At the core of the Lumineth Realm-lords is their close relationship with their home, Hysh – the Realm of Light. In this land, rivers, mountains, and even the very winds and pure light above the clouds are home to powerful and mysterious spirits, known as aelementors. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at why they’re so important to the Lumineth.
Lumineth lore
The Lumineth have a long history, full of triumph and disaster.* After learning from the mistakes of the past, Teclis and the other aelven gods got it right when they created the Lumineth. In fact, they might have made them a little too well…
The Spirefall was the result of the unchecked hubris of the Lumineth, whose raw talent and mastery of art, philosophy, martial pursuits, and magic gave them little reason for humility. The short version? They sought endlessly to outdo one another, and these rivalries culminated in a devastating internecine war. So great was the power they unleashed that the resulting energies attracted and empowered the Dark Gods, Slaanesh in particular, giving rise to the Age of Chaos. Yes, that Age of Chaos.
If there was one good thing to come from the Spirefall, it’s that the Lumineth finally learned the danger of unbound pride. The few survivors decided it would be best to emulate Teclis, who had discovered deeper enlightenment by communing and bonding with Celennar, a mysterious and powerful moon spirit.
Enter the aelementors
By setting aside everything they had learned and seeking out the spirits of the realms, the most powerful of the Lumineth found balance by forming a sort of symbiotic relationship with aelementors – the geomantic spirits of Hysh.
The aelven supplicants would endure punishing trials to discover the truths contained in the mountains, rivers, winds, and even the undiminished light of Hysh itself. While gleaning these revelations directly from study alone was nearly impossible, a dedicated Lumineth could bond with an aelementor to learn their secrets.
Founding an aelementiri temple
Forming a bond with an aelementor is no easy task. First, a supplicant must abandon everything they’ve accrued, including material belongings and any knowledge they possess. Then they must spend seasons immersed in the study of the spirits.
In the case of a river aelementor, this would involve experiencing both the bite of ice floes and the surging power of floods. In fairer weather, they would swim the length of the river from the source to the sea and back again, before submerging themselves in the inky depths.
When they felt ready, the supplicant would tie weights to themselves and surrender to the water. If the river’s spirit deemed them worthy, it would grant the power to breathe underwater and buoy them back up to the surface. The supplicant would then take a new name, build a temple on the banks, and begin a new worship. In return, the aelementor would grant the Lumineth a small measure of their power. Those supplicants deemed unworthy would simply drown.
The hierarchy of Hyshian spirits
The spirits of the realms are many, but they aren’t distributed equally. Some, like the spirits of the water we just mentioned, are relatively common. The larger the lake or the longer the river, the more powerful the aelementors that call it home. Less common are the stalwart Alarith Spirits of the Mountain.
Even more wily and hard to pin down are the Hurakan Spirits of the Wind, manifesting in war as huge fox-like archers, born aloft a swirling gale.
If you were paying attention to the preview last weekend, surely you saw the incredible Sevireth, Lord of the Seventh Wind. This aelementor war-form is one of many Hurakan spirits, and the kit will allow you the option to build an unnamed version as well.
The rarest and most difficult Hyshian spirits to tame are those of the zenith, the pure light that exists above the clouds. Very few are the Lumineth who have successfully bonded with them – each is a powerful mage in their own right.
Master the Mortal Realms
There are plenty of new units on the way for the Lumineth Realm-lords, so now is the perfect time to start an army. Grab some Vanari Auralan Wardens or an Alarith Spirit of the Mountain to get going, and keep your eyes peeled for more information about new Realm-lords releases.
* Find out more about the history of the Lumineth in our guide to their background.