Warhammer 40K: The Avatar of Khaine
The Avatar of Khaine is proof the Aeldari gods exist and brings the wraith of Kaela Mensha Khaine to the enemies of the Aeldari.
When it comes to spilling Blood and bringing the heat one Aeldari god comes to mind. Khaine, the Bloody-Handed One is known for murder, violence, destruction, and war. It’s only fitting that his Avatar does just that. Today, we’re looking back at the history of the Avatar of Khaine and how even if you do manage to somehow kill one, its deathless essence will only return in time — like a phoenix from the ashes!
Avatars are incarnations of the Eldar War God, Kaela Mensha Khaine. During the Fall of the Eldar, Khaine fought with Slaanesh shortly after his birth, following the destruction of the Eldar Gods. During the battle, Khaine’s essence was shattered through time and space. The scattered shards of Khaine’s white hot soul were dwarn to their people, and each came to rest in the hearts of the surviving Eldar Craftworlds. Wherever his essence landed, a wraith artefact took root in the craftworld’s wraithbone heart, and grew into an Avatar of Khaine , allowing future Eldar to be able to summon him when needed. The Avatar sits mobile at the heart of every one of the Eldar Craftworld to all appearances an enormous figure of cold black iron.
Once a year, one of the Exarchs of a Craftworld is chosen by its Farseers to hold the title of Young King. After a year’s time, the position passed to the next candidate. When a Craftworld prepares for a major war, its Exarchs begin to feel the Avatar’s call. The Exarchs go to the door leading into the Avatar’s chamber. There they begin the ancient ritual to rouse the Avatar, where they anoint the Young King with runes, and sing battle hymns.
At the height of their ceremony, the chamber’s door opens and the Young King enters. The Exarchs continue the ritual at the entrance. It may take hours or days, but finally a terrible scream echoes from the chamber and the Avatar rises forth and strides out to war. There is no sign of the Young King. The Aeldari do not speak of his fate, and it is unknown whether the Young King is united with Khaine during the ritual, or is destroyed utterly, as a sacrifice to rouse his physical form.
On the battlefield, the Avatar towers above the Eldar warriors, his presence filling them with memories of their glorious past and with savage bloodlust, thus making them more courageous fighters. He is utterly fearless, and often spearheads the Eldar attack, slaying his foes with The Wailing Doom, a legendary weapon that can take the form of a sword, axe or spear. The weapon can even smite his foes at a distance, immolating them with a nimbus of burning psychic energy. In melee, the Avatar can crush its foes with a mighty Hand of Khaine – his molten metal gauntlet that constantly bathed in an ever-dripping stream of still-warm blood.
An Avatar of Khaine an an formidable vessel, being composed of super-heated iron, with a molten lava core. Heat-based weapons are rendered useless against him, due to the nature of his body. So hot is an Avatar’s body that most shots from projectile weapons, including bolters fired at point-blank range, will be incinerated before impact; the few that do penetrate the body will suffer a similar fate before they can explode. Even if somehow destroyed, an Avatar’s essence it eternal, and bound to hs people. It in time reforms in the Craftworld’s central chamber, so that he may return to continue the eternal struggle against those who oppose the Eldar, for eternity.
1st Edition Epic Avatar
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What do you think is the perfect weapon of Khaine’s molten wrath? Spear, Sword, or Axe
