| “ | Even the wisest, most ancient of gentle spirits can be bent to violence by savage, unrelenting war. | „ |
Durthu is a 
Wood Elves Legendary Lord unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer with Realm of The Wood Elves. In the campaign, he leads 
Argwylon.
Description[ | ]
Durthu is an Elder of Athel Loren, a Treeman so ancient that even Ariel's millennia-long existence pales in comparison. It was he who first forged a union between Elves and forest, and who argued with his fellow Elders that the binding be made permanent. In those days, he was ever a friend to the Children of Isha, always willing to help them broaden their understanding of forest and Weave. Alas, those days are long gone. Centuries of destruction and carnage have taken their toll on Durthu's valiant spirit. He bore witness to the rapacity of blooded life, and of the wanton destruction it has heaped upon his homeland. He has seen untold acres of trees felled for kindling or from simple spite. He has watched, time and again, as the Elves have invited calamity on the forest through an inability to sever their connection to the outside world. Worst of all, he has seen his fellow Elders fall, one by one; some slain by their own foes but most destroyed by the enemies of the Elves.
Attributes[ | ]
Monster- ▲ Spellcaster: This unit can cast spells.
- ▲ Armoured: Armoured units can block damage from any source apart from Armour-Piercing damage.
- ▲ Forest Spirit: The spirits of Athel Loren are able to shrug off most mundane attacks, causing magical damage in turn before melting into the forest from whence they came.
- ▲ Armour-Piercing: The damage of armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.
armour-piercing weapons mostly ignores the armour of the target, making them the ideal choice against heavily-armoured enemies. They are often heavier and attack at a slower rate though, making them less efficient against poorly-armoured targets.Spells[ | ]
- Wyssan's Wildform
- Flock of Doom
- The Amber Spear
- Pann's Impenetrable Pelt
- The Curse of Anraheir
- Transformation of Kadon
Character Abilities[ | ]
Active Abilities[ | ]
Campaign only[ | ]
Passive Abilities[ | ]
Campaign only[ | ]
Item Abilities[ | ]
Unique Item[ | ]
Campaign starting units[ | ]
The Old World, The Season of Revelation & Mortal Empires[ | ]
Immortal Empires[ | ]
Lord effects[ | ]
- All units in Durthu's army are immune to all attrittion
- Upkeep: -30% for forest spirit units (Lord's army)
- Passive ability: "Annoyance of Netlings" for all Treemen units (Lord's army)
- Passive ability: "Resplendence of Luminescents" for all Treekin units (Lord's army)
WH2[ | ]
- All units in Durthu's army are immune to all attrittion
- Upkeep: -30% for forest spirit units (Lord's army)
- Charge bonus: +10 for Dryads, Treekin and Treeman units (Lord's army)
WH1[ | ]
- Hero recruitment cost: -50% for Branchwraiths
- All units in Durthu's army are immune to all attrition
- Melee attack: +10 during forest battles
- Elite Elven units cost Amber to recruit
Character traits[ | ]
Personal trait[ | ]
Eldest of Ancients: "The forest does not forgive; the forest does not forget. You will all feed its roots in the end, one way or another..."
- All units in Durthu's army are immune to all attrittion
- Upkeep: -30% for forest spirit units (Lord's army)
- Passive ability: "Annoyance of Netlings" for all Treemen units (Lord's army)
- Passive ability: "Resplendence of Luminescents" for all Treekin units (Lord's army)
Defeat trait[ | ]
Tree Surgeon: Even the mightiest tree in the forest can be felled - you just need a big enough axe!
- Enables flaming attacks when fighting against Wood Elves
Talent Tree[ | ]
- Durthu's skill tree on TWWH Characters
- Skill Tree on TotalWarhammerPlanner
Chapter Objectives[ | ]
Campaign objectives for Durthu (Click "expand" on the right to see them).
Chapter 1[ | ]
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Strike a Balance | The denizens of Athel Loren are forever linked to the Weave of Existence, the web of life and death that binds all living things. Where discord reigns, the Weave thins, and the Asrai diminish. Thus must the forest's protectors venture into the world, restoring nature's balance. | ||
| Bonus objective I | Riches of the Earth | Athel Loren is the borderland between Bretonnia and the Empire, possessed of a mystical guile and nuance that leaves both befuddled before it. Yet within, everything moves as it should. The gears of economy must continue to grind. | ||
| Bonus objective II | Sing, Sing, Sing | Athel Loren provides for those who endeavour to become one with the forest. Such are the Spellsingers; mages of singular power and raw magical energy, drawn from the heart of Athel Loren itself. | ||
| Bonus objective III | Warriors of Kurnous | When Durthu, Eldest of Ancients, strides to war, the forest strides with him. Ancient trees and vengeful spirits awaken to accompany the venerable Treeman to battle, to protect Athel Loren against any and all incursions. | ||
| Bonus objective IV | Beastly Boys | The mutated and savage herds of the Beastmen have long been a stain on the forest, and its inhabitants have long undertaken to purge them from the boughs. Yet they return, again and again, to bring havoc to the glades. | ||
| Bonus objective V | Dreams of the Forest | What Ariel dreams, the Asrai create. Athel Loren is a mystical place, but an industrious one, where Elves toil under lightless canopies to ever improve themselves, and be ever better than the perfidious outsiders. |
Chapter 2[ | ]
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Nature's Renewal | There is much work to be done. Disruption within the Weave is felt keenly throughout all the forests of the world. Ariel, Queen of the Woods, sheds tears for the destruction of nature. The Asrai and the forest's other allies are sent forth, using the Worldroots to appear where they are most needed. | ||
| Bonus objective I | All Along the Watchtowers | The boundaries of the Athel Loren are ever expanding, pushing against the Waystone fence that contains the forest. So too do the Asrai, wishing to expand their influence and push back against interlopers from without. | ||
| Bonus objective II | I Need a Hero | Before the Elves came to Athel Loren, it was the Branchwraiths who ruled the forests. Bitter and twisted by ages of spite, they are nevertheless powerful warriors who, though treacherous to the Asrai, nevertheless fight in defence of their homes. | ||
| Bonus objective III | Here Comes the Scum | The Wood Elves permit very few outsiders into the forest, and repulse many more. Greenskins are no exception. Treacherous, thieving reprobates, the Orcs and Goblins of the nearby mountains are detested by the Asrai for their many treasons and general filth. | ||
| Bonus objective IV | Build a Wall | The spirits and wraiths of Athel Loren draw great strength from the forest itself, and focus that power into the destruction of its enemies. When the forest unites, none can stand against it. | ||
| Bonus objective V | Branching Questline | Durthu sees the defence of the forest as his sacred duty - a quest above and beyond all others. To hold Athel Loren against any foe, any would-be danger, he would tear the Old World asunder! |
Chapter 3[ | ]
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | The Roots of Power | As harmony is restored to the dark places of the world, the Oak of Ages thrums with nature's power. The sanctuary of Athel Loren can be found anywhere the Asrai or the forest's other protectors tread, should they have sufficient will to maintain the delicate balance. | ||
| Bonus objective I | Forged Anew | The Elves are always pushing forward. The Starlight Forge is ever ablaze with the fires of industry. From beneath the canopies emerge new means and methods of making the Asrai ever greater. | ||
| Bonus objective II | Bough To No Man | The forest of Athel Loren has the means to defend itself. The forest spirits manifest in the bodies of Dryads and Tree Kin, all pledging service to Durthu and their woodland home. With powerful limbs and vengeful souls, these leafy warriors suffer neither man nor beast to breach Athel Loren's gentle glades. | ||
| Bonus objective III | Carry On My Wayward Stalker | Those who dwell too long alone with the trees lose something of themselves to the forest. So it is with the Waystalkers; solitary and taciturn hunters - masterful archers consumed, almost entirely, by the will of the forest. | ||
| Bonus objective IV | Bark & Bite | The spirits of Athel Loren, if powerful enough, irrevocably merge themselves with its trees. These 'Treemen' are caring and beloved by all Athel Loren, yet strike out with savagery at those who would harm the forest. | ||
| Bonus objective V | Twas Beauties Killed the Beasts | Both the Elves and Athel Loren's forest spirits are unified in their hatred of the Beastmen. Both would like nothing more than to see their Ruinous blight scoured from the world. To that end, they fight relentlessly to completely erase the menace of the herd. |
Chapter 4[ | ]
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Root Cause | The allies of the forest must venture far and wide, avenging the hurts of previous seasons. Each battle they fight, whether upon the borders of their own realm or in the lands beyond, serves to protect Athel Loren and preserve the balance of the Weave upon which all living things depend. | ||
| Bonus objective I | The Fury of the Forest | When Athel Loren is threatened both its spiritual and physical inhabitants rise up in its defence. An army falls, like countless leaves from countless trees, upon those who would threaten the forest. | ||
| Bonus objective II | Fostering Growth | The forests of Athel Loren are a patchwork of hidden constructions. High above the ground, interlaced amongst the branches, lie great patchwork cities, whilst below ground mighty halls host Elven Lords and Ladies in their government of the woodland realms. | ||
| Bonus objective III | The Plot Thickets | Athel Loren is divided into many realms. Some that languish in eternal sunlight, some in eternal darkness. All are ruled by Glade Lords and the Treemen of the forest; it is they who lead their companions into the fray. | ||
| Bonus objective IV | Safety Firth | Those who defend the realms of Athel Loren do so with a preternatural power. Waystalkers shadow their targets and eliminate them with ruthless efficiency, whilst Branchwraiths are unmatched in their murderous abilities. | ||
| Bonus objective V | Asrai Industrious | Athel Loren must never relent in its march of progress. No other race in the world can match the inhabitants of the forest for intelligence, ingenuity and wherewithal. Long may that be so! |
Chapter 5[ | ]
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Heal the World | The forest thrives once more as the denizens of Loren restore the balance of nature within the green places of the world. But now is not the time for complacence. Never again will Athel Loren suffer from the greed or cruelty of lesser races! | ||
| Bonus objective I | Season of War | Long have the paths of the Asrai and the homes of Forest Spirits been protected by sorcery, trickery and fey guile. And yet, when outsiders bring destruction to the forests, and the balance of the Weave is threatened, the hosts of Loren will join battle with skill, spite and fury unmatched. | ||
| Bonus objective II | The Last of Us | When an Elder of the forest is slain, his essence is absorbed by his peers. As one of only two survivors, Durthu possesses a portion of might of every Elder that ever existed, more than enough to heal his ravaged soul, and to achieve many miraculous things besides. | ||
| Bonus objective III | Fateweavers | The forces of Athel Loren are guided not by petty soldiers and tacticians, but by the will of ancient powers beyond the ken of mortals. Their actions may seem capricious to the uninitiated, but each success brings them once step closer to a harmonious whole. | ||
| Bonus objective IV | Dragon Attack | Over long centuries in Athel Loren, the intelligent and powerful Forest Dragons became an extension of its will. Though still voracious predators, the Dragons hunt only when the forest has need of them. In direst times, the forest itself wakes these mighty predators to defend it. | ||
| Bonus objective V | Strength in Numbers | As is the way of nature itself, the children of the forest are ever fickle and capricious, often placing their Kindred above the furtherance of the greater cause. Only once petty rivalries and tribal allegiances are set aside can the forces of Athel Loren dominate. |
Strategy[ | ]
- Durthu is not a regular lord, but a huge monstrous unit which dominates in melee, similar to Kholek Suneater. Keep him away from powerful units with anti-large bonuses and fire, but make sure to take full advantage of his titanic presence on the battlefield. He is a powerful melee fighter and a solid caster which makes him a strong anchor on the battlefield.
- Durthu's immunity to attrition for his army allows his to sink into bankruptcy without penalty. The usual penalty is that your units take attrition as they desert, but his army is immune to that, potentially as an oversight from CA. Because factions under bankruptcy won't replenish, if you primarily use Treemen and heal them before the end of every battle, one can maintain Durthu's army regardless of how bankrupt they are.
Trivia[ | ]
- Durthu is sometimes jokingly referred to as Tree Hitler by fans of the game. This comes partly from Durthu not thinking especially highly of mortal races. But more his AI playing really passively in early games, before suddenly becoming exceptionally aggressive and expansionist and “invading France” (Bretonnia). In the Immortal Empires campaign, Durthu’s aggressiveness carries over and he is almost immediately aggressive, but mostly targeting Karak Norn and Wissenland. Prompting the comparison further.
- Durthu really hate Dwarfs. He hates most mortal races for their wanton destruction but dwarfs more so than others. This is reflected in his diplomacy lines, where he will declare his “heart is rotten with hatred for Dwarfs” upon initiations with unfriendly dwarven factions.
Gallery[ | ]
Promotional
Concept art
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
