I just finished a Rakarth campaign, his starting position is relatively safe because you have mountains blocking entry for the most part.

I had a defensive alliance with clan pestilens who were dominating most of Lustria so they gave me space to snake around and take out smaller factions, even making a push for the South Pole.

Dark elf recruitment is generally slow so your black ark will help a lot, and having random beasts coming that you can recruit anywhere, you can expand quite fast and comfortably. Since all of your early settlements are near the coast black arks can be used to support replenishment easily.

I’d say he is a decent one to start with, I never played any other dark elf faction before him.