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1[[WMG: Why are the High Elves dying out?]]
2Of all the races in ''Warhammer'', the High Elves are [[OnlySaneMan the least invested in pointless and self destructive behavior]], even moreso than the other "good" factions.[[note]] The Dwarfs [[RevengeBeforeReason mindlessly throw themselves at one grudge after another]], the Empire [[WeAreStrugglingTogether is constantly deadlocked in fueds and byzantine politics]], the Britonnians [[HonorBeforeReason are in love with nigh-suicidal quests]] and [[TheDungAges carelessly squander peasant lives]], the Lizardmen are [[PrinciplesZealot so obsessed with "the great plan"]] that [[LawfulStupid they're out of touch with reality]], and the Wood Elves [[NatureIsNotNice are borderline psychotic]]. [[/note]] That doesn't even include the "evil" factions where YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness, WeHaveReserves, and TheSocialDarwinist, are not only applied but actively enforced. In fact, [[ExplosiveBreeder baring the obvious exceptions like the Skaven and the Orcs]], shouldn't the High Elves have one of the highest populations in setting, seeing as [[GoodIsNotDumb they're the most organized and level headed]], yet [[GoodIsNotSoft still badass enough to defend their interests]]?
3** The High Elven population never really recovered from the twin disasters of [[CivilWar The Sundering]] and [[ElvesVsDwarves The War of Vengeance]]. The Asur also seem to have problems with their fertility and breed too slowly to properly restore their numbers. The Dark Elves, for whatever reason, don't really seem to suffer this problem. Couple these factors with frequent raids and invasions by the Druchii and numerous other antagonistic forces and it's easy to understand how the Asur are diminished. It should be noted however that the exact severity of the High Elf decline is open to interpretation, with [[WordOfGod Games Workshop]] themselves basically stating that there are as many elves as the plot demands.
4** It's also worth noting that several sources suggest the Asur have experienced something of a species-wide depression from the state of the world and this is slowing down their already slow breeding rate (which is biologically sensible: a very long lived should reproduce slowly for population control reasons but that stops making sense when they are dying out). Basically a lot of Asur are unwilling to bring a child into this mess and are past caring about the seemingly inevitable decay of their people.
5
6[[WMG: Are the Dark Elves dwindling alongside the High Elves?]]
7I don't recall reading any lore that indicates that the Druchii are dying out, even though they should be suffering attrition at a far greater pace than the Asur. Aside from the fact that they're pressed up against the Chaos Wastes with hosts of Slanneshi demons knocking at their door, they are so engrossed in self destructive behavior that it's a wonder we even need to fight them at all.
8** Quite the contrary, most lore seems to indicate that the Druchii are doing ''better'' than the other elder races in terms of population. The Dark Elf army books all tend to state that the Druchii are thriving in comparison the rest of the elves, which is notable as the army books for the High Elves tend to always emphasize their decline. A single throwaway line in one source book even mentions that a single Dark Elf border fortress had a garrison force of ''eighty thousand troops''. This seemingly ample population would also explain how they are able to afford throwing away lives so casually. Their numbers do tend to fluctuate DependingOnTheAuthor but they never seem to be in any danger of dying out like the High Elves are said to be. Why this is the case is anyone's guess.
9** They are technically declining, as all the Elder Races are, losing out to the breeding-like-bunnies humans, but they are doing better than most. Likely this is helped along by their remarkably casual attitude to sex. Plus they'd be more inclined to breed just for the sake of numbers than either of the other two Elven races or the Dwarves (who all tend to actually love their children) and while the Lizardmen breed like that normally they are hamstrung by following the half-understood plans of the Old Ones about when they can reproduce.
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13[[WMG: Slaanesh’s claim on Elven Souls.]]
14It’s been established in-game that Slaanesh is the chaos god who has the closest connection to the elves, yet the Asur, Asrai, and Druchii all harbor deep obsessions aligned with the other three gods. High elves are political beasts who are infatuated with intrigue (Tzeentch) the Dark Elves are so in love with violence that they drag caldrons of blood to the battlefield (Khorne) and Nurgle is the God most associated with nature, which is a shoo-in for the Wood Elves. With the exception of a few (very unpopular) Druchii cults, it seems that Slaanesh would lose out to every other god in the elf department. What’s his/her connection to the High/Wood/Dark elf varieties?
15* The elves as a whole feel emotions much more strongly than other races, making them a much better meal for Slaanesh and his... her... ''it's'' appetite for souls.
16* Elves in general tend toward a certain hedonism. The Asur and Asrai try to rein it in but they all feel it.
17* While looking through the H.E.'s 8th edition army book, I found this passage;
18--> Almost every High Elf, from the humblest lowborn to the most esteem Lord, will always reserve a bit of self-satisfaction in his own superiority, especially to what the High Elves consider the "lesser races" of Mankind. This arrogance is in many ways the corrupted heart of High Elven society. Though they may not be afflicted with physical mutations as do those of Mankind, Chaos has nonetheless seeped itself into the heart and soul of the Elven races.
19* Since pride is the domain of Slaanesh, and given how the PrideBeforeAFall trope is one of the Elves's defining characteristics, it's little wonder that the dark prince gets dibbs on their souls in spite of whatever intense predilections they may have (that they experience emotions far more vividly than most other races is also a factor, as noted above).
20* I also question the above connections. Dark Elves are sadists, not berzerkers; they like to cause pain more than they like combat itself like a Khorne worshipper would. High Elves might scheme but most of them do so out of a sense of duty to their people, sincerely believing that they are the best person for the job rather than because it will help them personally. Tzeentch could certainly twist that but it's not inherently his area any more than all politics is. As for the Wood Elves Nurgle represents the corruption, decay and desecration of the natural. As such he is the LAST thing that would tempt them.
21
22[[WMG: The infamous question of Elven unity]]
23Warning; Major spoilers of ''Warhammer: End Times'' below.
24* The recent lore claims that the High and Dark elves are separate facets of a greater whole, and the two need to patch up their differences for the greater Elven race to have any hope of surviving. This isn’t just a theory; In the End Times, it turns out that [[spoiler: Malkith is the true, legitimate phoenix king (though I have no idea by what criteria), and Teclis of all people goes to great lengths to put his burnt ass on the throne]]. Since this unity is still holding true in Age Of Sigmar, and that it even carries over into [=WH40k=] between the Craftworld and Dark Eldar, it’s safe to assume that Games Workshop is adamant about this theme.[[note]] It even shows up it ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'', where it's hinted at in the wood-elf flavor text.[[/note]] While I can’t believe that evil of the Druchii’s caliber could ever be necessary, I realize that this is a ''human'' perspective. Is there some elvish characteristic regarding their natures or souls that requires them to acknowledge their darker aspects? [[note]] or require exactly the right king for that matter?[[/note]] Am I somehow dooming the High Elves by wiping out the Druchii in the main campaign?
25** The ''Total War: Warhammer(( series is ''explicitly'' an alternate continuity to the main canon, so the End Times and Age of Sigmar have little to no bearing on it. In that light, no, you wouldn't be dooming any of the Elven races by having them destroy any of the others.
26*** Ironicaly, it's hinted that the Dark Elves will be the ones who will doom themselves through victory;
27---->''None consider the possibility that, when the last High Elf dies screaming in agony upon Khaine's altar, that ultimate victory might leave a void of purpose that is impossible to fill. On that day, the Dark Elves will learn just how much of their souls have been devoured by their ancient hatred — and they may not find the tally to their liking.''
28** Indeed, the End Times/Age of Sigmar lore is (thankfully) not canon to ''Total War: Warhammer''. They're running off of the lore from before that nonsense, in which the Druchii are a bunch of unrepentant shits the world would be better off without and Malekith is a greedy tyrant who was rightfully rejected by the Phoenix Throne and just can't accept that. The relationship between the High Elves and the Wood Elves is a different matter. The Asrai have become a bit... [[{{Understatement}} odd]] after all that time in Athel Loren but ultimately they are still opposing Chaos and fighting to preserve the world and other stuff the Asur would approve off. While likely too different to reunite at this point the High Elves and Wood Elves might well benefit from more friendly relations.
29
30[[WMG: No global recruitment for Dark Elves?]]
31What gives with that? It made sense with the undead, their troops are mostly mindless or bestial so can't make the journey by themselves, but why can't the Druchii manage?
32* Presumably it's simply a case of gameplay balance, the Dark Elves can already recruit units far from their home provinces through the use of Black Arks, and a good deal faster and cheaper than global recruitment at that.
33* I can see that from a gameplay standpoint but I'm still puzzled as to the in-universe reason.
34* No real in universe reason, there's nothing in the lore that would preclude the Dark Elves from global recruitment. It's simply a case of GameplayAndStorySegregation for the sake of balance. In any event, based on a screenshot, it seems that as of the mortal empires update the Druchii will be getting an encampment stance, and presumably global recruitment as well. At least in the mortal empires campaign.
35* That'd be nice. CA have been so good about using lore so far.
36
37[[WMG: Why would zombies and various undead even ''want'' gold and plunder?]]
38Regarding the Vampire Coast; I thought the zombies commanded by vampires were mindless puppets, and that the vampires themselves were motivated solely out of pride, ambition, power, or ideology. Why would an undead monstrosity be so obsessed with loot, treasure, and material gain?
39* Well they were presumably pirates before they became vampires, so one would assume their desire for plunder would carry over into undeath. As for why they need money to raise the dead, it's probably just GameplayAndStorySegregation.
40* For the rest the zombies etc raised by the Vampire Coast armies are rather more aware than the mindless ones the Vampire Counts raise. They can talk and have some vestige of intelligence left, hence why they can use guns rather than just flailing at the enemy. As such some half-remembered remnant of their living days tells them that getting gold is good, even if they don't know why anymore.
41
42[[WMG: Why are the Dark Elves such jerks?]]
43While the AlwaysChaoticEvil trope is a time honored tradition in fantastic settings everywhere, ''Warhammer'' usually makes an effort [[JustifiedTrope to vindicat this]].[[note]]The undead are deeply affected by their transformation, the Norscans are indoctrinated into a brutal society or die, The Beastmen and Skaven are tainted to the core by chaos, and the Greenskins are a sapient fungi that's mentally incapable of pacifism. [[/note]] Yet the Dark Elves don't seem to have an excuse; their High Elven brethren prove beyond doubt that no elf is obligated to be a sadistic prick. Are they under one of the ancient, malevolent curses endemic to this setting? Is there some quirk in the Elven soul that compels a balance between light and dark?[[note]] https://warhammerfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Yenlui[[/note]]
44 Or is there an evil Elven deity (*chough*khaelamenshakhaine*cough*) who's egging them on?
45
46* There are actually many reasons why the Dark Elves are like they are, they didn't simply decide to be evil one day for the sake of being evil. It all started, like most things in Warhammer, with the forces of Chaos. More specifically it began with the death of the Everqueen Astarielle, first wife of Aenarion, at the hands of Chaos forces.
47** You see when Aenarion learned of the death of his wife (and the apparent death of his children) he basically lost it, and in his desire for vengeance he drew the Sword of Khaine, which he believed would allow him to achieve said vengeance. And it did, to an extent at least. The sword granted him the power to drive the Daemons back; but it also corrupted him, filling him with hate and rage. Eventually Aenarion founded the realm of Nagarythe in northern Ulthuan and to his realm flocked those elves who had suffered the depredations of Chaos most intensely. Those who had suffered the loss of home or family, and had nothing left to lose; or to live for, save revenge. Nagarythe became a harsh and brutal realm, where the populace took the brunt of the fighting against further Chaos incursions. Naturally the Naggarothi, knowing their lives were more than likely destined to come to a violent end, began to compensate by indulging in ever more extreme and hedonistic pastimes. Beseeching forbidden gods and such things for example. Basically, they knew they likely didn't have long to live, so they overindulged in life's pleasures when they still could. It's a literal case of "Drink well and eat hearty, for tonight we dine in hell!" Of course it didn't help that Aenarion had married the shadowy Morathi at this point, an individual who fervently encouraged the darker passions of her husband and his followers. Not to mention the curse of Khaine which had consumed Aenarion had a certain effect on his people as well.
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49** Once the war had ended and the daemons were banished the Naggarothi didn't quite know how to handle a time of peace; they were warriors first and foremost, and the war with Chaos had given their lives meaning. Not to mention that certain Naggarothi practices, like the open worship of the Cytharai for instance, were not exactly acceptable in the rest of Ulthuan. And here we come to the crux of the matter, there was a major divide between Nagarthye and the other Elvish realms. The Naggarothi harbored no small degree of resentment toward their kin from the other kingdoms, after all it was Nagarythe who stood between Chaos and Ulthuan proper, it was Nagarythe who suffered the most, it was Nagarythe who fought the hardest. In their minds the Naggarothi were the greatest of the elves, their strength forged in the fires of war, and all the other kingdoms should kneel before them in thanks. Of course, that isn't what happened.
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51** When the Tiranocii prince Bel Shanaar was chosen as Phoenix King over Malekith, the elves of Nagarythe saw it as an insult to the legacy of Aenarion and to their kingdom as a whole, further increasing the divide between them and the rest of Ulthuan. Of course none were more incensed than Morathi and, privately at least (initially) Malekith. In the years that followed many Naggarothi accompanied Malekith on his campaigns through the old world, both because war was the state of being in which they were most at home and because, like Malekith himself, they despised living under the rule of Bel Shanaar; whom they considered a weakling and a pretender. Meanwhile, back on Ulthuan, Morathi was making it her goal to undermine the authority of the Phoenix King and goad the Naggarothi down ever darker paths. Twisting them even further. When full blown war eventually broke out, it really shouldn't have surprised anyone.
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53** The modern day Druchii are a product of all these things, exacerbated further through thousands of years of exile, hate, bitterness and war. It's also important to note that for the most part the Dark Elves consider themselves fully justified in their treatment of others. After all, in their world view, everyone is either a traitor, in the case of the Asur, or lowly vermin fit only to be slaves, in the case of literally everyone else. They have a master race ideology that would but the Nazi's to shame. And, as we know from our own history, people can justify a lot of horrible things simply by not seeing other people as well, people. Of course there is also an intimidation factor involved in all the torture and depravity; slaves are less likely to rebel if they're terrified into submission.
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55*** Perhaps another contributing factor is that most of the prominent Druchii (and maybe the majority of the population) ''personally experienced'' the brunt of the aforementioned catastrophes. [[note]] For us short-lived humans, the Mongol invasion of Europe or the Bubonic Plague are ancient history. If we had a 2000 year lifespan it would be a different story.[[/note]] Several millennia of seeing the worst the world has to offer (especially one as screwed-up as ''Warhammer's'') tends to foster a jaded outlook and thorough disillusionment; another deconstruction of TheAgeless trope.
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57*** The Druchii's crucial role in repelling the demonic invasion also goes a long way in explaining their outlook towards slavery; the wretched mortals ''wouldn't even exist'' if the we hand't risked life, limb, and [[FateWorseThanDeath soul]] to save the world all those years ago. It is only right that they "thank" us for their lives (''with'' their lives, of course).
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59*** The main point here is that (excluding fringe cases) it's cultural, not mystical; the Druchii are raised in a society founded on cruelty, malice, bitterness and sadism. Hard to be a good guy in all that. Take a Dark Elf child and raise them in Ulthuan and they'd be a High Elf, take a High Elf child and raise them in Naggarond and they'd be a Dark Elf. Unlike with the Wood Elves there's nothing physically or supernaturally different between the two, just culture.
60
61[[WMG: Is Alith Anar a Dark Elf?]]
62As clarified above, the Asur and Druchii are separated by more than mere politics and ideology, but were sharply divided both culturally and traditionally long before the sundering. Anar was (and still is) a proud Naggarothi, and endured all the same trials and events (short of joining the rebellion) that shaped the Druchii into what they are today.
63* Ethnically speaking there's little to no difference between the Druchii and Alith and his followers, but ultimately their loyalties lie with Ulthuan and thus they can't truly be called Dark Elves. As the term Druchii was originally a disparaging title given to the followers of Malekith and Morathi by the Asur during the Sundering, one would, strictly speaking, need to be a foe of Ulthuan, and loyal to Malekith/Morathi to qualify. So in the end it comes down to loyalty: All Druchii are Naggarothi, but not all Naggarothi are Druchii. As to why some Naggarothi followed Malekith but others didn't, well, there are dissenters in every regime. So at the end of the day, no Alith isn't a Druchii, because he made the choice not to be one, and that final question of choice and loyalty is ultimately what matters. In fact, I imagine Alith himself would be ''extremely'' incensed by the very question.
64** I actually ''would'' say there's ethical differences between Alith and the Dark Elves. Alith is as cruel as his enemies can be but he is cruel to achieve his goals. Now one can argue the justification of that but the point is he does not indulge in sadism for it's own sake.
65*** The above paragraph states that there are basically no ''ethnic'' differences between Alith and the Druchii, ''not'' that there are no ''ethical'' differences.
66
67[[WMG: Why would the Council of Thirteen sacrifice Clan Mors/Pestilens?]]
68Grey Seer Vulscreek claims that it was "Council's desire all along" that either Clan Mors or Clan Pestilens are sacrificed to enable the Horned Rat to cross over to the material world, and the fact that they send armies to try and seize the cursed engine seems to back that up. But both clans are ''on'' the Council, if nothing else shouldn't their respective leadership have told their subordinates about what was going to happen and how to stop it/redirect it to their advantage out of self-preservation?
69* First, a smaller and less important clan wouldn't make as good a sacrifice. Secondly, '''Skaven'''.
70** To clarify, saying that Skaven are treacherous by nature [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder is a bit of an understatement]]. They're perpetually sabotaging themselves on a macro ''and'' micro level, even on the rare occasion where they [[WeAREStrugglingtogether "band together" to take on the surface world]]. It's not a stretch to presume that said leaders sold out their entire faction down to the last clanrat in return for becoming an exception to the mass sacrifice.
71*** Without a clan, Warlord Gnawdwell and Lord Nurglitch (heads of Mors and Pestilens respectively and members of the Council) would not last a week in their positions of power. Skaven are certainly short-sighted but one doesn't sit in their highest-ranking spot without some foresight and political skill. They have no reason not to spill the beans to their subordinates and tell them how to sacrifice some other clan instead.
72*** They also have eleven other council members and their very own god working against them. Whatever their many, many failings, the Shaven are never too proud [[KnowWhenToFoldThem to know when they've been beaten]]. As for the leaders themselves, they clawed their way up to the top once before and they could do so again. Heck, [[EnsembleDarkhorse Thanquol]] did exactly that [[JokerImmunity several dozen times]] throughout the lore due to [[ButtMonkey Gotrek and Felix constantly messing up his]] plans and earning him [[YouHaveFailedMe the council's unanimous hatred]].
73---> "No matter how low you fell or how hopeless it seemed, there was always one cache left to plunder, one ally left to flatter, one final desperate scheme to throw yourself into." ''Thanquol and Boneripper: Grey Seer'' (Novel) by C.L Werner
74*** The Horned Rat demonstrably doesn't care who the sacrifice is, just that one occurs. It's positively un-Skaveny of them not to try and spill a rival clan's blood on the bell instead of themselves.
75** Another point is that The Great Horned Rat himself [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight regularly attends council meeting]]. Sure, treachery is an accepted and even expected part of Skaven society, but their second most iconic trait is ''cowardice''. Betraying the god of all ratmen [[ImStandingRightHere while he's glaring at you from across the table]] would take serious chutzpah.
76*** What? No he doesn't. His seat is symbolic and always empty, the Grey Seers just get to decide how he votes which by pure coincidence is always the way they do. The whole point of the sacrifice is that the Horned Rat needs an entire clan's worth of souls plus four race's rituals plus the Great Vortex to cross over to the material world.
77*** I was under the impression that the Great Horned Rat couldn't physically enter the world, but he could still [[TheOmniscient see and speak into it at any time and place he feels like]]. He does exactly that to mock a few low ranking lackeys in every campaign surrounding the vortex. And even if he's not paying attention to a particular meeting at that precise moment, [[ParanoiaFuel are you really going to bet your soul on that]]? This is a god who gobbles up his loyal followers like popcorn; just imagine what he'd do to someone he ''hates''.
78*** Skaven will fight viciously when they have no choice, if the ritual goes off as the Council planned both Gnawdwell and Nurglitch are getting their souls ripped out and devoured with the rest of their clans. They have nothing to lose.
79** If neither of those possibilities satisfy you, then alternatively '''a)''' they ''are'' trying to spill the beans but the other lords are running interference, or '''b)''' they're already dead (it's rare to find a Skaven that isn't an assassin to some degree). Yes, they wouldn't have gained or held their position for very long if they were easy targets, but the bulk of their forces are abroad, every other clan would be lining up to take shots at, and only one attempt needs to be successful.
80*** In the case of Clan Pestilens at least, they're very much TheFriendNobodyLikes among the Council of Thirteen, but they're too powerful and important to world conquest to simply get rid of. They ''did'' survive two wars to kill them off before, after all, requiring the forces of both Skryre and Eshin just to fight them to a standstill. Getting them to sacrifice themselves would be something every other Skaven, ''especially'' the Council, would want to see. But not only that, Pestilens are the most fanatically devoted to the Great Horned Rat, so even without the rest of the Council running interference they might just consider it an ''honor'' to die to bring their god into the world.
81* Expanding the question even further: If Clan Mors/Pestilens doesn't get involved in the Vortex scheme, then Clan Rictus/Skryre will be picked instead. But why would the Council of Thirteen sacrifice Clan Rictus/Skryre?
82* Ultimately it doesn't matter who gets sacrificed. Summoning the Great Horned Rat into the world is the whole Skaven race's 'win condition' - Past that point clan distinctions aren't going to matter because the Great Horned Rat is just going to kill everyone, including the Skaven. Skaven being Skaven, however, would prefer that sacrificial 'honor' go to someone other than them (otherwise they can't prove to the Great Horned Rat that they are clearly the single best Skaven in the world and should be personally spared, but only them) so they're all hard at work to make sure some other sucker - it doesn't matter who - is stuck holding the bag when the time comes.
83
84[[WMG: Is there some connection between Ariel and Alarielle?]]
85* Ariel is the avatar of Isha (the elven goddess of life) who reigns over the wood elves. Alarielle is... also the avatar of Isha who reigns over the High elves instead. Yet the two of them don't seem to be on the best of terms, with their two kingdoms even coming to blows in the past. Is there any connection between the two, and if so, then how do they relate to each other?
86** Think of them as being like a pope and anti-pope. Their respective nations both say that ''their'' leader is the true avatar and the other is misguided and heretical. Most likely they're both right to an extent and would have much to learn from each other, but good luck ever convincing either of them of that.
87** Not quite. If we're going to take Christian imagery Alarielle is the Pope, Ariel is Jesus. Alarielle is the chief priestess of Isha in the world and strives to do her bidding but is a separate being capable of her own intentions and opinions. Ariel is the actual avatar of Isha and is not a separate being (anymore, she may have been once) and exists as a physical extension of the goddess into the mortal realm (the same goes for Orion and Kurnos). If they ever met likely they'd get on fine and (assuming she believed what she was) Ariel could command the Everqueen but Alarielle rarely leaves Ulthaun and certainly doesn't go to Athel Loren and Ariel ''never'' leaves the forest so not going to happen. Also neither is in full control of their factions hence the occasional hostility.
88
89[[WMG: Does all magic come from Chaos?]]
90* The winds of magic are supposedly pure chaos energy seeping into the material world (the whole point of the Vortex is to funnel excess magic back into the warp before it destroys the world). Wouldn't that make ''every'' spellcaster a chaos sorcerer? How do Human, Elven, and Lizardmen mages avoid corruption?
91** Yes, all magic is the stuff of chaos. When the Old Ones first arrived and taught the Slann, using magic was a more controlled, orderly process; but chaos is gonna chaos and so the gates collapsed and it all went to hell. The spellcasters of the "good" races bend the winds to their will to enact the change they want, and this is described as essentially mentally battering the forces of chaos into submission. Naturally, in the process they risk life, limb and soul and hungry daemons are waiting for the slightest slip in judgement, but if it works the power is so sweet... The fact that is foolhardy at best and perhaps catastrophically and inherently short-sighted at worst is often brought up by the fluff, and in the tabletop rules "miscasts" were not uncommon and could be disastruous. There's a very good reason the Imperial College of Mages is relatively recent and sorcery was totally forbidden until Teclis founded them.
92** It's worth noting that there's Chaos and then there's Chaos. All magic is ultimately of Chaos but not all magic comes from malevolent Chaos entities like the big four. So while spellcasters do take terrible risks you can be a spellcaster your whole life and never become corrupted.
93
94[[WMG: The Caliphates of Araby didn't exist?]]
95* Ask any casual Warhammer fan if it's very unusual for Araby to be only MENTIONED in this game and not appear as a Minor Faction and they will give you a resounding yes: They would find it very suspicious that the Crusading Errantries of Bretonnia, originally created to put a stop to raids from Arabyan pirates, are now given a total rewriting of their lore (in this game) to have them serve as Crusaders against the necromancy of the Tomb Kings and... the Strygos Empire? Wait, why is the Strygos Empire in Araby and not the badlands, their original region? They were completely destroyed by the orcs and the surviving remnants, the Strigany, fled north into Tilea and Sylvania, not south-west through Nehekhara.
96** In the lore Araby attacked and conquered Estalia, which triggered a Bretonnian crusade in retaliation. Bretonnia kicked Araby out of Estalia and all the way back to, well, Araby, then pounded on them until they killed the people responsible. In the patchwork timeline the game is taking place in, the Great Crusade is still underway, just with a new target (the Tomb Kings) and Bretonnia simply never left, so Araby hasn't had any opportunity to reassert their independence.
97* As for the Strygos Empire they've hung around in this timeline. Several other things are different too; Vlad von Cartstein's back early, Azhag is a contemporary threat rather than being dead for centuries etc.
98
99[[WMG: If Settra is so ambitious then why aren't the Tomb Kings more aggressive? ]]
100
101The Tomb Kings are viewed as a neutral force in both the Total War series and the Table Top game that preceded it. Individual mortals and kingdoms have had dealings and courteous relations with them in the past, and so long as they do nothing to provoke them, are allowed to live in peace. The issue is that their king of kings, Settra, is an unapologetic tyrant with a legendary thirst for conquest that put Alexander the great to shame. He's constantly extolling his (admittedly justified) reputation as an accomplished conqueror and competent ruler, and can't stand the thought of playing second fiddle to anyone. He should have been knocking on the gates of Altdorf within a few years of awakening, yet he and his fellow Tomb kings are haven't expanded beyond their original borders in the centuries since Nagash levied his curse. What happened to Settra's ambition to make him so passive?
102* The [[GameplayAndStorySeparation game mechanics]] can be blamed for this. All major factions start with control of, at most, one province. The Tomb Kings are in a rough spot since they suffer massively from EarlyGameHell that the AI has no idea how to deal with, since they have weak early armies and minuscule gold production but need to expand to recruit decent units and get money. Settra doesn't expand aggressively because he generally can't, being surrounded by factions with a stronger early game.
103* For an in-universe explanation Settra wants his kingdom back before expanding further as a point of pride but the lands that were his kingdom are currently under the control of other Tomb Kings (likely including several of his own descendants) and, while not not quite on his level, they are good enough to make him work for it.
104
105[[WMG: Are the Lizardmen technologically advancing or regressing?]]
106
107Lustria sports some truely astonishing temple cities and artifacts, some of which boarders on ClarksThirdLaw . Did they create any of that themselves or are they facing a similar situation as the Imperium of Man in Warhammer 40,000? [[note]] wherein all forms of innovation or experimentation are strictly forbidden, the knowledge of how to creat, operate, and maintain advanced technology is slowly being lost, and the only ones with a clue of how it functions are a cult of uncooperative zealots (Slann / Adaptus Mechanicus)[[/note]]
108** Basically all of the advanced artefacts the Lizardmen have access to were created by the Old Ones, an ancient race of godlike beings who basically molded the Warhammer world into it's current state and created most of the races. Or at least the current form of the races at any rate. The Slann and the Lizardmen were created as their primary servants, which is why they have the majority of what remains of the Old One's artefacts at their disposal. The Old Ones themselves were either destroyed or were driven away from the Warhammer world during the first great Chaos incursion. What exactly happened to them isn't clear, but the point is they aren't around any more. So no, the Lizardmen didn't create the technology that they use, and even the Slann don't understand it completely.
109*** I suppose producing the tech would also be impossible even if there was an accurate blueprint on hand. A world shaping civilization probably has far greater access to material and industry than exist in the Warhammer world at this time.
110* To conclude an answer based on the above points; neither. The Lizardmen are stagnating.
111
112[[WMG: Why do the Dragons spend so muchof their lives in deep slumber?]]
113
114With constant invasions and calamities befalling their home on a regular basis, the Dragons face the very real threat of being murdered in their sleep. Given how the Dragons in this setting are depicted as wise, intelligent, and aware, it seems unlikely that they would voluntarily leave themselves so vulnerable. Is it a natural part of their lifecycle, or is some outside factor forcing them into a stupor?
115* Warhammer lore implies this is because the climate is shifting away from what dragons find comfortable, or rather it's becoming ''too'' comfortable - Warmth lulls them to sleep and they're only really active in the cold. When the Old Ones arrived they made the world warmer to accommodate the races they created, and as the world warms the dragons sleep.
116
117[[WMG: Are Settra and Nagash opposite sides of the same coin?]]
118
119In spite of all their enmity, their motives and goals are not that different. Both want uncontested rule of the world as a god like being, have no qualms about enslaving the bodies and souls of others to do so, and are heavily relying on necromancy to that end. Does Settra view Nagash as a monster, or a rival?
120* A monster. The similarities are...well, not skin deep, [[DemBones given the nature of the individuals in question]] so let's say superficial. Yes, they both want to rule the world but so does Malekith, many human rulers and every smart-enough-to-have-an-imagination Skaven. But their internal logic for that desire is different. Nagash is a selfish egotist who sees control of everything, even death itself, as only his due. Settra sees himself as a firm but ultimately benevolent ruler. Nagash wants to rule the world because it benefits him, Settra wants to rule the world because he honestly believes the world would be better off that way. Settra can respect many of his enemies even as he sets out to crush them as at least they are doing what they think to be right even if he's sure they're not but Nagash's utter selfishness disgusts him.
121** As far as Settra knows (due to having limited to no contact with Ulthuan or the Karaz Ankor) he was the greatest leader of the greatest civilization in the history of the world, which means there is ''nobody'' better-qualified to lead than he is and he's proved it. While he is an egomaniac, this meritocratic view of leadership means he sees it as his ''responsibility'' to rule the world rather than something he specifically ''wants''. Nagash, by contrast, believes he should rule the world because, well, he wants to. By this measure, Settra would think of Nagash as a monster - Nagash was a terrible ruler who crippled Nehekhara for his own benefit and when the other Priest-Kings (violently) held him accountable for his greed and incompetence he threw a gigantic temper tantrum and destroyed Nehekhara rather than let anybody else rule it. While there may be some similarities to the outside observer, Settra would view Nagash as his antithesis and get offended at the comparison.
122[[WMG: The player is not allowed to go against the Status Quo?]]
123After winning the Vortex Campaign, your faction gets a plethora of powerful factionwide bonuses but also a growing diplomatic penalty that will eventually cause ''everyone'', including factions of your own race, to turn against you. While this allows you to continue the postgame with the goal of conquering the entire world, this makes absolutely no sense when playing as the High Elves and Lizardmen as it would go completely against the lore. So with that said, why would the other High Elves and Lizardmen factions begin to turn against the player?
124* The Court of the Phoenix King is notoriously quarrelsome and fractious, with province bickering with province for favor and attention from the Phoenix King. Controlling the Vortex, or even just taming it, immediately makes the player the hero of Ulthuan, the obvious [[TallPoppySyndrome tall poppy]] that the others need to unite against lest they become politically irrelevant forevermore.
125* The Lizardmen have the best reason for this. With the power of the Vortex the winning faction can use it to simply force their take on the Great Plan to happen, which is exactly the same hubris the Old Ones once tripped over that let Chaos into the world in the first place. The other Lizardmen do ''not'' want to see a third Chaos Gate open up because some slann went on a power trip.
126* The Dark Elves don't really need an excuse to fight and betray each other, it's just what they do. Everyone wants the Vortex's power, and Dark Elves more than any other race are arrogant, prideful, and deluded enough to think they can actually take it.
127* While Skaven don't need a reason to turn on each other either, their focus on the player's faction makes sense. With the Great Horned Rat summoned to the mortal realm, every Skaven is now fighting to be the last Skaven standing, to be the most favored of the Horned Rat. The player's faction already holds that honor, though, since they summoned the Horned Rat, so they need to go away first. Any surviving Grey Seers would likely encourage this as revenge for their clan being marked for sacrifice.
128
129[[WMG: No TranslationConvention for Lizardmen]]
130So obviously nobody in the game is actually speaking any real world language given that they aren't from our world, but whatever they are saying is translating for the convience for the audience. Except for the Lizardmen, even with their diplamacy lines, except for Slann characters. Why is that? Everyone is speaking their own native tongue either way so why are is there no TranslationConvention for the Lizardmen?
131* Likely a stylistic choice - It just sounds better that way. If you want a more lore-friendly explanation, though, remember that while most of the races of the world have motivations and thought systems that humans can understand, Lizardmen are borderline StarfishAliens that live according to BlueAndOrangeMorality that humans can't understand, so why should their language be any clearer?
132
133[[WMG: The Bretonnian Economy in Nehekhara]]
134Nehekhara is considered Green climate to Bretonnia. This means that Bretonnia is capable of somehow setting up a thriving large-scale agricultural economy in the middle of the desert. How do they do that?
135* Probably the same way the ancient Nehekharans did, with settlements built around oases and deep wells, held together by slave (or peasant) labour. Adding to that, only Repanse's group, the Chevaliers de Lyonesse, treat the desert as Green climate, and they have a unique mechanic built around managing the water available to their armies. Mainland Bretonnians from the Mortal Empires campaign lack the crusaders' survival skills, and treat the desert as a sprawling wasteland.
136
137[[WMG: What is Nightlord Sneek's game here?]]
138Deathmaster Snikch's Vortex campaign ends with him killing Malus Darkblade and [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt becoming Tzar'kan's host,]] which was his boss's plan all along. Okay, his chief enforcer just got a lot stronger, but is Sneek forgetting just how treacherous and ambitious every single member of his species is by nature? Yes, Clan Eshin is one of the more disciplined clans (so much so that it doesn't have a loyalty meter for its Lords), but it's still a risky gamble, especially since Tzar'kan ''never'' shuts up and could very well tempt Snikch into attempting to off his master and take over the clan. Did Sneek not consider that, or is he counting on Snikch's bloodlust and preference for going on missions to keep him in check? A little of both?

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