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Asuryan

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Asuryan, also known as the Phoenix King, is the name of a male deity who was the chief as well as the eldest of all the Eldar Gods. His first brother is the War God, Kaela Mensha Khaine.[1a] The goddess Gea is said to have held both Asuryan and Khaine as her twin consorts.[2] He is known as the father of the gods and the ancestor of all living things.[1d]

History

In the oldest legends of the Eldar, it is said that a vision of the future by the goddess Lileath showed that Khaine would be torn asunder by an army of mortals. In his rage, the War God turned his wrath against the Eldar with their mother, the goddess Isha, weeping tears for her children. The Phoenix King heard her cries and upon learning of Khaine's plans, Asuryan created a great barrier that separated the realm of the gods from mortals for all eternity. This left Isha distraught for being separated from her children and thus she, along with her husband, Kurnous, went before the Smith God Vaul who fashioned from her tears the Spirit Stones through which she spoke to the Eldar. After overhearing her speaking to them, Khaine informed his brother and the Phoenix King was enraged that his command had been broken. Thus, he told Khaine to do with Isha and Kurnous as he saw fit for their act of betrayal against him.[1c]

During the events of the War in Heaven, a war raged between the gods and the race of immortal demi-god giants known as the Yngir. In this time, Asuryan despaired of the devastation wrought by his brother Khaine, with him regretting his hasty anger towards Isha and Kurnous. Despite this being the case, he refused to take sides during the conflict and neither favoured Khaine nor the Children of Isha. In this manner, he chose wisely and remained as lord of both sides.[1e] However, it was said that the Father of the Eldar battled Kaelis Ra but neither side was able to gain supremacy over the other. In desperation to save his children, the Eldar, he rearranged the suns themselves to create a constellation that spelt an ill omen for his foe and harnessed their might into a solar flare that mortally wounded Kaelis Ra.[3] Following the Fall of the Eldar, it is said within the Eldar legends that their gods were all killed by Slaanesh who not only destroyed them but also stole their power.[1b]

Craftworld Iyanden's symbol is a reference to the ever-burning shrine of Asuryan.[1d] The Phoenix Lord Asurmen also acted as the immortal scion of Asuryan.[1f] The Eldar created Sunstorm Squadron's in recognition of the ancient tale of Asuryan battling the Destroyer of Worlds and took their name from the legendary sunstorm that the Father of the Eldar brought to bear in the battle that all but destroyed Kaelis Ra.[3]

See Also

Sources