#canon lore

The Scourge mounted at least four separate attacks on Light’s Hope Chapel within a span of ten years, none of which were successful. Though small, unassuming, and out-of-the-way, the chapel was coveted by the undead for the very same reason it was ultimately unconquerable: the thousand corpses interred in catacombs beneath its sacred grounds, each of which belonged to a warrior or champion of the Light who had met their end in battles long past [Ashbringer: Dust to Dust,Quest: The Light of Dawn,Comic: Death Knight, Chapter Four].

The sheer number of bodies buried under Light’s Hope Chapel may have made the hallowed sanctuary an attractive prize for the Scourge, but it also made it an incredible locus of holy power. Even in death, the champions’ combined connection to the Light was so potent that their presence alone circumvented multiple Scourge invasions. Though the odds were always in the undead’s favor, they were never truly able to overcome the Light’s power at the chapel, something which may very well have cost them the war against the living [Ashbringer: Dust to Dust,Quest: The Light of Dawn,Quest: The Fourth Horseman].

The earliest confrontation to occur between the forces of the Light and the Scourge at the chapel happened well into the Third War. The Argent Dawn, charged with protecting the holy site, had done all they could to keep it secret, but it was only a matter of time before the undead discovered the truth of what lay under the chapel. Sure enough, a massive army led by Kel’Thuzad moved to attack in the hopes they could raise an army of Azeroth’s strongest and most honored champions to use against the living. Facing overwhelming odds, a young Darion Mograine sacrificed himself during the conflict by plunging the corrupted Ashbringer into his own heart – something which stirred the souls of those buried beneath the chapel. All at once, the Light burst forth in a dazzling display from the ground as far as the eye could see, decimating the Scourge’s ranks and forcing them to pull back, though not before Kel’Thuzad was able to raise Darion as a death knight [Ashbringer: Dust to Dust].

Perhaps spurred by this failure, the Scourge tried again sometime later in a battle infamously known as the Siege of the Sanguine. Designed and orchestrated by a lich named Kirkessen the Zealous, the Siege of the Sanguine is thought to be one of the Scourge’s largest organized assaults on Light’s Hope Chapel. Nevertheless, their attack was quickly routed by the Argent Dawn after Kirkessen personally suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Lord Maxwell Tyrosus [Object: Compendium of Fallen Heroes].

The third and fourth battles to transpire at Light’s Hope are perhaps the most well-known of the Scourge’s attacks on the chapel, having taken place in recent memory. Incidentally, they are also the most similar. In both conflicts, death knights were employed on the front lines and entrusted with attacking the chapel to claim its fallen. Like those before them, the death knights were ultimately unsuccessful, stopped by the power of the Light each time [Comic: Death Knight, Chapter Four,Quest: The Light of Dawn,Quest: The Fourth Horseman]. That, however, is where the similarities end.

While the death knights of Acherus attacked Light’s Hope to raise an army, the third conflict – unceremoniously known as the Battle for Light’s Hope Chapel – was not actually driven by that so much as it was the Lich King’s desire to draw out and slaughter some of the Light’s most powerful champions [NPC: Rayne Dialogue,Quest: The Light of Dawn,Comic: Death Knight, Chapter Four]. Wary of how impregnable Light’s Hope had proven to be after two failed assaults, Arthas resigned himself to a more modest goal and used his death knights as bait to accomplish it. Before either the death knights or Arthas could make much headway, however, the Light weakened them severely. This allowed the death knights present to break free of the Lich King’s indomitable grasp mid-battle and turn against him, putting a decisive end to their incursion [Quest: The Light of Dawn].

Several years later, a cadre of death knights led by Darion Mograine returned to Light’s Hope Chapel at the behest of Bolvar Fordragon. Charged by the new Lich King with raising Tirion Fordring as one of the Four Horsemen, Darion and the others attacked the chapel, only to find themselves stopped by the Light’s presence, as had happened several times before. In an ironic twist of fate, Darion would not only die again at Light’s Hope Chapel, but also be raised a second time in service of the undead – this time as the leader of the Four Horsemen [Quest: The Fourth Horseman].

Kaldorei traditionally exchange small tokens, such as jewelry or accessories, to show their affection for one another [Page: Hairpin of Silver and Malachite,Item: Eternal Bride’s Wedding Ring]. The giving of bracers in particular is a gesture that symbolizes a sacred bond of friendship, trust, and love amongst night elves [Quest: A Cry For Help]. One elf even gifted her husband with a “pendant of bonding,” though it is unclear if that is standard practice for romantic partners in kaldorei culture [Quest: Mortality Wanes].

Compared to several of Azeroth’s native races, the tuskarr have some of the most intricate beliefs about death and the afterlife. Many of those beliefs are so important to the tuskarr that they play a significant role in kalu’ak cultural practices and their day-to-day lives, from how they worship their ancestors to the various rituals they perform in honor of the dead.

According to the non-canon RPG, the tuskarr see the afterlife as a trouble-free paradise in which both fishing and whaling – two activities integral to their way of life – are plentiful [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 22, 88,RPG: Manual of Monsters, pg. 105]. Their cultural beliefs dictate that those who want to make it to the afterlife should engage in certain social behaviors the tuskarr view as positive. Examples include marriage, bearing children, and hunting, among other things [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 88].

Once a tuskarr dies, it is believed that Karkut, their death deity, walks the earth to gather their spirit and take them to the afterlife [Quest: Preparing For the Worst]. Karkut is also responsible for protecting and watching over the spirits of the fallen [Quest: Cowards and Fools,Quest: The Son of Karkut,Quest: Spirits Watch Over Us]. Interestingly, Death Knights are said to bear his mark [Quest: The Son of Karkut].

Not unlike the tauren, tuskarr ancestor spirits are a significant part of their culture – so much so that some of their more notable ancestors are ceremonially placed in large stone statues specially prepared by tuskarr craftsmen [Quest: Leading the Ancestors Home,Quest: Picking up the Pieces]. This sacred ritual is carried out by a shaman, who uses implements – some of which are hundreds of years old – to guide the spirits into their new homes [Quest: Leading the Ancestors Home,Quest: Picking Up the Pieces]. From there, the ancestors of the tuskarr can watch over and protect their living kin. Some even go so far as to heal the sick and offer advice to those who ask for their guidance [RPG: Manual of Monsters, pg. 105, Quest: The Honored Ancestors].  

Tuskarr legends are rife with mention of “coffer corpses,” better known as independent undead with no connections to the Scourge. Though they may show up frequently in tuskarr tales, modern kalu’ak death practices have somehow made the occurrence of real coffer corpses rare, although it is unclear why [RPG: Manual of Monsters, pg. 199].

The tuskarr have different death rituals to honor those who meet their end at sea or fall in battle [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 22].

Preface

• Interested in the potential benefits that might come from plumbing the depths of the Maw, Cartel Ve planned an exploratory venture into the dark realm. The expedition, overseen by Ve’nari, was a success. However, Ve’nari had her fellow cartel members killed to ensure she alone would have sole access to both the Maw Walkers and the Maw’s resources (8, 132).
• Cartel Ve and Cartel Ta are rivals (8, 29).
• It is loosely implied that the Brokers altered their demeanor, if not also their appearances, to look friendly and appealing to mortals. They refer to their outward form as their “encounter suits” (9).

Chapter One: Rites of the Dead on Azeroth

• After a night elf has died, they are ritually cleansed in pools of moonlit water. Kaldorei priestesses deftly weave arcane and nature magic together to mend the dead body in preparation for a final viewing. Throughout this process, the priestesses sing songs in their temples honoring the deceased’s achievements and sacrifices in life. The deceased is then covered in a burial shroud, placed on a bier, and brought to a grove of trees where a druid magically ensconces the corpse in various plants so it can be returned to nature (13).
• Some night elves form a strong enough bond to nature that even after their death, they remain tethered to the mortal realm as a wisp [Quest: Wisp in the Willows]. This phenomenon may, however, be in part due to the intervention of the elven moon goddess, Elune (13).
• At some point in the past, Trade Prince Donais died and passed on to Revendreth (14).
• During goblin funerals, it is customary to read off a list of all the assets the deceased held in life (14).
• The Kul Tirans choose not to bury their people, believing instead that the fallen should be given to the sea [Quest: Lost, Not Forgotten, Item: Soggy Treasure Map]. An artifact called the “Dead Ringer” is a crucial part of these Kul Tiran funerary rites. In ringing the bell, it is believed the deceased’s soul is able to rise above the depths as their body sinks beneath the waves (17).
• Mourners traditionally release star moss – a magical flower notable for its sensitivity to feelings of loss – into the ocean during Kul Tiran funerals [Quest: Here In Spirit], (17).
• Cairne’s wife lingered in the mortal world as a spirit after her passing to keep watch over her bondmate and son. It is unclear why she was not brought to the Shadowlands by the Kyrian. That said, it is known that Kyrian cannot take the souls of those who are tethered by a sufficiently powerful force to their plane of origin (18).
• Tauren, not unlike orcs, construct large funeral pyres to cremate their fallen on. The ashes of their fallen are scattered to the winds, at which point it is believed they rejoin the Earth Mother (18).
• Tauren heroes are buried at Red Rocks in Mulgore. According to the tauren, the sacred nature of Red Rocks and other burial sites enables the spirits of the dead to briefly cross the Veil and talk to the living – something which the Brokers are highly skeptical actually occurs, given the design of the Shadowlands (18).

Chapter Two: Entering the Shadowlands

• A mortal soul accumulates anima through its deeds and experiences in life. As a result, anima varies from soul to soul (24, 30).
• The Brokers have been unable to catalogue every single afterlife in the Shadowlands, for there are too many to count (27).
• The origins of the Maw are unknown to even the Brokers. According to a member of Cartel Ta, it seems the Maw’s origins have all but been “purged from the annals of history” (29).
• The elemental forces of spirit and decay may or may not have an influence on how much anima a soul produces in their lifetime (31).

Chapter Three: Oribos

• Various Broker cartels financed expeditions to find and stake proprietary claim on Oribos. It was eventually discovered – perhaps accidentally – by an Au cartel navigator (35).
• The coiled serpent, thought to embody the infinite cycle, is a well-known symbol of the First Ones (36).
• The Brokers believe that Oribos was built explicitly for the judgement of souls well before the first mortal soul ever arrived in the Eternal City (38).
• On the other hand, the Arbiter’s attendants claim that the Arbiter chose to judge souls in Oribos of her own volition, which contradicts the Brokers’ theory (38).
• Old, worn records seem to suggest that there was a time when the Arbiter was not as benevolent as she is made out to be today (38). Of course, that is because the Jailer formerly held the role of Arbiter before he was imprisoned in the Maw [NPC: The Primus Dialogue].
• The attendants of Oribos are broken up into three groups: the Hands of the Arbiter, the scholars, and the protectors (41-42).
• The Hands of the Arbiter, the largest group of attendants, are responsible for maintaining the functions and stability of Oribos (41).
• The protectors make up the smallest selection of attendants. The highest position a protector can ascend to is the Shield of the Arbiter (42).
• Legend has it that at least one Fatescribe can affect the destinies of living mortals (42).
• The Brokers are aware there is a rumor that claims they were once another race of beings who shunned their original name and form (43).
• Within Oribos, the Au Cartel is responsible for supplying resources to mortals seeking to build up their own trade skills. Cartel Ta, on the other hand, is popular for selling unusual and uncommon items of value (44).

Chapter Four: Ardenweald

• Ardenweald’s celestial trees act as the primary means of anima distribution across the realm (50).
• Druids, hunters, and shaman all have such a deep connection to nature that they are usually sent to Ardenweald upon their death (50).
• One’s soulshape form mirrors the true nature of their bond with the wilds (51).
• Though most Wild Gods take on the form of animals in Ardenweald, it is notable that Cenarius retains a largely humanoid appearance. While it is unclear exactly why, it was hinted at that he receives preferential treatment from the ruler of Ardenweald – perhaps because he is her nephew (53).
• To save Ysera, the Winter Queen permanently sacrificed a portion of her own essence (54).
• Elune, the Winter Queen’s sister, is presumed to be a part of a “Pantheon of Life” (56).
• A full assembly of the Wild Hunt is rare, perhaps because the Hunt’s troops are usually needed as caretakers, stewards, and protectors in each of Ardenweald’s individual groves (58).
• Though the Winter Queen is technically the ruler of Ardenweald, governance of the night fae falls to a council known as the Court of Night. Their members include the late Droman Krelnor, Lord Renard, Lady Moonberry, Droman Aliothe, and Droman Tashmur (59).
• The tree-like appearance of the tirnenn is likely because they were the first fae to emerge in Ardenweald. They can alter the forests at will (59).
• Tirna Achiad, the Heart of the Forest, is supposedly the very first tree the Winter Queen cultivated in her realm (60).
• Sylvar typically function as Ardenweald’s crafters and tenders. The Vorkai, on the other hand, stand as the protectors of the realm (60).
• It is said that the faeries of the Night Fae are nearly as skilled as the Brokers in the art of illusion (60).

Chapter Five: Bastion

• The Light-Bearers of Fanlin’Deskor – a planet long since destroyed by the Burning Legion – were typically sent to Bastion by the Arbiter [Short Story: Velen: Prophet’s Lesson], (69).
• Kyrian “Watchers” primarily operate in the mortal realm. True to their name, Watchers observe souls to determine if it is their time to move on to the Shadowlands or if there is some force still tethering them to the mortal plane (77).
• Once a Watcher has dictated it is a mortal’s time to move on, a Kyrian Bearer is responsible for carrying the deceased’s soul to Oribos (77).
• The Forsworn inadvertently turn a darker, purple-ish hue that reflects the personal turmoil they feel within themselves (80).
• While the Forsworn have only recently appeared in great number in Bastion, they are not a new phenomenon. Some aspirants in the past did fail to ascend and became Forsworn, though they were something of a rarity. Even more uncommonly, aspirants ultimately unable to find their way back to the path would be exiled from Bastion and re-judged by the Arbiter so they could be sent to another afterlife (80).
• Stewards keep mementos of their small achievements just in case they happen to forget any of their accomplishments (81).
• The device Kyrian use to soul bond bears a striking resemblance to First Ones artifacts (86).

Chapter Six: Revendreth

• When the drought started, Sire Denathrius used the spires of Revendreth to siphon ambient anima and add it to his hidden stores within Castle Nathria. It said that he was the “architect” of the drought (95).
• Sinfall tower is where Denathrius first founded the Court of Harvesters (102).
• Surprisingly, the walls of Sinfall withstood the Light’s bombardment in the Ember Ward. Rumor has it that this is because the defenses Denathrius implemented to contain the powers within Sinfall were so strong they kept even the Light at bay (102).
• The Venthyr’s unique ability to wend through the shadows is considered translocation magic (105).

Chapter Seven: Maldraxxus

• The Primus has the power to alter the landscape of Maldraxxus. Supposedly, he shaped the realm so it would serve as an ideal training ground for the ultimate army (112).
• Each of the five houses embodies one of the five traits of the ideal champion of Death (114).
• According to legend, the only losses the Primus ever suffered were intentional (116).
• The Primus, an expert in runes and runic power, created the language of Domination expressly to bind the Jailer within the Maw (116, 120).
• Each symbol in the Primus’ runic language represents a specific word tied to the foundations of Maldraxxus and its five houses. These could consist of anything from simple commands to necromantic energy manipulation and be used to imbue weapons with dark power or as a focus of binding magic, among other things (118).
• Death Knights emblazon their weapons with these runes of domination, though it is unclear how they ever came to learn Runeforging when it originated in the Shadowlands (118).
• The Jailer’s true name is said to hold dark power, which is why he is often referred to as the “Banished One” or “the Jailer” in official records (120).
• It is theorized that the Jailer learned to harness the Primus’ power of Domination for himself and ultimately used it to break his prison (121).
• Information exchanged in soulbinding does not completely fade, even if one of the bondmates should perish (126).

Chapter Eight: The Maw

• Many afterlives dedicated to the temporary punishment of souls exist, not just Revendreth (132).
• Before the Arbiter was broken, very few souls were ever sent directly to the Maw. If they indicated that they had even the slightest chance of atoning for their sins, they were sent to Revendreth (132).
• Cartel Ta’s archives contain no accounts of the Jailer’s appearance or his purpose beyond overseeing the souls in the Maw (135).
• It is pointed out how odd it is that a Waystone – a form of translocation – was placed in a realm explicitly meant to be inescapable. The Brokers consider two theories: the first asserts that the Waystone was intended as a failsafe in case any souls should arrive in the Maw that were not meant to be there. The second, on the other hand, claims the First Ones foresaw the coming of the Maw Walkers and placed the Waystone there for their inevitable arrival (141).
• Despite the numerous deaths he endured, Kel’Thuzad was never actually judged by the Arbiter until his final death during the war against the Lich King (142).
• One Broker believes the Arbiter’s judgement of Kel’Thuzad may have been manipulated to ensure he ended up in Maldraxxus, where he could further the Jailer’s schemes (142).
• As the troll death deity, Mueh’zala once demanded his followers perform brutal displays of worship. His needs were so extreme that he continued to thrive upon their fear and despair after they died, preventing them from passing on to the rest of the Shadowlands (144).
• However, troll civilization eventually outgrew Mueh’zala’s interest in cruelty and death. Determined not to fade into obscurity, the loa of death extended an offer to one of his priests, a troll named Bwonsamdi: in exchange for becoming Mueh’zala’s successor, Bwonsamdi was to deliver a regular tribute to the loa, thereby ensuring Mueh’zala would always have the worship he craved (145).
• When the Arbiter broke, Bwonsamdi tethered the souls of dead trolls to his Necropolis to prevent them from passing on to the Maw and empowering the Jailer. Mueh’zala, who had been in league with the Jailer for some time, was enraged at this and attacked Bwonsamdi in the Other Side (145).  
• Mueh’zala brokered the deal with Odyn in which the titan-forged Keeper gave his eye to peer into the Shadowlands (145).

Chapter Nine: The First Ones and the Grand Design

• The Brokers set out from their realm of origin upon great barge cities to discover the truths of the First Ones (149).
• Other heretofore unknown First Ones realms include places like Baraneth and Nirem-Ahn. While the mortals know little about these realms, it seems the Brokers have already been to them (149, 151).
• Cartel Al outbid Cartel Ta on leading the expedition to seek out the Sepulcher of the First Ones (151).
• The First Ones were the progenitors of all realities and Pantheons (151).
• The language of the Titans uses the same word for “created” and “Ordered” (154).
• “Zereth” – first heard in the name of the First Ones realm, Zereth Mortis – translates to either “keystone” or “cornerstone” [NPC: Tal-Galan Dialogue], (160).

Epilogue

• Ta’lora, a Broker of Cartel Ta, has put forth the suggestion that their cartel should expand their market to the mortal plane to overcome the achievements of their rivals in Cartel Ve (163).

Author’s Note: All lore facts below are taken from World of Warcraft’s second official cookbook, New Flavors of Azeroth. Although some of these lore tidbits are based in canon lore, keep in mind that the cookbook itself is most likely not considered canon.

Human Cuisine

• In Kul Tiras’ early years, something known as the “Great Gravy Incident” occurred. It inspired the Gravy Spray spell, which is practiced by some sorcerer-sauciers (20).
• Nobody knows how old the original sourdough starter was when Gilnean sailors settled Kul Tiras (75).
• While it may have been named for Glenbrook village in Drustvar, Glenbrook pudding actually got its start at sea. Back when Kul Tiran ships could not afford full crews or chefs, sailors favored this pudding because it did not need much attention while cooking, freeing them up for other duties. Since then, Glenbrook pudding has become quite popular in taverns and inns across Kul Tiras (81).
• Deep-fried butter cookies are a favorite among Kul Tiran sailors returning from sea (87).
• It is no secret that Stormsong Valley is the breadbasket of Kul Tiras. What one may not know, however, is that most of the region’s harvest comes from its orchards. One of their most popular produce crops is peaches (89).
• Ravenberries grow wild on both Kul Tiras and Zuldazar (91).
• Stormwind seasoning herbs are considered a regional specialty of the city from which they get their name. Unsurprisingly, this spice mixture is used in many different recipes native to the southern Eastern Kingdoms (17).
• Chewy fel taffy originates from Tirisfal Glades (67).
• Though one might expect to find undead cuisine practically inedible, the Undercity’s denizens do know quite a few tasty recipes. One is for a type of savory pastry called peppered puffballs (63).

Zandalari Cuisine

• The Zandalari always make the most out of what is locally available when it comes to food. One example of this is the brutosaur, a magnificent creature traditionally employed to haul the trolls’ wares through Zuldazar. Once a brutosaur has carried their last, however, their meat is taken and cooked into a variety of dishes, not the least of which is brutosaur tikka (103).
• Trolls ritually offer up loa loaf at the temples of their loa. It is considered a part of their standard rites (99).
• Zandalari trolls often like to partake in strong spirits after returning from a long day of fishing, boating, or treasure hunting in Nazmir (109).

Cuisine of the Shadowlands

• A spicy, flavorful pepper known as the ember chili is native to Revendreth (19).
• Dusk almonds, a key ingredient in Revendreth’s dusk almond mousse, are incredibly rare (145).
• Ever ones for over-the-top displays, the Venthyr like to roll their night harvest rolls into floral shapes (131).
• Rumor has it a savory treat called quiethounds was originally used to distract hunters patrolling the Shadowlands (133).

Other Cuisine

• In addition to a multitude of other sweets, the elves of Suramar also appear to like cocoa flatcakes (41).
• Suramar spiced tea is an old elven recipe. Though its origins stem back millennia, the drink has become quite popular among Kirin Tor mages and sailors in recent days (53).
• Runewood akvavit is a Stormheim speciality. Legend has it that this drink, which is said to bring vitality, flows endlessly in the Halls of Valor (51).
• Though Pilgrim’s Bounty is widely observed, many cultures and regions of Azeroth have their own festivals to celebrate good harvests (61).
• No one knows where harvest breadsticks originated from, but they have become a harvest festival staple in both Stormwind and Ironforge (61).
• Mah’s warm yak-tail stew is traditionally made in giant steaming cauldrons to feed a whole village. It is not as famous as Pandaria’s lukewarm yak roast broth, but it is just as delicious (121).
• Gnomeregan gnuggets are a popular snack at the Darkmoon Faire (151).
• Nomi got his hummus recipe from the Eye of Eternity in Coldarra (161).
• Hellfire Peninsula is so hot and arid that fruit practically bakes itself there (163).
• Not much grows in Nazjatar naturally (171).
• Sea salt java is only sold in a couple of inns in Nazjatar (173).

Editor’s Note:“Some of the tales you’ll encounter here may be rooted in canon, or they may be another traveler just telling a tall tale.” 

Eyes of the Earth Mother

• Though the Earth Mother heard the whispers of the Old Gods, she could not be swayed by them (13).
• Pregnant, the Earth Mother sought a place away from the Old Gods’ corruptive influence to give birth to her children. Unable to find such a place, however, she decided to shape the world and, in doing so, create her own safe haven (14). 
• All of Azeroth’s lands, waters, and even the elements themselves came forth at this moment. They were suffused with enough of the Earth Mother’s essence so soon after their inception that they kept the Old Gods’ powers at bay (14). 
• The Earth Mother gave birth to twins: first An’she, a beacon of life and warmth, then came Mu’sha, who was to bring rest, tranquility, and healing. The elements called them the “sun” and the “moon” (15). 
• Eventually, both An’she and Mu’sha developed connections with the elements. An’she found himself able to wield the light and warmth of fire while Mu’sha maintained some control over the tides and winds (15-16). 
• The twins even went so far as to use the elements to create weapons to spar with. Mu’sha opted for a bow and arrow, whereas An’she’s weapon of choice was a set of blades (16).
• To keep her children safe from the Old Gods’ ever-present influence while she slept, the Earth Mother took both An’she and Mu’sha up into her eyes. Their power was so great that she had to keep one eye open at all times (16).
• This, however, meant that Azeroth no longer received An’she’s warmth or Mu’sha’s guidance of the wind while the Earth Mother rested. Cold slowly spread across the land and blizzards raged until she finally woke again (18).
• The Earth Mother’s cycle between periods of sleep and awakening would come to form the basis of the seasons as we know them, with her time of work the summer and her time of rest the winter (18).
• As the twins grew in power, they developed the ability to bring on the change of seasons at will, though they took care to do it slowly and give the world time to adjust. As the Earth Mother rested, An’she and Mu’sha continued to tend to Azeroth from behind her eyes (19). 
• After waking at one point, the Earth Mother found that there was new life walking the earth. Plucking wheat from the plains to sprinkle over them, the Earth Mother called them “Shu’halo,” - the tauren (19).
• Just as the Earth Mother taught her children, both An’she and Mu’sha taught the Shu’halo in the ways of the elements and caring for the land (20). 
• When the Earth Mother next slept, however, the Old Gods extended their influence to the tauren, causing them to grow violent and turn on their own kind (20).
• Saddened to see the tauren fall to such corruption, the Earth Mother shed a single tear. She realized that the land was no longer able to hold the Old Gods’ power at bay, meaning anything it touched could be corrupted (21). 
• Knowing that she was not safe for her children anymore because of her own connection to the land, the Earth Mother removed An’she and Mu’sha from her eyes and laid down in despair (21-22). 
• The single tear that the Earth Mother had shed became a blue baby, later named “Lo’sho,” or the Blue Child (22, 24). 
• Seeking to put an end to the Old Gods after what they had done to the tauren and the despair they instilled in their mother, An’she and Mu’sha fought against some of the eldritch beings’ manifestations. During the battle, An’she was wounded grievously. Though Mu’sha sought to heal him with wind and water, he continued to bleed (24).
• The Earth Mother, stirred by her distant children’s dismay, eventually found her way to them. She urged them to take Lo’sho and go to the heavens so they could protect Azeroth from above, while the Earth Mother chose to root herself in the earth and prevent the Old Gods from ever claiming her children (26-27).
• Mu’sha, the moon, continues to follow An’she closely across the sky so she can keep tending to his wounds (26). 

One Small Tuskarr

• The tuskarr etch their clan and family symbols into their tusks. Though this is customary, some do engrave other symbols - such as marks indicating deeds of great distinction - into their tusks as well (32, 36). 
• The catch master, who weighs the tuskarr’s catches, has a counting staff adorned with cords in the colors of each of the clan’s active fishermen. In accordance with how big a tuskarr’s haul of fish is, the catch master ties a single knot or more into their respective cord. These knots can be traded for tools, weapons, and coins, among other things (32-33). 
• A single knot is customary for those who meet basic requirements, while additional knots are allotted to those who catch more (33). 
• One can also earn knots from other tasks, such as fine embroidery, though they do so at a much slower rate than those who fish (38). 
• Food is shared equally among the tuskarr (33).
• The tuskarr perform nomadic journeys that take them to various kalu’ak towns. While the fishers take their own boats, most of the mothers, adolescents, and children trek across the ice (34). 
• Fishing practices are passed down from parent to child. Though it is unclear if that is “law,” some of the tuskarr refuse to teach others to fish if they are not their own blood, going so far as to withhold information about the currents and places fish gather (36).
• Tuskarr sometimes dye their moustaches (36).
• It never gets fully dark in Northrend (38).
• Oacha’noa is the tuskarr’s deity of both the sea and wisdom. Her symbol is that of a kraken (39). 
• The spearhead on most tuskarr weapons is made of sharpened bone (42).
• A type of manta ray known as the stargazer can be found in Northrend’s waters (44).
• The tuskarr can survive in water so cold it would kill other races native to Azeroth in mere minutes (45).
• The tuskarr typically fly kites for fun, though they have been known to use them to send signals to others at great distances (48).

Lay Down My Bones

• According to Vulpera beliefs, the first of their kind was born from the magic of the desert. Though they are a nomadic people, an old tale about an artifact called the Wailing Bone claims the desert calls their bodies back to where they began when they die. To ensure they find their way back, the vulpera follow the Wailing Bone (55-56). 
• Once one of their own has passed, it is customary for the next of kin to carry the bone at the head of the caravan while the vulpera wander in search of the proper place to bury them. The journey may take anywhere from days to weeks, but when the Wailing Bone begins to cry, the vulpera know they have found their loved one’s final resting place (56, 61). 
• A poem is carved into the Wailing Bone: “Wander, roam; bring me home, / Down paths at my behest; / Among the stones, lay down my bones, / So I, at last, may rest”. Few can read the script it is written in, but most all vulpera can recite it from heart (54). 
• Two vulpera, frustrated at their inability to find their elder’s final resting place, neglected their duty and left his corpse in a river in the hopes that it would bring him there for them. Refusing to obey the Wailing Bone caused it to crack. From that night on, the vulpera of the caravan found themselves cursed for failing to heed the Wailing Bone (62, 65).
• Cracking under the pressure of the curse, the two negligent vulpera ultimately died gruesome deaths at each other’s hands. One of their bones was made into the next Wailing Bone (65).
• A caravan always needs a Wailing Bone (65).

The Uninvited Guest

• One goblin adage goes like so: “Every great goblin invention was born from necessity, bubble gum, or an accident” (69).
• The goblins have a nursery rhyme: “In the dark of night and bright of day, / Keep in your hand a tossaway. / Guard your fortune, mind your greed, / Or else the Uninvited Guest will feed” (70).
• The Uninvited Guest is a goblin boogeyman of sorts who is attracted by greed so egregious it offends even the dead. It is incorporeal, invisible, and has the ability to move through walls (76).
• The Uninvited Guest feeds off of greed, but it can never be satisfied. It will latch onto its host like an invisible parasite to feed, inciting strange charitable behavior in them until they have given away all of their earthly possessions (76-79). 
• A “tossaway” is a shiny gold-painted coin stamped with the face of the very first trade prince. These fake coins get their name from the way goblins quite literally toss them away in a symbolically superstitious act to protect themselves and their fortunes from the Uninvited Guest (70, 74). 
• Tossaways were invented by Slixi Boompowder, the wife of one of the former trade princes of the Steamwheedle Cartel, after her own run-in with the Uninvited Guest. She only escaped from it because she distracted it with actual gold galleons, which inspired her to create the tossaways (83).
• Legend has it that the Uninvited Guest still roams Azeroth to this day, looking to feed off of hapless greedy goblins (84). 
• Klaxz Boompowder was one of the former trade princes of the Steamwheedle Cartel. His rival was Rikter Hogsnozzle, the trade prince of the Bilgewater Cartel (70-71).
• Tradition dictates that goblins are buried with their most valuable possessions so they can enjoy them at the Everlasting Party, the goblin afterlife. They are then given burial gifts by other goblins from their own riches, though most goblins are too greedy to truly part with anything important (73).
• Once the coffin is sealed, goblins dance on top of it to usher the deceased on to the Everlasting Party (75). 
• Prominent goblins typically serve as pallbearers while goblins contractually obligated to serve as pack mules carry the rear (75). 
• The goblins used to employ golden galleons as their form of currency, but it fell out of fashion. Nowadays, they are incredibly rare and expensive (74-75). 
• Trolls have a tale about an invisible evil that sucks the souls from living beings and leaves them mad. It can only be seen in the light of a full moon (80). 

Sister is Another Word For Always

• Vereesa felt Sylvanas’ death at the hands of Arthas the moment it happened (89-90). 
• Sylvanas’ eyes were gray as a high elf (91). 
• In the midst of her sorrow at her sister’s death, Vereesa sought many escapes. At first she tried to sleep, but when rest and forgetfulness would not come, she embarked on a journey across deserts and forests with little in the way of proper food or nourishment except that which she found (90, 93). 
• It is very possible Vereesa perished at some point on this journey, for she came across a spirit healer, though she was told it was not yet her time. The spirit healer offered Vereesa a deal: if she could bring her the willing soul of Sylvanas without ever touching her, the spirit healer would restore her to life (96-97). 
• When Sylvanas first died at the hands of Arthas, it seems as though the Arbiter sent her to Ardenweald (98-99). 
• After she struggles to locate her sister in Ardenweald, Vereesa is inadvertently pulled into the Maw. There, she still has difficulty finding her, and is told by the Jailer that Sylvanas is not there - at least, not yet. He then urges her to leave, telling her she does not belong there (99, 102-103).
• Eventually, Vereesa spots a silver glimmer she knows to be Sylvanas, though it is only a fragment of her soul (103-104). 
• Before she can escape with the soul of her sister, the Jailer stops Vereesa and inadvertently tricks her into touching Sylvanas, rendering her deal with the spirit healer null and void (106). 
• At the end of this journey, Vereesa awakes at the foot of a statue, her memory of the experience hazy (109). 

The Paladin’s Beast

• Uther is originally from Stratholme (117).
• Introduced as a fable beloved by the princelings and princesses of Lordaeron, the Paladin’s Beast is a tale that follows a young Uther as he finds himself in a mysterious and unfamiliar land. Determined to prove himself and bring back a prize to his fellow paladins, Uther joins a tournament put on by a foreign kingdom despite the protests of its princess. Though he is a strong warrior, she insists the beast of the tournament kills every knight who challenges it. Still, Uther refuses to back down, confident that his faith in the Light will give him the strength he needs to prevail. However, the princess’ words hold true, as every knight who goes to fight the beast before him perishes. When it is his turn, Uther decides to stay his hammer rather than fight, remembering the princess’ words. The beast withdraws, defeated by his act of compassion. It is revealed afterward as Uther goes for his prize that the princess actually was the beast all along, cursed to fight in the tournament for disobeying her father and breaking the royal lineage. She casts a spell on Uther, making it so that when he returns to Lordaeron, he will not remember anything of who she was or his experience there until the day he finds himself in a fiery field. Though the fable ends there, it is said that Uther dreamt of the silver kingdom and its princess for many years to come. It was not until his final moments, trying to fell a beast with weapons rather than compassion, that he would fully remember the princess and her story (111-127). 

For Lies and Liberty

• Most undead do not get all of their memories back immediately once they are raised (or given free will). It takes time and encouragement (133-134). 
• On the long-standing issue of whether or not undead have ichor or blood running through their veins, it appears one Jeremiah Pall still has blood in his body, though it has stopped moving on account of his still heart (134).
• The story of the “Fearless Flyer” - a man known as Captain Whitney - is famous among some of the Alliance forces. According to the man himself, Whitney and his outfit had been fighting orcs for months to no avail when he hatched a bold plan to launch himself by catapult into their camp and take them by surprise, hence the nickname the “Fearless Flyer”. This story, unfortunately, turned out to be nothing but hyperbole. As it stands, a drunk Whitney accidentally got tangled up in nets, fell in the catapult, and was unceremoniously flung into the orcish camp. Believing themselves to be under attack, the orcs retaliated and killed most of the unsuspecting humans while Captain Whitney hid (136, 142). 

Stones, Moss, and Tears

• Though female elves traditionally mark their faces after they have achieved a rite of passage, they can continue to add embellishments to commemorate any further deeds (155).
• At least one kaldorei lorekeeper was charged with knowing the name of every Sentinel and recording details of their more noteworthy battles (156).
• The Bloomblade druids were one of the oldest, unbroken lines of night elf druids (158). 
• A species of insect known as glowmoths migrate through Mount Hyjal every autumn (164). 

The Embrace

• The White Lady and the Sun were charged with keeping watch over Azeroth as it dreamed (171, 176). 
• Though she loved the people of Azeroth dearly, the White Lady found herself growing lonely and in want of a family (173). 
• The moon cycles are thought to be the White Lady turning away and hiding her face in her sorrow, though she would always look back upon Azeroth to watch over it (174).
• It is said that the White Lady loved Azeroth and its denizens so much that a child - the Blue Child - was born of that love (174-175).
• The Blue Child, ever curious, began asking the White Lady questions about the mortals that weighed on her heart, as she could not answer (176).  
• One night the White Lady woke up to find the Blue Child gone. Unable to find her, she swore off her charge until the Blue Child was returned to her (177-178).
• Without her guidance, the planet sped up and the tides ceased. The White Lady was only convinced to return to her duty after the Sun urged her, telling her the Blue Child might return if she had the moonlight to guide her (178).
• The White Lady began to glow even more brightly over time in the hopes that her child would see, her light quickly growing to rival that of the Sun’s. This, too, caused problems, for crops burned and navigators could not see the stars to travel by (179). 
• Upon seeing the terrible effect this was having on Azeroth’s denizens, the White Lady dimmed her light and retreated (181). 
• The Blue Child ultimately returned from her long travels to her mother. They embraced in the sky, creating a beautiful eclipse (182).
• Ever curious, the Blue Child was bound to grow restless again and leave for the stars, but the White Lady knew she would always return (183). 
• When the moon turns red, it is a sign of her anger (177). 

Why the Mermaids Left Boralus

• Back when Kul Tiras was still a Gilnean colony, Boralus had hardly any walls or structures protecting it from the wind or sea. More often than not, when the Great Sea churned at the city’s edge, it took houses, ships, and even men down into its depths. So many would drown in these incidents that those remaining covered them with weighted nets, causing them to sink to the seafloor (187-188, 190). 
• Many of the roads out of Boralus flooded during great storms, making it deadly to try to leave the city on foot or by ship (198).
• The Kul Tirans declined to build a seawall for fear that it would have done nothing and also because repairing it after a storm would have been just as dangerous as the storms themselves (188).
• Most of Boralus’ early inhabitants were seamen of some sort, whether fishers, sea priests, sailors, or pearl-divers (188). 
• During storms, the tidesages would act as a makeshift seawall and use their power to cut the waves before they made it deeper into the harbor (199).
• Mermaids appeared quite openly near Boralus in its early days. Though they lived much deeper than most could naturally dive, they liked to sit on the rocks and watch ships go by, among other things. Most lived in temples beneath the sea that belonged to Kul Tiras’ former inhabitants (189, 191). 
• According to superstition, sighting a mermaid was bad luck and presaged many inauspicious things including a doomed voyage, a brutal winter, and poor fishing. They were also seen as the harbingers of storms (189-190). 
• Tidesages were (and still are) always the first and last to disembark from a ship. As a result, they usually went down with their ships (191).
• The tidesages’ unrivaled dedication, combined with the frequency of drownings and shipwrecks, often meant they died young (191). 
• Mermaids are spawned from eggs and leave no corpses when they die (191, 203).
• The mermaids had very little understanding of the Kul Tirans’ mistrust towards them (191). 
• Mermaids have some power over the rocks and water - granted to them by the Tidemother from birth -, but they use it sparingly because it is finite. Once a mermaid runs out of magic, they die. As a result, mermaids can live up to five hundred years (192). 
• Mermaids consider sirens lazy and murlocs deplorable (192).
• According to legend, the bubble seaweed in Boralus Harbor is actually discarded pearls. A mermaid by the name of Halia fell in love with a tidesage and kept secretly gifting them to her as a token of her affection. The tidesage, Ery, was far too pragmatic for such a gift and dumped the pearls back in the water every time (195).
• The mermaids believe that the Tidemother will give tails to those who slit their feet from toes to heels and walk into the harbor at dawn (197). 
• According to legend, Boralus’ great stone seawall was formed through the combined efforts of dozens of mermaids and one lone tidesage. A virulent tempest had come upon Boralus one day, taking men and ships alike with it. Though the city’s tidesages gathered to push back the waves, all but one were lost to the storm over the course of five long days. The last remaining tidesage, Ery, persisted despite her exhaustion while the mermaid Halia, too afraid to watch her lover perish, began using her own magic to craft a seawall. Though the storm repeatedly broke it down, her fellow mermaids joined her, ultimately expending their magic and sacrificing themselves to raise a wall so grand it towered over even the mightiest of ships and waves. Ery herself nearly died after this, though Halia saved her by invoking the Tidemother. She cut Ery’s feet from toes to heels and dragged her into the harbor, performing the ritual necessary for her transformation into a mermaid (198-203).
• All but one of the mermaids - Ery notwithstanding - perished to save Boralus, which is why none are seen there today (204-205).
• As a result, the sailors of Boralus now see mermaids as a symbol of the highest honor, good luck, and sacrifice (205). 
• During calm sunsets when the red of the sky is reflected in the harbor, sailors refer to it as “Ery’s blood,” after the tidesage who fought the storm so valiantly. Ery’s blood is a sign of good weather to come (205). 

The Courageous Kobold and the Wickless Candle

• Kobolds tell a sleep-time story (209).
• Kobold families live together in caves. They have their own nests, but congregate in common areas for stories, among other things (210).
• Some time ago, the Whiskersnoot kobold tunnels crumbled, submerging the Whiskersnoots in total darkness. They lived like that for generations, having decided it was no longer safe to dig higher after the cave-in. This spawned a saying: “Never pick above your snout, else the darkness snuff you out!” (210-211). 
• Granny Whiskersnoot, however, dug just a little bit upward every day until one day she broke through to a light above. She intended to lead the other kobolds to it, but could never find her way back through the tunnels again. It wasn’t until her granddaughter persisted in finding it that they made their way back above ground (211, 222). 
• The kobolds think of the sun as a “Wickless Candle” (211). 

Visage Day

• On a dragon’s Visage Day, they choose what mortal form they will take. This is significant, as it shows the Aspects trust them to adopt the guise of one of the mortal races and walk among them. It is the dragons’ hope that through choosing a form to embody and relate to mortals, the more mortals can understand dragons in turn (228, 234). 
• Onyxia, on the other hand, maintains dragons choose visages that allow them to control the mortals (241). 
• In accordance with tradition, the Visage Day ceremony occurs on the uppermost level of Wyrmrest Temple. Each of the Aspects are usually present for members of their own dragonflight, though Alexstrasza herself has been known to officiate on occasion. It is also customary for each flight to send emissaries (243). 
• During the ceremony, all attendant dragons take their own mortal forms in honor of the dragon whose Visage Day it is (245). 
• Before they publicly choose their form, the dragon in question traditionally makes a proclamation (245).
• The Visage Day ceremony can be delayed (244). 
• Nozdormu has helped many bronze dragons prepare for their own Visage Day (230).
• When Nozdormu sits in the sands at the heart of the Bronze Dragonshine, intricate patterns form around him (233). 
• Both Kalecgos and Chromie performed a short incantation to assume their mortal forms, though Nozdormu did not appear to need to (234, 236, 246). 
• Kalecgos says that he chose a half-elf form - which he calls a “blend of mortal worlds” - in order to symbolize his own attempt to blend together the dragon and human worlds (237). 
• Onyxia, on the other hand, opted to take the form of a beautiful human woman to better manipulate mortals (241). 
• The dragons often go by nicknames in their mortal forms because they find their full names sound too formal to humans (238). 
• The drakonid were fashioned by the dragons to be helpful and loyal (238).
• The black dragonflight practices how best to inflict pain (239). 

• Approx. 2800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens

 A human warrior named Mereldar begins having visions of beings made of the Light. They teach her and a select few others about the wisdom of virtues such as protection, justice, retribution, holiness, and compassion. Enlightened, Mereldar and the others set out to write down the beings’ teachings in a series of books that eventually inspire the formation of the Church of the Holy Light [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 126].

• ?? Years Before the Dark Portal Opens

The Church of the Holy Light is formally established in Lordaeron [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 126].

• ?? Years Before the Dark Portal Opens

Some members of the Church move south and found the Holy Order of Northshire Clerics on the outskirts of Stormwind City [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 125].

• The Dark Portal Opens

The orcs invade Azeroth, beginning the First War.

• 1 Year After the Dark Portal Opens

The Northshire Clerics – unarmed, untrained, and unable to defend themselves – are killed when the orcish horde razes Stormwind City, though some survive and flee to Southshore with other refugees [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 125-126].

• 4 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The Second War begins.

• 5 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

Distraught at what had happened to the Northshire clerics during the First War, Archbishop Alonsus Faol proposes the idea of training a small group of priests and knights to wield the Light in battle. They become known as the Order of the Knights of the Silver Hand [Tides of Darkness, Chapter Five].

• 7 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The Second War ends.

Archbishop Faol re-establishes the mostly defunct Holy Order of Northshire Clerics under the new name the Brotherhood of Northshire [Plaque: Archbishop Alonsus Faol].

• 20 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

Prince Arthas attempts to suspend the Knights of the Silver Hand from service after Uther refuses to join him in culling the infected civilians of Stratholme. Though this does not hold, a rift begins opening up between the members of the order over who should and should not be allowed to join their vaunted ranks [NPC: Arthas Dialogue,Ashbringer: Death is Contagious,Ashes to Ashes].

• 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

Alexandros Mograine, the Ashbringer, dies at the hand of one of his sons during battle [Ashbringer: Ashes to Ashes].

• 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

Maxwell Tyrosus, disgusted at his comrades’ refusal to allow any non-humans in the Knights of the Silver Hand, leaves and forms his own organization that would not only continue to preach the values of the Holy Light, but also accept all races. This new religious group is called the Argent Dawn [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 103,Ashbringer: Ashes to Ashes].

• 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The remaining members of the Knights of the Silver Hand officially rebrand themselves the Scarlet Crusade and take up residence in the Scarlet Monastery [Ashbringer: Ashes to Ashes].

• Approx. 23 – 24 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

A select few who shirk the Argent Dawn’s strict code of morals break off from the order and form the Brotherhood of the Light [NPC: Crusade Commander Korfax Dialogue].

• 25 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The Knights of the Silver Hand are reformed by Tirion Fordring [Quest: In Dreams].

• 26-27 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

After the events at Light’s Hope Chapel that culminates in many death knights gaining independence from the Lich King, Tirion Fordring takes it upon himself to merge the Argent Dawn and the second iteration of the Knights of the Silver Hand into a new organization known as the Argent Crusade [Quest: The Light of Dawn].

• 27 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The idea of a “Scarlet revival” made from an elite cadre of the Crusade’s most faithful emerges. It is not until the Scarlet Crusaders leave the Eastern Plaguelands arrive in Dragonblight that their leader, High General Brigitte Abbendis, officially sanctions the Scarlet Onslaught [Item: The Diary of High General Abbendis,NPC: Lord-Commander Arete Dialogue].

• 32 Years After the Dark Portal Opens

The Knights of the Silver Hand are revived for a third and final time following Tirion Fordring’s death at the Broken Shore [Quest: A United Force].  

The Church of the Holy Light

Humanity’s foremost religious organization, the Church of the Holy Light, was formally established in the heart of Lordaeron many centuries ago. The spiritual teachings that gave birth to the church, however, date back much further to the time of the Troll Wars when a human warrior named Mereldar began having visions of beings made of the Light. Those strange holy lifeforms – known as naaru – taught her and others about the wisdom of virtues such as protection, justice, retribution, holiness, and compassion – all tenets that would later be embodied and espoused by countless paladins and priests of the church. Enlightened, Mereldar and the others set out to write down the beings’ teachings in a series of books that quickly sparked the formation of a significant religious movement in the Eastern Kingdoms [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 126]. The Church of the Holy Light, as it would come to be known, eventually expounded all sorts of other virtuous ideals, but its core principles – the five tenets put forth by Mereldar – would always remain unchanged.

The Holy Order of Northshire Clerics

Sometime well before the First War, a few members of the Church of the Holy Light moved south and established Northshire Abbey on the outskirts of Stormwind City. Because of their great skill in the healing arts, the clerics of the abbey typically accompanied Stormwind’s soldiers in times of war and mended their wounds whenever needed [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 125-126].

Unfortunately, they were targeted by the orcish horde during the First War for the very same reason they were lauded by their brothers and sisters in the Alliance - their prowess with the Holy Light. Many of the clerics – unarmed, untrained, and unable to defend themselves – were massacred when the horde razed Stormwind City, although some survived and fled to Southshore with other refugees [Tides of Darkness, Chapter Six,World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 125-126].

Though the clerical order was all but wiped out in the First War, their demise paved the way for a new, more powerful holy order in the coming years known as the Order of the Knights of the Silver Hand.

The Order of the Knights of the Silver Hand

Formed by Archbishop Alonsus Faol shortly before the Second War, the Knights of the Silver Hand were mostly born of a need for more capable warriors and leaders on the battlefield [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 152-153,Tides of Darkness, Chapter Five]. Distraught at what had happened to the Northshire clerics, the Archbishop proposed the idea of training a small group of priests and knights to wield the Light in battle [Tides of Darkness, Chapter Five]. Just as Mereldar before him, Faol believed the core traits of the Silver Hand to be retribution, holiness, protection, justice, and compassion, each of which was embodied by a founding member of the order [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 154].

Although initially small, this branch of the Church would grow quickly in size after the Second War, with notable paladins like Arthas Menethil and Alexandros Mograine joining its ranks. The original organization, however, was rather short-lived. After Uther refused to join Arthas in culling the infected civilians of Stratholme, the prince suspended the paladins from service – something which he technically did not have the power to do [NPC: Arthas Dialogue,Ashbringer: Death is Contagious]. Nonetheless, the order fell apart not too long after when irreconcilable ideological differences between its members caused it to fracture, leading to the formation of the Argent Dawn and the Scarlet Crusade.

It was not until after the Third War that the Knights of the Silver Hand reformed, this time with the help of renowned paladin Tirion Fordring [Quest: In Dreams]. Unfortunately, the holy order would dissolve yet again a couple years later – absorbed into the newly-formed Argent Crusade at the start of the war against the Lich King – only to be revived for one final time following Tirion’s death at the Broken Shore in Legion [Quest: The Light of Dawn,Quest: A United Force].

Of the many different holy orders existing today, the Knights of the Silver Hand likely resemble the core Church most in their principles and beliefs. All paladins who join the reformed Knights of the Silver Hand must swear an oath to protect the weak, uphold what is righteous, fight against injustice, and act honorably [Quest: Champion: Delas Moonfang,Quest: A New Path].

The Brotherhood of Northshire

Although he spearheaded the formation of the Knights of the Silver Hand, Archbishop Faol also took it upon himself to reform the Holy Order of Northshire Clerics after the Second War as a new religious organization known as the Brotherhood of Northshire [Plaque: Archbishop Alonsus Faol].

The Scarlet Crusade

While the Scarlet Crusade was not officially founded until after Alexandros Mograine’s death, the xenophobic ideology that ultimately led to their split from the Knights of the Silver Hand began to emerge approximately a year earlier – around the same time Prince Arthas culled Stratholme [Ashbringer: Death is Contagious]. It started when the Knights of the Silver Hand, lacking the sufficient numbers needed to stop the Scourge, moved to recruit from other races. Some prominent disciples of the organization, believing that “lesser” races such as night elves, dwarves, and gnomes would pollute the order, refused to include any non-humans in their ranks despite the pleas of their compatriots that such a thing was necessary if they were to put an end to the Scourge threat [Ashbringer: Death is Contagious,Ashes to Ashes]. Disgusted at his comrades’ racist beliefs, the paladin Maxwell Tyrosus took many of his followers and left the Knights of the Silver Hand. Those remaining, including the likes of Saidan Dathrohan, Renault Mograine, and Brigitte Abbendis, went on to form the Scarlet Crusade [Ashbringer: Ashes to Ashes,Quest: Annals of the Silver Hand]. 

Although they started out thinking of other races as simply “unclean,” the Scarlet Crusade would grow much more dogmatic in their beliefs over time. They rationalized that because the Scourge had no restraints on their tactics, neither should they if they intended to triumph over them [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 87]. As a result, the Crusade eventually came to believe that all outsiders were potential carriers of the plague and thus had to be destroyed [Page: Scarlet Monastery,RPG: Lands of Conflict, pg. 94].

The Argent Dawn

Following his departure from the Knights of the Silver Hand, Maxwell Tyrosus formed his own order that, unlike the Scarlet Crusade, would continue to preach the values of the Holy Light and accept all races. This new religious organization was known as the Argent Dawn [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 103,Ashbringer: Ashes to Ashes,Quest: Annals of the Silver Hand].

Though the Dawn sought to adhere to the ideals of the Church of the Holy Light in a way that their compatriots in the Scarlet Crusade did not, the non-canon RPG asserts that they still strayed from the church’s established teachings in a notable way. Similar to, but far less fervent than the Scarlet Crusade, the Argent Dawn maintained that the church’s methods of dealing with their enemies was insufficient. They were convinced that since evil constantly changed, so too must the forces of good change to deal with them [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 87].

Many holy organizations – namely, the Knights of the Silver Hand and the Scarlet Crusade – survived time and time again despite incurring heavy losses and undergoing massive restructuring. The Argent Dawn, however, ceased to exist as a faction entirely following its assimilation into the Argent Crusade during the war against the Lich King [Page: Argent Dawn].

The Brotherhood of the Light

The Brotherhood of the Light has existed for some years now, but its origins and why it was established are somewhat unclear. An old and likely outdated quest implies that the organization was formed prior to the Argent Dawn, whereas more recent sources claim that the sect was formed afterward and is in fact an offshoot of the Dawn [Quest: The Fate of Ramaladni,NPC: Crusade Commander Korfax Dialogue,RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 126]. While not canon, it may be worth adding that the RPG asserts the Brotherhood of the Light was formed a few years after the Third War, suggesting that it was indeed established after the Argent Dawn’s inception [RPG: Dark Factions, pg. 126].

Nevertheless, the Brotherhood was founded by a group of priests and paladins who, much like the Scarlet Crusade, held ideological beliefs that put them in contention with other sects of the Church. Where the Argent Dawn traditionally adhered to a strict code of morals and ethics, the members of the Brotherhood of the Light shirked such restrictions and did not consider themselves held in check by human emotion [NPC: Crusade Commander Korfax Dialogue]. While that makes it seem as if their ideals aligned with the Scarlet Crusade’s, the Brotherhood actually found the Crusaders to be without reason and overly zealous in their cause [Quest: Like Rats].

The Argent Crusade

After the events at Light’s Hope Chapel that culminated in many death knights gaining independence from the Lich King, Tirion Fordring took it upon himself to merge the Argent Dawn and the second iteration of the Order of the Silver Hand into a new order known as the Argent Crusade [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 174,Quest: The Light of Dawn]. Although the Crusade would carry out many additional tasks in the coming years, it was initially founded with the express purpose of putting an end to the Lich King [Quest: The Light of Dawn].

The Scarlet Onslaught

Not dissimilar to the Argent Crusade, the Scarlet Onslaught was also primarily established to go north and obliterate the Scourge once and for all. The idea of a “Scarlet revival” made from an elite cadre of the Crusade’s most faithful remaining in the Eastern Plaguelands was first proposed by a man known as Bishop Street. It was only when the Crusaders arrived in Dragonblight, many months after their departure from New Avalon in the Plaguelands, that their leader High General Brigitte Abbendis officially sanctioned the Scarlet Onslaught [Item: The Diary of High General Abbendis,NPC: Lord-Commander Arete Dialogue].

Although Abbendis and the rest of the Onslaught’s leadership were killed partway through the war against the Lich King, the organization continued to persist well into Legion [Quest: Onslaught Envoy].

Dreadshade is a species of lasher known for producing an extract that has highly versatile, albeit potentially deadly, properties [Item: Dreadshade Extract]. Maldraxxi alchemists of the House of Plagues cultivate the plant to use as a reagent in some of their concoctions, many of which are no doubt extremely toxic. That said, dreadshade has other known practical applications. For example, one of the house’s foremost plague devisers planned to use dreadshade extract in a potion that would effectively “preserve” the imbiber [Quest: Plague is Thicker Than Water,Quest: By Any Other Name].

Dreadshade is said to be the carrier of Solanum cerinthe [Quest: By Any Other Name]. What this is, however, is unclear, though the name suggests it is the scientific name for a plant or fruit.  

Widely considered one of the most dangerous regions in all of Outland, Zangarmarsh is home to a diverse range of plant life. Though beautiful, much of the fungal swamp’s flora is quite deadly [Illidan, Chapter Three]. One particularly virulent type of fungi native to Zangarmarsh is the burstcap mushroom, which predominantly grows in the western part of the region. True to its name, the burstcap is extremely sensitive and can release a toxic cloud of spores if handled improperly [Quest: Burstcap Mushrooms, Mon!,Item: Burstcap Mushroom].

Untouched by most anything except for nature in thousands of years, the greater Suramar region is home to a variety of different plant species that have grown unchecked. As such, the local flora has reclaimed many elven ruins in the area that were abandoned during the War of the Ancients. One of the most common plants seen in Suramar today is the morning glory vine, a type of weed typically found growing throughout many of the region’s ancient structures [Item: Morning Glory Vine].

The bloodberry bush is a wild plant that grows all over Azeroth. Although it is usually considered something of a nuisance wherever it sprouts, the bush’s berries are coveted by both chefs and alchemists [Quest: Open for Business]. Most commonly, chefs use bloodberries as a key ingredient in some culinary delicacies, the most famous of which is the bloodberry tart [Item: Bloodberry Tart, World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 149]. Alchemists, however, like to use bloodberries – specifically, a unique type of bloodberry native to the Isle of Quel’Danas – for another reason. When exposed to the energies of the Sunwell, the plant develops special properties that can then be distilled and made into an elixir that magnifies one’s abilities [Quest: Open for Business,Item: Bloodberry Elixir].

The Kafa’kota bush only grows in high elevations on Kota Peak in Kun-Lai summit, making it a rare and rather expensive plant [Quest: Gourmet Kafa, Quest: Kota Blend]. The local grummles make a living by harvesting seeds from the berries that grow on Kafa’kota bushes and distilling them into an addictive drink popularly known as Kafa’kota Blend – or Kafa for short [Quest: Kota Blend, Quest: Trouble Brewing]. After the grummles cut the seeds out of the berries, they roast them, ground them, and then brew them in pure water to make the final product [NPC: Uncle Keenbean Dialogue]. The grummles also sometimes make special Kafa blends using Kafa’kota seeds that have passed through the digestive systems of the mountain’s native wildlife [Quest: Gourmet Kafa].

Kafa’kota berries are edible and can be eaten on their own [Page: Kafa’kota Berry]. Those who ingest them are typically prone to sudden bursts of activity followed by a period of intense lethargy, although additional side effects include moodiness and crankiness [Buff: Kafa-Crazy, Buff: Kafa Rush, Buff: Kafa Crash, Quest: Trouble Brewing]. Despite Kafa’s many drawbacks, however, it is an ideal drink for when one wishes to sober up [Item: Keenbean Kafa, Item: Kafa Press, Item: Cup of Kafa].

Few plants are as versatile as the darkblossom, a small purple flower that can be used for anything from treating wounds to seasoning food. The plant’s usefulness, combined with the fact that it grows all over Darkmoon Island, makes it particularly valuable to members of the Darkmoon Faire [Quest: Herbs for Healing].

Both the flora and fauna of the Plaguelands have been deeply ravaged by the Scourge – even today, Scourge constructs work to continuously re-plague the land, polluting and killing much of the region’s plant life [Quest: Postponing the Inevitable]. That said, a small variety of vegetation still grows in the Plaguelands, undeterred by the efforts of the undead. One such plant, called banshee’s bells, grows along the eastern bank of the Thondroril River [Quest: Greasing the Wheel]. This flower’s tenacity in spite of its environment is particularly fascinating as the only thing banshee’s bells are known for is their delicate nature [Item: Banshee’s Bells].

Hmmm. HMMMMM.

I’m not reblogging the original post because I don’t want the person that made these tags to feel targeted by the rampage that I’m about to go on. This is a very commonly held belief among new fans from Season 8, and if possible, I’m here to change that.

First. If we are sticking to Hels hermits as per the original context of the post, a few clarifications. Hels as the concept we understand is pure fan conjecture, if an incredibly popular one. There are only two canon “Hels” hermits: the ever-popular Evil Xisuma, and Helsknight. Evil Xisuma as a character has existed-coming in and out of relevance and lore-since Season 3. As of Season 6 Xisuma had fridged the character without intention of reviving him, but Season 8 changed that much to the celebration of his fans. Helsknight didn’t appear until Season 7, and while he is a fan favorite a lizard can count on one hand the amount of appearances he’s made outside of fan content.

Now we can move backward through time from Season 8, picking up a few plotlines and lore elements both big and small like pansies in our basket along the way. Join me, and if you feel so inspired, delve into the history of Hermitcraft as I did and experience these events for yourselves.

Season 7

• Helsknight
• The Mycelium War
• The Mayoral Race

Season 6

• The Banishing of Evil Xisuma
• Concorp (an Extension of Convex)
• Area 77
• The Hermitcraft Civil War

Season 5

• Convex
• The Eggplant That Ended the World
• Hermitcraft Environmental Protection Agency (an entity that carried over into Seasons 6 and 7)

Season 4

• LOGFELLAS
• Sheriff False

Season 3

• A Very Murderous Biffa
• Evil Xisuma
• The Summoning of ImpulseSV

Season 2

• Genny’s Angels
• The Monuments Building Club

Season 1

• Jeff the Minion and the Midas Curse
• The Agency (an entity that persisted in some capacity until Biffa left the server in Season 6)
• Dinnerbone
• Aureylian’s Suspicious Hermit-Collecting Habits