One of the toughest policies and direst duties of King Caradryel was the abandonment of the Old World colonies. A tragedy for many nobles that still had family ties with those elves that refused to leave the continent.
Those who flew to the new populated forests of Athel Loren were somewhat safe. But the people of the coast were damned to perish against the hordes of barbarians, orcs and creatures of chaos awoken after the age of elves and dwarves.
It was not an easy task to enforce the recall of elven troops in the diplomatic table. Among the unrested nobles in Ulthuan, there was a risk of disobeyance and unilaterally send aid to the continent, or worse, open rebellion. One of those, Bel-Tebal of Nagarythe, a caring father for the princes of Tor Nimtala in the Tielan coast. It was vital to retain the few nobles that were still loyal to the crown in the ravaged lands of Nagarythe.
Caladryel was pragmatic and an intelligent leader. It was not possible to make an exception with the stubborn veteran Bel-Tebal. Nor undoing his command. But in the audience with the enraged former prince, he choose wisely the words.
"You, as all the people of Ulthuan, has been commanded not to sent your valuable soldiers to the continent. Yet, I cannot forbid the aid of a father to her daughter and his son-in-law. You can march yourself with your mount, take your best blade and fight for them. Your retinue can accompany you, but they will not be allowed to land in the continent..."
A mount. Not a steed.
Bel-Tebal reached the caverns of his tower and pleaded for the aid of his old friend Ymmrrarior. The ancient female great dragon hear that the offspring of his friend was in danger, so she must stay awake from the dragon dream a little bit longer.
The hordes of chaos creatures did not know that they've indirectly provoked the wrath of an ancient foe. Fire and nightmare made manifest. No ratmen could pass her scale armour. No enemy enough powerful to stand the wrath of the old prince and his terrible ally.
I was also wanting to paint some creature. In the meantime I have been toying with some miniatures based on paleontological reconstructions. I despertely needed to put my hands on the dragon!
At first it was going to be based on some blue lizards that will also be in the same chromatic range of much of my army. The belly and wings in a sandy white or slightly ice yellow. But I was starting to paint my other commander, the elf mage, and I felt in love with the pink-grey I made. It was the perfect colour for the belly and wings of the dragon.
I love to put some small patterns in the horns, head and maybe tail or some key areas of the body of my creatures. I went for a slightly light turquoise strips and then the eye firey-motif.
Finally, the mandatory elf mage. I am basing each of my mages in a discipline of the Old World winds of magic. I chose a different approach to the lore of life. Instead of the usual greens, the japanese flowers allowed my to mix the pinky-gray tones with the flower pattern over the cloak.
1x High elf prince and a great dragon - 760 points
1x High elf mage - 59
Adrian's out.
