Craftworld Zhforan

Some eldar fight just survive. Others know no survival is possible and seek to kill their killer before their souls are lost eternally. The small Craftworld Zhforan, serene in its dedication to their grim task, seek to slay Slaanesh before the Eldar are doomed to die. Their world, an urban metropolis alight upon the solar winds, heads ever closer to their prize. They deviate but little in their forlorn quest- engaging what foes they encounter along the way.
They were first encountered by the Imperium in M37 during a raid by the Dark Eldar on an Imperial planet. The Zhforan eldar have no greater enmity for their fallen kin but are particularly adept in slaying them. They see every fallen dark eldar as a blow against Slaanesh. During this first encounter their greatest hero, “The Shadow that Sleeps”, earned his distinction. He outmaneuvered the Dark Eldar forces with no premonitions. He simply used those who walked with him on the path of the outcast, rangers like him, to deliver a decisive blow against the forces attempting to capture the besieged imperial world.
== The Shadow that Sleeps ==
The greatest hero of Zhforan is a ranger Pathfinder who goes only by the title “The Shadow that Sleeps” and is regarded on the path of war as any exarch or autarch. Despite his esteemed position the Shadow that Sleeps is not the autarch of Craftworld Zhforan. He does, however, lead the rangers of his craftworld and advise tactically. The Shadow that Sleeps often leaves the craftworld however, enigmatically appearing along with his rangers on nearby Imperial worlds threatened with imminent Drukhari attacks and vanishing just as quickly. He seems to have his own agenda that he is not willing to share with others. His one mark of failure was that he was once captured and tortured by Bobby "Fix'um" Tonkins, a Catachan soldier and acolyte to Inquisitor Jacob Herschel. This has left the Shadow with a hatred of humans and a famous scar that runs through his left eye.
== The Bright Maiden ==
The enigmatic autarch of the craftworld is known as “The Bright Maiden”. Uniquely it is said that she trod only briefly upon the path of the warrior but learned to fight though the Path of the Musician. She uniquely sees dance and song as the parallel to war. She dances across the battlefield, besting even the most seasoned foes, by listening to the “music of the universe” and the “harmonic cadence of combat”. Her battles are grand symphonies that collimate in great crichendos of beautiful defeat for her foes. Each battle a poetic line in a greater epic; flowing into the next one. Even in defeat the Bright Maiden gains some small but vital victory and her foes are left wondering if they really won...
== The One Between ==
Eternally sleeping, suspended in the heart of the craftworld is “The One Between”, the farseer of the craftworld. The One Between is an ancient eldar who is said to have been around at the fall of the species- frozen in time when Slaanesh was born. It is believed that her face, frozen in the psychic pain of the moment, could be the key to defeating Slaanesh should they ever reach their goal. The One Between is a closely guarded secret and those of the craftworld would die before admitting knowledge that they have her. While she sleeps, psychically frozen in an instant in time, other Seers on the craftworld feel their powers amplified. They can even channel the fragment of her pain into the minds of others. This is the psychic dread the eldar race collectively felt when Slaanesh was birthed and has broken lesser psychics.
== Forces ==
The Craftworld is complemented by all the Aspect Shrines, despite its relatively small size. Due to its self appointed mission there are few guardians. A particularly prominent Shrine of Moonshadows, known as the "Fist of Khaine" and an aspect shrine of Dancing Blades (the Shrine of the 7th Song), augments the forces of the Craftworld. The bulk of most Craftworlds' fighting forces are aspect warriors with a complement of warp spiders. While not a large part of their forces, a vital one are the veteran rangers that serve under The Shadow that Sleeps. Their unique tactical applications have not been lost on the craftworld and they are regarded as one of Zhforan’s greatest asset. Often they are held in reserve and employed strategically (along with their leader)- the hammer upon which the enemy is smashed. The aspect warriors, under the command of the Bright Maiden, act as the hammer- corralling the enemy into a specific position (or positions) before a single decisive blow is dealt. A wise liritmahtar (warrior poet) who was trained by Saircallo Altalumenyárë edcuated the scholars and tacticians of the Craftworld the ways the famed autatch and this training has brought them many victories.
===The Shrine of Asurmen's Phoenix===
The Dire Avenger shrine of the Craftworld is charged with protecting The One Between and they have an elite cadre of exarch-level Dire Avengers known as the "Seven Kings" who guard her eternally. The shrine is well-respected among the other craftworlds and feared even by the Dark Eldar. The twins Dire Avenger Exarchs, Telperion and Laurelin, who are part of The Vanwë hail from this shrine originally.
== Symbolism & Coloration ==
Craftworld Zhforan has an eldar music note as their heraldic symbol and they adorn themselves in black with dark blue and purple accents. Many of the aspect warriors of the craftworld have the helmets of their armor done in a similar fashion, though their armor still retains the color of their shrine.
== Notable Campaigns ==
* The Trinary War: Eldar from the Craftworld Zhforan were engaged in a deadly raid on a Dark Eldar stronghold when the Order of the Black Moot attacked both forces. The larger Dark Eldar warhost took advantage of this and caused major casualties to both the sisters and the eldar from Craftworld Zhforan. To this day the first Canoness of the order is still a slave fighting in one of their gladiatorial pits. She has not broken and has slain all those who they pit her against.
ZhforanDireAvenger.png|A Dire Avenger from Craftworld Zhforan.
AsurmensPhoenix.png|The flag of the Shrine of Asurmen's Phoenix dire avenger shrine.
EldarScoglads.png|A guardian from Craftworld Zhforan.
Category:Eldar
Category:Craftworlds