Eldar - Encyclopedia/H

From CcmWiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Eldar Encyclopedia Index:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Named Eldar Individuals and Units
Battles of the Eldar
Appendix


HAEMONCULI

Haemonculi are the master torturers of the Dark Eldar, no pain is beyond them, able to inflict unimaginable levels of pain. It is the Haemonculi who create the pain-addicted Grotesques, and the Talos torture device, powered by the death throes of its victims (see Dark Eldar).

HALL OF DUNES

The Hall on a Craftworld where the Striking Scorpion Aspect warriors hone their arts, fighting practice skirmishes in close terrain (See Striking Scorpions; Craftworlds).

HALL OF FALCONS

The Hall on a Craftworld where the Swooping Hawk Aspect warriors hone their arts, duelling between floor and ceiling (See Swooping Hawks; Craftworlds).

HALL OF GHOSTS

The Hall on a Craftworld where the empty Wraithguard chassis are maintained by wraithbone technicians (See Bonesingers; Craftworlds; Wraithguard).

HALL OF MISTS

The Hall on a Craftworld where the Howling Banshee Aspect warriors hone their arts (See Howling Banshees; Craftworlds).

HARAN

The most important prediction of Eldrad Ulthran was the sudden opening of the massive warp-space rift that precluded many battles on the Exodite world of Haran. Ulthran foretold how the Chaos gods would force a great rupture in space, creating a hole through which the forces of Chaos could pour into the universe. The place where they would attempt this was the world of Haran, perhaps planning to infiltrate the webway, using the warp-tunnels to reach other planets and Craftworlds.

When the rift opened the Eldar were prepared. Chaos Space Marines joined the daemons that poured through the rift and battles raged across the planet. The Eldar forces were mustered in strength, but could barely contain the forces of Chaos. Eldrad himself led the warriors of Ulthwé. From all over the galaxy came Phoenix Lords and Outcasts to fight the Eldar cause. The rift grew bigger as more daemons infiltrated the world, but as the Eldar destroyed them the rift closed up again. The war for Haran went on for many long months. Sometimes Chaos won the upper hand and the rift threatened to engulf the entire planet and become a permanent warp-real space overlap. At other times the Eldar pushed back the forces of Chaos and the rift almost closed, banishing the daemons forever. Eventually, the Eldar triumphed, though at terrible cost, and Haran was denied to Chaos. The planet was known thereafter as Haranshemash, the world of blood and tears (See also Eldrad Ulthran).

HARLEQUINS

The Harlequins, or Soul-Dancers, are followers of Cergorach, the Great Harlequin. Harlequin Troupes are formed from all sub-races of the Eldar and wander through the webway from Craftworld to Exodite world to Dark Eldar hiding places. They alone have complete knowledge of the webway and the location of the Black Library deep within, for they are the keepers of the terrible secrets about the Fall and the true nature of Chaos.

Harlequins are warrior troubadours whose carefully constructed masques and impressive displays of mime and acrobatics tell the many strange stories of Eldar mythology. They wear exotic holo-suits, able to shift shape and pattern. They never show their real faces but conceal them beneath their masks which are said to reflect the worst nightmares of those who gaze upon them (see Black Library; Cergorach; Death Jester; Fall of the Eldar; Great Harlequin; Master Mimes; Mimes; Shadowseer; Troupers; Venom; Webway).

HELLEBORE CLASS FRIGATES

Hellebore starship squadrons are exceptionally versatile with a mixture of torpedo, lance and standard weaponry, therefore able to deal with any threat and change their role in the fleet at any given time. Perhaps the most heavily armed escort ship of the Gothic sector, the Hellebore is the embodiment of Eldar ideals and technological supremacy. Although unable to withstand much damage, it carries enough weaponry to match even an Imperial light cruiser and to inflict horrendous damage on larger vessels. When deployed in squadrons, the Hellebore is a lethal combination of speed, flexibility and hitting power, combining the long-range capabilities of torpedo launchers with the solid firepower of a pulsar lance and laser battery.

Hellebores excel at ambush attacks, able to disrupt the enemy formation with their torpedo attacks and then attack in strength against any stragglers thus created. This tactic was employed very successfully on many occasions during Imperial forays into the Graildark Nebula. In fact, it was a squadron of three Hellebore frigates that reduced the Fortitude to a hulk and crippled the Sword of Orion during the abortive Picus Offensive in the final years of the Gothic War. Hellebore squadrons include Star Serpents, Voidwings, Children of Moech (see Starships).

HEMLOCK CLASS DESTROYERS

Hemlock starships are considerably well-armed for their size and are built around a powerful lance, well-adapted to hunting down enemy escorts. The Hemlock is notable for its simplicity of design. It consists of a powerful pulsar lance, highly efficient drives, and little else. Admiral Grove of the Imperium once described the Hemlock as "...more of a mobile gun than a proper starship". With the power needed for the stellar drives and pulsar lance, even considering advanced Eldar engine technology, the Hemlock probably cannot generate a stable interior environment for much more than the crew members needed for steering the ship and firing the pulsar. This makes it especially vulnerable to boarding actions from enemy escorts - if they can get close enough to board. Hemlock squadrons include Furious Angels, Devils of the Star(see Starships).

HOMEWORLDS

Although the whereabouts of the ancient Eldar homeworlds is unknown, it is likely that it lay in the region of the galaxy now known as the Eye of Terror. It is said that the Eldar homeworld had three moon. These were called Lileath the Maiden Moon which was purest white, Kurnous the Hunter's Moon which was greenish and dim, and Eldanesh the Red Moon (See Crone Worlds; Eldanesh; Eye of Terror; Fall of the Eldar; Lileath; Kurnous).

HOPE OF OTHER DAYS

The literal translation of an otherwise undescribed Craftworld (see Craftworlds).

HOWLING BANSHEES (SUINMURE)

Howling Banshees are swift, lightly armed and highly mobile close quarter troops. They are equipped with power weapons and shuriken pistols or pistols based on laser technology. They derive their name from the Banshee of legend, a creature that heralds death and can draw a soul from its spirit stone. This cry is imitated through the Banshee Masks that contain sonic amplifiers, intensifying the battlecry and raising its pitch to a piercing shriek. Many of the Howling Banshees are female and are trained o release their rage as they charge into combat, focusing ad projecting the resultant psychic scream against their enemies. Those who are fully exposed to this psychic scream suffer almost total paralysis as their central nervous system is flooded with unbearable levels of psychic energy. The warpaint of the Howling Banshees is based on vibration lines and sonic spirals (see Aspect Warriors; Hall of Mists; Jain Zar).