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  I'm a bit out of date on my Eldar fluff (most of what I've read is from the old WH40K Compilation).  From what I've gathered, the autarch is an Eldar who has followed all (or at least, a bunch of) Aspect Paths and is now on the Path of Command.  Is that right? 

  Is there any precedent for an Eldar moving directly from one Aspect to another, or do they go from being an Aspect Warrior to, like, the Path of the Poet, and then back to the Path of the Warrior later, only as a different Aspect this time? 

Eldar can either go directly from one Aspect Warrior path to another or they can go from an Aspect path back onto a civilian path and then back onto a different warrior path. As far as I know there is not set path on the 'path'. Eldar just have to move from path to path from time to time so as not to get consumed in mastering a particular skill.

And yes, you've got exactly right what an Autarch is (former Aspect Warrior who is now following the path of command).

What about the path of the World of Warcraft?  I'll bet that path has lots of exarchs.

In order for the Eldar to curb their "sinful ways" and avoid over indulgance is to travel what they call paths.

A path is a way of similar to Military training. You basically eat, sleep, talk, everything that path entails dictates every waking moment for that Eldar.

Paths do have their weakness. An Eldar can become so consumed by a particular path, that they no longer have the ability to do anything else. That is where the Exarch's come in. An exarch is so consumed with that Aspects particular ways that he is doomed to die along that path. The Eldar give him/her ceremonial armor that bonds with the wearer permenately.

However, back to the Autarchs. They are eldar warriors who have experienced several different warrior paths, this gives them a unique view of military warfare and tactics. For example, an Autarch could be a former Dire Avenger, Dark Reaper, and Striking Scorpion. A person with those experiences will have a wider view of the value of certain types of warfare when an Exarch will only prefer to fight the way he is consumed by.

However, they are following a path like all Eldar, that being a path of command, that probably has it's own structure to follow.

Autarchs are cool.

The time instead of skill path, where exarch level focus is required to compete.

I heard they like to play as humans and laugh about how they are straight and stuff.

Ah eldar reminds me of this comic.. straight from craftword Cowardice.

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?showtopic=102397&pid=1174796&st=0&#entry1174796

In some of the fluf in a WD, it mentions that some eldar "flit between various aspects" while others "become obsessed with a particular path and become Exarchs, unable to leave it."

Warlocks are Eldar that have walked an aspect warrior path and now walk the path of the seer.
Farseers are "Exarchs" of a sort, just locked on the path of the seer rather then the warrior.
Pathfinders are "Exarchs" also, but of the path of the outcast.

I would guess that eldar can become obsessed with non-military related paths, but that has little bearing on the game.