Mountain Thane

Ilphas

<Sleepy Advocate>

(US) Moon Guard

Void Elf Protection Warrior

Mountain Thane

Those now known as blood elves were once high elves. With the great power and protection of the [Sunwell]at their beck and call, the elven kingdom of [Quel'Thalas] thrived for a strong 7000 years. Masters of magic, and with a natural affinity for wielding it, the high elves championed the belief that they were the "sun blessed." They basked in the Sunwell's might, using it much like the Highborne they descended from used the Well of Eternity. Life for the high elves changed during the Third War, when King Arthas' Scourge attacked Quel'Thalas and shattered the elven race. The Scourge slew almost 90% of the high elven population, devastating their kingdom, and slaying King Anasterian Sunstrider. His son and heir, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider, was thankfully studying magic in Dalaran at the time of the disaster and quickly rushed to his people's aid. He returned to find Quel'Thalas in ruins, and thirsting for vengeance, gathered the survivors and renamed them "blood elves" in honor of their fallen kin. Prior to the Sunwell's destruction, all high elves were constantly bathed in its magical power. Now bereft of this arcane energy, the elves of Quel'Thalas suffered heavily from terrible withdrawals. Kael'thas worried that they would soon die without another magical source to replace the Sunwell.

Soon, the blood elves clashed with the Scourge and the [Amani]trolls, who were making inroads into the former elven territory. Lor'themar Theron was commanded to watch over the shattered elven kingdom and look to finding a cure for their addiction, while Kael'thas took a group of the strongest blood elf warriors and spellcasters and joined the [Alliance resistance]against the Scourge. They were eager to avenge themselves on the undead forces; however, bigotry on the part of the Alliance's commander prevented the [human] forces from fully utilizing the aid the blood elves could bring to their fight. Due to Grand Marshal Garithos' prejudices, Kael'thas was forced to accept the assistance of Lady Vashj, and her reptilian Naga. When the humans discovered that the blood elves were working with the naga, they were imprisoned and sentenced to death by Garithos, for "conspiring with the enemy". However Kael'thas and his soldiers escaped the prisons of Dalaran with the aid of the naga, who told Kael about [Illidan Stormrage], and the possibility of his knowing a way to help the Blood Elves with their magical addiction. This group of blood elves then helped defeat the demon [Magtheridon] and claimed his [Black Temple] as their own.

Kael'thas beseeched Illidan for a cure to the blood elves' addiction to magic. Illidan had a different proposal in mind, though: in return for the blood elves' loyalty, he would teach them to drain magic from powerful alternative sources, including demons. It was an offer Kael'thas felt he had to accept; he was certain his people would die without either a cure or a new source of magic. Kael'thas pledged his allegiance to Illidan, who taught several blood elves the techniques he had offered. These teachings spread to the other blood elves in Outland, who were then able to stave off their painful hunger for arcane magic. The prince sent back a master magus named Rommath and several of his magisters, with a message of hope for the blood elves remaining in Quel'Thalas: That one day Kael'thas would return to lead his people to paradise. Rommath has made great progress in teaching the blood elves advanced techniques to manipulate arcane energies, although unlike their brethren on Outland, the blood elves of Azeroth employed this technique only on mana crystals and small mana-bearing vermin, and attributed these teachings to Kael'thas alone - most were unaware of their prince's alliance with Illidan. With renewed purpose, the blood elves have now rebuilt the city of [Silvermoon], though it is powered by volatile magics. Emboldened by the promise of Kael'thas' return, the weary citizens of Quel'Thalas now focus on regaining their strength, even as they forge a new path into an uncertain future.