The Age of Sigmar began in earnest with a blinding flash of lightning as the Stormcast Eternals pierced the heavens. Sigmar wouldn’t be the only returning face from the World-that-Was, however – many heroes and villains survived the unmaking of their cosmos, or were revived by divine patrons. Those of particularly formidable will and power would claim their place in the Mortal Realms as god-like figures in their own right.
Among those who achieved such an apotheosis is Alarielle the Everqueen, the embodiment of life, guardian of Ghyran, and mother of the Sylvaneth.
Intimately connected to the cycles of nature, the Queen of the Radiant Wood manifested in the early history of the Mortal Realms, awakened from her hibernation to become a vital member of the Pantheon of Order. When the Chaos Gods made their play for dominion, Alarielle’s realm was overrun with Nurgle’s corruption, and the Everqueen fell into mourning – until she re-emerged, transformed into her war aspect, at the end of the Realmgate Wars.
In this awe-inspiring deific form, she became the wrath of nature, wielding the Spear of Kurnoth and riding into battle on the back of a titanic Wardroth Beetle.*
Her bold new miniature was massive, a statement of intent for Warhammer Age of Sigmar. This was a game where almighty gods and abhorrent monsters would clash alongside spirits, daemons, and the many mortals that made up the populace of this fantastical new setting.
Alarielle is a far cry from her former incarnation from the World-that-Was. As Everqueen of the High Elves, she was an impressive wizard and leader – not to mention the living embodiment of Isha, the Elven mother-goddess – but still very much a mortal elf of regular stature.
This new miniature granted her a magnificent new form that mixed traditional aelven artifice with natural shapes and tree growth, creating a clear visual identity for the Sylvaneth. The soul amphorae leashed to the Wardroth Beetle are a visual motif found on other Sylvaneth miniatures, like Drycha Hamadreth and the Lady of Vines.
The amphorae hold magical pollen which Alarielle can use to heal her allies and grow new Sylvaneth amid the carnage of war. Her children range from looming Treelords that creak and groan as they stomp into battle, verdant Kurnoth Hunters who restlessly pursue the Everqueen’s prey, down to merciless Tree-Revenants – grim hybrids of dryadic wood and aelven spirit.
Alarielle has since been joined by many centrepiece models of gods, demigods, and god-like beings from her aelven kin, such as Teclis the Archmage and Morathi the Shadow Queen, along with other powerful characters like Lord Kroak and Nagash, the Supreme Lord of Undead.
* When she takes flight herself, the Wardroth Beetle transforms into a swarm of countless spites that keep pace with their mistress before reforming.