WAR - Newsletter Zone Overview: Ellyrion
Following on yesterday's information from the WAR December Newsletter, today we present this Zone Overview focusing on the Elven land of Ellyrion.
The vast, rolling plains and mild climate of Ellyrion make this inner kingdom the perfect breeding ground for the finest Elven steeds in all of Ulthuan. Great herds of these amazingly swift and graceful creatures roam the grasslands throughout the year, and are prized among the noble lords of the Phoenix King’s court for their magnificent quality and majestic beauty.
The High Elves who dwell in Ellyrion are peerless horsemen who have fought to defend their fair isle against the spiteful Dark Elves since the time of Caledor the First. Mounted on steeds as swift as the wind, these light horsemen patrol the vast golden plains of their home, ready to strike should the treacherous armies of Malekith return.
The most accomplished warriors of this vast steppe land are called Reavers, and they ride to all corners of Ulthuan to serve as messengers, scouts and deadly ambushers. The Ellyrian Reavers are a swift and lethal fighting force, and the Witch King does not intend to let them run amok, disrupting his carefully-laid battle plans. He intends to strike hard at Ellyrion, and in fact he must if his scheme to capture the Phoenix Throne can succeed.
Ancient menhir stones stand tall among the waving grasses of Ellyrion, as they do in many other parts of Ulthuan. The steely gaze of Lord Uthorin is firmly fixed on these powerful constructs that anchor the Vortex, for they are the lynchpin in the Dark Elves’ plot to destroy the magical balance of Ulthuan and deprive the High Elves of the greatest advantage.
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The menhirs are not the Dark Elves’ only objective in Ellyrion. The black-hearted invaders have surrounded the province’s capital city, Tor Elyr, cutting off its occupants from reinforcement and supply. Using batteries of Reaper bolt throwers, fearsome beasts of war and powerful Dark Magic, the black legions of Malekith have launched an all-out siege against the pristine marble walls of Tor Elyr. If this bastion of High Elf strength falls, the protectors of Ulthuan will lose their most valuable stronghold in the region.
Though the invaders have had some success in their initial forays into Ellyrion, plots and intrigues hamper their advance. The rivalry between the powerful noble houses of Lord Uthorin and Lady Arkaneth has drawn much of the attention away from the battle against the High Elves, and both leaders know that their conflict must end soon. Of course, the resolution will not be a peaceful one, and what was once a rivalry has now erupted into a full-fledged war between the two houses.
Lord Uthorin’s schemes have been aided by the timely arrival of the savage greenskins. Never ones to miss out on a chance at war and plunder, the Orcs and Goblins have come to ravage the lands of Ellyrion and leave nothing but desolation in their wake. This new menace will keep the High Elves busy while the leaders of House Uthorin prepare to deal their hated rivals a final, fatal blow.
Now that the Malekith’s armies have reached the Inner Kingdoms, the battle for Ulthuan has taken a dangerous turn for the High Elves. Lands long held safe from the reach of any enemy are within striking distance of the dread host of Naggaroth, and the cruel legions of the Witch King will delight in desecrating all that is sacred to their hated kin.
Now more than ever the courage and skill of the Ellyrian Reavers is needed to help stem the black tide that is racing across the mythic homeland of the Elves.
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