Highborne

This article is about the night elven faction. For the Horde nightborne group, see Highborne (island expedition). For the Quel'dorei from the Eastern Kingdoms, see high elf.

Highborne
Highborne Sorcerer in Hearthstone
Main leader	Mordent Evenshade   Prince Farondis
Formerly	Prince Tortheldrin †   Dath'Remar Sunstrider †   Queen Azshara
Race(s)	Night elf
Character classes	Augur, Alchemist, Arcanist, Enchanter, Mage, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Summoner, Priest, Transmuter, Warlock, Warrior, Wizard
Capital	Bel'ameth
Formerly	Darnassus † Eldre'Thalas Zin-Azshari †
Language(s)	Darnassian, Common, Eredun
Affiliation	Shen'dralar (Darnassus), Kirin Tor, Court of Farondis, Independent
Formerly	Kaldorei Resistance, Kaldorei Empire, Burning Legion
Status	Active

“Ten thousand years ago... the Highborne lived here in prosperity. We considered ourselves above the common ranks of the other night elves. With our every need met by magic and wealth, we led lives of indulgence and amusement. And greed...”

— Kaldorei Spirit

The Highborne (or quel'dorei, meaning "children of noble birth" in Darnassian), were the upper class and a sect of the ancient night elf civilization composed of the favored servitors of Queen Azshara. They had an aptitude for magic. The Highborne were largely responsible for the War of the Ancients, and most of those Highborne who had allied with the demons and survived the war were turned into satyrs or naga. Those who allied with the Kaldorei Resistance before the last battle of the war found themselves exiled from Kalimdor, and eventually became the high elves of the Eastern Kingdoms.

Although to this day there are surviving Highborne, they are not treated as nobility by modern night elf society, and in practical terms the caste ceased to exist over ten millennia ago. One notable exception are the Shen'dralar, a holdout group against the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients. They were able to defend Eldre'Thalas (now known as Dire Maul) but in doing so became isolated from the rest of night elven society throughout the Long Vigil. However, after the Cataclysm, the Shen'dralar under the leadership of archmage Mordent Evenshade negotiated successfully to rejoin their kaldorei brethren in Teldrassil.

According to Brann Bronzebeard, there is little physical difference between the Highborne and the rest of the kaldorei (save perhaps being slightly pastier), but they consider themselves different enough.

History

Ancient times

Queen Azshara, ruler of the Kaldorei Empire over ten thousand years ago.

After the birth of the night elf race thanks to the energies from the Well of Eternity, the elves with an aptitude for magic became known as the Highborne. For generations, they lived in harmony with the druids, who were dedicated to preserving the raw power and splendor of the wilds. The Highborne were the upper classes of the ancient kaldorei civilization, at first this caste had no special name and was merely comprised of night elves who had unusual intelligence, strength, skills, or wealth and thus found favor with the ruling monarch. Their vast arrogance and greed, garish and multicolored clothing, and decadent habits did not endear them to other night elves. In fact, these powerful families became convinced that they were superior to the rest of their race, and so they began to call themselves the Highborne. As a member of the same caste, the queen Azshara approved of the term and made it official. Plumbing the depths of the great Well of Eternity for knowledge they discovered primitive magic; and as time passed, they distanced themselves from the lower castes and began using their rank to selfishly guard their magical power, restricting access to the magical Well of Eternity to only themselves.

Queen Azshara believed that the night elves had thus far only tapped a small portion of the fount's power, and pushed the Highborne to plumb its depths, to expand their knowledge and reach for new heights of cultural and technological advancement. The Queen's chosen used the Heart of Zin-Azshari to greatly magnify their power - it is said to have been key in their dominance of the Well. In their quest to learn its secrets, the Highborne discovered that they could manipulate the cosmic energies flowing from the Well. As their obsession grew, they drew magic from the Well's depths at reckless speed and channeled the chaotic energies into ever-greater spells. The Well was thrown into constant turmoil, dark storms broke out over its surface, and its waters darkened until they became utterly black.

The Highborne elves of Suramar City.

The access of arcane magic to the ruling caste began to split the kaldorei was hereditary; families that belonged to the highest caste frequently arranged marriages so as to maximize the magical ability of their offspring. This selective breeding, combined with frequent access to the Well of Eternity, resulted in night elves with progressively stronger magical abilities and a greater understanding of how to use those skills. A kaldorei without Highborne blood — such as Illidan Stormrage — could master arcane power if he so wished (and had access to it). In fact, the mastering of the arcane arts was common among the populace, resulting in organizations such as the Moon Guard, the official military sorcerers. Not all Highborne lived in Zin-Azshari, despite their obsession with the Well of Eternity. For a variety of political or personal reasons, certain members of the nobility opted to live outside the capital city.

The mages of Mennar Academy, who were among the first in the Kaldorei Empire to study the arcane and realize the Well's potential, worried about the possibility of arcane addiction and advocated caution, but this only put them in conflict with Queen Azshara and the Highborne in Zin-Azshari.

The Highborne of the Kaldorei Empire maintained friendly relations with their pandaren neighbors, who gifted them with an empty chest kept in their capital at the Ruins of Eldarath, which provided them with all the arcane magic their people would ever need, according to the pandaren, which was exactly nothing.

To the Highborne, Captain Varo'then and the Queen's Royal Guard were a necessary evil. They were servants of Azshara, but they lacked the noble blood and flamboyant airs of the others. Most considered them no better than those who had once lived beyond the walls of the palace. Nonetheless, Captain Varo'then had ways of quietly dealing with those who showed him contempt.

At one point, Stormheim was occupied by the Highborne, until vrykul forces led by king King Magnar Icebreaker launched a massive attack to reconquer their ancestral homeland, surprising the Highborne with their ferocity. For weeks the elves and vrykul skirmished, with the latter scoring immediate victories and gaining enough momentum to push the Highborne out of the city. The elves' last chance to reclaim Stormheim happened at the Battle of Suramar Pass, but in the end the vrykul stood victorious. The Highborne were ultimately forced to flee and never made a claim upon Stormheim again.

War of the Ancients

Queen Azshara holding a magical barrier to protect her followers from the Great Sundering.

Over time, the ever-more reckless use of magic by the Highborne and their queen led to their slow corruption and addiction to the power it granted, and the ripples sent into the Twisting Nether attracted the attention of the Burning Legion. Unbeknownst to greater night elf society, the Highborne had begun communing with the Dark Titan Sargeras, who hoped to use the sorcerers and their great magic to expedite the Legion's journey to Azeroth. Capitalizing on their hubris, Xavius was the first of the Highborne to hear his call. The fallen titan promised to grant Queen Azshara and her servitors unfathomable power, thereby allowing them to remake Kalimdor into a paradise, but only if they were summoned on the planet. Enthralled by Sargeras's might, Azshara and her Highborne accepted to open a great, swirling portal within the depths of the Well of Eternity, and soon, waves of demonic warriors hooded out from the queen's palace, murdering every night elf in their path save for their Highborne allies. Finally, giving themselves over to magic's inevitable corruption, the Highborne fell to darkness and began to worship Sargeras as their god.

In the cataclysmic conflict that followed, named the War of the Ancients, the demons swarmed over the lands of Kalimdor and laid siege to the lesser night elves' sleeping cities, leaving only ash and sorrow in their wake. In time, the brave warriors of the Empire rallied from the heinous betrayal of their rulers and rushed to defend their ancient homeland as the Kaldorei Resistance.

In time, the Legion bolstered its numbers with a new breed of demon, born from denizens of Azeroth itself. After his defeat against Malfurion Stormrage, Sargeras had warped Xavius's body into a satyr, and at his master's bidding, he set out to curse many of his fellow Highborne, transforming them into satyrs as well. On the other hand, the resistance also found allies among their Highborne enemies. A group of sorcerers, led by Dath'Remar Sunstrider, had come to realize that their allegiance to demons would bring ruin to Azeroth. They abandoned Azshara and ultimately pledged their lives to the resistance.

At some point, Prince Farondis rebelled and tried to use the Tidestone of Golganneth to destroy the Well and stop the invasion in Zin-Azshari. Unfortunately, a loyal noble to Azshara in his court betrayed him. In a frightening display of arcane power, Azshara remotely destroyed the Tidestone, releasing a wave of dark energy over all of Azsuna that shattered the region and cursed its citizens to live on as ghosts. Meanwhile, the Highborne of Mennar Academy used a Sarcen Stone to draw arcane energy away from the Legion's portal at the Well of Eternity, buying time for the rest of the world to fight back. This act cost them their lives when the demons came down on them, and history would not record these unsung heroes.

After reclaiming the Dragon Soul, Malfurion and his companions infiltrated Azshara's palace, where they discovered that many of the Highborne were in the midst of weaving a spell to strengthen their portal. In a desperate attempt, Malfurion drew on the potent energies of the Dragon Soul and lashed out a colossal thunderstorm that battered Zin-Azshari with ferocious winds and a barrage of lightning strikes, decimating the demons and Highborne within the city. His efforts to disrupt the ritual worked, and the portal to the Twisting Nether was ultimately closed before the Dark Titan could reach Azeroth. Unable to withstand the added magical strain, the fount of power collapsed on itself and pierced the planet's molten core, Zin-Azshari was blasted downward toward the ocean floor, Ancient Kalimdor was split apart, and the seas rushed in to fill the voids between the new landmasses. In the cataclysm, Queen Azshara, Vashj, and quite a few other Highborne were caught in the rushing waters.

After the Great Sundering

Naga of Nazjatar

Main article: Naga

Queen Azshara and her naga in Warbringers.

During the Great Sundering, as the ocean roared in to fill the void left by the destroyed Well of Eternity, Azshara used Sharas'dal to conjure a magical shield around herself and the Highborne, saving them from being crushed by the colossal waves. However, the howling ocean soon swallowed them all. As oblivion spread its arms and beckoned the desperate Highborne, a small fish with strange red eyes began speaking directly to Queen Azshara, revealing itself to be possessed by the Old God N'Zoth. Showing Azshara visions of the Black Empire that it had ruled over in ages past, it offered to save her in exchange for becoming its servant. The queen eventually convinced the Old God that she would not be a servant, but become a queen to rule at its side, to which N'Zoth reluctantly agreed, transforming her and the Highborne into naga. Their hearts became as black as the deepest ocean trenches, and hate enveloped their thoughts, while Azshara herself expanded with hate and rage and transformed into a massive monstrosity, reflecting the malice and wickedness that had always hidden within her core. Following their transformation, Azshara directed the naga into forging a new empire with its capital known as Nazjatar. They would rebuild their power and it would take over ten thousand years before the naga would reveal their existence to the surface world.

Nightborne of Suramar

Main article: Nightborne

The nightborne of Suramar were once the Highborne elves who fought the Burning Legion in the War of the Ancients, closing a second demonic portal with the Eye of Aman'Thul, which would have overtaken and outflanked the Kaldorei Resistance. Prior to the invasion, Elisande and her small sect of Highborne sorcerers were fiercely loyal to Queen Azshara, excelling at acquiring ancient relics and artifacts, the greatest of which were the Pillars of Creation that the titan-forged had used in ancient times to shape Azeroth. Convinced that the demonic portal would destroy them all, Elisande and her followers severed their ties with the other Highborne before gathering the Pillars of Creation and using them to seal the portal with a set of unbreakable magical seals.

While the Great Sundering submerged a part of Suramar to the bottom of the Great Sea, a good portion of it remained above the water in the Broken Isles due to the magical shield. Under the lead of Elisande, this shield would stay up for 10,000 years, as the Highborne-led group believed the world outside Suramar had been destroyed. Under their shield in a perpetual shroud of night, they evolved into an even deeper night-based state over millennia, sustained by the energies of their arcane font, the Nightwell, which they created with the Eye of Aman'thul, one of the Pillars. It became a vital source of power that they relied on entirely for survival within the impenetrable shield. These night elves would come to call themselves the shal'dorei or nightborne. However, this dependence soon made them incapable of surviving without drawing magic from the Nightwell. By the time of the Fourth War, some of the nightborne magi still refer to themselves as having Highborne heritage.

Shen'dralar of Eldre'Thalas

Main article: Shen'dralar

Eldre'Thalas, the ancient Highborne city of the Shen'dralar Highborne in Feralas.

The Shen'dralar were Queen Azshara's most revered arcanists, charged with the storage and safekeeping of her most precious tomes. Within the walls of Eldre'Thalas the Queen's most important demands were processed - often in secret. Led by Prince Tortheldrin, the Shen'dralar dutifully obeyed their queen and journeyed into the misty heart of Kalimdor's southern jungles, where they established a grand city called Eldre'Thalas. A legend said that the Ancient Goldrinn came to their aid to help them defend their city against the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients.

When the Great Sundering later decimated the world, Eldre'Thalas narrowly escaped destruction. Only the efforts of Tortheldrin and his followers spared the city. Together, they wove a great spell to shield Eldre'Thalas from the destructive forces of the Sundering. Although they had saved their city, then Shen'dralar soon discovered that the Well of Eternity had been consumed in the Sundering. Without the fount of power to draw on, Tortheldrin and his followers saw their immortality greatly diminished. The Shen'dralar soon fell into a deep lethargy and languished in their isolated sanctuary.

Around 7,300 BDP, Prince Tortheldrin eventually formulated a plan to revitalize the Shen'dralar. He forged pylons in the halls of the west wing of Eldre'Thalas, constructing a prison to house a new source of power behind a grand force field: a demon named Immol'thar. Though dark and volatile, Immol'thar's power was invigorating and addictive, more so than the Well of Eternity had been. The siphoned energies would sustain the Highborne's magic, allowing those within the walls of Eldre'Thalas to feed their endless and growing magical pangs.

Thousands of years passed and the power required to keep Immol'thar imprisoned while sustaining life within Eldre'Thalas began to shift. Almost overnight, Tortheldrin's seemingly ingenious plan unraveled, and his access to the demon's magic was gone. Desperate to regain their powers and immortality once again, Tortheldrin and his Shen'dralar loyalists began murdering their fellow Highborne. At least one Highborne, named Azj'Tordin, has escaped death at the hands of Prince Tortheldrin, but most have not been so lucky. The prince's treacherous plan worked as the remaining elves could draw on Immol'thar's power indefinitely. With the Shen'dralar's numbers diminished, Tortheldrin and his followers abandoned much of their once-glorious city, which fell into darkness and despair, while creatures from the surrounding jungles moved in to stake their claim to the crumbling elven refuge.

High elves of Quel'Thalas

Main articles: High elf, Blood elf

In the following centuries following the War of the Ancients, the night elves adopted druidism and outlawed the practice of arcane magic, which became punishable by death. However, many Highborne who survived the Great Sundering grew restless, since they viewed magic as their birthright and suffered from magical withdrawal. At their head, Dath'Remar Sunstrider chafed at the restrictions that weighed on his kind. The Highborne dreamed of creating a new elven empire through the use of it and viewed magic as their birthright. They felt that the lower-caste majority had neither the right nor the ability to judge the safety of arcane magic, and foolishly attempted to convince the kaldorei of the power of magic by unleashing a magical storm upon Ashenvale.

Around 7,300 BDP, the night elves could not bring themselves to put so many of their kin to death, so they decided to exile the reckless Highborne from their lands and barred them from setting foot on Mount Hyjal ever again, cutting them off from the Well of Eternity's energies. Most of the Highborne happily accepted their banishment, glad to be rid of their conservative cousins and free to practice the arcane with impunity. They built a fleet of mighty ships and set sail upon the seas until they found a land, which would one day become known as the Eastern Kingdoms.

When they finally reached the nexus of ley lines they had been seeking since their arrival, Dath'Remar poured a vial of water from the Well of Eternity into a small lake at the center of the nexus. A brilliant fount of energy tore through the skies of Azeroth, and the Highborne dubbed this glorious cradle of power the Sunwell; a name chosen in honor of Dath'Remar and his bold quest to reignite their culture. They called their new land Quel'Thalas or "High Home" in Thalassian, and declared that it would dwarf the night elves' civilization and stand as a monument for the ages. In time, they would even be known by a new name: high elves, and from that point on, all had access to the Sunwell's powers from anywhere on Azeroth. Over time, the Sunwell's unique energies became part of them acutely and they came to regard its waters as holy. The elves then prospered for 7,000 years to come in their enchanted kingdom. They also remembered the mistakes of the past and used Runestones to shield their use of the arcane from the Burning Legion, taking care to practice the magic granted to them by their Sunwell with more care than their Highborne ancestors.

Shandaral Highborne

Main article: Shandaral

A blue dragon fighting the Highborne of Shandaral in the forests Moonsong.

As Quel'Thalas flourished, other Highborne communities across the world struggled to survive. One such community dwelled in the city of Shandaral, a repository of arcane relics and artifacts, which now found itself isolated in Northrend in the wake of the Great Sundering. For centuries, these Highborne scoured the surrounding forest of Moonsong for a means to sustain themselves, and eventually witnessed the blue dragonflight using spells to crystallize living things and draw power from them. Recognizing it as a means to end their suffering forever, the Highborne attempted to interact with the dragons but were met with indifference or hostility. 6,000 years BDP, a group of Highborne sorcerers infiltrated the lair of the dragonflight, the Nexus, and succeeded in learning the dragons' techniques. However, greed drove them to steal powerful relics stored within the Nexus and they thus triggered the wards in place and ensnared the dragon's ire. When the dragons confronted them in the forest the elves attempted to crystallize part of the area and draw magic from the crystals to fight the dragons off, but the spell was much more powerful than anticipated and transformed the entire region as well as twisting the elves' spirits.

Warcraft III

This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

Following the Third War, after he agreed to destroy the Frozen Throne for Kil'jaeden, the demon hunter Illidan Stormrage called in some old Highborne debts and summoned the serpentine naga from their dark undersea lairs. The Betrayer had heard only rumors of the Highborne's fate, and while he did not know if they were true, he still casted a powerful spell to reach them in the ocean deeps. Led by the cunning sea-witch, Lady Vashj, the naga helped Illidan reach the Broken Isles, where Sargeras' tomb was rumored to be located.

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content related to the original World of Warcraft.

Although they largely avoided each other, the kaldorei were somewhat aware of Eldre'Thalas's situation, with Cenarion Circle members monitoring the city shortly after the Third War.

It was eventually discovered that Dath'Remar Sunstrider's high elves and the Shen'dralar were also vaguely aware of each other; Verinias was aware that Dath'Remar and his followers left Kalimdor, and intended to join them after he believed the Shen'dralar fell to corruption. Telmius Dreamseeker of Quel'Thalas also managed to find and reach their ancient city in Feralas after Silvermoon City was destroyed by the Scourge, only to be killed by Prince Tortheldrin, who, unlike his fellow Highborne Lorekeeper Lydros, openly objected to one of the high elves intruding upon his domain. The high elf priestess Aurora Skycaller helped Alliance adventurers reforge the Crystal of Zin-Malor, and their blood elf kin in Silvermoon also occasionally sent groups to Highborne settlements in Kalimdor, such as Ruins of Kel'Theril in Winterspring.

In Year 25 ADP, Dire Maul was eventually raided by the Horde and the majority of the Shen'dralar were killed, forcing the survivors out of Dire Maul to the forests of Feralas, where they tried to wean themselves off demonic power and feel whole again.

Several ghosts of dead Highborne still populated many of the night elven ruins left after the Great Sundering in areas such as Azshara and Winterspring.

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

By the time of the war against the Lich King, citing "change on the wind", the remaining Highborne have been drawn out of hiding. They could be found in the Silver Enclave after sending representatives to the Kirin Tor, but also in Darnassus for a meeting with Tyrande Whisperwind, wishing to rejoin kaldorei society and the world at large. They claimed that there would soon be a time when "the kaldorei require the knowledge and skill" the Highborne have to offer, despite the reservations of certain Sentinels who initially told Mordent Evenshade that he and his kind were unwelcome at Teldrassil.

Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

Archmage Mordent Evenshade, the current leader of the Highborne.

During the Elemental Unrest world event that heralded the Cataclysm, the major Alliance leaders gathered at Stormwind Keep to discuss the recent changes to the world. High priestess Tyrande stated that even in Darnassus the night elves have noticed the earth was at odds with something, and that perhaps these troubling events were "what have brought forth the Highborne from Shen'dralar."

Following the successful negotiations between Mordent Evenshade (likely aided by the research from Daros' Journal), with Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage, the Shen'dralar Highborne rejoined the night elves and had started to train them back into the way of magic and arcane. For a time, they were given a green, secluded area next to the Temple of the Moon to dwell in. Several Highborne later traveled within most of Alliance cities, mainly Stormwind, Darnassus, Ironforge, the Exodar, and the neutral city of Dalaran, where they acted as trainers for the Alliance, offering their services.

However, many night elves still regarded the Highborne with wariness and suspicion, as could be evidenced from Sentinel dialogues when asked for Mage Trainer locations in Teldrassil. Rhyanda stated that many still held their order responsible for the actions of the forebears, while Shandris Feathermoon openly declared that she would have been duty-bound to slay them had it not been for Tyrande's recent mercy. At least one night elven priestess and scholar, Vestia Moonspear, decided to study under the Highborne and become a mage, claiming the chance to learn from them was preferable to "strict ignorance" and in turn teaching other night elves what she learned at the Tower of Estulan, only to be alienated from many of her friends who could not understand her decision.

Despite this, the Highborne continued to provide considerable assistance to the kaldorei, such as the Highborne mage Estulan warning Silvia of Cho'gall who sought to use the Gordok to gain access to the remnants of Eldre'Thalas within Dire Maul, while Telaron Windflight believed that taking Dire Maul would help the night elves reclaim all of Feralas for their people. Lorekeeper Amberwind and her apprentices were responsible for "overseeing the Alliance investigation" of Azshara's ruins in an effort to uncover arcane knowledge amidst the remnants of the night elven empire's capital. Arcanist Delaris helped the Emerald Circle in battling the Jadefire satyrs and cleansing the area of corruption to make amends, considering that Felwood's demonic corruption could be considered the fault of her kind. Further south in Kalimdor, Arcanist Valdurian settled in the Stonetalon Mountains and helped binding enraged Highborne spirits lingering in the vicinity, while his apparent student Neophyte Starcrest requested the collection of ancient relics in the Ruins of Eldre'thar, a forgotten Highborne city, for study. Groups of night elf magi were also deployed to stop the ongoing Horde advance in the neighboring Battlescar Valley, albeit with limited success.

Because the expulsion of their Highborne ancestors was due to their use of arcane magic, the blood elves were outraged to hear that the kaldorei had welcomed the Highborne back and were tolerating the practice of arcane magic again. After witnessing the "rookie" mistakes made by the new kaldorei magi, however, the blood elves were anxiously awaiting whatever mess the kaldorei were going to put themselves in. Some sin'dorei were able to exploit the kaldorei's inexperience, notably to rout Alliance forces in Azshara. Andorel Sunsworn found the idea of night elves trying to reclaim their magical heritage "amusing", also mocking their usage of arcane constructs as "delightfully inexperienced" and "amateur" before hijacking them, noting that her people had outlawed them 1,500 years ago. Efforts by the Lorekeepers of Talrendis Point to summon backup from Darnassus were also likewise sabotaged by Andorel Sunsworn, who derided their use of "laughably primitive magics" and compromised the kaldorei's summoning stone to instead teleport "a crack team of commandos" behind Alliance lines. Despite the apparent inexperience of at least the new kaldorei magi, however, reactions from other blood elves in Azshara were more ambiguous, with Malynea Skyreaver scorning the idea that the night elves could achieve any competence in scouting out magical sites and experimenting with the arcane arts, but nevertheless expressing some degree of concern at the Highborne's unexpected return, and elsewhere praising the Highborne magi who defended Mennar Academy as "heroes" whose selfless actions might have saved their entire world.

Levia Dreamwaker and Elendri Goldenbrow, a night elf and blood elf respectively, both attempted to reclaim some of their long-lost ancient history in the former Highborne royal city of Vashj'ir, by seeking out "objects of significance", and noting that so much of their history was lost during the Great Sundering.

The art of arcane reforging, allowing the customizing of armor and weapons, was "originally a magic brought to the citizens of Azeroth by the Highborne", and was among the ancient spellcraft that have returned with them, though the Highborne themselves for some reason no longer provide such services, instead directing interested persons to the ethereals.

Wolfheart

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

In the forest near Darnassus, Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage forcibly interceded and stopped a group of twenty assembled Highborne mages who, without the knowledge or consent of their leader Mordent Evenshade, were attempting to perform a collective spell to test their powers, asserting that such actions went against everything they had agreed upon, despite Var'dyn Skyseeker's arguing that the Highborne's powers would "stagnate" if not used in a sufficient manner. He also accused that Malfurion himself had promised that the Highborne would rejoin night elf society while maintaining their own identities, yet instead they were ostracized still. The archdruid replied that they had every intention of having them join the kaldorei, to which Mordent understood that such things could not occur overnight and would play out over time, telling his apprentice Var'dyn to have patience.

When a murdered Highborne, Thera'brin, was discovered on the outskirts of Darnassus, Malfurion and Tyrande Whisperwind moved to stop further bloodshed and unrest by appointing one of the night elves' most cunning and skilled agents to find the killer: the renowned warden Maiev Shadowsong. According to Mordent Evenshade, due to the profound changes Azeroth had gone through, what the Highborne did over the millennia no longer applied, and they rejoined the night elves in desperation due to their faltering ranks failing to replenish and their severe lack of children being born over the last generation. While many of the Highborne seemed to retain an air of superiority and some sense of arrogance, viewing most of the non-magi night elven population with contempt (though even Var'dyn respected those wielding immense power, such as Malfurion and Tyrande, even while barely acknowledging King Varian Wrynn after seeing him in Darnassus), Mordent refused to betray Malfurion and Tyrande and vowed to honor his word even as the Archdruid and High Priestess honored theirs.

However, as their casualties mysteriously mount, Mordent Evenshade and the remaining Highborne were ultimately captured and entrapped by Maiev, who revealed that it was she who had been assassinating their kin; when Var'dyn attempted to use his potent Highborne magic against the Watcher, he was quickly killed by Maiev's bonds. She believed that Darnassus had betrayed her, and deemed Malfurion guilty of the same arrogance that consumed his twin, Illidan, by believing that he knew what was best for the night elf people. In addition, she felt Malfurion had condemned their people by not having Teldrassil properly blessed, thus denying them their immortality, and further despised him for forgiving the Highborne and bringing their "evil" back into night elf society.

With the aid and sacrifice of the worgen Eadrik, Jarod Shadowsong, Maiev's brother, while trying to uncover the truth of what was truly transpiring, managed to survive Maiev's assassins, and after locating and freeing Malfurion, the two confronted her and her Watchers, with Maiev fleeing from the scene after an intense struggle between the siblings and Malfurion eventually releasing Mordent and the other surviving Highborne.

Mists of Pandaria

This section concerns content related to Mists of Pandaria.

During the course of the Alliance-Horde war, the Highborne magi apparently opened a portal directly to Pandaria after Lorekeeper Vaeldrin managed to persuade Tyrande Whisperwind to sanction a mission to the ancient land, in an attempt to recover their immortality. A Darnassus Mage briefly appeared in Kun-Lai Summit to teleport the Divine Bell to Darnassus. With the night elves keeping the Bell in Darnassus for safekeeping and study, several Highborne mages later teleport themselves to Lion's Landing in Pandaria, asking for reinforcements from the Alliance and reporting a stealth attack on the night elven capital. Thaumaturge Moonspire was a night elf mage of the 7th Legion who fought Horde adventurers at Domination Point.

Magister Xintar, a mage specializing in portal magic, accompanied Lorekeeper Vaeldrin and his daughter throughout Krasarang Wilds as they sought something which they believed might restore the kaldorei's immortality, only to have his powers sundered by a mogu trap, and later decided to visit the Timeless Isle as well as joining other night elves in the defense of the Shrine of Seven Stars.

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Prince Farondis, former advisor to Azshara and leader of his court in Azsuna.

During the Burning Legion's third invasion, Prince Farondis led the Court of Farondis in Azsuna, some of its members being Highborne ghosts.

While the Shen'dralar as a whole did not seem to actively participate on the Broken Isles, despite its ties to their ancient civilization, at least one of them, Tarelvir, left Darnassus to join the reformed Tirisgarde in the Hall of the Guardian, indicating that the group seemed to have maintained their ties with the Kirin Tor. Archmage Aranhir Starsinger, although away on Kirin Tor business, had apparently become the owner of the Simply Enchanting shop in Dalaran, and was a friend of the high elf Enchanter Nalthanis.

A female night elf, Archmage Nielthende, affiliated with the Kirin Tor, expressed interest in ley energy strewn throughout the region and asked adventurers from either faction to hop on a mana saber to absorb any lingering energy present, while two other night elf magi, Kallistia Starlance and Olothil Starlance, went to Azsuna from Dalaran in a reconnaissance mission seeking the spirits of their long-deceased parents after being separated from them since the Great Sundering. The night elf mage Elandris Bladesong moved to Bladesong's Retreat in Val'sharah, and Darkful was part of a group of adventurers found in Highmountain.

According to Aluneth, there was a time Queen Azshara's people, presumably the Highborne night elves, had the potential to rival the titans.

Elegy

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

At some point after the defeat of the Legion, Tarelvir rejoined Dyrhara and Maelir next to the Temple of the Moon, where the three warmly greeted the dwarven guests of Darnassus. Dyrhara then transported the three surviving members of the Explorer's League expedition to Stormwind City with messages from Malfurion Stormrage to Tyrande Whisperwind and King Anduin Wrynn. It was mentioned that the Highborne's presence in night elven society had allowed the kaldorei to expedite travel for small groups, sparing them lengthy sea voyages, as well as quickly conveying information to allies in potential times of war.

After learning of the Horde's invasion of Ashenvale under Sylvanas Windrunner's command, Malfurion authorized some of the Highborne magi, including Sarvonis and Ralara, to assist Commander Delaryn Summermoon in fending off the assault. The Highborne were immediately met with unexpected cheers from their brethren, and they quickly transported more reinforcements, in the form of a dozen druids, to their aid as well. The Highborne magi on Delaryn's command burned all the bridges over the Falfarren River in an effort to slow the enemy advance and were said to have helped immeasurably in the early stages, destroying many of the Horde siege engines. They were then targeted and killed by Sylvanas and her dark rangers, preventing them from helping the night elf defenders melt the frozen river later in the conflict. A single Darnassian mage was later seen accompanying Delaryn in the Twilight Vale.

Inside the Temple, around the same time, Maelir helped transport Mia Greymane from Stormwind to Darnassus, telling the Gilnean queen that it was his honor to assist with the evacuation of her remaining people from the Howling Oak, which was successfully completed within several hours. The Highborne and Stormwind's magi managed to evacuate hundreds of worgen and night elven civilians from the capital as the war overtook all of Ashenvale and reached Darkshore, despite being unable to transport many more in time. As Teldrassil was being burned by the Horde, Tarelvir and Aladrel Whitespire could be seen caught in the chaos of the devastation, but could be saved by adventurers, while Maelir and Dyrhara were seen together maintaining one of the last portals to Stormwind moments before the World Tree's destruction, through which Genn Greymane emerged to rescue his wife and an orphaned kaldorei baby.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

Following the Burning of Teldrassil, the Alliance and Horde both took an interest in the Blackfathom Deeps and fought against each other there, with the Alliance ranks including Mordent Evenshade.

In Darkshore, Horde agents on the orders of Sylvanas attempted to raise several of the fallen night elf magi, including Sarvonis and Ralara, as well as defeating Lieutenant Golras. Mordent Evenshade later joined the Battle for Darkshore, helping Maiev by opening up a flight path network in the battlefield, and teleporting away from the area after his Leyfeather Hippogryph was slain by the Horde.

Some of the Nar'thalas magi also appeared in Stormwind, apparently affiliated with Darnassus and the Alliance, opening a permanent portal to the Crumbled Palace of the Court of Farondis in Azsuna.

According to  [Wrathion's Journal], the Shen'dralar Highborne lost most of the ancient knowledge they accumulated over millennia in their library when they were forced to flee Eldre'Thalas after the Horde's attack, though what little remained was nevertheless useful for his own extensive research against the Void.

A number of Highborne ghosts were encountered in the ruins of Zin-Azshari in Nazjatar, notably in the Highborne Estates, apparently bound there by the power of Queen Azshara.

After the Fourth War, Lorekeeper Mykos removed the Athenaeum seal from the book The Light and How to Swing It and gave it to the Knights of the Silver Hand to safeguard in the Sanctum of Light, so that all their paladins could read it.

Dragonflight

This section concerns content related to Dragonflight.

In 40 ADP, the blue dragon Lanigosa had spent years in the Ruins of Shandaral, researching a way to break the spell binding the Highborne spirits to the place. She eventually succeeded with the aid of an adventurer, allowing the spirits to pass on with time.

With the establishment of the new city Bel'ameth to replace Darnassus, the Shen'dralar took up a more active role in night elf society. They opened portals to and from Bel'ameth in many night elf-controlled territories such as Mount Hyjal, Feralas, and Darkshore, and several Shen'dralar Sorcerers can be found across the city instead of alone in their alcove as they were in Darnassus.

Culture

The symbol of the Highborne during the reign of Queen Azshara.

• Starlight Beacons were used by the Highborne star-augurs to focus immense amounts of starlight into a small, concentrated area. The device was mainly used during festivals, star-worship rituals, or when the augur needed to reach something on a high shelf.
• Their tapestries woven before the time of Queen Azshara's pact with the demons typically display a unique "under-over-over" style of needlework that has not been seen since.
• The noblemen used letter openers for killing.
• The ruling princes and princesses in Suramar chose only to wear their crowns at the most formal events. They were kept locked up at all other times and were considered unstylish.
• Quietwine was an ancient Highborne term that simply meant "poison".
• The Highborne's penchant for all things purple predates the War of the Ancients.
• At some point the Highborne collection was fashionable.
• Many Highborne superstitiously carried bits of leystone as a lucky charm. Such charms were typically worn by rural farmers, struggling academy students, or those sitting on the cusp between commonfolk and nobility.
• The Highborne, obsessed with magic, the occult, and astronomy, developed a series of ingenious apparatuses. The Explorers' Guild recovered a Highborne Astrolabe from the undersea ruins of Suramar. It is located in the Hall of Explorers in Ironforge.^{[69.8, 11.4]}
• They use scrying stones to communicate from long distances.
• Highborne used memory crystals created by ancient sorcery to store stories, music, history, and even memories.
• Some historians claim that the mistsaber's misty grey coat is the result of ancient Highborne experiments conducted on nightsabers.
• The Highborne maintained several academies of magic, like the Nar'thalas Academy and the Mennar Academy.
• They used Leyfeather Hippogryphs, and Mordent Evenshade is shown riding one in the Battle for Darkshore.
• The moonwells (repositories of the Well of Eternity's waters and further blessed by Elune's power) are revered by the Highborne as much as the other night elves and can be apparently used to greatly sustain and empower their abilities, as Mordent Evenshade was seen gazing longingly at the one in the Temple of the Moon. Lorekeeper Amberwind was also found near a moonwell at the Darnassian Base Camp, apparently indicating that the Highborne have been allowed to use the moonwells.
• According to Alard Schmied, the accomplishments of Highborne smiths are legendary.

Notable

Lady Vashj, once one of Azshara's personal Highborne handmaidens.

Name	Role	Status	Location
Amberwind	Lorekeeper overseeing the investigation of the ruins in Azshara.	Killable	Darnassian Base Camp, Azshara
Aranhir Starsinger	Archmage in charge of the Simply Enchanting shop in Dalaran.	Unknown	Simply Enchanting, Dalaran
Azj'Tordin	Warlock and survivor of the House of Shen'dralar.	Alive	Twilight Watchtower, Amirdrassil
Delaris	Arcanist working with the Emerald Circle to cleanse Felwood.	Alive	Ruins of Constellas, Felwood
Estulan	Estranged and reclusive mage trainer in Feralas.	Alive	Tower of Estulan, Feralas
Lestharia Vashj	Leader of Vashj'ir and mother of Lady Vashj|.	Deceased	Unknown
Mavrana Mooncrest	Grand Magistrix and ruling princess of Suramar.	Unknown	Unknown
Mordent Evenshade	Archmage and current leader of the Shen'dralar Highborne.	Alive	Howling Oak, Darnassus
Mykos	Lorekeeper once in charge of The Athenaeum.	Alive	The Athenaeum, Dire Maul
Siralen	Queen Azshara's personal high priestess of Vashj'ir.	Unknown	Unknown
Tarsis Kir-Moldir	Archmage searching for the splinters of Atiesh.	Deceased	Naxxramas, Plaguewood
Tortheldrin	Prince of Eldre'Thalas and leader of the Shen'dralar.	Deceased	The Athenaeum, Dire Maul
Valarian	High Ranger who died a hero of Vashj'ir long ago.	Deceased	Unknown

Pre-transformation

Name	Role(s)	Status	Location
Queen Azshara	Empress of the Nazjatar Empire, former Queen of the Kaldorei Empire	Alive	Various
Athrikus Narassin	Leader of the Cult of the Dark Strand, once an Highborne aristocrat.	Killable	Tower of Althalaxx, Darkshore
Dath'remar Sunstrider	First High King of the high elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas.	Deceased	Shrine of Dath'Remar, Sunstrider Isle
Elisande	Grand Magistrix of Suramar City, once a influential member of the Highborne.	Deceased	Nighthold, Suramar City
Lady Vashj	Lieutenant of Illidan Stormrage, formerly Azshara's foremost handmaiden.	Deceased	Various
Peroth'arn	The first Highborne given the "gift" of becoming a satyr by Xavius.	Killable	Well of Eternity, Caverns of Time
Sensiria	Shen'dralar Highborne transformed into a sayaad by the Burning legion.	Alive	Darkmist Ruins, Feralas
Xavius	First of the satyrs, ruler of the Nightmare, formerly High councilor to Azshara.	Deceased	Rift of Aln, Emerald Dream

Organizations

• Elite Circle
• Queen's Royal Guard
• Suramar
• Court of Farondis

Notes and trivia

• The Sisterhood of Elune never quite approved of way in which the Highborne made use of arcane magic, due to the magic's chaotic nature.
• Members of the House of Ravencrest were said to have intermingled their blood with those of the royal kaldorei family.
•  [Marble Arrowhead] mentions that it may have belonged to a Highborne sentinel.
• The Thalassian word "quel'dorei" is now typically used to refer to the high elves.
• Narcissa was so beloved of her own visage that she crafted a mirror that reflected her face for others.
• The  [Highborne Pyxis] is a common night elf Archaeology item, while the  [Highborne Soul Mirror], a rare Night Elf Archaeology item, creates a partially transparent mirror image of the player, one that continually turns to remain facing the character until it eventually fades.
• While not universal, many Highborne NPCs are of fair skin, with white hair and no tattoos on their face.
• While the kaldorei have apparently long eschewed the arcane, Enchanting is considered a branch of arcane magic by the Kirin Tor, and Taladan has existed as an Enchanting trainer, along with Vaean, who sells Enchanting supplies, in Darnassus long before the Highborne rejoined their night elf kin.
• The depiction of Zin-Azshari in the Warbringers: Azshara cinematic, with polygon bases topped with blue colored domes with celestial motifs, is identical to the Greek Catholic style of church famously exemplified in the Three Bells of Fira of Santorini.
• The term "high-born" has been used for centuries in real life to indicate those of noble birth.

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.

• Although a Scourge, Revanchion could have originally been a Highborne.
• Lord Talendar, Mistresses of Shadows, and Maidens of Shadows may have been Highborne night elves.
• Magistrates Temple could have been a Highborne building.
• The Kelani Magi could have been Highborne.

Gallery

• 

  Highborne icon (as seen in archaeology).
• 

  Queen Azshara in Warbringers.
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  Azshara's followers moments before being drowned in the Great Sundering.
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  Pre-War Highborne Tapestry of the Kaldorei Empire.
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  Remains of the ancient Highborne
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  Highborne Arcane Pylon.
• 

  Highborne astrolabe in Zin-Azshari.
• 

  Queen Azshara in World of Warcraft.
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  The Highborne transforming into naga in The Frozen Throne.
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  Eldre'Thalas Sorceress in the Trading Card Game.
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  Highborn art in the Warcraft RPG.

Fan art

• 

  "The Highborne" by Vaanel.