"With Moon Staff and sword, I am master of magics and shaper of fates. Destiny beckons and I must heed the call."
- —Teclis, Loremaster of Hoeth and Archmage of Ulthuan[8a]
Teclis, High Loremaster of Hoeth, Warden of the White Tower, and known in the Old World as Teclis of Ulthuan,[12a] is a High Elf Prince, High Elf Archmage and Loremaster of Hoeth who is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most powerful wizards the mortal world has ever known. Teclis is the twin brother of Tyrion, the famed High Elf Prince, warrior and the widely-proclaimed "Defender of Ulthuan." Being of the Line of Aenarion, each of his descendants is destined for greatness amongst the Ten Kingdoms. This has made Tyrion a masterful warrior and general, and in turn, this greatness makes Teclis proficient and knowledgeable in all arts and forms of magic.[1a]
It is said that Teclis is not a far cry to the most ancient and revered Elven archmage in history; the legendary Caledor Dragontamer, whose heroic sacrifice led to the creation of the Great Vortex which sucked the corrupting influence of Chaos from the mortal world, saving it from eternal damnation. Few within the world can match Teclis and his control over magic. No one, not even the mighty Malekith, Witch King of Naggaroth, could best him in a magical duel.[1a]
Indeed, ever since they faced one another at the Battle of Finuval Plain during the Great War Against Chaos in 2302 IC, Teclis has cemented his place in history as Malekith's only true superior in the magical arts. It is even claimed that Teclis' power approaches that of the Great Necromancer, the Liche Nagash himself, and so it is fortunate that the Loremaster has devoted his life to thwarting all malevolent powers.[1a]
The twins differ greatly in their outlook on the world. Where Tyrion sees the protection of Ulthuan as his chief duty, Teclis seeks to safeguard the whole world and those mortals of all races that live in it. Such is his ideology that he came to the aid of the Imperial general and future emperor Magnus the Pious and the forces of the Men of the Old World in the Great War Against Chaos, and with him founded the Colleges of Magic in the Empire, teaching the wizards of Men how they could safely control the Winds of Magic, even if they could never match the true mastery of the Elves.[1a]
Since then, Teclis has walked abroad in many other lands, sharing his wisdom with those who have need of it, and wielding his magics to keep the dark forces of Chaos at bay. Thus will Teclis' legend endure long after heroes of the sword have been forgotten, for his actions shape not a battle, nor even a campaign, but the future of the mortal world itself.[1a]
History
"Lileath knows the purity of my intentions - I would see the shackles of Chaos broken"
- —Teclis, Loremaster of Ulthuan[8b]
Heraldry of the Order of Loremasters' High Elven army, commanded by High Loremaster Teclis, as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.
Teclis, along with his brother Tyrion, were born as twin sons to the scholarly Prince Arathion, a distant descendant to Phoenix King Aenarion himself. Ever since Princess Alysia, the twin's mother died during childbirth, much of their lives were spent within a secluded manor within Ulthuan's remote backcountry. His father, having spent most of his life and fortune trying to repair the ancient Armor of Aenarion, did little to teach or raise the boys himself. Instead, the elderly Thornberry put it upon herself to take care of the rash and energetic Tyrion, and the frail and sickly Teclis.[5a] This all changed the day the twins came of age and were required to be presented to the current Phoenix King.[5b]
With heavy hearts, their father, who never truly spent as much time as he would with his sons, nevertheless showed great sorrow in his eyes when he saw them go. With the aid of Lady Malene, their aunt and Korhien Ironglaive, a White Lion bodyguard, the twins were safely escorted towards the capital city of Lothern. From there, the twins began to learn their respective arts, and in a pivotal moment, the twins came face to face with N'Kari, the Slaaneshi Greater Daemon who led the Rape of Ulthuan all those years ago. Upon the great Temple of Asuryan, the twins would've met their death by the hands of this Daemon, but the God Asuryan came to their aid, banishing the daemon from the mortal plane once more. In that moment, all saw that from day on, the twins were marked by the hands of destiny.[5i]
The Dark Elven Wars
During the time of the Great War Against Chaos in 2301 IC, destiny touched the twins. From the north, the Dark Elves swept through Ulthuan looting, burning and pillaging. Allied with the servants of the four powers of Chaos they seemed unstoppable; the gigantic Black Arks of Naggaroth vomiting forth a wave of corruption onto the shores of the Elf lands. Ships of rune-woven red iron brought frenzied Chaos Warriors to Ulthuan and the Witch King of Naggaroth once more set foot on the land from where he'd so long ago been driven. Everywhere the unprepared Elves suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of their Chaos worshipping kin. In the lands of Men things went no better. The shattered Empire, long a cauldron of factional strife, could not stand against the tide of Chaos. It was a time of blood and darkness; the world was ending in death and despair.[3a]
Tyrion was in Avelorn at the court of Alarielle, the newly crowned Everqueen, when the Dark Elves came. The thunderous voices of their beasts filled the ancient woods. The shrill blast of their brazen trumpets echoed triumphantly through the heart of the land. Hurriedly, the Maiden Guard of the Queen moved to meet the threat to their lady. A hastily assembled force of warriors was thrown into battle but to no avail. The Dark Elves were too strong and it looked as if the Everqueen, the spiritual leader of Ulthuan, would fall into their clutches. In desperation, Tyrion pulled her from her silk pavilion and cut a bloody path clear of the massacre, slaying any Dark Elf that got in his way.[3a]
As they fled, Tyrion was stabbed by the blade of a Witch Elf, but disregarded his wound, and the two escaped into the heart of the ancient forests and disappeared. Word of the Everqueen's loss spread throughout the kingdoms and the hearts of the Elves were filled with despair. When the news of his brother's disappearance reached the White Tower, Teclis refused to believe his brother was dead. From birth, he and Tyrion had shared a special link and he was convinced that if Tyrion were dead he would know. He decided to leave the tower and seek him out. Using all his cunning, he forged himself a blade and wove it round with deadly enchantments. Seeing that Teclis could not be dissuaded, the High Loremaster gifted him with the War Crown of Saphery and let him go. He sensed destiny in the youth and knew that the fate of the Elven kingdoms rested on his shoulders. Teclis was stronger now, the potions of the Loremasters had gone a long way towards giving him mortal strength. The High Loremaster hoped it would be enough.[3a]
Tyrion and the Everqueen fled through a land laid waste by war. The old forests burned as the Dark Elves took vengeance for their long exile. An army of Ellyrian horsemen was destroyed in the field by the Witch King's sorcery. The Princes of Caledor strove unsuccessfully to wake the last dragons while the great navies of Lothern were driven from the seas by the Chaos fleets. A Dark Elven army re-took the Blighted Isle and the Altar of Khaine fell once more into their hands. Triumph followed triumph for the spawn of Naggaroth. Bitter defeat piled upon bitter defeat for the High Elves. The Dark Elves were filled with glee at the news of the loss of Alarielle, but the Witch King refused to believe the rumour of her death. He insisted that her body be found so he could display it crucified upon his standard. Four assassins stood before him and pledged to know no rest until they brought him her corpse. The Dark Elves sought the pair everywhere. Tyrion and the Everqueen often hid, blindly writhing through the loam to avoid the eyes of Dark Elf patrols. As the Witch Elf poison gripped him, Tyrion grew ever weaker and more feverish, but with her land disrupted the young Everqueen could not find the power to save him.[3a]
The High Elves were reduced to fighting a guerrilla war in their own land while the servants of Darkness reigned everywhere. But now a new rumour filled all ears. A sorcerer was abroad and no one could stand against him. He was a pale youth who wore the War Crown of Saphery. Where he walked, the Dark Elves trembled, for he commanded the powers of magic as if born to them. His words summoned lightning and cast down monsters and destroyed Chaos Warriors with a word. The Slaaneshi Champion Alberecht Numan challenged him to battle, but he and all his followers were in an instant reduced to dust. He intervened at the Battle of Hathar Ford and slew Ferik Kasterman's Coven of Ten — the most feared Tzeentchian sorcerers of the day. These were small victories, but in those days of darkness they gave the High Elves some hope. Hope was what the folk of Ulthuan's many kingdoms desperately needed.[3b]
The claw of Chaos held the island-continent firmly in its grip. From Chrace in the north to Eataine in the south, the Elf lands were overrun. Not even the waters of the Inner Sea were free of Dark Elven incursion. Ships were carved from the blighted forests with supernatural speed, and raiders moved as far as the Isle of the Dead before being turned back by the warding spells. Only in Saphery, around the White Tower, and by the walls of the mighty fortress city of Lothern were the Dark Elves halted, and even there things looked grim. Three Black Arks laid siege to the great lighthouse of Lothern, the Glittering Tower. By day and night spell blasts and siege engine shots bartered the walls. The Phoenix King himself was trapped within the city, and it seemed only a matter of time before the entire land was devoured. With the Everqueen lost, the Elves had little heart to fight on.[3b]
The Darkest Hour
In the forests of Avelom the hunt was closing in. The four assassins finally caught up with Tyrion and his charge, coming upon their camp by night. The wounded Elf Lord fought like a blood-mad wolf. Under the furious onslaught of his blade the Dark Elves died, but not before one unleashed a messenger familiar to carry word of their discovery to the Witch King. Howling with triumph the Lord of Naggaroth then sent forth his pride and joy, the Keeper of Secrets, N'Kari. With a roar, the Greater Daemon sped through the night to find its prey. The Daemon found Tyrion and the Everqueen in the dark hour before the dawn, descending upon them like a falling star from the firmament. Once, the Everqueen could easily have banished the Daemon, but her power was much reduced even as her land was ravaged. Tyrion reeled to his feet, determined to sell his life dearly. With a sweep of one mighty fist, the Daemon dashed the wounded warrior aside. Looming over the Everqueen it reached out to caress her cheek with its claw.[3b]
Lightning suddenly split the night and the Daemon was knocked back. A frail-looking figure emerged from the forest. On his head was the horned-moon helm of Saphery and he swiftly took up position between the queen and the Keeper of Secrets. With an angry bellow, the Daemon rose to confront him. Teclis spoke words of thunder and a sphere of coruscating energy leapt forth, its touch instantly casting the Daemon hack into the Realm of Chaos. Swiftly Teclis went to his brother's aid. Using all the healing lore he had learned in the White Tower he managed to summon Tyrion's spirit back from the brink of death's abyss. When the Daemon's defeat was revealed in his black orb of seeing, the Witch-King was enraged. He ordered one thousand enslaved Elf prisoners sacrificed to Slaanesh immediately.[3b]
The war blazed on with renewed ferocity. Teclis guided the Everqueen and his twin to the shores of the Inner Sea. There they were picked up by a white ship crewed by the remnants of the Queen's Guard. This carried them to the Plain of Finuval where the shattered remnants of the Elf armies were assembling for a desperate last stand. Charioteers from Tirane raced into position between Silver Helm cavalry and spearmen from Cothique and Yvresse. Ellyrian cavalrymen mustered beside the elite White Lions of Chrace. Griffon-mounted Elf Lords soared over the army. Swordmasters of the White Tower formed up alongside the Everqueen's Maiden Guard. When word of the Everqueen's presence was known, a great cheer went up from the army, and all the warriors gained new heart. But then a cloud of dust on the horizon announced the arrival of their enemies.[3b]
Battle of Finuval Plain
That night the two armies camped almost within bowshot of each other. The watchfires of one force could be seen by the pickets of the other. In the Elf camp Tyrion and Teclis were greeted by their father Arathion. The old Elf lord gifted Tyrion with the Dragon Armour of Aenarion. This armour had been worn by the first Phoenix King during the ancient wars with Chaos. It had been forged in Vaul's Anvil and could resist the fiery breath of Dragons. Out of gratitude for his rescue of the Everqueen, the Elves of Ellyrion presented him with their finest steed, Malhandir, last of the bloodline of Korhandir, father of horses. The Everqueen herself gifted him with a heart-shaped brooch which she had woven with enchantments for his safe return. In his mighty fist Tyrion grasped the runesword Sunfang, forged in elder days to be the bane of Daemons. So Tyrion was made ready for battle. To Teclis, Alarielle gave the sacred Staff of Lileath. It granted him strength and power so great that he had no need for his enabling potions. He refused the offer of any sword, preferring to use the blade he had forged with his own hands. He was now ready to stand beside his brother in the heat of battle.[3b]
The coming of day revealed the full extent of the Chaos forces. Endless ranks of Dark Elf crossbowmen chanted the praises of Slaanesh. A horde of Cold Ones croaked and bellowed in the chill morning light. Mail-armoured warriors brandished their spears. Witch Elves cackled and screamed maniacally. Beastmasters herded monsters into position. One entire flank of the Witch King's army was held by Chaos knights and their bestial retinues. The Elves were greatly outnumbered and the situation looked desperate. From a blasted hill in the centre of that evil army, the gigantic black-armoured figure of the Witch King surveyed the battlefield, confident that victory was within his iron-clawed grasp. Urian Poisonblade, the Witch King's personal champion, called out a challenge to single combat.[3c]
Urian's reputation preceded him. He had been bred for battle by the Witch King himself. He was the greatest of assassins, the most relentless of slayers. He had the heart of a daemon and the eyes of a hawk. He could kill a bull with one blow of his bare hands, and deflect an arrow in flight with a sweep of his blade. On his brow was the mark of Khaine. He was Death incarnate. Arhalien of Yvresse was the first to respond. He was a mighty soldier, a veteran of countless battles. Urian cut him down as if he were a child. The Elf army moaned in despair and dismay. Next was Korhian Ironglaive, captain of the White Lions, the most renowned warrior of Chrace. Blows were exchanged faster than the eye could follow but to no avail — within minutes the proud High Elf lay headless on the plain. Then Tyrion strode forth.[3c]
It was a battle the like of which those present had never before witnessed. It was as if gods themselves made war. Sparks flew as blade clashed on blade. Both warriors fought in deadly silence. Again and again, Urian's glowing black blade was turned by Tyrion's armour. Again and again the master assassin ducked the sweep of Sunfang. They fought for an hour and it seemed that neither would have the edge. Spells blistered the air around them as the Witch King sought to aid his champion. Sweat glistening on his brow, Teclis dispelled them. Every witness held their breath. It seemed impossible that anyone could survive in the middle of that storm of blades.[3c]
Then Tyrion slipped and Urian loomed over him blade held high. It was the opening that the High Elf had waited for. A quick thrust of his weapon found the assassin's heart. The host of darkness let out a howl of anguish and charged forward to overwhelm the lone Elf warrior and the Elf army raced to meet them. Malhandir reached his master first and Tyrion vaulted into the saddle then turned to face his foes. The two forces clashed at the heart of Finuval Plain. The Dark Elves had the greater number and their allies were fell. The High Elves were fighting for their homeland and the Everqueen. They had the desperate courage that this might be their last chance to turn the tide. For an entire day, the armies fought with savage fury. Both sides were driven by the consuming hatred that their ancient civil war had bred.[3c]
Flights of crossbow bolts, so numerous they darkened the sky, were met by clouds of white fletched arrows. Great lumbering cold ones were hamstrung by nimble elven warriors. The horsemen of Ellyrion were pulled down by the foul beasts of Chaos. Spells crackled back and forth through the air. Blood mingled with the dust thrown up by the battle. Thousands died but neither side gave any ground. So great was the carnage that warriors fought over bodies of the dead and ravens feasted on the wounded trapped inside the mounds of corpses. Right at the centre, Tyrion fought with the fury of an enraged beast. His great burning blade cut down foes with every stroke, and his shining mail turned the swords of his desperate foes. By himself he was worth an army. Where he rode the elves took heart. Malhandir trampled Dark Elves beneath his silver-shod hooves. But Tyrion could not be everywhere at once and slowly the weight of numbers turned the battle against the High Elves.[3c]
The Defeat of the Witch King
Tyrion and his brother Teclis, fighting side by side.
At the heart of the battle, Teclis wrestled with the dark sorcery of the Witch King. Naggaroth's dark master had perfected his evil arts over long millennia and for the first time Teclis met a foe that was his match. Awesome magical energies were focused and brought to bear. Lightning streaked the darkening sky. Ten-ihle clouds, capable of stripping warriors to the bone, were turned aside by magical winds. Daemons howled and gibbered as they surged through the carnage. Teclis strode into the sky to better observe the battle. From the blasted hilltop the Witch King matched him spell for spell. Teclis saw that the battle had turned. The size of the Dark Elf warhost was too great. It looked as if the elves would be utterly massacred. Now there was nothing else for it. It was time for a last desperate gamble. He invoked the power of Lileath.[3c]
His staff glowed and pulsed as the goddess fed him energy. Teclis sculpted the power into one bolt of titanic power and unleashed it upon the Witch King. Frantically the evil one tried to turn it aside but could not. The blast descended on him, burning into his very soul and rekindled Asuryan's judgement upon him once again. At the final moment, he was forced to cast himself into the Realm of Chaos to avoid final and utter death. Freed now from the burden of dealing with the Witch King, Teclis turned his energies on the horde of evil. Spell after spell crashed down on the Dark Elves; the carnage was too awful to contemplate. Malhandir brought Tyrion face to face with the Witch King's standard bearer and the High Elf cut down his foe with ease. Malhandir trampled the Witch King's banner into the mud. Seeing their lord defeated and their standard smashed the Dark Elves fell into despair. Overhead a seemingly unstoppable magician rained magical doom down on them, whilst before them an unstoppable warrior clove through their ranks like a ship through the waves.[3c]
Almost to a man that vast army turned and fled. Almost to a man they were cut down. The High Elves had won their first major victory of the year. The tide had turned. Tyrion led the army south to relieve Lothern. Word of his coming gave heart to the High Elves. The tall warrior wearing the Everqueen's favour and his sorcerer twin became feared by their foes. The High Elf army fell on the besiegers of Lothern, putting them to the sword. The Phoenix King led his guard from Lothern to meet them. Caught between the hammer and the anvil the besieging army was crushed. Outside the walls of Lothern, Tyrion and Teclis were greeted by the Phoenix King himself. Within two days a great plan was conceived to drive the Dark Elves from the land. Tyrion would lead one High Elf army to Saphery to relieve the Tower of Hoeth. The Phoenix King would drive north and engage the enemy directly. Word arrived from Caledor that the dragons had been roused. Victory was within the High Elves' grasp.[3d]
The Gift of Magic
A meeting between Magnus and Teclis.
"These storms are to be much feared - for in them are echoes of the bitter past and promises of an abominable future"
- —Teclis, teaching at the Colleges of Magic.[9a]
Just as the armies readied to set out, a battered ship limped into harbour. It was commanded by Pieter Lazlo, personal ambassador of Magnus the Pious. He bore a tale of woe from the Old World. The armies of Chaos had overrun Kislev and looked set to sweep over the lands of Men. Magnus had led the human defence of the Empire and, desperate for help, had sent to the elves for aid. The elves knew that they could barely spare a single warrior from their forces and yet they knew that if mankind failed then the forces of Chaos in the Old World would be free to aid the Dark Elves. Hearing once more the call of destiny, Teclis volunteered to go to the aid of Mankind.[3d]
Yrtle and Finreir, two of his old comrades from the Tower of Hoeth, agreed to go with him. It was all that could be done. The two brothers parted at the docks in Lothern. It was a bleak farewell. Neither knew if they would ever see each other again. Teclis took to his ship. Tyrion rode away with his army. It would be many long years before they reunited. Now leading the elf army, Tyrion proved to be every bit as skillful a general as he was a warrior. His surprise attack routed the Chaos forces in the woods around the White Tower. Joined by a contingent of Swordmasters, his army marched on into southern Avelorn to reclaim the Everqueen's land. There the Dark Elves had been demoralised by the Witch King's defeat and hounded relentlessly by guerrilla forces. Tyrion drove them out of the woods and into the hills of southern Chrace.[3d]
In this mountainous land a savage war of ambush and counter-ambush was fought. But the Phoenix King had lent Tyrion the services of a unit of White Lions and these bold warriors' knowledge of their homeland was to prove invaluable. In the year 2303 IC, exactly two years after the invasion began, the Phoenix King and Tyrion met at Tor Achare, the capital of Chrace. The Dark Elves had been driven from the mainland of Ulthuan. The war was all but over, although bitter fighting was to rumble on in the islands for many decades.
In the Old World, Teclis and his companions arrived at the court of Magnus the Pious, where Teclis's wise advice and mighty sorcery soon made him an invaluable counsellor. The influence of the three High Elf mages changed the course of the war. They taught some simple battle spells to the human hedge wizards and these, combined with their own command of awesome forces, aided in many victories for men. In numerous battles they proved their willingness to spill their own blood in defence of the lands of man and Teclis and Finreir both took many wounds.[3d]
Yrtle himself fell in battle and was buried with great honour. But it was after the war, when Magnus had driven the enemy from the land and he'd been hailed as the new emperor, that he performed what was to be his most significant act. Magnus requested that Finreir and Teclis teach the full secrets of magic to men. The new emperor had seen how instrumental it had been in holding back the tide of Chaos and wanted to add yet another weapon to mankind's arsenal. At first Finreir resisted. Elves and men had come to blows in the past and might do so again. Teclis took the long view. He argued that by helping Men protect themselves against Chaos they would create an invaluable bulwark against the forces of darkness. Eventually, Teclis's view prevailed and the Colleges of Magic were established. Teclis himself taught the first human students and more than twenty years passed before he returned home. Through his work as a teacher, he became fond of the race of men and saw in it the possibility and the threat that in time it might far exceed the declining race of elves.[3d]
The two brothers met again at their ancestral home in the year 2326 when Teclis returned for their father's funeral. It was a sad moment but the two embraced joyously. Tyrion was now the chosen Champion of the Everqueen, second only to the Phoenix King among the defenders of Ulthuan. Teclis planned to return to the Empire to continue his work, but word came that the High Loremaster of the White Tower had died and the council offered Teclis his position. Teclis could not refuse such an honour and so he returned to the Tower of Hoeth. Since the days of the Great War against Chaos the two brothers have been active in the defence of Ulthuan. Tyrion led the army that defeated Erik Redaxe's army of Norse raiders and twice led expeditions to the Blighted Isle to reclaim the Altar of Khaine from the Dark Elves. Both times he drove the spawn of Naggaroth off but always they return. When not leading the armies to war he dwells at the court of the Everqueen and keeps the peace in Avelorn, slaying marauding monsters and hunting down bands of beastmen and goblins. Teclis probes the ancient mysteries of sorcery at the White Tower. Often his researches demand that he visit the far corners of the world. He has ventured as far afield as Cathay and Lustria and has aided armies both human and High Elf against the forces of evil. And so does the fame of the twins grow larger ever still.[3d]
Storm of Chaos
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Attention, Empire Citizens!
This article or this section of the article contains information regarding the Storm of Chaos campaign and its aftermath, which is now considered a non-canon, alternate timeline.
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"I have come, as I came to you over two centuries ago. Four lifetimes in your reckoning, less than a generation in ours. Though the people of the Phoenix King have their own woes, the time has come again when our paths must cross, for the fate of the world hangs in balance. No race can stand aside against the threat that gathers in the cold wastes of the north. Not alone will the mighty numbers of men, nor the stone walls of the dwarfs, nor the fleets of Ulthuan hold back the tide of darkness if we are divided."
- —Teclis, Loremaster of Ulthuan during the Conclave of Light.[11c]
During the events of the Storm of Chaos, Teclis was sent by Phoenix King Finubar to the Conclave of Light in Altdorf. He was greeted by the kneeling Patriarchs of the Colleges of Magic, for whom the mage had become a near-mythical figure.[11a] His urgings to put aside petty feuds to face the greater threat of Chaos ended most of the bickering between the Elector Counts, and even the dwarfs of Karak Kadrin, agreed. Teclis pledged the fleet of Sea Lord Aislinn to patrol the Sea of Claws, while he would remain with a contingent of Swordmasters of Hoeth as well as trained High Elf mages at the side of the Emperor.[11b]
Teclis and his host accompanied the army of Karl Franz to Middenheim. During the battle at the village Sokh, Teclis faced the Dark Master himself, the daemon prince Be'lakor, who had come with his own daemonic army to take the glory of destroying Middenheim.[13a]
The High Loremaster's bodyguard of three-hundred Swordmasters were a splash of white in the sea of darkness surrounding Karl Franz and his men. They formed a circle with the Great Mage at its heart, and their greatswords whipped and danced around them, carving apart the incorporeal bodies of their unholy assailants. Be'lakor, many times the size of Teclis, then dived from the skies towards him, for the mage seemed vulnerable. Teclis then drank deep from a cup that glittered and shone, and just as the hateful daemon was upon him, the mage became engulfed in an explosion of white flame. The hemisphere of magical fire expanded outwards, with Teclis at its center. Daemons screeched and gibbered as they were banished, though the flames left all else unscathed. Not a daemon was left on the field, and even the Shadowlord that had sought to rend Teclis apart had become a patch of darkness in the air, until even that faded.[11d]
Characteristics
"The Realms of Man must not fall. Our fate is intertwined with theirs, and if they fall, so too do we. For this reason, I taught their first masters of magic, and for this reason, we must not abandon Men, despite their barbarous ways."
- —Teclis, Loremaster of Ulthuan.[7a]
A young Teclis contemplating the future.
Teclis has the attitude and insightfulness of a mage destined. Like his brother, Teclis bears the Curse of Aenarion, and this curse has made Teclis frail and sickly from the moment of his birth. Were it not for the many medical remedies and magical potions bought at great expense to keep his strength up, Teclis would've died many years ago. It was only the love and care of his brother Tyrion and the elderly Thornberry which saw Teclis pull through this rough childhood. Despite their father's overall lack of interest in the well-being of his children, it has always been known within the family that their father favours Teclis over his other son Tyrion. This is due in the most part because, like Teclis, Prince Arathion was a scholar and a mage of great skill and prestige.[5a]
During times when his father would seclude himself in his studies, trying to repair the Armor of Aenarion, Teclis would often be there and help him despite his sickly condition. In fact, many of Prince Arathion's traits can be seen clearly upon Teclis himself.[5a] Teclis is an extremely thorough and calculating person, who values all knowledge found and puts great effort in trying to figure out its meaning, no matter how subtle or trivial it may seem to others. This has made him seek out all forms of knowledge within the world, journeying to many distant lands and braving many perils to know the true secrets of magic. He hopes that by doing so, he may one day find the ultimate knowledge on how to finally rid the world of Chaos once and for all.[5b]
Concerning Humans
Since his travels into Lustria alongside Tyrion, Teclis believes that the Elves' prejudice is a joke. Of course the elves were better looking than humans by any standard. Of course, they were more knowledgeable about lore. Of course elves were better at all the things that elves were good at than humans were. It was a competition in which all the rules were made by the elves and all of them reflected to their own advantage.[10a]
No elf bothered to think that there might be things that humans knew that elves did not. No elf ever was prepared to admit that humans already occupied and controlled a greater portion of the globe than the elves ever had and that this process was only likely to continue.[10a]
All the elves imagined that just because they lived longer they enjoyed more favour in the eyes of the gods. Teclis felt sure that humans could judge this contest by their own standards and feel superior to elves if they really wanted to; it was just that so far they had not done so. They were still used to thinking of elves as the Elder Race. They were still dazzled by beauty and culture and magic. But that would not last.[10a]
One day, Teclis felt, the humans would see beyond the glamour and begin to judge the elves as they deserved to be judged. They would see that the elves were not really so much better than they were, after all.[10a]
They would see that the elves were split into two warring factions. They were, in their own way, just as divided as the human realms - perhaps more so. He could not think of any human kingdoms that were involved in so bitter a fratricidal struggle as Ulthuan and Naggaroth. Or which had been fought for so long.[10a]
And the humans did not seem to suffer from the same madness that plagued the elves: the strange obsessions, the lust for power, the furious desire to acquire knowledge and magical lore that the elves suffered from.[10a]
Of course these things did affect humans, but not with the same intensity as they affected elves. Some of his own kindred would see that as proof of superiority. The elves felt things more keenly, appreciated things more and moved through the world with much more intensity than humans could.[10a]
Teclis was not at all sure that this did make them superior. It merely made them different. In fact, there were times when he believed that the excessive nature of their temperament was a definite disadvantage. They were capable of focusing on one thing exclusively to the point where they would miss other more important things.[10a]
The lasts thoughts brought back memories of his father, and how his obsession with the Dragon Armour of Aenarion had driven him to neglect his own children, as well as driven their finances to the brink of ruin.[10a]
Yet Teclis knew only too well he should be the last one to blame elves for their obsession. Despite this he could not help but feel that elves judged themselves too favourably and humans not favourably enough. Even knowing this, Teclis could not help but judge his own kin as the better of the two, realizing he was not immune to the normal prejudices, but, at least he was aware of the fact that he suffered from them.[10a]
Later, during a battle against the Undead, Teclis found himself within a situation where he could save himself and his brother at the cost of the humans they'd brought on their expedition. He wondered why he should care, reasoning that, by elven standards, they were going to die soon anyway, whether by disease or disaster.[10b]
But Teclis did care. He felt responsible for them, both he and his brother having brought them into danger. And though their lives were short, they were the only lives they had. He even felt sympathy for humans that his kin seemed to lack, the mage knowing that most elves would not have given him a chance at living when he had been but a sickly child.[10b]
So it was that Teclis could see himself in humans, he could share in their perspective, for they were poorly made and despised by his fellow elves, just like he was.[10b]
He's a night person. He likes to be awake and studying while others sleep. It was a habit he had acquired in his youth when he had difficulty sleeping because of his numerous illnesses.[10c]
Wargear
"I am Teclis, of the line of Aenarion, of the firstborn of Ulthuan. If I wished to destroy you or enthral you or bring doom down upon your pitiful barbarian village, it would already be done and there is nothing that you or your followers or your childish magic could do to stop me, old man."
- —Teclis, cowing the suspicious denizens of Albion[6b]
The War Crown of Saphery, the Sword of Teclis and the Moon Staff of Lileath as depicted in concept art for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.
Teclis is the most powerful wizard of any of the mortal races in this age of the Known World. He is master of the foremost archmages of the High Elves and has studied in their secret libraries for more than an entire Human lifetime.[3f] He has fought in wars from the northern Chaos Wastes to the distant lands of Lustria and mystic Grand Cathay. During these long years he has found no match for his mystical skill, and even the mighty Witch King of the Dark Elves has acknowledged Teclis as his superior.[4a]
- Sword of Teclis - This blade was forged by Teclis, a powerful magical sword to protect himself as he began the perilous quest to rescue his twin brother Tyrion and the Everqueen Alarielle. It is charged with crackling energy that rends apart those struck by its shining blade.[1a]
- Moon Staff of Lileath - The Moon Staff is imbued with the immortal power of the Elven goddess Lileath, the goddess of dreams and fortune, eternally youthful daughter of Isha, the goddess of nature, which flows through Teclis and invigorates his feeble frame. In times of great need, Teclis can call upon the full power of the staff. Doing so allows him to unleash a fearsome barrage of magical power, or else dissipate dangerous sorcerers energies before they spiral out of control, but also leaves Teclis himself badly weakened.[1a]
- Scroll of Hoeth - Though seemingly fragile, this well-worn heirloom has seen a thousand battles and will see many more.[1a]
- War Crown of Saphery - The War Crown is an ancient symbol of the magical realms of Saphery, seldom seen outside the walls of the White Tower of Hoeth except in times of peril. It was gifted to Teclis by the former High Loremaster on the eve of the young mage's departure on his quest for his twin brother, Tyrion and the Everqueen Alarielle.[1a]
- Potions of Inner Strength - Since his sickly childhood, Teclis has carried supplies of these two revitalising tonics wherever he goes. Both sparkle in the light as if the Loremaster had captured stars to brew his potion, but while the potion called Sariour is a golden, sunlike yellow, Charoi is the deepest blue of night.[3f] The potions used by Teclis to keep his strength require powdered Griffon bone and a pinch of saltpetre, the brew smelling infernal as a result.[10a]
Quotes
"In the moments before the Beginning, there was no Time, no Matter, and no Dimension, only the Endless Potential for these things -- for in the absence of absolutely everything, absolutely anything becomes possible. And so it was that this Endless Potential realised its own existence, thus creating the Universe and all the planes of existence that run parallel to it. As Time and Matter and Dimension swelled in the physical womb of the Realised, the Potential continued to grow alongside them within the metaphysical womb of the still Unrealised. Every new creation brought with it the possibility for growth and a greater complexity of Form and Process. In time, Creation realised unto itself Life, and Life in turn spawned Perception, and following Perception came Consciousness, and with Consciousness so followed Intelligence, and from Intelligence sprang Conception, and from that came the Words that bind all things into Conception. And so the Words made new Conceptions, and new Conceptions increased Intelligence, and increased Intelligence broadened Consciousness, and broadened Consciousness deepened Perception, and this deepened Perception came to know Life more fully, and Perception understood the Form and Process of all that was Realised and came to permeate the raw Potential of all the was yet Unrealised. Within the Endless Potential of the Unrealised, Conceptions began to take their own form, and in time the Great Paradigms awakened -- Powers of the Unrealised that spoke their own Words, so glorious and so terrible. Now millennia have passed, and we speak our own Words, Words that marry the tongues of the Mundane with tongues of those whose mystical insight teaches us of the gods and the world, of the Mortal and Immortal, and with them we may sculpt the world to our Will and the universe to our Design. So it is, and so shall it be."
- —Teclis of Ulthuan; translated into Reikspiel by Magister Verspasian Kant, Magister Patriarch of the Light Order[12a]
Miniatures
Videos
Trivia
In Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, Teclis and Tyrion have both been reborn as Ascended gods of the Realm of Hysh as Teclis the Illuminator, god of light and knowledge, and Tyrion the Blind King, god of light and war.
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 54
- 2: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 64
- 3: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (6th Edition)
- 4: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (5th Edition)
- 4a: pg. 93
- 5: Blood of Aenarion (Novel) by William King
- 6: Gotrek and Felix: Giantslayer (Novel) by William King
- 7: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Realm of the Ice Queen (RPG)
- 7a: pg. 8
- 8: Warhammer Invasion card
- 9: Storm of Magic (8th Edition)
- 9a: pg. 7
- 10: Sword of Caledor (Novel) by William King
- 11: Darkness Rising: The Complete History of the Storm of Chaos (Background Book)
- 12: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Realms of Sorcery (RPG)
- 12a: pg. 17
- 13: The Broken Lance (Novel) by Nathan Long
- 13a: Ch. 5
Gallery
