#kaldorei lore

[deathbypixelz]

In my AU, one of the major aesthetic tweaks I make to the kaldorei is remove a lot of the metal in their armor and replace it with leather, fur, and cloth. They still use metal of course, but for a people who cares so much about and is presumably very knowledgeable about the environment, they'd know mining all that metal is super unsustainable and damaging. Also leather and fur and cloth is easier to move and sneak around in.

With that said, I wanted to do a bit of a redesign for Maiev Shadowsong my beloved. I didn't want to touch her overall silhouette, because that shit is Iconic As Hell, but I replaced the heavy plate with more flexible samurai-type armor. There's already some Japanese/Korean/general SE Asian aesthetic influence in canon, so I wanted to draw on that. Not so much the (fantastical) Viking aesthetic I usually lean into, but I threw some of that in as well (e.g. the winnigas wrapping on her legs).

This isn't a "final draft" of her redesign, moreso a proof-of-concept for myself. So there'll be changes, as with all character designs lol

[deathbydarkelves]

I realized I completely overlooked where the kaldorei get their eggs from, so I decided they domesticated a species of pheasant and one or two species of geese for that :)

(the wild type is based off the irl Mikado pheasant)

Many, many households outside of city centers have their own little flocks. You get eggs, meat, they function as waste disposal, and produce fertilizer for your garden. Win-win.

By the way I just roughly and quickly sketched out these ideas. I'm not familiar enough with domestication and genetics to really get into the weeds of what breeds would arise (and in fact I mostly just copied irl chicken breeds), this is just a proof of concept.

[ashtarels-archives]

Delving into Blackfathom Deeps

An excerpt from Glory to the Queen Born of Stars:

"Of the wonders our queen brought to this world, perhaps none was so great as Lathar'Lazal. As masons constructed the temple, Azshara shaped the waters around it with the Scepter of Tides. She spoke the names of the rivers and the seas, and they moved at her command. Salt water from the roaring ocean and fresh water from the mountain streams trickled to Azshara's side. With the flick of her wrist, the queen partitioned them into great lakes that hugged Lathar'Lazal's sturdy foundation."

Architecture:

Blackfathom Deeps, as we know it today, was once called "Lathar'Lazal," or "Seat of the Sky" in Darnassian. Long ago, this was a temple to Elune built by Queen Azshara with the aid of Sharas'dal (her tide-scepter) in the ages before the Sundering. Pelagic imagery still endures in the architecture of these sunken ruins, described at one point to have contained "gem-encrusted bridges and effervescent lakes." Motifs of fish-head fountains, wave-inspired stonework, scale-like patterns, and ionic columns are repeated in the masonry and pottery of the forlorn halls. It is unclear what the seafoam-colored stone the temple is made of, though it is interesting to note that it almost bears a resemblance to a body of water's surface: like the way a pool shifts and shimmers with the light. Some kind of material borne of the sea, melded together with the queen's Sharas'dal, or a common mineral of the region? They could also simply bear cracks and signs of weathering considering the age of the temple, but watery stone would be fitting symbolically.

Azshara's Influence:

"Whenever she [Azshara] walked the bridges of Lathar'Lazal, nearby schools of exotic fish would array themselves in colorful patterns. She even kept a colossal sea giant bound to one of the lakes. She used her scepter to make him perform tricks and feats of strength, much to the delight of the watching Highborne. Curious night elves from the far corners of the empire journeyed to Lathar'Lazal to study the mythical creature and his habits."

Perhaps Lathar'Lazal was a bustling tourist attraction then in the days of the empire, both for education and entertainment. With such tourism drawn to the temple, I wonder if the nearby land/city of Zoram benefited from this economically.

The passage above seems to imply that the Highborne rather enjoyed the spectacle of the imprisoned sea giant, and this poses an interesting dichotomy to the original purpose of the temple: a house of Elune, simultaneously hosting a creature trapped against its will. Such an exhibition created by Azshara here speaks to her penchant for show and amusement, and possible disregard for the faith. If only a historical record existed of a priestess's personal journal or the like; and whether she would be disappointed with such behavior, or complacent in the suffering of other races/creatures as night elves often were during this era.

Tideweaver:

Queen Azshara, even before her naga transformation, always had a fascinating dominion over water, both with her scepter Sharas'dal and the Well of Eternity. Supposedly Xavius was the one who actually gifted the queen with this ornate weapon that later shaped the temple:

"A night elf named Lord Xavius presented the queen with a jeweled scepter, etched with delicate magical sigils. He promised Azshara that so long as she kept it close, it would bring her prosperity and great power. Azshara held the scepter aloft, and the jewels shimmered in the light of the moons like brilliant stars. The sight of the queen and her gift was so beautiful that it brought many of the attendant Highborne to tears."

An enigmatic man of terrifying skill and power, I do wonder where Xavius procured this weapon in the first place; as its design does not appear to be of Kaldorei craftsmanship. Perhaps it hails from the ancient jinyu culture, the primordial titans, or some other past world power. Examining its details, what do you think of Sharas'dal's origins?

"Queen Azshara's enchanted scepter afforded her great power. Imbued with the Well of Eternity's potent waters, it held sway over the rivers and the seas, aquatic creatures of all kinds, and the life energies that stirred within Azshara herself."

In the Tablet of Balancing Tides, it is stated that:

"The whispers of Elune and Neptulon play on the tides, their words etched in stone are a tribute to the balance of their power."

I find it interesting that Azshara utilized a form of magic half-intrinsic to the moon goddess. Did she derive some of her aquatic power from Elune, or use a different magick entirely? The descriptions of Azshara wielding the scepter use language that speaks to a command over water, rather than a unity with the elementals, spirits, and goddess.

This item's flavor text also mentions Neptulon--Elemental Lord of Waters--interestingly now a sworn enemy of Queen Azshara and her naga forces in the present day.

The Moonshrine Ruins:

This place supposedly once hosted a moonwell, with an area known as the Moonshrine. The foundations here might suggest that before the Sundering, Lathar'Lazal could have been built just upon the shores, or expanded out into the sea itself with the tides embracing the temple all around. Swimming beneath the waters of the Moonshrine, there appear to be large pillars supporting the walkways here; much like a pier.

The Inner Sanctum:

Crescent imagery is prevalent inside of the sanctum, as well as sets of 3 seats, perhaps symbolism of the triple moon (waxing, full, and waning or the maiden, mother, and crone archetypes) holding some importance in the rituals carried out here. These could also represent a large meeting space, high-ranking priestesses for ritual, a council of leadership, divisions of the temple, seating for observers, or something else entirely. They face partitioned rooms with crescent moon symbols.

If we look at the central dais of the sanctum, (Azshari statue and cultist altar notwithstanding) there is a raised platform with a pyramid-like structure carved into the ceiling. Perhaps a skylight once existed here to let in moonlight for lunar rites, or this area hosted something of great importance to be kept safe inside the sanctum.

The Moondoors:

The moondoors are an especially interesting piece, and the last apparent threshold of the Seat of the Sky. Upon passing through, there are only a handful of pillars flanking the sides of the cavern. They seem to accompany each other in pairs on each side - marking a possible entrance, exit, or some other pathway to the temple. While I am unsure of their true purpose or the mechanism to unlock them, the various square pieces are almost akin to a puzzle. This model is used in other Kaldorei architecture and I've long been intrigued by their possible uses. These moondoors are typically used as entrances to the tall, thin ivory towers of Kaldorei ruins. Perhaps Elunarian priests or arcanists weave (or wove) intricate spellwork rooted in the arcane, or the moon cycle in order to lock these types of barriers. What was intended to lie beyond them is anyone's guess: powerful artifacts, sacred relics, enshrined lore, or even concealed secrets.

"The Great Sundering shattered the glorious temple, sinking it beneath the waves of the Veiled Sea."

I hope you enjoyed these musings! There's something equally fascinating and solemn looking back at the remnants of the Kaldorei Empire - in the shadows of glory that once eclipsed the continent.

[frutavel]

Fun OC fact of the day:

These four are technically related.

The three night elves are siblings, but if you go far back enough in the family tree it turns out they all share a common ancestor with Tau - and oddly enough the nelves are actually closer to that ancestor than Tau is. Their parents are very, very old elves, and all in all only a few generations removed from the dark trolls that bore them.

Kaharau is a dark troll who, according to legend, wanted to cheat death by becoming a loa. He sought to achieve this by having his friends and family pay him tributes in life, something that most saw as foolish or a joking manner.

The young ones took that to heart though, and a few too many eager younglings was more than enough to fulfill the old man's wish. It's said that ol' Kaharau became a trickster spirit in The Other Side, and while few know of his story, he is kept alive in legend and song and the occasional offering made by those who find some joy in his tale.

Kaharau's descendants would eventually split in two lines. One line was changed by the Well of Eternity into something entirely new, becoming the night elves that Adagio, Andryza and Rex were born from. The other line continued as they always had, and Urutau is now one of the few living grandchildren of a trickster loa.

[wowlorecraft]

On the evolution of High Elves

"High Elf" as a category no longer applies to the elves of Azeroth. Those who retain the monicker are actively raciating, becoming what we would call Highvale and Light Elves, respectively. These Bel'dorei and Al'dorei practise different arts, eat different foods, adorn their bodies and houses differently, and are beginning to physiologically look different, too. As such, I posit that the term "High Elf" has finally and officially been eclipsed by distinct elven identities and the high elven category has gone entirely dormant as of this writing.

~ Lorekeeper Kalith

No more are the High Elves: In their place stand the Sin'dorei, Blood Elves of the Horde; banished from their ranks are the Ren'dorei, Alliance Void Elves. The Highborn have since become the Night Elves: Alliance Kaldorei, including the Eldorei or Shen'dralar, those who hid in Eldre'Thalas; in Suramar, they have become Nightborne, Shal'dorei, allies with the Horde and cousins of the Nightfallen and Fal'dorei.

Those Kaldorei who were exiled took to the sun and Sunwell instead. The story is well-worn; it is the small, yet fruitful, remnants who maintain their ties with the Alliance that we discuss here:

Quel'dorei, "Children of Noble (lit. high) Birth," made their home in Quel'Thalas at Silvermoon, with their spiritual centre at Quel'Danas, the Sunwell. After the destruction and splintering of their nation, three major splits happened: One sought refuge in their Lodges, the other stayed amongst the Humans and other magi, particularly at Dalaran, and the last went to Draenor.

(Those who made their home in Quel'Lithien have succumbed and become Wretched. Discussion and analysis of the various Wretched and Withered is to come.)

Dalaran, Quel'Danil, and the Allerian Stronghold became centres of High Elven activity within the Alliance. Those of the Kirin Tor and Silver Covenant both distanced themselves from their Blood Elven kin and warmly welcomed back those of the Alliance Expedition. Danassian Elves practise light and arcane magic and are led by Vareesa Windrunner

These Elves have come together and, holding true to their roots when first exiled from the Druidic, moon-worshipping Kaldorei, forged a new name for themselves, one in direct opposition to the Sin'dorei Sunreavers . They have found community in the Human, Gnomish, and other magi of Dalaran and other Alliance cities. Within their ranks are numerous Half-Elven communities, whom they publicly call Shan’are "honoured ones" but privately label Vor'dorei "Children of the Broken."

Danillian Elves, on the other hand, have found community with the Wildhammer Dwarves most especially. In addition, some Draenei have made Quel'Danil their home, and these Highvale Draenei follow the shamanic path first laid by Nobundo, learning to become druids. With Seradane so close, the Wildhammers, Danai,* and Highvale Elves commune with the Kaldorei and Worgen. Thus the Highvale Elves begin to consider themselves a distinct elven nation. In their concordance with the Wildhammers, their bodies (adorned with tattoos) become thicker and more stout, becoming the shortest and widest of elves. Similarly, these Highvale Draenei, or (*) Danai, come to intermix with their neighbours resulting in browner and greener, tattoo'd, and more nature-y space goats

Thus:

Kaldorei - Children of the Stars - Night Elves

Eldorei - Children of Eldre'Thalas - Shan'dralar

Shal'dorei - Children of the Night - Nightborne

Fal'dorei - Children of Falanaar / followers of Aranasi

Sin'dorei - Children of Blood / of the Bloodline - Blood Elves

Quel'dorei - Children of Noble (lit. High) Birth

Some useful Thalassian words:

Quel - High, Noble

Belore - Sun

Alah - Light

Thas - Forest

Danil - ? Peak

(*)For the goats:

-nai = "with / person of a place" e.g., Kurenai, Auchenai)

-dor = settlement (e.g., Talador, Telredor)

Quel'Danil > Danidor (in Draenic, a borrowing) > Danai

(There is no word for mountain in-game in the language, so I did my best with "Danai")

For the Elves...

Highvale Elves: Either keep Quel'dorei for its literal use of "high"/"quel," or transition to Thas'dorei (ew), or Bel'dorei, a shortening of Belore'dorei "Children of the Sun" as both a way to stay true to Sun-worshipping heritage, keep in allied complementary opposition to Kaldorei's Elune worship, and a nod to the new Night Elven home of Bel'Ameth. I convinced myself writing this: Bel'dorei for Highvale Elves

Danassian Elves: These are the elves that still 'shun' nature worship, maintain an arcane practice, and follow the Light. They are spread around, but their capital is Dalaran now. They oppose the Blood Elves but still need to sate their needs and thus still utilize the Sunwell as the font of power it is. They are Children of the Light, or Light Elves, and Alah'dorei or, for short, Al'dorei in Thalassian (now Danassian)

Danai - Those from Danidor (Quel'Danil) - Highvale Draenei

Bel'dorei - Children of the Sun - Highvale Elves

Al'dorei - Children of the Light - Dalarani (&c.) High Elves

[kissfortheelves]

Alaraën Swiftleaf was one of the few dragon riders of Loreth’aran and (to her knowledge) the only survivor.

I imagine the bond between dragon and rider must have been especially deep, so after the death of not only her dragon companion, but the rest of the riders and dragons, she was plunged into the deepest sadness.

She ended up enlisting in the ranks of the Silverwing sentinels in order to be useful to her people, after all, she is a great warrior and she could still put her weapons at the service of the kaldorei.

Alaraën has been through many battles and much pain, even after finding family again among the sentinels, her heart has never stopped bleeding.

After the battle of the War of the Thorns , Alaraën laid down her weapons after a life of war, deciding to make a pilgrimage to Winterspring to isolate herself from the world. She hasn't been heard from in these last 5 years of timeskip, but her name may resurface once more when her bond with dragons calls her again.

[shetolae]

Gift of the Fang, Silabivn and Helaea by @/yuutayo on Twitter!

[lendasdeazeroth]

Os Kaldorei começam a usar Magia arcana

O Renascimento da Magia Arcana entre os Kaldorei O Alvorecer de uma Nova Era Ano 133.500 - Apesar da catástrofe que foi a invasão da Legião Ardente e a subsequente quebra do mundo conhecida como a Grande Divisão, os Kaldorei experimentaram um período de reconstrução e reflexão. Entre as cinzas do antigo mundo, cerca de 13.500 anos antes da Primeira Guerra, as sementes de um renascimento cul...

https://lendasdeazeroth.com.br/a-era-dos-elfos/os-kaldorei-comecam-a-usar-magia-arcana/

[birmit]

Ilandis Scarletveil

✧ Name: Ilandis Scarletveil ✧ Race: Night Elf | Kaldorei ✧ Occupation: Druid, one of the senior alchemists of the Cenarion Circle ✧ Age: about ~10,000 years ✧ Gender: Female

Note: I am not very knowledgeable about the lore of the night elves, especially their history. Therefore, there are not many details regarding traditions here, but I plan to add them in the future. Also, Ilandis is my character in the ttrpg "A Time of Changes", so some fragments of her biography may change. The article also intentionally omits some details from future events, so as not to spoil the plot of the personal quest for fellow players (and also because at the moment I want to focus on the image and life of Ilandis "before" certain events).

Appearance

Ilandis is a tall, thin night elf with long green hair. She has sharp features, and her skin is already showing the first signs of aging in the form of dark circles and wrinkles around her eyes.

One of the most obvious features of her appearance is her long, knife-like ears. Ilandis has longer ears than many other night elves, which often becomes a problem, especially in cold climates.

Her body is covered with traditional tattoos of her race, which she has applied throughout her long life. The first were patterns on her face and ear, which marked her coming of age. Otherwise, Ilandis's figure can attract attention only by its excessive thinness and even bonyness. The druidess rarely eats anything other than decoctions and infusions, which has greatly affected her appearance over the years. The fact that Ilandis does not disdain to test the results of her own researchs on herself also adds to the sickliness of her appearance.

Headcanon: Night elves (especially those who have mastered the art of druidism) require much less food and sleep to survive. This is why Ilandis can go longer than others without rest.

Сharacter traits

— An old and grumpy elven woman, that says it all. — She distrusts and disdains all races except the Kaldorei. She considers them inferior and unworthy of much attention. She is tolerant only of representatives of other elven communities (except the Sin'dorei). She despises the Horde and can agree to cooperate with them only in cases of extreme necessity. — She can rarely be seen smiling or simply content with life. Most of the time she is gloomy, and her eyes look as if in her thoughts she is somewhere very far away. Ilandis has difficulty expressing emotions, but she herself does not suffer much from this. — She prefers the company of books and her own research to society.

Background

Most likely, Ilandis had some kind of psychological (or congenital) deviation from birth, which in the realities of Azeroth simply went undiagnosed, since no one really cared about it. Since childhood, she was withdrawn and silent. She was not interested in playing with others and was always busy with her own things. With endless persistence, she could repeatedly move things from one place to another or arrange tree leaves by shade and degree of sickness. No matter how much her parents and teachers studied with her, she remained terribly straightforward, although she could perfectly well repeat every line from etiquette books by heart. As a teenager, she was not interested in relationships with others or events and could spend days in her own room, which was more like a library.

Note: I don't know enough about medicine or psychology to make a specific diagnosis (and I don't want to put a label), but Ilandis most likely had some form of autism from birth.

Elven age smoothed out all these nuances and taught her to better adapt to society. Or, at least, to pretend that she was at least a little interested.

Even before women were officially allowed to become Circle druids in Kaldorei society, Ilandis became interested in this art. Since childhood, she was attracted to everything related to nature: from studying plants to collecting butterflies and insects. And — their dissection. She was interested in how it all worked, how she can "reassemble" any manifestation of life and what it can be used for. Secretly, she eavesdropped on the lessons of other druids, and so gradually, step by step over many years, she was able to master this magic herself.

Ilandis' views on nature and the druid way have always been quite different from the mainstream. Instead of blindly protecting any living thing, she followed the principle of "survival of the fittest." Therefore, she studied all manifestations of life and death.

Another favorite hobby and the meaning of Ilandis's life was alchemy. Even before she came of age as a Kaldorei, she began making potions, decoctions, and poisons. This direction opened up a whole new path for her experiments, which she did not fail to take advantage of. Very quickly, her house turned into a storage room for all sorts of ingredients, notes, and experimental samples. The elf often tested the effects of various mixtures on herself, which is why her body, especially on the inside of her arms, has faded remnants of specific scars.

Artwork by aunhana

After her talents as a druid and scholar became known to the community, she was forced to become a member of the Cenarion Circle. Ilandis always felt love and a certain patriotism for her people, so despite her reluctance to interrupt her studies, she still agreed to move to a new position. Thus, Ilandis became one of the first female druids invited to the Circle.

Despite the fact that experiments on living beings were not very approved by the druid community, the results of the work of the Scarletveil always justified any risks. For example, she made some of the best healing potions, whose recipes could not be repeated by other alchemists. In matters of antidotes, she often had no equal, since she could determine by the smallest signs what exactly the wounded were poisoned with - and how to provide them with first aid. On the battlefield, she remained cold-blooded even in the most frightening situation, which saved the lives of many kaldorei and representatives of the Alliance. Therefore, for a long time, everyone turned a blind eye to what other dubious concoctions Ilandis made and what ingredients she used for them.

Ilandis always refused any titles in the community and preferred to remain in the shadows. But despite this, she was still appointed senior alchemist - and later mentor. After all, even the Circle is not averse to politics, and they were well aware that sooner or later Ilandis could cross the line. And losing her work would be too inconvenient in view of the constant aggravation of conflicts between the Alliance and the Horde. Therefore, they tried to assign students who showed talent in alchemy to her many times. But, except for one, no one could withstand her difficult character and teaching methods.

Artwork by CHELOBEK

A Time of Changes

Note: Northrend - about 25 years from the opening of the Dark Portal, until the start of the full-scale war with the Scourge.

Ilandis Scarletveil rarely left Kalimdor for official reasons, and even more rarely as a member of an expedition. But this time, when the Circle approached her with a request to join a group of other druids traveling to Northrend, for some reason she agreed. It is currently unknown whether this was due to an unexpected surge of altruism, or if the night elf was pursuing her own goals.

Having safely reached the northern continent, the expedition set up camp in the Borean Tundra. But during the night, their camp was attacked by undead, who killed most of the druids. Ylandis miraculously managed to survive, but she woke up on the cold stone floor of a frozen prison, completely without equipment and even without clothes. And more importantly - surrounded by unknown and motley representatives of the peoples of Azeroth.

Among them, a huge furry mass stood out, taking up most of the cell. This "mass" eventually turned out to be a tall tauren - and moreover, a druid, who, however, could not possibly be part of their expedition. In other darknesses of the small room were, as Ilandis then decided: two obvious elven women with ears similar to sin'dorei; a man in a cloth mask, which for some reason was left to him; and a blood elf with eyes burning with the fel fire.

At that time, Ilandis could not yet imagine that she would have to forget about her principles regarding other races and enter into a temporary alliance with this inveterate group of adventurers.

Artwork by SYR

Facts

— Ilandis is ambidextrous and can use both hands equally well. She also speaks Darnassian, Druidic, and Common. Ilandis is 230 cm tall.

— She believes that life in animal forms is a humiliation for true kaldorei. She herself also rarely uses them, preferring to rely on the magic of the stars, as well as healing spells. The only forms she uses are the half-elven moon and tree forms.

— Ilandis is asexual, she does not feel attraction to others and is not interested in romantic relationships.

— She runs a store with potions. She herself never appears there, having shifted all the work on interacting with clients to hired employees. Over her long life, she has accumulated quite an impressive capital, but does not monitor it in any way.

— She has a huge collection of various dried insects and animal skeletons. She was into taxidermy for a while.

— She loves herbal teas and can survive for a long time eating only them. She does not tolerate alcohol well.

— Her only "successful" student eventually ran away from her to another continent and even refused to join the Cenarion Circle.

[witchlightdesigns]

I've got a lovely kaldorei mage hunter that I think I've yet to share here! Her name is Eille'nar Kal'rhok, or Starbow, and she's aaaaancient. Born in Elune'dris before it became Zin-Azshari. She's been through a lot. She was amongst the first Sentinels, and I've kinda made her a custom class of a mix between hunter and warden and mage. We're working on her partner too, an afflicted kaldorei monk who has a blessing similar to an Anubisath and he's all jackal-like instead of your normal worgen. He wound up in Uldum after the War of the Shifting Sands and we've got some good plausible lore stuff for him I think. Bending a little, but not breaking.

[thependragonarchives]

KuroWoW Brainworms

race + class combos!!!

Ciel - Gilnean (not afflicted, aka no werewolf) Warlock. He is twelve years old and has a demon butler, not much change there but Gilneas is kinda filled with plague (pretend its pre Dragonflight) so he lost his estate. Sebastian - Sayaad, former member of the Burning Legion. There's very few demons that fit Sebastian in the WoW universe, so Sayaad it is. He uses a human glamour though, and acts as Ciel's butler/guardian. Lizzie - Kul'Tiran Warrior! Kul'Tiras is a land that is bound to the sea, and I think the Midfords would do great there. Plus she could've gone to the Eastern Kingdoms to visit Ciel b4 the fall of Gilneas. Mage portals exist at least! Baldroy - Westfall Farmer to Stormwind Soldier to Chef of Lord Phantomhive. Human warrior. The war against the Lich King and the Cataclysm ruined Westfall, leaving most of its denizens struggling. Baldo took the chance Ciel gave as a second try at life. Finnian - Lordaeronian descent, survivor of the Arugal's experiments. He's also a worgen!! Aka werewolf :D. When the Scourge was rampaging towards Gilneas, Finnian was but a boy when he was taken by the mage and turned into a worgen. Might make him a druid tbh!!

Mey-Rin - Marksmanship Hunter, but I can't decide if she'd be a half elf of Kaldorei descent or Quel'dorei!! Kaldorei are much more attuned to nature, while Quel'dorei (renamed Sin'dorei) are reliant on mana + eventually fel (demonic) magics.

Tanaka- Pandaren Warrior. Did I furryfy grandpa? Yeah. Does the life of Pandaren fit grandpa? Absolutely, especially with the Sha in lore. I plan on drawing them when i get the chance <3

[deathbypixelz]

Six or seven years after the burning of Teldrassil, Tyrande and Maiev have yet to return from their hunt for the Banshee Queen. So Cathala, Tarinne, and a few other like-minded individuals decide to take matters into their own hands. They follow what little remains of Sylvanas' trail, investigating abandoned Horde outposts, interrogating Horde separatists, and not-quite-legally digging through old military documents. Ultimately, they discover her trail leads to Northrend, and so they follow. The hunt will be long, harrowing, and neither their quarry nor the endless icy wastes will show mercy. Not all will live to touch warm soil again.

[deathbydarkelves]

Shadowmelding and Warden blinking

I said I was gonna make a post on how shadowmelding works in my AU and then, uh... forgot. But then I remembered! So here it is.

All kaldorei can shadowmeld to some extent (barring rare disorders and the like), and the ability can be improved through repeated use like a muscle. Your average joe can probably only do it for a few seconds while staying perfectly still. They were probably also better at it in their childhood, as there are many popular children’s games which revolve around shadowmelding.

Shadowmelding itself, visually, makes the shadowmelder look similar to a heat shimmer, but if the heat shimmer was also faintly opaque. Like a dark smudge in the air. The more practiced one is, the fainter the shimmer is, and thus the easier it is to hide. It’s not true invisibility and kaldorei still need to be in darkness for it to really work as intended — one could try it in broad daylight if they really wanted, but who’s going to overlook a blob of faint, shimmery shadow in the middle of the street? No one. But in an alley just off to the side? That’s a different story.

Regarding Wardens…

In canon, they have an ability to teleport short distances called “blinking”. How they do this is never explained and it’s bothered me for a while because that seems like a VERY arcane ability to have, which goes against the post-Sundering kaldorei dislike and distrust of arcane magic.

But I’ve found a way to explain it as an extension of shadowmelding:

Wardens have perfected this ability to its furthest extent, allowing them to not only disappear into the shadows, but to instantly travel between them. Warden blinking is not the brief opening of a portal that a mage’s arcane blink is, but some other kind of magic known only to them. In harsh light, this means a Warden could use an enemy’s own shadow to appear behind them. The range of this ability varies with the environment and the person, but generally speaking, it’s used to close short and mid-range distances. The deeper the shadow and the harsher its borders the easier it is to blink to. The best of the best can use even faint, fuzzy shadows to blink.

[ashtarels-archives]

Cathedral of Eternal Night: Lost Sanctum of the Sisterhood of Elune

Cathedral of Eternal Night, perhaps called "Azshal'adora" in Darnassian.

These were the uppermost chambers of the Temple of Elune, now known as the Tomb of Sargeras. The corrupting emerald fires of fel magic slowly creep through the entrance of these once hallowed halls, but remnants of the Sisterhood's former glory still endure further into the Cathedral.

Hall of the Moon:

When traversing the dungeon, there are rooms to the side of the main path that may be opened and fully explored. These circular spaces contain what could be old moonwells, outlined with pillows and embraced by floating flowers overhead. These were likely places of meditation or communion with Elune, but I could also imagine these pools being used for healing, cleansing, scrying, stargazing, etc.

Perhaps a coincidence, but when inspected closer, these flowers have eight main petals; similar to how there are eight notable phases of the moon. (I wonder if eight is considered a lucky or holy number in Kaldorei society?)

Windows of stained glass adorn the walls and the ceilings here, filigree and diamond-shaped motifs (like the Tears of Elune) being repeated in the lower levels of the temple as well. Despite this being an indoor place of worship, it's clear that keeping moonlight visible/sensed was important in the Cathedral. In some rooms, it appears that the moonlight from outside shines directly into the pools, perhaps imbuing them with lunar blessings. This could have also just been a way for priests of Elune to feel closer to Her even when inside.

Countless scrolls and bookshelves can be found in all rooms, many of them housing a plethora of desks. Eerily, some still have an open scroll or book laying atop their surface with bookmarks in place, untouched by the sands of time.

I'm curious as to what texts are hidden here, but I suppose there's a few obvious things that come to mind. They could be prayers the Sisters were trying to commit to memory, songs of the Elunarian faith, stories/legends about the Well of Eternity, sacred texts of the Goddess, students' notes/textbooks, and more; as this could have also been a place of learning for newer inductions into the Sisterhood as well.

Perhaps the writings in this repository could make for interesting RP adventures in retrieving old texts, relics, lore about ancient Kalimdor, or attempts at discerning old Elunarian spellwork, prayers, stories, etc!

The small tabletop game on the right also caught my eye. Pieces of arcane crystal float above the board, maybe an old version of Kaldorei/Highborne chess.

Another detail in some of these areas are the looms resting to the side of the moon-pools: this could have been a place where mooncloth or holy vestments were created or blessed, as evidenced by one of the sub-zones here being called "Sacristy of Elune." A sacristy is a place where "a priest prepares for a service, and where vestments and other things of worship are kept."

Chapel of Tranquil Song:

An easily missed side-room leading up the first set of stairs is the Chapel of Tranquil Song. It is a small church with two sets of pews, and a fallen crescent-harp. This room further reinforces the idea that music and song have been a prominent aspect of Elune worship, and I think this could be an interesting take on healing in RP as well. Calming singing and instruments like the harp could possibly help heal wounds alongside the lunar magic of the Goddess, akin to an Elunarian bard.

The Twilight Grove:

The next level of the Cathedral is called "Twilight Grove," a large platform housing ethereal flowers that glow like stars with a font of moonlight (almost like a silver lake) pouring in through the ceiling. Agronox's dungeon journal entry describes these as the "Hanging Gardens," which he once tended to before his fall to corruption. I find it interesting that these plants seem to flourish hanging upside down, rather than growing on the ground level. Some petals and leaves also seem to be translucent, reminiscent of a spirit or the like.

I am unsure what these herbs are exactly, but perhaps they are specifically nourished by moonlight. Maybe priests of Elune utilize celestial herbs of some kind that bolster the magic granted by the Goddess, grant visions/spiritual boons, or emanate a calming aura in places of worship. It could also be that mundane herbs may be grown near a moonwell or a font like this one, and with time are imbued by Elune's blessings.

Chapel of the Sentinels:

This chapel is yet another Legion reference to a group called the Sentinels existing before the War of the Ancients. The others mentioned are in Tel'anor (resting place of WotA heroes) upon the plaques of the Windstrikers and Latara Feathersong.

Windstrikers: "Marksmen without peer, their skill with a bow was an inspiration to generations of archers. Their family developed the gauntlets the Sentinels wear, carefully articulated mail links that empower our archers to this day."

Latara: "Here lies Latara Feathersong. A huntress of the Sentinels, she led the vanguard in many campaigns. Her bravery and compassion were endless."

Maybe this order existed before the Sundering, with special places reserved for them like this chapel, and was simply revived in name by Tyrande Whisperwind a few centuries later.

The Emerald Archives:

A grand library containing innumerable books of all categories, it seems that these archives contained Highborne enchantments as well. Before the Sundering, there may have been an emphasis on Priestesses being educated/learned in many different areas of study, including knowledge of the arcane. These are the books we see from Thrashbite's dungeon journal entry:

Satirical Animated Book: an animated tome overflowing with stifingly satirical writing. As the tomes open, all sound is magically absorbed into the ancient pages, silencing all players for 5 seconds.

Fictional Animated Book: An ancient work of fiction springs to life, the magical runes leaping from the page to fetter would-be readers. Slows all players.

Biographical Animated Book: Account of a long-forgotten sorcerer's life can prove to be dangerously beguiling. Entrancing narrative charms a random player, but breaks if their health goes below 30%.

All of these fire arcane bolts at the party. Books as weapons in mage RP is something I'd never thought about, but makes so much sense!

There is an achievement for this boss fight called "Steamy Romance Saga," implying that even erotica could have also been kept in the library.

A mural to the left of the Emerald Archives depicts a Kaldorei woman bearing a shield (likely the Aegis of Aggramar that was kept here prior to the Sundering) and a spherical protection spell against green flames from what appears to be a dragon.

The way leading to the next area is called "Path of Illumination."

Chapel of Tears:

Another side-room on the way up the winding staircase is named the Chapel of Tears. This could have been a place of safekeeping for the Pillar of Creation: Tears of Elune, or a chapel of mourning. Somehow, a fel-infused Fal'dorei (nightborne spider) has made a nest here.

Other references to Elune's tears:

Tearstone of Elune

The Sisters' Tear

Mu'sha's Tears

Tears of the Goddess

Elune's Tear

Tears of the Moon

In any case, references to tears of Elune crop up all over Azeroth, most of which possess some kind of restorative/cleansing/life-giving powers. I believe that while the tears could certainly represent sadness of the Goddess, they could also represent tears of happiness, as the Pillar of Creation is described to "embody the dream of what Azeroth could be," and maybe the strong healing magic imparted by them is rooted in hope. I feel that Elune's connection to water could also be another avenue for RP, perhaps harnessing rejuvenating aquatic magic alongside the lunar blessings of Elune.

Sacristy of Elune:

The pinnacle of the Cathedral is known as the Sacristy of Elune, with areas of now-empty shelves and pillaged chests. The stained glass has been turned a fel-green, broken open and shattered onto the floor. The name suggests that this was once a place where sacred items were kept, such as vestments, furnishings, sacred vessels, and Elunarian records.

Given the ancient origin of the Cathedral, this could have been a prominent place that mooncloth was created: "Tailors tell that the first recipe for mooncloth was scribed by Elune herself." It is unknown if a tailor must use felcloth and purify it in a moonwell to eventually create mooncloth, or if any cloth can be used with the proper rituals/spells/blessings.

Hope you found this interesting, thanks for reading!

"Andu’lun-adala-ande’nar." (May the moon light your way.)

[kottkrig]

Is there a good way to catch up with all the Warcraft-Lore aside WoWpedia? I haven't been playing WoW on an official Server since 2011/12 or so, for multiple reasons and I don't plan to return. But I'm currently obsessed with Kaldorei Dark Rangers and I want to rewrite/continue the backstory of my little (6'5" smol) kaldorei huntress, that it fits my new headcanon about her becoming a Dark Ranger.

I think WoWhead has some summaries of quests detailing most recent lore

Re. Nelf Dark Rangers; quest chapters from the Darkshore patch in BfA, Lordaeron reclamation story, heritage quests, and some of them show up in Amirdrassil from recently.. WoWhead in general for shorter summaries, including relevant cinematics

Other than that, the books taking place around BfA-Shadowlands-Dragonflight I suppose! (I haven't read more than summaries)

Edit: and fanmade video essays on YouTube! Such as PlatinumWoW etc, I think Blizz actually hired them to make some vids recently

[wowlorecraft]

Musings on the Teldorae

~ Lorekeeper Kalishnu "Kalith" Astravar

The Suramari Highborne, having been locked in arcane and Nightwell isolation for millennia, diverge away from their elven kin, the Teldoran family, in physiological, linguistic, and sociocultural matters.

Of the genus Kalimdorus, they are one of two known species (K. zindorus shalassia), the other being K. zindorus suramara, or the Nightfallen. We, the Nightborne, have allied with the Sin'dorei most overtly, and it is these cousins of ours where we see our reflection most clearly. Their sacred Sunwell, the wretched they become, the hopes and betrayals, gains and losses...

The queldorus species is the largest within the family (and, indeed, in terms of sub-speciation, it is of the most numerous to my reckoning). These Teldorids include quite notably a large number of branches within the Necrosa family, a polyphyletic clade necrotically linked to a majority of sapient species' family trees. In short: There is a notable population of undead elves, the majority being Kalimdorus queldorus

I remain uncertain in how to classify the various K. queldorus sub- species and races. As it stands, of the Teldorae, this is how I understand them:

Kaldorei, Kalimdorus kaldorus darnassia: Night Elves

Sin'dorei, K. queldorus thalassia: Blood Elves

Shal'dorei, K. zindorus shalassia: Nightborne

Fal'dorei, K. faladorus falanaara: Aranasi Elves

Of these I feel most confident.

The Wretched, Withered, and Nightfallen have given me headaches in trying to classify them. Indeed, the High, Highvale, Blood, and Felblood Elves also grind the gears of classification:

High, K. q. ____

Blood, K. q. ____: Sin'dorei

Felblood, K. q. ____

Wretched, K. q. ____: Arkhan'dorei

Highvale (Danillian), K. q. ____

Withered, K. z. ____: Ethe'dorei

Nightfallen, K. z. ____: Arcan'dorei

At first glance, it should be easy: High Elves, or Quel'dorei, are Kalimdorus queldorus thalassia and Blood Elves--Sin'dorei who are High Elves who live in Quel'thalas--should be K. q. thalas-...

At least the Nightfallen and Withered have easier Shalassian names: Arcan'- from the Arcan'dor trees, and Darnassian "ethe-" meaning "to wither away." However, for their Latinate names, the initial noting of K. zindorus suramara runs into the snag of precision. Is it right to refer to the Nightfallen as those beings of Suramar? What about the affix "zin-" meaning "glory" in the Kaldorei tongue but also eliminated from Shal'dorei ones. Perhaps K. arandorus shalassia be a better descriptor of Shalassian Elves, with the use of "aran-" aligned with the guess that "Shal'aran" means "home of/within the shadows"

Then, with the sun-loving elves, are the High Elves (of, let's say, Dalaran) that different than the Highvale Elves of the Hinterlands? Wretched are indeed distinct from Blood Elves, but are they a different subspecies or a different race? If the Wretched self-organize, should they therefore be K. q. lithiensis, named for the Quel'lithien Lodge?

Quel'dorei, K. queldorus danassia: High Elves

Belore'dorei, K. q. danillia: Highvale Elves

Sin'dorei, K. q. thalassia: Blood Elves

Fel'dorei, K. q. ...: Felblood Elves

Ren'dorei, K. q. renellia: Void Elves

Fal'dorei, K. faladorus falanaara: Aranasi Elves