Lore ·
Who Is Elune? The Moon Goddess of the Night Elves Explained
Elune is the moon goddess of the night elves, who call themselves her favored children; the tauren know her as Mu'sha, and her priesthood, the Sisterhood of Elune, is led by High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind. In World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever), set in the first year of World of Warcraft (year 25 after the Dark Portal), her main temple is in Darnassus, the night elf city on Teldrassil.
Quick answer: Elune is one of Azeroth's few true deities, tied to the larger moon, the White Lady. Night elves honor her through priestesses, and her blessed water fills moonwells that heal and restore magic. The tauren tell a different story of the same moon, as Mu'sha, the left eye of the Earth Mother.
Look up on a clear night in Kalimdor and the moon is not a lamp but a presence. The night elves have been answering it for longer than their cities have had names.
Key facts
- Who she is: a moon goddess, primary goddess of the night elves, tied to the larger moon, the White Lady (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
- Her priesthood: the Sisterhood of Elune, led by High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind (Wowpedia, Warcraft Wiki)
- Her temple: the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus (Warcraft Wiki, Moon Guard Wiki)
- Her water: moonwells heal and restore mana (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
- Her lover: the stag demigod Malorne (Warcraft Wiki, Vanilla WoW Archive)
- Her son: Cenarius, lord of the forest (Warcraft Wiki, Vanilla WoW Archive)
- Tauren name: Mu'sha, the moon (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
Who is Elune?
Elune is a goddess, and unlike most of Azeroth's powers she answers prayers. Wowpedia calls her one of the few true deities of the world and the night elves' guiding goddess, and says the tauren know her as Mu'sha. Warcraft Wiki says she is associated with Azeroth's larger moon, the White Lady, and that the night elves arranged their society around a balance between druids and priestesses for over ten thousand years.
Both sources tie her to the forest. Warcraft Wiki and the Vanilla WoW Archive name her as the mother of Cenarius, the lord of the forest and patron of druids. Warcraft Wiki names her lover as Malorne, the stag demigod, and the Vanilla WoW Archive names Malorne as the father of Cenarius. For the night elves' wider story, read Night Elf History, and for the high priestess who serves her, read Tyrande Whisperwind's story.
How do the night elves worship Elune?
Through the Sisterhood. Wowpedia's Warcraft Encyclopedia entry calls the Sisterhood of Elune the highest echelon of her priesthood, led by High Priestess Tyrande. It says the priestesses were spiritual leaders and fighters who sang to Elune and healed the wounded, that Tyrande disbanded the old army and created the Sentinels, and that the Sisterhood took over directing them. Warcraft Wiki adds that novices train in combat as well as prayer. Wowpedia says men and a few priests of other races were admitted to her priesthood after the Third War, while the Sisterhood itself has stayed women-only.
What is a moonwell?
A moonwell is a pool that holds Elune's blessing. Warcraft Wiki says moonwells hold healing water that can purify their surroundings for years and restore a spellcaster's mana. Wowpedia agrees that moonwells heal those who drink from them and that mages and other spellcasters can restore mana there, and adds that priestesses can combine Elune's Light with a moonwell to make holy water.
Who is Mu'sha, and is she the same goddess?
The tauren tell the moon differently. Warcraft Wiki's page on Mu'sha says she is the daughter of the Earth Mother and twin of An'she, the sun, and that she is the Earth Mother's left eye, with An'she the right. Warcraft Wiki also says Mu'sha is the tauren name for Elune. Wowpedia confirms the name.
Where do you meet Elune's people in WoW Forever?
In Darnassus. Warcraft Wiki says the Temple of the Moon is the main temple of Elune, home to the Sisters of Elune and the center of night elven spiritual life, and the Moon Guard Wiki repeats that. In the original game, Warcraft Wiki lists Tyrande Whisperwind inside as High Priestess of Elune, with Priest trainers nearby. At its heart stands a statue of the first High Priestess, Haidene, set in a moonwell, according to both pages. If you play a Priest, the Priest guide covers the class.
The free Lore Forever add-on shows readable zone and quest background as you play, and the optional Willo voice companion answers lore questions about Elune and her people. Both are fan-made.
What is not confirmed yet
- Blizzard has not published a list of Forever's Elune quests or temple changes, so this article describes the original game.
- Sources disagree on when the Temple of the Moon was built: Warcraft Wiki's page gives both the settling of Teldrassil and the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Hyjal, and does not reconcile them.
- Warcraft Wiki's Elune page also covers material from later expansions, including her Night Warrior aspect, Val'sharah and Shadowlands. Those are later in the timeline, outside WoW Forever.
- The tauren's belief that Mu'sha and Elune are the same being is described by Warcraft Wiki; how Forever treats it is not confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Elune in World of Warcraft?
Elune is the moon goddess of the night elves, tied to the larger moon, the White Lady. Her priesthood is the Sisterhood of Elune, led by High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind.
Is Elune a real goddess in the story?
Yes. Wowpedia calls Elune one of the few true deities of Azeroth, and Warcraft Wiki says night elf society was built around her priestesses and the druids.
What do the tauren call Elune?
The tauren call her Mu'sha, or simply the Moon, according to Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia. In tauren belief she is the left eye of the Earth Mother.
What is a moonwell in WoW?
A moonwell is a pool of Elune's blessed water. It heals those who drink, purifies its surroundings and restores spellcasters' mana, according to Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia.
Who are Elune's children?
Warcraft Wiki and the Vanilla WoW Archive name Cenarius, lord of the forest, as Elune's son. Warcraft Wiki names Malorne as her lover, and the Vanilla WoW Archive names him Cenarius's father.
Where is the Temple of Elune in WoW Forever?
The main temple, the Temple of the Moon, is in Darnassus on Teldrassil in the original game, according to Warcraft Wiki and the Moon Guard Wiki. Forever's own version is not yet documented.
Sources
Reviewed October 24, 2026. Elune's story follows the original game that WoW Forever rebuilds; later expansion events are not treated as Forever canon. Lore Forever and Willo are fan-made and are not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.