Suramar (kingdom)

This article is about the elven kingdom. For the region itself, see Suramar. For the city, see Suramar City.

Kingdom of Suramar
Icon of the dusk lily
Main leader	First Arcanist Thalyssra
Formerly	Grand Magistrix Elisande †
Secondary leaders	Chief Telemancer Oculeth  Arcanist Valtrois  Ly'leth Lunastre  Victoire
Formerly	Spellblade Aluriel †  Advisor Vandros †  Advisor Melandrus †  Andaris Narassin †
Race(s)	Nightborne Nightfallen Withered
Formerly	Demon Felborne  Highborne  Night elf
Capital	Suramar City
Government	Oligarchy
Sub-group(s)	Suramar government The Nightfallen Suramar army Duskwatch Nightguard
Affiliation	Horde
Formerly	Independent, Burning Legion, Kaldorei Empire (Highborne)
Status	Healthy

Suramar (or the (elven) kingdom of Suramar) is the realm of the nightborne civilization nestled in the eponymous region on the Broken Isles. The nightborne are currently led by First Arcanist Thalyssra following the fall of the old regime. Its capital is Suramar City, once one of the largest and most important cities of the ancient Kaldorei Empire. Almost all of the roads in the region lead here.

History

War of the Ancients

Suramar City, capital of the nightborne.

During the time of the Kaldorei Empire, Suramar was the location of the Temple of Elune, the central place of worship for the night elves where the high priestess of the goddess Elune lived. The Boughs of Azshara, Izal-Shurah and Arauk-Nashal were also located here. Just before the invasion, Broxigar was held captive in Suramar City until he was freed by Malfurion Stormrage.

The War of the Ancients eventually brought with it a great deal of change, both for the night elf race and Elisande's Highborne. Through a desire for greater power, Queen Azshara and the Highborne in the capital of Zin-Azshari allied themselves with the demon lord Sargeras and his Burning Legion. Having aided in the creation of a portal for the Legion to reach Azeroth, the queen and her retainers watched as the demons began to spread across the kaldorei nation, destroying all they encountered.

Although Elisande and her Highborne associates in Suramar remained loyal to Queen Azshara, they grew increasingly troubled as the Legion's invasion progressed. Witnessing the vast destruction wrought by the demons, Elisande came to deeply distrust them, fearing their actions were not in the night elves' best interests. Eventually, she discovered that the Legion planned to create a massive gateway to the Twisting Nether within Suramar itself. Horrified, she realized that if the portal were opened, endless demon reinforcements would flood into Azeroth, quickly overwhelming the Kaldorei Resistance that struggled to withstand the invasion. Elisande also believed the gateway would devastate the city and its inhabitants, and so she resolved to act.

During the war, the Legion's efforts in the city were led by the pit lord Ronokon. The city was attacked and ravaged by the Burning Legion. Suramar was subsequently used by the nathrezim in an experiment to create an army of the undead, an experiment which laid the groundwork for the Scourge ten thousand years later. The Burning Legion attempted to open a second portal besides the one at the Well of Eternity in the Temple of Elune in order to attack the night elves on two fronts. The resident Highborne used the Pillars of Creation to close the portal and put several seals on the temple. The Wild God Ashamane battled Ronokon in Val'sharah just outside Suramar and sacrificed her life to kill him. In doing so, she was able to buy the elves the time they needed to craft a shield around their city.

Most of Suramar was blasted to the bottom of the Great Sea during the Sundering. However, some of it remained above shore in the Broken Isles due to the efforts of the resident Highborne, who crafted a magical shield that kept a section of their city together. This shield would stay up for 10,000 years, as the Highborne believed the world outside of Suramar City had been destroyed. Under their shield they would evolve into the Nightborne, reliant on their source of power, the Nightwell. While the city was shielded, it was next to impossible for normal Nightborne to leave, though some illegally did through skillful navigation or by forced exile. Much later, dwarves recovered a Highborne Astrolabe from the undersea ruins of Suramar.

The sunk Temple of Elune in Suramar City was later used by the Guardian of Tirisfal Aegwynn to hold the physical remains, Jeweled Scepter, and Eye of Sargeras, which led to the building's more familiar designation, the Tomb of Sargeras.

Twilight of Suramar

Suramar's ruling elite, with Grand Magistrix Elisande in the center.

Thousands years later, shortly after the conclusion of the war in Draenor, the alternate Gul'dan was sent by the Burning Legion to act as their ambassador to the ruler of Suramar, Grand Magistrix Elisande, and her closest advisors. If the nightborne would lower their protective shield and grant the Legion access to the energies of the Nightwell, then they would not only be spared the demons' wrath but also be welcomed as allies; should Suramar refuse, then the Legion would lay waste to their entire civilization. Giving them three days to decide, Gul'dan left the shal'dorei leadership to consider their options.

Ultimately, Elisande pledged herself and her people to the same demons she stood against in defiance of Queen Azshara and decided to lower the shield. Unbeknownst to many, the Grand Magistrix's mastery of time magic allowed her to peer into what she believed were all possible futures. Having done so, she concluded that resistance would inevitably lead to her people's annihilation. Not all nightborne agreed with Elisande's decision, though they kept their dissent a secret. Determined to depose the Grand Magistrix and prevent the lowering of the shield, Thalyssra led a small group of her followers in an attempt to breach the Nighthold. However, the plot failed when Advisor Melandrus betrayed her for Elisande's cause, leading to the rebels' exile. With loyalists and demons marching side by side through the streets of Suramar, fear and distrust took hold, turning family against family.

Nightfallen rebellion

Main article: Nightfallen rebellion

The Nightfallen rebellion forces in Suramar.

The rebellion formed in opposition to the Grand Magistrix's decision to grant the demonic Burning Legion access to Suramar City and the sacred Nightwell in exchange for sparing the lives of the city's denizens. Although initially small, the movement grew in numbers and strength due to outside assistance from the class orders and the increasingly callous policies of Elisande. The rebels operated from the underground complex of Shal'Aran in western Suramar, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing Elisande's regime and expelling all demonic forces from the city. They primarily relied on covert tactics, working from within to weaken the regime while rallying the city's populace to their cause.

While there were some noble houses amongst the nightborne who supported the cause against the Legion, albeit in secret, and operated more sincerely and above board in their dealings with each other; there were others to contend with who used fear and coercion as their tools, and so requiring stronger responses.

Having secured significant gains and enlisting the aid of the Kirin Tor, night elves, high elves, and blood elves, the rebels eventually launched an assault on the city itself, successfully laying siege to the Nighthold, Elisande's seat of power and home of the Nightwell. With their allies at their side, the Nightfallen staged a final assault on the citadel, seeking to break the Burning Legion's grip on Suramar once and for all. Within the Nighthold, they ultimately defeated both Elisande and Gul'dan, securing full control of Suramar and liberating the nightborne people.

Shortly after the victory in the Nighthold, Thalyssra returned to the palace alongside Oculeth and Valtrois, where she discovered that the Nightwell was unstable and dying without the Eye of Aman'Thul. Valtrois suggested stabilizing the font, allowing the nightborne to harness its power once more while remaining free of their former addiction. However, Thalyssra ultimately chose to let the Nightwell die, arguing that it belonged to Suramar's troubled past and that the future of the nightborne now lay with Azeroth. Witnessing her decision, Lady Liadrin and Tyrande Whisperwind were satisfied with the outcome.

In the wake of the conflict, Thalyssra and the Nightfallen established a new government in Suramar City, ruling from the Nighthold. The symbol of the rebellion, the Dusk Lily, became the insignia of the now-liberated nightborne race, marking a new chapter in Suramar's history. As the leader of the elven kingdom, Thalyssra succeeded Grand Magistrix Elisande, while Victoire was named the new First Blade and leader of the Duskwatch in recognition of her service during the rebellion.

A group of hunters led by Nighthuntress Syrenne later joined the Unseen Path.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

First Arcanist Thalyssra and Lady Liadrin's diplomatic meeting.

The nightborne flag.

Since the joint elven effort to oust the Burning Legion, Thalyssra has maintained good relations with the blood elves through her positive interactions with Lady Liadrin. This bond led to an alliance between Suramar and Silvermoon. When Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner summoned the Horde's leaders to seek out new allies, Liadrin proposed the nightborne. Intrigued by Suramar's strength and resources that could be added to the Horde, Sylvanas approved the suggestion.

Liadrin and the Horde champion traveled to Thalyssra's estate to formally invite the First Arcanist to Silvermoon City on behalf of Quel'Thalas' ruler, Regent-Lord Lor'themar Theron. During their meeting, Liadrin and Thalyssra discussed the benefits of joining the Horde. A key concern for Thalyssra was ensuring her people could shape their own future while preserving their traditions—something she believed the Alliance would not offer. She also reflected on her strained relationship with Tyrande Whisperwind and the kaldorei, who, despite appearing to be natural allies, proved otherwise due to what Thalyssra described as "arrogance and mistrust." To illustrate her point, she conjured a brief reenactment of her exchange with Tyrande during the events leading up to the siege of Suramar. With her doubts settled, she readily accepted the invitation to Silvermoon, eager to explore the nightborne's place within the Horde.

Accompanied by Valtrois and Silgryn, Thalyssra met Lor'themar in his palace. They quickly bonded, each insisting that true friends address one another by their first names. Lor'themar then led the nightborne delegation to the Sunwell, where Thalyssra observed its properties and compared them to the Nightwell. During the visit, Lor'themar's other guest, Alleria Windrunner, inadvertently attracted a group of void beasts to the Sunwell. The creatures overwhelmed its guardians and attempted to corrupt it, but the nightborne joined the battle, and together they managed to close the massive void rift looming above the plateau.

In the aftermath, Thalyssra, impressed by Lor'themar's dedication to his people and seeing that the Horde had allowed the sin'dorei to uphold their ancient traditions, formally pledged Suramar's allegiance to the Horde.

As the Horde fractured between Varok Saurfang and Sylvanas Windrunner, Thalyssra and the nightborne sided with Saurfang. During the battle at the Gates of Orgrimmar, Saurfang challenged Sylvanas to a mak'gora, which ended with his death and Sylvanas abandoning the Horde.

Following the death of N'Zoth, the leaders of the Horde convened at the Orgrimmar Embassy, where Thalyssra represented the nightborne. She subsequently joined the Horde Council, a governing body of leaders tasked with representing their peoples' interests and leading the Horde collectively.

Exploring Azeroth

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

By Year 42 ADP, the citizens of Suramar basked in the sun's gaze and dance beneath the moons, awed at the gentlest rainfalls and sudden storms. No longer isolated, Suramar had entered a new era. Every nightborne had also been given the chance to taste the fruit of the arcan'dor. According to Thalyssra, the undertaking required much work, relentless diplomacy, and a few well-placed threats, but no longer does any nightborne (or nightfallen) starve for arcane magic. Upon the rebellion's triumph, policy towards the withered remaining in the thickets of Suramar was to help them towards recovery or grant them a gentle death.

The War Within

This section concerns content related to The War Within.

Ten days after the destruction of Dalaran, Thalyssra was amongst the Horde leaders who answered Jaina and Thrall's joint meeting in Boralus, where they helped organize the strike force that they could take to Khaz Algar. After the Horde fleet arrived at the Isle of Dorn, Suramar Historians could be found within the Horde embassy in Dornogal.

Notable leaders

Name	Notes	Status
Elisande	Grand Magistrix of Suramar for over 10,000 years following the War of the Ancients. She was coerced into allying herself with the Legion and ultimately killed by the adventurers.	Deceased
Thalyssra	First Arcanist of Suramar. Formerly a close advisor of Elisande, she opposed the alliance with the Legion and led the rebellion that toppled Elisande and freed Suramar.	Alive

History	War of the Ancients
Ruler	Grand Magistrix Elisande				First Arcanist Thalyssra

Noble houses

• House Astravar
• House Duskmere
• House Lunastre
• House Stelleris

Geography

Main article: Suramar#Geography

Notes

• The harp, a somewhat delicate instrument, is favored by the nightborne aristocracy.
• 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.
• It has its own mage University of Suramar.
• Suramar and Quel'Thalas are the only Horde-aligned member states specifically referred to as kingdoms (although the orc nation has also been referred to as a kingdom on an occasion). The many similarities between them have been acknowledged in-universe.

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.

Whether Grand Magistrix is the official title held by the kingdom's leader is unclear, as Thalyssra did not assume it after deposing Elisande; she retains her old title of First Arcanist even as Suramar's head of state. Elisande was also referred to as the nightborne queen by Thalyssra, in the vein of other Highborne rulers who bore monarchical titles, although this has not been mentioned since.