Altansar - Ynnari and units for army selection question

Hi guys, I've been out of the loop for ages but I am drawn back by the idea of painting an Altansar army. I'm well aware of the older fluff surrounding them - dragged into the EoT and Maugan Ra escaping, before eventually rescuing them.

I'd love some views on the following:

1) They were pulled into the EoT 500 years after The Fall. Does this mean it is unlikely that they have aspect warriors? Does that 500 year gap provide a window for Aspect Shrine development? I know Maugan Ra set up the Dark Reapers. Was this done -after- he escaped or before? I'd love to include Aspect Warriors in there but if it doesnt make sense I wont.

2) Wraithguard. Are they a post-The Fall concept? If Altansar was pulled into the EoT 500 years afer The Fall, is this before Wraithguard necromancy became 'a thing'? I want to have a lot of Spirit Host elements and I like the idea of the dead fighting to keep Altansar alive whilst trapped in the warp.

3) I could be wrong but am I correct in assuming the new timeline has moved on a few hundred years? Do you feel this leaves a door open for Altansar to have adopted these shrines and ideas, now that they've been back for a while?

The Wraithguards are linked to the use of Spirit Stones, and they was no point in using that technology before. It's also some moral dubious thing to do, and CW only use it now as a crisis measure. So definitly not a pre-Fall thing (I think. I could be wrong).

Shrines are a post-Fall thing, but it's worshiping the aspects of Khaine, and Khaine was already well known and worshipped before the Fall, so i'd say that the "Ways of Khaine" could have been a thing even before Khaine got fragmented. Of course, it was very different from what it is now, but, unlike Wraith warriors, i wouldn't say "It never existed before the Fall".

1) It's reasonable that they do. Although Altansar was lost in the EoT for a long time, it's entirely within the realm of reasonability to think they may have run across other Eldar lost in the Warp. (Altansar might very well have been a port of last resort for other Eldar, especially Ulthwe ones.) Even if the aspect shrines hadn't already been formed on the craftworld, these refugees could have spread the practices.

2) They are a post-fall concept, but one assumes Soulstones, the Spirit Matrices, and Wraith Constructs developed fairly quickly. It seems highly likely that it would already have been a practice before the craftworld got swallowed.

3) The 13th Black Crusade, when Altansar reappeared, is one of the most 'recent' developments in 40k's timeline. It's unclear how much time has passed since then. (Some events which take place later do not have specified dates.) It's entirely reasonable, though.

Ok thanks for the replies Mppqlmd and Jimsolo, nice to get your opinions. I've managed to do some more research in the meantime and there is an Altansari warlock in the Fracture of Biel-Tan book. The quote is very interesting:

"The Warlock held her long black witchblade as if it were a rod of office, proof that though she was one of a forgotten kindred, she still walked the Path."

This at least confirms that Altansari Eldar were very much set on the Path before they were lost (and obviously during).

I also read somewhere that in the Jain Zar book Maugan Ra is mentioned before he becomes a warrior, as some sort of infinity circuit scientist doing work on soul stones? I'd presume this took place on Altansar? This would indicate there was work being done on soul transplatation to wraith if so..

Hi guys!
Sorry to go a bit off topic, but where are you getting all that fluff information about eldar? I am just reading the 3rd book of the eldar triology and have the jain zar ready in my shelve. Sadly those are the only available in german!
What other books give a good insight of eldar fluff?
I really enjoyed the 2nd book of the serien

alexxk wrote:

Hi guys!
Sorry to go a bit off topic, but where are you getting all that fluff information about eldar? I am just reading the 3rd book of the eldar triology and have the jain zar ready in my shelve. Sadly those are the only available in german!
What other books give a good insight of eldar fluff?
I really enjoyed the 2nd book of the serien

The best place is normally the codices or novels. Any codex will give you a general overview. If you are interested in Iyanden lore especially, they had their own particular codex in a previous edition. There was also a suppliment a good few years back called 'Codex Eye of Terror' which is useful.

Additionally there is Gathering Storm Book 2 - 'The Fracture of Beil-Tan' which covers the most up to date events and has served to move the timeline on a little.

All of the above are from previous editions and so if you wanted them you would have to aquire them through something like Ebay or other nefarious means, which I of course do not recommend

There's also a Dark Eldar trilogy. A couple books in the Horus Heresy have some guest appearances by Eldar.

Asurmen: Hand of Asuryan is a good pick. Ghost Warrior just recently came out from Gav Thorpe, and is Eldar/Ynnari specific. Mask of Vyle and Valedor both offer some more insights. The fluff contained in Warzone: Valedor and Imperial Armour 11 are both golden as well.

Fear the Alien is a short story compilation that has some great eldar stuff in it (a really in depth look at some Harlequin lore, too). Other books where the eldar are the antagonists can be good for lore material. Void Stalker, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is a good example.

Of course, the Black Library has some great short stories, novellas, and audiodramas that you can find online rather than in a book store. Say, for example, this one.