Lirath Windrunner
- Not to be confused with Lyrath Moonfeather.
 Lirath Windrunner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | High elf |
| Affiliation(s) | Kingdom of Quel'Thalas |
| Occupation | Royal Musician |
| Status | Deceased[1] |
| Relative(s) |
Lireesa (mother), Verath (father),[2] Alleria, Sylvanas, Vereesa (sisters) Arator, Galadin and Giramar (nephews) Zendarin (cousin) |
|
Lirath Windrunner was the youngest brother of the Windrunner siblings. He was particularly close with the middle sister, Sylvanas. Though physically weak, he was a brilliant singer and musician and made a name for himself performing at Lord Saltheril's parties. After performing for Kael'thas at one such party, the prince was so impressed that he invited Lirath to Silvermoon's Artists' Quarter and found him an apprenticeship. Eventually, Lirath was named Royal Musician and began training other musicians.
Despite his love and talent for music, Lirath still found himself wishing at times that he had become a ranger like his three sisters. When their parents were killed in an apparent Amani troll attack in Eastweald, Lirath demanded that Sylvanas--now Ranger-General of the Farstriders--train him to fight. Sylvanas refused, unwilling to let him risk himself in combat and vowing to protect him. Lirath instead went to his sister Vereesa, who agreed and began secretly training him at Windrunner Village. When the Horde cut their way into Quel'Thalas and attacked the village, Lirath was killed along with several uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Sylvanas found and recovered his body. She was crushed by his death and swore she would punish whoever had trained him to fight, believing that if not for them Lirath would have remained safe in Silvermoon. When Vereesa admitted to training him, Sylvanas stopped speaking to her. He was then buried alongside their parents in the family plot.[3] Lirath's oldest sister, Alleria, swore revenge and began hunting down all remaining orcs after the end of the Second War.[4]
Notes and trivia
- Lirath's name is an amalgam of his parents' names.[5]
- Lirath's hair color was bright golden. He and Alleria were thus nicknamed as the suns of the family, with his nickname being Little Lord Sun.[5] He would play on his lute during the feasts of the Windrunners[6] and sing the quel'dorei version of the Lament of the Highborne with his sisters.[7]
- Lirath was first depicted visually in Three Sisters, 10 years after his introduction in Beyond the Dark Portal.
- The War of the Ancients Trilogy originally mentioned the Windrunners having two brothers who died to the Scourge,[8] but this was retconned afterwards, starting in War Crimes which states Lirath was the only Windrunner brother.[9]
Gallery
An Echo of the Past is Lirath's first appearance in World of Warcraft.
![During the quest [70] The Path Taken](/images/thumb/1/13/Lirath_-_The_Path_Taken.png/70px-Lirath_-_The_Path_Taken.png)
During the quest
[70] The Path Taken
![During the quest [70] The Path Taken](/wiki/File:Lirath_-_The_Path_Taken.png)
References
- ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 139; Updated and Expanded, pg. 151
- ^ Sylvanas - Exclusive Preview of the Prequel Novel
- ^ World of Warcraft: Sylvanas
- ^ Christie Golden, pg. 68
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: Sylvanas, pg. 27
- ^ War Crimes
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King
- ^ The Well of Eternity, chapter 2
- ^ War Crimes, chapter 14: "As the two middle children, they had always had a bond that set them apart from Alleria, the eldest, and Lirath, their only brother."