The banner of Avelorn
Estrielle, also called "Estrielle the Silver," was the tenth Everqueen of the High Elves of Ulthuan. From her union with Phoenix King Bel-Hathor came Alarielle the Radiant, the present reigning Everqueen.[1a]
History[]
Alarielle was strong-willed in a manner that often drove her mother Estrielle to despair. As a young girl, she would often evade her protectors and stray deep into Avelorn, where no amount of searching would uncover her. Upon returning, Alarielle would unconcernedly announce that she had been walking with Sernalla, a woman whose hair shone with starlight,[1a] who was probably Lileath, the Elven goddess of fortune and dreams, in disguise.
None amongst Estrielle's court knew of this woman. Fearing the predation of some Daemon or evil spirit, the Everqueen sent her daughter away to Lothern, to dwell in the halls of her father. Alarielle went without complaint, and none thought to search for her. Had they done so, the diadem made of ithilmar called the Star of Avelorn that Sernalla had gifted the Everchild would surely have been discovered.[1a]
Assasination[]
While in her tent-city court in Averlorn, Estrielle was approached by Prince Iltharis, a High Elven scholar and duellist renowned for studying the Line of Aenarion who had come to Averlorn to consult the Everqueen's scholars as part of his research. Iltharis soon found himself in the Everqueen's private tent, with both of them engaged in conversation over Iltharis' contribution to the banishing of the Keeper of Secrets N'Kari a century before when that Greater Daemon of Slaanesh had sought to exterminate all of the first Phoenix King's descendants. Soon enough they were both flirting, and toasted to their health. But as she drank, the Everqueen's eyes widened, her breathing slowed and her heart stopped.[2a]
Iltharis had been but an alias of the Dark Elf assassin Urian Poisonblade, who had been ordered to eliminate the Everqueen by Malekith the Witch King himself. He had tainted their wine with Dragonspike, a poison deadly to wizards but harmless to those without magical talent.[2a]
Yet even as she died, Urian lamented Estrielle's death. Malekith had ensured the assassin was immune to the Everquen's magical aura, yet in fact Urian had been genuinely charmed by Estrielle, in turn believing her to be actually interested in him as a person unlike so many of the other patrons he had encountered throughout his life among the Druchii. Urian had come to feel more at home on Ulthuan than in his own ancestral home of Naggaroth, and after his many centuries undercover among the Asur no longer felt contempt for his High Elven cousins.[2a]
If it had been up to him, the Everqueen would have lived the rest of her days in peace. But Urian's life was not his own. He was nothing but a tool of the Witch King, another of the many pawns of the Dark Elf by whose will the Everqueen was dead.[2a]
Estrielle's death would lead to her daughter Alarielle's ascension to the role of Everqueen, as well as pave the way for Malekith's invasion of Ulthuan during the Great War Against Chaos.
Notes[]
The Everqueen Alarielle's mother appeared in the prologue of the novel Sword of Caledor, where the Everqueen is killed by the Dark Elf sleeper agent Urian Poisonblade. However, she wasn't given an actual name until the 8th Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle, in the End Times Khaine rulebook.