Lore
Skyborne
The story
The Skyborne, or shen'dorei, are an offshoot of high elves descended from rebels who fled Eldre'Thalas after opposing Prince Tortheldrin's demonic pacts. Striking a desperate bargain with wind spirits, their ancestors escaped Azeroth to dwell atop the floating Zephras Isle within Skywall. Today, with their elemental benefactors abruptly gone, their floating sanctuary faces internal fractures and physical collapse.
Following the Sundering, the Shen'dralar of Eldre'Thalas languished without the Well of Eternity. Prince Tortheldrin devised a dark salvation: summon the demon Immol'thar and siphon its power. Horrified nobles and citizens resisted, fearing another Legion invasion. In response, Tortheldrin executed a bloody purge of dozens of houses. From the surviving shadows rose a resistance spearheaded by a masked figure known only as the Shal'nan ('the Veiled One'). When a desperate rebel raid on Tortheldrin's ritual sanctum descended into catastrophic chaotic magic, the Shal'nan rallied the survivors and fled west to the port of Eldre'narr, taking to the seas pursued by the Prince's fleet.
Questions, answered
Who are the Skyborne?
The Skyborne, or shen'dorei ('the hidden people'), are high elves descended from ancient night elves who rebelled against Prince Tortheldrin in Eldre'Thalas. To escape his vengeful fleet, they struck a pact with wind spirits, who relocated their island, Zephras Isle, into the Elemental Plane of Air.
Why do some Skyborne have blue skin?
Millennia in the Elemental Plane of Air have subtly reshaped their biology. A recent phenomenon known as the Sky-Touched Blessing causes an increasing proportion of children—now roughly three out of ten—to be born with blue skin. Scholars predict their ancestral night elf traits will soon be entirely supplanted.
Who was the Shal'nan?
The Shal'nan, or 'the Veiled One', was the masked leader who spearheaded the resistance against Prince Tortheldrin's demon summoning in Eldre'Thalas. After leading the survivors to safety in Skywall, he abdicated to establish a democratic council, serving his people until mysteriously vanishing centuries ago alongside their elemental benefactors.
What is happening to Zephras Isle?
Zephras Isle is held aloft within Skywall by magical pylons attuned to elemental power. When the wind spirits who maintained them abruptly disappeared centuries ago, the anchoring pylons began to fail. Portions of the landmass have broken off into the void, stranding survivors and driving displaced elves to banditry.
What are the High Order and the Windshapers?
They are the two primary cultural factions of the Skyborne. The High Order descends from Highborne magisters and seeks to rebuild their crumbling society through disciplined arcane mastery. The Windshapers trace their roots to ordinary night elf citizens and revere the elemental and spiritual customs cultivated during their time in Skywall.
Who are the Al'Aketh?
The Al'Aketh are a desperate cult of Skyborne who worship Al'Akir the Windlord. While their ancestors' elemental benefactors feared and avoided speaking of Al'Akir, the collapse of Zephras Isle led homeless and disenfranchised refugees to turn to the elemental lord for salvation and power.
Sources
- Wiki Adapted from the Warcraft Wiki article Skyborne (CC BY-SA 4.0)