FILE REFERENCE: 8894-CX-AELDARI SUBJECT: Aeldari (Common: Eldar) CLASSIFICATION: Xenos Horrificus / Majoris CLEARANCE: Magenta // Inquisitorial Oversight Required DATE: 999.M41 (Standard Terran Cycle)
The Aeldari represent an ancient, humanoid species of high psychic potential and extreme arrogance. Once the undisputed masters of the galaxy before the rise of the Holy Imperium, their empire has since collapsed into disparate, nomadic fleets known as Craftworlds. To the uneducated guardsman, the Aeldari may appear superficially similar to the divine human form, possessing two arms, two legs, and a head. This is a treacherous deception. They are biologically, spiritually, and culturally alien in every metric that matters to the Adeptus Terra. They are a dying race, yet they cling to existence with a stubbornness that defies the natural order. They are typically designated as "Eldar" in Low Gothic, though the term "Aeldari" is their own designation, which they insist upon with typical xenos vanity.
Examination of Aeldari corpses recovered from the battlefield reveals a biology engineered for speed and psychic resonance rather than brute durability. Their bone structure is lighter than a human's, possessing a density comparable to avian species, yet significantly stronger due to a unique crystalline lattice within the marrow. This grants them an unnerving agility; an Aeldari in motion is often described as a blur, capable of feats of dexterity that the human eye struggles to track. Their cardiovascular system cycles at roughly twice the speed of a standard human, suggesting a metabolism that burns fiercely and quickly.
Mentally, the Aeldari are highly unstable by Imperial standards. Their neural pathways are structured to process emotion and sensation at levels that would induce immediate psychosis in a sanctioned human mind. They do not feel sorrow or joy as we do; they experience these states as overwhelming, all-consuming fugues. To mitigate this biological flaw, they adhere to rigid "Paths", strict psychological disciplines (e.g., the Path of the Warrior, the Path of the Seer) that prevent them from succumbing to their own excess. Without these mental fetters, their souls are prone to the predations of the Warp.
Imperial scholars note that the Aeldari empire collapsed approximately ten millennia ago, an event coincident with the birthing of the Great Rift and the turbulent storms of the Age of Strife. While Administratum records regarding the specific theological mechanics are redacted for moral safety, it is understood that the Aeldari brought about their own destruction through hubris and moral depravity. Their civilization, lacking the guidance of the God-Emperor, descended into a pit of hedonism so profound it birthed a cataclysmic psychic shockwave. This event, known as "The Fall", consumed the core of their empire and shattered their dominance.
Those encountered today are merely the refugees of this catastrophe, the "Asuryani", who fled upon continent-sized vessels called Craftworlds. They view their survival not as a lucky escape, but as a burden of superiority. They consider themselves the galaxy's true custodians and view Humanity as crude upstarts ("Mon-keigh") scrabbling in the ruins of a history we cannot comprehend. This delusion makes them dangerous, for they believe their survival justifies any atrocity committed against the Imperium.
The technological base of the Aeldari is indistinguishable from sorcery to the layperson, though the Adeptus Mechanicus classifies it as psychoplastic engineering. Their primary material is "Wraithbone", a substance that is grown rather than forged, sung into shape by their Bonesingers. It functions as both conduit for psychic energy and structural armour. This allows their vehicles and weapons to be powered by the psychic will of the pilot rather than combustible promethium.
Their mastery of the Webway, an ancient, labyrinthine dimension between realspace and the Warp, allows them to bypass Imperial blockades and strike without warning. This reliance on the Webway is also their greatest strategic weakness; if their gates are destroyed, they are severed from reinforcement. Furthermore, their souls are bound to "Spirit Stones" upon death to prevent consumption by the Warp entities that hunt them. These stones are often integrated into constructs known as Wraithguards, abominable necromantic machines piloted by the dead. The destruction of these stones is a priority in combat, as it inflicts maximal psychological trauma upon the enemy.
The Aeldari are designated a High-Level Strategic Threat. They are not conquerors in the manner of the Ork or the Tyranid; they do not seek to occupy territory for expansion. Instead, they manipulate the strands of fate. Aeldari Farseers (psykers of terrified potency) will orchestrate conflicts, diverting a Waaagh! of Orks onto a human world simply to save a handful of Aeldari lives a century in the future. They view human life as an expendable currency.
Diplomatic engagement with the Aeldari is strictly prohibited for any personnel below the rank of Sector Governor or Inquisitor. Even then, it is advised only as a temporary measure against a greater threat. They are treacherous allies who will abandon an Imperial front the moment their own inscrutable objectives are met. In combat, the correct doctrine is overwhelming volume of fire. Their holofields confuse targeting cogitators, and their speed negates heavy artillery accuracy. Therefore, saturation bombardment and wall-of-fire tactics are the only reliable countermeasures.
The Aeldari are a relic. They are a ghost of a galaxy that no longer exists, haunting the Imperium with their arrogance and their refusal to accept their obsolescence. They are to be regarded with suspicion, hatred, and contempt. While they may occasionally strike at the enemies of Mankind, they are never to be trusted. The galaxy belongs to the Emperor, and the Aeldari are merely squatters upon His domain.
Thought for the Day: The alien's smile is but a baring of teeth before the bite.
@Avatar of Khaine (Aeldari)
@Dark Reaper (Aeldari)
@Dire Avenger (Aeldari)
@Farseer (Aeldari)
@Guardian Defender (Aeldari)
@Howling Banshee (Aeldari)
@Ranger (Aeldari)
@Striking Scorpion (Aeldari)
@Warlock (Aeldari)
@Wraithguard (Aeldari)
@Wraithlord (Aeldari)