World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1

by Blizzard Entertainment

  This single victory not only heartened the pandaren but also drew other races to the rebellion. The hozen, the jinyu, the grummles, and a burly race of bovine creatures (called the yaungol) all joined the effort to topple the mogu empire.

  Bit by bit, the revolution grew. Kang was right: the mogu had grown too reliant on their slaves, and as more rebelled, the empire fell into chaos. The grummles, masters of communication and trade, disrupted mogu supply lines. The mighty yaungol led raiding parties to wreak havoc in the northwest. The wily hozen dug tunnels to infiltrate the mightiest mogu strongholds. The mystic jinyu communed with the waters of the land to glean the future, telling Kang’s forces where to strike and when to run.

  Eventually Lao-Fe’s forces retreated to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, the royal seat of the mogu empire. Kang knew the enchanted land could sustain them for as long as they desired. Thus, to defeat the mogu, the rebels needed to expose themselves and launch an attack.

  Kang did not hesitate to do so. He personally led the charge, striking deep into the vale. He fought Lao-Fe hand to hand and defeated him, but the pandaren sustained mortal wounds in return.

  The Slavebinder and the former slave died together.

  Flushed with victory, some of the freed slaves considered seeking revenge against the surviving mogu, butchering them as they had butchered their vassals for millennia. Yet one of Kang’s most promising students calmed their bloodlust. As a secretive keeper of pandaren history, the pupil Song had memorized many of Master Kang’s philosophies and tales. Song retold Kang’s stories again and again to the liberated slaves, reminding them about his commitment to true justice, not revenge. He walked from one end of the fallen empire to the other for the rest of his life, sharing Kang’s wisdom and urging all creatures to find emotional balance within themselves.

  THE SHA

  When Y’Shaarj died, its blighted remains scattered across the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and the surrounding regions. In time, the Old God’s evil seeped into the land itself.

  During his journeys, Song became keenly aware of this dark power that lurked in the earth. Y’Shaarj’s lingering essence latched onto and amplified negative emotions, giving rise to malevolent spirits known as the sha. By spreading Kang’s teachings, Song hoped that he could help the pandaren and other races negate the Old God’s influence and nullify the sha.

  As Song’s stories spread, others began to follow in his footsteps. More and more pandaren traveled the land, telling stories and encouraging inner peace in all they met. These “Lorewalkers,” as they would eventually be named, became not only skilled storytellers but also conflict mediators, defusing tense situations with allegories and parables that would help all sides see reason and find a middle ground.

  So began a time of peace and prosperity in and around the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. The pandaren, along with the other races that called the region home, flourished. A new empire—one built on the principles of justice, wisdom, and benevolence—emerged to watch over the war-torn land.

  When the mogu empire was at its height, an intelligent bovine race known as the yaungol roamed the grassy plains of central Kalimdor. These burly creatures lived in harmony with nature, following the guidance of the wise demigod Cenarius.

  Unlike many of the other Wild Gods, Cenarius was more humanoid in appearance. The majestic half-stag, draped in a cloak of flowers and vines, often walked among the nomadic yaungol. He taught these creatures the secrets of the wilds, and he delighted in watching them flourish.

  Eventually, the yaungol grew weary of sharing hunting grounds with nearby trolls and decided to seek new lands. Although their beloved demigod Cenarius urged them to stay and make peace, they set out to the south. They hunted and foraged for food all the way to the edge of the mogu empire.

  The emperor of the time, Qiang the Merciless, found the yaungol and their immense physical strength fascinating. He ordered his flesh-shapers to capture the nomads and transform them into even mightier and more intelligent servants, while at the same time tempering their more savage instincts. The yaungol suffered under the tyranny of mogu oppression for generations until they rose up alongside the other slaves to overthrow their cruel masters.

  Although the yaungol gained their freedom, they had lost much. Their strong oral storytelling tradition had all but vanished due to strict mogu laws that forbade them from discussing their heritage. Much of their rich history had faded away. Some yaungol clung to the faint memories and incomplete myths of a benevolent demigod who had once watched over them. Others insisted that the yaungol should abandon all tradition and forge a new destiny by force. The disagreements grew heated and, on certain occasions, even led to bloodshed. Most yaungol despised the violence and set out to the north, determined to return to a life of hunting and living among the spirits of nature.

  Some of the more nomadic tribes traveled all the way across the continent, only stopping when they reached the frigid climes near the Storm Peaks. Other tribes settled in the balmy areas of central Kalimdor and reunited with their ancient benefactor, Cenarius. Returning to their ancestral hunting grounds allowed them to rediscover their old traditions. Those who studied with Cenarius learned the druidic magic of the natural world, while others mastered the arts of wielding shamanic powers.

  Yet not all yaungol left the vale. Those who stayed behind quickly found themselves at odds with the pandaren and other liberated slaves. The mogu flesh-shaping had not completely subdued the yaungol’s bold nature, and conflict after conflict ignited over matters of land and resources.

  Fearing an open war with their former allies, the yaungol moved west, settling outside the Serpent’s Spine. That left them exposed to the mantid, and every one hundred years, the swarm would threaten to exterminate their people. The mantid cycle and constant infighting among these yaungol led to a strong warrior tradition, one that would make them far more savage than the tribes that had gone north.

  Over the passing of generations, the energies emanating from the Well of Eternity and keeper-wrought machineries around Kalimdor changed the yaungol in unique ways. Those near the vale would keep the name “yaungol,” though they grew more warlike than their distant cousins. Those in central Kalimdor, close to the Well of Eternity, would take the name “tauren.” The tribes that ventured to the north, near the Forge of Wills, would be called “taunka,” and they would adapt to the region’s icy terrain.

  These far-flung groups maintained contact with one another for many years, but when the Great Sundering eventually shattered the world, all connection between the tribes was lost.

  The Zandalari had always maintained a distant relationship with the mogu following Lei Shen’s death. Though the trolls found the mogu’s knowledge of arcane magic useful, they loathed the constant intra-clan strife and tense political maneuvering. When it became clear that no mogu clan would establish total dominance, the Zandalari refrained from pledging their loyalties to any one faction in particular.

  But they never forgot the promise Lei Shen had made to them: a large plot of land near the Vale of Eternal Blossoms would forever belong to the trolls. When at long last the mogu empire crumbled, the Zandalari saw an opportunity to take what they believed was rightfully theirs. They did not move immediately. Internal debate raged in the Zandalari capital of Zuldazar about whether the territory should be taken by diplomacy or force.

  In the end, it was a descendant of the great high priest Zulathra who made the strongest case. His name was Mengazi, and he knew that the pandaren would be unlikely to honor the Zandalari’s agreement with the mogu. The former slaves had also overthrown their masters, and as such, they could be strong enough to mount a fierce resistance against the trolls if given time to prepare. To succeed in claiming their land, the trolls would need to strike without warning and with enough force to shatter the pandaren’s will.

  To this end, the trolls marched south, intent on seizing a fertile region north of Kun-Lai Summit. The Zandalari stormed the main settlement in the a
rea—a tranquil pandaren farming village. Imbued with mystic powers and riding atop colossal saurian war mounts, the trolls slaughtered almost every single resident of the settlement. The Zandalari ranks then pushed into the Jade Forest, a dense jungle that had become the heart of the newly established pandaren empire.

  When word of the invasion reached other pandaren settlements, panic seized them. No standing army existed to thwart the trolls. In the decades since the slave revolution, few had seen the need to carry on the militaristic ways of the mogu, preferring instead to let all residents live in peace, without an overarching authority. The only real fighting force was an order of monks, charged by the pandaren emperor to patrol the Serpent’s Spine and stand against the periodic mantid swarm.

  Though the monks raced from the Serpent’s Spine to defend their lands against the trolls, they found themselves hopelessly outnumbered and outmaneuvered. The trolls were employing a form of warfare none had ever seen, descending into battle on the backs of reptilian pterrorwings and giant bats. The pandaren had no means to counter these ferocious aerial attacks.

  Ultimately, salvation came from a young pandaren named Jiang. When she was but a child, she had found a cloud serpent hatchling, alone and badly injured after a terrible storm had destroyed his nest. At the time, the pandaren regarded the flying cloud serpents as untamable and violent beasts, but Jiang nursed him back to health and befriended him. Those in her village often saw them flying the skies together.

  As the monks fought a losing battle atop the cliffs of the Jade Forest, Jiang and her serpentine companion, Lo, swooped down from the clouds. Lo’s fury and fire broke the Zandalari ranks, forcing them to retreat. News of the victory spread throughout the empire, and others followed in Jiang’s footsteps. They tamed the powerful cloud serpents, and soon a small army arose to fly into battle at Jiang’s side. These brave pandaren became known as the Order of the Cloud Serpent.

  PANDAREN SERPENT RIDERS STRIKE AT THE ZANDALARI TROLLS

  The tide of the war had turned. The trolls knew there was little they could do to win by conventional means, so Mengazi turned to a final tactic: resurrecting the Thunder King, Lei Shen.

  Lei Shen had granted the Zandalari the secret to his revival, not trusting any of his mogu underlings to do it for him if he were ever killed. The trolls knew the Thunder King would have the power to purge the troublesome serpent riders and destroy any army on the ground. A pitched battle erupted near the Tomb of Conquerors, where Lei Shen’s corpse was enshrined. Jiang sacrificed herself in a final, desperate attack, killing Mengazi. The other Zandalari soon broke ranks and fled back to their homeland in shame. Through her heroic act, Jiang had prevented the trolls from resurrecting the terrible Thunder King.

  There was great celebration throughout the empire, but also mourning over the lives lost, especially Jiang’s. For decades after the conflict, Lo was seen circling the skies above the Jade Forest, as though searching for his old friend and rider. The other serpent riders honored Jiang’s memory by codifying her teachings. Within the Order of the Cloud Serpent, her tradition of training and befriending the majestic creatures would survive for millennia to come.

  Before their war with the aqir, the troll tribes claimed large swaths of Kalimdor. Many of these groups, such as the Gurubashi and the Amani, clashed with each other over hunting grounds and territory. Yet one tribe was unconcerned with these battles for land and power. Known as dark trolls, they lived in a network of deep caverns that stretched beneath Mount Hyjal. They abhorred daylight, only emerging from their underground burrows at night. The dark trolls’ nocturnal habits changed them over time, turning their blue-hued skin into shades of gray.

  The dark trolls cherished their independence from greater troll society, and they largely ignored the activities of other tribes. Unlike their Gurubashi and Amani cousins, they longed for a peaceful connection to the natural world. Dark troll mystics often sought ways to commune with the land and live in harmony with it. Many of these trolls gradually migrated toward the center of Kalimdor. They explored the labyrinthine groves at the heart of the continent, crossing paths with the elusive faerie dragons, chimaeras, and dryads. In time, the dark trolls also discovered an enormous lake of scintillating energies, a lake they would later know as the Well of Eternity.

  Mesmerized by their discovery, the dark trolls settled along the Well of Eternity’s shores. Over generations, the energies radiating from the lake suffused the trolls’ flesh and bones, elevating their forms to match their graceful spirits. They transformed into highly intelligent and virtually immortal beings. These former trolls gradually abandoned their ancient heritage and traditions. The tribe’s mystics began worshipping the moon goddess, Elune, who they believed was bound to the Well of Eternity itself. They claimed that the deity slumbered within the fount’s depths during daylight hours.

  The former trolls also discovered the name “Kalimdor” and other titan-forged words from communing with Elune and investigating strange artifacts scattered around the Well’s periphery. Influenced by this newfound language, they called themselves kaldorei—“children of the stars”—or night elves.

  SISTERHOOD OF ELUNE

  The city of Suramar became the center of night elf worship and home to the Sisterhood of Elune. This order, composed of female night elves, dedicated itself to venerating the moon goddess. The Sisterhood’s priestesses had a hand in nearly all aspects of early night elf civilization, from acting as spiritual leaders to helping defend their burgeoning territories from outside threats.

  The trees, flowers, and woodland creatures silently watched the night elves flourish, whispering news of them to the Wild Gods of Hyjal. Among them, the demigod Cenarius took a keen interest in these newcomers at the Well of Eternity’s shores. The night elves would claim he was the son of the great White Stag, Malorne, and Elune herself. Cenarius adored the night elves and believed they had the potential to become great caretakers of nature. He befriended the fledgling race and taught them about the natural world. It was Cenarius’s hope that the night elves would strive to live in harmony with the wilds.

  For many centuries, the night elves did. They built a graceful society around the Well of Eternity. The capital of their small nation was called Elun’dris, or “the Eye of Elune,” and it was founded on the shores of the fount of power. The night elves also honed their ties with the surrounding woodlands and their myriad inhabitants. Cenarius guided the night elves when necessary, pleased by the wisdom and benevolence that thrummed in their hearts.

  But in time, many of the night elves yearned for a different life. These individuals became obsessed with unlocking the Well of Eternity’s secrets. They rigorously studied the fount’s arcane energies, becoming learned sorcerers. They harnessed the powers of the arcane lake and constructed wondrous temples and roadways around it. Magic became an inseparable part of life as the night elves reveled in the power at their fingertips. Pushing the boundaries of their intellect became the driving force of their culture.

  It was during this era of unprecedented growth that the night elves’ most prolific leader came to power. Her name was Queen Azshara. Through her unbridled ambition, she would elevate her people to extraordinary new heights … and sow the seeds of their destruction.

  Beautiful and wise beyond her years, Queen Azshara embodied the most coveted traits of her people. She indulged in sorcerous pursuits and constructed a breathtaking, bejeweled palace on the shores of the Well of Eternity. There, the most powerful nobles—who became known as the quel’dorei, or “Highborne”—answered to her every beck and call.

  The Highborne were incredibly gifted and ambitious sorcerers. Some, such as Lady Vashj, served as the queen’s adoring and loyal handmaidens. Others, like Lord Xavius, were consulted by Azshara in matters of governance and acted as trusted advisors. But no matter what specific role these Highborne played at the queen’s side, all of them occupied the upper echelon of night elf society. They believed themselves to be superior to the rest o
f their race, a fact that drew the ire of the “lower born” night elves.

  But such contempt did not extend to Azshara. Although the queen was born of the highest noble pedigree, night elves of every social standing adored her. The elves were so enamored with their queen that they renamed their wondrous capital Zin-Azshari, or “the Glory of Azshara,” in her honor.

  Under Azshara, night elf civilization blossomed into a sprawling empire, a dreamscape of gilded spires, vast cities, and other marvels that would not be seen again even in the modern age. Networks of luminescent causeways, limned by the silver light of Elune, radiated out to the far corners of Kalimdor.

  At Azshara’s behest, expeditionary forces set out to explore the world and also spread the empire’s borders. They often returned to Zin-Azshari with samples of exotic flora and fauna, and tales of the mythical dragonflights that ruled the roof of the world. The expeditionary forces also founded dozens of outposts and repositories, such as Shandaral in the icy northern forest of Moonsong, Then’Ralore in the lush central wilds (later known as the Barrens), and Eldre’Thalas in the southern jungles of Feralas. The queen herself oversaw the building of a wondrous new temple to Elune, a sprawling expanse of gem-encrusted bridges and effervescent lakes at the western edge of Kalimdor. Upon its completion, she named the mesmerizing grounds Lathar’Lazal, or “Seat of the Sky.”

  Not since the Black Empire in ages past had a territory grown so vast in size and scope. The immense influence Azshara held over the world and its denizens eclipsed even Lei Shen’s wildest dreams of power.