Sea Lord Aislinn of Ulthuan, standing with the eagle claw emblem of his house behind him.
Aislinn, sometimes spelled Aislin,[6a], dubbed "Aislinn the Pernicious" by his peers,[4a][7a] is a High Elf Prince and the current High Elf Sea Lord of Ulthuan and thus the commander of the High Elf Navy.[1a]
Aislinn is a phenomenal tactician and implacable foe. Under his command, the High Elf Navy has gained scores of impressive victories. While none question his successes, it has been noted that Lord Aislinn carries out his duties with ruthless enthusiasm and an air of viciousness that many in the courts of Ulthuan find distasteful.[1a] Indeed, the Phoenix King Finubar himself has made note that not even the counsel of a king will sway Aislinn's thoughts once his mind is made up.[6a]
Proud, with a pronounced cruel streak, any Human or Dwarf who treats him with disrespect is likely to be challenged to a duel, and he has a particular (and peculiar) loathing of Halflings. Yet Ulthuan faces such perils that there is a need to promote the likes of Sea Lord Aislinn. Without his navies the eastern shores of Ulthuan would be a soft target for the Norscans, and the High Elves would be an open target for the vengeful Dark Elves of Naggaroth.[7a][7b]
Aislinn's house sigil is an eagle claw.[5a]
Quick Answers
What is Aislinn's role in the High Elf Navy?
Why is Aislinn referred to as 'Aislinn the Pernicious'?
What notable victories has Aislinn achieved as the Sea Lord of Ulthuan?
How is Aislinn's leadership style described by his peers?
What makes Aislinn a phenomenal tactician?
History[]
Origins[]
The Sea Lord of Ulthuan Aislinn
Determined to stop Norscan raids upon Ulthuan altogether, Aislinn oversaw a violent campaign of High Elf attacks on the Norscan coastline. Warriors of the Lothern Sea Guard, bolstered by Shadow Warriors, wiped out entire Norscan settlements, spreading confusion and fear along the coast.[1a]
Battle-hardened Sea Guard scythed down defenders with volleys of arrows and salvos of bolts from their Eagle Claw Bolt Throwers. Any enemy warriors that managed to survive the onslaught had to battle the grim-faced Sea Guard in their serried ranks, spears lowered. Once the defenders fled, or had been slain, the settlement was razed to the ground, and the Sea Guard melted away into the morning mists.[1a]
Heraldry of Aislinn
Aislinn first gained his reputation when he led a campaign against Marienburg in the 181th year of the reign of the 11th Phoenix King (2354 IC), after the pirate Otto Steinroth had attacked the settlement of Sardenath. Using its mist mages, the Asur fleet created a thick fog that hid them from the cannons of Men and staged an assault on the harbour to bring the pirate to justice. The Marienburgers, feeling threatened by the unexplained attack, attacked them in turn and soon, the city was engulfed in street fights. Aislinn managed to cut down the pirate and took the booty stolen from Sardenath with him, in addition to several elven merchants. In the Phoenix Court, Aislinn reception was mixed. Some regarded him as a hero, while others believed his actions to be unnecessarily harsh. In a short time, Aislinn's standing among the nobles had been reduced to a fraction, aided by his continued raids against Norsca. Ironically, the same actions that cost Aislinn the acceptance of the court gained him the approval of Finubar, who saw in him a ruthlessness that the elven people could not afford to lose.[2a]
In XI, 254 (2417 IC), Sea Lord Aislinn attacked the Black Ark Tower of Blessed Dread within the Sea of Serpents. Its commander, Lokhir Fellheart, unleashed several Doomreavers against the High Elf fleet. Aislinn tried to engage the Arc directly with his own Dragonship, the Kalendirian, but was overwhelmed. Using his personal contingent of White Lions and Lothern Sea Guard, Aislinn faced Fellheart and his corsairs in a desperate last stand. The two commanders dueled each other, insensate to the screams of the dying. Aislinn managed to strike one of the Red Blades from Fellheart's grasp, but their magic returned them to him almost instantly. The Krakenlord laughed and rammed his blades into Aislinn's chest and threw him over the gunwale.[3a]
Six months later, he was washed upon the shores of Eataine. Despite the defeat against Lokhir Fellheart, he now bore not even a scar, and claimed no memory of the missing months. From that moment on, Aislinn was hailed as the Herald of Mathlann -- for surely only the god of the seas could have delivered the admiral from his watery grave.[2b]
End Times[]
In 2526 IC the Elf War entered a phase of many smaller battles. The High Elf Archmage Teclis eventually convinced the Witch King Malekith of the need to destroy the Great Vortex so that they could create Incarnates of the Winds of Magic if they were to have anby chance of defeating the forces of Chaos that had brought on the End Times.
They travelled towards the Isle of the Dead to begin the ritual of unmaking. While waiting for their ships to transport them, Malekith's forces came under attack by those of Tyrion. Lord Sceolan of the Hooked Blade was slain and Malekith's forces only survived thanks to the Sealord Aislinn betraying Tyrion and coming to Malekith's aid at the Everqueen Alarielle's behest.
At the same time it was revealed that Lokhir Fellheart had joined the forces of Tyrion. Aislinn went to meet Tyrion on Fellheart's flagship where he was by Tyrion, but as he died he summoned the wrath of Mathlann, the god of the sea, upon Tyrion's fleet. A huge portion of Tyrion's forces were destroyed in a colossal tidal wave.
Storm of Chaos[]
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During the Storm of Chaos, Aislinn led the High Elf fleet to patrol the Sea of Claws. Thanks to him, numerous tribes that had attempted to join Archaon's invasion of Middenland never reached the shore.[4a]
Wargear[]
Aislinn fights with a curved, ithilmar blade in the High Elven style.[6b]
Trivia[]
In Sons of Ellyrion, Aislinn is noted as being a Prince of Ulthuan, with a protege named Kithre Seablaze.[6a] Also, his golden, eagle-prowed flagship is the Mist Maiden, its navy blue sail emblazoned with a stooped hawk. It is unclear if this flagship was prior to the Kalendirian, or was after said-ship sunk in his battle against Lokhir Fellheart.[6b]
Aislinn is able to summon a host of glistening "bottle-green wyrms" that have the strength and ferocity to sink even the largest ships.[6b]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition)
- 1a:- pg. 50
- 2: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition)
- 3: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (8th Edition)
- 3a: pg. 29
- 4: Warhammer: Storm of Chaos (Background Book)
- 4a: pg. 94
- 5: Defenders of Ulthuan (Novel) by Graham McNeill
- 5a: Chapter 2
- 6: Sons of Ellyrion (Novel) by Graham McNeill
- 7: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Sea of Claws (RPG)