#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

#my art #au lore #maiev shadowsong #night elf #kaldorei #warcraft #world of warcraft

[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 formery 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.)

#night elf #elune #kaldorei #nightelf #wow #world of warcraft #roleplay #rp #highborne #cathedral #long post #writing #headcanon #lore #priestess

[deathbydarkelves]

🪶☀️Elor'belo -- The Long Sun festival☀️🪶

In a moment of autistic genius, I came up with a whole new kaldorei holiday, centered around a long-distance hippogryph race. Big ol' info dump incoming.

Throughout the year, as the nights and days lengthen and shorten, Elune and the sun (or An'she, as I'll call it/him from now on. I know that's the tauren name but I think it works for the kaldorei to call him that too) are constantly in a race against each other. As An'she tires in winter, the days shorten and Elune overtakes him. Then as she tires in summer, the nights shorten and An'she overtakes her.

So, every year on the summer solstice, the day Elune is most tired from racing An'she, kaldorei hippogryph riders race him in her stead. They race from dawn to noon, traveling east to west and ending at the peak of Mt. Hyjal, the highest point on Kalimdor, to intimidate him with their racing prowess even when he is highest in the sky. Then as he falls, exhausted, Elune can continue the race again. In 7-8 hours, the racers cover almost 350 miles/~560 km. They start in eastern Hyjal the moment dawn breaks, then fly down to Ashenvale, then weave back up through the mountains to the peak of Mt. Hyjal.

Now, since the in-game world is TINY, I've decided to approximate Kalimdor's "real" north-south length to be ABOUT 4,000 mi/6,400 km. That makes it a bit smaller than South America. Or, because this is how my brain processes distance: Sam and Frodo would have to walk their path from the Shire to Mordor 2-3 times (depending on who you ask) to cover the same distance.

With that in mind, here's a rough approximation of the route, using the wonky proportions of the in-game map because I haven't made my own yet (</3):

The race has changed over time. Historically, it went from dawn to dusk, starting in Azshara, going through Ashenvale, some years going as far west as Darkshore, then ending on Mt. Hyjal. But over time and as circumstances on Kalimdor changed, the race was shortened both in time and in length. Lots of riders and hippogryphs alike would become dangerously exhausted during the historic 14-16 hour long race, Azshara is mostly Horde territory now, Darkshore is... not doing so hot right now, and so on.

Here's a, again, very rough approximation of the historical route:

And that's the "official" race, which is often initiated and attended by the High Priestess and Archdruid themselves. There are multiple smaller festivals/races across Kalimdor, but they all follow the same concept: race An'she east to west from dawn to noon, and end at the highest point possible. Some places even still run from dawn to dusk, as some believe the health risks are just something one has to deal with when racing a god, and that they're worth it to race on Elune's behalf.

Besides the race itself, the night prior there's always a huge festival with food and song and dance to hype up the racers. And the night after the race there's even more, this time with additional ceremonies, prayers, and offerings to Elune to help her get her "second wind" as it were.

Importantly, the overall spirit of the race and festival is one of friendly competition. The kaldorei aren't, like, ideologically opposed to the sun lol. It's vital for most life, and they know that. They race An'she to keep things fair between him and Elune.

And, of course, Elor'belo exists as a way for people to get together and enjoy good food and music, and cheer for their favorite racer(s). Here's some of the sorts of characters you might see competing because I need practice drawing hippogryphs anyway:

Miscellaneous notes:

The race distance is meant to be almost the maximum distance someone could ride in the time given. Only about 20% of racers can even do so with minutes to spare, with the remaining 80% finishing in the early-to-mid afternoon. But in the event someone does reach Mt. Hyjal well before noon, there's a second leg that takes them through Nordrassil's branches up to its very top. Very few people have ever completed that second leg before noon, and it's a very good omen for the rest of the year when someone does.

Different species of hippogryphs have different top speeds and stamina levels. Each has its own pros and cons when it comes to a race like this, which relies on both speed and endurance, and you'll always see a wide variety in the competitors.

On a related note: In the days of Queen Azshara, hippogryphs were selectively bred for different appearances and endurance levels, etc., like horses. That practice ended after the Sundering because in the new, more druidic culture of the kaldorei, it became a bit of a controversial topic to breed creatures as intelligent as hippogryphs. As a result most of those breeds are extinct now, but a handful of them are still kicking around with their own self-sustaining populations. That piebald one pictured above is an example.

The quel'- and sin'dorei have their own version of Elor'belo where they race Elune on the winter solstice. Since there aren't very many Thalassian words (with translations), and no fanmade dictionary I'm aware of, I'm thinking of just calling it Elor'elun ("Long Moon").

Baldur by Faun is the song that gave me the idea for this entire thing. I highly recommend giving it a listen, it's a bop.

#my art #au lore #night elf #kaldorei

[shetolae]

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

#warcraft #night elf #kaldorei #world of warcraft #wow #shetolae #moonguard rp #night elf lore #warcraft rp #night elf rp #warcraft art #roleplay #moon guard #wyrmrest rp #wyrmrest accord #warcraft fanart #night elf fanart #Helaea #Silabivn

[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

#wow #lore #world of warcraft #linguistics #theorycrafting #quel'dorei #azeroth #kaldorei #bel'dorei #sin'dorei #al'dorei #darnassian #thalassian #danassian #danillian #dalaran #kirin tor #silver covenant #high elves #night elves #highvale elves #light elves #blood elves #alliance #eldorei #shan'dralar #highborne #nightborne #shal'dorei

[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.

#World of Warcraft #warcraft #night elf #kaldorei #warcraft oc #my artwork #my oc #swiftleaf #warcraft art #kissfortheelves #waë #I'm never sure what to do with her lore as dragon rider but this will do I guess xD #also she's old as fuck boi

[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

#ask #night elf #dark ranger

[nzoth-the-corruptor]

Thr inconsistency in warcraft lore shoulf br studied. I tip my hat to all the fanfiction writers for putting up with all the work-breaking jumbo. With that said what's your biggest pet peeve in retconed lore or similar?

Retcons that exist solely because one writer decides they didn't like a previous writer's work or don't want to read through it to make sure what they're writing works with it — not because there's anything about the work that hinders new plans going forward, or because it's dated and tasteless, but simply because they didn't respect it.

(Secondary to this: the fact that the different writing teams all appear to be working without any form of communication, also resulting in strange inconsistencies and instantly-retconned lore.)

Retcons aren't necessarily the devil, but the big problem I think is that they're used as a cheap 'fix' instead of actually getting into the nitty-gritty of what the problem is and how to resolve it through the medium of storytelling, because of course it's a lot cheaper and faster to just retcon the problem than to create an entire questline or commission a story to resolve the issue that's between them and the actual story they want to tell.

But it really stings to see good older lore left on the wayside because whoever was given the reins doesn't care for it one way or another, especially when what it's replaced with lacks charm or character.

As a massive IP Warcraft does have a truly colossal catalogue of old lore and I feel that part of the problem may be writers not being properly on-boarded with it, or else being assigned to writing quests and storylines for areas of the lore they're less familiar with as a way to gain 'experience' — whoever wrote the Kaldorei heritage questline seems to have only the most superficial grasp on night elf lore, for example.

But I think my biggest bugbear is when the novelization and the in-game information on events/characters are completely different, or when the Horde and the Alliance version of the same questline presents completely different stories.

Battle for Azeroth is rife with this, particularly the War of the Thorns where you have three separate versions of the story: the Alliance questline, the Horde questline, and the novelization (Elegy/A Good War) that all establish different, sometimes conflicting events and different motivations for the consistent events.

If you only played Horde in BfA, you're probably a bit confused as to why the night elf players are accusing the Horde of massacring every night elf civilian in Ashenvale and exterminating entire towns during the War of the Thorns.

For a more recent example, I think War of the Scaleborn is fascinating insofar that it appears to be operating in an entirely separate continuity from the rest of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, which I think is in large part due to the novel most likely being written in 2022 on what was likely a draft of Dragonflight's plot (its original release date was slated to be November 2022, but it was delayed by just shy of a year.)

By the time the novel released, all of the foundation it had been built on was almost entirely eroded not only as the game progressed without regards to the unreleased novel, but as gears shifted towards preparing for the Worldsoul Saga and the retooling of characters and plotlines to fit those plans.

Which massively sucks for Alameda, because I doubt the delay on the novel's release was her fault.

[talah-dorei]

Talah’dorei

Translation: (Varies with Speaker Preference) Survival Borne, Borne of Survival, Enduring Children, Surviving Children, Children of Endurance, Children of Survival

Anu’eran voras.

Translation: We rise from the ruins.

We are a night elf themed, lore-friendly, heavy roleplay collective. Our goal is to create a welcoming community for kaldorei roleplayers and their allies. We will strive to promote, generate, and encourage roleplay opportunities outside of the city hubs and inspire world roleplay. Talah’dorei is not a new organization or sect to the night elf culture. It is simply a chosen community name that captures the essence of the night elven story thus far. They have survived so much tragedy. They have endured.

We have a diverse group of people and accept EVERYONE for who they are. So keep sexuality, race, religion, politics, and other similar "High Impact" subjects out of public channels.

Out of Character drama needs to be kept to a bare minimum. Also, remember to keep IC and OOC separate. If you have a problem with a member, please contact the leader/moderator of your choosing, and hopefully, we can find a solution before it makes everyone uncomfortable.

Keep your roleplay etiquette in check. No God Modding. No Meta Gaming. No Trolling. We are a lore-friendly community. We understand there is grey area where headcanon can flourish and expand but please do not force your personal canon on others or expect them to accept it as their own.

We are a 21+ community. Due to the discussions here, members must be able to handle mature language and content. That said, there is no reason to push the mature rating to its limits. Use the spoilers feature for questionable art, this server is a no ERP zone, and keep excessively explicit conversations out of the public channels.

This is, first and foremost, a game. Don't go out of your way to make someone's game time miserable. We all pay to play. Let's have fun and enjoy it! In light of this, since this community is an extension of the game, we are not going to breed misery here. Therefore, any disparaging remarks about the game content, lore, questlines, storylines, or Blizzard choices needs to be kept out of public channels.

Grandstanding will not be tolerated. Broadcasting that you will quit, in the public channels of this discord, because Blizzard made a choice you disagree with will result in a ban. This also pertains broadcasted pity parties that hint or imply that you might as well quit because something is or isn't happening, etc. You will not be shown attention or sympathy. You will be shown the door. No one here pays extra for guilt trips.

Any image created by an AI generator must be explicitly labeled at an "AI Generated Image". Additionally, these images should not be posted in the art channels as it does not qualify as such. If you wish to use such images as a representation of your character, you may do so only in your Character Profile, with the label given above.

#kaldorei roleplay discord #night elf roleplay #world of warcraft rp #wow rp #wra rp #moon guard #wyrmrest accord #kaldorei #night elf #talahdorei #wow rp events #rp events #lfrp

[wyrmguardsecrets]

It's 2024 (46 years after the Dark Portal) so if someone was born right at the start of World of Warcraft (year 25, two years after Teldrassil was planted in year 23) they would be 21 now, so someone born in Teldrassil could be an adult now. Kaldorei don't have extended childhoods, they age normally. If you're going to be a dick about lore to try and dunk on people, at least bother to be right.

-

[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.

#my art #cathala #tarinne #kolga #(she's the orc in the middle) (she's a druid) #night elf #kaldorei #warcraft #world of warcraft #au lore #this is of course the version of the au where my ocs are part of the hunt #and yes this will be a fic someday #this is yet another deathbypixelz drawing brought to you by Heilung. specifically their song Othan.

[ashtarels-archives]

Traversing Tel'anor: Traditions of the Ancient Kaldorei

Tel'anor, perhaps translated to: Holy Earth from Darnassian.

A resting place of Kaldorei heroes who fell during the War of the Ancients, Tel'anor is now a memorial site overrun by spirits and harpies nestled in the mountains just beyond Suramar's borders. Although, some Shal'dorei still pay their respects to the sacrifices of their ancestors, as we see in [Thaedris Feathersong's] tragic story.

During my travels here, I noticed some interesting details that could have some significance in Kaldorei lore/roleplay.

Lunar Headstones:

The graves and ornate coffins may reinforce the idea that Kaldorei prefer to bury their dead, or at least used to in ancient times. During the quest [Tools of the Trade], we learn that the deceased were preserved through sacred oils, preserving incense, and burial shrouds. A recurring motif I see throughout the Tel'anor monuments are the headstones that bear lunar symbolism, no doubt the Elunarian faith being an influence at play here. What I find most intriguing about the stones in particular is that they are reminiscent of different moon phases: some appearing to be waxing, waning, or even the new/full moon.

I do wonder what their meanings could be: maybe this marks the moon phase they died upon, when they were interred, the moon phase of their birth, their favorite moon phase, simple imagery in homage to Elune, social status, or something else? What do you think?

Spirit Fonts:

Another interesting detail are the spirit fonts found in the area. These are usable objects that, when given an offering of Ancient Mana, buff the player character with 10% haste and movement speed (called Spiritual Infusion), and transform them into a spectral Nightborne model.

Lore-wise, perhaps these are used for spirit communion, or to aid in ancestral offerings in some way. In roleplay, I could see Kaldorei utilizing something similar to pay homage their ancestors; whether they receive a blessing like this in return or not would be up to interpretation though.

These fonts remind me of the basins in the stylizations of Haidene, the very first High Priestess of Elune, like the grand statue of her in the temple of Darnassus. Perhaps these are filled with blessed water, the liquid fire of Elune, or remnants of a moonwell to sustain a spirit's energy, or to thin the veil between mortal and spirit.

Headcanon time: but perhaps a ritual could be performed in which someone gives an offering and imbibes the liquid from a font like this, and is able to more easily commune with their ancestors/souls of the dead for a short period.

The Chimes of the Moon:

All throughout Tel'anor, chimes can be seen hanging in various locations, as well as playing through the audio of the game. Near the back portion lies a larger set of these celestial instruments, reading:

"The Sisters say that Elune sings a song, notes pure and beautiful. The Chime does not ring often, but when it does it is the same note as the one She is singing."

Singing seems to be a prominent aspect of Elune worship, perhaps in emulation of the Goddess. According to novel The Demon Soul, Elune has "the ability to calm races engaged in battle by singing a song of peace at night, until sunrise." During the Burning of Teldrassil, Priestess Astarii begins to sing to the refugees in the temple, and Elune answers in kind by granting them a peaceful slumber so they would not feel a painful death in the flames.

Purely headcanon, but I speculate that these chimes may have been crafted in such a way that Elune responds through them (or so the Kaldorei think). Considering chimes are typically used before or after a prayer in the real world, it seems possible that Elune may use these a conduit of acknowledgement in the physical plane on Azeroth. Perhaps from strong prayers, significant offerings, welcoming a new soul amongst the stars, some other spiritually powerful event, or even in warning, She harkens through the chimes.

Smaller, more personal chimes could be something Kaldorei carry with them, hang in their homes, or build in places of worship: the ones in Tel'anor could conversely be the last of their kind, their likenesses and ancient craftsmanship now unable to be reproduced.

Braziers of Silver Flame:

Countless braziers glowing with silver fire still burn to this very day in Tel'anor. Given that this place is overrun by all manner of aggressive beings, it would stand to reason that there are no groundskeepers tending to the flames here. The quest [The Liquid Fire of Elune] implies that a flame can be born of the energies from a moonwell, holy pools whose waters marry nature and moonlight together, and can cleanse scourge-blighted creatures. Unless a wayward devotee keeps these braziers lit, the fact that these fires are still active speaks to just how powerful the magic of Elune and the moonwells really are.

There are tales of old that say Elune once dwelled within the Well of Eternity, and that some moonwells still carry traces of this ancient lake. I'm unsure if the vestiges of the Well of Eternity keep these silver flames burning or they simply thrive off of Elune's energy. Do you believe something else keeps them kindled?

It is said in the Stormrage novel that, "magi and other spellcasters can refresh their mana in these pools — a gift from Elune to Azeroth's other defenders." I believe this is partially why the Withered are so drawn to this place, given that these braziers still hold some semblance of the moonwell's restorative cleansing properties, both on one's lifeforce, and on their mana. In Elegy, Astarii Starseeker purports that bathing in a moonwell "eases feelings of pain, weariness, and grief," an experience the mana-starved Withered likely long for. I would guess that they are also feeding upon the energy of offerings left to the deceased here, scrounging for any motes of magic that yet remain.

Ancestral Offerings:

A myriad of offerings litter the grounds of Tel'anor, such as water-basins, candles, vases/urns, flowers, and statues. Alongside the worship of Elune, revering one's ancestors seems to be an important part of Kaldorei culture - as we also see during the Lunar Festival event.

Thaedris Feathersong has us gather some scattered mementos in his stead during the quest [Fragments of Memory.] He tells us that "these relics are tokens and mementos of the former lives of those interred here. They like to be remembered and these offerings keep them in their eternal peace." This line was an especially heartwarming gesture to me, that the Kaldorei select items unique to their fallen to remain with them and serve as anchors of memories made in life. Some items the dead might keep could be: weapons, armor pieces, prized possessions, professional tools, or meaningful effects.

The flavor text of the mementos in specific say: "These urns contain offerings, tokens, and other objects for the deceased." Descendants of the fallen might also leave items that could be considered useful in the next life.

I also think it's sweet that there are seating areas with benches and fountains - clearly this was a place where people spent quality time in the resting place of their ancestors; perhaps yet another way the Kaldorei pay their respects.

On nearly every epithet in Tel’anor, the final words echo the same message:

"Anu dorah. We remember."

#kaldorei #night elf #nightelf #wow #world of warcraft #lore #nightborne #tel'anor #elune #priestess #roleplay #shal'dorei #withered #rp #headcanon

[deathbydarkelves]

New AU lore/headcanon: The first umbra crescent (the circular weapons Wardens use) was created by a smith who, after witnessing a solar eclipse during an ancient time of war, believed the spiked corona was Elune’s instructions for a weapon.

The story goes these new weapons then won the war, but… which war it actually was is uncertain. So that part is heavily debated by historians.

#au lore #worth saying I do intend on fleshing out kaldorei history #so there’s gonna be new conflicts thrown in pre-Sundering and pre-Third War #ancient history in wow is so barren it’s funny

[lorellaishc]

DWC February 2024 Masterpost

Had a lot of fun writing this week, mostly bonking my oc's into each other like dolls, with a divergence to write one of my new favorite lore characters! Thanks so much to @daily-writing-challenge for hosting!

Day 1: Teaching Moments Lorellai's auntie Henii and her squad mate Ghorren teach her how to flirt

Day 2: Letters Home Ghorren writes a letter to his family in Dazar'alor

Day 3: First Haggling Lorellai has her first encounter with the notorious Bindle Glintgold

Day 4: Wounds Unhealed Ghorren encounters some very emotional Kaldorei following the Bloom of Amirdrassil.

Day 5: Stormy Reconciliation Surviving Primalists face a terrifying encounter that gives them a new path forward

Day 6: The Two R's Tulcor the Dracthyr labworker finds new purpose in Valdrakken

Day 7: A New Journey Ghorren brings the squad to see the sights of Dazar'alor, and Lorellai announces what she's planning to do next

#drogar writes #masterpost #daily writing challenge

[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

#wow #lore #world of warcraft #theorycrafting #linguistics #quel'dorei #sin'dorei #kaldorei #shal'dorei #elves #blood elves #high elves #night elves #nightborne #nightfallen

[rhainesmg]

Blizzard's Folklore is Woefully Lacking

And I took that personally.

Folklore and mythology are as key to worldbuilding as art, music, language, and economy. Who does the farmer give thanks to for a bountiful harvest – and how does his village celebrate that bounty? What do people blame or attempt to placate when a child falls ill? All of these things – or a notable lack thereof in strongly secular cultures – are key to making a culture feel more full and developed.

To that end, let’s look at druids in WoW. Kaldorei druids have mountains of lore. They and the Wild Gods that they venerate are important to and deeply ingrained in Kaldorei culture. But then we come to Worgen druids and get… a three-paragraph entry about Harvest Witches restoring the crops of Gilneas during a famine, then eventually learning true druidism from the Kaldorei when Gilneas fell to the combination of the Worgen Curse and the Forsaken invasion.

Lordaeron has... no druids? At all? No Harvest Witches, no Thornspeakers, no... Greenfriends, nothing. Gilneas was never a part of Lordaeron, Kul Tiras was never a part of Lordaeron, but they were NEIGHBORS. The cultural OVERLAP! Arathor? Alterac? You're telling me the HILLFOLK and the MOUNTAIN PEOPLE don't have gods and spirits, or Skalds, Druids, and Seers somewhere in their histry?

I call bullshit.

ALSO, so many of the Amani and Gurubashi Loa have SINGLE PARAGRAPHS of lore surrounding them. HOW? ARE YOU THIS SLOPPY? BLIZZARD? Even the most AMATEUR worldbuilders know that you don't just give a give a god a name and a shape and SLAP IT ON THE BOARD! What are their tenets? How do they interact with their followers? Do they HAVE many followers?

So anyway, I've made it my problem, and I'm working on some fanon lore for the Eastern Kingdoms. It's a massive undertaking, I am QUITE DAUNTED, and I've slowed down just a little bit already, but I am determined to succeed.

#world of warcraft #warcraft #lordaeron #wow druid #folklore #Druidic Practices of the Eastern Kingdoms #wow fanon