Night Elf

The ancient and reclusive Night elves—also known as kaldorei—have played a pivotal role in shaping Azeroth’s fate. Fighting for the Alliance, many Night elves today still remember events of the War of the Ancients over ten thousand years ago, when they halted the Burning Legion’s first invasion of Azeroth. These ferocious elves will fight tooth and nail to ensure their sacred lands are never again tainted by evil.

Night elves (or kaldorei, for "children of the stars" in Darnassian^[3]), are a powerful and mystical race whose origins extend back to ancient times, being one of the longest-lived and most ancient cultures in existence today. These then-immortal beings were among the first to study magic and let it loose throughout the world nearly ten thousand years before the First War.^[4] The founders of a magical and advanced civilization which at its peak spanned the breadth of ancient Kalimdor, the night elves came into a horrific conflict with the Burning Legion but achieved a Pyrrhic victory that ended in the Great Sundering, turning Kalimdor's landmass into the continents of the present age. The devastation wrought by the chain of events birthed in conceit caused a wholesale shift in direction. Until very recently, the night elves abandoned and completely outlawed the use of arcane magic, fearing its use would draw the Legion back to their world.

The main survivors of the Sundering crafted a radically different society centered around druidism, striving to live in harmony and co-existence with nature and its inhabitants, and essentially becoming "venerable guardians" of the natural world as well as the World Tree Nordrassil instead of ruling most of Azeroth as its foremost superpower, in addition reconnecting with the widespread worship of their moon goddess Elune, under the guidance of their leaders Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind. The night elves established their newest capital Darnassus in the boughs of the World Tree Teldrassil off the coasts of northwestern Kalimdor in recent times, where it stood as a living symbol of the night elves' rich culture and glorious history.^[5]

The far-reaching and ancient legacy of the night elves shaped them into a race of very self-sufficient and self-conscious individuals, who often display strong streaks of isolationism and eons of accumulated ancient wisdom. The night elves ended a long period of seclusion referred to as the Long Vigil in the aftermath of the Third War, standing with refugees from the Eastern Kingdoms during the Battle of Mount Hyjal. They then began to associate themselves with the Alliance, at least partly in response to the Horde's continued presence in Ashenvale.

Emergence of the night elves

Around 15,000 years ago a tribe of dark trolls^[6] unconcerned by the battles for land and power and longing for a peaceful connection to the world, came to settle near the translucent waters of the Well of Eternity, the prime source of all magic on the planet. Over time, the Well's cosmic power affected this nocturnal and independent tribe, suffusing their flesh and bones, elevating their forms to match their graceful spirits. They transformed into highly intelligent and virtually immortal beings. Their skin turned various shades of violet, and they grew stronger and taller in stature. The tribe gradually abandoned their ancient heritage and tradition. The mystics began worshiping the moon goddess Elune, who they believed slumbered within the fount's depth during daylight hours. The former trolls also discovered the name "Kalimdor" and other titan-forged words from communing with Elune and investigating strange artifacts scattered around the Well's periphery. They adopted the name kaldorei, which meant "children of the stars" in their native tongue.^[7][8]

The early night elf priests and seers studied the Well with an insatiable curiosity, driven to plumb its untold secrets and power. As their society grew, the night elves explored the breadth of Kalimdor and encountered its myriad denizens. The trees, flowers, and woodland creatures watched the night elves flourish, whispering news of them to the Wild Gods of Mount Hyjal. In time, the night elves' curiosity led them to meet and befriend a number of powerful entities, not the least of which was Cenarius, a mighty demigod of the primordial forestlands. The great-hearted Cenarius grew fond of the inquisitive night elves, claiming kinship with their race^[9] and spending a great deal of time teaching them about the natural world. Cenarius adored the night elves and believed they had the potential to become great caretakers of nature. He befriended the fledgling race and taught them about the natural world. It was Cenarius' hope that the night elves would strive to live in harmony with the wilds. Some night elves were so transformed by the teachings of the demigod that they never left his realm, choosing to remain by Cenarius' side as his defenders. These few would cease to be elves and became woodland guardians physically altered forever.^[9]