Dimensional ship

A naaru dimensional ship in concept art.

"Naaru Core" by Peter Lee.

Dimensional ships^[1] (or trans-dimensional ships)^[2] are vessels created and operated by the naaru that can travel between worlds and dimensions, traversing the Twisting Nether just as normal ships traverse the air and sea, and warp time itself.^[3]

Bigger versions of dimensional ships are called dimensional fortresses, of which only two are known, the Genedar^[4] and Tempest Keep.^[5] Tempest Keep has "automated" defenses such as the ability to fly and teleport itself and anything in it by the use of magic in the stead of technology.^[5] The Exodar is originally a satellite structure of Tempest Keep.

Dimensional ships were useful when evacuating important populations from the encroachment of the Burning Legion, such as K'ure's rescue of the draenei with the Genedar. Naaru are their own ships' powerhouses. Traveling across the cosmos requires incredible amounts of energy, however, draining the naaru immensely.^[6]^[7]

Known dimensional ships and purpose

Tempest Keep - Dimensional fortress
- The Eye - The central structure of Tempest Keep featuring the ship's bridge and the ability to store massive amounts of harvested mana.
- The Arcatraz - Now a prison for the dangerous beings the naaru encountered in their travels.^[8]
- The Mechanar - Engineering factory.
- The Botanica - Flora research atrium.
- The Exodar - Unknown. Current sections are themed for trade, Light, and shamanism. Also has a large demon museum. It is possible that the Exodar was used (or was designed to be used) as a housing area or general living quarters for the inhabitants, with space for taking care of day-to-day necessities. This would have made it the ideal section to take for the draenei, needing the living space and not knowing the length of time they would be traveling.
The Genedar - Planetary evacuation.^[9]
Aurobos - Used by High Commander Lothraxion and reinforcements from the Army of the Light to travel to Netherlight Temple and aid the Conclave.^[10]
The Xenedar - The vessel of the Army of the Light, crashed on Argus.

In Hearthstone

This section contains information exclusive to Hearthstone and is considered non-canon.

In The Great Dark Beyond expansion, seven new starships appear along with respective starship pieces for the Neutral, Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Druid, and Rogue classes. The Legion ship, The Nether's Eye is the starship for the Warlock class.

The Exile's Hope - Planetary evacutaion. Shows resemblance to The Genedar and the Xenedar. Carries a Dimensional Core and Arkonite Defense Crystal as the Exodar and maintained by a Crystal Welder.
The Celestial Archive - Sha'tar starship led by Exarch Othaar, the future Socrethar. Preserves the accumulated knowledge and history of the draenei people, untainted by the Man'ari eredar's corruption. Carries a Starlight Reactor and a Sha'tari Cloakfield.
The Astral Compass - Rangari starship led by Exarch Naielle. Animal sanctuary for uncorrupted Argussian fauna and study of alien wildlife. Carries a Biopod and Specimen Claw and can perform a Laser Barrage.
The Spirit's Passage - Auchenai starship led by Exarch Maladaar. Preserves the bodies of dead draenei and eredar alike. Maladaar uses the starship as inspiration to create Auchindoun. An incident regarding an Airlock Breach caused at least one Unfortunate Soul to Suffocate. Carries a Soulbound Spire and a Guiding Figure on the mast.
The Legion's Bane - Voronei starship led by Dirdra, Rebel Captain. Modified with fel magic and Legion tech to become the antithesis to Legion ships with a Shattershard Turret, Felfused Reactor and Warp Drive to Infiltrate Legion enemy lines.
The Scavenger's Will - Salvage ship targeted by Talgath. Carries The Gravitational Displacer to haul in asteroids and can do a Barrel Roll.

Notes

Chris Metzen, about the Exodar and the fan's worries about Warcraft including too many elements from science-fiction, originally explained that it is far more than a spaceship from classical science-fiction such as the Millenium Falcon, it does not just "barrel roll", it is part of a bigger, teleporting dimensional fortress, home to the draenei people, and while they were introducing a number of naaru technologies, they planned to keep it reasonable and balanced.^[11]
Dimensional ships work like "hyperdrive" or "slipstream"; that is, the ship enters another realm of existence (or in scientifically incorrect terms, another "dimension") - the Twisting Nether - instead of traversing cosmic space (the Great Dark Beyond). Thus, hyper-accelerated space-travel occurs when the ship moves through an alternate "dimension". When the Exodar crashed, it materialized in the sky above the Azuremyst Isles and fell to the ground when the blood elves commanded by Kael'thas tampered with the engines.
In the Heroes of the Storm promotional art for the CraftWars event, the Spear of Adun, the Khalai flagship and hub for the Legacy of the Void expansion appears as a dimensional ship along with its leader, Draenei Executor Artanis.

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

The Burning Legion have their own Legion ships and have had them at least since the War of the Ancients as holograms of them could be seen. Considering that the Legion has incorporated many draenei into its ranks, it might have been easy for them to replicate the technology used by naaru dimensional ships.
The Vindicaar‎, a vessel built by the draenei to return to Argus, could be a dimensional ship.