A map of the numerous battles fought by the High Elves of Ulthuan in their quest to steal all the pieces of the Eye of Osiris.[1a]
The Eye of Osiris is an ancient Nehekharan relic that serves as an oracle and contains the key to unlocking the gateways between the realms of the living and the dead. With this oracle, the High Elves of Ulthuan hoped to discover the spells of unbinding and destroy the Undead of the Known World once and for all.
During the quest for the Eye of Osiris, a vast High Elf army sacked the tombs of Khemri before fleeing to the far reaches of Ulthuan. Settra, foremost among the Tomb Kings of lost Nehekhara, dispatched his Undead armies to hunt down those who had desecrated the sacred places of his realm and destroy them utterly.[1a]
Battle of Arnheim[]
A horde of Tomb Kings Undead attacked the isolated High Elf colony of Arnheim. Liche Priests wielded their vile Dark Magic while hordes of skeletons marched against the High Elven defenders. The armies of Khemri had to recover a piece of the Eye of Osiris before the High Elves could use the artefact to destroy the Undead once and for all.[1a]
Fall of Copher[]
The High Elven spice port of Copher came under attack -- the forces of darkness advanced upon them en masse. Row upon row of shambling skeletons came forth, led by Prince Imhotep, High Priest of Settra. The only thing that stood between them and the port's walls was a deep chasm. The High Elves' only hope was to use the crevasse to their advantage and try to slow down the unstoppable horde of Undead before reinforcements could arrive.[1a]
Battle of Araby[]
Word of their advance spread quickly; the righteous High Elf armies had pushed back the vile Undead of the Tomb Kings to their staging area deep in the lands of Khemri. The battle that resulted in the Cracked Lands decided the fate of the legion of soulless warriors. The High Elf commanders worried they lacked the manpower to destroy the Undead.
Battle of Nuln[]
Once again, the Undead of the Tomb Kings crossed the running waters of the Upper Reik, marching across the plains south of Nuln. Farmlands and small villages were crushed before the horde, and Imperial refugees rushed north ahead of the army. The defenders of the Empire had to decimate that evil scourge before it is was too late.[1a]
Darkness Before Dawn[]
Trapped between the imposing cliffs of the Pirate Isle of Sartosa and the fast-approaching Undead fleet, the High Elves formed a battle line as best they could. The last survivors of a titanic sea battle, they had no hope of rescue. They had to put up a valiant High Elf defense against the oncoming Undead fleet, lest Settra's name crush them utterly.[1a]
Escape From the Crimsom Coast[]
The path of escape for the invading High Elf forces laid through the harbor city of Zandri. Hordes of Undead rose up to block their retreat. They needed to reach their ships with their piece of the Eye of Osiris or their blood would be spilt upon the shores of Zandri.[1a]
Battle of Mortis Tarn[]
The cold breeze swirled around the cursed earth where the High Elves camped. The once-proud Lord Allyrion Caradryel had been forced to retreat, marching his forces into the unforgiving mountains. Amidst the constant howling of the wind and bitter taste of sand, fear finally gripped the weary defenders as they prepared for their last stand. The end was near. In the distance, a storm was coming, and in the still of the night, the dead were walking in the Mortis Tarn.[1a]
Battle of the Mortis River Delta[]
The crash of tortured wood sounded over the Dragonship's deck as it beached itself on the thick shore of the Great Mortis River delta. Like a well-oiled machine, the High Elf troops marched down the lowered gangplanks and took up a defensive position just as the first volley of arrows began to fall among them. Looking out towards the great stone sphinx, they could just see the advance guard of the Undead Tomb Kings army as it crested the dunes.[1a]
The Eye of Osiris[]
The High Elves' search for a piece of the Eye of Osiris led them to the Khemrian city of Alexandretta. A bloody conflict ensued as their forces laid siege to the Tomb Kings' walking dead. Flaming skulls hurtled from the city walls, and chariots and cavalry clashed on the open plains.[1a]
Last Stand at Zandri Bay[]
Captain Athises surveyed the surrounding countryside of Zandri Bay. Not a living thing stirred; all he could hear was the thud, thud, thud of the advancing Undead force. This was it -- the last stand to buy time for the High Elf mages so they could bring their piece of the Eye of Osiris back to Ulthuan.[1a]
Flight from Araby[]
Fleeing the lands of Khemri with a piece of the Eye of Osiris, the High Elves were ambushed in the dead of night by a huge Tomb Kings horde led by Morthael, the once trusted advisor of the High Elf General Aethos. The sentries quickly succumbed to the mighty horde, and then Aethos had to battle through the ranks of the Undead to reach the waiting fleet for the final victory.[1a]
Outcome[]
The outcome of the war for the Eye of Osiris is unknown. Even if the High Elves managed to collect all the pieces of the Eye of Osiris, something must have gone wrong, as the forces of the Undead remained ever-present on the Known World until its final destruction in the End Times.
Game History[]
The quest for the Eye of Osiris was a narrative campaign of Warhammer Fantasy Battle created by Games Workshop to introduce new players to their specialist game, Warmaster. The games were played in different Games Workshop retail stores around the world for the Easter holidays.[1a]
It is not specified when these battles were fought in the timeline of the Known World, but it is notable that the High Elves are present in both Nuln and Copher (the latter has in modern days a High Elven merchant district), described as a High Elf port. In addition, the island of Sartosa is already described as a pirate island (1757 IC). The whole region located to the south of the Old World is referred to as "Araby," including the Land of the Dead that was once Nehekhara.[1a]