Released as a “deluxe figure” in the epic Advent of Decay wave, the Faerie Elf, Arteymss Silverchord, is one of the key characters in the storyline of Mythic Legions. The leader of the Xylona’s Flock faction, she wields the powerful Silverchord bow as her armies line up against the vampiric horrors from Illythia’s Brood.
Introducing Arteymss
The Arteymss Silverchord figure was not one of the initial characters shown when the Advent of Decay wave launched on Kickstarter. She was meant to be one of the many stretch goals we had planned for that series, but the immediate success of that campaign had us working double time at the studio to get additional stretch goal figures assembled, painted, and ready to show! For this reason, when Arteymss was first introduced, it was via some character artwork and a 3D-rendering of the figure. The lack of an actual product photo did not deter Legions fans from adding this Warrior Queen to their pledges, however, and we were able to show a painted sample of the figure soon after. You can see photos of all these below.
Arteymss’ Story
When Advent of Decay eventually shipped to fans, not only did it give them a pile of new figures for their collections, including new races and body styles, but the bios on these characters also helped to further the storyline of Mythic Legions. The bio for Arteymss Silverchord read:
“The crown has often weighed heavily on the brow of Artemyss Silverchord, the leader of Xylona’s Flock. Orphaned at the hands of Vampire assassins when she was five years old, she was raised by her Uncle Aristaeus and her minotaur protector Asterionn. This regal warrior has spent a lifetime training to protect her people and uphold her family’s legacy. Leading her faction and serving as queen have given Artemyss a wisdom that belies her young age and although she is tough and has been hardened by battle, her vibrant optimism and her vision of a world free of war and despair remain an inspiration to all.”
This bio not only tied Arteymss to other figures in the line, including Lord Aydon and Asterionn the minotaur, but it also further deepened the battle between her faction and the vampires.
As further evidence of the importance of Arteymss Silverchord to Mythic Legions, she made her presence felt on every single Advent of Decay package, joining Herra Serpenspire on the art by Nate Baertsch that was on the backer card for this entire wave, as well as some of the waves that came after it!
Arteymss in the Comics
The “Mythic Legions Art Book”, which was solicited during the first Kickstarter campaign, contained a comic story in which Arteymss was a central character. This story told of a strategic meeting between Otho, who was acting an emissary from the Army of Leodysseus, and the Xylona’s Flock faction. Accompanying Arteymss at her home of Castle Silverhorn are some other Mythic Legions figures/characters, namely Asterionn the minotaur and the green-armored dwarf, Orn Steelhide.
In this story, a group of assassins from the Sons of the Red Star, led by Skapular the Cryptbreaker, sneak into the Castle and a battle ensues. The comic panels show Arteymss as a warrior queen, deftly wielding the Silverchord bow to take down invading orcs! The final panels of this comic (which are shown below) not only show an alarming exchange between Artyemss and Skapular, but they also show the Faerie Elf and her companions mount up to journey out for battle! In that panel, Arteymss can be seen riding a griffin! Will we one day see this mighty mount in the Mythic Legions line? You’ll have to wait and see!
Arteymss Returns
The highly anticipated “Illythia” wave was debuted during the G-Con 2020 event, pitting that dark god and her vampiric brood against the goodly forces of Xylona’s Flock. One of the figures included in this wave was a second version of Artyemss Silverchord. This version showed the warrior queen outfitted in a more "adventure-ready" arrangement, as opposed to the first version which was more of a formal look for the character. This new Arteymss was a notable release since it marked the first time that an existing character had been revisited with a new figure! While we have reissued many figures as “All Stars” over the years, these have always been rereleases of existing figures in their original forms. Illythia was the first wave where we did new versions of characters who had been released previously – namely Arteymss as well as Baron Volligar. The bio for this new version of the Faerie Elf gives more of a glimpse into her story and the role she will play in the coming battles for Mythoss:
“The road to being crowned queen of Xylonia has been anything but straight for Princess Artemyss Silverchord. The mounting pressures of royal responsibility and public scrutiny have chipped away at the warrior in training’s young and impetuous spirit. The discovery of The Soul Spiller and Illythia’s impending return have now thrust upon Artemyss a renewed sense of dedication to her role as a leader of Mythoss as well as a willingness to step up and take action. As a Faerie Elf, Artemyss must now rely more than ever on the strengths and powers of both her Elven and Faerie ancestry to bring her courage in this darkest of hours.”
A number of eagle-eyed fans noticed that the listing for the second version of Artemyss had her as a "Princess", while for the first version she was a "Warrior Queen." Those fans wondered if maybe a mistake had been made, or if perhaps we were seeing a "prequal" version of the character? All we can say is this - good catch....and no, we didn't make a mistake. Her bio and description were intentional, and as more story is revealed, you will understand more about this important character and the path that her time in Mythoss has taken!
In addition to a host of new warriors to accompany Artemyss in her battles against the vampires, the Illythia wave also introduced a powerful steed for the Faerie Elf to ride – the moose named Alder. A stunning figure in her own right, this new version of Artemyss is an even more powerful presence beside her mighty companion! The bio for Apharueus the Centaur connects him with Alder, and to the Lord Bardric character, showning that the Centaur trained the steed, which was a gift to Artemyss from Lord Bardric:
“It was Aphareus, in fact, who trained the fabled steed Alder that Lord Bardric sent as a gift to Artemyss Silverchord as a symbol of his people’s fealty.”
The Battles to Come
The story of Mythic Legions continues to unfold, and you can rest assure that Xylona’s Flock, and their powerful leader Artemyss Silverchord, will play a critical role in whatever the future holds for the Realm.
(Note - Artemyss Silverchord is not only important to the story of Mythic Legions, she is also the character who inspired what was, as far as we know, the first Mythic Legions cosplay! Check out Joe Colton's amazing Artemyss costume right here!)
Published on 12.08.20