The 9th Age : Fantasy Battles : Sylvan Elves

Join passionate discussions about your army strategy, list building and news.

Visit the army miniature library, to find models suggestions from all manufacturers.

Wardens of the forest

From the greatest forests to the humblest desert oasis, wherever trees take root, there you may feel the weight of unseen eyes, or sense a tremor of movement among the boughs. Yet raise a blade to those sacred groves and you may feel the wrath of their protectors – the Sylvan Elves.

Believing themselves the oldest and truest of the Elven civilisations, the woodland Fae are a source of frightening stories across the world. Proud and merciless, their ancient magics and mastery of their primordial homes grant the Sylvan Elves a reputation of mystery and treachery that is well deserved. It is said the elves nurture the very spirits of the wood, who follow them to war beneath the canopy. Those same spirits are murderous when roused, and terrifying when combined with lethal Sylvan archery and a human borders.

The kingdom of Wyscan is the ancestral home of the Sylvan Elves and their forest spirit allies. From here elves defend their arboreal home and the Wild Hunt sets forth upon each Midsummer Eve.

Scattered from pole to pole any thicket, grove or woodland could hide a Trewi settlement or a copse of living trees. Yet so secretive are these denizens that the first sign of one’s transgression upon their lands may be arrows whistling at trespassers from the shadows or roots grasping the unwary.

Playstyle

The Sylvan Elves often play using multiple highly mobile small units and try to pick favorable fights against slower but bigger opposing units attacking from many different sides, all while shooting down their opponents under a hail of arrows. Another common tactic is to focus on highly mobile shooting and avoid close combat entirely. A completely different playstyle to both of these is to play with masses of strong tree units instead of Elves and to defeat the opponent with Dryads, Treekin, and Treemen in close combat.

Lore of Sylvan Elves

The Forest Court

The King and Queen barely move for much of the year, nor do they often speak. Their will is the will of the forest, their programmes art the seasons and their laws - the laws of nature. Tis a thing unique unto this world: supernal beings that ruleth over mortals. In Wyscan’s heart does there lie some fey source of th’eternal power of the Realm Beyond; the which sustaineth them while they art near. And yet sometimes they depart: the King on great hunts, to claim his trophies mighty, and the Queen to tend unto her gardens of the world. Thereafter, they are lost upon the Veil - returning again, it is hoped, when they are summoned.

Not knowing well good the sophistication of the civilised, nor the learnings of th’enlightened, the Trewi doth content themselves with these uncouth, yet potent rulers. Their concerns hark unto a simpler time, when all were primitive and savage. Their greatest foes art those fallen under the Gods of Darkness; in equal measure do they loathe and spurn the saurian disciples of order pure. The Trewi carrieth the deepest memories of the Dawn, the oldest songs of our kin, half-glimpsed knowledge more ancient even than that of the masters of Canrac Tower. Oh great pity: their simpleton minds can fathom not how to use it.

Account from a Highborn Journal, Background Compendium, 9th Scroll Issue 8.

< | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | >

You will find here the lore that has currently been released. More lore will be released in the future, and will subsequently be added to this section.

Slim Edition

V2024 Review 1 EN

Download your printer-friendly concise rules document.

Legendary edition

v2023

Download the full army book including rules, artwork and background.

Low Q.

High Q.