Ashamane

**Ashamane** was a ferocious Wild God in the form of a massive gray panther. She was one of many Wild Gods to fight in the War of the Ancients and defend the world of Azeroth from the Burning Legion, but she fell in battle against the pit lord Ronokon. A great shrine was built in the forests of Val'sharah to commemorate her sacrifice, and her massive fangs — all that remained of her after her violent death — were put on display there.

### Early Life

Once, while traveling Azeroth, Freya discovered a panther cub under attack by a pack of wolves, her mother already slain. To Freya's surprise, though the wolves had wounded the tiny creature, she continued to fight, swiping viciously with her claws against the larger predators. Before long the wolves were driven away, unwilling to suffer further injuries for their meal. Freya picked up the cub only to be greeted by a flurry of scratches, but she was not angered; on the contrary, Freya was delighted by the panther's unrelenting wildness. Freya healed the panther cub's injuries and named her Ashamane, after her striking black fur.

Over the years, Ashamane grew into a massive panther and no wolf dared to hunt her. Freya was pleased to see that she did not succumb to desires for vengeance. Ashamane could have stalked and killed every wolf in her valley easily, but she didn't. The wolves had no malice toward Ashamane, they were simply hungry, and so she held no malice towards them. But she did enjoy toying with them. The wolf pack that had attacked her as a cub would sometimes awake to an earth-shattering roar. Ashamane would creep up to their den and announce her presence loudly, sending them fleeing.

Over time, Ashamane realized that she had become more powerful than any other panther she had ever seen. The passing years did not age her but instead made her stronger. Generations of wildlife came and went before her eyes. There were other animals like her; powerful, iconic creatures who seemed to live a different existence than the rest of nature. They were the Wild Gods, and Ashamane was one of them. Ashamane's untamed heart had difficulty accepting immortality. The chaos of the wilderness, the struggle for survival—they had been the core of Ashamane's being. Now they were irrelevant. She had ascended above her old life. There was no prey that could evade her. There was no joy in an effortless hunt. There was no predator that could challenge her.

Ashamane strode openly through the jungles of Azeroth. Other wild creatures had nothing to fear from her. Stories of a giant, majestic panther spread among the trolls who ventured into the area. Some sought to venerate her as one of their loa. Ashamane rarely let them see her. Other trolls tracked her for a different reason. Certain hunters craved the glory that would surely come from bringing down such a magnificent being. There was no greater challenge than defeating a loa. One by one, these ambitious trolls crept into the jungle, arrogance burning in their hearts. Ashamane was delighted. No matter how clever they were, no matter how silent they moved or how true their aim, they all returned to their tribes empty-handed, the sound of her roar still ringing in their ears, and the sight of her fangs forever haunting their dreams. She did not need to take their lives. They understood their place in the wilds when she was done with them. That was enough.

Unlike many of the other Wild Gods, Ashamane did not travel the land with Freya. But she would watch Freya and the others from afar, and Freya would always smile when she noticed. No matter what Ashamane thought, there was a connection between them through the Emerald Dream that Freya had created and the Wild Gods were linked to. Eventually Ashamane traveled to Mount Hyjal and had her first experience with the Emerald Dream. She was immediately taken with its thriving vision of an untamed world. She made her home on the western slopes of the Well of Eternity and spent thousands of years drifting in the Dream, exploring its mysteries and power.

### War of the Ancients

In the War of the Ancients, Ashamane battled an army of demons in Val'sharah that was preparing to siege Suramar. She fought until the leader was forced to face her himself, which had been Ashamane's plan all along, as it was one of the laws of survival: the pack was not defeated until the leader's throat was between her jaws. The pit lord Ronokon, leader of the Legion's efforts in Suramar, was eventually drawn out, enraged by Ashamane's interference. Ronokon and Ashamane fought in Val'sharah for hours, Ronokon keeping her at bay with his spear. After so much war, Ashamane had grown weary; her pace slowed and her wounds ached, but her will was not broken. With her last strength she leaped at Ronokon, allowing him to drive his spear through her chest, but in the process she dug her claws into his shoulders and her fangs into his neck. Despite Ronokon's thrashing, Ashamane remained embedded in him until he died in a great fel explosion that tore a deep gash into the land and burned Ashamane to ash.

Ashamane's sacrifice saved countless lives and gave the elves of Suramar time to craft a shield over their city that would save them from the Great Sundering. A great shrine was built in her honor in Val'sharah, and her fangs were adorned and put on display there. It is said they still carry much of her power. A group of druids called the Ashen, led by Delandros Shimmermoon, now watch over the fangs and shrine.