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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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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 and sing battle hymns. The Young King is given the mantle of the Craftworld, to identify to the Avatar of their allegiance, followed by filling a cup with the Young King's blood. Then the chamber's door opens and wielding The Wailing Doom and the bloody cup in each hand 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. There is no sign of the Young King - it is unknown whether the Young King is united with Khaine or is destroyed.{{Fn|3}}{{Fn|8}}
===Avatars at War===
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.{{Fn|1}} He is utterly fearless, and often spearheads the Eldar attack, slaying his foes with [[Wailing Doom|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.{{Fn|3}} In melee Avatar crush its foes with a mighty '''Hand of Khaine''' - a molten metal gauntlet that constantly bathed in the still-warm blood of a young Aspect Warrior.{{Fn|6}} In their right hand the incarnation of the Bloody-Handed God wields ''[[Suin Daellae]]'', the Wailing Doom, which either takes the form of a spear or sword.{{Fn|11}}
An Avatar is a very tough being of super-heated iron, with a molten lava core. Heat-based weapons are rendered ineffective against him, due to the nature of his body.{{Fn|3}} So hot is an Avatar's body that most shots from [[projectile weapon]]s, including [[bolter]]s 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.{{Fn|4}} Even if destroyed, an Avatar's essence reforms in the Craftworld's central chamber, so that he may return to continue the eternal struggle against those who oppose the Eldar.{{Fn|1}}
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Codex: Aeldari (10th Edition)]], pg. 34
*{{Endn|10}}: [[Codex: Aeldari (9th Edition)]], pg. 126
*{{Endn|11}}: [[Codex: Craftworlds (8th Edition)]], pg. 44 "The Avatar of Khaine"
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