Aenarion
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Aenarion the Defender was the first Phoenix King of the High Elves, and the most revered High Elf of all time. Aenarion united Ulthuan and the (then whole) race of Elves, and defended the world during the first and second Chaos Incursions, and drawing the immensely powerful Sword of Khaine. He is sometimes known as the first Champion of Light.
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[edit] Overview
[edit] The First Chaos Incursion
During the first Chaos incursion, when the Chaos Portals at the poles collapsed and raw Magic from the Realm of Chaos flowed into the world, Aenarion was an ordinary Elf warrior defending the Shrine of Asuryan on the Isle of Flame from a horde of Daemons. When the battle turned against the Elves Aenarion sacrificed himself for the safety of his people, throwing himself into the sacred fires of Asuryan. However, Aenarion was not harmed. Emerging from the flames, he was as the living avatar of the Phoenix God. Aenarion became all but invincible in battle, hurling back the Daemonic horde and slaying the Everchosen in single combat.
Along with the great Mage Caledor Dragontamer, Aenarion forged the Great Weapons at the Anvil of Vaul, calling the Asur together into a great army that would sweep the land clean of the minions of Chaos. Aenarion was proclaimed by all to be the "Phoenix King", the living embodiment of Asuryan. With the aid of Caledor, and the chosen band of warriors wielding the Great Weapons (who would later become The Council of Princes,) but although Aenarion had won great victories for the elven people the tide of chaos was infinite and unyielding, forcing the elves into a state of total war.
[edit] The Second Chaos Incursion
Years after the Chaos incursion, Astarielle the Everqueen was murdered by Chaos agents in Avelorn, driving the Phoenix King mad with grief. Aenarion had thought that his children Yvrainne and Morellion were killed as well, however, they had been protected by the Treeman Oakenheart. Not long after, on a raid into the Anulli mountains, Aenarion rescued a beautiful Elf maiden called Morathi from slavery as a prisoner of the warriors of the Chaos God Slaanesh. Aenarion was seduced by her and fell in love, though still grieving for his lost family. Aenarion held court in the kingdom of Nagarythe, then the grandest land in Ulthuan.
At this time, a second great Chaos host poured down from the north, threatening Ulthuan once more in a Second Great Chaos Incursion. Wrought with grief over his children's purported deaths, Aenarion drew the Sword of Khaine, a blade so powerful that no mortal was ever meant to wield it, from the Altar of Khaine on the Blighted Isle. He donned the Dragon Armour of Aenarion, a powerful suit of magical armour now worn by Tyrion, and slaughtered the invaders, including four Greater Daemons of Chaos all at the same time. At the Battle of the Isle of the Dead, Aenarion and his great Dragon Indraugnir were both mortally wounded. The dying Aenarion was carried to the Altar of Khaine by his loyal dragon, Indraugnir, plunging the sword of Khaine so deep into the rock that none, except possibly his descendent Tyrion, would ever be able to draw it. although he had given in to the bloodthirsty rage brought about by the corrupting influence of the Sword, his sacrifice had bought time for Caledor to save his people.
During the battle, Caledor was able to set up a mystical vortex on the Isle of the Dead in the middle of Ulthuan's Inner Sea that drained away the Chaos energy and Winds of Magic from the Realm of Chaos, using ancient Menhir Stones scattered around Ulthuan and the World to channel the energy, and aided by the mystical Slann in far away Lustria. This, however, held a great cost - Caledor and his fellow mages were trapped for eternity inside the vortex, never to die.
[edit] Legacy
After great deliberation, Bel Shanaar of Tiranoc was chosen as the next Phoenix King by the Council of Princes. The curse Aenarion brought upon his house by drawing the Sword of Khaine would later come to fruition. His son by Morathi, Malekith The Witch-King, would later cause the Sundering, cleaving the race of Elves in two and creating a great rift which the Elves have never fully recovered from. His two other remaining descendants (by Astarielle) in the modern day, the great twin warriors Tyrion and Teclis, would live on with the curse.
Once each decade, the High Elves hold the Festival of Light to celebrate Aenarion and remember his sacrifice. At dawn on the day of the festival, each Elf recites this verse:
- "Brother spoke the four as one, together we shall rule, Surrender to the Darkness within your heart you know holds true.
- In his hand the Sword of Khaine did promise power untold, As God of Light and God of Murder battled for his soul.
- One by one the Daemons fell and Elf Lord he stood tall, For should he fail upon his task then mortal world would fall.
- Upon the isle beneath the fight, wise mages cast their spells And Daemon minions howled in anguish, cursed to eternal hell.
- And on this day we bow our heads to he who world did save, Aenarion the Proud Defender, Aenarion Ever Brave."
- ~ Warhammer Armies: High Elves, 6th edition. (Copyright Games Workshop)]
