The following is new information written by EA Mythic in order to share the latest info on Warhammer Online. Much like I’ve done in the past, rather than condense the writing and change the style, we’ve agreed with the PR folks to post it as-is. (Hey, it’s a lot more informative and entertaining that way!) – Brendon Lindsey, Editor-in-Chief, GamerNode.com
The High Elves (race)
"We the Asur are a noble people, our long and proud history stretching back to a time when Men were still fur clad savages. Living in our fair isle of Ulthuan, set in the centre of the Great Ocean, we are far removed from the petty squabbles of the lesser races. Here we are able to practice magic and our arts, perfecting them for no reason other than the sheer joy of it."
The High Elves are an ancient people with a history that spans millennia. While the ancestors of man were little more than cave-dwelling primitives, the Elves built magnificent cities of glittering silver and white marble on their island home of Ulthuan. Elven scholars and explorers were the first to chart the stars and sail the world’s oceans. The Elves were also the first race to mount an organized defense against the invading hordes of Chaos, beginning a war that continues to the present day
Early in their struggles against the Ruinous Powers, the Elves discovered that negative emotions such as fear, rage, jealousy and greed serve to fuel and strengthen the power of Chaos. Since that time, the High Elves have struggled to keep their intense passions tightly under control. Though intelligent and enlightened, all Elves have the capacity for savage violence. In order to suppress this dangerous and unpredictable aspect of their psyche, the lords of Ulthuan continually strive to eliminate all extremes of emotion; in High Elf society, to surrender to anger or lust is to show weakness. As a result, the High Elves live by a strict regimen of rules and codes and embrace a way of life that emphasizes harmony, balance and inner peace.
Magic is the lifeblood of the High Elves. With millennia to hone their skills, it is little wonder that the Mages of Ulthuan are among the most powerful practitioners of magic in the world. Their thoughtful, meticulous approach to the study of combat, coupled with their patience and mental discipline makes the High Elves deadly fighters, as well. On the battlefield, High Elf swordsmen are graceful, lithe, and lethal when they detect a weakness in their adversaries.
The High Elves will need all of their wisdom and skill if they are to survive the Age of Reckoning. When Finubar, Phoenix King and ruler of Ulthuan, gathers his finest warriors and sets sail for the Old World to aid the beleaguered Empire, he is unaware that he and his allies are pawns in an elaborate plot designed to leave Ulthuan vulnerable to an invasion. As Finubar’s fleet of longships pass beyond the horizon, vast shadows fall across the island of Ulthuan. The skies are darkened by a great swarm of Black Arks laden with hateful Dark Elf warriors seeking to reclaim their ancestral home and destroy forever their despised cousins, the High Elves.
The Dark Elves (race)
"Hear my lord of the Druchii. From the distant Cathy to the usurped lands of our accursed kin, from the cold lands of Norsca to the steaming jungles of the Southlands, our armies are rightfully feared. We alone keep alive the great and noble traditions of our ancestors of Nagarythe. Only we follow the path laid by mighty Aenarion the Defender. Only we follow the true way."
Long ago, when Chaos was first unleashed upon the world, the Elven champion Aenarion drew the dread Sword of Khaine from its altar and used its terrible power to save his people from annihilation. When Aenarion died, his son Malekith was deemed unsuitable for the throne. Although he was a mighty warrior, a great sorcerer, a brilliant general and the rightful heir, many Elves opposed his coronation. They feared he was too focused on war, and potentially a de-stabilizing influence on the High Elf race. In retaliation, over many years Malekith engineered a terrible civil war that divided the race of Elves into two factions.
It was the High Elves who emerged victorious and drove the evil Dark Elves out from the ancestral home of their race. Under the leadership of Malekith the Witch King and his Sorceress mother Morathi, the Dark Elves sailed across the Great Western Ocean and founded for themselves a new kingdom in the northern reaches of the New World. This land they called Naggaroth, meaning ‘land of chill’.
Unlike the High Elves, who continually seek to suppress their passions lest they be overcome by them, the Dark Elves willingly embrace their hedonistic nature. Dark Elf society emphasizes individualism, selfishness, and pride. They have little regard for one another and even less for the other races of the world, whom they see as potential slaves and subjects.
In battle, the ruthless warriors of Naggaorth blend Elven discipline with savagery and ferocity, for the patron deity of the Dark Elves is Kaela Mensha Khaine, the bloody-handed God and the Lord of Murder. Nowhere is this more evident that in the beautiful and deadly Witch Elves, who serve in the Temples of Khaine and revel in violence and bloodshed.
Since their expulsion from Ulthuan, the Dark Elves have desired nothing more than to return to Ulthuan and avenge their defeat, reclaiming the land they believe to be theirs by right. In the Age of Reckoning, Malekith learns of an impending Chaos invasion of the Empire and uses this knowledge to set in motion a chain of events that will leave the island home of the Elves defenseless against an invasion. At the Witch King’s command, a great fleet of Black Arks – great floating islands laden with soldiers, monsters, and engines of war – sets sail across the sea to conquer the island kingdom of Ulthuan and fulfill the destiny denied the Druchii so long ago.
Chaos Marauder (career)
Say what you will of us. Call us heathens because we deny your weak pretender-God. Call us savages because we strike at you. But know this – it is we who are closest to the Ruinous Powers. We most favored of the Gods shall raid your lands, revel in your suffering and destroy you. Despair! For all that remains for you is the taste of Northern steel and the end of your world. Such is the will of the Gods.
– Hallbjörn, Norscan Marauder
In the frozen roof of the world – Norsca – live the many and various northern tribes collectively known as the Norse. Born in that frigid, hostile place, Norsemen are universally powerful – gifted with ferocity and strength at arms. Believing themselves to be closest to the gods, they flock to the banners of the great Chaos Champions in the hopes of proving themselves worthy of favor. These brutal Norse warriors are the Marauders – a fanatical throng whose only interest is destruction. Bred for war, dedicated to the gods, endlessly violent; this is all a Marauder knows or cares to be.
Marauder Specialty
As favored warriors of Tzeentch, Marauders are granted the Gift of Change in its purest form. As their bloodlust rises in anticipation of the violence of battle or pillaging, the energy of Chaos itself courses through the Marauder, bringing about dramatic physical changes. Limbs stretch into obscene forms, skin changes to iron or scale or stone, features multiply or disappear. The look of a Marauder mutated and ready to attack is terrifying to behold. Each mutation brings with it an additional, unique gift that aides the Marauder in battle. These gifts help to direct and enhance the destructive force of the Marauder and, in turn, help to earn greater favor (and more horrible gifts) from the Changer of Ways.
Playing as a Marauder
As a Marauder, your only goal is to unleash the pure, destructive might of Change into the world. Feel the power of Chaos course through your body, changing you from a fearsome warrior into something much, much more horrible – and deadly. Once mutated, you will have access to numerous powerful abilities that will enable you to smash, slice, rend and crush your enemies. Each mutation that is granted to you by the Raven God will also bring with it some added benefit. Learn to use these wisely and you will become even more devastating on the battlefield.
Fight the Marauder
If you happen to find a Marauder in their unchanged form, thank Sigmar for the blessing and attack them immediately. Marauders are warrior-born and make intimidating opponents even without the hand of Tzeentch intervening, but your chances of defeating them are greatly reduced if they have time to mutate before an attack. Once changed, learn to recognize the various (and repulsive) mutations that have overtaken the Marauder, as these will be important clues as to what additional gifts the Lord of Change has granted this particular warrior.
The Marauder Look
- barbaric, medium-strength armor
- one-handed melee weapons of all kind
- blasphemous offhand mutations that are best left unspoken
