Mortal
“The bravery of mortals never fails to astound me. Death affixes its cold stare upon you and in return you rise to challenge its assertion! It is why your kind is so loved... and so hated.”
A mortal is a being who possesses mortality; the condition of being subject to death as a natural and inevitable aspect of existence. It is the opposite of immortality, as immortals will not die of old age and are generally resistant to sickness and injury.[2] The mortal races include the humans, orcs, dwarves, trolls, and pandaren, among many others. The Great Dark Beyond has been repeatedly described as the "mortal realm".[3][4][5] The Age of Mortals[6] is the current period of events that unfolds after the death of Deathwing. It was proclaimed by the Dragon Queen Alexstrasza after the ancient power of the Dragon Aspects expended at the end of the Cataclysm era. It is now the charge of Azeroth's mortal races to safeguard their world themselves.[7]
Characteristics
Living mortals are influenced by the cosmic force of Order and perceive time as a progression of instants; regular and determinant, functioning much like a clockwork.[8] Without a tether to their mortal plane, they no longer have the same perception.[9]
In the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Hyjal, the night elves slowly began to adjust to their mortal existence but such an adjustment was far from easy, and there were many night elves who could not adjust to the prospects of aging, disease, and frailty.[10]
The soul is the very personification of an individual and is anchored to the body by the cosmic force of Life.[11] When a mortal being dies, their soul crosses the Veil between life and death and enters in Oribos in the Shadowlands, where they are judged by the Arbiter who send them to appropriate afterlives.[12] Every living soul brings with it a vital force known as anima.[13] When a mortal life expires, an echo of it remains behind and the most powerful mortals leave the most resonant echoes.[14][15]
All alternate versions of the same mortal are more or less part of the same being, such as in the case with Draka, using an analogy of a rope with different threads which can be pulled off, but which "at some time come together to make that rope" and eventually come together as one being in the realm of Death.[11]
Notes and trivia
- The term mortal is often used with a pejorative or mocking purpose by immortal entities or powerful beings.[16][17][18]
- According to Ysera, only Jarod Shadowsong was a leader capable of commanding demigods and mortals alike during the War of the Ancients.[19]
- Many dragons regard with arrogance the mortal races which they call the "lesser races". Others are rather intrigued and take pleasure in mingling among them with their visage forms.[20]
- For the fire elementals, nothing is more humiliating than death at the hands of a mortal.[21]
- Most demons were once mortal creatures,[22] who have been turned into demons by being infused with large quantities of fel magic.
- The sayaad are adept at swaying the hearts of mortals.[23]
- It is said that neither mortal nor demon can refuse the whispers of the Coven of Shivarra.[24]
References
- ^
[15-30] Galakrond and the Scourge
- ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Immortals
- ^ ''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 18
- ^
[10-45] Servant of the Windseeker
- ^ Spirit of Competition#Official description
- ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 31
- ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 59
- ^ The Last Guardian, chapter 5
- ^ Judgehype - Interview de Steve Danuser sur l'histoire de Shadowlands
- ^ World of Warcraft: Game Manual, pg. 176
- ^ a b Ezgi Pajecki 2020-09-26. Maldraxxus, Shadowlands and Beyond - Interview with Steve Danuser. Lorekeeper. Archived from the original on 2020-09-27.
- ^ [50] Audience with the Arbiter
- ^
Blizzard Entertainment 2019-11-01. World of Warcraft: What’s Next Panel Recap. Retrieved on 2020-09-27.
- ^ [50-60] The Eternal Traveler
- ^ [10-45] Servant of the Windseeker
- ^ Legion Brutallizer: Fragile mortals. Bow before the might of the Burning Legion!
- ^ Depraved Guarantor: Impudent... mortal...
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 22, Deathwing: "Puny mortals! I have had many names throughout history [...]"
- ^ [30-35] Commander Jarod Shadowsong
- ^ Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects, chapter 6
- ^ [45] The Firelord's Command
- ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Demons
- ^
[20] The Binding
- ^ Coven of Shivarra#Adventure Guide