The Dark Elves
The Dark Elves of Tarren refer to themselves as the Eldraani, a word that in the
ancient Elven tongue means ‘ruler’, ‘elf’, and ‘conqueror’. The other races of Arcana
refer to them as Dark Elves, a term that although originally meant as a slur has
become a word many Eldraani warriors have willingly embraced. The Dark Elves are
descended from the warlike Elf lords that arrived on Tarren many thousands of years
ago. Driven from their ancient homes by an unknown menace, these Elves were cruel,
blood-thirsty lovers of war. They crushed the native races of Tarren with such ease
and ruled over them with such cruelty that today, many races fear Elves even more
than demons or the sinister undead. The ancient Elf lords would no doubt be proud
of the Dark Elves of today because they are every bit as warlike and ruthless as
their forebears.
Although the Elves once ruled almost all of Tarren, the great war that splintered
their people has left them with a fraction of their former power and territory.
Despite their terrible losses during the civil war, the Dark Elves clung onto their
remaining cities with unbridled tenacity. Even as they drove the last of the High
Elf armies from their land, the Dark Elf cities found themselves beset by new enemies.
Vast armies of beastmen, undead, demons and the vengeful native races of Arcana
assaulted their borders. Many cities, utterly exhausted by the war, fell to such
incursions, their populations slaughtered, enslaved or driven into the woods and
marshes like animals.
Not all cities fell. Despite having lost many of their best warriors in the civil
war and being surrounded by enemies, the most powerful dark elf city states raised
new heroes to protect their territory. These warlords fought with the passion and
fury that only the Elves can muster and in many cases turned certain defeat into
victory. In the south, Te-ayerin the Eagle halted the ambitions of the fledgling
Marrian Empire in a vicious campaign that lasted more than 12 years. In the west,
the warlord Deys’arin the Scourge defeated the Lyonnesse Baron Ferred of Carnwood
and seized his land. The warrior princess of the northern city of Sharrin, Tilia
of the Black Feather, lured an entire tribe of marauding Wolfen into a trap in the
Elbia valley and destroyed them. Her family’s war banner still carries the pelt
of the Wolfen chieftain, Arghi-tai Jikarn, who fell on that bloody day. Such victories
allowed the more powerful city states to withstand the rise of the new powers in
Tarren and in some cases even expand their territory.
Today the Dark Elves are spread across Tarren, mostly in large city states on the
coast. They love the ocean and most coastal cities have impressive fleets consisting
of swift warships and feared slaver galleys. The slave ships are a necessity as
the Elven cities are built on the backs of their huge slave populations. They land
in distant shores and unload vast armies of steel-clad warriors that harass the
coastal kingdoms in pursuit of new slaves. Even the kings of distant Myrderos in
the east have suffered at the hands of these slaver fleets. Although their empire
was brought to the brink of collapse due to the Elven Civil War, the Dark Elves
have rebuilt their armies and are eager to reclaim their birth-right as the rulers
of Tarren.