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Elven
Religion
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Elven
Religion
Greetings. Below you will find an index of the major elven gods that play a role
in Warhammer. Please note that this information is from the Critical Hit
Warhammer Website, and the members of Ulthuan.org did not comprise it. Also
thanks to Daedalus_mbj on Warhammeronline for the information about Hoeth, and
our own Etherion Fenix for writing the information for Loec and Liadriel. Also
to vlo.torun.pl/ for providing basics for Loec and Liadriel.
Asuryan
The Phoenix King, Lord of all Elf Gods
Description: Asuryan is the greatest and oldest of all the Elven Gods and is
sometimes known as the Phoenix King to many Elves, despite the ruler of Ulthuan
sharing the same name. Asuryan is portrayed as a very wise Elf seated upon a
white throne of marvellous intricacy. He wears a cloak of beautiful white
feathers, not unlike the one worn by the Phoenix Kings of Ulthuan and carries a
sceptre of his mastery. Asuryan can also take the form of a Phoenix or a Great
Eagle.
Symbol: There are many symbols that represent Asuryan. The most common symbol is
one of a stylised pyramid with a Phoenix in the centre spreading its huge wings.
At the tip of the pyramid is portrayed the eternal flame as a sun shining rays
of light. Mage-Priests of Asuryan wear robes of varying shades of red, yellow
and gold often trimmed with flame designs.
Temples: The chief temple to Asuryan is the shrine of Asuryan in Ulthuan. It is
here that the new Phoenix King is crowned. This most magnificent place of
worship in the known world lies on the Island of Flame due north of Lothern in
Ulthuan. Located on this island is the shrine of Asuryan which is more than a
mere shrine but a huge, ancient pyramid. Other temples to Asuryan can only be
found in the Loren Forest but these are much smaller than those found in Ulthuan
and tend to be shrine-like. The ruins of the original Temples of Asuryan can be
found in places in the Old World when the High Elves first settled.
Isha
Goddess of the Harvest
Description: Isha is the goddess of the harvest and is worshipped by most
farmers throughout Ulthuan, but is also seen as the goddess of fertility or
Earth Mother. The farmers often give offerings to her temples in the hope of a
good harvest. She is a merciful god who lends succour to those in need of it.
Isha is commonly depicted as a gloriously beautiful young elf woman with
immeasurably long, golden ponytails flowing about her. She is the daughter of
Asuryan and Lileath.
Symbol: Commonly a stylised eye with a single tear below it. Mage-Priests of
Isha are usually female and they wear robes of pure white.
Temples: There are no temples to Isha as such but some elves have small shrines
dedicated to her in their houses. Her worship is most popular among Wood Elves
not least because she is the wife of Kurnous the Hunter and is immersed in their
theological histories.
Khaine
The War God, God of Blood and Murder
Description: Khaine is also known to elves as Kaela Mensha Khaine which means
bloody-handed Khaine. To the Dark Elves Khaine is simply seen as the god of
murder and blood or death, everything which they stand for. To the High Elves
that never followed the dark path he is seen as an important god, a god which
enhances the war-like side of their soul, but one which must be controlled. To
Dark Elves Kaela Mensha Khaine is seen as a four armed, fanged, daemon-like
giant surrounded by a sea of chittering scorpions: it is in this form that the
murderers and assassins of the Old World have taken to worshipping. To the High
Elves he is portrayed as a huge, angry elf warrior clad in bronze plate armour
stained with blood. His long flowing jet-black hair is often caked with the
blood of his foes. He is also seen as carrying two serrated blades that drip
blood eternally.
Symbol: Khaine has many symbols. Common among Dark Elves and normal murderers is
a stylised scorpion symbol. To High Elves the symbol is of a dagger dripping
with one drop of blood. The colours of Khaine are black and red, symbolising
night, death and blood.
Area of Worship: Khaine is worshipped by most who delight in death and murder
with Naggaroth being the principal place of worship. The place that symbolises
the god of murder is, surprisingly, just north of Ulthuan on an island called
the Blighted Isle where the great black Alter of Khaine lies. Embedded in the
alter is the Sword of Khaine forged by Vaul at the beginning of the world that
could kill mortals and immortals alike, even gods. Open worship of Khaine is
only performed at the start of a battle, at any other times it is forbidden;
fearing that to worship such a god on a day to day basis would turn Ulthuan into
another Naggaroth. The Dark Elves have no such hang-ups and do the exact
opposite.
Temples: There is a dark place right at the heart of the High Elf realm of
Ulthuan. This place is known as the Blighted Isle where the Shrine of Khaine
lies. At the alter lies a weapon of supreme power and this weapon is said to be
different to each and every person that sees it. To some it may appear to be a
spear, to others an axe or a sword. When Ulthuan was young the greatest warrior
of Elvenkind, Aenarion, the first Phoenix King of Ulthuan, grasped the Sword of
Khaine and defended the Elven Kingdom from certain defeat at the hands of Chaos.
Now the alter is a shunned place. Outside Ulthuan the only temples dedicated to
Khaine lie in secret places in the Old World and the dreaded Dark Elf kingdom
Naggaroth.
Lileath
Goddess of Dreams and Fortune
Description: Lileath is also sometimes known as the Maiden. She is the Goddess
of Dreams and Fortune and is a popular deity amongst the High Elves of Ulthuan.
Lileath is supposed to be the giver of dreams to all Elves; those that have
pleased her receive pleasurable dreams whereas those that have upset her receive
nightmares. She is chiefly worshipped by Elven seers and soothsayers. Lileath
the Maiden is portrayed as a gloriously beautiful Elven maiden with pure white,
flowing garments of shiny gossamer and in her right hand she carries the Staff
of Lileath. The goddess is also sometimes depicted as having beautiful white
wings like an angel.
Symbol: The most popular symbol depicted is that of a winged Elven angel.
Sometimes the angel holds two knives above her head. Mage-Priests of Lileath
wear robes of white and grey in varying shades..
Temples: Temples to Lileath are always magnificent in design and construction.
Although many of them follow the typical High Elven design some take the form of
pyramids and cannot be distinguished from temples of Asuryan. When one walks
into a temple of Lileath he is struck by the smell of burning incense. This is
meant to symbolise the dreams of Lileath and some even claim that those of pure
heart can see into the future by looking into the smoking curls of incense.
Mathlann
God of Storms
Description: Mathlann, like Kurnous God of the Hunt, is known in the Old World.
Old Worlders who follow Manann say that Mathlann is but an aspect of their god.
But he is worshipped in sufficient numbers, mainly by Sea Elves, to have equal
status to any Old World deity. He is the God of the Storms. Mathlann is commonly
portrayed as an angry god. He wears a giant seashell for a crown, one of great
beauty and intricacy, and wears a fine suit of scale armour, which is decorated
with fin-like protrusions. In his right hand he carries a trident.
Symbol: The favoured symbol of Mathlann is a stylised trident or a shell design
in varying levels of detail and intricacy. The Cult's Mage-Priests wear robes of
varying shades of blue and green sometimes trimmed with golden wave patterns.
Temples: Mathlann is the favoured deity of Sea Elves and all of its temples lie
on the coasts. The Elf quarter of Marienburg has a temple to Mathlann as does
all of the major coastal cities of Ulthuan. The greatest temple of the God of
the Storms lies in the capital of Ulthuan itself, the city of Lothern in the
kingdom of Eataine.
Morai-Heg
Goddess of Souls
Description: Morai-Heg is also known as the Crone and is the keeper of all Elven
souls. It is said that she keeps the fates of mortals in a skin rune pouch and
at her behest she may grant an Elven soul to enter the world of the living
again. It is believed that Morai-Heg knows every mortal secret. Morai-Heg is
portrayed as a whithered creature clad in tatty robes. Her worship is probably
the least popular among the Elves of Ulthuan. Outside Elvenkind the Crone is
almost unknown although there are certain followers of Morr, the Old World God
of Death, that have heard of her and respect her.
Symbol: Morei-Heg is symbolised by a gnarled staff and pouch. Mage-Priests of
the Crone typically wear dark brown to black robes and carrying bent and gnarled
staffs. Higher level Mage-Priests also have small pouches, as the symbol of
fates of mortals, dangling from the top of the staff.
Temples: There are no true temples of Morei-heg although the palaces and castles
of High Elf nobles will often contain a shrine dedicated to the Crone. The
shrines themselves are nothing special and usually contain large bowls of
smouldering coal.
Vaul
God of Smithing and Metallurgy
Description: Vaul is the Elven god of smithing and metallurgy. It is said that
before the creation of the world Vaul rescured Isha and Kurnous from the
dungeons of Khaine by promising the War God one hundred swords. When the time
came to complete the bargain Vaul had finished ninety nine blades, but made up
the shortfall with an ordinary mortal blade. By this means he deceived Khaine
for long enough to free the captive god and goddess. This was the beginning of
the long struggle between Khaine and Vaul which is called the War in Heaven.
Vaul forged the final blade, the sword that he had failed to finish for Khaine,
and he made it the mightiest sword of all. He called it Anaris (Tar-Eltharin:
dawnlight), and with this weapon he did battle with Khaine. The fight was long
and Vaul did Khaine much hurt until the War God overpowered him and left him
crippled. Khaine then chained Vaul to his own anvil with chains of iron and War
in Heaven was won by the war god. Vaul is commonly depicted chained to his anvil
as was his fate at the hands of Khaine after the War in Heaven. At other times
he may be portrayed as a noble High Elf smithy carrying a hammer.
Symbol: Vaul's symbols are those of the hammer and anvil. Mage-Priests of Vaul
do not wear any special attire though they will proudly bear the sigils and
symbols of their god.
Area of Worship: Vaul is not especially known outside Ulthuan though most Elves
will know of the Cult's existence. The smithy god's worship is usually confined
to High Elf armourers and weaponsmiths although some High Elves view Vaul more
than a mere smithy, lending his worship to stonemasons and other artisans.
Temples: The main temple to Vaul, if it can be called that, is Vaul's Anvil in
the High Elf kingdom of Caledor in Ulthuan. It is where the mightiest weapons
are forged and where the most indomitable armours are fashioned. All High Elf
forges contain a shrine dedicated to the smithy god.
Hoeth
Lord of Wisdom & Knowledge
Description: Hoeth is the elven god of wisdom and learning. He epitomizes the
craft of those seeking knowledge and sorcery and is reveared all over the elven
lands. Priest of Hoeth are rare, as they all live in or near the Tower of Hoeth.
Far more numrous are the legions of mages, scholars, teachers and others that
worship the god. The one sight of Hoeth that the enemies of elves see the most
are The Swordmasters of Hoeth. These are the warrior guardians of the Tower, and
it is rare to see a mage or scholar travel without some of these nearby.
Symbol: Hoeth is depicted as an elderly elf, clad in an ornate Loremaster garb.
Temples: Most temples to Hoeth come in the form of shrines in schools and
libraries. The greatest temple of Hoeth is the White Tower in Saphery. A
half-a-mile high, magically constructed tower, raised at the time of the
Scholar-King, this is the greatest repository of knowledge anywhere in the
world.
Torothal
Goddess of Rain and Rivers
Description: Torothal is the goddess of rain and rivers and is principally a
Wood Elf deity and little known outside their woodland realms except by some
Human woodsmen and trappers. Torothal is said to bring rain and control the
currents courses of rivers. It is said that when the rivers rage and flow strong
Torothal is angry. Torothal is often portrayed as a very young and beautiful
Elven woman. Sometimes she is given fish scale patterns on her skin. It is said
that Torothal can assume the form of any fish or river-dwelling creature and can
also become a rain cloud at will.
Symbol: Torothal's symbols are stylised designs of rain clouds and wave emblems
to symbolise her as patron of rivers. Mage-Priests of Torothal do not wear any
special attire and are clad in the normal clothes of Wood Elf society.
Area of Worship: Torothal is almost entirely a Wood Elf deity and is worshipped
in all the main woodland realms. However, there are some Human fishermen and
boatmen that worship the river goddess believing that she will provide them with
plentiful fish and calm riverboat journeys.
Temples: There are no temples to Torothal. However, there are certain holy
places dear to her devout followers and these tend to be very special rivers and
lakes or areas in the woodland realms that are especially wet due to incessant
rainfall and showers.
Kurnous
God of the Hunt, Lord of the Beasts
Description: Said by some Human theologians to be an aspect of Taal, the Old
Worlder god of nature and wild places, Kurnous is one of the major deities of
the Wood Elf pantheon, being the master of the forest animals among which Wood
Elves live. He is the patron of Beastfriends, and is worshipped by some Elven
Scouts and Hunters. Kurnous is normally portrayed as a composite being, over ten
feet tall, with an Elven body but the head and tail of a stag. It is said that
he can also take the form of any forest creature at will.
Symbol: Like Taal, Kurnous is represented by a stag's head with branching
antlers. Mage-Priests of Kurnous dress in the same way as other Elves.
Temples: The whole of the forest is Kurnous' temple: wherever his beasts wander,
he is present. However, there are places which are more special to his worship
than others: certain natural clearings, rocks, trees and so on. A Wood Elf
automatically recognises these places: members of other races cannot. Elves will
almost always try to keep other races away from holy ground.
Adamnan-na-Brionha
The Lord of the Dance
Description: Adamnan-na-Brionha was born in the mists before the dawn of time,
of a union between the forces of Sound and Motion. The Wardancers hold that he
is The First Being, whose dance structures the Universe. He is also known as The
First and The Lord of the Dance. Adamnan-na-Brionha reflects two seemingly
contradictory aspects of life - the joy of dance and the fury of righteous
slaying. He appears as a mighty Elf, whose left hand side is slender and
graceful, and whose right side shows the massive muscles of a mighty warrior.
His face is also split between an expression of transcendent bliss and one of
eye-popping fury. The Wardancers believe that it is their fusion of war and
dance that provides the earthly interpretation of their deity's manifestation.
Symbol: Adamnan is symbolised by a flute held in a clenched fist. Divotees of
The Lord of the Dance usually adopt one of the flamboyant Wardancer hairstyles,
and, in addition, they must wear their god's symbol, either as a pendant or a
pair of earrings. Their left ear holds a tiny flute, often worked in silver,
while the right is home to a clenched fist, usually worked in gold.
Area of Worship: Adamnan-na-Brionha is worshipped by Wood Elves across the Old
World, including all Wardancers.
Temples: The organised trappings of most religions are alien to these
free-living Elves, and formal temples are not used - Adamnan-na-Brionha is to be
worshipped in the heart, not tied to any one place.
Loec
God of the Shadows and Night
Description: Loec, a Dancer of shadows is in the world of Warhammer god of
laugh, tricks and dance, who do partly the same things as Liadriel. Elves
legends tell, that he often makes the elves souls free from hands of evil gods
or gods of Chaos using funny tricks. But against to Liadriel, Loec has got also
his dark side: he is a god of shadows, malicious tricks and dark magic. Though
he fights for elves souls, it is hard to say about him that he is good or even
neutral.
Symbol: Loec is often depicted as a lithely built elf, his face hidden in
perpetual shade. He dances often among the shadows, ready to leap out and play
one of his tricks upon both mortal and god, whether for good or evil. Loec’s
followers are often identified by the rune of Arhain worn around there neck. Or
engraved upon the hilt of there knives.
Temples: While the worshippers of Loec have no true temples, they may have
personal shrines within there homes. Due to his very nature, he is most often
associated with the wandering Shadow Warriors of Nagarthye. These warriors look
upon his aid in traversing there lands and way laying there foes. He is also
paid tribute to during festival time, being a god of dance.
Liadriel
God/dess of Festival
Description: Liadriel is a hermaphroditic god/goddess of art, song, wine and
fun. Every joy is also a prayer to Liadriel. He/she is worshiped by all elves
and some people - minstrels. S/he is often depicted as an androgynous youth,
with chalice of wine in hand, a harp in the other. Wrapped in the finest silken
robes and a perpetually friendly smile upon her/his face.
Symbol: The most common and prolific symbol associated with Liadriel is that of
a wine chalice. Upon which is engraved grape vines, harps and other symbols
associated with festivities and parties.
Temples: Liadriel has no temples; s/he like Adamnan-na-Brionha is worshipped in
the hearts of those who dance gaily and with much merriment. | |
