Part 2 of my lore posts about the Ancients follows my Introduction, and Part 1.
Previously we’ve discussed Aessina, Agamaggan and Aviana.
First off, today there is Cenarius.
Cenarius is Lord of the Forest, patron of all druids and one of the most powerful demigods of Azeroth. He is also known as Heart of the Land, Supreme Druid, Defender of the Emerald Dream, and Lord of the Groves.
Cenarius was born of Elune (known to the Tauren as Mu’sha), and the white stag Malorne (Ap’aro to the Tauren). Elune, despite her love for her son, gave him up to Malorne and Ysera, who became his adoptive mother. She did so as he was more mortal than God, and therefore could not live with her.
Cenarius grew into a strong, powerful and cunning individual as he was the union of heaven (in Elune) and earth (in Malorne). He held a great many powers of the natural world and was somewhat of a lothario, fathering many children, who became the ‘wise keepers of the grove‘, if they were male, and the fey dryads if they were female. Particularly prominent amongst his many offspring were Zaetar (known for his crazy relations with the elemental princess which spawned the 5 Kalimdor centaur tribes…), Remulos and Ordanus.
The tauren and the night elves are both very close to Cenarius. He himself has claimed kinship with the night elves, and his dryads and keepers have a top half similar in shape and form to that of the night elves. The tauren maintain, through legend, that Cenarius’ first contact with mortals was with the tauren. Their legend states that it was the tauren who were first taught druidism, by Cenarius, and that for many years they assisted him in protecting the natural world. The actual first mortal druid was Malfurion Stormrage.
Cenarius taught the night elves druidism and the ways of the forest, and they allied themselves with many of Cenarius’ creatures, such as the hippogryphs, which allowed the night elf arches to ride upon them. Cenarius also assisted Tyrande and the other night elves on the Long Vigil once the druids had entered the Emerald Dream, patrolling Moonglade with the Keepers.
Cenarius took a major part in the War of the Ancients. Malfurion and Tyrande called upon him when the Burning Legion started to amass their forces. When he realised the destructive nature of the Legion, Cenarius built an army of nature, which battled against Azshara and the demons, eventually destroying the Well of Eternity. Cenarius then went on to assist Malfurion in imprisoning Illidan.
The orcs arrived in Kalimdor some time later. Upon their arrival, Grom Hellscream moved to Ashenvale to harvest lumber. The Sentinels, the night elf elite, jumped to protect their forest. Grom held them off, and eventually Cenarius was called to assist.
Mannoroth, hoping to make use of the orcs once more, spilled his blood into the Fountain of Life, totally corrupting it. Grom brought his clans to the fountain, and despite objections due to Thralls’ teaching, convinced them to drink the blood. The Warsong orcs transformed into beasts powerful enough to stand up to the demigod.
A battle commenced, and Cenarius was eventually slain by Hellscream, as Mannoroth had hoped and planned for. Mannoroth appeared before the orcs, now having control over them once more after they drunk from the fountain. The orcs had slain Cenarius, patron of the druids and the night elves en masse. They were enraged, and it truly cemented their opinion that all orcs – blood tainted or no – were enemies of the elves.
This hatred continued for a long time, for when Malfurion suggested that the night elves band together with Jaina and Thrall, Tyrande vehemently disagreed, stating Cenarius’ death as one of the main reasons against a joining.
Luckily for Cenarius, his lineage through Malorne and therefore strong connection to the Emerald Dream means he can live on in the Dream as a true spirit of nature. It is believed by the elves that he sleeps in the dream whilst his wounds recover, and he will join them once more. The only clue we truly have to his location is when we see Remulos, his son, discussing him fighting the Nightmare within the Emerald Dream.
Goldrinn
Goldrinn was one of the largest beasts and ancients to roam Azeroth. Renowned for his ferocity in battle, he was already 10,000 years old when the Burning Legion first invaded Azeroth. He is referred to by the orcs as Lo’Gosh.
Goldrinn helped the night elves during the battle of Eldre’thelas and helped them protect their city, only to vanish after the battle. Goldrinn is followed by a special sect of druids known as the Druids of the Scythe. These druids shapeshifted into a severely feral worgen-esque form, and the other druids decided it was safer to imprison them deep under a tree in eternal slumber, until the day Arugal began to tamper with worgen and the summoning of them.
Goldrinn may become more visible with the coming Cataclysm and the presence of the worgen once more.
Malorne
Malorne is another figure very important in night elf and druidic history. Apa’ro, as he is known to the Tauren, roamed the land, protecting nature and nurturing creation. He fathered Cenarius, who inherited this task.
Malorne is older than Elune herself. The tauren legend, the white stag and the moon, tells of Malorne being hunted by tauren. He bargained with Elune for assistance, and loved her as part of the bargain. This love and relationship resulted in the birth of Cenarius.
Malorne has been a close protector and watcher of the night elf civilisation. He has oft presented himself during difficult times, including preventing two civil wars between the kaldorei purely by showing himself. He is particularly special in that, despite his massive power, he never shapeshifts, and always remains in his white stag form.
Malorne’s powers include his ability to enter both the physical world and the emerald dream at will, and an understanding of what happens in both planes simultaneously. There is a rumour that one particularly small sect of druids, named the druids of the antler have segregated themselves and attempt to recreate Malorne’s power.
Elune was not Malorne’s only love. He entered into a relationship with Ysera, who became adoptive mother of Cenarius, however whether the relationship between Ysera and Malorne was ever romantic is unknown.
One of the many reasons the night elves worship Malorne is his defense of them and their home during the War of the Ancients, when he fought against the Burning Legion and died. Cenarius had entered a rage after seeing the deaths of Ursoc, Ursol, Agamaggan and the apparent death of Aviana. He threw himself into battle, crushing thousands of demons. However, they began to overrun him. Malorne saw his son under siege, and entered the battle. Blinding the demons with his white, white fur, and defended his son. He looked towards the night elves, and they came, to drag Cenarius away to safety.
If Archimonde had not appeared, Malorne’s resistance and mass rage may have turned the battle back against the demons. Archimonde burnt the ground under Malorne, singing his coat, and twisted the land into great hands that magically trapped the great stag to the ground. Archimonde rose, matching Malorne in size. He freed himself, and charged at the eredar. Malorne’s power as he flew towards Archimonde, antlers down, caused tremors and quakes as the demons fell flat to the floor in shock. They battled on for some time, until Archimonde seize the great stag and snapped his neck, throwing him, lifeless, to the ground.
Malfurion, knowing Cenarius was unconscious and Malorne dead, cast a spell to wrap the eredar in thorns. Archimonde vanished in a mass of felfire. It was just seconds after this that Ysera, Soridormi and Alexstraza entered the battle. Ysera came to a fast halt, seeing the fallen stag. In one of the very few times in history, she opened her brilliant green jade eyes and screamed. She tore through the thousands of demons and carnage to reach him, fell to the ground where he was and sobbed, resting her head on his chest.
It is believed – or at least hoped – by the night elves that Malorne’s power allowed him to transcend death and either enter the Emerald Dream or to stand by Elune’s side once more.
Pretty sure that’s enough for Part 2…
