History Characters / Warhammer40000Aeldari

* A ''lot'' of Eldar didn't survive The Fall, some in the form of Spirit/Soul Stones that may be collected. Including an entire ''Aspect along with it's Phoenix Lord,'' who were [[HumanPopsicle stuck in ice]], known as the Shadow Spectres.
* ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'' gives a rare example of an entire Craftworld was consumed by Chaos, Lu'Nasad. Fortunately three "Aspect Shells" formed from ruined shrines: Dire Avengers, Warp Spiders, and Wraithguard.

* '''{{Cold Blooded Torture}}''' - The Dark Eldar take this to a horrifyingly extreme.

* '''{{Cold-Blooded Torture}}''' - The Dark Eldar take this to a horrifyingly extreme.

* HumanOutsideAlienInside: Humans and Eldar look very much alike, aside from the ears, but Eldar internal structure is very different.

* ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'' gives a rare example of an entire Craftworld was consumed by Chaos, Lu'Nasad. Fortuneatly only three "Aspect Shells" formed from ruined shrines: Dire Avengers, Warp Spiders, and Wraithguard.

While most (surviving) Eldar renounced the perverse lifestyle that destroyed their empire, some [[EvilCounterpart unrepentant souls]] fled into the depths of the [[PortalNetwork inter-dimensional Webway]] the Eldar use to traverse the galaxy. Founding the nightmare city of [[WretchedHive Commorragh]], these Dark Eldar discovered that while Slaanesh was slowly consuming their souls, if they were able to feed off of other creatures' life energy, they would either slake His/Her thirst or replenish their own drained lives. As a result, the entirety of Dark Eldar "civilization" is focused on gathering souls, being [[SpacePirates pirates and raiders]] beyond compare. The Dark Eldar revel in violence and bloodshed, and savor the terror and pain they create in their victims as much as they savor the taking of their victims' souls. Their every action against their enemies and victims is taken to as cruel and sadistic an extreme as they can manage, and many aspects of their lives are brutally masochistic.

* TheFairFolk - The Dark Eldar's lead re-designer, Phil Kelly, intentionally invoked a fairytale feel with the Dark Eldar's weaponry and appearance, with mirrors that can be shattered to kill the people they reflect, elven wild hunts on night raids, and the witch-like Haemonculi covens taking payment in abstract concepts like your ability to laugh. The Dark Eldar are beautiful, soulless horrors.
** This helps keep them connected to the Eldar, who also have a strong fairy/elfin theme to them, whilst at the same time making them unique. Dark Elder are, obviously, the "Dark Elves", the Elf as an inscrutable, alien monster, absorbed in its own selfish needs and seemingly infinite capacity for cruelty.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Their are many cruel fates, horrible deaths, ungodly painful existences within the Warhammer 40K universe, but all of them are preferable to the Dark Eldar taking you alive.

These Eldar live These Eldar live in vast, self-sufficient city-like starships known as Craftworlds. To [[EmotionsVsStoicism avoid falling prey to the dark desires that ended their empire]], they live [[DefectorFromDecadence strictly regimented and disciplined lives]], focusing their attentions on one "Path" at a time, be it artisan, scholar, or warrior. They are guided by prescient Farseers who manipulate galactic events to favor their people. The general consensus is that they are a dying race, but they live in hope of somehow overcoming their decline, defeating Slaanesh, and rebuilding their Empire.

In the game, if the Space Marines are an [[JackOfAllTrades army of generalists]], the Craftworld Eldar are an army of [[CripplingOverspecialization extreme specialists]] -- their Aspect Warriors excel at a particular battlefield role, but need to fulfill that role in order to be useful. The Eldar also make extensive use of skimmer units such as jetbikes or grav-tanks, allowing them to swiftly bring devastating firepower to bear and outflank their opponents, while their leaders' psyker abilities can help bolster their allies and swing the battle at pivotal instances. Appropriately for their race, success with the Eldar largely depends on forming a good battle-plan and trying to predict the enemy's own...

** Turned UpToEleven with the Harlequin units, warrior clowns whose look is based on CommediaDellArte characters.

The Eldar who survived the Fall can be grouped into several categories:
* '''Craftworld Eldar''' -- These Eldar live in vast, self-sufficient city-like starships known as Craftworlds.
* '''Dark Eldar''' -- Trapped in the ways that brought about the end of their race, they offer the souls of others to Slaanesh to prevent their own from being taken.
* '''Harlequins''' -- Wander the galaxy as performers and warriors, recounting the traditional Eldar myths and history, such as the Fall. They seek to eradicate Chaos, murder Slaanesh and reunite all Eldar.
* '''Corsairs''' -- {{Space Pirates}} and Outcasts who most resemble the original Eldar.
* '''Exodites''' -- Eldar colonists who left the Crone Worlds before their race's fall and various Outcasts who have joined them over time.

[[folder:'''Crafworld Eldar''']]

To [[EmotionsVsStoicism avoid falling prey to the dark desires that ended their empire]], these Eldar live [[DefectorFromDecadence strictly regimented and disciplined lives]], focusing their attentions on one "Path" at a time, be it artisan, scholar, or warrior. They are guided by prescient Farseers who manipulate galactic events to favor their people. The general consensus is that they are a dying race, but they live in hope of somehow overcoming their decline, defeating Slaanesh, and rebuilding their Empire.

If the Space Marines are an [[JackOfAllTrades army of generalists]], the Eldar are an army of [[CripplingOverspecialization extreme specialists]] -- their Aspect Warriors excel at a particular battlefield role, but need to fulfill that role in order to be useful. The Eldar also make extensive use of skimmer units such as jetbikes or grav-tanks, allowing them to swiftly bring devastating firepower to bear and outflank their opponents, while their leaders' psyker abilities can help bolster their allies and swing the battle at pivotal instances. Appropriately for their race, success with the Eldar largely depends on forming a good battle-plan and trying to predict the enemy's own...

!!Notable Eldar tropes include:

While most (surviving) Eldar renounced the perverse lifestyle that destroyed their empire, some [[EvilCounterpart unrepentant souls]] fled into the depths of the [[PortalNetwork inter-dimensional Webway]] the Eldar use to traverse the galaxy. Founding the nightmare city of [[WretchedHive Commorragh]], these Dark Eldar discovered that while Slaanesh was slowly consuming their souls, if they were able to feed off of other creatures' life energy, they would either slake His/Her thirst or replenish their own drained lives. As a result, the entirety of Dark Eldar "civilization" is focused on gathering souls, being [[SpacePirates pirates and raiders]] beyond compare. The Dark Eldar revel in violence and bloodshed, and savor the terror they create in their victims as much as they savor the taking of their victims' souls. Their every action against their enemies and victims is taken to as cruel and sadistic an extreme as they can manage, and many aspects of their lives are brutally masochistic.

The Dark Eldar army is best compared to a scalpel - precise and quite dangerous, but fragile. Though their weapons are powerful and often have damaging effects on enemy morale, their soldiers are frail and lightly-armored. To compensate, their army is highly mobile, featuring open-topped skimmer transports to quickly get troops exactly where needed. They are easy to play badly, but if used well, the Dark Eldar are devastating.

They are the devotees of Cegorach, the Laughing God, who wander the galaxy as performers and warriors, recounting the traditional Eldar myths and history, as well as the story of the Fall. They also guard the secretive Black Library in the Webway, the largest collection of Eldar history and Chaos lore in the galaxy. They are fanatical enemies of Chaos, and their ultimate goal, their "Great Work", is the re-unification of the Eldar and destruction of Slaanesh. Not playable as a separate faction; but available as an elite unit for both Craftworld and Dark Eldar forces.

* '''Harlequins''' -- Wander the galaxy as performers and warriors, recounting the traditional Eldar myths and history, as well as the story of The Fall.
* '''Corsairs''' -- {{Space Pirates}} and Outcasts.

** To put it simply, the Harlequins are allowed to come and go through Commorragh as they please. Because they are the only people in the Materium the Dark Eldar are ''afraid'' of.

* TricksterArchetype: Cegorach the Laughing God, patron of the Eldar Harlequins, is one of the few of the Eldar gods [[HaveYouSeenMyGod to have survived the fall]]. He is a trickster extrordinare, laughing at those he fools. It is said that only he knows all the secrets of the webway, which he uses to lead his enemies on wild but fruitless chases. Occasionally he may succeed in saving one of the Harlequins Solitaire's souls from damnnation to Slannesh, but this is rare as that soul belongs to Slannesh. He is rumored in Eldar myth to even have tricked one of the [[PhysicalGod C'tan]] to ''eat'' another.

* CassandraTruth: Averted horrifically. The Eldar seers warned their people that their decadence would destroy their civilization, and were ignored. Not because the decadent Eldar did not believe the predictions, but because they [[CompleteMonster didn't care]]. Many of them were aware that they were creating a new warp god of decadence, believing that they would be [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence absorbed by it to live in an eternity of bliss]]. Their plan worked [[GoneHorriblyRight entirely too well]].

** Drazhar, in the sense that he lacks any obvious motives and desires outside of '''maybe''' being a BloodKnight. What makes him such an enigma is his lack of ambition and rumors (supported by his stats and rules) that he is a fallen Eldar Phoenix Lord. Unlike most Dark Eldar, he doesn't feel like a CompleteMonster - he's just there to fight, never uttering a single word. Even his name is unknown - 'Drazhar' is simply a title.

* ''Craftworld Eldar''' -- These Eldar live in vast, self-sufficient city-like starships known as Craftworlds.

An arrogant race, the Eldar view all other species as inferior, and won't bat an eye at sacrificing millions of human lives to save a few hundred Eldar -- indeed, catastrophic conflicts such as the Second War for Armageddon were subtly engineered by Eldar machinations. The Eldar are willing to work with other races against their old enemies the [[Characters/Warhammer40000Orks Orks]], the [[Characters/Warhammer40000Necrons Necrons]], or [[Characters/Warhammer40000ForcesOfChaos Chaos]]; but they frequently turn on their "comrades" the minute it is advantageous to do so, and won't let a short-term alliance get in the way of their own survival. Because of this, the Eldar are despised as a capricious and fickle species, though this hatred is tempered with fear of their advanced technology and formidable psychic "witchcraft."

* Craftworld Eldar -- These Eldar live in vast, self-sufficient city-like starships known as Craftworlds.
* Dark Eldar -- Trapped in the ways that brought about the end of their race, they offer the souls of others to Slaanesh to prevent their own from being taken.
* Harlequins -- Wander the galaxy as performers and warriors, recounting the traditional Eldar myths and history, as well as the story of The Fall.
* Corsairs -- {{Space Pirates}} and Outcasts.
* Exodites -- Eldar colonists who left the Crone Worlds before their race's fall and various Outcasts who have joined them over time.

Eldar that left before their race's fall to settle on the Maiden Worlds of the Mikly Way's periphery. They abandoned much advanced technology to live simpler lives among primitive worlds. Not a playable faction in-game, but described as maintaining trade contact with their Craftworld brethren, exchanging food for technology. Eldar who leave the Craftworlds on the Path of the Outcast often end up living in Exodite communities.

* DefectorFromDecadence: the Exodites rejected the decadence in favor of a simpler and more hard-working existence.

An arrogant race, the Eldar view all other species as inferior, and won't bat an eye at sacrificing millions of human lives to save a few hundred Eldar -- indeed, catastrophic conflicts such as the Second War for Armageddon were subtly engineered by Eldar machinations. The Eldar are willing to work with other races against their old enemies the [[Characters/Warhammer40000Orks Orks]], the [[Characters/Warhammer40000Necrons Necrons]], or [[Characters/Warhammer40000ForcesOfChaos Chaos]], but they frequently turn on their "comrades" the minute it is advantageous to do so, and won't let a short-term alliance get in the way of their own survival. Because of this, the Eldar are despised as a capricious and fickle species, though this hatred is tempered with fear of their advanced technology and formidable psychic "witchcraft."

The Eldar who survived the Fall generally fall into several categories:
* Craftworld Eldar -- These Eldar live in vast, self-sufficient city-like starships known as Craftworlds. To [[EmotionsVsStoicism avoid falling prey to the dark desires that ended their empire]], these Eldar live [[DefectorFromDecadence strictly regimented and disciplined lives]], focusing their attentions on one "Path" at a time, be it artisan, scholar, or warrior. They are guided by prescient Farseers who manipulate galactic events to favor their people. The general consensus is that they are a dying race, but they live in hope of somehow overcoming their decline, defeating Slaanesh, and rebuilding their Empire.
* Dark Eldar -- Still trapped in the ways that brought about the end of their race, they offer the souls of others to Slaanesh to prevent their own from being taken.
* Harlequins -- They are the devotees of Cegorach, the Laughing God, who wander the galaxy as performers and warriors, recounting the traditional Eldar myths and history, as well as the story of the Fall. They also guard the secretive Black Library in the Webway, the largest collection of Eldar history and Chaos lore in the galaxy. They are fanatical enemies of Chaos, and their ultimate goal, their "Great Work", is the re-unification of the Eldar and destruction of Slaanesh. Not playable as a separate faction; but available as an elite unit for both Craftworld and Dark Eldar forces.
* Corsairs -- {{Space Pirates}}.
* Exodites -- Eldar colonists who left the Crone Worlds before their race's fall.

* Exodites -- Eldar colonists who left before their race's fall.

* Badass: Harlequin Solitaires. Perhaps the most badass type of [[DanceBattler Harlequins]], they have no souls as they are doomed to be [[FateWorseThanDeath claimed by Slaanesh]] at their deaths, unless Cegorach himself intervenes. Despite this, they're incredibly terrifying to psykers and ridiculously powerful combatants. Tasked with playing the role of Slaanesh in the Harlequin performances, they rarely speak -- if ever -- and when they do, they are said to curse those they speak to. There's a reason they guard the Black Library, and even managed to repel an attempted incursion by Ahriman of the Thousand Sons. This is magnified tenfold when Cegorach manages to steal a doomed soul of a Solitaire from Slaanesh -- the Laughing God places the Solitaire's soul into a Spirit Walker (like a massively souped-up Wraithlord, which retains the Solitaire's incredible agility in life, creating a Golem-like mecha.)

* Corsairs -- {{Space pirates}}.
* Exodites -- Eldar who foresaw the fall of their race and abandoned much of its advanced technology to live simpler lives among primitive worlds. Not a playable faction in-game, but described as maintaining trade contact with their Craftworld brethren, exchanging food for technology. Eldar who leave the craftworlds on the Path of the Outcast often end up living in Exodite communities.

* TheAestheticsOfTechnology -- Compare the sleek, curved profile of the Falcon grav-tank to the lumbering, smoke-belching war machines of the humans. The grav-tanks even look more like speedboats with weapons on top than they look like tanks. Dark Eldar vehicles tend to look like flying versions of ancient sailing ships, with lots of blades and spiky bits.

** Harlequin Solitaires. Perhaps the most badass type of [[DanceBattler Harlequins]], they have no souls as they are doomed to be [[FateWorseThanDeath claimed by Slaanesh]] at their deaths, unless Cegorach himself intervenes. Despite this, they're incredibly terrifying to psykers and ridiculously powerful combatants. Tasked with playing the role of Slaanesh in the Harlequin performances, they rarely speak -- if ever -- and when they do, they are said to curse those they speak to. There's a reason they guard the Black Library, and even managed to repel an attempted incursion by Ahriman of the Thousand Sons. This is magnified tenfold when Cegorach manages to steal a doomed soul of a Solitaire from Slaanesh -- the Laughing God places the Solitaire's soul into a Spirit Walker (like a massively souped-up Wraithlord, which retains the Solitaire's incredible agility in life, creating a Golem-like mecha.)

* DanceBattler: The [[MonsterClown Harlequins]] are an enigmatic faction of Eldar who act as dancing entertainers, horrifyingly lethal shock troops, or both at the same time.

* DefectorFromDecadence: The Craftworlds themselves are societies of the descendants of these, as are the [[SpaceAmish Exodites' worlds]], with each choosing to defect in different ways. The craftworlds rejected the decadence in favor of highly structured lifestyles; the Exodites rejected the decadence in favor of a simpler and more hard-working existence.

* TheFaceless:
** Wraithguard and Wraithlords.
** Harlequins, who wear a mask which can either be blank, or show their opponent their worst fears come to life.

* HighlyConspicuousUniform:
** Eldar at war tend to wear uniforms with bright colors proclaiming their allegiance to their craftworld or aspect shrine. Even the ones with darker uniforms usually have bright hues to provide sharp contrast. Possibly justified by their heavy use of holofields and [[VisibleInvisibility chameleoline]] when they actually get down to fighting.
** The Harlequins go even further with this, having bright patterns on their clothes to intentionally make them more visible on stage. However, as they also incorporate a form of holographic device which scatters their image about to conceal their numbers and exact location, this might not be as much of a liability on the battlefield as it first seems.

* SpaceAmish: The Exodite worlds were settled by [[DefectorFromDecadence Eldar farsighted enough to leave before The Fall]]. Rather than choosing the highly structured lifestyle adopted by their Craftworld cousins, they choose to forgo the technological conveniences that enabled the decadent lifestyle that lead to Slaanesh's creation. They are considered to be somewhat backward, but otherwise decent people by the craftworld Eldar, and are frequently visited by [[WalkingTheEarth Outcasts from the path]]. Webway trade between them and the Craftworlds is also common; which means that when situations become dire Exodites will still field advanced Eldar weaponry. It is by choice that they live more simply otherwise.
* SpaceElves: Naturally.
** Craftworld Eldar are Types I and II combined.
** Exodites are Type I
* SpacePirates: Not ''all'' Eldar pirates are [[EvilCounterpart Dark Eldar]]. Outcasts and simple traders from the Craftworlds are known to turn to piracy, sometimes massing into mighty Corsair Fleets; Prince Yriel above commanded one of the most successful during his exile.

* TricksterArchetype: Cegorach the Laughing God, patron of the Eldar Harlequins, is one of the few of the Eldar gods [[HaveYouSeenMyGod to have survived the fall]]. He is a trickster extrordinare, laughing at those he fools. It is said that only he knows all the secrets of the webway, which he uses to lead his enemies on wild but fruitless chases. Occasionally he may succeed in saving one of the Harlequins Solitaire's souls from damnnation to Slannesh, but this is rare as that soul belongs to Slannesh. He is rumored in Eldar myth to even have tricked one of the [[PhysicalGod C'tan]] to ''eat'' another.

->''"[unintelligible gibberish]."''