Night Elf History The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity . Ten thousand years before the Orcs and Humans clashed in their First War , the world of Azeroth cradled only one massive continent surrounded by the infinite , raging seas . That land mass , known as Kalimdor , was home to a number of disparate races and creatures , all vying for survival amongst the savage elements of the waking world . At the dark continent ’ s center was a mysterious lake of incandescent energies . The lake , which would later be called the Well of Eternity , was the true heart of the world ’ s magic and natural power . Drawing its energies from the infinite Great Dark beyond the world , the Well acted as a mystical fount , sending its potent energies out across the world to nourish life in all its wondrous forms . In time , a primitive tribe of nocturnal humanoids cautiously made their way to the edges of the mesmerizing , enchanted lake . The feral , nomadic humanoids , drawn by the Well ’ s strange energies , built crude homes upon its tranquil shores . Over time , the Well ’ s cosmic power affected the strange tribe , making them strong , wise and virtually immortal . The tribe adopted the name Kaldorei , which meant " children of the stars " in their native tongue . To celebrate their budding society , they constructed great structures and temples around the lake ’ s periphery . The Kaldorei , or Night Elves as they would later be known , worshipped the moon goddess , Elune , and believed that she slept within the Well ’ s shimmering depths during the daylight hours . 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 only creatures that gave them pause were the ancient and powerful Dragons . Though the great serpentine beasts were often reclusive , they did much to safeguard the known lands from potential threats . The Night Elves believed that the Dragons held themselves to be the protectors of the world , and that they and their secrets were best left alone . 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 demi - god of the primordial forestlands . The great - hearted Cenarius grew fond of the inquisitive Night Elves and spent a great deal of time teaching them about the natural world . The tranquil Kaldorei developed a strong empathy for the living forests of Kalimdor and reveled in the harmonious balance of nature . Yet , as the seemingly endless ages passed , the Night Elves ’ civilization expanded both territorially and culturally . Their temples , roads , and dwelling places stretched across the breadth of the dark continent . Azshara , the Night Elves ’ beautiful and gifted Queen , built an immense , wondrous palace on the Well ’ s shore that housed her favored servitors within its bejeweled halls . Her servitors , whom she called the Quel ’ dorei or " high - borne " , doted on her every command and believed themselves to be greater than the rest of their lower - caste brethren . Though Queen Azshara was loved equally by all of her people , the high - borne were secretly hated by the jealous masses . Sharing the priests ’ curiosity towards the Well of Eternity , Azshara ordered the educated high - borne to plumb its secrets and reveal its true purpose in the world . The high - borne buried themselves in their work and studied the Well ceaselessly . In time they developed the ability to manipulate and control the Well ’ s cosmic energies . As their reckless experiments progressed , the high - borne found that they could use their newfound powers to either create or destroy at their leisure . The hapless high - borne had stumbled upon primitive magic and were now resolved to devote themselves to its mastery . Although they agreed that magic was inherently dangerous if handled irresponsibly , Azshara and her high - borne began to practice their spellcraft with reckless abandon . Cenarius and many of the wizened Night Elf scholars warned that only calamity would result from toying with the clearly volatile arts of magic . But , Azshara and her followers stubbornly continued to expand their burgeoning powers . As their powers grew , a distinct change came over Azshara and the high - borne . The haughty , aloof upper class became increasingly callous and cruel towards their fellow Night Elves . A dark , brooding pall veiled Azshara ’ s once entrancing beauty . She began to withdraw from her loving subjects and refused to interact with any but her trusted high - borne priests . A young , brazen scholar named Furion Stormrage , who had spent much of his time studying the Well ’ s effects , began to suspect that a terrible power was corrupting the high - borne and his beloved Queen . Though he could not conceive the evil that was to come , he knew that the Night Elves ’ lives would soon be changed forever . . . War of the Ancients . The high - borne ’ s reckless use of magic sent ripples of energy spiraling out from the Well of Eternity and into the Great Dark Beyond . The ripples of energy streamed out into the Twisting Nether and were felt by terrible alien minds . Sargeras , the Great Enemy of all life , the Ravager of Worlds , felt the potent ripples and was drawn to their distant point of origin . Spying the primordial world of Azeroth and sensing the limitless energies of the Well of Eternity , Sargeras was consumed by an insatiable hunger . The great , dark god of the Nameless Void resolved to destroy the fledgling world and claim its energies as his own . Sargeras gathered his vast , demonic army , known as the Burning Legion , and made his way towards the unsuspecting world of Azeroth . The Legion , comprised of a million screaming demons , all ripped from the far corners of the universe , roiled and burned at the thought of conquest . Sargeras ’ lieutenants , Archimonde the Defiler and Mannoroth the Destructor , prepared their infernal minions to strike . Queen Azshara , overwhelmed by the terrible ecstasy of her magic , fell victim to Sargeras ’ undeniable power , and agreed to grant him entrance to her world . Even her high - borne servitors gave themselves over to magic ’ s inevitable corruption and began to worship Sargeras as their god . To show their allegiance to the Legion , the high - borne aided their Queen in opening a great , swirling portal within the depths of the Well of Eternity . Once all his preparations had been made , Sargeras began his catastrophic invasion of Azeroth . The warrior - demons of the Burning Legion stormed into the world through the Well of Eternity and laid siege to the Night Elves ’ sleeping cities . Led by Archimonde and Mannoroth , the Legion swarmed over the lands of Kalimdor leaving only ash and sorrow in its wake . The demon warlocks called down the searing Infernals that crashed , like hellish meteors , into the graceful spires of Kalimdor ’ s temples . The Doomguard , a band of burning , bloodletting killers , marched across Kalimdor ’ s fields slaughtering everyone in their path . Even packs of wild , demonic Felhounds ravaged the countryside , unopposed . Though the brave Kaldorei warriors rushed to defend their ancient homeland , they were forced to give ground , inch by inch , before the fury of the Legion ’ s onslaught . The Sundering of the World . It fell to the young scholar , Malfurion Stormrage , to find help for his beleaguered people . Stormrage , whose own brother , Illidan , practiced the highborne ’ s magics , was incensed by the growing corruption amongst the upper class . Convincing Illidan to forsake his dangerous obsession , Malfurion set out to find Cenarius and muster a resistance force . The young , beautiful priestess , Tyrande , agreed to accompany the brothers in the name of Elune . Though both Malfurion and Illidan shared a secret love for the idealistic priestess , Tyrande ’ s heart belonged to Malfurion alone . Illidan resented his brother ’ s budding romance with Tyrande , but knew that his heartache was nothing compared to the pain of his magical addiction . . . Illidan , who had grown dependent on magic ’ s empowering energies , struggled to keep control of himself and his overwhelming hunger to tap the Well ’ s energies once again . However , with Tyrande ’ s patient support , he was able to contain himself and help his brother find the reclusive demi - god , Cenarius . Cenarius , who dwelt within the sacred Moonglades of the distant Mount Hyjal , agreed to help the Night Elves by finding the ancient dragons and enlisting their aid . The Dragons , led by the great , red leviathan , Alexstrasza , agreed to send their mighty flights to engage the demons and their infernal masters . Cenarius , calling on the spirits of the enchanted forests , rallied an army of ancient tree - men and led them against the Legion in a daring ground assault . As the Night Elves ’ allies converged upon Azshara ’ s temple and the Well of Eternity , all - out warfare erupted . Despite the strength of their newfound allies , Furion and his colleagues realized that the Legion could not be defeated by martial strength alone . As the titanic battle raged around Azshara ’ s capital city , the delusional Queen waited in anticipation for Sargeras ’ arrival . The Lord of the Legion was preparing to pass through the Well of Eternity and enter the ravaged world . As his impossibly huge shadow drew ever closer to the Well ’ s raging surface , Azshara gathered the most powerful of her high - borne followers . Only by linking their magics together , in one focused spell , would they be able to create a gateway large enough for Sargeras to enter . Furion , convinced that the Well of Eternity was the demons ’ umbilical link to the physical world , insisted that it should be destroyed . His companions , knowing that the Well was the source of their immortality and powers , were shocked by the rash notion . Yet Tyrande , seeing the wisdom of Furion ’ s theory , convinced Cenarius and their Dragon comrades to storm Azshara ’ s temple and find a way to shut the Well down for good . Knowing that the Well ’ s destruction would prevent him from ever wielding magic again , Illidan selfishly abandoned the group and set out to warn the high - borne of Furion ’ s plan . Due to the madness brought on by his addiction and the stinging resentment towards his brother ’ s affair with Tyrande , Illidan felt no remorse at betraying Furion and siding with Azshara and her ilk . Above all else , Illidan vowed to protect the Well ’ s power by any means necessary . Heartbroken by his brother ’ s departure , Furion led his companions into the heart of Azshara ’ s temple . Yet , as they stormed into the main audience chamber , they found the high - borne in the midst of their final dark incantation . The raging communal spell created an unstable vortex of power within the Well ’ s raging depths . As Sargeras ’ ominous shadow drew ever closer to the surface , Furion and his allies rushed to attack . Azshara , having received Illidan ’ s warning , was more than prepared for them . Nearly all of Furion ’ s followers fell before the mad Queen ’ s raging powers . Tyrande , attempting to attack Azshara from behind , was caught off guard by the Queen ’ s high - borne guardsmen . Though she vanquished the guardsmen , Tyrande suffered grievous wounds at their hands . At seeing his love fall , Furion went into a murderous rage and resolved to end Azshara ’ s life . As the battle raged inside and outside of the temple , Illidan appeared from the shadows near the shores of the great Well . Producing a set of specially crafted vials , Illidan knelt and filled each with the Well ’ s shimmering waters . Convinced that the demons would crush the Night Elves ’ civilization , he planned to steal the sacred waters and keep their energies for himself . The ensuing battle between Furion and Azshara threw the high - borne ’ s carefully crafted spellwork into chaos . The unstable vortex within the Well ’ s depths finally exploded and ignited a catastrophic chain of events that would sunder the world forever . The massive explosion rocked the temple to its foundations and sent massive quakes ripping through the tortured earth . As the horrific battle between the Legion and the Night Elves ’ allies raged around and above the ruined capital city , the surging Well of Eternity buckled in upon itself and collapsed . The resultant catastrophic explosion shattered the earth and blotted out the skies . . . Mount Hyjal and Illidan ' s Gift . As the aftershocks from the Well ’ s implosion rattled the bones of the world , the seas rushed in to fill the gaping wound left in the earth . Nearly eighty percent of Kalimdor ’ s landmass had been blasted apart , leaving only a handful of separate continents surrounding the new , raging sea . At the center of the new sea , where the Well of Eternity once stood , was a tumultuous storm of tidal fury and chaotic energies . This terrible scar , known as the Maelstrom , would never cease its furious spinning . It would remain a constant reminder of the terrible catastrophe and the utopian era that had been lost forever . . . The few Night Elves that survived the horrific explosion rallied together on crudely made rafts and slowly made their way to the only landmass in sight . Somehow , by the graces of Elune , Furion , Tyrande and Cenarius had survived the Great Sundering . The weary heroes agreed to lead their fellow survivors and establish a new home for their people . As they journeyed in silence , they surveyed the wreckage of their world and realized that their passions had wrought the destruction all around them . Though Sargeras and his Legion had been ripped from the world by the Well ’ s destruction , Furion and his companions were left to ponder the terrible cost of victory . It was clear that Azshara and her elite high - borne followers had been smashed to the bottom of the raging sea . Still , there were many high - borne amongst the survivors who made their way to the shores of the new land . Though Furion mistrusted the high - bornes ’ motivations , he was satisfied that they could cause no real mischief without the Well ’ s energies . As the weary mass of Night Elves landed upon the shores of the new land , they found that the holy mountain , Hyjal , had survived the catastrophe . Seeking to establish a new home for themselves , Furion and the Night Elves climbed the slopes of Hyjal and reached its windswept summit . As they descended into the wooded bowl , nestled between the mountain ’ s enormous peaks , they found a small , tranquil lake . To their horror , they found that the lake ’ s waters had been fouled – by magic . Illidan , having survived the Sundering as well , had reached Hyjal summit long before Furion and the Night Elves . In his mad bid to maintain the flows of magic in the world , Illidan had poured his vials , containing the precious waters from the Well of Eternity , into the mountain lake . The Well ’ s potent energies quickly ignited and coalesced into a new Well of Eternity . The exultant Illidan , believing that the new Well was a gift to future generations , was shocked when Furion hunted him down . Furion explained to his brother that magic was innately chaotic and that its use would inevitably lead to widespread corruption and strife . Still , Illidan refused to relinquish his magical powers . Knowing full well where Illidan ’ s treacherous schemes would eventually lead , Furion decided to deal with his power - crazed brother once and for all . With Cenarius ’ help , Furion sealed Illidan within a vast underground chamber – to remain chained and powerless until the end of time . Concerned that destroying the new Well might bring about an even greater catastrophe , the Night Elves resolved to leave it be . However , Furion declared that they would never practice the arts of magic again . Under Cenarius ’ watchful eye , they began to study the ancient arts of druidism that would enable them to heal the ravaged earth and re - grow their beloved forests at the base of Mount Hyjal . The World Tree and the Emerald Dream . For many years , the Night Elves worked tirelessly to rebuild what they could of their ancient homeland . Leaving their broken temples and roads to be overgrown , they constructed their new homes amidst the verdant trees and shadowed hills at Hyjal ’ s base . In time , the Dragons that had survived the great Sundering came forth from their secret abodes . Alexstrasza the red , Ysera the green , and Nozdormu the bronze descended upon the druids ’ tranquil glades and surveyed the fruits of the Night Elves ’ labors . Furion , who had become an arch - druid of immense power , greeted the mighty Dragons and told them about the creation of the new Well of Eternity . The great Dragons were alarmed to hear the dark news and speculated that as long as the Well remained , the Legion might one day return and assault the world once again . Furion and the three Dragons made a pact to keep the Well safe and ensure that the agents of the Burning Legion would never find their way back into the world . Alexstrasza , the Life - Giver , placed a single , enchanted acorn within the heart of the Well of Eternity . The acorn , activated by the potent , magical waters , sprung to life as a colossal tree . The mighty tree ’ s roots grew from the Well ’ s waters and its verdant canopy seemed to scrape the roof of the sky . The immense tree would be an everlasting symbol of the Night Elves ’ bond with nature , and its life - giving energies would extend out to heal the rest of the world over time . The Night Elves named their World Tree , Nordrassil , which meant “ crown of the heavens ” in their native tongue . Nozdormu , the Timeless , placed an enchantment upon the World Tree that ensured that as long as the colossal tree stood , the Night Elves would never age or fall prey to sickness or disease . Ysera , the Dreamer , also placed an enchantment upon the World Tree by linking it to her own realm , the ethereal dimension known as the Emerald Dream . The Emerald Dream , a vast , ever - changing spirit world , existed outside the boundaries of the physical world . From the Dream , Ysera regulated the ebb and flow of nature and the evolutionary path of the world itself . The Night Elf druids , including Furion himself , were bound to the Dream through the World Tree . As part of the mystical pact , the druids agreed to sleep for centuries at a time so that their spirits could roam the infinite paths of Ysera ’ s Dreamways . Though the druids were wary of losing so many years of their lives to hibernation , they selflessly agreed to uphold their bargain with Ysera . Exile of the High Elves . As the centuries passed , the Night Elves ’ new society grew strong and expanded throughout the budding forest that they came to call Ashenvale . Many of the creatures and species that were abundant before the Great Sundering , such as furbolgs and quillboars , reappeared and flourished in the land . Under the druids ’ benevolent leadership , the Night Elves enjoyed an era of unprecedented peace and tranquility under the stars . However , many of the original high - borne survivors grew restless . Like Illidan before them , they fell victim to the withdrawal that came from the loss of their coveted magics . They were tempted , once again , to tap the energies of the Well of Eternity and exult in their magical practices . Dath ’ Remar , the brash , outspoken leader of the high - borne , began to mock the druids publicly – calling them cowards for refusing to wield the magic that was theirs by right . Furion and the druids chafed of Dath ’ Remar ’ s arguments and warned the high - borne that any use of magic would be punishable by death . In their insolence , Dath ’ Remar and his followers unleashed a terrible magical storm upon Ashenvale in an ill - fated attempt to convince the druids to rescind their law . The druids , unable to bring themselves to slaughter so many of their kin , decided to exile the reckless high - borne from their lands . Dath ’ Remar and his followers , glad to be rid of their conservative cousins at last , boarded a number of specially crafted ships and set sail upon the seas . Though none of them knew what awaited them beyond the waters of the raging Maelstrom , they were eager to establish their own homeland where they could practice their coveted magics with impunity . The high - borne , or ‘ Quel ’ dorei ’ as Azshara had named them in ages past , would eventually set shore upon the eastern land men would call Lordaeron . They planned to build their own magical kingdom - Quel ’ Thalas - and reject the Night Elves ’ precepts of moon worship and nocturnal activity . Forever after , they would be known only as the " High Elves . " The Sentinels and the Long Vigil . With the departure of their wayward cousins , the Night Elves turned their attention back to the safekeeping of their enchanted homeland . The druids , sensing their time of hibernation nearing once again , prepared to sleep and leave their loved ones and families behind . Tyrande , who had become the First priestess of Elune , asked her love , Furion , not to leave her for Ysera ’ s Emerald Dream . But , Furion , honor bound to enter the changing Dreamways , bid the priestess good - bye and swore that they would never be apart so long as they held true to their love . Tyrande , left alone to protect Kalimdor from the dangers of the new world , assembled a powerful fighting force from amongst her Night Elf sisters . The fearless , highly trained warrior women who pledged themselves to Kalimdor ’ s defense became known as the Sentinels . Though they preferred to patrol the shadowy forests of Ashenvale alone , they had many allies upon which they could call in times of urgency . The demigod , Cenarius , remained nearby in the Moonglades of Mount Hyjal . His sons , known as the Keepers of the Grove , kept close watch on the Night Elves ’ land and regularly helped the Sentinels maintain peace in the land . Even Cenarius ’ shy daughters , the Dryads , appeared in the open with increasing frequency . Though the task of policing Ashenvale kept her busy , Tyrande felt lost and alone without Furion at her side . As the long centuries passed while the druids slept , her fears of a second demonic invasion grew more palpable . She could not shake the unnerving feeling that perhaps the Burning Legion was still out there , beyond the Great Dark of the sky plotting its revenge upon the Night Elves and the world of Azeroth .