Shadowlands

**The Shadowlands** are the realms of the afterlife most closely connected to the denizens of the Warcraft multiverse; the denizens of the Shadowlands claim that all afterlives are part of the realm, though these claims have yet to be verified.

The Shadowlands were created by an enigmatic group of beings known as the First Ones, though details are few and far between. The various afterlives of the realm and many of their inhabitants were apparently created in the legendary realm of Zereth Mortis with the Forge of Afterlives. The realms of Bastion, Ardenweald, Revendreth, Maldraxxus, and the Maw are the best known realms of the Shadowlands, though it has been claimed that an infinite number of afterlife realms are part of the Shadowlands.

The Shadowlands are fueled by a spiritual resource called anima, which is generated exclusively by mortal souls. The quantity of anima created by a soul depends on their life experience; if a mortal lives a quiet, unexceptional life, their soul will only create a small amount of anima. However, if they live an especially significant or extraordinary life, regardless of the good or bad deeds that they do, they will create a much larger amount of anima. After dying and being assigned to their respective afterlife, mortal souls relinquish their anima to benefit their new home and those aligned to it. In some cases, the souls freely give their anima; in others, the anima is forcibly extracted from the soul, harming or destroying it in the process.

At the very center of the Shadowlands rests the Eternal City of Oribos. Here, the angelic kyrian take the souls of freshly-deceased mortals to face the judgement of the entity known as the Arbiter. Capable of witnessing the entire lifespan of a mortal soul, the Arbiter assigns souls to their afterlives based on their deeds in life. Those deemed virtuous and selfless are sent to the beautiful, peaceful realm of Bastion, where they may train to ascend into the form of kyrian. Souls with a close affinity to nature and the wilds are sent to the forests of Ardenweald; nature spirits such as Wild Gods, loa, and August Celestials spend a period of time as seedpods called "wildseeds" before being reborn into the mortal world. In rare instances, exceptional mortals may also have the honor of being reborn through a wildseed. Those deemed as being filled with pride are sent to the gloomy, Gothic realm of Revendreth, where they are subjected to trials to cleanse them of their sins and eventually redeem them. Those who have insufficiently slaked their thirst for battle and conflict, whether good or evil, are sent to the barren wastes of Maldraxxus, where they serve in the armies of the Necrolords, tasked with defending the Shadowlands against those who would threaten them. Those deemed irredeemably wicked are sent to the inescapable Maw, where they are tortured and drained of their anima before being drafted into the ranks of the Mawsworn.

In recent years, the entity known as the Jailer, the lord of the Maw, enacted a plan to break free of his ancient prison and remake all existence in his image. Recruiting many other natives of the Shadowlands, including the ruler of Revendreth, Sire Denathrius, the Jailer cut off the flow of anima to the Shadowlands and began draining it from the other realms. He also wounded the Arbiter, forcing her into a catatonic state, and redirected the souls of all dead mortals into the Maw.

## Inhabitants

### The Pantheon of Death

* Arbiter (Warcraft)
* Kyrestia the Firstborne
* Winter Queen
* Sire Denathrius
* Prince Renethal
* The Primus (Warcraft)
* Zovaal the Jailer

### Kyrian and Residents of Bastion

* Uther the Lightbringer
* Tirion Fordring
* Rhonin
* Korialstrasz
* Broxigar

### Night Fae and Residents of Ardenweald

* Ara'lon
* Ysera
* Ursoc
* Vol'jin
* Bwonsamdi
* Mueh'zala
* Malorne
* Cairne Bloodhoof

### Venthyr and Residents of Revendreth

* Prince Renethal
* Kael'thas Sunstrider
* Daelin Proudmoore

### Necrolords and Residents of Maldraxxus

* Draka
* Alexandros Mograine
* Lady Vashj
* Grom Hellscream
* Varok Saurfang
* Dranosh Saurfang
* Golmash Hellscream

### Residents of the Maw

* Arthas Menethil
* Ner'zhul
* Gul'dan
* Benedictus Voss
* Aedelas Blackmoore
* Garrosh Hellscream
* Dar'Khan Drathir