Lore · October 24, 2026

Night Elf History: Teldrassil, Ashenvale and the Ancients

The night elves, or kaldorei, are the Alliance race of Kalimdor who built an ancient empire, lost most of it in the Sundering about 10,000 years ago, lost their immortality at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, and now live in Darnassus on the World Tree Teldrassil. In World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever), set in the first year of World of Warcraft, they are Alliance members who hold Teldrassil and the forests of Ashenvale and contest eastern Ashenvale with the Horde.

Quick answer: The night elves ruled a large empire under Queen Azshara. Her Highborne mages opened the way for the Burning Legion, which led to the War of the Ancients and the Sundering. The survivors withdrew into the forests. After the Third War they planted Teldrassil, joined the Alliance and started again in Darnassus.

Night elf history, step by step — A six-step timeline of night elf history: the Kaldorei Empire, the War of the Ancients, the Sundering about 10,000 years ago, the Battle of Mount Hyjal in year 21, the planting of Teldrassil, and the Alliance night elves of Darnassus in the first year of WoW. Source: Warcraft Wiki.

Key facts

Name: night elves call themselves kaldorei (Warcraft Wiki)
Empire: a large empire under Queen Azshara about 10,000 years ago (Warcraft Wiki, Blizzard overview)
War of the Ancients and Sundering: about 10,000 years ago, ended with survivors settling around Mount Hyjal (Warcraft Wiki)
Battle of Mount Hyjal: year 21 after the Dark Portal; the World Tree Nordrassil is lost and the night elves lose their immortality (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
Teldrassil: planted shortly after the Third War by druids led by Fandral Staghelm (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
Capital: Darnassus, in western Teldrassil, led by Tyrande Whisperwind (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)
Allegiance: Alliance (Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia)

Where do the night elves come from?

Warcraft Wiki says the night elves began as a dark troll tribe that settled near the Well of Eternity, whose power changed them into long-lived, violet-skinned beings who named themselves kaldorei. About 10,000 years ago their empire spanned much of ancient Kalimdor under Queen Azshara, with its capital at Zin-Azshari.

Blizzard's overview of WoW Forever, as summarized by Icy Veins, describes the same fall in one line: the night elves built a vast empire that their reckless use of primal magic destroyed, then withdrew into the forests and later emerged to face the return of the Burning Legion. Warcraft Wiki adds that the Highborne mages pursued reckless arcane experiments despite warnings from the demigod Cenarius, and that Azshara and Xavius were persuaded by Sargeras to open a portal for the Legion.

What were the War of the Ancients and the Sundering?

In the War of the Ancients, about 10,000 years ago, Malfurion Stormrage, Tyrande Whisperwind and Jarod Shadowsong opposed the Legion, and Malfurion closed the portal with Cenarius's help, according to Warcraft Wiki. Blizzard's Burning Crusade Classic story summary says Malfurion's twin brother Illidan, who had allied with the Legion, changed sides and helped reverse the portal magic. Read Who Is Illidan Stormrage? for his path.

The Well of Eternity then imploded in the Sundering, creating the Maelstrom, and survivors turned to nature and settled around Mount Hyjal. Wowpedia and Warcraft Wiki say Illidan created a second Well of Eternity there, and he was imprisoned beneath the mountain. Only Warcraft Wiki, of the pages we read, says the dragon Alexstrasza later planted the first World Tree, Nordrassil, over that new Well.

What happened to the night elves in the Third War?

Warcraft Wiki says the Warsong clan's conflict with the night elves began in Ashenvale, where Cenarius was killed. Warcraft Wiki's Ashenvale page and Wowpedia say Grommash Hellscream killed him after the Burning Legion had tricked the orcs. Warcraft Wiki's Durotar page dates the Battle of Mount Hyjal, where night elves, orcs and the Alliance fought Archimonde, to year 21 after the Dark Portal.

Warcraft Wiki says Nordrassil was sacrificed in that battle, which ended the night elves' immortality. Wowpedia says the dragon Nozdormu refused to bless Teldrassil, so the night elves did not regain it. Mount Hyjal is a new zone in WoW Forever, and the Hyjal Summit raid is set there, according to Warcraft Wiki's Forever page. Read the Mount Hyjal guide for the zone.

What is Teldrassil and Darnassus?

After the Third War, night elf druids led by Archdruid Fandral Staghelm planted the new World Tree Teldrassil, according to Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia. Darnassus took root in western Teldrassil, and Wowpedia adds that Rut'theran Village at the base of the tree is the travel hub with a portal into the city.

Tyrande, the high priestess of Elune, leads Darnassus, per both wikis. Wowpedia says Malfurion was trapped in the Emerald Dream after the second Legion invasion, which let Fandral take leadership; Warcraft Wiki's Darnassus page says Fandral led the druids before the Cataclysm. The night elves joined the Alliance, and Wowpedia calls Teldrassil the Alliance's largest stronghold in Kalimdor. Teldrassil is the night elf starting zone; see the Alliance leveling zones guide and the first ten levels.

What is happening in Ashenvale in WoW Forever's era?

Ashenvale is the night elves' ancestral homeland. Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia both say the Alliance's main settlement is Astranaar, and that the Horde harvests lumber at the Warsong Lumber Camp and Warsong Labor Camp, with Splintertree Post as its main base in eastern Ashenvale. Wowpedia says much of the ancient forest was cut down and calls eastern Ashenvale contested.

That contest is a recurring theme of the zone. Ashenvale also contains the entrance to the Blackfathom Deeps dungeon; read the Blackfathom Deeps guide. For how the two factions see each other, read Alliance vs Horde: the lore. The free Lore Forever add-on adds readable zone and quest background as you level through Teldrassil and Ashenvale, and the optional Willo voice companion lets you ask lore questions by voice. Both are fan-made.

What is not confirmed yet

Blizzard has not published a full list of Forever's night elf quests, so this article describes the people and places, not new quest text.
Only Wowpedia's Teldrassil page says Malfurion was trapped in the Emerald Dream in this period; Warcraft Wiki's Darnassus page says Fandral led the druids before the Cataclysm.
Ashenvale's level range differs by source: both wikis list the original game's zone as levels 7 to 30, while Lore Forever's Alliance leveling guide cites a community guide at 19 to 32 for Forever.
Later events, including the fate of Teldrassil, are outside WoW Forever.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the night elves in Warcraft?

The night elves, or kaldorei, are an ancient Kalimdor people who built an empire, survived the Sundering, and now ally with the Alliance from Darnassus on the World Tree Teldrassil.

Why did the night elves lose their immortality?

The World Tree Nordrassil was sacrificed at the Battle of Mount Hyjal in the Third War, which ended their immortality, according to Warcraft Wiki. Wowpedia adds that Nozdormu refused to bless the new tree, Teldrassil.

Where do night elves start in WoW Forever?

Night elves start in Teldrassil, according to Lore Forever's Alliance leveling guide, and a common route then goes through Darkshore and Ashenvale. Wowpedia also calls Teldrassil the night elf starting area.

Who leads the night elves?

Tyrande Whisperwind, high priestess of Elune, leads Darnassus. Warcraft Wiki says Archdruid Fandral Staghelm led the druids before the Cataclysm, and Wowpedia says Malfurion Stormrage was trapped in the Emerald Dream.

Who killed Cenarius?

Grommash Hellscream killed Cenarius in Ashenvale during the Third War after the Burning Legion tricked him, according to Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia.

Are Illidan and Malfurion night elves?

Yes. Illidan and Malfurion Stormrage are twin night elf brothers. Read Who Is Illidan Stormrage?.

Sources

Reviewed October 24, 2026. This article covers history before and during Forever's setting and does not treat later events as Forever canon. Lore Forever and Willo are fan-made and are not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.