Defenders of Ulthuan/Sons of Ellyrion

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A Black Library two part series set in the Warhammer Fantasy setting depicting a recent invasion from the Dark Elves of Naggaroth upon Ulthuan and the High Elves. Although these books are two parts of the same story, they are not counted as being part of a larger named story.

Spoilers follow.

Plot

A High Elf washes up on shore off the coast of Saphery with a dagger which cannot be drawn from it's sheath, and is rescued by an elf maiden who is the daughter of Anurion the Green. Meanwhile, an elf Prince of Ellyrion mourns his brother as his wife and household suffer. The first elf is taken to Teclis to have his mind, which has an enchantment upon it blocking his memory, uncursed. The second elf receives a summons from his wife's father who was an Archmage of the Heavens lore and thus had foretold many futures, one of which hinged upon the second elf traveling to the Tower of Hoeth. Meanwhile, Malekith takes half the Dark Elf army (and it's entire navy) and attacks Lothern, capital of Eataine, capital of Ulthuan. Morathi manipulates a large group of Warriors of Chaos to march with her army under the promise that their leader, Slaanesh's champion, can have sex with her, and the rest of the Dark Elf forces as well as the Warriors of Chaos forces attack western Ulthuan and lay siege to one of the great Gates protecting the outer kingdoms from the inner ones. Once Teclis begins to undo the magic of the first elf's curse, a powerful surge of dark magic burns him horribly. The elf maiden is consumed, body and soul, painfully to power a spell hidden within the first elf that opens a portal to the Warp. Daemons surge forth and attack the tower, killing many. The first elf flees, but not before the second elf and his wife get a good look at him. The first elf is the brother of the second, who was claimed to have been lost while raiding Naggaroth and was betrothed to the second elf's current wife. The first elf is tortured by memories he barely recalls, and is driven against his will to travel to Avelorn to seek out the Everqueen. He ingratiates himself with a band of performers seeking favor within her court using skills and talents he knows he does not naturally possess. Meanwhile, the second elf and his wife ride to Avelorn seeking him. Upon meeting the Everqueen, the spell on his mind unlocks and he is filled with the horrific tortures inflicted upon him by Dark Elf Slaaneshi worshipers. The spell unlocked, he draws the dagger against his will and plunges it into Alarielle's heart then flees. The Everqueen entity preserves Alarielle's life, then awakens her under it's merciless influence. She commands the second elf and his wife come before her, and under her gaze confesses he left his brother to die in Naggaroth to marry his brother's wife. She banishes him, and summons an army to march against Morathi's. By this point, the Gate has fallen after a Dark Elf assassin kills the competent leader of the garrison and a highly incompetent arrogant young Prince is assassinated by his own men, and a High Elf army made up of most of the western forces that can be mustered quickly (mostly Ellyrion) gather to stop them. Meanwhile the Phoenix King himself fights alongside Tyrion and Korhil with Ulthuan's southern armies to beat back the Dark Elves. Sea Lord Aislinn and the entire High Elf fleet that were in the area are destroyed (although Aislinn later turns up alive, saved by his own god Mathlann).

Meanwhile, the first elf brother waits for the second in their family's home. They argue, the first thrashes the second within an inch of his life whereupon the second confesses all the bitterness he had for his brother and why. The two accept the past, and don their armor and mounts to ride in defense of Ulthuan.

In the western battle, Anurion is torn apart with his skin turned to a flag by Chaos Warriors. The Everqueen meets the champion of Slaanesh on the battlefield as he was charging with the intention of violating her (literally stated in the book), and she instead takes his hand and purges him of all Slaanesh's gifts. She sees his soul, and how he deep down feels guilt about sacrificing his wife and children for attractive looks and Slaanesh's favor, and forgives his soul making it once again his own. She lets him go and like a rope in tug of war that's been let go on one side, Slaanesh's energies drown the champion's body and morphs him into a Chaos Spawn that is then killed by the two brothers. Meanwhile in the southern battle, the High Elves are losing badly. The Phoenix Guard and Caradryan show up, which is a pretty damn good indicator that Finubar is about to die. Malekith has apparently learned words that can manipulate reality, and shouts like the Dragonborn and destroys chunks of the city.

Morathi flees the western battle on a winged demon horse towards the vortex in the center of Ulthuan. The two brothers follow along with the wife of the second brother (now once again in love with the first). Upon reaching the Island of the Dead, the trio are separated by magic where the second brother has a pleasant chat with the anthropomorphic manifestation of Death. Upon finding each other again, the first brother exclaims that he met their father. The trio reach the vortex, which is a series of High Elf mages that are stuck outside of time casting the spell that keeps the Warp separate from the material plane, several of which Morathi has stabbed to death. Caledor the Dragontamer appears, as an emaciated skeleton wreck, and tells Morathi he never liked her. She attempts to undo the spell keeping the material plane separate from the Warp and Caledor lashes out, searing her mind and driving her further insane. She flees with her very soul bleeding. Caledor calls upon the wife of the second brother to stay and take the place of one of the slain mages to keep the spell at full power, since she is his descendant. The first brother stays with her and they are trapped in magical amber forever leaving the second brother alone.

Upon the spell in the center of Ulthuan being strengthened, Teclis is healed of his wounds and magics himself away to the western battle where with one single spells he destroys the entire Dark Elf and Chaos army in a whirlwind of flames. He's weakened now, but alive and stronger than ever. Alarielle returns to Avelorn, her wound entirely healed.

In the southern front, Eltharion the Grim holds off Malekith and his dragon from gryphonback until Imrik finally arrives with dragons. Imrik and Malekith do battle in the sky, with Malekith's dragon being blinded and crippled and flying away while Malekith himself bleeds badly in the saddle, his magic shield lost in the waves of Ulthuan. The remaining Dark Elves are defeated to the last. Upon being asked why the Phoenix Guard had come despite Finubar surviving, Caradryan smiles and points to a statue of Finubar that was destroyed before his warriors turn and leave with him at the head.

EPILOGUE: The second brother returns to his home, letting it fall into disrepair. He speaks to nobody and barely survives. One day, Caradryan arrives at his home and hands him a suit of Phoenix Guard armor. The two travel to the Shrine of Asuryan, where he realizes he is now the newest recruit to the Phoenix Guard.

/tg/'s reaction

While the book is considered fairly slow, the fight scenes are well described. The real interest of the book is that High Elf daily life is actually described, and well, fleshing in a previously unseen part of the setting. Generally speaking it's well received among Fantasy players.