Black Ark
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This article is about the Dark Elf floating fortresses; for the Skaven artefact, see Black Arc. |
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Black Arks are floating naval strongholds and fortresses of the Dark Elves. They act as seaports for the raiding Dark Elf Fleets.[7a]
Contents
Description
Every Black Ark is presumably unique, but most seem to be the size of a small city, vest fortresses covered in eldritch runes that hurt the eye to gaze upon. Below the surface of the sea, they are even larger with glowing caves lit by witchlight where monsters are kept for battle, supplemented when necessary from hunts in the Boiling Sea.[7a][14a]
History
As Malekith's mad attempt to unravel the magical Vortex failed, Ulthuan suffered a magical backlash. Massive earthquakes resulted in gigantic Tsunamis which inundated and devastated the realms of Nagarythe and Tiranoc. The sorcerers of the Dark Elves managed to save themselves through magic, by detaching the towers of their palaces and enabling them to float upon water. Using them as ships the Dark Elves managed to escape and sail to Naggaroth. These towers were later named Black Arks.[7a]
Some of them were beached, becoming the core of new Dark Elf cities, while others continue to sail through the seas and oceans till this day.[7a]
Locations
Warfare
Black Arks sail across all the known oceans, and being so large and powerful are able to raid with virtual impunity, gathering huge quantities of slaves to service the insatiable need at home. Those that seek to bring them battle must face not only the sheer scale of the floating castle and its mighty garrison but also powerful magic and shoals of sea monsters.[7a]
The Arks are further protected by a shimmering magical fog that can bewilder enemy crews that get too close.[7a] As an enemy approaches them, they hear insane laughter and groans of pleasure whilst phantoms emerge from the mist to bewilder them.[14a]
Known Black Arks
Their exact number is unknown but some Black Arks have been destroyed.
- Ark of Naggor: Its lord, Balneth Bale became a sorcerer, breaking the law of the Witch King.[10]
- Citadel of Desolation[5e]
- Citadel of Ecstatic Damnation and Jade Palace of Pain were beached to reconstruct Anlec, and presumably destroyed with the city.[5d][7b]
- Citadel of Spite: A Black Ark of Clar Karond, often used as a base by Mengil Manhide.[15]
- Claw of Dominion[8]
- Fortress of Eternal Torture[5c]
- Palace of Joyous Oblivion was sunk by Indraugnir, a High Elf dragon ship, in - 2425 IC[1][2][3][4][5a]
- Ravager of Souls fell into the hands of daemons of Nurgle in - 102 IC[6] Its ultimate fate is unknown.
- Temple of Spite, captained by Duriath Helbane[5f]
- Talon of Agony was sunk off the coast of Cathay by a gigantic tidal wave in 860 IC[5b][7b]
- Tower of Blessed Dread, captained by Lokhir Fellheart.[5c][5g]
- Tower of Oblivion, captained by Randelle Doomwhisper.[6]
- Ultimate Oblivion[7b]
- Umbral Tide: Destroyed by Lizardmen in 2512 IC.[13]
- An unnamed Black Ark was destroyed through a slave revolt led by Gotrek & Felix.[9]
- An unnamed Black Ark was destroyed by a fleet from Marienburg.[11]
- An unnamed Black Ark was commanded by Megara.[12]
Blood Bowl
Miniatures
Black Ark
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (4th Edition), pg. 29
- 2: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (5th Edition), pg. 30
- 3: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition), pg. 38
- 4: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (4th Edition), Dark Elf Timeline, pg. 11
- 5: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (7th Edition):
- 6: Warhammer Armies: Daemons of Chaos (7th Edition), pg. 27
- 7: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (4th Edition),
- 8: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (6th Edition), pg. 58
- 9: Elfslayer (novel) by Nathan Long, ch. Nineteen
- 10:Warhammer Monthly Issue 45, A history of Naggor, part one.
- 11: Warhammer Chronicles (2004), Special Characters, pg. 77
- 12: Neferata (novel) by Josh Reynolds, Chapter Seventeen, pgs. 377-380
- 13: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (8th Edition), Chronicles of the Lizardmen, pg. 27
- 14: Man O War Rulebook:
- 15: White Dwarf 298 (UK), Mengil's Manflayers, pg. 52
- 16: Warhammer Community
