Warhammer: An Elf By Any Other Name – The Inspiration of Fantasy Elves – PRIME
Inspiration comes from many places, but sometimes you don’t have to look far. Let’s talk about where Warhammer’s elves came from.
When the threat of Chaos was new, and the tribes of men in the north had never even imagined the name Heldenhammer, the elves of Asur fought to protect the world from daemonic apocalypse. Led by the might hero Aenarion, they turned back the dark tide, creating a magical vortex that drained the inherent magical energy Chaos daemons needed to thrive in the mortal realm and banishing the incursion back into the warp.
But, unfortunately, with the death of their greatest hero and the thought of warfare behind them, the elves were divided on how their kingdom should proceed. Over time, this caused a schism that saw the elves split into three distinct factions: the High Elves of Asur, who became self-appointed stewards of the other mortal races, the sinister Dark Elves of Naggaroth, raiders and slavers of the frozen western wastes, and the enigmatic Wood Elves of Athel Loren, who retreated from the world and took guardianship of the forests.
Regardless of their faction, though, the inspiration for the elves is pretty clearly Tolkein. While each of the forces represents a different facet of Tolkien’s world, each can draw its origins at least partially back to his work (though you need to know the Silmarillion to recognize them all). With that in mind, here’s a quick exploration of where in Middle-Earth each of the Fantasy factions draws their origins, though they certainly aren’t the only source.
Dark Elves
The Dark Elves of Naggaroth are among the most easily recognizable antagonists in Warhammer Fantasy, second only to Chaos. Regardless of your feelings about whether or not Malekith was justified in his actions, it cannot be argued that the unspeakable acts carried out in his name make his faction one of the bad ones. However, if you’ve read the Silmarillion, you may see some striking comparisons between the Naggarothi dissidents and the Noldor Elves that followed Feanor.
Much like Malekith, Feanor was a warrior of great skill, intellect, and charisma, and upon learning of his father’s death, he sought to leave the lands of the Valar and travel to Middle Earth, blaming them at least in part for his father’s death. Unfortunately, the only way across the water into Middle Earth proper was the ships of the Teleri, who would not agree to take Feanor and his followers across the water. Seeing no other option but refusing to back down, Feanor and his Noldor followers, with the help of his half-brother Fingolfin, took the ships by force. For the crime of kin-slaying, the Noldor Elves were banished from Valinor, and a curse was placed on their line. Unfortunately, the war and the wrath of the sea god Olwe had decimated many of the ships, and the forces would not be able to pass at the same time. Fearing treachery and also bearing a distinct hatred for his half-brother thanks to the lies of the dark Valar Melkior, Feanor and his followers slipped away during the night, abandoning Fingolfin’s forces with no hope of return. Fingolfin and his fellows swore vengeance, but he would be given stewardship over the Noldor after Feanor’s death.
While this does not account for the sadistic nature of the Dark Elves, the Noldor’s distrustful nature and the kin-slaying and subsequent betrayal mirror the origins of the Druchi fairly well. Likewise, Melkior’s influence can represent the insidious dark magic that wormed its way into Asur through Morathi, and Feanor as the vengeful son of a fallen king mirrors Malekith’s fall. Interestingly, Feanor can also be cited as the inspiration for Aenarion, since his name translates in Quenya to “Spirit of Fire”, which could have been the origins of both the Phoenix flame all Elven kings must pass through, as well as the horrific scarring that Malekith suffered during his attempt to take the throne.
Tolkien’s Sundering of the Elves (sound familiar?)
High Elves
Like the Dark Elves above, the High Elves owe their origins to the Noldor Elves, but they also share similarities with the Sindarin elves. Since the Sindarin elves never set foot in Valinor, they could be reminiscent of the Shadow Warriors of Nagarythe, the embittered warriors that make up the remnants of Malekith’s home. It is also of note that the Sindarin elves are descendants of the Teleri, who Feanor slew to steal their ships, again mirroring the Sundering of the two factions.
Several Sindarin and Noldor heroes have almost direct mirrors in the Warhammer Universe, most notably Glorfindel. The son of a powerful prince during the First Age, Glorfindel followed Fingolfin during the flight from Valinor, and his deeds are a close mirror to the mighty acts of the High Elf hero Tyrion. Both were warriors of prodigious skill, both boasted powerful parentage, and both showed favor with their gods, as Vaul and Asuryan favored Tyrion and Glorfindel was favored by the Valar. On a bit more of a stretch, Elrond and Eltharion could be seen as counterparts, and it could be argued that Gil-Galad follows a similar path to King Caledor since he was a wartime king. However, the High Elves can find their origins in almost every faction of the elves, which makes sense considering that they are the root from which the other two factions sprung. The slowly sinking island of Asur, the terrible Sword of Khaine, and the slow decline of the elves in the Fantasy world, all follow the curse laid on the Noldor Elves, and several of the Elven deities bear strikingly similar names to the Valar of LotR (Manwe to Mannan, Aule to Vaul, Este to Isha, etc.).
Wood Elves
Surprising no one, the Wood Elves of Warhammer Lore are a direct parallel to the Silvan Elves of LotR, even down to the name of their region. Enigmatic and dangerous to any that passed into their territory, the Silvan elves did not suffer outsiders lightly, and even Galadriel, their beautiful and benevolent queen, was a powerful and terrifying force.
One of the primary regions the Silvan elves hold dominion over is the vast forest realm of Lothlorien, presided over by Galadriel and Celeborn. This name is almost directly referenced in the massive forest of Athel Loren, which the Wood Elves of Warhammer call home. Galadriel herself is a clear reference to not only Alarielle, whose name is also suspiciously similar to hers, but to all the Everqueens of Warhammer lore. Indeed, the first Everqueen was the half-sister of Malekith, and Galadriel herself was the niece of Feanor, making her of Noldor descent, and her prodigious magical abilities, as well as her stark beauty, are all reflected in the Everqueens of Athel Loren. That would, of course, suggest the Celeborn is the inspiration for Orion, but it is more likely that Thranduil, Lord of Mirkwood, represents the Hunter King.
The fighting styles of the elves of Lorien and Mirkwood mirror the style of Wood Elves as well, favoring ambush attacks with bows and wearing green cloaks to allow them to blend into their woodland home. The Treelords that fight alongside the Wood Elves are a clear reference to the Ents of Middle Earth, and it is likely that Durthu, the Treelord burned by dwarvish fire, is a reference to the anger of Treebeard over the destruction of a large swath of Fangorn.
