ÔNight Elves are a fictional race of elves in Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft series of computer games. They are also a race of elves in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished in some way from other humans. ... An elf is a mythical creature of Germanic mythology which survived in northern European folklore. ... Blizzard Entertainment is a highly successful PC game developer and publisher. ... Warcraft: Orcs & Humans is a real-time strategy computer game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 1994. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Many fantasy stories and worlds call their main sapient humanoid species races rather than species. ... An elf is a mythical creature of Germanic mythology which survived in northern European folklore. ... The original Dungeons & Dragons set Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) published by Gary Gygax and David Arneson in January 1974. ... A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game where players assume the roles of fictional characters via role-playing. ...

Night Elves in Warcraft

Night Elves (or "Kaldorei" in their native tongue) have a deep lavender skin, long ears, and hair ranging in color from blue to purple to green to white. The whole race is tall, around 7.0' (2.15 m), with the men always of reasonably slim yet well-muscled build, and the women having similar build and height as the men. Unlike most other Elves, Night Elf men tend to have thick beards. The Night Elves live on the continent known as Kalimdor and were never seen by Orcs or Humans until they were introduced to the Warcraft Universe in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. A full beard A beard is the hair that grows on a mans chin, cheeks, neck, and the area above the upper lip (the opposite is a clean-shaven face). ... The Orcs are one of the races in the Warcraft Universe — a fictional universe where a set of games and books are set. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... Map of the planet Azeroth as it appears in the game World of Warcraft (Note: The map does not include the continent of Northrend at the north pole as it is not a reachable area within World of Warcraft) The Warcraft Universe is a fictional universe in which the Warcraft... Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, is a real-time strategy computer game and the second sequel to Warcraft. ...

Most of the male elves are druids while most of the females are warriors in a group known as the "Sentinels." In role-playing games, a druid is a character that represents a magic-user who is most comfortable in natural environments (especially forests). ... A warrior is a person habitually engaged in combat. ...

In Warcraft III, the Night Elf faction was known as "The Sentinels," but in World of Warcraft they have become a part of "The Alliance." Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, is a real-time strategy computer game and the second sequel to Warcraft. ... World of Warcraft (WoW) is a class-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. ...

Night Elves have been in the following computer games released by Blizzard:

• Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
• Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
• World of Warcraft

They are one of the playable races in each of the above games. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, is a real-time strategy computer game and the second sequel to Warcraft. ... Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, is a real-time strategy computer game and the second sequel to Warcraft. ... World of Warcraft (WoW) is a class-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. ...

Night elves were immortal until the destruction of the World Tree at the end of WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. In the final battle of Mount Hyjal, Malfurion and Tyrande decided to sacrifice the World Tree to save the world from the Burning Legion, and in doing so, gave up their immortality. Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite or indeterminate length of time. ... Malfurion Stormrage (or sometimes just Furion Stormrage) is a Night Elf druid from the Warcraft Universe. ... Tyrande Whisperwind is a Night Elf priestess from the Warcraft Universe. ... Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite or indeterminate length of time. ...

After the wars played in Warcraft III and Frozen Throne, which caused the destruction of most of the High Elves, the Night Elves are the most numerous Elves in the world of Azeroth.

History of the Night Elves

The Elven Birth

Tens of thousands of years before the orcish invasion of the human lands, Azeroth was comprised of one singular continent known as Kalimdor. In the center of Kalimdor was a mystical lake, which the Night Elves would call the Well of Eternity. This lake was the source of all magic on the world of Azeroth.

The night elves were the first elven race. They were a strange, feral, and nocturnal tribe of humanoids. Attracted by the mystical powers of the Well of Eternity, they built crude shelters upon its banks. As time passed, this tribe was affected by the Well and became strong, wise, and almost immortal. They called themselves "Kaldoei", which means "Children of the Stars".

The night elves built grand temples on the shores of the Well of Eternity and roads and stone homes. They were very curious, and their priests studied the mystical well with endless wonder. They also began to explore the world around them.

The night elves built glorious cities and befriended many natural creautres and beings. Cenarius, a demi god, is one such being. He taught the night elves of the land of Kalimdor and aided them in building their civilization. With the aid of their allies, the night elves floudished.

The night elves believed the Moon Goddess, Elune, slept within the Well of Eternity. They worshipped her with great piety and built many temples throughout their growing nation.

The Ancient War

The last queen of the night elves was a beautiful and gifted woman known as Azshara. She ruled the night elves peacfefully. But ironically, that which made the night elves and gave them power would nearly end them. That is the Well of Eternity.

Azshara built a magnificent palace near the Well of Eternity and housed herself and her favorite servitors. She called them "Quel' dorei" or High-Borne. The High-Borne believed themseves to be superior to common night elves and became arrogant. While Azshara remained endlessly popular, the High-Borne were hated by the commoners.

Azshara shared the priest's curiousity about the Well of Eternity. She ordered studies on it, and they would prove fruitful. The High-Borne became able to control the Well of Eternity's energies. This is primitive magic.

Azshara and her followers used magic recklessly. They soon became corrupted by it, and retreated to use this new, devastating power.

But the magic energies sent signals out into the universe. Sageras, the Enemy of Life, leader of the Burning Legion vowed to take the world of Azeroth and claim its energies.

Azshara was contacted by the infernal demon and over awed by his power. She and her followers worshipped him as a dark god. They agreed to let him into their world, preparing a portal in the Well of Eternity.

Demons soon invaded Azeroth and Kalimdor. They rampaged across the night elven lands and crushed the brave night elven warriors, bit by bit the night elves were sacrificing ground...

A young scholar, Furion Stormrage, was able to convince his High-Borne brother, Illidan, to forsake the addiction to magic. The two enlsited the aid of the beautiful priestess, Tyrande Whisperwind. The group journeyed to find Cenarius and stop the Burning Legion.

Illidan had much trouble forsaking Magic, and he fell in love with Tyrande, but so did Furion. Sadly for Illidan, Tyrande chose Furion alone. But she still supported him to break free of magic.

They found the demigod and Cenarius petitioned Alexstrasza, the Red Dragon Queen, to save the night elves. She agreed, and night elven warriors, tree men summoned by Cenarius, and mighty dragons flew to war.

The titanic battle outside of the night elven capital was a stalemate, but the allies realized the Burning Legion could not be crushed by martial might alone. Furion proposed that the Well of Eternity be destroyed to stop Sageras from accessing their world. After much debate, the allies decided to do so.

But Illidan was now insane from his addiction and his brother's affair with Tyrande. Hr betrayed Furion to warn the High-Borne of Furion's plan...

Furion attacked Azshara's temple, but the corrupted queen was prepared. She commenced battle with Furion and gravely injured Tyrande. Furion went into a violent rage and immediately tried to slaughter Azshara.

Illidan was convinced the demons would end the night elven civilization. So he took several special vials and filled them with water from the Well of Eternity.

The battle in Azshara's temple threw the High-Borne's spell into chaos. The all ready unstable portal in the Well of Eternity exploded. As the battle between the demons and natives of Azeroth continued on the ruins of the night elves capital, the Well of Eternity imploded.

The cataclysm that followed ravaged the world and blotted the skies...

Magic Survives

Kalimdor, the one central continent of all Azeroth, was blown apart. New continents took its place, in the West was what was left of Kalimdor. The East contained the continents of Lorderon and Azeroth. The north was the ice land of Northerend.

In the center of the new sea, a great raging hurricane continued to spin and storm where the Well of Eternity once stood. This is the Maelstrom.

The night elves were able to rally survivors and use crude rafts to find some kind of landmass. By the grace of Elune, they found the "new" Kalimdor. They were relived to find sacred Mt. Hyjal had survived. But when they climed to its summit lake, they found it tainted...by magic.

Illidan had lived as well,and reached Hyjal before the others. He dumped the vials with the Well's magic waters into Hyjal's lake. He thought it was a gift to future generations, and when Furion hunted him down and imprisoned him in the Earth forever, powerless, to do anything.

The night elves couldn't destroy the new well lest they tear the world apart more. So they relearned the arts of drudism. They made their home among tranquil glades and verdent trees. They regrew the forests and lived in peace.

The World Tree and the Sentinels

The three great dragons; Alexstrasza the red, Ysera the green, and Nozdormu the brown, also survived the Sundering, they rallied their fellow dragons and searched for the night elves. They located the night elved and met with Furion, now a powerful archdruid.

Furion broke the news about the new well to the dragons who were alarmed. The four leaders resolved to protect the new well.

Alexstrasza planted a mystical acorn in the well, which then sprouted into a giant tree. This tree contained the magic of the Well.

Nozdormu enchanted the World Tree, so that as long as it stood, the night elves would never age or become sick.

Ysera linked the tree to her realm, the vast spirit world known as the Emeral Dream. The druids were bound to the dream through the Tree. They agreed to spend long periods of time, centuries even, in hibernation, wandering the Emerald Dream, to uphold their bargain with Ysera.

The high-borne, still addicted to magic, grew restless. They wanted to use magic so desperately. The druids knew of magic's corruption, and so installed a law, use of magic was punishable by death.

The high-borne unleashed a storm of magic upon the forest home of the night elves, called Ashenvale. The druids could not bear to kill so many, so they banished the high-borne across the sea.

The high-borne landed in the land men call Lordaeron, and built their kingdom where they use magic without fear. The kingdom was called Quel' Thelas. The high-borne were forever after known as High Elves.

Finally, the druids departed for the Emeral Dream. Tyrande Whisperwind, Furion's lover, became the First Priestess of Elune. She was saddened at Furion's slumber, but he was honor bound to uphold it.

Tyrande crafted a powerful night elves force called the Sentinels. She continued to police Ashenvale, though she felt lose without Furion.

She always feared that demons would return. And as time passed, she would find groun for her fears. It was hard not to wonder if the Burning Legion was sitting, beyond the darkness of the sky, plotting revenge of the Kaldorei...

Night Elves in Dungeons & Dragons

Night Elves mostly appear in the world of Mystara, where they are that world's alternative to the dark elves, or drow, who appear in other D&D campaign settings. Mystara is a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons. ... Dark elves are the (mostly) evil counterparts of the elves in many mythologies and fantasy settings. ... Drow (pronounced: ) are a species of elf in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. ... A campaign setting is a fictional fantasy world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer and various d20 System games. ...

External links

• The Official World of Warcraft website
• Warcraft III Official Guide - Night Elf page