Project Lore

Proverb is a psuedo-weekly column discussing the lore of Warcraft. It is spoiler heavy for all Warcraft games, novels, and other media. Comment on this post or send a tweet to @Heartbourne and let us know what you would like to see in future columns!

If you haven't already, be sure to read part 1! We pick up with the recent history of the blood elves and high elves.

The blood elves under Kael'thas largely fled to Outland from the humans, who viewed them as traitors. Some blood elves stayed behind to rebuild Silvermoon and attempt to reclaim their homeland from the undead. Lor'themar Theron stayed in Quel'thalas as Regent Lord of the Blood Elves, while Kael'thas took the ambiguous title of Lord of the Blood Elves. Kael'thas' alliance with Illidan to use alternative energies, largely demonic ones, led him down a dark path. He and his forces captured the naaru M'uru and sent it back to Silvermoon with Grand Magister Rommath, with the message that the blood elves could use the naaru for power and to prepare to join him in Outland.

Kael'thas continued to gather power in Outland. He sent a large regiment of his most powerful forces to attack Shattrath City, one of the largest settlements opposing the rein of Illidan. During their attack, these blood elves laid down their weapons, and a blood elf by the name of Voren’thal stepped up as their leader. He professed to A'dal, leader of Shattrath, that he had seen him in a vision and the only hope for the blood elves was with this naaru. These blood elves vowed to serve A'dal and took on the name the Scryers, leaving Kael'thas. This was the largest loss Kael'thas took to his power until his death. The Scryers remain neutral to the conflicts of the Horde and Alliance and will ally with any adventurer willing to help their cause.

Blood Elves

The blood elves remaining in Quel'thalas rebuilt much of Silvermoon, and never heard again from Kael'thas. Lor'themar and the blood elves decided to ally with the Horde. They were very bitter with the humans, and still held grudges against the night elves from years ago. Their alliance with the Horde was largely motivated by the membership of the Forsaken, led by their former Ranger-General Sylvannas Windrunner. They remain skeptic of the Horde, and the Horde remains untrusting of them. Together, the blood elves, with the help of the Horde, continue to reclaim Quel'thalas and fight the Scourge.

Once the blood elves of the Horde ventured into Outland, they discovered that Kael'thas had gone mad. The blood elves of Silvermoon no longer call Kael'thas their lord, and subsequently assisted in his defeat. Kael'thas returned to Silvermoon after his near death, stole M'uru, and rekindled the Sunwell with his newfound powers, summoning the demon lord Kil'jaedan into the world. Kael'thas was killed and Kil'jaeden banished by the combined forces of the Aldor and the Scryers under the banner of the Shattered Sun Offensive.

High Elves

A'dal chose to donate his powers to the blood elves of Silvermoon as they were forgiven for their past sins as they repented by defeating Kael'thas and Illidan. The blood elves now follow Lor'themar and other prominent Blood Elves of Silvermoon, as well as the Horde, their thirst for magic largely satisfied by the generosity of A'dal and the restoration of the Sunwell. The blood elves of Silvermoon remain as members of the Horde, and the Scyers remain in Shattrath and at the Sunwell.

When Dalaran was moved to Northrend to battle Malygos and the blue dragons, the Kirin Tor took all the help they could get. A group of blood elves from Silvermoon appealed to Rhonin to allow them entrance to the Kirin Tor's membership. A group of high elves who had gathered in Dalaran over the years banded together under the name of the Silver Covenant to oppose this request, associating the Blood Elves still with Kael'thas' betrayal. The Kirin Tor has not made an official decision to admit the Blood Elves to the Kirin Tor, but many high elves are still among their ranks. Vereesa Windrunner, who leads the Silver Covenant, is wife to Rhonin and strongly opposes the blood elves' initiation to the Kirin Tor.

High Elven Eyes

Due to the blood elves willingness to use alternative forms of magic, there are some subtle physical differences. Blood elves relied on demonic energies for a time, and their glowing green eyes are a remnant of that. High elves usually have blue eyes, with some having violet or red. Blood elves have much paler features than high elves for the same reason. It is not clear if these differences are genetic (as orc skin is, even though the color mutations were magic based). If so, blood elves may be very distinct from high elves.Blood elves chose red and black as the theme their common garb to remember their losses to Arthas, and high elves traditionally avoid these colors as to not get mistaken for blood elves.

While blood elves actively seek magic to feed upon to sate their hunger, high elves try to suppress it. Some high elves wear Sunwell Rings, which almost completely satisfy them, but many others stay near magical founts like moonwells, as well as meditate for at least an hour per day. Blood elves that fail to satiate themselves often degenerate into Wretched, their addiction warping their physical forms.

Let me know what you want to see in future Proverbs!