Life

For the Krasarang Wilds quest, see  [15-35] Life.

“This is my gift: compassion for all living things. A drive to protect and nurture them. And the ability to heal that which others cannot, birth what others may not, and love even the unlovable--who surely need such grace more than any other souls.”

— Eonar's blessing of the Red Aspect

Life as depicted in the Grimoire of the Shadowlands and Beyond.

Life is one of the cosmic forces that holds sway over every living thing in the Great Dark Beyond. Acting as a counterbalance to Death, the energies of life exist to promote growth and renewal in all things. In the physical realm, Life manifests in the form of nature magic, which notably serves as the source of power for druids, the guardians of nature who seek to preserve balance and protect life. The Emerald Dream is a vast and ever-changing spirit world that exists outside the boundaries of the physical world, personalizing Life in its waxing stages. The Wild Gods are the guardians of Life in the physical universe, and act as the primal manifestations of nature on Azeroth and other planets.

Origins and characteristics

The Emerald Dream, a vast and ever-shifting dimension of spirits and nature magic.

The cosmic force of Life was conceived by the First Ones, as well as the other forces five other governing forces of reality. According to the broker Al'firim's interpretations of the First Ones' writings, the cosmos began with six forces (or possibly a different number) existing in opposition to each other until they came together (or were brought together) and gave form to a design. Each "architect" gave a portion of themselves, and thus "the pattern was drawn". With a framework in place, all things in the universe came to be, like a fungus growing upon the frame. The six forces were now in balance, and others arose from their intersections—a simple structure growing infinitely more complex. The brokers of the Shadowlands believe that the First Ones made the endless cycle of Life and Death the central part of their creation. The first life form to emerge in the Great Dark Beyond were the elementals. One of the most basic and primordial life forms, they were created when shards of fractured Light thrown in the physical universe hit planets and infused them with the spark of life. They can be found on nearly every planet that houses life.

During a vision granted by Outland's Spirit of Water, Nobundo detected Life and interpreted it as an element composed of unspeakable energy, which binds the worlds together.

Although relatively little is revealed about Elune's true origins and background outside of mythology, she is known to be the sister of the Winter Queen of Ardenweald. While her sister is a member of the Pantheon of Death, Elune is her counterpart in the Pantheon of Life. Together, they embody the balance of a great cycle.

Every part of nature had its own unique voice. The wind spun around in merry steps when pleased, or in violent bursts when the mood grew darker, while the trees shook their crowns.

In Azeroth's ancient days, as the Pantheon of Order knew that natural life never had a chance to emerge due to the horrifying reign of the Old Gods, they gave to their Keepers and titan-forged the knowledge and power to reverse the Black Empire's unspeakable destruction. In time, nature rose, life flourished, and generations of plants and animals would grow and change. Imbued by the titan Eonar, the patron of all life and nature, Keeper Freya wandered the world, creating enclaves of life and nature in the places where the Well of Eternity's energies had coalesced. The greatest creatures to emerge there were the colossal Wild Gods, seeing these creatures as her own children, Freya bound their spirits to the Emerald Dream at Mount Hyjal.

Ulderoth is an alternate universe of Azeroth and a titan utopia where there is no Void presence, only Order and Life, as the Pantheon saw their experiments through.

Nature magic

Nature magic is the manifestation of Life in the Great Dark Beyond, and its energies promote growth and renewal in all things. The elements that carve form into the universe are fluid forces of nature, and the druids work with the natural life forces of the world, harnessing the vast powers of nature to preserve balance and protect life. By calling upon the powers of nature, druids are able to direct this power to heal wounds and restore life to fallen allies.

Prominent figures

The demigod Cenarius fighting the Annihilan Mannoroth during the War of the Ancients.

• Elune - The Moon Goddess
• Wild Gods
  • Malorne - The White Stag
  • Cenarius - Lord of the Forest
  • Aviana - Mistress of Birds
  • Goldrinn - The Great Wolf
  • Ohn'ahra - The Sky Mother
  • Ursoc - The Bear God
  • ... and many others.

Realms of Life

Like the other cosmic forces, beings of Life can normally only be permanently killed in their realm. If killed in the mortal realm, their essence returns to the Realms of Life (or the Emerald Dream) to reconstitute, though some exceptionally powerful forces can intervene in the process. According to the Primus, the Moon Goddess Elune resides in the Realms of Life as the sister and counterpart of the Winter Queen in the Shadowlands. Together, they embody the balance of the great cycle of Death and Life.

Emerald Dream

Main articles: Emerald Dream, Ardenweald

The Emerald Dream is a vast and ever-shifting dimension of spirits and nature magic that defies mortal perceptions of reality. The Emerald Dream apparently has some kind of ancient link with the realm of Ardenweald, where souls close to nature rest in the Shadowlands, essentially being opposite blooms connected to the same tree, with the former personifying Life in its waxing stages, and the latter embodying Life in its wane. Where the Dream represents the spring and summer of the cycle of life, Ardenweald reflects autumn and winter, in essence, being the highest expression of the relationship between endings and beginnings - between Death and Life. In this world of untamed nature, druids gain insight and oneness with the Great Cycle.

Races of Life

Wild Gods

The Wild Gods are primal manifestations of life and nature found on both Azeroth and other planets. Many of them appear in the form of gargantuan animals, such as wolves, bears, tigers, or birds. The Wild Gods of Azeroth are creatures of two realms, for while they inhabit the physical world, their spirits are bound to the ethereal Emerald Dream.

Ancients

The ancients are giant, sentient demigod-like trees that serve as protectors of nature. They were among the first creatures of Azeroth, the first guardians of its life. Ancients are all connected to one another and can sense disturbances to the world from deep within their roots. Animals or other protectors of nature can nest in their branches, such as faerie dragons.

Trees of life are saplings of the World Tree Nordrassil. They suffered heavy losses during the Third War and returned to the forests to spread their seeds and replenish their numbers undisturbed.

Treants

The treants are mighty tree-folk imbued with great wisdom and strength native to the forests of Azeroth. They are powerful ancient trees that served under Cenarius in ages past and are closely affiliated with druids, as they are often seen accompanying powerful druids and keepers of the grove.

Children of Cenarius

The keepers of the grove are the male offspring of the demigod Cenarius who protect the woodlands of Azeroth. They possess many strange powers over nature and can be counted among Azeroth's best healers. Though they typically remain within the sacred groves of Ashenvale, the keepers always heed the call to arms when the greater lands of Kalimdor are threatened. The dryads are the enchanted daughters of Cenarius. Like their brothers, while they prefer peace and abhor unnecessary violence, they will defend the wildlands of Kalimdor with their lives if need be.

Notes and trivia

• The Verdant Wilds is teeming with the life spirit.
• According to the apothecaries, there is a life energy in the waters of the Barrens oases, invigorating and altering the plants and beasts that drink it.

Gallery

• 

  Life as depicted in Chronicle Volume 1.

See also

• Spirit (lore)