Vereesa Windrunner

Vereesa Windrunner is the Ranger-General of the Silver Covenant. An elven ranger who fought throughout the Second and Third Wars, she is the youngest sister of Alleria and Sylvanas, widow of Archmage Rhonin Redhair, and mother of Giramar and Galadin. After becoming a ranger, she met Rhonin in an escort mission and together they helped free the Dragon Queen Alexstrasza from the Dragonmaw clan. Nearly all of Vereesa's extended family were killed by orcs in the Second War and in Prince Arthas's invasion of Quel'Thalas.
When Rhonin became leader of the Kirin Tor, Vereesa created and still leads the Silver Covenant, a militant core of high elves that rejected the admission of blood elves into the Kirin Tor and who took it upon themselves to serve as a military deterrent for any potential Sunreaver uprising. She styled herself as the "Ranger General of the Silver Covenant", her own version of the Ranger General of Silvermoon. After her husband's death and an act of treason both caused by the blood elves within the Kirin Tor, Vereesa joined Jaina Proudmoore, who succeeded Rhonin, in the Sunreaver Purge of Dalaran.
==Background==
===History===
Vereesa is a member of the prominent Windrunner family of the high elves. Her elder sisters Alleria and Sylvanas eventually rose to the ranks of ranger captain and ranger general of Silvermoon City, respectively. She also had a younger brother named Lirath. Her family lived at Windrunner Spire in the tranquil forests of Quel'Thalas.
The young Vereesa was inducted into the entry ranks of the Farstriders some time before the Second War, rising to become among the best of her training group. More than one of her tutors scolded her for her reckless attitude and fighting style, derogatorily comparing her impatience to that of a human's.Day of the Dragon, pg. 66 She did not take an active part in the Second War itself, presumably due to a lack of experience, and hadn't battled a troll until her foray into Grim BatolDay of the Dragon, pg. 253
 
During the Second War, when Quel'Thalas' forest began mysteriously to burn, Vereesa alongside Alleria were attacked by forest trolls. Fortunately, they were rescued by Sylvanas and her rangers.Tides of Darkness, chapter 14 Young for her kind, Vereesa was only a year out of her apprenticeship following the Second War.Day of the Dragon, chapter 2
Vereesa had a particularly close relationship with Sylvanas, whom she looked up to and tried to emulate her entire life.The Well of Eternity - But Sylvanas, she whom Rhonin's wife had sought to emulate her entire life, had, as Ranger General, led the battle against the betrayer.
Before Alleria left through the Dark Portal for the Alliance Expedition assault on Draenor, she intended to give Sylvanas and Vereesa each a necklace, which were once part of a larger one given to Alleria by their parents. She had this necklace melted down and crafted into three lockets in Stormwind. The emerald she kept for herself, and she gave the sapphire and the ruby to her second, Verana, to deliver to her sisters.Beyond the Dark Portal, pg. 200 Within Vereesa's ruby locket was inscribed, "To Vereesa. With love, Alleria."War Crimes, chapter 12
After Alleria and her husband Turalyon vanished on Draenor, Vereesa took in their son Arator.
===Day of the Dragon===
Following in Alleria's footsteps, Vereesa too became a ranger. To her disgust, her first major assignment did not involve hunting down the orcs that had been trapped on the planet Azeroth in the wake of the Dark Portal's destruction. Instead, she was asked to escort a human wizard named Rhonin to Hasic, one of the eastern ports of Lordaeron. She accomplished her mission only to discover that there were no ships available to take Rhonin to his ultimate destination: Khaz Modan.
Rhonin claimed that his mission was minor and only required him to observe the orc presence in Khaz Modan. Yet he remained unusually determined to fulfill it. He even appealed to a group of Wildhammer dwarves, asking them to fly him to Khaz Modan on one of their gryphons. At first the dwarves refused, for they trusted humans little and wizards even less. Yet Vereesa had grown fond of Rhonin, and she suspected that his mission was more important than he wanted to admit. Appealing to the dwarves, she persuaded them to fly both her and Rhonin to Khaz Modan. Although Rhonin was separated from her along the flight, she tracked him all the way to Grim Batol, which was a Horde stronghold under the leadership of Nekros Skullcrusher.
Using a magical artifact known as the Demon Soul, Nekros had managed to enslave Alexstrasza and, through her, most of the red dragonflight. Thus, Korialstrasz had sent Rhonin to Grim Batol with instructions to free Alexstrasza. Disguised as a mage named Krasus, Korialstrasz did not truly hope that Rhonin would be able to liberate the Dragonqueen. Rather, Korialstrasz hoped to trick the Horde into believing that a full-scale invasion was about to occur. While the Horde evacuated Grim Batol, Korialstrasz planned to strike and free his queen. His plan backfired when the massive black dragon Deathwing unexpectedly showed up and began stealing Alexstrasza's eggs. In fact, Deathwing had helped Rhonin reach Grim Batol precisely for that reason: the insane Dragon Aspect wanted to bolster his own failing flight by kidnapping Alexstrasza's children and raising them as his own. However, the other Dragon Aspects arrived to stop Deathwing. With the help of Vereesa and a group of dwarves, Rhonin took the Demon Soul from Nekros and managed to destroy it. Their powers fully restored, Alexstrasza and the other Aspects attacked Deathwing and forced him to flee. Deathwing has not been seen since that time.
Not long after their adventure, Vereesa and Rhonin were married.
===War of the Ancients Trilogy===
Following the success of the mission, Vereesa was asked to act as an Alliance Ambassador by King Terenas and the Kirin Tor. She and Rhonin were tasked with touring the Alliance and reminding everyone that there were other threats in the world besides orcs that would have to be faced sooner or later.The Well of Eternity, pg. 14 Along with Rhonin and Krasus, Vereesa was among the few well-known survivors of the Scourge that destroyed Lordaeron, Dalaran, and Quel'Thalas after the corruption of Prince Arthas. The day that Thalorien Dawnseeker and Anasterian Sunstrider fell was one of the darkest of her life.A Victory For The Silver Covenant
The rest of her family was not so lucky. They were one of the hardest hit by the Scourge invasion into Quel'Thalas.The Well of Eternity, pg. 16 - 17 Sylvanas was killed by Arthas Menethil and raised as a banshee in his service, later becoming Banshee Queen of the Forsaken. The sisters' grandfather had to battle his own son, their uncle, after he was turned into an undead.
While she and her husband, Rhonin, were preparing for the birth of their twin offspring, Giramar and Galadin, Rhonin was once again summoned by Krasus for help. As a reward for Rhonin's courage, Nozdormu allowed Rhonin to return to Vereesa at the moment she went into labor to ensure he would not miss a moment of the twins' lives. Nozdormu also offered the children the friendship of the bronze dragonflight. A human named Jalia assisted in the birth.
===Night of the Dragon===
At one time, Vereesa was close to her cousin Zendarin Windrunner: an ambitious young elf whose difficulty fitting the mold of high elven society was similar to that of Vereesa's own. After the rise of the blood elves, Zendarin took well to the teachings of Kael'thas Sunstrider, as his withdrawals from the Sunwell's power were too much to bear. Having suffered from her own magical withdrawal, Vereesa reflected that she too may have joined them, had it not been for Rhonin's support which helped her to recuperate. After the birth of her sons, her love for her children was enough to distract her from the pangs of addiction and loss.Night of the Dragon, pg. 155
Zendarin, now a blood elf who had always hated humans, tried to kidnap her children as he believed the offspring of a high elf and a human mage would have a lot of magic power.Night of the Dragon, pg. 110, 113 He failed in this attempt.
She appears again in the novel Night of the Dragon, where she braved the depths of Grim Batol, seeking revenge on Zendarin. Zendarin sought to steal the Demon Soul (possibly as an alternate magic source having failed to take Dargonax, or as a secondary objective), the foul creation of Deathwing that had been destroyed by Rhonin years earlier. He would have pulled it off if not for Vereesa's intervention, which resulted in the destruction of the Demon Soul — and of Zendarin himself — when the stolen staff of the Naaru touched the artifact.Night of the Dragon Vereesa also assists Iridi, a draenei priestess, in destroying Dargonax, as redemption for Zendarin's murder of Iridi's comrade.
===Wrath of the Lich King===
Vereesa is located in the Violet Citadel of Dalaran along with Rhonin, Archmage Aethas Sunreaver, and Archmage Modera. She created and is the leader of the Silver Covenant, a militant group of high elves who oppose the inclusion of blood elves in the Kirin Tor. She is involved in the Quel'delar quest chain: The champions of the Silver Covenant will fight the forces of the Scourge in the Frozen Halls and its Sunreaver counterpart in Dalaran to restore the magical blade Quel'Delar from its defiled state by the Blood-Queen Lana'thel. She appears as part of the Silver Covenant faction within Dalaran, and is hostile to Horde players as a result. She will not attack, cannot be attacked, and cannot be interacted with.
Ultimately, Vereesa's opposition to the blood elves' readmission to the Kirin Tor was doomed to failure: Vereesa herself held no political sway within Dalaran, and the Sunreavers were able to overcome their opposition into the Kirin Tor.Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War
===Stormrage===
Vereesa was caught in by the Emerald Nightmare. She later attended the wedding of Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind, two old friends and comrades of her husband, along with their twin boys.Stormrage, pg. 396
===Cataclysm===
Vereesa is called upon by the ranger-general of Silvermoon, Halduron Brightwing, to help address the threat of a revitalized troll empire brewing in Zul'Aman. She travels to Quel'Thalas, and meets with Brightwing alongside the Darkspear Chieftain, Vol'jin.
Her presence is not well received in the upper echelons of Silvermoon City, and Lor'themar Theron sends a messenger to demand to know why she holds presence in Quel'Thalas. A frustrated Vereesa mentions that Quel'Thalas is as much her home as it is his, and that she will not see it fall to their ancient enemy. Halduron states that he had personally invited her to supplement his own Farstriders, as it would take time to recall enough of them. The two ranger-generals along with Vol'jin discuss their plans for battle.
===Tides of War===
When Jaina Proudmoore called for aid to defend Theramore Isle against an overwhelming attack by the Horde, Vereesa came with her husband Rhonin to help. However, after the battle, she was informed that the blood elf Thalen Songweaver, a Horde traitor within the Kirin Tor, had been rescued during the attack. After coordinating with Shandris Feathermoon and her sentinels, Vereesa took a scouting party west into Dustwallow Marsh to look for him, and so was not present when Garrosh Hellscream used a mana bomb to destroy Theramore and all its inhabitants, including Rhonin. Vereesa returned to Dalaran to mourn, and accompanied Jaina to plead the Council of Six to take action against Orgrimmar in retaliation for Rhonin's death. She later appeared with her children at Rhonin's memorial service.
===Mists of Pandaria===
====Landfall====
Vereesa led the Silver Covenant in aiding the Kirin Tor and Alliance forces to purge the Horde from Dalaran after Jaina Proudmoore discovered that Sunreavers helped Garrosh Hellscream steal the Divine Bell by using Dalaran portals to infiltrate Darnassus. The Silver Covenant was instrumental in preventing the Sunreavers from escaping and neutralizing any Horde insurrections or Sunreaver sympathizers who were aiding and abetting their resistance to incarceration.
====Rise of the Thunder King====
Vereesa was serving as secondary leader of the Kirin Tor Offensive, stationed near the Shado-Pan Garrison, where she would accompany members of the Alliance to Lady Jaina Proudmoore's flagship, The Seabolt, on the Isle of Thunder. She revealed that the pandaren were concerned about the return of Lei Shen the Thunder King, but personally she was more concerned about the Horde. Vereesa expressed concern with the Horde presence on the isle, fearful that the world at large would suffer should they get their hands on the source of Lei Shen's power. She was also eager to avenge the death of her husband.
Vereesa also appeared within the Violet Rise when the base had been established.
Vereesa eventually accompanied Jaina to the Bloodied Crossing, and does battle with the mogu forces in the area. After they won the battle against Shan Bu, Vereesa was present when Jaina and Lor'themar face off in the courtyard. United by sharing an unlikely enemy, Jaina and the regent lord came to an agreement, though Vereesa was uneager to retreat, stating that they killed her husband, but Jaina reminded her that fighting here wouldn't bring him back.
====Siege of Orgrimmar====
Vereesa accompanies King Varian Wrynn's force to seize Bladefist Bay from Hellscream's forces, and takes part in the Galakras encounter. During the battle Vereesa wears a new outfit that more closely resembles her artwork.
===War Crimes===
Vereesa accompanied Jaina to the trial of Garrosh Hellscream. Embittered by the loss of her husband and fuelled by vengeance, Vereesa desired the death sentence to be passed on the former warchief. As the trial continued, however, it became increasingly apparent to Vereesa that he may yet escape this fate and face life imprisonment instead, with even the possibility of acquittance. Unwilling to let this happen, Vereesa reached out to her sister, Sylvanas, by sending her ruby necklace and arranged a meeting at Windrunner Spire. Vereesa asked Sylvanas to provide her with a potent, untraceable poison she could use to murder Garrosh, which Sylvanas agreed to consider. While the sisters were wary of each other at first, they rekindled a surprisingly positive bond over the course of their meetings, as they reflected on their childhoods, their deceased loved ones, and the lives they'd both left behind.
As the sisters continued to plot and bond, Vereesa came to doubt what she had left in the Alliance. Noting this, Sylvanas made her an offer: Vereesa could join her in the Forsaken, and co-rule with her. She could rise to a position of great power, with the ability to shape things as the Windrunners saw fit. Seeing what they were about to accomplish in killing Garrosh (something both the Horde and Alliance had failed to do), Vereesa agreed to consider the offer.
The following court day, Vereesa was forced to witness Rhonin's last moments in Theramore through the Vision of Time leaving her in tears. Fuelled with anger and grief at seeing her husband's selfless sacrifice for her, she left for Tirisfal Glades, where she met with Sylvanas, who had provided the poison - a particularly potent strain, that would no doubt give Garrosh a painful end. She had chosen Tirisfal over the Ghostlands to become better acquainted with where she would soon be living; though dark, she believed the glades had a certain beauty. Vereesa's increasing affinity for her soon-to-be home pleased her sister greatly, though Sylvanas had not given her the full story: the Forsaken would never accept a living ruler, so she planned to give Vereesa a painless death and resurrect her as a powerful banshee, like her, so that the two could rule together forever.
Vereesa integrated herself into the temple's kitchens, giving her access to Garrosh's food. Putting aside all reluctance, she succeeded in lacing his meal with the poison, and left to reflect on what now awaited her. On the cusp of joining her sister in the Horde, however, Vereesa began to have her doubts. On one hand, she looked forward to ruling alongside her sister and having access to Silvermoon again, though her time with the cook Mu-Lam Shao (and then a meeting with Anduin Wrynn) made her think of her boys back home in Dalaran. Knowing they would have no place in the Undercity, Vereesa left for Dalaran to be with them, promising never to consider leaving them again. She sent a letter to Sylvanas to tell her of this. Her decision was a blow to Sylvanas, who had greatly lowered her defenses around her sister.
Before leaving, Vereesa told Anduin of her plot to poison Garrosh, leaving the warchief's fate in the prince's hands. Ultimately, Anduin chose to rescue him, though kept Vereesa's secret.War Crimes
===Legion===
After the Farstriders acquired information on the whereabouts of Vereesa's sister Alleria, Vereesa traveled to Darkstone Isle on the Broken Shore to join forces with them and plan a rescue attempt. She summoned the soon-to-be leader of the Unseen Path to assist in this endeavour. Although she was unhappy to trust the word of a demon, who claimed Alleria and her fabled bow were present on a Legion world known as Niskara, inhabited by the inquisitor demons, Vereesa was willing to take the risk. Ranger Orestes argued that the mission was too personal on Vereesa's side, which she unconvincingly denied, claiming it was simply to recover a strategic asset and nothing more. Vereesa forbade Orestes from taking part in the mission, not wanting to risk lives until Alleria's presence was confirmed, but he went ahead regardless. Vereesa fought her way through Niskara to rescue both Orestes and Alleria; however, Orestes was heavily wounded, and died encouraging Vereesa to rescue Alleria. Vereesa narrowly avoided succumbing to an inquisitor's mental attack, but Alleria was nowhere to be found. Only her bow was left, and Vereesa inferred that the demons had hoped to lure Alleria back with it. She suggested the hunter champion be the one to claim it, acknowledging them as a hero on par with her sister.Rescue Mission She returned to Dalaran and intended to sent a message to Halduron Brightwing about Orestes' death.Hunter to Hunter (marksmanship)
Vereesa then led her rangers to Trueshot Lodge, where she reunited with Halduron and informed him of the mission's events. Representing the Silver Covenant among the Unseen Path's union of all hunters on Azeroth, Vereesa promised the aid of her order to the Path's new leader following their inauguration. As a member of the Unseen Path, Vereesa participated in the defeat of Hakkar the Houndmaster in the Violet Hold.In Defense of Dalaran
When an Alliance player reaches Prestige Rank 2, Vereesa can be found in Stormwind Keep alongside other notable leaders of the Alliance. During A Royal Audience (Alliance), she is present at the ceremony hosted by King Anduin Wrynn that congratulates the character for their battles against the Horde, following their receiving of the Grand Marshal's Medal of Valor from the King, as well as an artifact appearance.
====Insurrection====
Vereesa, along with Tyrande Whisperwind and her sentinels, leads a group of Silver Covenant war mages to Suramar to support the Nightfallen rebels in their attempt to reclaim Suramar from its Burning Legion-aligned masters. Still vengeful for the death of her husband, and now her king, she counselled against trusting the nearby Horde forces led by Lady Liadrin and Grand Magister Rommath, but a formal, if tense, truce was made between the two armies regardless. Kirin Tor guards comment that Khadgar has had to step in and stop Vereesa from shooting at Rommath more than once, and Liadrin does not trust Vereesa to protect their flank when the time comes to attack the city. Vereesa also finds it peculiar that she'd ever share a camp with the kaldorei, reflecting that desperate times call for desperate measures.
She takes part in the strike into Suramar, and the combined elven army fights its way to the foot of the Nighthold itself, where the kaldorei, sin'dorei, quel'dorei and shal'dorei rebels are confronted by Grand Magistrix Elisande. When she turns to address Vereesa, the magistrix derides the quel'dorei as "peasants playing at nobility", unworthy of the name high elves, and mocks their tendency to "mingle" with lesser races that dilute their bloodline. Elisande then unleashes her time magic, trapping the entire elven army, Vereesa included, in a time stasis, causing their defeat.
Vereesa is freed and can be seen later in the Nighthold cinematic with Khadgar and Lady Liadrin.
====Argus====
Vereesa later travels with her nephew Arator aboard the draenei's new dimensional ship, the Vindicaar, to Argus. She witnesses the return of her sister Alleria and Alleria's husband Turalyon. Arator has a conversation with Vereesa regarding the fate of Sylvanas and what Vereesa will tell his mother, to which Vereesa responds that the thought of the conversation fills her with dread and the truth will break Alleria's heart.Gathering Light
When Vereesa later informed Alleria that Sylvanas was now Warchief of the Horde, Alleria refused to believe it after everything the Horde did to their people. Vereesa was unsure of how to tell Alleria that Sylvanas was also undead, or if it was even the right time or place to do so. When Alleria pressed her for answers, Vereesa decided the matter would be best discussed in private.
Vereesa can also be found at Darkfall Ridge where she fights demons seeking to reach the Vindicaar.
After Sargeras was imprisoned by the Pantheon at the Seat of the Pantheon, Vereesa commented about how much Alleria changed with her wielding powers that she couldn't comprehend. But in her heart, she remained her beloved sister. Vereesa knew that the news of Sylvanas weighed heavily on Alleria, and that some matters had to be settled face to face. The Windrunner sisters had to meet, and there was only one place for it to be done.
===Three Sisters===
In the Silver Enclave, Vereesa discussed her impending family reunion between the Windrunner sisters with her sons. While Giramar had hopes this reunion could heal the rift between their families, Galadin argued their aunt Sylvanas was evil and was now working with the Horde that killed their father. Giramar thought that accusing people of being evil only challenged them to show people how evil they could be, while Galadin saw little potential in the goodness of undead beings. Vereesa ended the argument by reminding her sons that they were brothers and there may come a day when they may only have themselves to rely on, silently musing there was a time when she and her sisters had relied on each other. Vereesa's sons hugged their mother goodbye and agreed to Vereesa's wisdom before Vereesa entered a Silver Covenant portal to her destination.
Vereesa met Alleria in their favorite spot in Eversong Woods. Alleria greeted Vereesa by affectionately, calling her "Little Moon". With such golden hair, Vereesa replied that it was only fitting that Alleria's nickname was "Lady Sun", although since her transformation with the Void, Alleria felt she could no longer bear that name. When Vereesa questioned how the Void had affected her, Alleria assured Vereesa she was capable of resisting the Void's dark power and her love for her loved ones kept her anchored. Vereesa and Alleria catch up on what has transpired since Alleria was away, including the Alliance-Horde war escalated by Garrosh Hellscream and the death of Vereesa's husband Rhonin during the bombing of Theramore. Vereesa mentioned that she had a brief reconnection with Sylvanas when they plotted revenge against Garrosh during his trial in Pandaria, but she had abandoned the plot and warned Anduin Wrynn who subsequently saved Garrosh from being poisoned. Although concerned about Sylvanas' apparent darker nature, returning to their homeland has given Alleria hope of them starting anew as she reminisces about happier times with her sisters and their late brother Lirath Windrunner. Sylvanas interrupted Alleria's nostalgia by locking hands with her as they did when they used to dance together, and despite her initial shock, Alleria greeted Sylvanas by her old nickname, "Lady Moon".
They made their way to the undead portions of the Ghostlands and Sylvanas told Alleria the tale of how Arthas Menethil led the Scourge to desecrate the kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Sylvanas provided the Windrunner sisters skeletal horses as they proceeded to purging the undead they met in their path to their ancestral home of Windrunner Spire. During their journey, the sisters played the game "One is a lie" in which they each made three statements with one being a lie. They eventually encountered Goldenmist Village which was inhabited by shades of people they once knew. As the Windrunner sisters defended themselves against the attacking shades, Alleria accused Sylvanas of manipulating Vereesa into murdering Garrosh Hellscream. Sylvanas defended her character and revealed it was Vereesa's plan from the beginning and held Vereesa's lack of nerve responsible for the fallout of Garrosh's actions thereafter, including the third invasion of the Burning Legion. Sylvanas' rage culminated in her unleashing her banshee powers on one shade and brutally eviscerated it. Disgusted by Sylvanas' savage brutality, Alleria transformed into her Void form to declare that the sister she once knew was gone. Sylvanas retorted she had no choice in becoming undead while Alleria abandoned them and chose to become a Void abomination.
As the two sisters argued, Vereesa tried to stop the quarrel and claimed that neither of her sisters were there for her when she needed them and had hurt her feelings when they let her believe they both had died. Vereesa tried to dissipate the hostilities by refocusing their efforts in clearing their home of the undead and revealing the verdicts of their game. Vereesa was the first to reveal her truths: she does believe the blood elves will reflect on their actions and rejoin the Alliance and she does fear losing her sisters, but her lie was she has moved past Rhonin's death and that she sees him every day in her sons. She concluded her confession with her telling Alleria she envies her time with Turalyon. Alleria told Vereesa that much has changed between her and Turalyon, and she has doubts of their love surviving. When it was Sylvanas' turn to reveal her truths and lie, she refused to continue the game. Alleria told Sylvanas to keep her secrets, acknowledging that her family was broken, and created a Void portal to return Vereesa and her home, the three sisters apparently dropping their necklaces from the spire at the end of the meeting. Before they left, Vereesa apologized to Sylvanas for promising to stay with her after their plot with Garrosh and changing her mind at the last minute by letter. In tears, Vereesa told Sylvanas that she hoped that one day her older sister would forgive her, and subsequently returned to her sons in Dalaran.Windrunner: Three Sisters
===Battle for Azeroth===
Seeking to protect Azeroth and depose of Sylvanas, Horde revolutionaries led by Varok Saurfang and the Alliance planned to strike at Orgrimmar and to that end set up camp in Razor Hill. However, before combined Horde-Alliance forces could strike against Sylvanas's forces, Varok and Anduin were approached by Vereesa and Alleria. Knowing that N'Zoth had been freed, Alleria revealed her belief that Sylvanas commanded what may be the only army capable of defeating the Old God, and thus she suggested that the Alliance and Horde revolutionaries stand aside and let her. In response, Anduin was quick to point out that Sylvanas wouldn't fight for them and that she had lured both fleets into Queen Azshara's hands to meet death when the war seemed to be on the cusp of ending. Remarking that they couldn't fight two wars at once, Anduin told her that Sylvanas must fall here before all was lost. Swayed by Anduin's argument, Alleria declared that she and Vereesa would scout Sylvanas's lines for weaknesses.This Ain't Mine
Though Vereesa was prepared to face against Sylvanas's forces, Varok Saurfang, recognizing Sylvanas's loyalists as his brothers and sisters in the Horde and unwilling to spill more Horde blood, challenged Sylvanas to Mak'gora. During the duel, Saurfang was able to get Sylvanas to admit that she considered the Horde nothing, which caused the Warchief to swiftly kill him and abandon the Horde altogether.Reckoning With Sylvanas's defection, the Horde united once more with Sylvanas's former loyalists defecting to Saurfang's revolution. With Saurfang dead and Sylvanas no longer in command of the Horde, the Alliance forces (Vereesa among them) departed from Durotar.
===Shadowlands===
Towards the end of the events in the Shadowlands, Sylvanas was reunited with a portion of her soul that she had long been missing. Following the defeat of the Jailer, Vereesa and Alleria traveled to Oribos to attend Sylvanas' trial, during which the latter submitted to the judgment of her archenemy Tyrande Whisperwind.The Fate of Sylvanas
The three sisters only had time to exchange a brief farewell before Tyrande sentenced Sylvanas to her fate - to scour the Maw and free all the souls trapped therein, especially those of the night elves she sent there. Sylvanas accepted this and exchanged a last look with Vereesa and Alleria before jumping into the Maw. Afterward, Vereesa and Alleria stayed in the Ring of Transference for a time and discussed how, having lost so much of their family already, they had to hope that Sylvanas could one day complete her penance so they could be reunited with her, and perhaps the sister that they once knew.Penance and Renewal
==Locations==
==Abilities==
;Niskara
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;Isle of Thunder
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==Quests==
;Purge of Dalaran
*Jaina's Resolution 
*Nowhere to Run (Dalaran) 
*Nowhere to Hide 
*Sewer Cleaning 
*Unfair Trade (Dalaran) 
*Cashing Out 
*What Had To Be Done 
;Isle of Thunder
*Thunder Calls (Alliance)‎ 
*The Storm Gathers (Alliance) 
*The Shuddering Moor (Alliance) 
*The Zandalari Colossus (Alliance) 
*Call of the Marksman 
*Clandestine Operation / Clandestine Operation (blood elf) 
*Rescue Mission 
*Hunter to Hunter (marksmanship) 
;Insurrection
*Taking a Promenade (Alliance) 
*Objective of: Ready for Battle (Suramar)
==Personality==
Like her sisters, Vereesa is a talented ranger, and was among the best of her class. At first, Vereesa was unimpressed with the humans and the Alliance,Day of the Dragon - Like most humans, this one cared nothing for anyone but himself. It amazed her that the Alliance could have ever triumphed against the Horde with so many like this Rhonin in their ranks. but like Alleria (and perhaps Sylvanas), she would go on to romance a human hero of distinction. Vereesa came to love and marry Rhonin Redhair, with whom she had two half-elf children, and their presence provided huge support to Vereesa in the testing years to come. She was left crushed by Rhonin's death, and resolved to avenge him. Interestingly, despite the historical tension between their races, Vereesa would also come to develop a cordial relationship with several prominent night elves, allowing Moonbell into the Silver Covenant ranks and Muran Fairden into the Silver Enclave; personally attending Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage's wedding in Darnassus with her family (her husband Rhonin having helped her ancestors win the War of the Ancients); sharing the same camp with Tyrande and her Sentinels in Suramar; and having helped her daughter Shandris Feathermoon hunt down Thalen Songweaver, and later protect Dalaran as fellow leaders of the Unseen Path.In Defense of Dalaran
Vereesa is a sworn enemy of the Horde, especially after the events of Theramore and the Broken Shore, which caused the deaths of her husband and her king, but still cares for her sister, the Horde leader Sylvanas Windrunner, and it is mentioned that as the two middle children, the two Moons had always shared a special bond that set them apart from Alleria and Lirath.War Crimes Nevertheless, it is later revealed that Sylvanas shared an even deeper bond with Lirath, and Vereesa and Sylvanas even developed a personal rift after Sylvanas learned Vereesa was indirectly responsible for Lirath's death by training him prematurely.World of Warcraft: Sylvanas Vereesa was originally unaware of Sylvanas' fate; however, when she learned of it, Vereesa mourned her sister and was enraged when her cousin Zendarin recklessly called Sylvanas a Banshee.Night of the Dragon, pg. 184 The two would be reunited years later, and the sisters reconnected to a point that Vereesa considered leaving the Alliance to join her sibling in the Forsaken. Ultimately, she could not bear to leave her two sons Giramar and Galadin behind, and returned to them in Dalaran, vowing to herself to never contemplate forsaking her children again. Like her elder sister Alleria, Vereesa especially loathes the orcs for murdering her younger brother as well as her husband, reminding Sylvanas that they had ever been their people's enemies, but was ultimately unable to bring herself to go through with an assassination of Garrosh Hellscream, as she ultimately considered it dishonorable and a betrayal of her ideals. It is also strongly implied that in contrast with Alleria (who regards Sylvanas with much greater hostility and expressed regret for not killing her several times), Vereesa still deeply loves Sylvanas, yearning for more time together with her sister, and staunchly refusing to give up on her "if even a chance that a spark of Sylvanas" has returned.Sister Is Another Word for AlwaysPenance and Renewal#Notes
She also appears to share a close bond with Alleria, as well as her nephew Arator (whom she mentions being a blessing in her home to her two sons as well as herself), a bond likely cemented by their mutual continued affiliation with the Alliance, from their reunion on Argus,Sizing Up The Opposition (Alleria Windrunner) to their joint appearance at Durotar during the Fourth WarThis Ain't Mine and later in Oribos.Penance and Renewal Alleria, in turn, has expressed deep gratitude towards Vereesa for her caring for Arator in her absence, and is apparently especially protective of her, the Unseen Path's champion saving Vereesa the main reason why Alleria deemed them worthy of wielding Thas'dorah, and the assumption that Sylvanas manipulated Vereesa to attempt to kill Garrosh a major reason why the two sisters nearly clashed, and why their reunion ultimately failed. Vereesa fears losing both Alleria and Sylvanas forever, being the one who stopped their hostility towards each other, asserting that their failure to reach out to her over the years wounded her deeply, and crying when realizing how deeply Sylvanas herself was hurt by her refusal to join her in the Undercity; she previously also stated that regardless of what changes she underwent, in Alleria's heart, she remained and would always be Vereesa's beloved sister.Argus the Unmaker#Quotes
Vereesa is one of the few remaining high elves. While she considered becoming a blood elf along with the rest of her bereaved race, Rhonin was able to help her recuperate from the elves' arcane withdrawals, and she did not declare herself a blood elf. Vereesa left Quel'Thalas and relocated to Dalaran, although she still considers the elven kingdom to be as much her home as the blood elves', and does not wish it ill. Nevertheless, Vereesa developed an animosity toward at least some of the sin'dorei, implied to be due to their leaders' association with the Horde, whose races she holds responsible for the Second War.Clandestine Operation This feud took form in Dalaran, when Vereesa opposed the re-admittance of the Sunreavers into the Kirin Tor and formed the Silver Covenant to deter any potential Horde uprising. The relationship was further strained by the destruction of Theramore (where some of the few remaining quel'dorei had settled for years, and after which Vereesa urged the Kirin Tor to expel Aethas) as well as Vereesa's controversial actions in the Purge of Dalaran. Vereesa mentioned that while the wise but "short-sighted" Rhonin ignored her pleas to banish the Sunreavers from the city, she has believed the Kirin Tor's destiny has always been to serve the Alliance, and while she did not agree completely with Jaina's methods, she did understand them,Unfair Trade (Dalaran) arguing that capturing escaping Sunreavers was necessary in order to prevent them from plotting future counterattacks against Dalaran.Nowhere to Run (Dalaran)
In addition, Vereesa at times seems to show greater hostility towards the blood elves than others; for example, her high elves were openly hostile towards the sin'dorei at Suramar, with Vereesa herself targeting Rommath several times for unclear reasons.Kirin Tor Peacekeeper She also once openly called Lor'themar a coward after he objected to her presence as an "exile" in Quel'Thalas, and the Regent Lord also scowled when Aethas mentioned his being a ranger being possibly able to bridge the gap between himself and the hostile Vereesa (implying some kind of personal history between the two leaders), but is cordial towards him when greeting him during the Trial of Garrosh Hellscream, having recently fought beside him at the Siege of Orgrimmar.
At the same time, she was able to cooperate extremely well with Ranger Orestes on Niskara, mourning his death and telling her fallen comrade to rest in the Light, and further expresses her belief that the blood elves can be "redeemed" and will eventually rejoin the Alliance during the reunion of the three sisters. Despite lingering tensions and the fact that Vereesa is generally unwelcome in blood elf lands, she seems to still regard Quel'Thalas as her home, willing to risk her life to defend the kingdom if need be, and appears to be on fairly good terms with the blood elf military leader, Halduron Brightwing, especially after they joined the Unseen Path together, having worked cordially with members of her former order, the Farstriders, several times since.
Vereesa appears to be both highly prone to emotion and a pragmatic strategist - for example, for all her hostilities towards Rommath, she still ultimately joined the rest of her brethren in their assault on Suramar City, standing alongside the other elves.Gates of the Nighthold She also successfully cooperated with the Horde members of the Unseen Path during the conflict, joining them at Trueshot Lodge and refusing to abandon her city after Khadgar took charge,In Defense of Dalaran compared with Jaina Proudmoore, who resolutely refused to work with any Horde mages or tolerate their return to the ranks of the Kirin Tor, and abruptly left Dalaran to fend for itself.Calling of the Council Vereesa even openly insisted that rescuing Alleria was nothing but an effort to "re-acquire a strategic asset" and "retrieve a valuable ally", although it was apparent that her true and most pressing objective was simply to save her older sister.Clandestine Operation (Horde)
The youngest scion of the Windrunner family is now in a position to stave off future tragedy – if any remains to prevent.The Characters of Warcraft/Vereesa Windrunner
== Apperance ==
Vereesa is a pretty High Elf of short stature with pale skin, unlike her sisters who are blonde, she has shoulder-length platinum white hair hence the nickname her sisters gave her, "Little Moon" and eyes that shine light blue. He wears blue and white armor with the symbol of the Silver Covenant with a matching cape and black boots.
==Quotes==
===Night of the Dragon===
*"I am no blood elf! I am and shall always be a ranger of the high elf people!"
*"With my bow, I have shot orcs dead at a hundred yards. I have battled trolls, demons, and more. I have nearly traveled the length and breadth of Azeroth...yes my love, I think I can handle the situation until Jalia arrives."
*"One should not speak of taint who has taken to draining the foul magic of demons."
*"Use your eyes and call me not by so accursed a name as that, draenei!"
===World of Warcraft===
;Meeting with Halduron and Vol'jin
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===Pandaria===
====On-click====
;Greeting
*Never forget Theramore.
*We will fight to the bitter end.
*This is a monstrous war.
*Yes?
;Irritated
*You do not want to prod me right now.
;Farewell
*For the Alliance!
*The Kirin Tor will protect you!
*Goodbye!
====Gossip====
;Situation in Dalaran
I have long waited for an opportunity to deal with the Sunreavers. I asked my late husband to remove them from the city, but he believed too firmly in the neutrality of the Kirin Tor.
He was wise, but he was short-sighted. This has always been the destiny of the Kirin Tor: to serve the Alliance.
;Violet Rise, Isle of Thunder
Enemies litter this isle, both old and new. We will not gain a foot of ground here without spilling blood for it.
===Legion===
;Greeting
*Bal'a dash, malanore.
*We stand together.
*The Legion must be stopped.
*Greetings.
*My bow is at the ready.
;Irritated
*Waste MY time? I don't think so.
;Farewell
*Fight well.
*Al diel shala!
*Remember those you've lost.
*Together we will save Azeroth.
*Until next time.
====Meredil====
;Horde
For the record, I counseled against trusting any Horde in this campaign. I have lost a husband and a King to the treachery of the Horde.
I see no reason to trust you now or ever.
;Alliance
I never thought I would share a camp with the kaldorei. But, desperate times, desperate measures.
===Shadowlands===
;Ring of Transference after Penance and Renewal
:After witnessing Sylvanas's deeds during the war, I feared the last vestige of the sister I knew was gone forever.
:But when I heard what transpired here in the Shadowlands, I had to come and see for myself.
:I'd understand if you thought me a fool for still having hope, but... I have lost so many that I loved.
:If there is even a chance that a spark of the Sylvanas I knew has returned, then I refuse to give up on her.
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==In Hearthstone==
Vereesa appears as for the hunter class in the Rise of Shadows expansion for Hearthstone. Her Battlecry effect causes the player to equip Thori'dal, the Stars' Fury as a weapon, even though Vereesa has never been associated with Thori'dal in canon. Vereesa's flavor text reads: "Good things come in threes: Windrunner sisters and arrows of Thori'dal."
==Notes and trivia==
*Vereesa's name is an amalgam of her parents' name.World of Warcraft: Sylvanas, pg. 27
*While Vereesa's back is seen standing with Khadgar and Liadrin in the cinematic following Gul'dan's defeat atop the Nighthold, she is not seen with the gathered characters after the end of the cinematic or anywhere in the raid.
*Vereesa's Sunreaver equivalent during the Isle of Thunder conflict is Scout Captain Elsia. Both serve the same roles during the quests and scenarios they are involved in.
*Vereesa can speak to trees.Day of the Dragon, pg. 167
*Vereesa's mount is a Silver Covenant Hippogryph.Light's Exodus
*Currently, she is using a bow that looks exactly like the Ironfeather Longbow. She used a different one in past patches.
*Vereesa's new outfit for the Galakras encounter was her original beta model in Wrath of the Lich King.
*Vereesa's nickname back home was "Little Moon," while Sylvanas's was "Lady Moon." These nicknames were given to them by a young Alleria, who teased them for their hair colors (silvery and pale-blond, respectively) in contrast to the golden locks of Alleria and Lirath, who were the "suns" of the family.
*Vereesa learned from her grandfather that a younger brother was torn to pieces by their older brother who was then himself burned with the rest of the Scourge by elven resistance fighters. War Crimes retconned this by stating that Lirath was the sisters only brother.
*Day of the Dragon (2001) mentions that Vereesa hadn't seen a troll until her foray into Grim Batol. This was retconned by the novel Tides of Darkness (2007) where she and Alleria were attacked by trolls during the burning of Quel'Thalas.
*In Dalaran, players can fish Vareesa's Copper Coin. It might be Vereesa's, but with a misspelled name. Alternatively, Vareesa and Vereesa may be different people. In a non-canon RPG book, her name is misspelled as Vareesa too. 
*Vereesa is voiced by Courtenay Taylor in Mists of Pandaria and Legion.
*All of the three Windrunner sisters ended up having a human mate, or at least being very close to one in the case of Sylvanas.
*Despite rejecting Sylvanas' offer of undeath in War Crimes, Vereesa's in game abilities often include the Black Arrow ability, most popularly used by Sylvanas' dark rangers.
*Vereesa is portrayed with purple eyes in her Hearthstone appearance.
*Vereesa and every other female high elf NPC in the game were given purple eyes in patch 9.0.1 (can be seen in the gallery below), but this was confirmed to be a bug;Steve Danuser on Twitter: "Having purple-eyed female high elves everywhere was indeed a bug. And in the process of tracking that down, we decided that it would be a nice bonus to throw in the purple eyes for players. So the NPCs' loss is your gain!" the change was reverted for patch 9.0.2. In the process of tracking the bug down, it was decided to give purple eyes to playable blood elves and void elves, but these were a different set of eyesNew Customizations for Shadowlands Build 36401 - Void Elf and Blood Elf Eye Color than the ones removed.
==Speculation==
She appears to hold a mutual animosity with the regent lord of Quel'Thalas, Lor'themar Theron, referring to him as a 'coward' before being chided for it by Halduron. Exactly where this stems from is unclear, considering Lor'themar himself has been generally tolerant of his high elven kin since the Sunwell was restored, perhaps implying a personal grudge between the two. Lor'themar's courier refers to Vereesa as an exile, which is correct - In the Shadow of the Sun states many high elves were exiled because Lor'themar could not lead a divided nation, and Vereesa is presumed to have been one of them. It was presumed that her exile was self-imposed by fans also, as Vereesa was thought to have relocated to Dalaran of her own accord, as she was residing in Dalaran with Rhonin long before Aethas and the Sunreavers reconnected with the Kirin Tor. It is perhaps interesting that Vereesa's two sisters, Alleria and Sylvanas, the former once being his comrade, and the latter his superior and eventually leader, have also shared a previously close but complicated relationship with Lor'themar themselves.
Ironically, the closest thing to personal interaction Vereesa and Lor'themar have had was mutually (and in Sylvanas's opinion, surprisingly) respectful and courteous.War Crimes
*This is referenced in the marksmanship storyline in Legion when Vereesa states to blood elf hunter players that it is difficult for her to ask the aid of a blood elf, as she believes that the blood elf leaders "turned their backs" on the sacrifices of the Windrunner family. This likely refers to their alliance with the orcs, who slew most of the Windrunners during the Second War; she specifically points this out to non-blood elf hunters of the Horde.
*Although she lacks formidable dark powers like her sisters, Vereesa is frequently shown to use arcane magic in her attacks, and may be considered a Spellbow like the Silver Covenant Spellbows she commanded during the Purge of Dalaran.
==Gallery==
Vereesa Windrunner.jpg|Vereesa's appearance prior to Warlords of Draenor.
Windrunner Spire.jpg|Windrunner Spire, Vereesa Windrunner's former home.
VereesaDalaran.jpg|Vereesa during the Purge of Dalaran.
Vereesa SoO.jpg|Vereesa during the Siege of Orgrimmar.
Vereesa purple eyes.jpg|Vereesa with purple eyes in patch 9.0.1, reverted to blue eyes in patch 9.0.2.
==Videos==
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==References==
==External links==
Category:High elf characters
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