Kaelor

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Eldar.png
 Eldar Portal
Craftworld Kaelor
Kaelor Symbol.jpg
Current Location: Segmentum Obscurus, beyond the Eye of Terror[2][13]
Main Colours: Crimson
, Orange
, Gold
[12]
Favoured Unit: Warp Spider[11]
Speciality: Fast vehicle attacks
Reputation: none, virtually forgotten
Main Enemy: Word Bearers
KaelorGuardian.jpg


Kaelor, literally The Raidant Eye,[1b] is an extremely isolated Eldar Craftworld. After a conflict with Saim-Hann, Kaelor fled the Webway altogether: setting out into the void at the fringes of the galaxy beyond the Webway – as a result it spent millenia with virtually no contact with its kin and even the Harlequins rarely found opportunities to meet the craftworld and perform the Eldar Cycles.[1m] In the same flight, Kaelor adopted a Feudal system set forth by its venerated hero Gwrih the Radiant where its Great Houses would all serve and tithe a supreme Farseer. Consequently each generation Eldar strayed more from the Eldar Path , a class divide arose beetween the court's favoured and disfavoured Great Houses, and worst of all its leaders began harbouring the Isha-ann,[1l] a hedonistic pleasure cult which nearly destroyed the Craftworld within the Maelstrom some two thousand years ago (which may still exist).[6] The craftworld is currently lead by the blind Farseer Ela'Ashbel Ansgar, an incarnation of the Ehveline[6] now over two-thousand years old.[8]

Overview

Ela'Ashbel , Chief Farseer and incarnation of the Ehveline.[6][9]

Unlike other Craftworlds, leadership of the Farseer Court, the Ohlipsean, is passed hereditarily and the Farseer is held as a singular and supreme position within the craftworld. This has had knockdown effects, most notably that the crafworld has structured its power within the bounds of Great Houses. As powerful seers were seen as threats to the Farseer, requiring allegiances of political neutrality among the Seers who act as consorts to the great houses.[1m]

The Craftworld very rarely ventures into the Webway, holding superstitions about the danger of exposure to Slaanesh originating from its near-collision and subsequent war with Saim-Hann and the apparent demise of Altansar. This attitude has resulted in only sporadic interactions with the Harlequins, which has resulted in an insular understanding of history and isolating the craftworld from the rest of the Asuryani.[1m] Kaelor is known to pass through the Calixis Sector, a region normally avoided by the Eldar, every thousand years.[4]

Great Houses

The power of Kaelor resides within a Feudal[1i] society of Familial Dynasties which owe their allegiance to the house of the Farseer: House Rivalin of the , and each controls a semi-independent domain of the craftworld's great expanses. The Great Houses predate the Gwrih the Radiant but were reorganised under his rule and have drastically changed as a result of the Rivalin Dynasty: those with favour and access have been brought into the Sentrium itself becoming an upper class known as Knavir, and those without favour have been left under heavy tithe without access to the Farseer's Circular Court and without voice in the Craftworld's policy – derogatorily becoming known as Styhx-tann for residing in domains beyond the Styhxlin Perimeter which divides the Sentrium from the rest of the Craftworld.

While none but House Rivalin has have formal power over Aspect Warriors, those whose Aspect Temples sit within a house's territory have close connections and de facto allegiance.[1m] Each house commands its own Guardians and Wraithguard, which fight under their own colours.[1f] While they are not so decadent in their violence as the pre-fall Aeldari, they will clash with one another both through back-channels and in pitched combat.[1m]

Knavir Houses within the Sentrium:

Styhx-tann Houses:

History

Fall of the Eldar

Infighting and isolation has left Craftworld Kaelor with large gaps in its history making its earliest histories spotted at best. Kaelor remembers the Fall of the Eldar well, their ancient civilization fed by unrestrained hedonism. They remember the flight of the Exodite Knovah and later the Craftworlds, before their empire birthed the Great Enemy – any who remained behind urnecognizable and lost. They remember the arrival of Asurmen and the teaching of the Eldar Path, but conflate Karandras and Ahra.[1m]

The Craftwar

Some time nearafter the Fall of the Eldar the craftworld found itself on a collision course with Craftworld Saim-Hann within the Webway and, for reasons lost to time, engaged in a fierce series of battles with their fellow Eldar. During the battle, Kaelor was badly damaged and a great tectonic chasm known as the Styhxlin Perimeter rent in the craftworld, only saved by the sacrifice of the Warlock Ula Ansgar who, trained had among the Warp Spiders, expended her life energy for a year to hold the Craftworld together and construct the Webway passages which now span the perimeter[1m] binding the two sides together through sheer willpower – where her body joins the Wraithbone now lies the bridge of the Ula Pass.[1e]

The poems that tell of the event tell of the intervention of the Wraith Spider, a Warp Spider Aspect Warrior Warp Entity which is according to legend borne from the will of the Warp Spiders which protect Craftworld Infinity Circuits and manifests in times of great need, which ended the conflict – although the truth of this event was buried by those who rose to power in its aftermath.[1m]

Radiant Age

Warlock of Kaelor[9]

In the aftermath of the Craftwar, a figure known as Gwrih the Radiant rose to prominence[1m] – a Farseer (and one-time Bonesinger)[1m] and who in prophectic visions had forseen the hazards of Saim-Hann and in being proven right was granted emergency power over the Seer Council. Gwrih saw that the end of the Craftwar was not the end of their danger for the Aspect Warriors that had bolstered their numbers in the conflict would turn against eachother at the behest of the Great Houses: Kaelor would fall in a civil war.[1i]

Gwrih forged the "Covenant of Asurya's Helm"[1c] with the Craftworld's Exarchs, which saw them pledge neutrality in disputes within the craftworld itself to avoid such a future.[1i] Further, Kaelor would become a feudal domain, its Seer Council reformed into the Circular Court with all Great Houses owing their allegiance to his line: the Rivalin Dynasty. Under their line the Craftworld rarely if ever ventured into the Webway a superstitious trauma held over from the Craftwar with Saim-Hann,[1m] and for this reason the Craftworld became isolated from all except the most tenacious of Harlequins.[1d] It was under Gwrih's foresight the craftworld circled the Maelstrom, its distance never occluding their Seer's vision.[1i] Gwrih united the Craftworld in an uneasy peace that has held for millennia.[1m]

It became the sole privilege of the Rivalin Farseer to control the movements of the Craftworld and Gwrih's line was granted the land of the Sentrium at the craftworld's core, pushing the Great Houses beyond the Styhxlin Perimeter created by the war with Saim-Hann.[1m] The Rivalin Dynasty lead the Craftworld in an era of peace, but Gwrih the Radiant's rule of law created a new problematic status quo.[1m]

Age of Anguish

The status quo of the Rivalin Dynasty created a dual society, an upper class of empowered royalists pledged to House Rivalin which would come to join them in the Sentrium which called themselves the Knavir', and the lower caste of all who resided beyond the Styhxlin Perimeter known as the Styhx-tann. These decadent Knavir were enriched by tithes from the Styhx-tann houses[1i] and fell to baser instincts in a dangerous exploration of unbounded indulgence and decadence – a dangerous idea spread across the Knavir of Kaelor, that the Eldar should abandon the Eldar Path altogether. Without the Eldar Paths, the emotional contagion of the Eldar's nature was ever more present among the Knavir: victories could bring waves of euphoria, tragedies to self-destructive despair.[1j] It was in this environment that a Pleasure Cult began to form in the hidden domes beneath the Farseer's Palace,[6] albeit one that was less hedonistic and perverse than those at the Fall of the Eldar.[1m]

Many of the errors of the age would have been avoidable had Gwrih the Radiant the forsight to recognize that in time his line of heirs would lose their gift for prophecy, erring more and more often each generation. This was no more apparent than in the last Farseer of the Rivalin Dynasty Ahearn Rivalin's manipulation of fate at the sole benefit of Cinnia Yuthran's Pleasure Cult[6] for which he let the Craftworld to finally drift into the Maelstrom[1d] it had encircled since the days of Gwrih the Radiant:[1i] the turmoil within Kaelor feeding the Warp Storm.[1l] It was these same machinations which encouraged the century-long House Wars, and orchestrated the Prophecy War: a manipulation to set alight the Infinity Circuit within the Maelstrom and invite the raw Warp into Kaelor launching the craftworld into hedonistic excess.[1j]

House Wars

The affluence and disregard of seeming common sense of the Great Houses within the Sentrium and the ever-greater deprivation of the other great houses could only have one outcome, a buildup of ever-more centered military powers[1g] and events finally came to a head with the House Wars, a century-long[1b] campaign of increasingly deadly conflicts between the Guardians of the Great Houses. For many years these Styhx-tann houses predominantly fought with each other.[1i]

In M38[8] major forces of the war coalesced behind the banners of House Teirtu and House Ansgar, and together they committed to march upon the Farseer's Palace within the Sentrium[1i] under the banner of the Farseer's heir Kerwyn Rivalin.[1d] However, careful politicking by Ahearn Rivalin and the Circular Court broke the alliance: Iden Teirtu and House Teirtu would join the Knavir and the Farseer's daughter Oriana Rivalin would be wed to Morfran Teirtu the heir of House Teirtu.[1h] House Ansgar marched upon the Sentrium anyway as they had unique understandings of the Styhxlin Perimeter from their hereditary familiarity with Ula Ansgar, its creator, which allowed them to infiltrate the Sentrium[1m] where they met the waiting blades of the Knavir houses, including House Anyon and House Ossian,[1i] and now the 'Styhx-tann House Teirtu.[1c]

The struggle was long and bloody but the final victory went to the Teirtu which captured Bedwyrn Ansgar, leader of the forces of House Ansgar at Ula Pass. Bedwyrn was executed but, at the urging of Lady Ione the children of the house were spared - the lady seeing personally that Naois Ansgar was delivered to the Warp Spiders Aspect Temple and the baby Ela'Ashbel Ansgar to the Seers of House Yuthran: House Ansgar was not destroyed but rather exiled and a heavy tithe levvied on their lands, and the Warp Spiders forbidden from Sentrium.[1c] Kerwyn Rivalin was exiled by the Farseer under the direction of House Teirtu to the Wastes of Kaelor and there left for death, and to insure finality returning some time later to destroy his Spirit Stone to ensure Kerwyn could not rule even in death – his fate a mystery kept secret from Ahearn Rivalin.[1d]

Iden Teirtu of House Teirtu was granted the title of Zhogahn which afforded them a semblance of parity with the Farseer, and siezing upon the political opportunity it afforded enacted a clandestine coup using the power afforded to him to holding the Farseer Ahearn Rivalin under custodial duty within the Farseer's Palace – justifying his actions with the fact that the Kerwyn Rivalin the House Rivalin heir apparent had sided with House Ansgar during the conflict and that his grandson by marriage, Turi Rivalin, would by Kerwyn's exclusion become heir apparent; leaving Iden to serve as regent.[1m]

Prophecy War

Farseer Ela'Ashbel [9]

After the death of Lady Ione, consort to Zhogahn Iden Teirtu, Warp Spiders fight past Dire Avengers and House Teirtu Guardians to reach the Infinity Circuit to pay her their respects, audaciously defying their exile[1b] in what would become the opening act of a new war, the Prophecy War.[6]

The Seers of House Yuthran test the infant daughter of the dead rebel Bedwyrn Ansgar, Ela'Ashbel Ansgar, to determine what threat she posed to the power of the Circular Court. In her trial, the "Rite of Alastrinah", she shows incredibly Psychic ability, which frightens the seers and leads them to speculate that she is the Ehveline.[1a] Despite her young age, she reveals the gift of Farsight and a great prophecy: the Daemonettes of Slaanesh dancing at the Plaza of Vaul, she looks on with bloody tears at her brother Naois Ansgar who stands amidst a wreath of flame with bloodied hands.[1a] The seers retreat in fear and, with an understanding instilled by her prophecy, Ela'Ashbel flees to the Warp Spider Aspect Temple and the side of her brother Naois Ansgar.[1c]

The Guardians of House Teirtu moved against the Warp Spiders, equally out of fear of the House Ansgar guardians uniting under Scilti Ansgar the nephew of Bedwyrn Ansgar and out of fear of alliance with Ahearn Rivalin having misunderstood the Warp Spider appearance at the internment of Lady Ione as evidence of an alliance. Simultaneously Lhir Teirtu, agent of House Teirtu, discovered and recovered the body of Kerwyn Rivalin. Seeing the broken Spirit Stone of his son Ahearn Rivalin asks for intervention against the House Teirtu forces by House Anyon, who remained loyal to the Farseer througout the coup: the message to House Ansgar was clear: together they would remove the Zhogahn and return sole power to the Rivalin Dynasty.[1d] House Ansgar and House Teirtu met at Ula Bridge and launched into combat, a dark echo of the doomed advance of Bedwyrn Ansgar which ended the House Wars.[1f]

Zhogahn Iden Teirtu announced the abduction of Ahearn Rivalin and appointed his and Ahearn's infant grandson Turi Rivalin the Farseer's heir such that he would now serve as Zhogahn to Turi.[1g] Iden then visited the Dire Avenger Aspect Temple to secure their aid against Warp Spiders and House Ansgar.[1i]

During the battle, the Wraith Spiders Exarch and Arachnir were able to make entry what they were unaware was the Dome of Pleasure, and extract Ahearn Rivalin who fled with them and the retreating forces of House Ansgar to the Warp Spider Temple – as they arrived they discovered it covered in Warp Spiderwebs which converged upon the suspended body of Naois Ansgar, undergoing apotheosis to become the next Lhykosidae: the manifest will of the Infinity Circuit.[1g] House Ansgar pledged themselves to his leadership,[1h] but it was under his own banner that he would march beside the House upon the Ula Bridge.[Fi]

Warp Spider Exarch Aingeal took a drastic measure: she set the beacon to call a convocation of all Exarchs pledged to the "Covenant of Asurya's Helm"[1i] knowing she herself had broken its vow.[1b] All Exarchs but the Dire Avengers answered listened to her plea: that all must break the covenant to defend their Farseer within the Warp Spider Aspect Temple.[1i] Zhogahn Iden Teirtu moved with contingents of Dire Avengers upon the temple and it was Aingeal alone who stood against him, the other Exarchs had not come and she perished as the temple was destroyed by Plasma Charges,[1i] but it had not been for nothing: she had wounded Iden Teirtu with a fatal poison.[1j]

As Lhykosidae in the form of Naois Ansgar lead House Ansgar into the Ula Bridge they felt the destruction of the Warp Spider Aspect Temple which ignited their bloodlust, even with their superior force House Teirtu was forced to retreat before the wrath of the Wraith Spider, but as they reached the Pdvalin Gates the retreat turned to rout.[1i] There their advance abruptly halted: Naois Ansgar the Wraith Spider planted his banner, and solemnly walked away from the assembled strike force and away from the Sentrium and back towards the Warp Spider Aspect Temple.

Aware of the future but unable to stop it, Ela'Ashbel Ansgar tells the assembled befuddled forces of House Ansgar of what occurs beyond the Pdvalin Gates: that the Isha-ann Pleasure Cult had orchestrated the House Wars of the last century, and the Prophecy War they fought now to enrage and torture the soul of Iden Teirtu so that his soul would set alight the Infinity Circuit and invite the raw Warp of the Maelstrom into Kaelor – there was nothing that could be done to stop it, and at that moment the Sentrium plunged into a dark night as the events she spoke unfolded and myriad shards of purple darkness descended into the Shrine of Fluir-haern.[1j]

Nevertheless Naois Ansgar and the Warp Spiders returned to the Aspect Temple to enshrine the Exarch armour of the slain Aingeal, taking Ela'Ashbel Ansgar but leaving Scilti Ansgar and the remaining guardians of House Ansgar slackjawed at their seeming desertion of the Craftworld. House Ansgar would not take the Sentrium, rather it would hold the gate to guard the rest of the Craftworld against the Maelstrom inside.[1k] Finding himself in utter desbleif at the actions of the Ansgar siblings, to get so close glory for their house and deny it to themselves and to Khaine, Scilti Ansgar refused to wait and led House Ansgar in a charge against the newly darkened Pdvalin Gates in a swell of violence that rended the gate and saw every Guardian slaughtered along their path as they reached the last muster of House Tiertu in a tempestuous ecstasy of Eldar blood beneath the purple sky of the Maelstrom, the only force truly against him the surge of lost souls pouring out from within the Infinity Circuit.[1k] Ahearn Rivalin was bound and gagged, and House Ansgar guardians dragged Morfran Teirtu, Oriana Rivalin, and the child Farseer Turi Rivalin to the banquet chamber where each was hung by their necks from a grand chandelier.[1k] It was clear to all that Scilti Ansgar had fallen to depravity, in no small part due to the proximity of the Maelstrom: this was the culmination of Gwrih's prophecy and, possibly, his indended outcome.[1l]

Within the Warp Spider Aspect Temple a desperate plea for help from the spirits of the Infinity Circuit which and those that had left to enshrine the armour of Aingeal returned to the Sentrium where, at the Pdvalin Gates they came upon the arriving forces of House Anyon and an honour guard of Swooping Hawks led by Uisnech Anyon in flight from the violence of the Sentrium. Ela'Ashbel Ansgar reminded the fleeing forces of their commitment to Kaelor, which was at the precipice of collapse. Together they marched on the Farseer's Palace, but their path was blocked by Exarchs: Waendre of the Swooping Hawks, Andraste of the Shining Spears, Kuarwar of the Dark Reapers, Fuarghan of the Fire Dragons, Moina of the Striking Scorpions, and Morenn-kar of the Howling Banshees; notably absent was Lairgnen of the Dire Avenger. They sought to block their advance and to maintain the "Covenant of Asurya's Helm", despite Ela'Ashbel's protest that their inaction was equal to action as the Maelstrom tore into Kaelor. It was only the presence of Lhykosidae and within him the will of the Infinity Circuit that swayed them to join and allow entry to the Plaza of Vaul – now a scene unlike any seen since the Fall of the Eldar: cascades of Warp energy flashed in the air and at the center of the plaza upon the ornamental anvil of Vaul the mob seemed to surge towards the a ritualistic sacrifice to bring forth the Daemonettes of Slaanesh. The only hope for Kaelor was to purge the hedonists, ending their lives before their souls could corrupt further and join with Slaanesh – the intervention of Ela'Ashbel would deny her prophecy; the Prophecy War was over.[1l]

Tyrine

Unable to fathom their role in the Craftworld's descent, Ela'Ashbel Ansgar let Ahearn Rivalin and his fellow Isha-ann cultists Cinnia Yuthran and Celyddon Ossian lead her away with promises that together they would rebuild the craftworld.[1l] New visions appeared to Ela'Ashbel: the Craftworld would plunge further into the Maelstrom to a trap laid by the Chaos Sorcerer Kor Phaeron upon the planet Tyrine which would see the craftworld sacrificed for the favour of Slaanesh. She warned Ahearn Rivalin of the danger, only to be seemingly ignored and sequestered within a tower of the damaged ruins the Farseer's Palace.[6]

Warp Spider Arachnir Adsulata freed Ela'Ashbel from her tower, and following her prophecy delivered her to the surface of Tyrine where together with the remainder of Kaelor's Warp Spiders they battled Daemonettes and Chaos Cultists to reach the perverted Imperial temple, there they set charges before being ambushed by Dark Angel Space Marines – a trap set by Ahearn Rivalin and the Isha-ann Pleasure Cult, although its origin remained clouded to Ela'Asbel.[6]

Guided by her Farsight, the young Seer deftly avoided all dangers on her path to find herself faced with the Dark Apostle Kor Phaeron – Ela'Ashbel folded his mind upon itself and saw within the future of his former master: Ererbus, who smiled upon her and psychically closed her eyes. The Word Bearers were defeated but the victory was not without repercussions: her sapphire eyes were destroyed, tears of blood flowed from her face. She alone returned to Kaelor.[6]

At her return, Farseer Ahearn Rivalin stood waiting and weakened from her psychic battle, absent the Warp Spiders which could guide her she trustingly joined the Farseer's retinue to, in time, learn of his secrets and eventually become his successor.[6] It is unclear if in time she joined or purged the Isha-ann.

Recent History

Kaelor has not returned to its glory and its leadership may or may not still engage in their Cabal of Pleasure.[6] Certainly its Aspect Warriors have continued to winnow away under the leadership of the blind Farseer Ela'Ashbel and her Circular Court,[7] it is also not uncommon for Ela'Ashbel to ride into battle along with her Warhost in a modified Vyper.[11] Kaelor's Guardians now marshall as one in service to the Craftworld instead of any Great House.[10]

Sometimes before M41, elements of Craftworld Kaelor attacked the burgeoning pirate-empire of the Shadow-Margrave on the world of Sacgrave, within the Gloaming Worlds in the Screaming Vortex, alongside Aeldari Corsairs. The Dragonship Un’Alash Denasal, "The Fury of Dawn" in Gothic, participated in the bombardment of the planet. With the planet in ruins, the Shadow-Margrave fled and, his power broken, the Aeldari disappeared from the battle's remains.[3]

Caeluthin Baharrudor the Stormchaser[11]

Near 500.M41, consumed by wanderlust Caeluthin Baharrudor the Stormchaser embarked upon the Path of the Outcast, spending centuries rising the ranks of the Twilight Sword Corsairs. He maintains close ties to Kaelor but refuses to return to his home craftworld.[11]

In late M41[8] Farseer Ela'Ashbel moved to counter Erebus in the Pyrus Reach Sector, events which appeared to her as prophetic visions in her youth upon Tyrine which saw the Dark Apostle's forces wreck havoc on the Craftworld,[6] and orchestrated multiple offensives to move against him and his dark forces, redirecting Waaagh! Garzulk into the sector, luring the Dark Angel of the Fourth Company, Enoch Helfrich and the Helfrich's Hellblasters, and the Grey Knight forces of Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Alabel Santos together to defeat the Dark Apostle.[7]

Craftworld Kaelor has recently entered the Calixis Sector, following a migratory path that took it through the same system nearly a thousand years ago, where it passes by Maiden Worlds including AFG:218 which has historically put the craftworld into conflict with the Planetary Defense Force regiments which defend the Imperium colonies upon them.[4]

Kaelor's uncertain location.[14]

Nearly the whole of Kaelor were wracked with visions of Dresil'ach as it fell from the Warp once more into the Void, and so offended by its presence have taken means to stop the haunted Craftworld – through fates unknown to their Seers, this requires the intervention of a Human Rogue Trader crew as any large involvement would doom the forgotten ruin to further desecration.[12]

The current location if Kaelor is uncertain.[14]

Locations

Ela'Ashbel Ansgar[9]

Notable Members

Erandel Voidsinger[5]

Active before M38

Active in M38:

Active in M41:

See also

Notes

TriviaScrollTrans.png

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.

With its focus upon warring noble houses, dissenting cults, and combat within tight corridors, it is speculated that Kaelor may have been intended as the setting of an Eldar product for Necromunda: Underhive which never manifested.

Sources


Craftworlds
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