Warhammer 40K: The Battle of Valedor – The Red Death of Dûriel
Prince Yriel is both an exile and a hero. Today, we’re going to learn about one of his biggest victories and the price that was paid.
The Battle of Valedor, or Battle of Dûriel, depending on who you ask, was fought by a coalition of Eldar led by Craftworld Iyanden and the remnants of Hive Fleet Kraken in 778999.M41. This conflict is also known as the Red Death of Dûriel to the Eldar.
In the aftermath of the Craftworld’s original battle with Kraken, Iyanden’s Farseers had created a Warp Storm to block the Tyranid pursuit. Hundreds of Bio-ships had been caught in the tempest. The Eldar had assumed them destroyed. However this was not the case. Thanks to the prophecies of Taec Silvereye, Iyanden learned that Kraken’s remnants had been returned to the Materium. Worse still, it seemed that Kraken’s remains were heading towards Hive Fleet Leviathan. The Eldar knew that if the fleets were to combine the results could be catastrophic. Kraken had consumed Eldar bio-information that could be merged with Leviathan’s resources. This merger could create an unstoppable strain of Eldar-Tyranid hybrids.
Desperate Plan To Stop The Tyranids
Thus the Eldar surmised to stop Kraken once more this time at the world of Dûriel. Iyanden was soon aided by Biel-Tan and, surprisingly, the Dark Eldar of Commorragh in their efforts. Harlequins were able to broker this alliance. The Dark Eldar provided the solution to defeating the Tyranids: triggering a psychic device called the Fireheart.
It would destroy the core of Dûriel and all the alien beasts with it. However it could not be detonated remotely. The Eldar knew that whoever stayed behind to activate the device would perish with Dûriel.
Soon enough Dûriel had erupted into conflict. The Swordwind of Biel-tan arrived first and bore the brunt of the initial fighting. Craftworld Iyanden soon came under attack despite not having reached their destination. Then the unthinkable had happened: the Webway Nexus on Dûriel had been compromised. This began sending swarms of Tyranids through it.
Defending the Webway
Silvereye immediately ordered his Wraith-constructs to defend the Craftworld’s own Webway gate and prevent Iyanden itself from being overrun. Soon enough Iyanden’s Avatar was awoken and plunged itself into the Tyranid horde. With the aid of the mighty personification of Khaine, the Eldar were able to push the Tyranids back into Iyanden’s Webway gate and onto the surface of Dûriel itself.
Iyanden’s forces arrived to discover the final battle at Dûriel was already underway at a mountain known as Godspeak. Here Biel-tan’s Farseers sought to activate the Fireheart as a force of Eldar. At the same time the Dark Eldar fought to keep the Tyranids at bay. The Eldar under Chief Farseer Taec Silvereye fought to the last as the Fireheart was activated and Dûriel began to implode.
As the planet exploded, Yriel led Iyanden’s fleet against the Tyranid Bio-ships in orbit alongside Dark Eldar Attack Craft and finished them off, denying the fusion of Kraken and Leviathan. The Eldar had emerged victorious, but at heavy cost. Yriel had disappeared and worse still, Taec Silvereye had perished in Dûriel’s destruction.
Prince Yriel Post-Battle
Following the Battle of Duriel, Yuriel felt that his time had come and the Spear of Twilight had sapped the last of his strength. As he intended to return the weapon to Iyanden’s Shrine and die in the process, he was stopped by the mysterious Shadowseer Sylandri Veilwalker who he had not seen since first taking the relic. The Shadowseer told the prince that his job was not yet done and showed him violent visions of what may be to come: Daemons loose among the stars and Eldar Gods reborn in glory. Yriel felt his soul grow strong again for some unknown cause. He took up the Spear of Twilight once more to lead his people through these future trials.
For more on Prince Yriel and Valedor check out the Lexicanum!
