When I first chose my army, I gave my characters names and devised a background from them. This really helped me indentify with my army, and as soon as I had given my army a reason for existing and fighting, I was no longer pushing lumps of painted metal around a table, I was leading a vast army of noble elves against my enemies. So listen to the tale of Ceilleachan, Prince of the Realm and Lord of the Isle, the General of my army...
More than a thousand years before the ascension of Sigmar in the Empire of men, there came a parting of ways amongst the Elves. Many nobles had settled in the lands west of the Grey Mountains, raising families and building a new realm of High Elves there. After a long and bitter struggle against the Dwarves, both races were depleted and beleaguered, and when a vast armada of Dark Elf vessels arrived on the coast of Ulthuan, the Pheonix King called for the elves of the continent in the west to return to their homeland. Although most Elves returned to Ulthuan, some had no land left there, their realms destroyed when the waters rose and flooded Tiranoc, and their only home now being in the land in the east. These Elves were disowned by their King, and with only a handful of Elves left, they were unable to defend their homes against Orc and Goblin marauders. Now with no lands, either in Ulthuan or in the east, many took refuge in the forests, founding a kingdom of Wood Elves in Athel Loren. Some, however, sought refuge in the mounatins and in the lands of man, hoping one day to have their lands returned and to return to Ulthuan in glory. These became known as the dispossessed, searching for some of their forefathers lost artifacts, dreaming of earning new lands on Ulthuan.
One of these Elf Rangers was a grey haired, graceful, yet well built Swordmaster by the name of Ceilleachan, the only relic of his once wealthy status a golden crown which he called 'the Crown of the Old Ones'. Many a time he turned to his son and said, "One day an Elf by the name of Ceilleachan will return to Ulthuan, and he will be rewarded with vast stretches of land and be welcomed by his brethren. It will not be me, and it may not be you, son, but one of our descendants will return, and the proud name of Ceilleachan will be returned to its rightful place." For many generations, Ceilleachan after Ceilleachan wandered throughout the Old World in search of the artifact that would offer him the long dreamt of ticket home, until almost 4000 years after that first ranger by the name of Ceilleachan. This Ceilleachan was no different to any of his ancestors, with silver hair and adept with both the bow and the sword, and upon his head he too wore the Crown of the Old Ones. However, he was destined to be the son who would finally return, spurred on by a prophesy by his Sister Serriliam that he would be the last of his family to be dispossessed.
Ceilleachan fought in the Service of the Brettonians as a young foolish Elf alongside other rangers, learning the skills of war. His first battle was against Orcs and Goblins and despite his unsteady nerves his arrows manged to find their way to Orc after Orc. He made a name for himself among his kind, and was soon appointed by the king of Brettonia to lead all the rangers in a campaign against the Undead. However, he declined this offer, realising that he was making no progress by helping Men in their petty disputes. He wandered through the Vaults with other adventurers, and although he found many treasures in the lost realms of Dwarves, he felt strangly connected with one sword, which although appearing dull and rather ugly, glowed bright in his hands, tearing through foe after foe.
At the age of eighty, he wandered into the Empire to find another foolhardy set of adventurers, as all who had accompanied his previously had either been slain (that foray against the uncountable horde of Skaven hadn't helped) or had ritired, rich with magical weapons and gold. However, whilst wandering towards Altdorf, he met an army of Elves led by a noble from Ellyrion by the name of Tirealan. At first, Tirealan dismissed this Elf as a mere member of his cohort, and ordered him about as he would one of his soldiers, but was soon informed that Ceilleachan was not on the army's roll.
"Who are you?" demanded Tirealan, "and why are you not aiding us in our war against Chaos?"
"My name is Ceilleachan, son of the dispossessed elves of the land to the west of the Grey mountains."
"Ceilleachan, now is the time to set old disputes aside. We must unite, lest the realm of Chaos engulfs us all. Join our army, and fight in glory against the dark legions. I recognise your name; you are an adventurer of great repute throughout the Empire. Now is the time to prove your worth."
Ceilleachan agreed that it was best to join the army. His mission to find ancient artifacts could wait, but the fight against Chaos was eternal. Given golden armour to wear over blue robes and barding for his horse, he was ready for battle. However, when Tirealan saw Ceilleachan's dull sword, bearly visible through the dirt, he was amazed.
"Come," said Tirelan, "that is no sword for an Elven hero, let me give you a more appropriate one; see- I have one here covered in gemstones which you can borrow."
However Ceilleachan turned down the offer of a sword. "This has served me well many a time, thank you. It will serve me once again today."
Although many an Elf was pinned by terror that night when legions of Daemons decended on them, Ceilleachan rode bravely throughout the battlefield, slaying many a horror. However, even he was stunned at the sight of a huge greater demon, blood dripping from his axe and whip- it was the Bloodthirster, manifestation of Khorne. But when he saw that Tirealan had been knocked from his horse, and was about to be scourged to death with the Bloodthirster's whip, Ceilleachan rode with a haste that he never had ridden with before. Before the Bloodthirster could manage to end Tirealan's life, Ceilleachan tore through its flesh with his sword. When the Sword emerged it was no longer dull, but of gleaming gold. The Bloodthirster was quick to vanish, and within seconds his whole legion was summoned to return to that terrible place place from whence they came. With the battle won, Ceilleachan turned to face Tirealan.
"We have won. Victory is yours, Tirealan."
"Yes Ceilleachan, it is my victory, but yours also. Who knows what havoc the Bloodthirster would have wreaked if you had not disposed of it. Alas, Ceilleachan, I believe the Bloodthirster has managed to grant me a glorious death. I have died in battle for Ulthuan. But you, Ceilleachan, you will live to see much glory. I grant you all my land in Ulthuan, for you are destined to be great." And with that Tirealan murmered a short prayer to Isha and breathed his last.
And so his sister's prophesy was achieved, Cielleachan returned in glory to Ulthuan, with his brothers, Shelebaun, who is now a great general, and Lenihan, who rides atop Eryck, a blue dragon of the mountains of Caledor, as well as his sister Serriliam, the great sorceress. They are High Elf nobles once again, leading many an army to fight Ulthuan's enemy, but they do not forget their days as the disspossesed. They wear blue robes to remind the High Elves that although Cielleachan forgives them for his years spent in exile, he will never forget, and one day he will be joined by all the dispossessed of the Old World. Together they will lead the High Elves to their former glories.
