Exarch

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Exarchs serve as the high priests of Kaela Mensha Khaine and thus keepers of the Aspect Warrior shrines. They themselves are actually warriors who have become trapped in their Warrior Aspect Path and are unable to put aside their adopted mental persona.[26] As such, they are now forever devoted to war and death, to which they dedicate their entire beings. All Aspect Warriors face this dangerous prospect as their minds can become trapped in the Path of the Warrior with the Eldar being unable to recover his full personality. Such mental entrapments are very real dangers and can be horrifying to behold as Exarchs serve as living embodiments of such a fate whenever they go to war.[1]

Overview

An Exarch[24]

Those Eldar that fall down this path are unable to pass beyond the Path of the Warrior and are unable to resist the passionate lure of battle, leading to them developing an unquenchable lust for bloodletting. As such, they become trapped in the path they have chosen and are unable to leave the Aspect of the War God they represent whilst becoming addicted to bloodlust that only battle can satiate. This leads to the Exarchs being met with a mixture of awe and revulsion by their kin.[16] The Eldar respect these individuals due to them dedicating themselves to the single-minded pursuit of a side of their nature which most of their kind fear. However, they are pitied as the Exarchs have, in essence, abandoned the Asuryan Path which offers new experiences and constant development. There exists an even greater dread for the Eldar in relation to the Exarchs: the fact that each of them holds the potential of falling down the same ruinous path. Those that take this mantle represent one form of problem with those that walk down the Eldar Paths in the sense that they become obsessed with roles that they are ill-prepared for and thus can never leave it. Thus, the Exarchs represent the universal peril of their society.[2a]

Upon assuming the position of Exarch, these Eldar begin to adopt the ancient names that reflect their respective Aspect such as Horned Serpent, Gleaming Scale, Slicing Fang that are all names associated with the Fire Dragon Exarchs. These names are particular to Craftworlds and the specific shrines of the War God within each Craftworld. Only a single Exarch can bear a particular name at any one time which is associated with the armour they wear in battle. Only when killed can that name and armour be taken by another Aspect Warrior, whereupon the new bearer takes the mantle of a thousand year legacy where they continue the legendary life of a single heroic identity.[2b]

Exarchs remain trapped on the Path of the Warrior In the majority of cases, an Exarch will only adopt a single Aspect, though he or she may experience several different Aspects on their Eldar Path before becoming trapped in their final Aspect.[2a] Sometimes Exarchs continue to train in other Warrior Aspects, those that succumb to this continuing path are sometimes known as "Lost Warriors", "Menshad Korum" in the Eldar Lexicon, roughly meaning "hunters in pursuit of themselves." During times of war they wear the wargear of whichever aspect they take on. Upon being trapped in their final Warrior Aspect, they demonstrate a great level of battle-skills due to their experience in the other Aspects, making them more skilled compared to ordinary Aspect Warriors.[2b]

When not fighting, these individuals tend to the Aspect Shrines of Kaela Mensha Khaine which are sites where they, along with Aspect Warriors, gather in times of war and undergo the ritual transformation where they adopt one of the many Warrior Aspects. There they tend to the incense and armoury, and guard its Webway Portals which connect its inner chambers to the Craftworld and to all shrines of the same Aspect across the Asuryani.[25] In these extensive sites, Exarchs not only serve as priests and guardians but as armourers as well as instructors to their kin, with it falling under their responsibility to maintain the shrine's wargear along with the training of Aspect Warriors.[2b][16][17]

Equipment

Exarchs wear elaborate and often ancient versions of Aspect Warrior armour.[1] These fighting suits are a superior version of those worn by ordinary members of the Warrior Aspect and their great age means they preserve much ancient workmanship, long-abandoned decorative styles as well as various emblems and ornamentation that mean nothing to typical Eldar.[2b] From their shrine, they take the Spirit Stone that houses the departed souls of past Exarchs whereupon they assumed a Sacred Name that is associated with the stone. This comes at a time when their spirit mingles with that of the spirit stone which has been part of the armour since its inception. The mind of its user becomes lost within the greater heroic beings that bear the Exarchs name with their memories as well as experiences of the past beginning to merge with their own. Thus, their life becomes just another stage in the long existence of the spirit stone as the heroic warrior is born once again in a new form.[1]

As such, when a new Exarch wears their armour, their experiences and accumulated memories merge with that of the one present in the spirit stone. This combined experiences allows the user to understand the ancient weaponry and armour that they are using as well as gave them general knowledge of ancient times when the original wearer lived. In this manner, the Eldar that wears the armour of an Exarch is initiated into the most closely guarded secrets of their kind - namely, the origin of the Exarchs during the time of the Fall itself.[2b] Exarchs are not bound by body to the armour, and may remove their masks (and with them shed the memories of battle) but will don facepaint masks drawn in blood as symbolic replacements for their armour when they they parley outside of the context of war.[25]

Known Eldar Exarchs

Crimson Hunters

Dark Reapers

Dire Avengers

Fire Dragons

Howling Banshees

Shining Spears

Striking Scorpions

Swooping Hawks

Warp Spiders

Other

Images

Trivia

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The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

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This article or article section is based on information from a Fanatic Press publication such as Fanatic Magazine or one of its predecessors (e.g. The Citadel Journal, Necromunda Magazine, etc.). These publications regularly featured articles submitted by hobbyists, and as such, their content may or may not be in contradiction to established background lore.

Yrrthilien Mournsong

Note: Yrrthilien Mournsong is described as being so devoured by the grief and rage at the loss of his home of Craftworld Muirgaythh that he is as an Exarch trapped upon an Warrior Aspect of his own which he cannot leave and no others may follow[26] – it is unclear if this is a metaphor or if he truly can be considered to have founded a unique aspect, a very real possibility as he is the only Eldar alive who wields a Moon Sabre.

Sources

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This article includes background material from a Black Library publication re-released under the Heretic Tomes banner which, per the Heretic Tomes Publication Disclaimer, contain parts which are considered outdated and in contradiction of established background lore.


Craftworld Eldar Forces
Command Autarchs • Bonesingers • Farseers • Spiritseers • Warlocks • Exarchs
Aspect Warriors
Troops Guardians (Guardian Defenders • Storm Guardians) • Windrider Squadrons • Rangers (Pathfinders • Shroud Runners) • Ghost-Warriors • Wraithguard • Wraithblades
Support Weapons Grav Platform • Support Battery • War Walker
Constructs Avatar of Khaine • Wraithknight • Wraithlord
Special Characters Amallyn Shadowguide • Eldrad Ulthran • Illic Nightspear • Iyanna Arienal • Nuadhu 'Fireheart' • Yriel
Phoenix Lords Asurmen • Baharroth • Drastanta • Fuegan • Irillyth • Jain Zar • Karandras • Lhykhis • Maugan Ra
Fortifications Webway Gate
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