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What Happened to the Night Elves? The Sundering Explained
Willo
About 10,000 years ago, the night elves' Queen Azshara and her Highborne nobles drew on the Well of Eternity and opened the way for the Burning Legion. The War of the Ancients ended when the Well collapsed and tore the continent apart: the Sundering. The survivors split into the night elves, the exiled high elves and other Highborne lines, including the ancestors of WoW Forever's Skyborne.
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How one people became many
What was the Well of Eternity?
A lake of raw magic at the heart of the ancient world. The night elves, the kaldorei, built a dazzling empire around it. Its most gifted users were the Highborne, nobles who served Queen Azshara.
What went wrong?
Hungry for more power, Azshara and the Highborne reached out to Sargeras and the Burning Legion, and opened the way for demons to enter the world. Night elves who opposed them (led by Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind, with help from dragons and demigods) fought the War of the Ancients.
When the Well finally collapsed, the explosion shattered the land: the Sundering. The single continent broke into the continents you know today, and the sea swallowed the old capital.
Where did everyone go?
| Group | What happened to them |
|---|---|
| Night elves | Turned away from arcane magic, followed nature and Elune, and planted the World Tree on Mount Hyjal |
| High elves | Highborne who kept practicing magic were exiled east and founded Quel'Thalas |
| Shen'dralar | Highborne who stayed in Eldre'Thalas (today's Dire Maul) |
| Skyborne | Descendants of Highborne exiles who made a pact with the wind spirits (WoW Forever only) |
Why does it matter in WoW Forever?
Because the Sundering explains half the map. Old night elf ruins in Ashenvale and Feralas, the Highborne halls of Dire Maul, the World Tree on Mount Hyjal and the new Skyborne all go back to that one catastrophe. And WoW Forever's new Shen'dralas storyline asks what remains of forgotten Highborne history.
Can Willo help me read the ruins?
Stand in a ruin in Ashenvale and ask me "Who built this?" With the free Lore Forever add-on, I know which ruin you mean, and the add-on can read its story aloud. Who is Elune? covers the night elves' faith.
FAQ
What was the Sundering in World of Warcraft?
The catastrophe that ended the War of the Ancients about 10,000 years ago, when the Well of Eternity collapsed and broke the ancient continent apart.
Who caused the War of the Ancients?
Queen Azshara and the Highborne, who opened the way for the Burning Legion through the Well of Eternity.
How are night elves and high elves related?
High elves descend from Highborne night elves who were exiled after the Sundering for continuing to practice arcane magic.
Are the Skyborne related to night elves?
Yes. The Skyborne descend from Highborne exiles, so they share ancient night elf ancestry.