The Eye of Terror is a realm of madness and
despair. A massive warp storm where the boundaries
between the Immaterium and realspace are at their weakest. The skies within weep blood, ancient stars
burn in multi-colored flares and everywhere the whims of the Dark Gods of Chaos hold sway. For ten thousand years it has cast its shadow
across the galaxy. The Eye of Terror is not a natural phenomenon. Before it burst into reality, the area of
space in which it now burns was the heart of the ancient Aeldari Empire. Their domain spanned across the galaxy, of
which they were the unchallenged masters. Millenia of technological progress had freed
the Aeldari race from concerns of age, senility, disease, or even the monotony of labor. They instead dedicated their lives to pursuits
of poetry, music, and artwork. But their lives were long and the Aeldari
grew bored with such callings. Cults of excess formed across their worlds,
secret groups dedicated to experiencing every sensation, whether pleasurable or painful. Bored with the mundane, the actions of the
Cults grew more hedonistic and depraved. Torture and murder replaced art and literature. The Aeldari fell into a twisted ritual of
self-destruction with such acts no longer limited to hidden cabals, but rampant across
their cities. Too late the Aeldari realized that their actions
had rippled across the Immaterium, and given birth to a terrible new entity, the psychic
embodiment of the corruption that now threatened to overwhelm their race. When the Chaos God Slaanesh finally attained
full sentience, the Aeldari were ripped apart. Trillions of souls were inhaled by the God
of Pleasure’s first breath, and the warp energy of the Immaterium spilled over into
the physical realm. The Aeldari Empire was gone, and the Eye of
Terror all that remained. Yet the death of the Aeldari had been foreseen
by a scattered few amongst their race. As their worlds grew more twisted and extreme,
some scattered themselves across the wild fringes of the Empire, forgoing any luxury
in favor of an ascetic way of life. Others found a refuge in the labyrinthine
network known as the webway and fully embraced the corruption that had befallen their race,
feeding off the suffering of others to stave off the corruption of their own souls. Desperate to remain one step ahead of Slaanesh,
who would never rest until she had consumed every Aeldari soul. Each fragment of their race had been forced
to make a choice, to decide how they would survive in a new galaxy, without the might
and wisdom of the Aeldari Empire to guide them. But there were a few who refused to give in
to both the despair and corruption that had gripped their fallen race. As their Empire fell into depravity, they
took to the stars in continent-sized “Craftworlds”. For millennia, these Craftworld Aeldari have
struck back against the forces of Chaos and the primitive xenos usurpers who have defiled
the ruins of their Empire, in a vain or desperate attempt to bring about the return of their
golden era. They have named themselves the Children of
the Phoenix King, the Asur(y)ani. In the 42nd Millenium, the Asuryani are nearly
an entirely voidborn race. Many Craftworlds drift across the stars, but
they are fragments of a once greater whole, broken and scattered across the galaxy. In geography, culture, and technology, their
disparate elements vary wildly and even within a single craftworld, there can be a great
diversity of tradition and attitude. This is due in part, to the nature of the
Craftworlds themselves. During the time of the Aeldari Empire, these
gigantic spacecraft-habitats were self-sufficient, independent realms. They were deployed on great trading missions
that might separate them from their kin for centuries, hundreds of thousands of light
years beyond the frontiers of the empire. This life attracted those with a strong sense
of independence and self-reliance, a mindset that likely saved them during the Fall of
the Aeldari and preserved them ever since. This same mindset however, has further complicated
any grand reunification. Each craftworld instead pursues its own unique
agenda, which to foreign observers might seem completely random. Whatever purpose guides their actions might
have them come to the aid of bellegured Imperial defenders one day, only to slaughter without
mercy the next. Through their near mastery of the Webway,
a hyper-dimensional construct of glowing tunnels across space, craftworlds can appear without
warning across the galaxy, only to disappear and remerge somewhere else. For ten thousand years the Webway has allowed
them to remain hidden and scattered, beyond the reach of those who would destroy them. The craftworlds have expanded greatly beyond
their original purpose, becoming sanctuary worlds for the Aeldari race and growing hundreds
of times larger to accommodate this new role. As the craftworlds have grown, so too have
the divisions between them. Each now possess their own history, traditions
and goals. There is no singular leader amongst the Asuryani,
no central government. Each craftworld may instead possess different
forms of leadership, from Seer Councils made up of powerful psykers, to intricate alliances
between rival Asuryani Clans. The only constant across all the Craftworlds
is their dedication to the “Asur(y)ani Path”. Every soul aboard a craftworld is expected
to dedicate itself to a specific discipline, and focus the entirety of their efforts upon
its study, practice, and eventual mastery. Then the Asuryani will choose a different
path, and the processes will begin anew. There are many paths, each with their own
rewards and risks. Some are very clearly defined, with strict
traditions and expected behaviors intended to build discipline and obedience. Others offer less guidance but extend greater
freedom, encouraging self-reliance and inner strength. Regardless of what path they embrace, these
codes of behavior all have within them the same goal. They act as a form of physical and psychic
protection against the emotional volatility of the Aeldari race, allowing them to experience
intense sensations without repeating the terrible excesses that led to the Fall. In this way, the Asur(y)ani have found a way
to avoid temptation and tame their excessively turbulent natures. The Path of the Seer, also known as the Path
of the Witch, is the longest, most complex, most treacherous, and rarest followed path. Its few members become “Seers”, powerful
psykers who have mastered their abilities and might command powerful forces without
fear of attracting dameons or creating rifts in the warp. Every Seer explores their psychic potential
in their own way, but the range of abilities open to them is vast. Some are able to use their powers to assist
their brethren in battle, while others can look into the future and attempt to discern
the best course of action for their craftworld to take. For this reason, Spiritseers, Warlocks and
Farseers, are most often found in powerful councils who might govern an entire craftworld. While few among their race will ever undertake
the Path of the Seer, the Path of the Warrior is a calling that nearly all among their number
will feel at least some point in their long lives. Young Asuranyi in particular are drawn to
this focus, with the fierce, perhaps naive belief that through conflict and bloodshed,
the Aeldari Empire might be reborn. Most often however, when the Asuranyi go to
war, it is not to reclaim ancient glories, but merely to survive the many terrors that
afflict the galaxy. But with centuries to hone their bodies and
minds to a martial craft, the armies of the Asuranyi can accomplish extraordinary triumphs
of the battlefield. Every warrior is a specialist in their own
right and each unit of such masters works in perfect concert with each other to produce
a true symphony of destruction and careful grace that is distinctly Aledari. Within the Path of the Warrior are a number
of Aspect Shrines, said to embody some form of Khaine, the Aeldari god of war from myth
and legend. Asuranyi who train within these shrines will
become dedicated to a particular role on the battlefield at the expense of all others. The most common Aspect is that of the Dire
Avengers and such warriors are first amongst their brethren. They are the least specialized and most flexible
of all the Aspects, and it is for this reason that they make up the basic infantry of most
Asur(y)ani warhosts. The Aspect Shrine of the Howling Banshees
is a notable exception in the otherwise genderless meritocracy of Asuranyi. They are the embodiment of the banshees of
Aeldari legend, daughters of the Crone Goddess Morai-Heg whose modern incarnation unleash
a whirlwind of devastation through inhuman precision and efficiency within close quarters
combat. Dark Reapers by contrast can be found on the
periphery of any battlefield, providing long ranged fire support. They are widely seen as the most menacing
of the Warrior Aspects, delivering unrelenting destruction behind their grim, skull-masked
helms. Fire Dragons revel in destruction like no
other Aspect Shrine. They have chosen mastery over the highly dangerous
and often unpredictable fusion weaponry of the Asuranyi. While neither swift nor long ranged, they
can reduce even the mightest war machines or powered armor to burning slag. Swooping Hawks are among the most mobile of
the Aspect Warriors, soaring over the battlefield on angelic wings. They are the eyes and ears of their brethren,
scouting for the main force before falling from the skies like noble birds of prey within
the midst of their enemies. Many other aspect shrines exist, but each
craftworld will typically maintain the presence of only a small number of Shrines. Exceptions to this rule exist, with some harboring
many and others dedicating themselves to but a single Warrior Aspect. Regardless, in battle each shrine will be
led by an Exarch, warriors who have lost themselves upon that path and are unable to ever leave
it again. They are awed for their complete dedication,
but reviled for their lives of never ending violence. But even the Exarchs’ pale in comparison
to the Phoenix Lords, the greatest warriors of the Asuryani who bear allegiance to no
individual Craftworlds, but instead the entire warrior aspect. These beings achieve a kind of immortality,
with the spirits of fallen Phoenix Lords incorporated into their armor, so their successor might
make use of their knowledge and abilities. Regardless of which Aspect Warriors they bring
to battle, the Craftworlds are fully aware of the dwindling numbers of their race, Asuranyi
doctrine is therefore preeminently focused on inflicting as much damage on the enemy
without suffering any losses of their own. Hit and run attacks are most favored, devastating
their opponents before they are able to muster an effective counter-attack. How precisely this is achieved varies from
Craftworld to Craftworld. The hyper-militant Craftworld Biel-Tan for
instance, gathers a myriad of disparate Aspect Warriors together, utilizing seemingly discordant
elements in the ultimate expression of combined arms. Craftworld Saim-Hann embraces maneuver, and
their wild-hosts are composed almost entirely of nimble jetbikes, Swooping Hawks and other
exotic war-machines that unleash death at breakneck speeds. Craftworld Iyanden, blighted by disaster,
is a shadow of its former glory, and reliant not on the Aspect Warriors for its continued
survival, but Wraithbone constructs. What might be mistaken for crude robots by
the primitive species of the galaxy, are instead masterful crafted works of art, and powered
by the souls of fallen Asuryani warriors. This process is abhorrent to their race, but
Iyanden’s only remaining option. Craftworld Alaitoc likewise makes use of forces
from outside the Path of the Warrior, preferring instead the deadly rangers of the Path of
the Outsider. They prize misdirection and stealth above
all else. Craftworld Ulthwe is perhaps the most farsighted
of the Asuryani, blessed or perhaps cursed with many of the most powerful Psykers in
the galaxy. Here, the Path of the Seer is equally devoted
to the art of war as the Path of the Warrior, and Asuryani from both are more often seen
working together on the battlefield. The doctrine, Aspect Shrines and the paths
favored by Asuryani varies from craftworld to craftworld, but in the heart of each sits
an avatar. It is an incarnation of the Bloody-Handed
God of War: Kaela Mensha Kaine. When roused from its throne of smouldering
Iron, this Avatar of Kaine is the deadliest weapon the Aeldari still possess, an utterly
terrible presence on the battlefield. To rouse such a being to action requires a
terrible sacrifice and takes an abhorrent toll. It is only done in the most dire of circumstances. The Avatar of Khaine is in many ways one of
the last surviving fragments of the ancient Aeldari Religion. The God of War fought a titanic battle against
Slanaash within the warp, but glutted with stolen power, She Who Thirsts proved the stronger. Khaine was not consumed however, but split
into fragments, the Avatars. The Asuryani cling tenaciously to their folklore
and tradition, but unlike Khaine, the gods and goddesses of those tales have long since
been devoured by Slannesh. Vaul, god of smiths and craftsmen, Lileath,
mistress of dreams and fortune, and many others, are still worshipped and remembered across
the Craftworlds, but the era in which they could bestow their blessings and wisdom is
long over. Some however, fear that Isha, goddess of the
harvest still lives, trapped within the realm of another ruinous power of chaos, a fate
far worse than death. Even Asuryan, the ruler and most powerful
amongst the Aeldari pantheon, from which the Asuryani now take their name, is said to have
been amongst the last consumed. In a final act, he bound his psychic might
to the whole Aeldari race, preventing Slaanesh from absorbing all of its power. This sacrifice likely saved the Aeldari from
complete extinction, and the act is remembered still. Only one other god from the fallen Pantheon
is said to have survived the birth of Slaanesh; Cegorach, the Laughing God, the Great Fool,
deity of tricksters and artists. According to legend, his mocking nature distanced
him from the collective psychic corruption that ensnared the Aeldari race, and while
Khaine fought with Slaanesh, Cegorach hid within the webway. He remains there still if his followers can
be believed, laughing at the Chaos gods and harbouring plans for revenge. While some across the Aeldari have chosen
to embrace the enigmatic laughing god, to do so requires they leave the craftworld,
and are no longer considered a member of the Asuryani. But it may not be the machinations of Cegorach
or the Avatars of Khaine that represent the last hope of the Asuryani. In the days since the fall, each surviving
fragment of the Aeldari has made use of spirit stones, shining gems worn by every member
of their race. These psycho-receptive crystals become attuned
solely to the mind of its owner, and upon death, prevents their essence or perhaps soul,
from entering the warp and being consumed by Slaanesh. Instead, the spirit stones of fallen Asuryani
are placed within an “Infinity Circuit”, a matrix of countless such stones contained
at the core of every craftworld. It is the closest thing the Asuryani have
to an afterlife, and these Infinity Circuits are prized above all else. For a time, spirit stones were left in peace,
only removed to power wraithbone constructs. Yet, there is a growing belief that the spirit
stones within the Infinity Circuit might have an even greater purpose. Ynnead, the Aledari god of the dead is rumored
to be growing within the collective infinity circuits of every craftworld and within the
warp itself. If the souls of all Aeldari, not just the
Asuryani, but those of their twisted cousins the Drukhari and the Harequins of Cegorach,
if all can be united, then Ynnead might awaken. If this can be achieved then the God of the
Dead can succeed where all others have failed, destroying Slaanesh and freeing the Aeldari
from its thirst. All attempts to awaken Ynnead have thus far
failed, but through the actions of the Eldrad Uthran, High Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwe,
it has perhaps begun to stir. A new prophet, Yvraine, Daughter of Shades
is said to be the champion of the Ynnead, and she has begun to unify the Aeldari in
a way not seen since before their fall. Few across the galaxy would welcome the return
of a reborn Aledari Empire. But even the Inquisitors of the Imperium who
have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of the Aeldari, recognize that their dying
race has achieved an understanding of the Great Enemy far beyond the clumsy studies
conducted by mankind. Perhaps, it is through the Asuryani alone
that a true victory might be achieved. The answer to such questions undoubtedly lies
within a secret craftworld, whose existence is kept hidden even from the majority of their
own race. It is known to only a few, and fewer still
have been allowed to enter. But within lies a vast store of knowledge,
home to all the secrets of the universe and perhaps, Cegorach’s ultimate jest.
