Life

Life is one of the cosmic forces that holds sway over every living thing in the Great Dark Beyond. Acting as a counterbalance to Death, the energies of life exist to promote growth and renewal in all things. In the physical realm, Life manifests in the form of nature magic, which notably serves as the source of power for druids, the guardians of nature who seek to preserve balance and protect life. Solar magic is a form of nature magic praticed through the use of solar energy, the radiant energy emitted by the suns.Don Adams on Twitter: "No, they use solar magic. More comparable to the solar magic used by druids." The Emerald Dream is a vast and ever-changing spirit world that exists outside the boundaries of the physical world, personalizing Life in its waxing stages.The Art of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, pg. 115
The Wild Gods are guardians of Life in the physical universe, as the primal manifestations of nature on Azeroth and other planets.
==Origins and characteristics==
The cosmic force of Life was conceived by the First Ones, as well as the other forces five other governing forces of reality. The brokers of the Shadowlands believe that the First Ones made the endless cycle of Life and Death the central part of their creation. The first life form to emerge in the Great Dark Beyond were the elementals. One of the most basic and primordial life forms, they were created when shards of fractured Light thrown in the physical universe hit planets and infused them with the spark of life. As such, they can be found on nearly every planet that houses life.
In Azeroth's ancient days, natural life never had a chance to emerge due to the horrifying reign of the Old Gods, and without help, nature would not have risen at all. The Pantheon of Order knew this and gave the Keepers and their titan-forged the knowledge and power to reverse the Black Empire's unspeakable destruction. In time, nature rose, life flourished, and generations of plants and animals would grow and change.Tome of the Ancients#G'Hanir, the Mother Tree Imbued by the titan Eonar the Life-Binder, known as the patron of all life and nature,Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 32 Keeper Freya wandered the world, creating enclaves of life and nature in the places where the energies of the Well of Eternity had coalesced, such as Un'Goro Crater, Sholazar Basin and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. The greatest creatures to emerge from Freya's enclaves were the colossal Wild God. Seeing these creatures as her own children, Freya and the Wild Gods often wandered side by side through the primal forests and grasslands of early Azeroth. The area that they spent the most time at was the massive forested peak known as Mount Hyjal, and it was upon the slopes of Hyjal that Freya bound the spirits of her beloved Wild Gods to the Emerald Dream.
During a vision granted by Outland's Spirit of Water, Nobundo detected Life and interpreted as an element composed of unspeakable energy, which binds the worlds together.Micky Neilson on Twitter: "Life is what he senses on myriad other worlds. The unspeakable energy is what binds all worlds together."
Spirit, or chi as the pandaren call it,Dave Kosak on Twitter is the life force that shamans and monks manipulate.Dave Kosak on TwitterWorld of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 14 Spirit energy is intrinsically linked to the elements—earth, air, fire, and water. This life-giving force interconnects and binds all things in existence as one. The amount of Spirit energy available on a planet regulates the temperament of the elementals. The more spirit energy, the more slumbering the elementals are. A world with raging elementals such as Azeroth is indicative of a low supply of spirit energy. Beings of Life are known to flourish best in the sun's light rather than in the dark.The Sundering, chapter 10
When the quel'dorei linked their Runestones to Thas'alah, they managed to bond the power of Life to their arcane spells.Tales of the Hunt However, life and arcane magics may simply refuse to "cooperate" if there is any imbalance between them, which can prevent the intended effect or be dangerous for the spellcasters.Crimsastrasza#QuotesColdostos#Quotes Conversely, fel magic is fueled by the sacrifice, often insignificant (a living fish, or a few strands of seaweed)The Comic Volume 4 - Whispers: "fel magic is powerful...and we are near the sea. It requires but an insignificant sacrifice--a living fish or two, a few strands of seaweed--to fuel the magic." and burning of life.The Comic Volume 4 - Hard Choices: "We will use the injured gryphon's life force to power our fel magic." It was considered as the greatest violation of life by the Pantheon of Order.Seeking the Soulstones: Blade's Edge Memory: 
Life magic is often portrayed with bright yellows or greens, as opposed to death's pale blues and greys.
==Emerald Dream==
The Emerald Dream is a vast and ever-shifting dimension of spirits and nature magic that defies mortal perceptions of reality. The Emerald Dream represents how Azeroth would have been if intelligent beings had not altered its surface,The Warcraft Encyclopedia or what the world might some day be again.The Beast Within!, pg. 16: "It is said that the Emerald Dream is a paradise... the world of Azeroth as it might have been or some day may be again."Gemisath#Quotes: "[The Emerald Dream] is a beautiful, spiritual, ever-shifting realm of natural wonder, a mirror of Azeroth as it may have one day been, or may still become." The Emerald Dream apparently has some kind of ancient link with the realm of Ardenweald, where souls close to nature rest in the Shadowlands,Enemy Infiltration - Preface essentially being opposite blooms connected to the same tree, with the former personifying Life in its waxing stages, and the latter embodying Life in its wane.The Art of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, pg. 115 Where the Dream represents the spring and summer of the cycle of life, Ardenweald reflects autumn and winter, in essence, being the highest expression of the relationship between endings and beginnings - between Death and Life. In this world of untamed nature, druids gain insight and oneness with the Great Cycle.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor, pg. 95
==Races of Life==
===Wild Gods===
The Wild Gods are primal manifestations of life and nature found on both Azeroth and other planets.Swift GloomhoofEmber Court description of Droman AliotheWild Godrune Many of them appear in the form of gargantuan animals, such as wolves, bears, tigers, or birds. The Wild Gods of Azeroth are creatures of two realms, for while they inhabit the physical world, their spirits are bound to the ethereal Emerald Dream.
===Ancients===
The ancients are giant, sentient demigod-like trees that serve as protectors of nature. They were among the first creatures of Azeroth, the first guardians of its life.Stormrage, pg. 148 Ancients are all connected to one another and can sense disturbances to the world from deep within their roots.Enraged Furbolgs Animals or other protectors of nature can nest in their branches, such as faerie dragons.Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects
The Trees of life are saplings of the World Tree Nordrassil. They suffered heavy losses during the Third War and returned to the forests to spread their seeds and replenish their numbers undisturbed.Ask CDev #3
===Treants===
The treants are mighty tree-folk imbued with great wisdom and strength native to the forests of Azeroth. They are powerful ancient trees that served under Cenarius in ages past and are closely affiliated with druids, as they are often seen accompanying powerful druids and keepers of the grove.
==Uses==
The elements that carve form into the universe are fluid forces of nature. Some beings seek to bend the power of these natural elements to their will. Druids, however, worship the protecting spirits of nature. They work with the natural life forces of the world,The Sundering, pg. 360: " Druids worked with the natural life forces of the world and who better represented that than Alexstrasza?" and harness the vast powers of nature to preserve balance and protect life. With experience, druids can unleash nature's raw energy against their enemies, raining celestial fury on them from a great distance, binding them with enchanted vines, or ensnaring them in unrelenting cyclones. By calling upon the powers of nature, druids are able to direct this power to heal wounds and restore life to fallen allies.
As master shapeshifters, druids are deeply in tune with the animal spirits of Azeroth, they can take on the forms of a variety of beasts, morphing into a bear, cat, storm crow, or sea lion with ease. This flexibility allows them to fill different roles during their adventures, tearing enemies to shreds one minute and surveying the battlefield from the sky the next.http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/class/druid As druid healing involves life force being drained and transferred,The Demon Soul, pg. 461 - 463 they ask the surrounding nature to lend them their energy in order to cast spells or to aid them in battle.War of the Ancients Trilogy They call upon the versatility of nature to empower themselves, assuming the forms of primal beasts, summoning celestial energy, and channeling the restorative properties of the wilds to aid their allies.Taking Your First Steps in World of Warcraft Classic
Created by Malfurion Stormrage, under the direction of the demigod Cenarius during the War of the Ancients, the Axe of Cenarius is a two-handed magical wooden axe crafter with druidic magic. It was enchanted with a piece of Kalimdor's magic, making it light as a feather and stronger than any mortal-forged axe, and able to slice through any foe with ease.War of the Ancients Trilogy
Blood magic is a form of tortured life magic that uses blood as a power source.Life BloodJeremy Feasel on Twitter Death knights use blood magic to command the very life force of their enemies.Lord Thorval - "As disciples of blood, you strive to master the very lifeforce of your enemies..."
===Effects on beings===
Some night elves were so transformed by the teachings of the demigod Cenarius 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.The Well of Eternity, chapter 4
==Practitioners==
===Druids===
Druids are the most known practitioners of nature magic. Druidism derives from nature, enabling them to channel natural energies and transform into animals. They live in a state of unparalleled union with nature, and are shape-shifters with an affinity for the plants and animal kingdoms. Tightly bound to the plant and animal kingdoms, they are natural shapeshifters, and so they know firsthand the abuse visited on their wild brethren. In consequence, despite their numbers, druids tend to be wary, reclusive, and difficult to spot. Few outsiders have plumbed the depths of their secrets.World of Warcraft: Classic class description They maintain a deep connection to nature through the Emerald Dream, a primordial realm that encompasses all aspects of nature.Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 21
The many gifts provided by nature must sometimes be reciprocated. Restoration druids seek order in the world by tending directly to its many life forms. Friend to flora and fauna alike, they celebrate birth and growth. Where there is decay, they bring rejuvenation. Where there is abatement, they summon regrowth. Life not only needs protection—it needs nourishment. To foster this harmony, the restoration druid builds a bond with the things that grow, gaining inspiration from the flower's bloom, the seed's sprout, the mushroom's spores, and the tree's growth. Like nature, the restoration druid perseveres through patience and persistence, the foundation upon which all life is built and sustained. They use this power to mend wounds and provide persistent remedies that keep their allies from falling.Legion Class Preview Series: Druid
Feral druids also seek to curb imbalance in nature. They observe the fantastic intricacies of the physical world and the delicate fabric in which all living creatures are given purpose. Whether on land or in the sea, in a lush jungle or an uncultivated desert, death is part of the cycle which sustains life. Nature is an eternal dance between predator and prey. Like their feral brothers and sisters, guardian druids attune themselves to nature through the animal kingdom. They commune with the wild to understand how life perseveres through adversity. They know that the creatures who survive are often those built to best protect themselves and their kin. In this, they find a deep and harmonious value in the steadfast—all the while recognizing that sturdiness requires an aggressive stance when danger comes near.
===Hunters===
From an early age, the call of the wild draws some adventurers from the comfort of their homes into the unforgiving primal world outside. Those who endure become hunters, and know the uncharted places of the world. The art of survival is central to their isolated life. Hunters track beasts with ease and enhance their own abilities by attuning themselves to the feral aspects of various creatures. Gifted with a deep empathy for all life, they have an uncanny knack for befriending wild animals, and are known for the lifelong bonds they form with animals of the wild, training great hawks, cats, bears, and many other beasts to fight alongside them.http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/class/hunterWorld of Warcraft: Classic class description
===Monks===
Masters of bare-handed combat, monks never rely solely on the need to have a weapon in their hands to defend against their enemies. Monks bring a unique martial arts style to any fight, and harness an exotic form of magical energy that's unfamiliar to those who practice other arcane arts, the Chi. They seek spiritual balance in life and in combat, and as dangerous as Monks can be on the battlefield, they're rarely looking to pick a fight without just cause. They view the world through a different lens, finding power through serenity and inner peace—then expressing it through artful combat techniques and powers that mend life.Legion Class Preview Series: Monk Mistweavers monks are unique among those who heal. The energies they channel are mysterious, oftentimes misunderstood by commoners—who rarely travel beyond the borders of their homelands—as some form of folk medicine. But those who weave the mists wield the power of life's essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies' wounds. The inner tranquility that guides mistweavers allows them to sustain their healing for long periods of time, and gives them the strength to care for multiple injured allies.
===Shamans===
Shamanism is a deeply spiritual form of elemental magic that involves a connection with both, the natural and the spirit worlds. In fact, there is a relation between the spiritual magic of shaman and the natural magic of druids, which explains why the shaman were able to hear the spirits of Stonetalon.Shredding Machines Some shaman find a serene affinity for the restorative properties of water. They do not necessarily seek the Light or turn to the divine, yet they feel a profound spiritual connection with the source from which all mortal life took root. So strong is their connection with water that the shaman is able to restore life and heal afflictions. They balance this with a command of the other elements, finding harmony in nature and purifying their allies as a tidal surge washes across a sandy shore.Legion Class Preview Series: Shaman Some also dedicated themselves above all else to forging a deep bond with the elements. They have peered beyond the Elemental Plane, gleaning visions of an ancient past where manifestations of volatile energies once raged unimpeded across primordial Azeroth. Through careful study and dedication, they are able to channel such power into destructive magical surges, and taunt the very forces of nature.
===Wildkin===
The wildkin are serene, powerful creatures, believed by the night elves and tauren to have been created by the moon goddess Elune to protect her sacred places.Favored of Elune?Guarding Secrets (2) These gentle giants possess a natural energy described by an academic of the Kirin Tor to be druidic and similar to that of the night elves.The Old Wizard's Almanac Among them, the moonkin are blessed by Elune and spread nature's grace wherever they travel.Moonkin Hatchling
===Dragons===
On Azeroth, Alexstrasza became the Dragon Aspect of Life and, together with her red dragonflight, they were made protectors of all life by the titan Eonar.Dawn of the Aspects Since this time, red dragons have always concerned themselves with maintaining the harmony and prosperity of life They consider themselves the custodians and defenders of life on Azeroth,Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, pg. 138 but they will not hesitate to kill a creature if its actions endanger other lives.The Well of Eternity, pg. 194 Red dragons understand the secrets of life, and in turn, those of death, like none others do and have been granted great power over both. The breath of red dragons burns but also rejuvenates, and whenever a red dragon walks or breathes upon the soil, the earth is renewed. A red dragon would never hurt a soul, unless they tried to hurt them first.Mount Journal entry for Reins of the Red Drake
Once led by Ysera the Awakened, the green dragonflight live only to serve the forces of nature and uphold the balance between mortal creatures and the ever-evolving world.Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos manual, pg. 142 Green dragons are creatures of the Emerald Dream, the ethereal dreamworld that all life is tied to. From there the green flight watches over nature, often assisted by the night elven druids. The dragons and druids work closely together within the dream where they can control the ebb and flow of nature and influence the evolutionary path it takes. Greens are, like the other flights, highly intelligent and always striving to learn more about the world they were entrusted to protect, fretting out the mysteries of creation and life - but keeping all such secrets hidden within the Emerald Dream.Legacy of the Aspects
===Night elves===
The night elves are a powerful and mystical race who developed a strong empathy for the living forests of Kalimdor, and reveled in the harmonious balance of nature. The Demigod Cenarius adored them and spent a lot of time teaching them about the natural world, as he believed they had the potential to become great caretakers of nature.
After the Great Sundering, the night elves founded 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. They also reconnected with the widespread worship of their moon goddess Elune, under the guidance of Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind.Night Elf - RaceWarcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual#Night Elf History
===Tauren===
The tauren are a noble race that embraces the natural world. Their race is one of spirituality and reverence for nature,Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 113 as they strive to live honorable and dignified lives filled with respect for nature and the Earth Mother. They consider death to merely be the shadow of life and hold that the ending of things is as natural as the birth of them.War Crimes, chapter 3
===Worgen===
Worgen are naturally drawn to and revere the wolf Ancient Goldrinn,Goldrinn's FerocityBrood of Seldarria who in a way, is the progenitor of their race. Through this natural connection to nature, some took the path of druidism, while many also embrace and revere the nature-related spirits that resulted in their current status, such as Genn Greymane and his newly found reverence for Goldrinn.Wolfheart
===Botani===
The botani are a race of intelligent, bark-skinned humanoids native to Draenor. 2,000 years before the opening of the Dark Portal, a treant known as Gnarlgar wandered the forests of Talador, and taught them unique ways to harness nature magic, notably to create pools of potent nature energies to transfer the spirits of fallen genesaur into new bodies.
===Harpies===
Harpies employ nature-based magic to destroy the environments in which they settle, killing every creature they encounter and despoiling the land to build nests noted for their noxious odor.Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 208
==Organizations==
===Cenarion Circle===
The Cenarion Circle is a harmonious order that guides and keeps watch over the world's druids and their practices. The organization mostly consists of druids, with members of the tauren, jungle troll, night elf, and worgen races.
===Guardians of Hyjal===
The Guardians of Hyjal are a faction created during the Cataclysm, whose job is to protect Mount Hyjal and Nordrassil. They are worshippers of the Ancient Guardians, such as Aessina and Tortolla, and wish to repopulate the region with animal life.
===Thornspeakers===
The Thornspeakers are a group of druids located in Drustvar, on Kul Tiras. It was originally founded by the Drust druids, who did not agree with Gorak Tul's war against the human settlers, and left Drust society. Druidism used to be the old ways of the Drust before the days of Tul, whose ways the Thornspeakers consider to have brought disgrace upon the Drust. They are led by Ulfar, the High Thornspeaker and the last of the Drust druids.
==In the RPG==
The nature branch of divine magic is almost entirely the province of one race. Night elves follow no faith but that of Elune, while honoring the other Ancients. Although all night elves pay tribute to Elune, those who truly hear her soft song choose the healer class and follow the path of either the druid or the priest. Most of the inhabitants of northern Kalimdor — namely the night elves, but also the furbolgs and the satyrs — worship or revere the Ancients. The night elves worship Azeroth's only deity, the eternal moon goddess Elune. They revere most of the other Ancients, especially Cenarius, the only Ancient to spend considerable time on the Physical Plane. They also honor the moon goddess's companions, including Agamaggan, Aviana, and Malorne.
The furbolgs venerate the bear twins, Ursoc and Ursol; and the evil satyrs revere Lord Xavius. The Ancients rarely interfere with life on Azeroth, but these races hold fast in their fervent beliefs that the Ancients exist and are watching events unfold. Adherents from these races do not receive their power directly from the Ancients they worship; their faith allows them to tap into an inner spark, focus divine energy and cast spells.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 250
Eonar is a female Vanir titan,Shadows & Light, pg. 114 and the physical representation of life, nature, and healing in the universe; she revels in the joy and bliss in all worlds.Shadows & Light, pg. 115 Her portfolio includes nature, healing, life and, as she is a member of the Pantheon, creation and order.Shadows & Light, pg. 116
Though both druidism and shamanism seem to be separated by a very fine line, the means by which they reach their ends can be classified in a fairly straightforward manner. Druids worship the spirits through plants, animals, and the fundamental spirit of the wilds. Conversely, shamans worship the spirits through the four fundamental elements of earth, fire, wind, and water.Lands of Mystery, pg. 46-47 Although nature spells are not a specifically defined category, a spell or effect falls into this subgroup if it clearly improves, enhances or summons creatures or objects that exist in natural, aboveground terrain.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 24
Midnight rituals of the Scarlet Crusade imbue its devotees with the ability to "infect" the undead with the spark of life — and in doing so, make them vulnerable as normal mortals. Just as the Scarlet Crusade trains its members to manipulate their life force, it also trains them to protect it. As a Crusader becomes more powerful they can use their life force to incinerate any who stand in their way.Lands of Conflict, pg. 186 - 188
==Notes and trivia==
*Life energy is "ancient and poorly understood".Glowing Seeds
*E'ko is a term referring to a strange life force,Strange Life Forces it is the spiritual powerWitch Doctor Mau'ari that each creature of Winterspring possess. Different creatures possess different e'ko and when one of these creatures are killed a bit of their e'ko sometimes comes out. The Witch Doctor Mau'ari knows an incantation that transforms the e'ko into juju.
*Nature magic, along with arcane magic, are used by night elf healers to mend the body of a deceased individual for a final viewing as part of their traditions.
*Sur'jan used his dagger filled with the life force of dead crocolisks to restore his shaman mojo.Crocolisk Life He also absorbed the life force of destroyed pterrordax eggs.Terrorizing their Eggs
*The Verdant Wilds is teeming with the life spirit.Strangling Root
*According to the apothecaries, there is a life energy in the waters of the Barrens oases, invigorating and altering the plants and beasts that drink it.Fungal Spores (quest)
*Nature is also a school of magic in World of Warcraft. For further information, see School.
==Gallery==
===Trading Card Game===
Earth Mother's Blessing Full.jpg|Earth Mother's Blessing
Gift of the Earthmother TCG.jpg|Gift of the Earthmother (Wrathgate)
Healing Touch TCG.jpg|Healing Touch (Heroes of Azeroth)
Immobilize TCG.jpg|Immobilize
Lifebloom TCG.jpg|Lifeblood
Malfurion's Gift TCG.jpg|:Malfurion's Gift
Mark of Life TCG.jpg|Mark of Life
Mark of the Untamed TCG.jpg|Mark of the Untamed
Mark of the Wild full.jpg|Mark of the Wild (Heroes of Azeroth)
NaturalAlignmentCrystal.jpg|:Natural Alignment Crystal
Natural Repossession TCG.png|Natural Repossession
Nature's Swiftness TCG.jpg|Nature's Swiftness (Heroes of Azeroth)
Nurturing Spirit TCG.jpg|Nurturing Spirit
Path of Cenarius TCG.jpg|Path of Cenarius (Fields of Honor)
Scent of Nature TCG.png|Scent of Nature
Spark of Life TCG.jpg|The Spark of Life
Tree of Life TCG.jpg|Tree of Life (Fires of Outland)
Zephyr TCG.jpg|Zephyr (Fires of Outland)
DornTheTranquil.jpg|Dorn the Tranquil
Elderlimb tcg.jpg|Elderlimb
Muln Earthfury TCG.jpg|Muln Earthfury
Soram Wildbark TCG.jpg|Soram Wildbark
TaheoSkyspeaker.jpg|Taheo Skyspeaker
===Hearthstone===
Breath of Dreams HS.jpg|
Cenarion Ward HS.jpg|
Dream Portal HS.jpg|
Earthen Might HS.jpg|
Fertilizer HS.jpg|
Grasping Roots HS.jpg|
Healing Rain HS.jpg|
Jade Blossom HS.jpg|
Living Seed (Rank 1) HS.jpg|
Living Seed (Rank 2) HS.jpg|
Living Seed (Rank 3) HS.jpg|
Miracle Growth HS.jpg|
Moonglade Portal HS.jpg|
Natural Causes HS.jpg|
Nature Studies HS.jpg|
Nature's Wrath HS.jpg|
Revive Pet HS.jpg|
Solar Wrath HS.jpg|
Sow the Soil HS.jpg|
Thorngrowth Sentries HS.jpg|
Wild Spirits HS.jpg|
==See also==
*Spirit (lore)
*Wand of Simulated Life
*Volatile Life
*Hidden Master's Forbidden Touch
==References==
Category:Game terms
Category:Religions
Category:Lore
Category:Magic schools
es:Vida