spill and mingle. Before the tear, there was nothing but darkness or perhaps nothing but light, and from it was born
reality itself.
The Old Ones told of a time after The Beginning when an Ancient Enemy emerged from the hearts of a thousand suns, feeding on
light, drinking the very life of the galaxy. These glittering beings were born entirely into the material realm, and they were its
undisputed lords - commanding the very stars themselves. But mastering the materium and conquering the galaxy were not the
same thing, and the Old Ones confronted this Ancient Foe by surfing the tides of the immaterium, drawing ineffable power from
realms incomprehensible to the star gods, realms swimming with the unformed and raw powers of daemons and gods.
I have heard legends that this was the time when daemons first dragged themselves into existence, clawing their way through the
rift between realms, salivating at the scent of life on the other side. And I have also heard that eldar more ancient even than
Asurmen himself were born into this time, fed by curdling eddies of power where the Old Ones stirred the material and immaterial
together with a giant, warp-stone jewelled spear. Thus the Old Ones stood against them at the dawn of war itself. Despite the
machinations of the Ancient Enemy, the tear in the galaxy was never sealed, and from it continues to pour the echoes and
promises of our eternity. From it seeps hope and damnation together.
Buried in the deepest vaults of the Black Library, hidden from the eyes of the young races and the foolish hearts of our time, lie
the tomes of the most ancient of the eldar, the very first volumes to be taken into the care of the Harlequins, older than the
mysterious library itself. There are rumours that these timeless texts may even bear the imprints of the Old Ones themselves. I
have seen them, and they are exquisite.
The Black Library itself lies veiled in the lashes of the webways that riddle the great tear, surfing the empyrean tides as a glorious
galleon in the light-streaked darkness. If the Ancient Enemy were to return to complete their Great Work, then the tear would be
sown up, the Library would blink out of existence and the sons of Asuryan would be cut off from their life source forever. We
would cease to be; cease to ever have been as the universe was severed from its own memories. The Eye of Isha would dim,
closing for all eternity. The legacy of the Old Ones would vanish.
For the Ancient Foe have no souls, and thus nothing to fear by severing reality in two - draining the life force from the substance
of life.
For the Ancient Foe have only life, and an insatiable thirst for death.
For the Ancient Foe were turned back only by the blinding brilliance of Isha's gaze, and, were that gaze ever to fade, there would
be nothing to stand before them.
Thus the gaze of Isha is cast over the universe, sprinkling it with moments of light, ever vigilant for the first stirrings of ancient
endings.
And it is to the farseer that we turn for visions of time beyond and around our own; it is they who pilot our craftworlds through
the treacherous tides and webs of fate, casting their eternal souls to skim the fringes of the ineffable abyss. They are the
navigators of our souls, seeing the past and future blended into our present, seeing ancient origins swimming into our destinies
together with the daemons who continue to claw their way into our realm.
But I have seen the treachery of our ways: even the farseers cannot see everything or everywhen, and if they could it would drive
them into madness. Visions of paradise and hell are inseparable: the great tear brings both glory and annihilation - it is the
birthplace of war and victory. With the eldar, our daemons were also born into reality, and even I cannot see whether it was wise
to pay this price to arrest the advance of the Ancient Foe. Even the present is unclear - visions of elsewhen are doubly
treacherous.
From The Treachery of Vision by Eldrad Ulthran, Ulthwe

Musings from a Seer of another Craftworld:

As I scry far across the skein of time to
where the mists of the distant future cloud
any certainty, the one revelation that over and
again asserts itself is the eventuality of
conflict between our two races. However, the
journey toward that distant end is one replete
with the gossamer caress of hope and
promise, a faint glimmer in an otherwise
frigidly dark and unforgiving universe the
likes of which has not been glimpsed since
the Fall…
- Glébriwyn Tithrändil,
Farseer of the Alaitoc Eldar

[ooc note: All texts in this section of the archive were not written by me, and come instead from various pieces of 40K canon.]

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Ulthwe's Archives, Continued

The following is an Eldar song composed as a lament for the lost gods.

Weep
Isha, beloved mother
Weep for us
Isha, divided from us
Harvest-lady, hands of mercy
Torn away from us
Call
Kurnous, honoured father
Call to us
Kurnous, trapped in torment
Hunter-lord, daring all
To speak with his own
Dance, Fair Lileath,
Maiden beautiful as dreams
Hoec, consort Gia, Fate-crone Morai-Heg
Always mocking laughing Cegorach
Kaela Mensha Khaine - tremble before him
War to slay and yet to save, ever-bloody-hand
Asuryan, revere him, Phoenix King, judge over all
Sun and light his domain, and all else beneath
Artificer Vaul, praise him, thank his mercy
He who gave back to us Isha and Kurnous
Eldanesh, of our own, Eldanesh of the Red Moon
Mighty warrior in vengeance slain

Lament, my people, forever, cry of grief and shame
The One born thereafter, doom of us all, that of unspoken name
Kurnous, farewell, honoured father
Farewell Hoec, Gia, Lileath
Old blind Morai-Heg farewell
All slain. All gone.
Asuryan - the fires are quenched
Vaul consumed as well
Khaine divided, Khaine cast down
Lingering in fragments
Cegorach, the trickster
Standing still aloof and laughing
Isha! Beloved mother!
Saved and yet prisoned
Springing cures amid pestilence
Beloved mother, we beg forgiveness
Weep in mourning, weep in mercy
We knew not what we did.
Lost and alone, your children
Awaiting only Ynnead.

[ooc note: All texts in this section of the archive were written by me.]

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Q&A
[Here, the questions of others regarding Ulthwe may be addressed, and questions whose answers are particularly important will be placed here.]






[Thread Status: Open for comments and Q&A]

[Israslovakahzerbajan]

-One:

What is your opinion of the human and neko peoples.

Two-
During an era we call the 60's, our cosmonauts frequently say Unidentified Flying Objects in near-earth orbit. Can you confirm that they are yours.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

-One:

What is your opinion of the human and neko peoples.

Two-
During an era we call the 60's, our cosmonauts frequently say Unidentified Flying Objects in near-earth orbit. Can you confirm that they are yours.

One:
We view humans and nekos in general with a very similar degree of indifference. Specific groups of either may inspire greater hostility or increased civility based upon their actions, as may individuals.

Two:
We suggest you ask someone else; they weren't ours.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

[bump for Q&A/feedback?]

[Israslovakahzerbajan]

Oh okay, another cuestion that's unexplainable for us(we seem to be asking all alien nations this)...

Uh, do you make crop circles? They're an annoyance for our agricultural engineers.

[Eldar Ulthwe]

Oh okay, another cuestion that's unexplainable for us(we seem to be asking all alien nations this)...

Uh, do you make crop circles? They're an annoyance for our agricultural engineers.

We probably could if we wanted to. But we've never seen the need.

[The shee species]

The Eldar, sole inhabitants of Ulthwe

How does that work? Only elder, or are there animals aboard as well?

[Eldar Ulthwe]

The Eldar, sole inhabitants of Ulthwe

How does that work? Only elder, or are there animals aboard as well?

When one performs a census, does one customarily poll nonsapient beings? No? Does one by any chance count the household pet as an official resident and citizen?

...Yes, we have animals. One of them is mentioned several times and is our national animal, the gyrinx.

[Minroz]

What is Eldars' view on Multi-species civilizations which also include humans?

What is Eldars' general view of slavery in any forms and why?

[Eldar Ulthwe]

What is Eldars' view on Multi-species civilizations which also include humans?

It is recognised such civilisations are often less likely to engage in attempts at xenocide, which makes them slightly less dangerous than human-only civilisations. Their culture, of course, affects this, but they are prone to being somewhat less hostile, which makes for less active enemies. The Eldar, however, should not mix in such a cultural milieu.

What is Eldars' general view of slavery in any forms and why?

The Eldar view slavery as cowardly and contemptible - to treat one's own species in such a manner shows disunity, while to enslave others shows unutterable foolishness and cowardice; those who do so have shown that they cannot contest in battle or upon their own merits and must instead rely upon chains to lower their foes. Superiority should be inherent - those who enslave others have relinquished all claim to that ideal.