85 replies to this topic

[Lexington]

Eldar background, to my knowledge, has been in a weird state on this since the plastic Dire Avengers hit back in...2006ish? Anyway, it’s had a bare-headed Exarch featured quite a bit, even though the background still (to my knowledge) talks about Exarch suits entirely devouring their wearer’s physical body. Maybe the bare-headed ones are still early on in the process? I dunno.

[Brother Tyler]

If you look back at the old concept sketches that Jes Goodwin did when the Eldar/Aeldari got their lore reboot in 1st edition (i.e., the seminal lore we now know), there were a number of sketches of exarchs who were able to invoke their powers without masks. The sketches all included facial tattoos/paint, usually of their shrine's rune.

+EDIT+

And those mask-less Aeldari heads will be great for Autarch and Corsairs conversions.

Edited by Brother Tyler, 09 September 2019 - 04:49 PM.

[Legionnaire of the VIIth]

I understood that the Exarch, a elf had fallen so hard on, whatever temple path that they can't go back to being a Potter, or server, or Pathfinder, or bonesinger etc.

From my understanding, basically the Eldar becomes so obsessed with war that he becomes nothing but the aspect, they can no longer take off their Warmask (the mental veil that they use to compartmentalize the horrible things that they feel and do while they fight). When this happens they become the Exarch of an abandoned (or found a new) shrine and upon dawning the armor and placing their spirit stone on the armor their spirit merges with all of the previous (or become the first on the armor in case of a new one). They become a new person, in the case of an old armor they are a merging of all of the previous wearers into a single one.

 

Also aren't the nobs on the side of the Howling Banshee masks also part of what projects the Banshee Scream?

 

Being devoured by the armor is what happens when one sacrifices themselves to become a Phoenix Lord (their existence is overridden by the Phoenix Lord).

[Trevak Dal]

From the Path novels, I got the idea that the individual was just...too enveloped by Khaine to leave that path. If there was already an exharch in their existing temple, they were drawn to another, where a exharch suit waited for them.

They put it on, and they are who they are, but also all the previous Exharchs. Since he or she has reestablished that temple, acolytes will be drawn to it.

[Sandlemad]

 

I think the idea is that the actual physical helmet and the psychological state of "wearing your war-mask" are different things. The helmet is initially used as a way of inducing the latter (as with warpaint) but it's not essential, especially with exarchs. Korlandril in Path of the Warrior removed his helm but, despite worrying about it, stays in his war-mask state.

 

They are different (the concept of war-mask is indeed more of a mental state) but also stricly linked. 

Donning the full armor is parth of the aspects' rituals.And i don't remember where (i think Valdor,might be wrong) a warlock describes how taking her helmet away is the first step in going back to "see" the world normally,and as soon as she does her war-mask fades away.

 

Then you add in the double problem of

a ) a complete exarch's suit having actual souls living inside it,making discarding parts of it kinda hard

b ) specifically the howling banshees having their shout-amplifiers inside the helm itself.

Now that i think about it, point a might link to why the ynnari version can do away with it

 

 

Note as well that the dire avenger plastic kit comes with a bare head for the exarch already, so helmetless aspect warriors have been a Thing for years.

 

Technically the DA exarch still has his helmet on,just without the faceplate part on

 

 

Certainly closely linked but not absolutely vital. The new banshee exarch also has her helmet on, albeit without the full faceplate, just like the DA exach. It's also not the first time we've seen the amplifiers without the rest of the helm; that concept art from 1st ed, the concept art from 4th ed, the autarchs, the Howling Banshee exarch from Dawn of War II (which also has a helmless Warp Spider exarch).

 

I think as long as the circuit of souls is somehow unbroken by removing a small part of it, nothing changes. This obviously won't apply to those exarchs that are nothing more than a ghost in their armour but I've never been clear if that's more than the Phoenix Lords and maybe a handful of the very oldest.

 

From Path of the Warrior:

 

 

Korlandril’s eyes were immediately drawn to the rune of dried blood on her forehead. His ruby-tinted gaze moved to her eyes and he saw the dispassionate stare he now recognised as the war-mask. Hesitantly,  self-consciously,  Korlandril  took  off  his  helmet,  fearful  that  this  act would  somehow  remove  his  war-mask.  Un-helmed,  he  felt  no  different.  The  rune upon his skin bound him to his mental state, an anchor of anger.

 

So there's a larger ritual thing there, a larger form of consciousness-changing. The helmet is a very useful lodestone for achieving this mental state, but not vital. There's also a scene where the aspect warrior-in-training protagonist is taught to get in the war-mask state but is confused because he wasn't told to wear his helmet. Warpaint or this ritually anointed blood can clearly do the job as another sort of aid in getting the war-mask but then for an exarch sufficiently far down their path:

 

 

“Freedom is not mine, to wander from this temple, out with the others,” the exarch said quietly. “You do not see me, singing and dancing outside, writing poetry. I stay in this shrine, where my curse cannot harm you, forever trapped here. Though I wear no paint, my war-mask remains inside, clouding all my thoughts.

 

So there's plenty of precedent. Doesn't explain what the Ynnari connection they're going for is though.

 

If you look back at the old concept sketches that Jes Goodwin did when the Eldar/Aeldari got their lore reboot in 1st edition (i.e., the seminal lore we now know), there were a number of sketches of exarchs who were able to invoke their powers without masks. The sketches all included facial tattoos/paint, usually of their shrine's rune.

+EDIT+

And those mask-less Aeldari heads will be great for Autarch and Corsairs conversions.

 

To be honest, the fact that Goodwin included them in his RT concept art and then went back to them again in his 4th edition art says to me that this isn't a disgarded feature of the aspect warrior design but something that just never came out in the models until the plastic DA kit.

Edited by Sandlemad, 09 September 2019 - 04:58 PM.

[Marshal Rohr]

Is the Exarchs never being without a helmet a fan trope, or was it mentioned in older lore books?

[Ioldanach]

If you look back at the old concept sketches that Jes Goodwin did when the Eldar/Aeldari got their lore reboot in 1st edition (i.e., the seminal lore we now know), there were a number of sketches of exarchs who were able to invoke their powers without masks. The sketches all included facial tattoos/paint, usually of their shrine's rune.

+EDIT+

And those mask-less Aeldari heads will be great for Autarch and Corsairs conversions.

 

Actually, the notes for the concept sketches from the '90s say that the bare headed drawings show the war paint that is worn by aspect warriors under their masks. Most of the notes merely describe the motifs - it's the Fire Dragons page that says:

 

RITUAL WARPAINT WORN UNDER ARMOUR, CAN VARY FROM WARRIOR TO WARRIOR, EXARCHS MORE COMPLEX

 

The later sketches from 2004 and on expand that, with the Dire Avengers pages having the following:

 

WARPAINT
- EXARCH WHO IS SO FAR ALONG HIS PATH THAT HE CAN ASSUME IDENTITY WITH SYMBOLIC MARKINGS RATHER THAN MASK

 

The sketches in the original articles (from 1st and 2nd edition) are difficult to read, so I've copied these notes from The Asuryani Sketchbook.

I agree with the sentiment that these will be great for autarch conversions, but I'd extend that to include the models as a whole, not just the heads.

And my Anhrathe will definitely include some conversions using the new models (after I get my OG eldar pirates kill team done, that is).

[Master Sheol]

Is the Exarchs never being without a helmet a fan trope, or was it mentioned in older lore books?

The article says that helmetless Banshees are Ynnari

[Lexington]

Is the Exarchs never being without a helmet a fan trope, or was it mentioned in older lore books?

It’s less “they never take off their helmet,” and more “the Exarch’s physical body disappears inside of the suit.”

[Red_Shift]

The exarch with the spear option is awesome. Not so keen on the dual swords. I wouldn't go bare headed on an search but less for fluff reasons and more that the hair on that particular model doesn't appeal to me. If the slaneesh side get models here I hope the eldar get more than banshees. I've always fancied some rangers and striking scorpions myself.

Edited by Red_Shift, 09 September 2019 - 07:33 PM.

[The Observer]

Is the Exarchs never being without a helmet a fan trope, or was it mentioned in older lore books?

It’s less “they never take off their helmet,” and more “the Exarch’s physical body disappears inside of the suit.”

Now physical vanishing is news to me. I always assumed it was more of a trance thing?

[Legionnaire of the VIIth]

 

Is the Exarchs never being without a helmet a fan trope, or was it mentioned in older lore books?

It’s less “they never take off their helmet,” and more “the Exarch’s physical body disappears inside of the suit.”

 

I only know of this happening with the Phoenix Lords, do you have a source as I don't remember reading this anywhere before and I thought I was well read when it came to the Eldar.

 

Edit: Nevermind found it in 2nd edition.

Edited by Legionnaire of the VIIth, 09 September 2019 - 05:37 PM.

[Lexington]

It’s definitely in the 2nd Edition Eldar Codex, but can’t guarantee anything beyond that.

[fire golem]

I really like the Banshee models so far. The pose looks a little awkward with the swords, but might just be the angle, and looks great with the glaive.

Note as well that the dire avenger plastic kit comes with a bare head for the exarch already, so helmetless aspect warriors have been a Thing for years.

Technically the DA exarch still has his helmet on,just without the faceplate part (unless i misremember the DA kit the bare head slots into the back part of one helmet,roman crest and all)

I mean by that logic the Banshee exarch still has the helmet without the faceplate part here.

Edited by fire golem, 09 September 2019 - 05:40 PM.

[Legionnaire of the VIIth]

It’s definitely in the 2nd Edition Eldar Codex, but can’t guarantee anything beyond that.

Yeah I can't find it being mentioned after 2nd edition, Nothing like this is mentioned in Path of the Eldar books either so I think that GW might have abandoned the concept. But we do have mention of this happening with Phoenix Lords in Path of the Eldar and I believe it is part of The Doom of Mymaera when they find the lost Phoenix Lord.

[Fenriwolf]

As it stands in the recent background Exarchs are corporeal while Phoenix lords are not (there is a passage in Jain Zar where the thing is explicitly referenced by Vect,in addition to the incident with Karandras in Path of the Outcast)

Edited by Fenriwolf, 09 September 2019 - 05:55 PM.

[Lexington]

Yeah, I guess it's been unofficially de-canonized. Guess it's understandable, from a model standpoint, but I'm sad to see it gone - definitely had that elegant, metaphorical quality that the Eldar background captures well.

[Sete]

I do like them.

[Shadowseer]

These kits are awesome! I absolutely need them ASAP

[Ioldanach]

It’s definitely in the 2nd Edition Eldar Codex, but can’t guarantee anything beyond that.

Yeah I can't find it being mentioned after 2nd edition, Nothing like this is mentioned in Path of the Eldar books either so I think that GW might have abandoned the concept. But we do have mention of this happening with Phoenix Lords in Path of the Eldar and I believe it is part of The Doom of Mymaera when they find the lost Phoenix Lord.

When an Aspect Warrior becomes an Exarch he adopts an armoured suit from his shrine. Each shrine preserves the suits of its dead Exarchs, often the very suits worn by the shrine's founders. These suits are usually extremely elaborate and ancient. Once put on the suit is never removed and becomes a permanent part of the Eldar, its psycho-plastic form meshing with his tissues. If slain the warrior's costume will be found to be empty, the body having long since been consumed within the suit itself.

The 3rd edition Codex: Eldar and Codex: Craftworld Eldar don't repeat that bit of lore. Indeed, the original 1st edition article included lore that wouldn't allow for the exarchs to be permanently in their suits:
 

THE THRONE OF THE WAR GOD

At the core of every Craftworld is a sealed chamber. Inside this chamber, upon a throne of smouldering iron, sits an Avatar of the Bloody Handed God. The Avatar is as still as a statue of ancient metal, pitted with age and encrusted with the patina of corrosion. His eyes reveal only an empty darkness as if his whole body were a hollow metal shell. The chamber is built of gleaming wraithbone whose skeletal structure stretches throughout the entire Craftworld, its strands connecting every part of the Craftworld to the throne.

When the Eldar prepare for war the metal body of the Avatar begins to glow as the heat of his fiery blood is kindled. His metal heart begins to quicken and his iron flesh starts to pulse with life. Liquid iron boils through his veins, and his whole body crackles and hisses like a furnace. When he stirs upon his throne Exarchs and Aspect Warriors all over the Craftworld feel the vibrations reverberate through the gleaming threads of wraithbone which spread like naked ribs throughout its caverns and chambers. Recognising the Avatar's battle-call, the Exarchs and Aspect Warriors hurry to the shrines of the War God to begin the rituals of preparation.

As the Avatar's first stirrings are felt, the oldest Exarchs - one from each of the principal shrines on the Craftworld - gather outside the chamber and begin the ritual of Awakening. They wear ritual masks and armour. The are accompanied by another Exarch called the Young King. The Young King is selected every year by the ritual divination of the Craftworld's Farsers - the psykers who guide the Craftworld's political decisions. The position is held for only one year, after which the Exarch steps down and another Young King is elected. The Awakening ceremony begins as the Young King is ritually disrobed and his body painted in blood with the runes of Kaela Mensha Khaine - weaving shaps that evoke the annual orbit of the sun, its rise in the solar dawn and its inevitable autumnal fall. With due ceremony the Exarchs bring the ritual regalia of the Avatar from its place in the various shrines of the War God, and present it to the Young King. Across his shoulders is draped the long mantle fastened by its golden pin. In his right hand he carries the long dark weapon of the Avatar - the Siun Daellae - the Doom that Wails. Into his hand is pressed the Cup of Criel - the bloody cup containing blood drawn from his own body...

It is likely that the 2nd edition lore was a brief divergence from the original concepts to which GW later returned. Jes Goodwin's newer sketches (which I cited in my previous reply) were in 2004, around the time that 4th edition came out, so this can be taken as an indicator that the lore has been retconned (much like the development of the Eldar Pirates/Raiders into the Dark Eldar was later retconned with the Eldar Corsairs being different from the Dark Eldar, and the later addition of the Autarchs).

If we take the Warhammer Community article at face value and the mask-less exarch represents a divergence that only the Ynnari have, and that the divergence applies to aeldari exarchs across the board, there are interesting possibilities for the lore. It makes me wonder how much we're going to see the Ynnari featured for the Psychic Awakening, and if they'll be the central aeldari faction or if the other aeldari factions will receive a similar level of attention. Regardless, I find it doubtful that this will prevent fans of the aeldari from using those bare heads on non-Ynnari models (I know it's not going to stop me ).

[Dark_Master]

They are different (the concept of war-mask is indeed more of a mental state) but also stricly linked.
Donning the full armor is parth of the aspects' rituals.And i don't remember where (i think Valdor,might be wrong) a warlock describes how taking her helmet away is the first step in going back to "see" the world normally,and as soon as she does her war-mask fades away.

It’s from the Warhammer 40,000: Compilation Eldar story that runs though the book.

https://wh40k.lexica...00:_Compilation

Great book, shouldn’t have sold it

Edit - Warlock Karhedron

https://wh40k.lexica.../wiki/Karhedron

DM

Edited by Dark_Master, 09 September 2019 - 08:43 PM.

[TheOneTrueZon]

Really hoping they release a new Jain Zar so I can make a diorama of Malcharion stepping on her like a bug. New stuff looks great!

[Interrogator-Chaplain Ezra]

So it's Rhana Dandra then?

[DeadFingers]

Well, the newest Harlequins Codex* references them following a plan crafted by Cegorach to "trick Slaanesh into saving the Eldar instead of destroying them" that I think is implied to take place instead of the Rhana Dandra, so them following the Ynnari probably has something to do with it. But for the rest of the Eldar, they probably think the Rhana Dandra is still their fate and/or have no idea that Cegorach and the Harlequins have a plan.

 

As for how that will tie into this, or if it even does, I have no idea, because there's literally no info beyond "Cegorach's got a plan".

 

 

* I've been looking into almost every Codex for anything remotely related to Psychic Awakening. Yes, seriously.

Edited by DeadFingers, 10 September 2019 - 12:26 AM.

[Son of Sacrifice]

Well I... I've never felt this way before. Could it be? I want to own Eldar? Time to leave the bolter and chainsword in disgrace.