Druid races
This article lists the races that are able to become druids, along with the lore behind each.
Alliance
Night elf druids
Night elven druidic traditions extend back further than most races have existed. The demigod Cenarius taught the druidic arts to the kaldorei early in their history, and the most devout of night elf druids honor and pass on his original teachings. A few were there when Cenarius provided his tutelage and learned directly from the demigod.
Golden eyes
- Main article: Night elf#Golden eyes
Worgen druids
In the early days of humanity and its civilization, many tribes of humans had primitive belief systems that incorporated simple nature magic. However, the rise of organized religion such as the Holy Light and the potent arcane magics introduced by the high elves quickly supplanted such traditions. Gilneas, due to its relative isolation, has retained a degree of their ancient culture in the contemporary era. The religious leaders of what was in Gilneas referred to as the "old ways" eventually became "harvest-witches"; those who used their nature powers to augment Gilneas’ agricultural output during and following its period of industrialization. Due to the presence of harvest-witches in their culture, when Gilneans learned about night elf druids they became fascinated by them and their exotic connotations, to the point where many started referring to harvest witches as "druids", though this was quite far from the truth, as few Gilneans had any idea what a druid actually was. Harvest-witches have a limited control over nature, especially plant life, and the powers of harvest witches bear a coincidental resemblance to the low-level abilities of actual druids. Harvest witches who contracted the worgen curse (which was druidic in origin) found that their powers were somewhat amplified, and after making first contact with the night elves cursed harvest witches were offered induction into the Cenarion Circle for both study and training.[1]
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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Starvation's first solutions are most of the time cutting down forests. It is likely that the human druids intervened here and promised to save the crops of Gilneas to have their forests spared. It is possible that because of the reappearance of druidism, Gilneas in general was drawn closer to the beauty of nature. This is a nice analogy to romanticism and paganism in the real world 18th century, so it is a likely theory.
Kul Tiran druids
The original race of vrykul in Kul Tiras, the Drust, began practicing druidism in ancient times. Unlike tauren and night elves, the Drust embrace death as an equally important part of the natural world, leading to their shapeshifted forms looking more skeletal and emaciated, though no less powerful. When Ulfar broke away from Gorak Tul during the War against the Drust, he took his druids with him and established the Thornspeakers, an order of peaceful druids who would take in any who wished to learn. Similar to other archdruids, Ulfar endured over the centuries, with many Kul Tirans coming to join the order and learn under him as well.[2] Many of these Kul Tiran druids now fight for the Alliance.
Horde
Tauren druids
Please add any available information to this section.
According to the tauren lore, Cenarius instructed them first in druidism, as recounted in their myth Forestlord and the First Druids. It was in fact Malfurion Stormrage who was the first mortal druid, and Cenarius' greatest student.[3][4] And while their legends might not be fully true, Xarantaur is a tauren who is over ten thousend years old, a student of Cenarius, who was taught the ways of druidism long before the first invasion of the Burning Legion.
The night elf druids were recently joined in the Cenarion Circle by the tauren. During the war, Malfurion had befriended Hamuul Runetotem and taught him of druidism. Hamuul later became the first tauren to join the Cenarion Circle and later the archdruid of the tauren race.
Troll druids
Unknown to the loa priests, Zalazane was slowly cutting them off from the spirits. When they were powerless to stop Zalazane he started to take control of the Isles. Vol'jin, wanting to prevent more of his people from being controlled, gave the order to flee the Echo Isles. Many trolls, including the loa priests, witch doctors, felt they had failed their people and took towards the untamed jungles of the southern islands. It was here that Zen'tabra had a vision. In this vision, Zen'tabra saw the Emerald Dream and spoke to the ancient raptor loa, Gonk. Able to reach across and bring Zen'tabra's spirit to him, he tasked her and her people to save the life on the isles and revealed a new way to connect with all the spirits of nature, instead of serving just one at a time. Since then the once witch doctors were taught directly from the Emerald Dream and the spirits themselves. And although the spirits are not keen on teaching more of her kind, they will help so long as the Echo Isles continue to flourish with life.
It was rumored that, long ago, a tribe of troll druids once called the Echo Isles home.[5] However, this was later said by Zen'tabra to be a myth made up to confuse Zalazane.
Highmountain tauren druids
Very little is known about the origin of Highmountain tauren druids. Vydhar was turned into a tree by ancient Highmountain tauren. [6] It would imply that druidic magics were used in this transformation.
Zandalari druids
Since the trolls of Zandalar have regular face-to-face contact with their loa, druids are relatively common among the Zandalari. Similar to the Darkspear, their power of nature and shapeshifting comes from Gonk, the Loa of Shapes, though he allows them to follow the teachings of other loa as well, such as Pa'ku, while still retaining their power. There is also a sect of Zandalari druids who worship a being who is not a loa (heavily implied to be Elune) named the Lun'alai who never leave their [Moonkin Form]. Leader of the zandalari druid, the Raptari, is Wardruid Loti, who holds great influence as a member of the Zanchuli Council. Though druids aren't the only ones who can take forms of the loa they worship, as witch doctors and priests are also capable of that.
Other druidic races
High elven and blood elven druids
- Main article: elven druid
High elves have also practiced druidism; they had elven rangers who practiced it. The now-retconned Warcraft II manual mentioned elven druids. It is assumed that the blood elven rangers have also been trained in the art of the druid.
Lost One druids
Some tribes of the draenei Lost Ones are known to practice druidism. For example, the Feralfen tribe. It is probably something that happened after the separation from the draenei, as neither draenei nor Broken draenei are known to practice druidism.
Arakkoa druids
In the Warlords of Draenor expansion, the high arakkoa sun-sages use solar magic similar to that of balance druid. Even though Dawnseeker Rukaryx is considered a balance druid, it's possible that because followers must be a playable class and specialization that they chose balance druid because it was the closest class to sun-sage. But, Dawnseeker Rukaryx is a part of the Order of the Awakened who are trying to redeem arakkoa society by means of the apexis, and it is said that the apexis believed in a balance of light and shadow, day and night.
Green dragon druids
As the guardians of the Emerald Dream and the blessed of Eonar, the green dragonflight has a deep connection to animals and nature. They are close allies with the night elven druids, who slept for centuries to roam the paths of the Dream. One green dragon, Theramus, even became a druid himself.[7]
In the RPG
Night elf druids
The iconic night elf druid is a spiritual creature with powers that tap into worlds beyond most mortal knowledge. Green energy plays around his feet, and he moves unhindered through secret forest paths. Night elf druids have always guarded their people against the Burning Legion, and over the ages they developed methods to strike past the demons’ defenses.
Night elf druids claim that they can still hear the voice of Cenarius, warning them when danger is imminent and giving them gentle urgings as to the best way to avoid attacks. Perhaps this voice is nature itself, protecting those who protect it. The night elf druid can drop into a deep slumber. While hibernating, he does not need to eat or drink, and he barely needs to breathe — others must be careful to determine that he still lives. When the druid enters hibernation, any poisons working within him are suspended, and he does not bleed. His breathing is so shallow that he does not suffer effects from inhaled toxins or other dangers, and he can survive for a year on the amount of air he would normally need in a day. He heals at twice the normal rate. When the night elf druid enters hibernation, he sets the conditions to awaken. He can choose a specific amount of time (“twenty-four hours”) or some other event, such as, “When the sun strikes my eyes” or “When I hear the call of the horn of Cenarius.”[8]
Troll druids
After joining the Horde, the Darkspear trolls (or at least some) began to live in the future. As such they starting to pursue the path of druid, shaman, and witch doctor.[9]
Furbolg druids
Furbolg leaders are shaman or druids — which furbolgs usually also call shaman, making little distinction between the two practices.[10]
Centaur druids
Like all of Cenarius's children, centaur favor druidism over other divine arts. However, centaur druids are not in the least respectable. Rather than striving for a balance with nature, centaur druids control nature, using it to further their own ambitions. If an animal or plant refuses to subject itself to the centaur's rule, then the creature finds itself either enslaved or, more commonly, destroyed. It takes weeks for night elf or tauren druids to correct the damage a centaur druid inflicts on any territory it comes across.[11]
Human druids
Druidism is more difficult for humans, because it involves quiet contemplation and a sense of one’s own inferiority compared to the needs of the whole; but some humans have the necessary concentration, consideration, and calm and have become exemplary wardens of the wild.[12]
References
- ^ Ask CDev Answers - Round 3
- ^ Ulfar#Quotes
- ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/encyclopedia/349.xml
- ^ http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=43884861&pageNo=4&sid=1#62
- ^ Zalazane's Fall#Second announcement
- ^ [45WQ] An Overdue Debt
- ^ [10-70] Find Theramus
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 22-23
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg 87
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 10
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 210
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 79
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