Yvraine

Overview

Yvraine is the high priestess of Ynnead, the Aeldari god of the dead. She leads the Ynnari, who hope that Ynnead can defeat Slaanesh, and she gathers followers from every branch of her fractured race.

She wields the Cronesword Kha-vir, the Sword of Sorrows, and is accompanied by the Gyrinx familiar. Her power over souls lets her draw the spirits of the slain into herself and channel them in battle. As the voice of Ynnead, she has brought Asuryani, Drukhari and Harlequins together in a way no one has managed since the Fall. Yvraine was born on Biel-Tan, walked several Aeldari paths, and ended up as a wych and gladiator in the arenas of Commorragh. There she died and was reborn as the Emissary of Ynnead. She left the Dark City carrying the Cronesword Kha-vir, with the Visarch as her champion and the Yncarne, the god of the dead's avatar, answering her call. Her creed, the Ynnari, gathers Asuryani, Drukhari and Harlequins under one banner. They hope to grow the slumbering god strong enough to destroy Slaanesh by gathering the souls of the dead.

Origins

She was born on Biel-Tan, walked many Paths, and became a corsair and finally a Succubus in the arenas of Commorragh.

Her wandering life touched every part of Aeldari society. As a Succubus she fought in the Crucibael, the great arena of Commorragh, where she was slain on the Night of Revelations and rose again as Ynnead's emissary. The resulting rift unleashed daemons into the Dark City, and she fled to the craftworlds to spread her message.

The Gathering Storm Companion and Phoenix Rising trace her many lives. She was born into a noble family of Biel-Tan and first walked the Path of the Performer as a dancer whose displays grew faster and more violent over time. She took up the Path of the Warrior as a Dire Avenger during the invasion of Gnosis Prime, then became a Warlock on the Path of the Witch. She was exiled from Biel-Tan and travelled with Rangers. Aboard the Lanathrialle she became a corsair, earning the name Amharoc, 'Pitiless One', until her crew mutinied under Lord Aracleo and abandoned her at Port Vilifact in Commorragh. She almost sank among the Starvelings before fighting her way into the Wych Cults as a Bloodbride and then a Succubus, possibly with the help of Malys, a scheming former lover of Vect.

Key events

1. Fell in an arena duel against Lelith Hesperax in the Crucibael and was reborn as Ynnead's emissary on the Night of Revelations.
2. Escaped the resulting chaos in Commorragh with the mysterious swordsman the Visarch.
3. On Biel-Tan, as the craftworld's infinity circuit shattered during a Slaanesh invasion, saw the Yncarne, Ynnead's avatar, rise.
4. Resurrected Prince Yriel at the Battle of Iyanden.
5. Accompanied Celestine and Cawl to Macragge, where she helped resurrect Guilliman.
6. Was hunted by the Keeper of Secrets Shalaxi Hellbane, whom Slaanesh had freed to stop Ynnead's awakening.

Her later quests come from Gav Thorpe's Ynnari novels and the Hand of Darkness audio drama. At Eldrad's request she stole the Hand of Darkness from Mortarion's Whispering Tower, entering the Garden of Nurgle with a rose of Isha she had won through Slaanesh's temptations in the Black Library. She also gained her gyrinx familiar Alorynis, offered with the soul of the Altansar warlock Guentilian Onyxblade. Fearing visions of Shalaxi Helbane devouring her soul, she gathered champions from every Aeldari culture as protectors, among them Jain Zar and Lelith Hesperax.

Battles & campaigns

• The Fracture of Biel-Tan: Her coming split her birth craftworld.
• Macragge and Ultramar: She brought survivors to Macragge and fought alongside the revived Roboute Guilliman.
• Iathglas: She drove off the Keeper of Secrets Shalaxi Helbane and restored the fallen Visarch.

Personality

Visionary, charismatic and pragmatic, she seeks an alliance of all the Aeldari.

She is charismatic and decisive, willing to make dangerous choices in pursuit of her vision. Her faith in Ynnead is absolute, yet she is pragmatic about forging alliances, even with humans. Many Aeldari see her as a saviour, while others see her as a reckless prophet whose god may be no less dangerous than Slaanesh.

Weapons & Vehicles

Power SwordMelee Weapon

A master-crafted blade sheathed in a crackling molecular disruption field that parts ceramite, bone and steel with effortless lethality…

Singing Spear & WitchbladePsychic Weapon

The psycho-crystalline force-blades and hurled Singing Spears of Craftworld Farseers and Warlocks, humming with resonant Warp-harmonics…

Shuriken Catapult & Shuriken PistolRanged Weapon

The graceful wraithbone gravitic-accelerator firearm of the Craftworld Aeldari, slicing targets to ribbons with silent, monomolecular s…

Howling BansheesElites · Unit

All-female Aspect Warriors founded by Jain Zar whose psychically amplified war cries paralyse enemy nervous systems before their power …

IncubiElites · Unit

Faceless mercenary swordsmen of Commorragh who serve whoever pays and live only to perfect the killing stroke with the klaive.

Explore all 48 entries in the Weapons & Vehicles armoury.

Connections

Characters (8)

• 
  Roboute Guilliman resurrected by · Ultramarines

  Yvraine's Ynnari helped bring Guilliman back to life on Iyanden.

• 
  Slaanesh enemy · Chaos Daemons

  The Ynnari hope Ynnead will one day rise and destroy Slaanesh, the god who brought about the Fall of the Aeldari.

• 
  Asdrubael Vect enemy · Drukhari

  Vect sent hunting parties after Yvraine.

• 
  Eldrad Ulthran ally · Craftworld Aeldari

  Eldrad joined Yvraine's Ynnari and helped awaken Ynnead.

• 
  Jain Zar ally · Craftworld Aeldari

  Jain Zar joined the Ynnari.

• 
  Lelith Hesperax rival then ally · Drukhari

  Lelith fought Yvraine in the Crucibael; later they became allies.

• 
  Prince Yriel ally · Craftworld Aeldari

  Yvraine resurrected Yriel and he joined the Ynnari.

• 
  The Visarch protector · Ynnari

  The Visarch is Yvraine's sworn sword.

Factions

• Ynnari primary faction

Related units (8)

Aeldari RangersHowling BansheesBonesingersFarseersHarlequin TroupeDeath JestersKabalite WarriorsWyches

Some links are thematic parallels (marked "parallel") rather than recorded meetings. See the connections web.

Legacy

Yvraine is the Emissary of Ynnead and the leader of the Ynnari. She seeks to awaken the god of the dead and so defeat Slaanesh. Her movement has divided the Aeldari between those who see hope in Ynnead and those who fear the price of a god born from death. Yvraine turned the Aeldari's oldest fear, death, into their newest weapon against Slaanesh.

Appearances & sources

• The Gathering Storm II: Fracture of Biel-Tan
• Codex: Aeldari; Psychic Awakening: Phoenix Rising
• Ghost Warrior (Gav Thorpe)