"There is beyond this eternity another. An existence all of its own. It is dark as the mortal mind is dark, deep as the mortal heart is deep. This realm is sustained by the self. It is a spiritual plane made up of the thoughts and feelings, needs and beliefs of all the knowing races - the high born and the low things that walk the world with aims of it being their own. It gives back in the form of energies that leak into our world and are harnessed by the gifted in the form of magic and its many refractions. Entities beyond understanding inhabit this dark realm of spiritual energy, this sea of soulfire. They are the behemoths and great monsters of the depths, although our seven seas together are but a teardrop in the dry, dark ocean of the beyond. There they endure, drunk on power, bitter with impotence - curdling in the malefic nightmare of their own existence."
- —Caledor Dragontamer, Prophecies of Despair[5a]
Caledor Dragontamer and his coven of archmages.
Caledor Dragontamer, known as Kalamn-Kavannaen (Great Lord) among the Dragons,[6a] was one of the greatest mages of his age and the closest friend to the Phoenix King Aenarion of Ulthuan during the time of the First Great Chaos Invasion. He and the rest of the mages sacrificed themselves to banish the Chaos energies from the world, and are currently trapped in the magical Great Vortex that keeps the energies at bay on the Isle of the Dead, unable to die, unable to free themselves without undoing the work they wrought.
History
"Always so literal, Morathi. It is one of your greatest failings."
- —Caledor Dragontamer to Morathi on the Isle of the Dead[3a]
Caledor's creation of the Great Vortex.
When Aenarion first defeated the forces of Chaos at the Shrine of Asuryan, Caledor was among the first to proclaim him as the chosen champion of Asuryan. Together, Caledor and Aenarion made their way to the Anvil of Vaul, where with the Hammer of Vaul they forged the Great Weapons that would be used to combat the forces of Chaos, as well as artefacts such as Aenarion's Dragon Armor. After forging the Great Weapons, Aenarion and Caledor sent out a call to the mightiest warriors of the Asur, and those who gathered at the Anvil under the banner of Aenarion were gifted each a Great Weapon, becoming the future princes of Ulthuan.
When the forces of Chaos returned, Caledor Dragontamer had a falling out with his friend, Aenarion, as he urged him not to draw the Sword of Khaine. The great mage foretold that drawing the sword would cause great sorrow to the Asur and to all of Aenarion's line. While Aenarion carried on the bloody fight against the forces of Chaos, Caledor Dragontamer set up a plan to use the ancient waystones (focus points of magical energy) around Ulthuan to drain off the Chaos energy of the Aethyr which was spewing into the world from the collapsed Chaos Gates at the poles, enabling creatures of the Realm of Chaos such as Daemons to manifest in the physical world with ease and assault the Elves.
Unfortunately, the energy required was so great (despite the Slann in Lustria lending their powers to the effort) that it trapped inside the Great Vortex all the archmages of Ulthuan, Caledor included, while Aenarion gave his life buying time battling a great Chaos warhost for the plan to succeed. The plan eventually created the Great Vortex on the Isle of the Dead at the centre of Ulthuan which drains magical energy from the world. However, the plan was only partially successful, as while the Chaos energy is drained away, it continues to spill from the Realm of Chaos, particularly in the Chaos Wastes of the Warhammer World. And, as if the outcome were some horrible joke of the gods, for their success in saving the world, Caledor and the rest of the High Elf mages were trapped inside the Vortex, unable to die but perhaps suffering a fate worse than death: eternal, timeless imprisonment.
Trivia
- Caledor is said to have made magical amulets for the Everqueen's children, Yvraine and Morelion.[4b]
- During the events of Sons of Ellyrion, Caledor is depicted as ghostly pale, his skin near translucent. The meat of his muscles wriggled on his skull, and his eyes were black coal, devoid of life and sanity as he confronted Morathi. Indeed, Morathi claims he was once a fine specimen of an Elf. Tall, broad-shouldered and handsome. To this, Caledor admits he's reminded every day of how deathly he looks, saying he thinks it amuses "Him". When Morathi asks whom he means, he replies: "Death".[3a]
- Later in the book, Caledor rejuvenates himself off the released magic of the Vortex. His gaunt frame filled out with powerful muscle and youthful flesh. His face bloomed with vitality until he was an Elf in the prime of his life. Eyes that were once black and dead were now sparkling and green, flecked with gold and silver. His lips were full and lush, his hair regrown to its youthful lustre. His voice commanded respect from Elf, Man, and Dragon alike.[3b]
Sources
- Warhammer Armies: High Elves (4th Edition) pp. 7-18
- Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs (4th Edition) pp. 7-8
- 3: Sons of Ellyrion (novel) by Graham McNeill
