Battletome Review: Sylvaneth Lore

Hey Everyone!  Today, as promised, I will be doing a review of the new lore from the recently released Sylvaneth Battletome.  If you missed this week's earlier post where I review how the army is on the table be sure to go give it a read.  Also, if you are a fan of all things Sylvaneth and cannot get enough of their lore feel free to check out my lengthy lore piece on The Everqueen herself!  Now lets branch away from this intro and look into the Sylvaneth Battletome lore.

The Sylvaneth came into being when the Goddess Alarielle began planting the soulpods across the Mortal Realm of Ghyran.  The Everqueen would nurture and raise these beings and they would be known as The Sylvaneth.  The Sylvaneth would continue to grow and flourish during The Age of Myth and shared their gifts with all in the Pantheon of Sigmar, but this time of growth would not last as The Age of Chaos would see war ravage their glades.  Nurgle would especially be a thorn in the Sylvaneth’s side as they slowly crept into Ghyran.

Alarielle and the Sylvaneth would fight back, but as Chaos invades all the realms every glade found themselves defending an ongoing battle that seemed without end.  Even the human allies of the glades who worshipped Alairelle turned from their goddess in hopes Nurgle would spare their lives.  Alairelle entered a season of Withering as her children were slain and hunted across the realms and her allies turning away from her.  The Sylvaneth would enter into hiding as Nurgle overran Ghyran.

As The Age of Sigmar began their hiding location would be found by the Stormcast Eternals as they sought to create an alliance with the Sylvaneth.  Nurgle, having followed them, attacked the final holdout of the Sylvaneth and came very close to destroying them once and for all.  The small force of Stormcast and Sylvaneth would carry Alarielle, now a soulpod having succumbed to her grief, to be reborn once again in her war aspect.  The Season of War for the Sylvaneth finally began.

The Sylvaneth would go on to reclaim much of what was lost to them across the realms as The Song of The Everqueen roused them to war once more!  After an age of battle, the Sylvaneth would watch cities being built as the realms where resettled.  Some even built by Alairelles power and while the Sylvaneth would never truly settle within the cities they would grow their glades near their returned allies, but the Sylvaneth remain distrustful in their own way and it is not uncommon for them to attack friend and foe alike for transgressions against their glades.  The Sylvaneth fight to reclaim their lands, reconnect the realmroots, and drive out anyone they see as an outsider (especially any tainted by Chaos).

As the Sylvaneth began finding their place in the realms once again the Necroquake struck and The Soul Wars would begin in earnest.  As the wave of Death Magic swept across the realms the Sylvaneth would see the dead rise in mass and many of their realmroots withered to dust.  While the Sylvaneth considered withdrawing to wait for the storm to pass Alarielle would not let them simply defend.  She calls out to the glades urging them on the offensive as her season of war continues in full bloom!
If you are a Sylvaneth Player then you are in undoubtedly excited for this Battletome and if you have even a passing interest in the army now if a great time to jump on board.  I look forward to seeing more and more glades popping up across the hobby community and what narratives everyone will develop as they play.  Happy Hobbying!

Chuck Moore