Warhammer 40K: The Aeldari Pantheon – The Living & The Dead
The Aeldari pantheon is a tale of both tragedy, lament, and hope, ten thousand years after The Fall.
With the birth of Ynnead, there are enough living Eldar Gods to be considered a viable, if small Pantheon. For the first time since The Fall, there is a glimmer of hope for the future and very soul of the Aeldari race.
The Living Aeldari Gods
Here’s who is reborn and/or still working for the Eldar race:
Cegorach (or The Laughing God), God of the Harlequins is the other surviving god of the Pantheon, the Laughing God was the trickster and artist of the pantheon. When all the other gods were destroyed, Cegorach fled before Slaanesh until Khaine rose to do battle with it. The Laughing God took this chance to escape into the realm of the Webway, as only he is said to know all the secrets of its passages. The master of the Harlequins, Cegorach is the only Eldar god that still remains in their original form.
Kaela Mensha Khaine God of War and Murder, he was the younger brother of Asuryan. He was one of the two Gods to survive the fall. His body was broken into fragments that later became the Avatars of Khaine found on the Wraithbone cores of Craftworlds.
Ynnead God of the Dead. A god formed of the souls of the dead Eldar contained in the Infinity Circuit, Ynnead represents the last, faint hope of the Eldar that they will overthrow Slaanesh. The Eldar believe the Eldar souls contained within the Infinity Circuits of all the Craftworlds are collectively forming a new god that will have the power to destroy Slaanesh, freeing their racial soul from destruction. As yet, the souls contained in the Circuit can muster only a tiny amount of power compared to Slaanesh. The Eldar believe that only once every last Eldar has died and their souls have combined into what they call Ynnead, will it have the power to finally confront and destroy Slaanesh.
Isha The Mother of the Eldar race, Isha is a fertility goddess in many respects. She was imprisoned by Khaine for a period of time, until Vaul paid her ransom. She is often depicted crying, and her symbol is a teared eye, symbolic of her sorrow in being separated from her mortal children. Her tears are said to have been formed into runes by Vaul so that she could communicate with her children.
During the Fall of the Eldar Isha was claimed by Slaanesh as his prize. She cried out for help and was heard by Nurgle who entered into a long war with his newest peer. Nurgle emerged victorious and took Isha as his companion. A goddess of rejuvenation and a god of decay seemed an odd pairing, but Nurgle adores her like no other. However, Nurgle shows his adoration as only a Chaos God can, keeping her trapped in a cage in the Garden of Nurgle, in the corner of a room where he keeps the cauldron in which he creates all of his plagues.
Being a goddess of healing, Isha can cure herself of any of Nurgle’s diseases. Nurgle takes advantage of this by force-feeding her his latest creation and sees how long it takes the goddess to overcome its effects. If he is pleased, he releases it upon some unsuspecting world, if not, he starts over, working at his cauldron until he has something new to give to his “companion.” Whilst he is busy working though, Isha takes advantage of his distraction to instruct mortals on how to rid themselves of Nurgle’s poxes.
Since the formation of the Great Rift, rumors spread among the Exodites that the Masque of the Frozen Stars seeks to free Isha from Nurgle’s grip. It is whispered that if enough Eldar weep for the corruption of their Maiden Worlds, their combined sorrow could release Isha from her prison.
The Lost Aeldari Gods
This portion of the Eldar Pantheon is considered to have been destroyed by the creation of Slaanesh. While the Eldar still revere all the gods and preserve their stories within the mythic cycles, they do not call on these for aid or hope for their intervention any longer.
Asuryan The Phoenix King, Asuryan was the oldest of the pantheon of Eldar gods acting as their chief. While the mythic cycles seem to indicate that he held sway over all the others, he was nevertheless consumed by Slaanesh. He is often depicted in relation to fire and light, his chief symbols. He is the older brother of Khaine, the God of War.
Gea (or Gia), A consort of both Khaine and Asuryan.
Hoec The Wanderer, is a mysterious figure known to the Eldar who is said to have been one with the Webway and has walked the paths between planets since the stars themselves were young. Some amongst the ranks of the Outcast Eldar Pathfinders are known to revere this individual.
Kurnous God of the Hunt, the Father of the Eldar race, and the companion of Isha. He is often shown in conjunction with hounds, hawks, and other trappings of the hunt.
Lileath (also known as Lilcarth) the Maiden, Goddess of Dreams and Fortune. She is the daughter of Isha and also the youngest of the main pantheon.
Morai-Heg the Crone, God of Fate/Souls.
Vaul The artificer, Vaul is one of the central gods of the pantheon, and an enemy to Khaine. In order to purchase the freedom of Kurnous and Isha, Khaine demanded one hundred blades from the smith god. Vaul was unable to finish the last blade in time, and so hid a mortal blade amid the others. This fooled Khaine long enough to get Isha and Kurnous to freedom, but when he realised the trick he cried out for vengeance. Vaul finished the final blade, Anaris the Dawnlight, and took it to do battle with Khaine. Though it was the greatest of swords, Khaine was the better warrior and crippled Vaul. The smith is often shown chained to his anvil, the punishment that Khaine set upon him.
Runes of the Eldar pantheon
~ Who do you think could be restored next? I’m betting on a grimdark jailbreak to rescue Isha from Nurgle’s Manse starring the Phoenix Lords, Sylvaneth & Draigo. I’d watch that movie.
