#lore mnoth

[warcraft-lore-archives]

A Timeline of the Sin’dorei People

Approx. 7,300 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Highborne Exile

The Highborne, the forefathers of the blood elves, are exiled from kaldorei society for their unwillingness to desist in practicing the arcane arts. Led by Dath’Remar Sunstrider, they build a fleet of ships and set sail for the east, where they settle Tirisfal Glades some years later. This is when the Highborne begin to resemble their modern descendants, as their skin loses its violet color and they shrink in stature due to being cut off from the second Well of Eternity [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 117-118].

Approx. 6,800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Founding of Quel’Thalas

Dath’Remar leads his people north after concluding that Tirisfal Glades is unsuitable for settlement as the land is suffused with dark energy that is slowly driving some of the Highborne insane [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 118]. After an arduous journey, the Highborne establish the kingdom of Quel’Thalas and create the Sunwell on the northern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms. This is when Dath’Remar steps down as leader [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 120-121].

In time, the Highborne of Quel’Thalas would eventually be known as the high elves [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 120].

Approx. 2,800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Troll Wars

Dath’Remar’s great-grandson, Anasterian Sunstrider, comes to power [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 121].

Although the high elves lead a prosperous kingdom, it is not without contest, for the land they are settled on originally belongs to the Amani trolls. During the time that would later be known as ‘The Troll Wars,’ the Amani launch aggressive, powerful attacks on the elven denizens of Quel’Thalas, forcing them to seek help from the nearby human kingdom of Strom [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 129]. As part of a deal made between the two kingdoms, the high elves reluctantly instruct the humans in the ways of arcane magic in return for their assistance in fending off the trolls. As luck would have it, the one hundred human magi taught by the elves are instrumental in turning the conflict in their favor. The human and elves’ combined victory against the trolls indebts the high elves to Strom, which ultimately leads to them joining the Alliance a couple thousand years later during the Second War [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 130-131].

Approx. 5 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Second War

The orcish invasion of Azeroth forces the humans to turn to the high elves for help, just as the latter did during the Troll Wars many centuries prior. Reluctantly, King Anasterian Sunstrider supplies the Alliance with a rather meager amount of high elven forces [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 156-157].

Approx. 6 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Second War, Continued

The orcish Horde, now allies of the very Amani trolls that detest the high elves, encroach on the borders of the elven kingdom. They raze the countryside and use enslaved red dragons to burn down a portion of Quel’Thalas’ forest, drawing the wrath of the elven people. This event forces the high elves into the war and compels them to join the Alliance [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 164].  

Approx. 15 – 18 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Neutrality

Lady Katrana Prestor, the black dragon Onyxia in disguise, seeds the destruction of the Alliance and convinces nobles of various kingdoms that the orcish internment camps were a grave waste of money and time. The high elves, still ruled by King Anasterian Sunstrider, are the first to secede from the Alliance [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 34, 90].  

Approx. 20 - 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Sunwell’s Fall

Sometime in the weeks leading up to the Third War, Lor’themar Theron is promoted to Ranger Lord of the Farstriders. Sylvanas Windrunner serves as Ranger General at this time [Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Two].

As the Third War begins, Arthas and his legion of undead march on Quel’Thalas in a quest for the Sunwell. With the aid of inside information provided to him by the elven magister Dar’Khan Drathir, Arthas overcomes Silvermoon City’s magical defenses and lays waste to the kingdom. He resurrects Kel’Thuzad as a lich in the Sunwell’s depths, inadvertently leading to the corruption of the magical fount [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 61-62].

King Anasterian Sunstrider, considered elderly at this time, dies in battle while defending the Sunwell, passing on the leadership of the high elves to his son Kael’thas Sunstrider [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 63, Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Two].

Although the Sunwell is not destroyed by Kel’Thuzad’s unholy resurrection, it has been polluted to such an extent that it will poison and eventually kill the very high elves it is sustaining. With that in mind, Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider makes the grave decision to destroy the Sunwell. Immediately after doing so, he renames his people the blood elves to honor the sacrifices of their fallen brethren [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 88, Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Three].

Roughly ninety percent of the high elven population dies in Arthas’ conquest of Quel’Thalas [World of Warcraft Website: Blood Elf].

Approx. 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Warcraft III

Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider departs from Quel’Thalas to aid the Alliance in the fight against the undead, leaving Lor’themar Theron to serve as regent lord in his absence [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 90].

While fighting alongside the Alliance, Kael’thas and his regiment of blood elves are assigned to serve under Grand Marshal Othmar Garithos. Garithos, who harbors a deep resentment for the elven people, orders Kael’thas into such a perilous encounter with the undead that he is forced to accept help from the naga. This event reinforces Garithos’ distrust of the blood elves and leads to him imprisoning them in the dungeons of Dalaran. Prince Kael’thas and his followers eventually escape to Outland with the help of the naga [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 93].

It is on this alien world that Illidan teaches Kael’thas and his blood elves how to siphon magic from objects, the environment, and creatures – including demons – as a way of feeding their magic addiction [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 95, 139, The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Blood Elves]. One of Kael’thas’ most loyal followers, Grand Magister Rommath, is sent back to Azeroth to teach the rest of the blood elves how to drain magic [The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Blood Elves].

Kael’thas, hopeful that Illidan will find a permanent cure for his peoples’ addiction to magic, follows the demon hunter to Northrend where they intercept Arthas at the behest of Kil’jaeden. Unfortunately, Illidan suffers a grave defeat and departs. The victorious Lich King hunts down what remains of the blood elven forces and transforms them into San’layn to serve him [Page: Quel’Delar: The Sister Blade].

Approx. 21 – 22 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Exile of the High Elves

Lor’themar Theron, unwilling to lead a divided nation, decides to exile the high elves for their refusal to feed their addiction by draining magic from living creatures [Short Story: In the Shadow of the Sun].*

Approx. 25 - 26 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Events Leading up to The Burning Crusade

On Azeroth, the blood elves subjugate a naaru sent to them by Prince Kael’thas. A small organization, known as the Blood Knights, bend the naaru to their will, allowing them to wield the Light at their discretion, although doing so proves to be exceptionally painful [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 145, Blood of the Highborne: Chapter Four].  

It is also at this time that Lor’themar Theron begins engaging in negotiations to join the Horde. In desperate need of allies and skeptical that the Alliance will offer them any aid after what happened at Dalaran during the Third War, Lor’themar turns to Warchief Thrall and his former friend, Sylvanas Windrunner [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 150, Blood of the Highborne: Chapter Four]. By the start of the Burning Crusade, the blood elves officially join the Horde [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 151].

On Outland, a faction of Kael’thas’ best and brightest magi desert after their leader Voren’thal has a vision that the naaru, not Kael’thas, will be the blood elves’ salvation. The Scryers, as they are called, take up refuge in Shattrath and aid the Alliance and Horde in battle against the Burning Legion [Quest: City of Light, World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 141].

Approx. 26 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The End of the Sunstrider Dynasty

When the blood elves venture from Azeroth to Outland, they are dismayed to discover that their prince has succumbed to the seductive lure of fel magic and formed a pact with their enemy, the Burning Legion. His actions alienate his people and all but solidify Lor’themar Theron’s position as the official ruler of the blood elves [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 156].

Kael’thas, well under the sway of Kil’jaeden by this point, invades Quel’Danas with the intent to reignite the Sunwell and use it as a portal to bring his demonic master into the world. Together, the Horde and Alliance invade Sunwell Plateau and put an end to the corrupt Sunstrider prince for good.

Much like during the Third War, the newly reborn Sunwell is made corrupt by Kael’thas’ actions. However, the magical fount is purified by the heart of M’uru, the very naaru that the blood elves enslaved a year prior. The Sunwell’s restoration finally puts an end to their magical cravings [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 159].

At some point, Umbric and his followers are exiled from Silvermoon City for their exploration of void magic [Quest: The Ghostlands, Quest: Telogrus Rift, NPC: Magister Umbric Dialogue].**

Approx. 30 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Mists of Pandaria

Regent Lord Lor’themar Theron initiates conversations with King Varian Wrynn about possibly rejoining the Alliance. However, the events leading up to the Purge of Dalaran put an abrupt end to their negotiations, as the blood elven Sunreavers are held responsible for stealing the Divine Bell from Darnassus [Page: Lor’themar Theron].

The Sunreavers exiled from Dalaran by Jaina Proudmoore become a central force in the fight against Lei Shen on Thunder Isle [Page: Sunreaver Onslaught].

 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

* In “In the Shadow of the Sun,” Lor’themar says he exiled the high elves five years prior. Since the short story takes place right after the events at Sunwell Plateau and Chronicle states that The Burning Crusade covered the entirety of year 26, it’s assumed that Lor’themar exiled the high elves around this time.

** It’s never stated exactly when Umbric and his group of elves left Silvermoon City, although it appears to have been at least a few years ago, since he says, “We’ve been working for years to comprehend the powers the void might provide” [Quest: Telogrus Rift]. Given that his research into the void was said to be a threat to the Sunwell, it’s possible he was exiled after the Sunwell was restored during The Burning Crusade [Quest: Remember the Sunwell]. However, because of Rommath’s vague wording, it’s just as likely that Umbric was exiled any time after the Third War.