Eldari Government and Army

The Eldari started off as a peaceful and passive race, with no armed force or government to speak of. Once they realized they were not alone in the world however, they decided they needed to unify to ensure the survival of their race. The first governing body on record is a simple gathering of the eldest and wisest of the Eldari who determined immediate courses of action for their kin. As the Eldari advanced and they grew more powerful, they established Gilderan as their capital, and the simple gathering of minds became known as the Golden Council. Consisting of six members elected by the leaders of the various towns in the realm, the Golden Council monitored the state of the land and made decisions that were unanimously agreed upon. Council members remained on duty until they passed away, or they were otherwise deemed unfit by the electorate, at which point a replacement was elected.

The Eldari armed forces at first consisted entirely of magic-users. However, this approach was quickly found to have weaknesses, and thus the Eldari decided that a more martial form of combat was needed in order to bring a bit more balance to engagements. As a result, the present-day Eldari military is a balanced unit combining skilled melee combatants with powerful magical support. The Eldari lack the technological acumen of the Humans, instead focusing on magic and swordplay. The Eldari also possess a naval force, but it consists almost entirely of light skirmisher craft. The only sizable ships in current service are the Eldari flagship, the Gilderdream, and her escort craft. Given the nature of the waters surrounding Sindaron, a large fleet was deemed superfluous.

Once the threat of the Heanta became apparent, the Golden Council decided to form an elite military organization that would work in conjunction with the Council to protect the land and the people. This group would take on missions that the regular armed forces were unable to. They called themselves the Eternal Watch, and it was an unsaid rule that if the Watch was involved, it was really bad. The Watch were relatively self-governed, though the Council were the final authority in most matters.

In terms of weaponry, the primary focus of the Eldari armed forces is the sword. Eldari swords are crafted to maximize the natural attributes of their wielder, namely their speed and technique. The curved blade has become a cultural icon of the Eldari people. Two main types are used today, the Saiphir and the Lhang. The Saiphir is a one-handed weapon, resembling a cavalry saber. The hilt is curved forward, resulting in the weapon's distinctive "S" shape. This weapon is designed to partner a shield, and is used by the ordinary rank-and-file swordsmen, as well as cavalry. The Lhang is a weapon that takes decades to master. Measuring 4-1/2 to 5 ft long depending on the height of the wielder for which it was designed, half of the Lhang's length is comprised of the ornate handle, curved forward near the pommel to retain the "S" shape of the Saiphir. The blade is 2 inches wide at the base, tapered sharply at the tip to allow more power to be generated there as it is the fastest-moving part of the blade. This blade is lethal in the hands of members of the Eternal Watch, with the drawback of not allowing use of a shield negated by the skill of the wielder. Polearms are also commonplace, with the Aiglos being the designated polearm. The blade resembles that of the Saiphir, but tapered slightly differently to allow greater thrusting potential. The Eldari do maintain small archer units, but these are usually made up of a mixture of Eldross Rangers and Humans.