Nydris Starspear

(Artwork by Marisa Dion)

Nydris Starspear is a Sentinel Commander of the Starspear Sentinels. She first joined the Sentinel Army in the year 20 ADP following the first Orcish incursion into Ashenvale and the death of Cenarius. She served with the Fireleaf Sentinels during the Third War and campaigned in Felwood and Hyjal. During the campaign in Felwood her unit fought alongside Illidan Stormrage against the Dreadlord Tichondrius, and Nydris was a witness to Stormrage's consumption of the Skull of Gul'dan and his subsequent transformation and exile.

The Fireleaves suffered substantial casualties during the Battle of Mount Hyjal in defense of the summit, including their Commander Malyssae Spiriteye, and were disbanded after the war. Nydris was the sole survivor of her lance and was honorably discharged and encouraged to rejoin her family after they had been located and enter civil service. Nydris moved with her mother to Darnassus after her druidic father re-entered the Emerald Dream, and she later rejoined the Sentinels in 25 ADP. After numerous commendations, she has come to be among a new young generation of Sentinel officers and is among the youngest to be ranked Commander in the history of the Sentinel Army.

As Commander, she has served in several successful campaigns in conjunction with the Alliance military, including the assault on Ahn'Qiraj during the Second War of the Shifting Sands and the counterattack into Lordaeron following the subsequent Scourge Invasion. After the re-opening of the Dark Portal, she continued to serve as a battlefield commander in numerous campaigns against the Burning Legion and the Illidari in Outland.

## History

### Early Life

Nydris was born 77 years before the opening of the Dark Portal in a small unnamed fishing village in southern Darkshore which was destroyed during the second coming of the Burning Legion. She was born to parents Katris and Shan'diel Starspear. Her father, called Shan'diel (true name Dielen) is a Druid of the Claw and a druidic teacher, and her mother Katris is a veteran Sentinel of over 10,000 years who left her position as a frostsaber trainer in Winterspring to partner and raise a family.

Much of Nydris' formative years were spent in both religious and martial studies with her mother, which she took to well. During her free time, she would spend time with friends around her village, or with the native wildlife. She would often fish with her father and hunt with her mother.

### The Third War

#### Entry into service

After the Orcs had first arrived in Kalimdor, and the demon-corrupted Warsong Clan slew the forest demigod Cenarius, word spread quickly across the Sentinel Army and a general mobilization effort was made. When a rider came to request Katris to return to service, Nydris chose to go in her place. At the age of 94 in the year 20 ADP, Nydris joined with the newly formed order called the Fireleaves, training beneath Commander Malyssae Spiriteye in northern Ashenvale. Upon the completion of her training, her unit marched south where they joined with the Silverwing and Shadowleaf Sentinels to launch attacks against the human and orcish invasion into Ashenvale.

#### Campaigns in Felwood

When the Burning Legion had reappeared, the Fireleaves were ordered northward to secure the main raid leading through the High Forest (now Felwood), as mounted divisions rushed ahead to reawaken the druids in Moonglade. There they were engaged by the Undead Scourge under the command of the dreadlord Tichondrius. After successfully defending the bridge over the Emerald River, Commander Spiriteye was ordered away to another unit in Ashenvale and the Fireleaves (then under the command of Lieutenant-Sentinel Idriel Wildhelm) were ordered to meet with a new commander at Talonbranch Glade. Once at Talonbranch, High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind presented the recently freed Illidan Stormrage to them, giving them the mission to find and destroy the source of demonic corruption that was affliction the High Forest.

Under Illidan's command, the Fireleaves secured the demonic artifact known as the Skull of Gul'dan. Illidan then siphoned the skull's powers for himself, transforming into a demon and then leading the unit to success in vanquishing Tichondrius. On the night following their victory, Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind returned and banished Illidan to exile because of the demonic corruption he had taken into himself.

#### Hyjal Summit

With the Burning Legion's final advance imminent, Commander Malyssae Spiriteye was recalled to the Fireleaves. Nydris and her unit marched around Mount Hyjal and made camp near the summit. They were ordered to defend one of the last narrow passes along the road up the mountain ahead of the gate to the World Tree. In the battle that ensued, most of the Fireleaves were killed. Nydris escaped with a few of her comrades into the treeline where she witnessed Archimonde's final ascent, and then his destruction as the spirits of nature and the life force of Nordrassil engulfed him. In the aftermath of the battle, survivors of hers and other units regrouped and remained in camp while efforts were made to account for everyone.

### Post-War

After the devastation at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, the Sentinel Army discharged many of its ranks so that they might rejoin with their families and help in the rebuilding of the Night Elf civilization. A period of military reorganization followed, in which many statues regarding rank and promotion were updated in light of the elves' newfound mortality, and various restrictions were lifted. Nydris was among those discharged, and she traveled to Moonglade where she was reunited with her parents. After less than a month in Moonglade, her father Shan'diel answered the call of Malfurion Stormrage to join with many other druids in the barrow dens to enter the Emerald Dream and work to heal Nordrassil and the devastated lands around Hyjal.

Some more months passed before the new great tree of Teldrassil was raised from the depths, and both Nydris and Katris traveled to their to aid in the building of the fledgling capital of Darnassus. The two both entered service in the Temple of the Moon, though Nydris often took other jobs in construction, remaining a novice - rather than a senior - priestess. After several years, the Night Elves had formally joined with the Alliance, and believing that her daughter was too restless for life in the city, Katris encouraged Nydris to travel.

Nydris then spent many months visiting the frontiers of Kalimdor and then the allied cities in the east, where she learned how to speak the Common language. After less than a year in travel, she requested to rejoin the Sentinel Army, and she was accepted into service as an Outrider with the Shadowleaves, operating out of the Feralas and patrolling the Southern Barrens.

### Thera'dorei

Following several months of service with the Shadowleaves, Nydris was involved in a large skirmish with the Horde when they chose to attack a supply caravan that was bound for Theramore Isle. After warning the column of the enemy's disposition and the direction of the incoming attack, she fought and helped the caravan reach Theramore. At the end of the battle she was commended, and chose to transfer into the service of Moon Priestess Naki Nightfire, who maintained a para-military group and religious cult called the Thera'dorei (Vengeance-born).

Encouraged by Priestess Nightfire's prophetic visions of the Kal'dorei's destruction at the hands of the undead, the Thera'dorei worked closely with other groups among the Alliance and waged small-scale campaigns against both the Undead Scourge and Forsaken of Lordaeron, including several daring raids against Undercity beneath the ruins of Lordaeron's Capital City. During this period Priestess Nightfire placed Nydris in command of all of her Sentinel followers, granting her the title of "General of the Thera'dorei". Following a particularly successful attack, Priestess Nightfire was mortally wounded. She declared before her death that their actions had secured the Kal'dorei's future, and that Elune's vengeance had been fulfilled.

The young Moon Priestess Toriella Windsong eventually succeeded Nightfire and reformed the organization, renaming it *Elun'faloras* ("Fires of Elune"), in honor of how Nightfire had referred to her associates prior to her visions. Nydris then spent several months living out of a cottage in Winterspring and working in service of the Frostsaber trainers at Frostsaber rock. As a reward for her service, she was gifted a rare endangered breed of Frostsaber with a white and purple coat, which she named Asherah.

### Sentinel Commander

As part of the military reorganization of the Sentinel Army, Nydris was officially promoted to the rank of Sentinel Commander during the Second War of the Shifting Sands. Despite her request to name her new order the Fireleaves, General Feathermoon had the outfit christened the Starspear Sentinels in honor of both Nydris' own accomplishments and in honor of Katris' ten-thousand years of service. Nydris' protests against naming the order after herself were overruled. She led a successful campaign against the Qiraji and was commended for rescuing a cohort of rangers who had been surrounded deep within Ahn'Qiraj. Among the encircled Sentinels was one Gynx Nightsong, who became Nydris' life partner.

Following the Second War of the Shifting Sands, Nydris was invited to attend Alliance War Council meetings in Stormwind due to her close relations with the other Alliance races. Not long after joining the Council, the Scourge launched an invasion all across Azeroth, which prompted the Horde and Alliance to retaliate. Nydris spent the next several months campaigning against the undead as she had with the Thera'dorei, and was involved in the retaking of Caer Darrow, which she subsequently used as a makeshift headquarters to oversee operations in the Plaguelands. During this time she focused mainly on strategy and logistics and spent little time on the battlefields.

### Outland

Nydris had been against the re-opening of the Dark Portal, fearing it would easily open a doorway for the Burning Legion to renew their attack against Azeroth. Once it became inevitable, however, she stationed her Sentinels at Nethergarde Keep and prepared for an invasion of Outland and a great struggle against the Legion. She also brought in Nal'Shea Swiftarrow (formerly of the Shadowleaves) as Quartermaster to assist in logistical management so that she could be freed up to lead her Sentinels as a battlefield commander. Once the breach into Outland was successful and the Legion was driven back, she and the *Elun'faloras* made contact with the Sha'tari Draenei forces in Shattrath and began to cooperate on future operations.

The first major operation undertaken by the Starspear Sentinels in Outland was the siege and destruction of Coilfang Reservoir and the Naga, in conjunction with various allied forces. It was in Zangarmarsh where Nydris found that her mother Katris had also rejoined the Sentinel Army and came to Outland as part of the Moonhunter Sentinels. Success in that campaign liberated Outland's fresh water supply, saving both the free cities and the Azerothian armies from starvation.

Following the capture of Coilfang Reservoir, Nydris relocated to Sylvanaar and oversaw many small operations to attack the Burning Legion's system of magical gateways from which they drew reinforcements. Then, at the behest of her Sha'tari allies and Moon Priestess Toriella Windsong, she participated in the retaking of Karabor from the Illidari. Currently, after the successful capture of Karabor, Nydris was ordered by General Shandris Feathermoon to take a sabbatical for several months before returning to service to lead more operations against the Burning Legion. She currently resides in Darnassus.

## Appearance

Nydris is very tall even by the standards of the Kal'dorei, towering over many of her contemporaries. She is of a slim, almost lanky athletic build. Her skin is of a paler and greyer shade than some other Night Elves, which she attributes to the Highborne heritage she inherited from her grandparents who perished during the destruction of Zin'Azshari during the War of the Ancients. Her hair is typically worn loose and very long and is a rich purple color.

She is typically seen in her armored uniform, which is purple with golden trim, and with two gold-foiled dragon skulls on her shoulders. The sigil of her unit depicts a spear piercing through a golden circle atop a purple field. Notably, Nydris lacks the traditional facial tattoos that mark adults of her race. She has chosen to deliberately keep her face bare as a sign of pride for being one of the youngest Sentinel Commanders in her people's history.

## Additional Information [In-game info]

* This page last updated: 4/13/2022
* Currently active in roleplaying and PvE content on Alliance-Grobbulus (Burning Crusade Classic US West) with the guild <Fires of Elune>.
* In-game name is Nydr**í**s (accented í character). Can also be contacted via Discord at Bonescraper#5116

1. ↑ Starspear, Nydris. *In the Shadow of the Tree of Life.* 2022. Retrieved via https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rPnRL\_wBMeQEzHC1niYzH-ItqQu9lk4gzJRIxCHYEKM/edit?usp=sharing.
2. ↑ Starspear, Nydris. "Song of the Ancients". 2021. Retrieved via: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15y2Scl\_tjVxspKWrdmCLNBN6cgglQEvslwk2rK9CCqM/edit?usp=sharing