Ulthwé

Ulthwé, short for Ulthanash Shelwe, the "Song of Ulthanash", is a major Eldar Craftworld, one of the largest still remaining. It is known for its numerous and powerful psykers, especially Farseers, and combating the powers of Chaos near the Eye of Terror.

The Eldar forces featured in Dawn of War: Winter Assault, Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, Dawn of War: Soulstorm, Dawn of War II and Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising are from Craftworld Ulthwé.

Characteristics[]

Dow2r ulthwe dlc 02 — Ulthwé Farseer displaying the black and bone colors

The sight of an Ulthwé force is a brooding, dark image, filled with the air of mourning and suffering. Their main color is an ominous black, which is often contrasted with bone white, golden yellow and dark red. The runic symbol of the Craftworld is the Eye of Isha – the Eldar goddess of life – a stylized eye with a lone tear symbolizing the tears shed by the goddess for her Eldar children.

Ulthwé is known for maintaining a larger and better-trained army of Guardians than most Craftworlds, thus making up for their lack of Aspect Warriors. On the other hand, they number exceptionally many psykers (Warlocks and Farseers), who are also uncommonly powerful. The Ulthwé have a reputation of interfering with other species more than other Craftworlds, apparently because of their superior ability to foresee the future.

History[]

When the cataclysm of the Fall hit, Ulthwé was caught in the pull of the newly born Eye of Terror, where the Warp intersects with real space; a breeding ground for Chaos and a gateway into the Warp. Due to this baleful proximity to the Eye, Ulthwé must be on constant high alert in case of Chaos attacks. Constant warfare has hardened this Craftworld's citizens, and due to the lack of Aspect Warriors on the Craftworld, Ulthwé maintains a standing militia known as the Black Guardians (so named simply for the color of their armor), better trained than the Guardians of other Craftworlds, although similarly equipped.

Ulthwe warlock art — An Eldar Warlock (wearing Ulthwé colors, but the Iyanden sigil)

Ulthwé is well-known for the large number of its population who follow the Path of the Warlock and Path of the Seer. The location of the Craftworld is the reason given by Ulthwé for such a large number of Warlocks, while others believe their location causes exaggerated manifestation of psychic powers in the population. Whatever the reason, many psychic warriors follow the Ulthwé armies to battle and their psychic skills are even more advanced than those found on other Craftworlds, their Seers able to see further ahead in time and with greater precision. The most powerful of these psykers was the late Eldrad Ulthran, who was the leader of the Craftworld prior to his apparent demise aboard a Blackstone Fortress.

Dow2 eld wraithlord briefing — Ulthwé Wraithlord and Black Guardians

One of the more famous and integral aspects of the Ulthwé Craftworld is that of its Seer Council. Formerly led by Eldrad Ulthran, the Council both overtly and secretly interferes with other races in an attempt to steer fate in their favor. Part of this method of operation means that attacks carried out by the Ulthwé may seem to serve no immediate reason – they are instead often meant to influence events far in the future, which has given the Eldar the reputation of being capricious and random to other species.

Through its interference with other races, Ulthwé is supposedly responsible for several devastating events in the Imperium of Man, including the Second War for Armageddon, the Sanapan Scouring, the Mortis Annihilation and the Third Coming of Orian. Yet they have also made powerful allies within the Imperium, such as one of the families of the Navis Nobilite.