Aluneth (entity)

This article is about the arcane entity. For the staff named after it, see  [Aluneth].

Aluneth
Race(s)	Arcane entity
Location	Sealed within the Greatstaff of the Magna
Status	Active

Aluneth is a strange, fickle and powerful entity of pure arcane energy hailing from another plane of existence. It was eventually defeated by the Guardian Aegwynn and bound to an enchanted greatstaff that would come to bear its name, where it remains to this day.

Biography

The first creatures on Azeroth to discover Aluneth were the wise dragons of the blue dragonflight. While manipulating the fabric of reality, they tapped into another realm of existence and made contact with the strange arcane entity. Intrigued by the being's existence, the dragons summoned Aluneth into their stronghold, the Nexus, for further study. The entity immediately went on a rampage, destroying countless tomes and artifacts before it was contained by the dragons, who, rather than being angry, were delighted by the creature's capricious nature. After years of conducting harmless experiments on Aluneth to sate their curiosity, the dragons sent the creature back to its home realm.

Years later, a Highborne sorcerer named Meitre came into contact with an unknown blue dragon, from whom he learned of the existence of Aluneth and the plane where it dwelled. Though he never found a way to enslave Aluneth, Meitre found a way to draw power from the entity to enhance his own spells. During the War of the Ancients, Meitre mastered his connection to the being, and on one occasion used this power to mass teleport himself and a group of night elf resistance forces to safety away from an overwhelming force of demons.

After the War of the Ancients, the night elves outlawed the use of arcane magic, as they believed that continuing to wield it would only lead to another disaster. Meitre refused, quailing at the thought of losing his connection to Aluneth, and retreated from society to become a recluse. He left behind many scrolls that would continue to be used in the study of magic for millennia, but the existence of Aluneth was forgotten by all until the time of the Guardian Aegwynn. Realizing that Meitre had wielded more power than any regular sorcerer should have been capable of, Aegwynn discovered a series of lost scrolls by Meitre which detailed both Aluneth and the spells used to tap into the being's power.

Resolving to bind Aluneth to her will to use it as a weapon against the Burning Legion, Aegwynn summoned the entity to Azeroth with ease, but it refused to obey her commands. It thrashed against her containment magics and nullified her spellwork, but the Guardian reveled in the challenge. After many setbacks, she finally succeeded in binding the entity to an enchanted greatstaff that would come to bear the creature's name:  [Aluneth]. However, it would take several more years before the Guardian was able to truly harness its power.

During her battle against the avatar of Sargeras, Aegwynn called upon Aluneth to assist her, but as the being refused her commands she was forced to instead summon another greatstaff, Atiesh, to aid her in battle. Even though she defeated the avatar, a portion of its spirit had been transferred into Aegwynn's soul, darkening her thoughts and driving her to distance herself from her allies, the Council of Tirisfal. Aegwynn resolved to create a hidden refuge in the form of a great tower, using Aluneth to warp reality around her until the tower known henceforth as Karazhan rose from the earth.

Aegwynn eventually gave birth to a son, Medivh, who became possessed from birth as Sargeras' spirit passed from the mother into the child. Years later, Medivh allowed the orcish Horde entry into Azeroth, forcing Aegwynn to confront him. Despite the aid of Aluneth, Aegwynn was unable to best her son and only narrowly escaped with her life. Medivh was later vanquished, but that brought Aegwynn little solace, and she eventually retreated into exile, entrusting Aluneth — and the entity within — to the Kirin Tor of Dalaran. To prevent anyone from abusing Aluneth's power, the Kirin Tor locked the staff away in the Nexus Vault, where it would remain for years under the protection of the blue dragons.

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Main article: Aluneth

During the Burning Legion's third invasion of Azeroth, arcane mage adventurers journey to the Nexus in search of Aegwynn's greatstaff. With the help of Azuregos, they defeat the sinister Ethereum forces in the area that are seeking to "become void" before venturing alone into the Nexus Vault. While Aluneth begins to whisper to them, the adventurer uses the same ancient scrolls of Meitre that Aegwynn once used to subdue the entity and nullify its magics. While Aluneth considers the adventurer little more than a child that's unworthy to wield its power, the entity agrees to let itself be claimed by the mage in order to see what they are made of.

Aluneth continues to communicate with the adventurer during their adventures in the Broken Isles, frequently urging them to turn on their allies and unleash the full power they have at their command.

When an image of Aegwynn appears within the Cathedral of Eternal Night, Aluneth initially responds with fear, declaring that she will not bind it again. But upon realizing that it is only an echo, Aluneth assures the Archmage that it is nothing to be concerned about.

Trivia

• Aluneth is voiced by Matthew Mercer.