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[GHB 2.0] The awkward relationship between Highborn and Sylvaneth


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I'm not going to lie, I'm more than a little disappointed that the Sylvaneth only got Wanderers and SCE as allies in GHB 2.0. I was really hoping for Swifthawk Agents and Phoenix Temple. What has me a bit confused, however, is that all the High Elf factions (other than the non-faction Lion Rangers) can take Sylvaneth as allies, but not the other way around. I'm not super up on the lore, but is there a lore reason why this might be the case? Most of the Allies choices seem heavily lore driven (except the baffling disconnect between Nighthaunt and Deathrattle). I'd really like to know why the Sylvaneth would come to the aid of the Highborn but the pointy hats won't return the favor! Honestly, based on the old WHFB I'd expect it to be the other way around. 

Any lore buffs able to shed light on this? 

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I guess maybe it's a case that perhaps the High Aelves will often enough seek aid from the Sylvaneth, but the Sylvaneth might be too proud/stubborn/dislike aelves/etc to seek aid from the Highborn, and only seek aid from the Wanderers when it suits them (As in the AoS fluff, the Wanderers in a way, did abandon the Sylvaneth).

Historically in warhammer, the Sylvaneth side of things only really got along with the Wood Elves (And even then, it was tenuous in some circumstances like Drycha). The High Elves abandoned the Wood Elves in the Old World, and weren't quite as in tune with nature as the Wood Elves eventually became.

 

The other thing to remember, is that the Sylvaneth can take stuff through their battalions which isn't normally possible. So you can ally with Duardin in that way I suppose.

 

At the end of the day, I'm fine with it. I think there currently isn't enough of a connection from the Sylvaneth side of things to really heavily promote allies. I think perhaps as the fluff evolves, the Sylvaneth will make ties with some of the other factions now out in the open world (Such as Phoenix Temple), and at that stage we may see updated allies lists.

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Alarielle the God leader of the Sylvaneth shunned the Aelves as beings no longer of nature. This may have been because the Elven Kingdoms of Ghyran fled to Azyr during the Age of Chaos. The wanderer Aelves long to return to the ancestral homeland in the Realm of Life though and I could see them being reconciled.

Basically, the Sylvaneth have given up on the Aelves for aid. That's how I understand it anyway.

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Honestly, as someone who owns both High Elves and Sylvaneth, and whose army backstory revolves around a close union between the two... I'm thrilled we even got this much of an alliance between the two.

Based on the lore - which seems to be the driving force for most ally choices - Sylvaneth really shouldn't have many allies at all. You could argue that giving them Wanderers as allies doesn't even make sense, since what little background we have on the subject emphasises the betrayal and fundamental difference between them. If anything, what doesn't make sense is the High Elves being able to take Sylvaneth allies (even though I'm happy my poor elves got that much).

If you're looking to rationalise it, you could perhaps say it's Alarielle's influence. She was the Everqueen of Ulthuan after all, and might direct her children to help the High Elves since she feels a certain kinship with them... but they wouldn't know this and might be unwilling to return the favour.

Either that or the High Elves will take any help they can get, but won't even think about marching into a filthy forest where they might get dirt on their pretty white clothes ;)

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high elves haven't really shown up in lore much yet. all i can think of is, teclis in the pantheon short story, the loremaster in the shows over hammerhal booklet and the season of war brief story about phoenecium. so we can't read much into why the allies would work in a story perspective.

 

its probably more about gameplay, like high elves not having monsterous infantry so kurnoth hunters fill that role, and not having any teleporting units so tree revanants fill that.

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On 8/21/2017 at 2:18 AM, swarmofseals said:

(except the baffling disconnect between Nighthaunt and Deathrattle)

There is an actual explanation for this in the old fluff. Back in the 1st Undead Army Book, there is a bit of fluff about why they don't get along.

So a skeleton walked into a bar in Sylvania. He sat down and ordered a drink. Just then some ghosts came up behind him and shouted, "Hey!! Mr. Skelly-tun!! We don't take kindly to yer type 'round here!"

The bartender looked up from cleaning mugs. "Now Skeeter. I don't want no trouble." 

To which Skeeter (the ghost) replied, "No trouble! I just got a question fer Mr. Skelly-tun here! Why you Skellingtons always walking around with yet bones out, going all clackity-clack?! You some kinda comedian, Boy?!"

This went on for a while before the skeleton (Jack) just quietly up and left. He never responded to Skeeter's barbed words because, you see, skeletons have no vocal cords and can't talk.

And that's why ghosts and skeletons can't ally. The ghosts totally started it. If you don't believe me, just Google "A skeleton walks into a bar..." and follow that rabbit hole aaaaalllll the way down. It's fun!!!! ?

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