The Sylvaneth of Springash - army log

To get myself into the mood, and unify/justify my aesthetic choices for the army (Spite-themed, Springtime colours), I wrote some fluff for my army.  I hope it’s enjoyable!

Excerpt from Intersections: A treatise on these interwoven realms by Sandoval Lightfast, initiate of the Luminous Ark

And yet, as we have discussed, the conception of the Realms as ‘islands’ afloat in the ‘sea’ of the Great Nothing is poetic, but not necessarily accurate. It is, we would venture, a matter of perception. For one who might travel between the realms, perhaps on some great stone ship, the Realms might appear as orbs in some vast void. However, this is but a trick of the mortal mind, reinterpreting an ineffable experience beyond its ken into something the traveller can conceive of.

Throughout this treatise, it is our intent to provide a primer on the truth of the matter, as plainly as we can, for novitiates and the more curious layman. Our thesis is this: the realms do not stand apart, as objects in a physical space, but rather occupy the same ‘space’, intermingled like strands in a piece of cloth, touching here and there, sometimes softly, sometimes more tightly interwoven.
The Realmgates are the most obvious examples of this, allowing physical passage between realms as one might step from one room to the next. There are other examples of such direct portals, such as the Necrotic Falls at Gnashvar, where a torrent of bone dust empties from Shyish into Ghur; or the Mirror of Wisdom’s Light, so carefully guarded by the children of Alarielle in Ayadah, where the light of Hysh shines upon Chamon. We will return to nexuses such as these, but for now we will remain with the Sylvaneth, to illustrate a more subtle principle.

The Realms do often directly interconnect, but in other places they merely brush against each other, not quite rupturing into one another, or even blending together, but each merely colouring the character of the other. To this author’s mind, the most beautiful and salient example of such influence is the Everspring Holt, at the edges of the Realm of Fire. Here, where the heat is less scorching, Ghyran exerts some influence on Aqshy, suffusing the land with the energies of life. Life has thus sprung forth in the form of a lush and verdant forest, forever on the verge of summer’s full bloom. Due to its proximity to Ghyran, and enjoying the near-tropical climate at the edge of Aqshy, this place never knows the decline of autumn into winter, and rather finds itself locked in a near perpetual spring. I say ‘near’, as the life-magic in this area still pales in comparison to Aqshy’s fiery nature. Every year, as spring threatens to burst into riotous summer, the firestorms descend and drive the forest folk to the caverns below, burning their forest to the ground. Aqshy will, of course, be Aqshy. And yet, from the fertile ashes that remain, Ghyran prompts new life to spring forth with breath-taking speed, regrowing the Holt in a matter of weeks.

Everspring Holt stands as a grand illustration of two principles that we will return to later in this work: first, the subtlety with which the realms can exert influence upon each other; and second, the tendency of the Realms to push back against such encroachment. For now though, in our next chapter we will start with the basics, and consider the character of the Realmgates…

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“In common parlance, spring is seen as a time of rebirth, and greeted with joy and celebration. I am reminded, however, that mortal birth is an almost uniformly painful experience…”

Naeve Blacktalon, Knight-Zephyros of the Shadowhammers, upon fighting alongside the Sylvaneth of the Springash Enclave

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The Springash Enclave of Everspring Holt

The lush forest of Everspring Holt is the child of a paradoxical relationship between Aqshy and Ghyran. The warmth of the climate in this far-flung corner of Aqshy, together with the influence of a metaphysically-nearby Ghyran, prompts a perpetual state of spring. The forests are a riot of blossom and flower as nature strains towards the crescendo of summertime. And yet, as if guided by some unseen hand, Aqshy snatches this victory away, as every year, violent storms of fire engulf the region, driving nature back and asserting the primacy of Fire in its own domain.

And therein lies the paradox. By reducing Everspring Holt to cinders, the storms only assure that it will regrow. And regrow it does, at an astonishing rate, the fertile ashes returning the region to its year-long springtime in a matter of weeks. A finer example of the complementary-yet-antagonistic relationship between the Realms is hard to find.

Such verdancy marks a natural home for the Sylvaneth. Everspring Holt is claimed as the domain of the Springash Enclave, a collective of forest folk who dwell within the cycle of rebirth and immolation that grips the area. Throughout the year they tend to the forest and defend its borders, and retreat to the caverns below to wait out what they call the Searing Season.

The Sylvaneth of Springash are beautiful, ever-garlanded with blossoms and the vibrant greens of new growth. And yet. Perhaps it is the inescapable devastation of the flames, or the denial of the release of summer. Perhaps it is simply the nature of Aqshy, seeping into their heartwood. These are a dourly mistrustful people, xenophobic and quick to wrath. Their beauty is marred in battle by the spiteful, screeching cast of their war-aspects and the ferocity of their war-song. Amongst their wargroves you will find many Spite-Revenants, and the vicious undertones of their war-song harmonise closely with the song of Drycha Hamadreth, Regent of the Outcasts. Often she can be found leading their chorus, and their headlong charge into battle.

The Enclave’s relationships with their neighbours are often fraught, but in times of war common cause can be found. This is particularly true against Chaos, whom they abhor as do all their kind. They care little for the local humans, who know better than to harvest timber from Everspring Holt, which they know as ‘the Wickedly Winsome Wold’. The nearby Duardin of Hermdar Lodge are cautious allies, with whom they share firebrand personalities and a hatred of Chaos. Roving bands of aelven Wanderers are also tolerated, as they will come when called to defend the forest. Springash warriors of somewhat milder temperament can sometimes be found in the company of the Stormcast, honouring the Everqueen’s ancient alliance with Sigmar. Lastly, some warriors of the Holt find a certain kinship with the Idoneth of the Nautar Enclave, in whom they sense a mutual inevitable waning, and of course a primal loathing of Chaos. Some nobles houses of the Springash have even forged pacts with the Nautar, secretly aiding them in their raids on human settlements in return for a vow of non-aggression against the people of the Holt.

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That’s it for now – hopefully I’ll have an update later this week with some more painted miniatures.  Thanks for reading!