Wood Elves (Warhammer)

In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, the Wood Elves are a variety of Elves (Tall slender human-like beings) who live in an enchanted forest in eastern Bretonnia, referred to (by the elves, in their own language) as "Athel Loren".

The Wood Elves (known as "Asrai" to themselves) were once members of the High Elves the original elves of the Warhammer world which became split as both Asur, still considered "High Elves" and Druchii, direct descendants and enemy of the Asur. Dark cousins at war for the elven homeland Ulthuan under the leadership of the Witch King Malekith. Setting sail from their homeland of Ulthuan, an island-continent in the ocean to the west and seeking to spread from their shrinking homelands, the High Elves colonised the lands of the Dwarfs, later inhabited by men, including the forest of Athel Loren. After many years of peaceful existence and flourishing trade these colonists came into conflict with the Dwarfs, in part due to the scheming of the Druchii under orders from Malekith who conspired to establish conflicts between the Elven colonies of the Old World and their Dwarfen hosts in the hopes of an escalation into open war to weaken the Asur and allow Malekith to retake his home islands of Ulthuan. Known as the War of the Beard due to Caledor II act of shaming the Dwarf emissaries by cutting their beards from their faces, an unforgivable slight worthy or war to the Dwarfs (and why Dwarfs sometimes call it the War of Vengeance), this centuries long conflict saw the near decimation of both Dawi & Elgi.

Throughout the centuries of conflict individual Elves of both Druchii and Asur, some who had died and been reborn by the magic of the forest, mostly misfits, outcasts, refugees and victims of the war with the Dwarfs were called to the forest by its heart to stand vigil, waiting for as yet unknown conclusion. The conclusion came to pass at the end of the Elgi/Dawi war, as a group of Asur refugees of the sacked city of Tor Alessi that took to the forests for refuge under the leadership of Liandra of the House of Athinol were met and guided by an elf mistress who already served the forest. Under Lady Liandra's leadership and under the guidance of her mysterious ally the group took it among themselves to protect the forest from the axes and torches of Dwarfs marching to join the host against Caledor II. This fight was to be a test of Liandra who sacrificed herself for the forest and was victorious but killed, having proven herself loyal to the forest she was brought to the collection of others who had gathered over the years waiting just outside the glowing heart of the forest (whether her spirit was carried there or she was physically brought back to life is unclear). Upon her arrival the trees parted and these chosen few who had been waiting, some for centuries, were welcomed into the light of the heart to become born again as the Asrai. "Protectors and watchers, the guardians who will preserve *it (the forest) against axe and flame.."

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Wikipedia