G'Hanir
- For the artifact, see
[G'Hanir, the Mother Tree].
G'Hanir, also called the Mother Tree and the Great Bough,[1] is the domain of the Wild God Aviana. It is located in the Emerald Dream and is the tallest tree, atop the tallest peak, with its fruit containing the seeds of all Azerothian trees. It serves as an afterlife for all winged creatures of Azeroth including even dragons, all of which could be seen flying amongst its many branches.[2][3]
G'Hanir died with its mistress Aviana when she was killed by demons of the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients, and the tree lost all its leaves. However, Aviana set out to restore it in Cataclysm after her resurrection,[2] and as of Warlords of Draenor it seems to be restored, as Aviana sought to invite the arakkoa and offer them a place on the Mother Tree.[1]
History
Ancient times
G'Hanir was created at the dawn of the ordering of Azeroth as the first thing Freya shaped within the Emerald Dream. It was a source of healing and balance, a place where all life could rest and survive. From it bloomed many fruits and flowers, and new life flowed outwards in waves, sweeping across the land. Freya sculpted many pools of life in other locations within the Dream, but G'Hanir was the first, the tallest, and the most radiant. For millennia, it served as a source of healing and balance that extended beyond the Dream and into the physical world.[2] According to one legend, the titan Eonar was given a branch from G'Hanir by Elune to help battle the darkness of the Old Gods. She planted G'Hanir's sapling on Azeroth to grow a tree which she named Elun'Ahir, and Eonar watched with pleasure as everywhere the roots stretched, new life emerged.[4]
As life flourished on Azeroth, generations of animals came and went. Soon the Emerald Dream was filled with the spirits of countless beasts, and G'Hanir became a haven for winged creatures. Its many boughs and branches had room for all, and its healing, peaceful energy calmed even the most distressed minds. Many powerful spirits were drawn to G'Hanir. Some wanted to simple gaze upon it; others wanted to sit at its base and bask in its shade for a while. One powerful spirit that was drawn to G'Hanir never left: the Wild God, Aviana.[2]
Aviana grew enchanted with G'Hanir, as it was more than a tree; it was a source of life, healing, and peace. Aviana spent years melding her power into the tree, and soon all winged creatures of Azeroth dreamed of spending the afterlife flying through its branches. Aviana's spirit became tied with G'Hanir, and in time this would have lasting consequences.[2]
War of the Ancients
G'Hanir died during the War of the Ancients when Aviana was killed by demons of the Burning Legion.[5] The shock of Aviana's death reverberated through the Dream, and all the leaves of G'Hanir fell from their branches. Many mourned it, and some succumbed to the temptation of serving dark forces in Aviana's absence. But although she had died, her spirit lingered. As the night elves struggled to rebuild their society in the wake of the Great Sundering, the green dragonflight discovered a gift: A single branch from the Mother Tree, with a single acorn hanging from its leaves, had been left in their care. Alexstrasza of the red dragonflight used the acorn to grow Nordrassil, the World Tree.[2]
Malfurion Stormrage sensed that it had been Aviana's spirit that had given the branch to them, and he believed it was best to keep it hidden. Many of Aviana's children had been lost to chaos, and they might be driven to claim the remnant of Aviana's legacy for their new masters. Quietly, Malfurion moved the branch to a safe location within the Emerald Dream. Few knew of its location, but its influence was felt far and wide. For many millennia, the branch served as a stabilizing force for the Dream, and the land near it was said to be a place of great healing and peace.[2]
Recent times
Ten thousand years later, Aviana was one of several Wild Gods brought back from death to defend Mount Hyjal from the forces of the fire Elemental Lord Ragnaros. After the mountain was saved, Aviana turned her attention to G'Hanir once again. Times had changed, but her dream of providing a spiritual haven for her kind had not. She set out to restore the Mother Tree to its full glory.[2]
During the war in Draenor, Aviana had an interest in giving the arakkoa a place on the Great Bough, and sought a way into offering the species an invitation.[1]
See also
Speculation
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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.
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- Mount Neverest is the tallest mountain in all Azeroth,[6] so if G'Hanir being "atop the tallest peak" is literal that might mean it is atop the Emerald Dream's equivalent of Neverest.
- Mount Hyjal has also been called the highest mountain,[7] and it would be poetic for G'Hanir to be in the equivalent location of its sapling Nordrassil, so it may instead be atop the Dream's version of Hyjal.
References
- ^ a b c
[40H] Aviana's Request
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tome of the Ancients
- ^ The Demon Soul, chapter 15
- ^
[The Legend of Elun'Ahir]
- ^ The Sundering, pg. 358
- ^ Mists of Pandaria zone preview: Kun Lai Summit
- ^ Choluna#Quotes
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