Dark Elves (Warhammer) - Naggaroth, Land of The Chill

Naggaroth, Land of The Chill

When the Dark Elves were driven from the Elven homeland of Ulthuan following a cataclysmic civil war, they fled northwards on giant floating citadels of rock to the dark and forbidding lands of Naggaroth, "the Land of Chill". The name is an appropriate one, for the unwelcoming home of the Dark Elves is a harsh wilderness of frozen tundra and great forests of black pine trees.

After exterminating the native barbarian tribes of Naggaroth they constructed six heavily fortified cities:

• Naggarond: the Tower of Cold, Dark Elf capital and seat of the Witch King
• Ghrond: the North Tower where the sorceresses study the Realm of Chaos
• Karond Kar: the Tower of Despair, largest slave port of the Dark Elves
• Hag Graef: the Dark Crag which is never touched by the sun's rays
• Har Ganeth: the City of Executioners and religious capital of Cult of Khaine
• Clar Karond: the Tower of Doom and largest Dark Elf shipyard

The Dark Elves also constructed a series of fortified watch towers along their northern border to ensure the forces of Chaos did not trespass into their domain.

These cities have innumerable black towers rising like pinnacles of ice from the cold, hard rock of Naggaroth. Due to the harsh and unforgiving nature of Naggaroth, few live outside the cities and so the Druchii cities are some of the most densely populated centers in the world. All of these cities are dark and evil places. Their dungeons are crammed with captives whose wailing fill the air and whose moans seep through the thick walls of the high towers, saturating the place with pain, despair and the souls of the dying. At the tips of these towers, the Sorceresses of Naggaroth cast their malign magic over the world.

The society of Naggaroth is a hierarchical one, with their Witch King, Malekith, at the top. At his right hand is his mother and rumoured consort, Queen Morathi. It has been argued, however, that the Dark Elves are in truth a Machiavellian society, with one man at the top and several powerful underlings in competition with each other, all vying for power but simultaneously preventing others from getting it. Malekith allows this to continue because it keeps all sects strong by culling the weak, but also keeps them under his complete control.