The High Elves are the oldest of the civilised races to inhabit the known world and their recorded history dates back over eight thousand years. Only the High Elves know anything about how the world came to be and the nature of the Old Ones (although even the High Elves do not truly understand them.) More than anything the High Elves know the nature of the winds of magic and are the most proficient practitioners of magic in the world. To mankind, High Elves are nothing but legendary beings who only surface from time to time in legend, such as during the Incursions of Chaos (2300 IC), but to Dwarfs they are seen as an arrogant race who caused them much grief during and after the War of the Beard.

The High Elves hail from Ulthuan, a large island ring in the centre of the Great Ocean between the Old and New Worlds. The island ring is broken at its southernmost point by the Straits of Lothern, around which is built the city of Lothern and is the seat of the Phoenix King, the monarch and ruler of Ulthuan, together with the Everqueen. Both occupy separate courts, the Phoenix King in Eataine and the Everqueen in Avelorn. Before Ulthuan's recorded history - and before Aenarion's reign as the first Phoenix King - the Elven Kingdoms was ruled by the Everqueen but little else is known about this time. The coming of Chaos after the collapse of the polar gateways saw the end of the Everqueens' supreme rule over Ulthuan. Aenarion, said to be an adventurer from Avelorn, kindled the Elves and fought back the tides of Chaos sweeping through the land.