Elementals are powerful and wild entities comprised and embodying the qualities of the alchemical elements of fire, air, water and earth or of one of the Winds of Magic that are born of high concentrations of magical energy.[3e] Wizards of the Imperial Orders of Magic and Elves understand that beings such as nature spirits are distinct from Elementals and other Aethyric manifestations.[3h]
History[]
"And so it was the collapse of this "Gateway" to the shadow realms beyond, or at least the Elves suggest, that led to the making of the world as it is today. The vast area of instability created by its collapse enabled many of the sentient fragments of the mortal world's dreams and nightmares that existed within the Realm of Chaos to manifest themselves to some degree upon the physical plane. Ulthuan's most ancient texts described how most of these entities were small, wild things—beings we might now recognise as the Fay or Faerie, the various sprites, aquatic nymphs, dryads, and elemental beings of the natural world."
- —Extracted from A Modest Treatise into the Nature of Magic, penned by the late Gotthilf Puchta, Magister Patriarch of the Gold College.[2a]
Elementals were first discovered by magic-users in the Empire due to the work of the alchemist Berthold Fessbinder and his alchemical theory of the four elements -- earth, air, fire, and water. Berthold argued that everything in existence was, to varying degrees, made up of these four elements. The hedge wizard Gunthar the Wise, in his search for some overall theory of magic, befriended Berthold some time during the Age of Three Emperors, and deduced that magic must in some way too follow this law. He thus reasoned that magic must likewise be divided into four elements; the common spell types would draw a little from each of the four types of magic in order to affect the corresponding four elements in the mortal world.[2b]
Experimenting with this notion, Gunthar soon discovered he could create "purer" and more powerful spells than the hedge wizards, who simply progressed their art through aimless trial and error. An early surprise for the newly-fledged wizards known as elementalists that emerged during this time was the discovery of the strange creatures known as "Elementals." At first the wizards thought they had discovered a new type of being, but they soon came to realise the truth was nowhere near so straightforward. In fact they found that they were allowing the elements of earth, air, fire and water to manifest corporeally through the application of magic. Each of these new forms acted as a kind of avatar, epitomizing the qualities with which the element was imbued.[2b]
Elementalism was a simple theory of magic, but it was better than that possessed by any other Human wizard at that time. What is more, it was surprisingly close to the theories the High Elf Archmage Teclis would elaborate on some years later during the founding of the Colleges of Magic after the end of the Great War Against Chaos. Teclis was genuinely impressed by the elementalists' theories and congratulated them in getting so far in theoretical magic without the knowledge of the High Elves. However, he also told them quite plainly that their theories were wrong.[2b] This was not entirely correct either, however. Elementalism was simply another aspect of colour magic, albeit a strange one.[4a]
Types of Elementals[]
Minor Elementals[]
Minor Elementals are small magical entities summoned by spellcasters of many traditions, often done by wizards when minor spirits need to be bound in Power Stones,[3b] and notably users of Aqshy can reach into bonfires, to create small humanoid flame creatures with coal-black eyes in order to defend their camps.[3c]
Minor Elementals are similar to magical constructs, but more magic is needed to embody them and they do not require the existence of a physical shell to inhabit. When they manifest, their summoner must use their will to control them. Uncontrolled Elementals usually vanish back to the Aethyr, attack anyone who gets too close, or obey the first person with the wit to instruct them.[3b]
Minor Elementals only exist in the material plane for a few days, soon dissipating back from whence they came despite their summoner's best efforts to control them. Their lifespan is doubled if they remain in an area of heavy magical saturation however, and whilst it exists a Minor Elemental may be ritually bound to a Power Stone, whereupon it may remain in the material world as long as the stone remains unbroken.[3b] Spells can be imprinted into the memory of such a bound Minor Elemental, which are then forgotten once the spell is cast.[3d]
Incarnate Elementals[]
"Incarnate Elementals" are physical manifestations of the Winds of Magic, embodying a certain quintessence of the specific Wind with which they are associated. The Winds of Magic have a degree of personality and a will of their own that can manifest in terrible ways, and Incarnate Elementals tend to only display the most destructive aspects of their Wind. Incarnates are related to, but distinct from, creatures made from magic by the forces of Chaos such as Daemons or the forces of nature such as nature spirits.[3e]
Incarnates are born from a high concentration of a particular Wind of Magic in a specific location. They occasionally manifest independently in such places, but can also be created there through deliberate rituals performed by a wizard, or in the aftermath of a Storm of Magic. When the conditions are met, wizards may dare to summon the purest essence of one of the Winds and bind it to the shape of spirit creatures forged of tempestuous force.[3e]
Incarnate Elementals are beings of limited sentience and must be controlled by their summoner's will. Uncontrolled, they will attack whatever creature is nearest until they are destroyed. Like Minor Elementals, they exist only for a few days, although their lifespan can be similarly extended if they remain in an area of even higher magical saturation. Controlled Elementals follow clear orders given to them and can be dismissed at any time, whereupon they vanish not to return.[3a]
The phenomena that create Incarnate Elementals are poorly understood. So far, only three of the Winds of Magic have been reliably observed to produce Incarnate Elementals -- Ghur, Aqshy and Shyish, as described below.[3e]
- Incarnate Elemental of Beasts - A grotesque and towering, half-Human figure, the Incarnate Elemental of Beasts embodies the ferocity and merciless hunger of the wild that drives the Wind of Ghur.[5] It contains within it the spirit of numberless predators -- animalistic and cruel, unrestrained and bloodthirsty. It seeks to chase down anything that it regards as entering its territory, maul them until their struggles cease, and then glut itself upon their body and blood.[3h] Its taut-sinewed form springs and bounds with ease through the densest wood or barren moor, running down its prey without mercy or cease and gorging on their flesh in an orgy of unrestrained bloodlust.[5] Its howling fills those who hear it with terror, awakening in them an ancestral memory of the might of primal predators.[3h]
- Incarnate Elemental of Fire - Born from the most wantonly destructive of all the Winds of Magic, the all-consuming and insatiably hungry Aqshy, It is said that the Incarnate Elemental of Fire possesses a terrible wrath and fury only matched by Daemons of Chaos. Few can withstand the elemental's wrath and it can unleash a fire storm that turns armour into molten slag. It possesses a lean and terrible form, cinder black and ash strewn, from which phenomenal heat radiates and showers of hot ember are given off as it moves.[3f]
- Incarnate Elemental of Death - To conjure the Incarnate Elemental of Death is to beckon death itself into the mortal world. It is a terrifying apparition, bearing the heads of lean and hungry Dragons at either end of a massive and twisted serpentine body. Although it is monstrous, it makes no sound, save for a soft susurrus, the eerie whisperings of the grave, following in its wake. Those versed in the Lore of Death claim that anyone who meets the gaze of one witnesses their own destruction -- but those who get so close are surely lost already. Rearing up on its sinuous body the Elemental strikes with a speed few can escape, crushing its foes beneath the coils of its twisting body or ripping them apart with its monstrous jaws, and can expel maodourous, poisonous vapours that reek of death.[3g]
Djinn[]
Djinn are magical elemental spirits akin to Daemons, that reside in the deep deserts of Araby and the Land of the Dead. They are creatures born of the elements and may assume many different forms such as horses made of sand, pillars of fire or mighty Arabyan warriors comprised of swirling air. They are ancient spirits that know many long-forgotten secrets and prophets of fate and doom to many, very good at avoiding trouble due to their prophetic powers. The Djinn naturally radiate an aura of power and all have magical powers due to their spiritual and elemental nature.[7a]
Djinn are so far removed and isolated from the source of all magical power in the Northern Wastes that they rely upon the close presence of powerful magical artefacts to maintain their existence. They also sometimes cling to local areas where a vestige source of magical energy may be found, but in such cases their power is not usually great.[8a] According to Imperial sources, the Ifrits said to haunt the southern deserts resemble Elementals in a lesser aspect. The most notable types of Djinn are noted below.[3e]
- Desert Spirits - The magicians of Araby can command these desert-dwelling Djinn to engulf their foes in a swirling cloud of choking sand and dust.[8a]
- Fire Efreets - A Fire Efreet is a creature of savage delight that cackles as it hurtles through the air. As it burns its surroundings it shouts curses that sound for all the world like the spit-crack of raw fresh melting upon open fire.[9a]
- Sea-nymphs - Sea-nymphs -- or "Salt Devils" as they are known to the pirates of Sartosa -- are Djinn who can freeze water solid around seabound foes or seal holes with living ice. Though they take the form of lissom wenches, they are perhaps the most inhuman of all the Djinn spirits, and delight in dragging those struggling to tread water so deep into the sea that their fragile Human bodies crumple in upon themselves under the pressures of the abyss.[9a]
- Tempest Djinn - Tempest Djinns are storm-born elemental spirits as capricious as zephyrs in temperament, but their raw might is that of a tornado. They have hurricane breath and can pull even the most fearsome winds unto themselves like a shroud.[9a] Some of these aerial spirits are bound into the spiralling patterns of Arabyan Flying Carpets.[8a]
Natural Elementals[]
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This article may contain older content that is now considered non-canon.
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The four types of Elementals
The following represents material that was canon about Elementals in prior editions of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay but may no longer be so.
Elementals are temporary physical manifestations or avatars of the four natural forces of air, earth, fire, and water, formed when the energy inherent in one of the four elements becomes incarnate. Each of the four Elemental types has special powers unique to itself, but all Elementals share many common features.[1a]
Although there is really no such thing as an Elemental's "natural form," each has a familiar manifestation, which is basically humanoid; this is due to the fact that most Elementals are summoned by Elementalist wizards or Druidic Priests and they usually respond by imitating the form of their summoners. An Elemental is not of a fixed size. Elementals of a certain size may split into smaller Elementals or combine into larger ones. Split Elementals do not operate as a unit, but are treated as individuals.[1a]
Elementals have no real sense of personal identity or individual intelligence. Their memories are those of their element as a whole; sometimes an Elemental will appear to be very wise, while at other times it can seem very stupid. In reality, they lack anything that a Human would recognise as intelligence; they never question anything, they do not make judgments of any kind, and they have no self-motivation. They will obey the commands of their summoners and are destroyed if they are slain.[1a]
Some Elementals may cast spells. These are always successful and have no limit to the amount of power they can produce, as they draw their energy directly from the natural world.[1a]
An Air Elemental and Water Elemental
Air Elementals[]
Air Elementals are often invisible or take the form of a swirling cloudy figure. They may move over and attack anything in contact with the air. Air Elementals may not move through a barrier of any of the other elements, but may move around or over them, if possible. They may not move underground or through water.[1a]
Water Elementals[]
Water Elementals can take the form of huge waves or waterspouts in a body of water such as a sea or lake and appear as torrential, driving rain over land. They can move between earth and air at normal movement rates, but cannot wholly enter either the earth or the air. In addition, they may move through any body of water, including underground rivers and drains.[1a]
Fire Elementals[]
A Fire Elemental and an Earth Elemental
Fire Elementals appear as figures of animated flame. They may move freely, provided that they remain in contact with both earth and air; if a Fire Elemental loses contact with the ground or is cut off from the air, it is extinguished and ceases to exist. Fire Elementals which are stranded over water are destroyed, and might be destroyed if subject to heavy rain. They cannot cross a barrier of any of the other elements and cannot move through solid objects, but can seep through structures which are not air-tight at normal speed.[1a]
Earth Elementals[]
Earth Elementals have a rough, stony hide in any form they take. They may move through solid objects of stone or metal at will, including walls, doors, and the ground itself. They may not cross a barrier composed of one of the other elements, although they may go under or around such a barrier, if they can do so without losing contact with the earth. They must remain in contact with the ground at all times since if they become detached they crumble to dust and are instantly destroyed.[1a]
Possible Elementals[]
Many other forms of Elemental are thought to exist. Altdorf wizards would love to study many of these creatures in order to discover if there are any truths to the legends and if these entities represent Winds of Magic other than Ghur, Aqshy and Shyish.[3e]
The Ungols and Hobgoblins who rove the Eastern Steppes tell of "Wind Daemons" that some suppose may be Incarnate Elementals of Hysh. Tales of creatures made of living rock or metal are shared by miners and mountaineers.[3e]
Other entities known to exist that may be variants of Elementals are listed below.
- Arcane Phoenixes - Arcane Phoenixes are creatures of spirit and fire, a living embodiment of the destructive and purging will of Aqshy. It is this nimbus of flame that constantly surrounds the Arcane Phoenix and betrays its otherworldly heritage. They are cloaked in blazing feathers that can turn the sharpest arrow, and flames dance across their pinions to sear their prey when they attack, a long pair of feathered tails leaving a spray of blazing sparks and embers in their wake as they swoop across the battlefield.[10a]
- Elemental Bear - Some say that Kislev is alive, a true Motherland which cares for its people and defends them in times of war.[5] The Gospodars meanwhile speak of their gods manifesting as massive bears formed of rock and ice.[3e] Outsiders call these claims old wives' tales -- but those who have seen the land literally rise up and fight know better. Elemental Bears are beings brought into sentience by the faith and devotion of the Kislevite people, and imbued with the spirit of the land. They are a brutal force of nature, massive, terrifying creatures of magical wrath and freezing, elemental breath that rise from the earth to fight beside Kislev's children.[5]
- K'daai - Created by the Dawi-Zharr, the so-called "Scions of Fire" are not simply bound Daemons. They are a separate race of beings, half-Daemon essence and half-raging fire, drawn from the magma of the deep earth and birthed in the boiling blood of the minor Chaos God Hashut's burning sacrifices, given form and contained within an armoured framework of articulated iron and rune-stamped bronze. These mighty Daemonic fire elementals are trapped by sorcery and science,[3e] and need to be laid to rest as cold and silent metal until they are required in battle. There they burn bright and terrible, but briefly, as almost mindless, elemental forces of destruction.[6a]
- Sea Elemental - Sailors have reported seeing creatures formed purely out of water. Scholars of magic suppose these to be Incarnate Elementals of Ghyran.[3e] Some say that as the ages pass, the demigod Triton and his kind slowly become more like the seas they are lord over until there is very little to distinguish them from the towering waves and the raging storms, and perhaps Sea Elementals are some stage of this process. In any case, Sea Elementals exist, and are living mountains of blue-black water that rear out of the water in the barely recognisable shape of a huge man. They are immensely destructive, and have control over the seas that surround them, and thus can bury their opponent in tidal waves, or summon storms, whirlpools and hurricanes. Often they fall upon their victims as a mighty deluge, sweeping them from the decks and sinking their ship.[11a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: Core Rulebook (RPG)
- 1a: pg. 258
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition: Realms of Sorcery (RPG)
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Winds of Magic (RPG)
- 4: Mordheim: Town Cryer 20
- 4a: pg. 16
- 5: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)
- 6 Tamurkhan: The Throne of Chaos (8th Edition)
- 6a: pg. 184
- 7: Mordheim: Town Cryer 21
- 7a: pg. 17
- 8 Warmaster: Armies (2006)
- 8a pp. 48-50
- 9 Dreadfleet (Specialist Game)
- 9a pp. 38-39
- 10: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG)
- 10a pg. 17
- 11: Man O'War -- Sea of Blood (Specialty Game)
- 11a: pg. 13