Eldar background (LONG) (was Re: [Epic] Tactic Critique)

From: Aaron P Teske <Mithramuse+_at_...>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 21:22:50 -0400 (EDT)

Excerpts from Epic: 25-Jul-97 Re: [Epic] Tactic Critique by
Justin_at_...
> >Although the Eldar themselves seem to have forgotten
> > the last hope of the race (I haven't seen it in fluff for a while),
> > they're hoping to create something to rival Slaneesh by collecting
> > enough Eldar souls in an infinity circuit. I think.

Yup, Mark, you got it, on both counts. ^_^ GW cerainly hasn't written
much background into E40K, and they had little enough in Epic....

>I agree on increased use of Spirit
> Hosts but I've always wondered how durable spiritstones are. Otherwise,
> if the machine is pulverized by say a Titan weapon, the spirit is
> released into the warp and damned, hunted down by Slaanesh and all.

I imagine they're pretty durable -- being formed from the reaction when
Warp space and normal space interact has got to be good for *something*
-- though I don't know they would survive direct weapon hits & the like.
 A KoS dined on a Waystone in the Renegades battle, but then Waystones
and spirit stones are not the same... though I imagine, to a KoS, it
wouldn't make much difference. Unfortunately, I don't have Rogue Trader
with me, so I can't look anything up in there, and both Epic and Adeptus
Titanicus aren't much help. White Dwarf 127 does have a few interesting
tidbits, but nothing major:

"Spirit stones are glassy spheres which are warm to the touch. They
respond to the psychic emanations of anyone who holds them, glowing
brightly in the hands of a mighty Bonesinger, blue if toughed by a
Farseer, and red or orange if handled by a Warlock.
"A spirit stone is a tool which allows a Bonesinger to draw upon raw
energy from the warp and shape it into matter...."

It then goes on into a lengthy talk on how to make things (spaceships,
in particular) out of Wraithbone, and the psychic properties of same.
It's a bit long, though, so when I get around to typing it in I'll drop
it on my U40K page.

> Wouldn't all Eldar be kind of scared? I would be if I were risking
> eternal damnation in every battle.

You forget, grasshopper, the purpose of the Eldar Path. ^_- When an
Eldar takes on an Aspect, all else is forgotten -- at least, until the
mask is removed. Perhaps another quote from WD#127, from an ongoing
story this time.

"Irillith and Berel clasped each other closely, the last moment of human
contact before they assumed their warrior aspects. Around them, the
walls of the shrine were humming with tension, sparles of psychic energy
running along the wraithbone.
"They pulled apart and took their positions with the others on the
floor. The Exarch raised her arms and the ceremony began. As the Eldar
intoned the ritual chants and performed the familiar gestures they felt
their humanity sliding away as the dark side of their nature was slowly
released. Irillith's natural gentleness, her fears, her pity for Elshar
were washed away by the relentless tsunami of the Aspect of the Warrior.
 As the mental breakwaters seceded, the part of her that was Irillith
was swept further and further back until is was exiled to a tiny refuge
in the core of her being.
"Fully suited now, but still holding their masks, the Banshee warriors
received the final blessing. The Exarch passed among them, dipping her
finger in blood and drawing the sacred rune of the aspect on their
foreheads.
"The psychic tension was now almost unbearable, and the mane of hair on
the Banshees' helmets stood on end with statis. As one, they closed
their eyes and raised their masks to their faces. A psychic shockwave
boomed through the Craftworld as, simultaneously, the Avatar burst
through the doors of bronze and the Aspect Warriors donned and fastened
their masks.
"Irillith snapped open her eyes, and a film of pure red washed down over
them. Blood, she smelled blood. The call to battle raced though the
veins of her body. She wanted to leap, to ding with the joy of death.
Most of all, she wanted to *kill*."

> Interesting bit about a rival to Slaanesh. I don't think I've ever
> seen that before.

Well, here it is, also from WD#127. (In case you can't tell, this issue
has a lot of background on the Eldar. It also has the Squat battleforce
rules for Adeptus Titanicus/1st ed. Space Marine. ^_^ )

"THE SURVIVAL OF THE ELDAR
"The Eldar are fully aware of their extreme predicament. From an early
age they are taught about the tragedy of their race, and how their
eternal souls face extinction due to the predations of Slaanesh. Their
numbers are now a tiny fraction of the teeming billinos which once
spread across the universe. Now the Eldar race mantains its grip upon
existance only because of a grim determination to survive. That
determination is fuelled by an awareness of their past failing to
control their own nature leading to the creation of their greatest enemy
Slaanesh.
"Because of their vulnerability to Slaanesh the Eldar have developed
ways of protecting themselves when they use their natural psychic
powers. the most important of these is the development of the Eldar
Path -- a social learning system which restricts the abilities and
experiences an Eldar is subject to until such time as he is mentally
strong enough to face them. Another important development is the use of
runes to protect the principle psychic members of the race -- the Seers.
"The Eldar nurture a dream in which they confront Slaanesh in the warp,
and overthrow their great enemy, freeing themselves from the constraints
his existance places upon them and safeguarding the survival of their
sould in the warp. Although the Eldar souls preserved in the Infinity
Circuits of the Craftworlds can muster only a tiny amount of energy
compared to that of Slaanesh, the Eldar hope that one day there will be
enough souls to unite to fight and overthrow Slaanesh. It is a faint
hope, but the only hope for the Eldar who must otherwise face the
eternal threat of their own racial psyche."

>You'd need a large critical mass of spirits though,
> prolly more than one Infinity Circuit.

Each Craftwolrd is a seperate Infinity Circuit.

>Hmm...isn't the symbol of
> Asuryan the phoenix? Rebirth from death...interesting... <lurk mode on>

Good luck....
                    Aaron Teske
                    Mithramuse+_at_...
                    Squat Leader, Den'Len Fetch
Received on Fri Jul 25 1997 - 01:22:50 UTC