Deep within the ancient forest of Athel Loren, something is stirring. Dark forms guarding the primeval wood lie in wait in the undergrowth. Mat Ward goes in search of the elusive Wood Elves.

The oldest of all the forests of the Old World, Athel Loren is a magical place greatly feared by all who dwell within its shadow. Elegant waystones mark the borders of this primeval wood, beyond which the giant trees of Athel Loren loom as if straining to escape these bindings. Roots twist and claw across the fern-covered rocks and loam, while low mists coil and spread throughout the hollows and glades. Athel Loren is a deeply unsettling place, filled with movement glimpsed from the corner of the eye, strange noises, and the feeling of being watched. Dark forms move through the twisting branches and dense undergrowth, and tiny darting shapes flit between the trees. One gets the impression that Athel Loren itself is sentient, watchful, secretive, and perfectly willing to destroy those who seek to enter its boundaries.

Only the insanely brave, mad, or foolish dare to cross into Athel Loren, for the forest is a haunted place, filled with unquiet, malicious spirits of the forest, strange and magical creatures, and the mysterious and dangerous Wood Elves.

The Wood Elves have dwelt within Athel Loren for almost five thousand years. Over this time, they have become intrinsically linked with their forest home, and their nature has changed to reflect Athel Loren. Forsaking their ties to other Elven folk, the Wood Elves have become a deeply secretive and suspicious people who shun all outsiders. They are the guardians of the forest, and their fate is utterly entwined with that of Athel Loren – if the forest were to die, the Wood Elves would die with it.

Capricious and unpredictable, the Wood Elves have been likened to a force of nature – neither truly good nor evil, for Athel Loren has no need of such notions. In the same way, the Wood Elves can appear serene, beautiful, and enchanting, or frightening, dangerous, and destructive. They have a deep understanding of the cycles and balance of nature, and strive to maintain this balance in all things. For every tree that falls, another must be tended to take its place.

For every intruder that the Wood Elves guide out of Athel Loren, another is slain without question or remorse and left where he falls to be claimed by the forest. Bones and skulls can often be seen on the outskirts of Athel Loren, many with arrows protruding from ribs or embedded in eye sockets. Eventually, these remains become obscured and covered by twisting roots and undergrowth. The Wood Elves are an elite army, formed around a core of highly skilled Elf archers and supported by the mysterious spirit-beings of Athel Loren. They are a secretive and mercurial folk who seek only to preserve the continued safety of the forest in which they dwell. Those who are foolish enough to set foot in this woodland realm or otherwise threaten the sanctity of Athel Loren invite the fury of the Wood Elves, whether in open combat or through sudden ambush.

Next: Preview the Wood Elf Troops