Hajiri

**Hajiri** was a city in northwestern Kalimdor prior to the War of the Ancients. Kalo'thera was said to have ascended to the stars there. Maiev Shadowsong studied the ways of the Sisterhood of Elune in a temple located in the city just prior to the War.

## About

### **History**

Before the Sundering it was a fairly populated Kaldorei city, relying on marble and bronze statues of some famous sculptors as well as the Temple of Elune, informally known as *Sanctuary of Kalo'thera*, for income. The former produced many visages, ranging from Azshara, Haidene and even Kalo'thera herself, while the latter was a popular site for travelers to visit, often in search of the Moon Priestesses' advanced knowledge in the art of healing.

Because of its abundance of flowers and herbs, the land was a vital source for many medicines in Old Kalimdor. It is very likely some of the cures and cleansing rites surviving even to this day had been discovered and developed by the local Priestesses of the Moon, from before the Sundering.

Always striving to follow in the footsteps of gifted Kalo'thera, the Sisterhood kept records of all their patients: their ills and their cures were continuously inscribed into giant stone tablets, posted at the Temple's entrance, so that the glory of Kalo'thera could be celebrated by all.

### **Mythology**

The city was also the home of a legendary forest nymph, a Dryad by the name of Iyo. Some believed it was her touch that guided the Sisterhood's mending touches, enhancing the Moon Priestesses' healing capabilities and bestowing upon them the secrets of the forest. As a show of gratitude the Priestesses of Hajiri dedicated the wellspring within their Temple to her name: the *Spring of Iyo*. The spring was claimed to be one of the Temple's frequent gathering places.

> *"A garden-like corner for idle conversation. Sabers would lounge around and snooze, basking in the golden sun rays, as the Temple's spring was their favourite watering-hole. It was a sight for the senses, as you might try to imagine the serene trickling of a water fountain, surrounded by vibrant rose bushes and drooping willows in all corners -- the perfect moment where Kaldorei-made scenery met the natural splendor of ancient Kalimdor."* - Liya of Hajiri
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## Temple of Elune

As a complex, Hajiri's Temple of Elune, also known as the Sanctuary of Kalo'thera, housed multiple buildings:

#### The Ancient Infirmary

A special lodging, located in the Temple's courtyard, whose function was to primarily house and provide a restful place for the arriving pilgrims, until they could be tended to by the Temple's priestesses. It was believed that the pilgrims would be shown visions of their cures while they slept in this infirmary.

> *"This is, perhaps, one of those instances where legend glorifies the mundane, if you ask me. It was just a regular dormitory - an ancient infirmary, of sorts, where the patients of the Sisterhood would with find rest, while awaiting their turn or being in-between rites of purification. Hajiri was some ways from the heart of the Empire, so a lot of pilgrims would undertake this journey. Naturally, they had to be accommodated in some way. Yet what makes this lodging noteworthy is that a lot of the Kaldorei that had slept there had claimed to be visited by the Dryad Iyo or the High Priestess Kalo'thera in their dreams, bestowing upon them a vision of their future selves: cured, and in perfect health."* - Liya of Hajiri
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#### **The Spring of Iyo**

The favourite gathering place of the Priestesses working at the Hajiri Temple, this sacred spring was dedicated to the Dryad Iyo. It was surrounded by vibrant colors given the lush vegetation planted around it.

#### **Temple of the Moon**

The temple itself followed a standard Kaldorei layout. A typical ramp led to the stoa -- the covered walkways left to public use, lining the sides of the building with marble and leystone columns -- which created a safe, enveloping and protective atmosphere, befitting the Sanctuary of Kalo'thera. Within the naos, a leystone statue of Kalo'thera replaced Haidene in the typically found pose of a statue holding the water basin aloft with flowing waters. Ramps on either side elegantly wrapped around, allowing access to the second floor of the temple, where the Senior Priestesses often dwelled in prayer or honing their renowned social arts.

## Trivia

* It was considered common for the names of the Kaldorei born in this region to include the 'iy' particle in their names, believed to be an act of indirect reverence towards the Dryad Iyo.