Blood Elf Roleplayer's Guide

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This guide is intended for those new to blood elf lore. Blood elves are the most popular race on Horde, but their lore can sometimes be ambiguous. I've attempted to organize information taken from various sources to provide an accurate overview of the race. You are free to use any information you find here, but I encourage you to educate yourself by doing your own research. Perhaps the best way to build confidence as a role-player is to practice role-playing with others. Don't be afraid of making mistakes! There are plenty of reliable sources among the blood elf community willing to help you along the way. I hope you enjoy reading!

''Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be a compulsory read for anyone, and it is not suggested that this guide is the only correct way to role-play the race. Some of the information provided is based purely on speculation and has no official source to back it up. Discretion is advised. If you are a veteran and disagree with any of the information, feel free to post your criticism below. Feedback is welcomed.''

History
The race of elves originated over 14,000 years ago, but the history of blood elves is still fairly new. The Scourge, led by Arthas Menethil, invaded Quel'Thalas and slew 90% of the high elf population. King Anasterian was among the victims of this onslaught, leaving the survivors in disarray. Kael'thas Sunstrider, heir to the crown, returned home from studying in Dalaran to rally what remained of his people. Those who joined him were renamed sin'dorei, or blood elves, in homage to those who perished at the hands of Arthas.

Kael'thas took the most elite soldiers (roughly 15% of the surviving population) and joined what remained of the Alliance resistance in Lordaeron. Meanwhile, the remaining 85% were directed to remain in Quel'Thalas and begin the slow process of rebuilding. Lor'themar Theron was selected as Regent Lord until Kael's return. Kael's forces were placed under the command of Grand Marshal Garithos, whose racist views towards elves influenced him to make poor decisions. Kael'thas and his forces, while infuriated by their treatment, fulfilled their duties on the battlefield. When Garithos ordered Kael's men to carry out a suicide mission, they were forced to rely on the help of Lady Vashj and her naga. After Garithos discovered this, he arrested Kael's forces and had them imprisoned in Dalaran for a pending mass execution.

Lady Vashj helped Kael and his men escape the prison and retreated through a portal to Outland. Kael's forces, guided by Lady Vashj, eventually found a powerful demon hunter named Illidan Stormrage. Illidan sympathized with Kael's plight and introduced him to an alternative source of magic. This alternative source of magic came in the form of fel crystals, and were later brought back to Silvermoon by Grand Magister Rommath. Rommath, acting on behalf of Kael'thas, taught the blood elves still in Azeroth how to adapt to their new lifestyle. Renewed with hope, the Silvermoon blood elves devoted to rebuilding their fallen kingdom.

Meanwhile, Kael's forces on Outland began a campaign of dominance with Illidan and Vashj. The combined armies, known as the Illidari, managed to overthrown Outland's demonic despot - Magtheridon. The Illidari, reigning supreme in Outland, began to subjugate the hordes of demons still left on the planet. After building their forces, the Illidari traveled back to Azeroth by order of Kil'jaeden to destroy the Lich King in Northrend. Despite their efforts, they were outmatched by Arthas. Many sin'dorei were slain and brought into the Scourge as servants known as the San'layn. The rest of the Illidari fled back to Outland.

After their defeat in Northrend, Illidan began to lose his sanity. He desperately sought to gain more power by taking over the rest of Outland. Kael'thas, having lost faith in Illidan, began working with Kil'jaeden in secret. Although a number of blood elves remained loyal to Illidan, a majority followed Kael to the Netherstorm and began to harvest vast quantities of mana cells for "a much larger plan".

Kael'thas sent some of his best men to take the Sha'tari capitol of Shattrath. Voren'thal the Seer, leader of the regiment sent to Shattrath, defected from Kael's army and formed a new faction loyal to the naaru A'dal. This faction, called the Scryers, was the largest loss incurred by Kael's forces. The Scryers saw through Kael's dark agenda and vowed to stop him at all costs.

Back on Azeroth, society had stabilized, and the Silvermoon blood elves turned south to wage war against the Scourge bastion of Deatholme. With the help of the Forsaken, Deatholme was conquered and the Scourge threat was eliminated. The Warchief at the time of this victory, Thrall, saw potential in the blood elves and accepted them into the Horde as equals. The Silvermoon blood elves, desperately seeking allies, willingly pledged themselves to the Horde.

Shortly after, the Dark Portal reopened. The Silvermoon blood elves, having been told of a promised land by Kael's emissaries, began flooding through the portal on a pilgrimage. Unfortunately, what they found was nothing but deception. Kael's forces, while on Outland, had turned to darkness and abandoned their own people. Silvermoon blood elves and blood elves loyal to Kael'thas were at odds for the first time. A war was waged on Outland, and with the help of the Horde, Kael'thas was defeated at Tempest Keep.

Unfortunately, Kael's schemes did not end in Outland. Kael survived the Battle of Tempest Keep and took what remained of his men back to Quel'Thalas. There, his remaining forces took over the Isle of Quel'Danas and began a world-threatening ritual to summon Kil'Jaeden into Azeroth. The Shattered Sun Offensive, a joint operation consisting of blood elves, draenei, and heroes across Azeroth, managed to defeat the last of Kael's forces on Quel'Danas and keep Kil'Jaeden from entering the world. Kael'thas was slain in this battle, leaving Lor'themar Theron the default leader of Silvermoon.

Since the Battle of Quel'Danas, the blood elves have worked tirelessly to prove their worth to the Horde and rebuild their proud kingdom. The blood elves have served in a number of operations, including the Warsong Offensive and dethroning of the Amani Warlord Daakara.

Timeline
14,000: Kaldorei appear and found a civilization on the banks of the Well of Eternity. -13,500: Kaldorei begin to actively study arcane magic. -10,000: War of the Ancients -9,999: The Sundering -7,300: High Elves are exiled; Quel'Thalas is founded -2,800: The Troll Wars; Elves ally with humans (Arathor) for the first time 0: The Dark Portal is opened; Orcs invade Azeroth 1: The First War 6: The Second War 9-19: The Alliance Splinters; High Elves leave the Alliance 20: The Third War; Quel'Thalas Falls; Destruction of the Sunwell 21: Kael'thas renames his people Blood Elves; Exodus to Outland 25: (World of Warcraft Vanilla) 26: The Burning Crusade; Blood Elves join the Horde; The Sunwell is restored 27: Wrath of the Lich King; Arthas defeated 28-30: The Shattering

Government
The government of the sin'dorei is in a state of confusion in present times. With the end of the Sunstrider Dynasty, it has fallen upon the Regent Lord to take responsibility for the rebirth of a nation. However, Lor'themar Theron has demonstrated reluctance to accept the title of King and still refers to himself as Regent Lord. In spite of all the uncertainty, most of the population seems to be influenced (and in some cases, controlled) by the Magisters. The leader of the Magisters, Rommath, serves as an adviser to Theron along with Halduron Brightwing.

Perhaps in the future, Theron will accept the title of King and begin a new dynasty. Alternatively, there could be a rebirth of the Convocation of Silvermoon, which once existed as a ruling body of elven lords. Until then, it seems that most of Silvermoon is satisfied with the Regent Lord's leadership and will remain loyal to him until a decision is made.

Blood Knights
The Blood Knights are an order of blood elf paladins led by Lady Liadrin, and are the backbone of the Thalassian military. Originally, Blood Knights gained their powers by draining them from a captive naaru named M'uru. This concept was devised by Magister Astalor Bloodsworn. Due to the Sunwell's restoration, Blood Knights may naturally draw energy from the Sunwell.

Farstriders
The Farstriders are a group of rangers who protect the borders of Quel'Thalas. Led by Ranger General Halduron Brightwring, these seasoned marksmen are responsible for safeguarding all of the territory north of the Thalassian Pass. Their enemies include Scourge Remnants, Wretched, and Amani trolls. Some Farstriders have traveled beyond Quel'Thalas to aid the rest of the Horde.

Magisters
The Magisters are one of the oldest factions of blood elven society. The Magisters are led by Grand Magister Rommath, and have played an enormously influential role in helping the population of Quel'Thalas adapt to life without the Sunwell. They are also responsible for helping retake most of Quel'Thalas from the Scourge and Amani Empire. A feminine form of magister is magistrix.

Reliquary
The Reliquary is an organization led by High Examiner Tae'thelan Bloodwatcher. Following the fall of the Lich King, the Reliquary has sent expeditions all across Azeroth in search of ancient artifacts, magic, and fragments of history. Unlike the Explorer's League, the Reliquary is interested in the practical usage of any artifacts they uncover to serve the immediate needs of Silvermoon.

Sunreavers
Led by Aethas Sunreaver, the Sunreavers played a crucial role in allowing the Horde to be admitted into Dalaran. When Jaina Proudmoore suspected the Sunreavers of betraying the Kirin Tor, they were purged from the city, forcing many of them to return to Silvermoon. The rest remain captive in Dalaran's Violet Hold.

Physiology
Blood elves are usually a little over six feet in height. Women are typically a few inches shorter than men. Blood elves are slim and athletic, usually fighting with agility and grace instead of relying on brute strength. Generally, blood elves are considered attractive. Some blood elves have tattooed themselves with runes or other symbols to appear more intimidating. Just as well, to differentiate themselves from their high elven counterparts, many blood elves have dyed their hair. As a result of living in a city saturated with fel magic, the eyes of blood elves glow shades of green.

Personality
A blood elf's personality will vary drastically depending on his or her life experience, but they all share one thing in common: Their entire population was nearly wiped out, and their kingdom was left in ruins. Because practically every blood elf has lost something important to them, their personalities will have most likely changed in the past few years. Although every individual is unique, there are some stereotypical traits that define a blood elf. Typically, blood elves are seen as proud, ruthless, and unforgiving. Their arrogance is likely a result of being considered the masters of magic on Azeroth for centuries.

Humans
Elves and humans have maintained a tenuous relationship up until the Third War, where a succession of events changed the status of these two races from relatively friendly to outwardly hostile. Although a number of blood elves still maintain amiable relationships with some humans, those ties are usually found between members of neutral organizations. Humans of the Alliance are viewed as enemies, regardless of past alliances.

Dwarves
Dwarves, being so closely allied with the humans, are also treated the same way by many blood elves. They are typically viewed as crude and dirty creatures. Prospector Anvilward, a dwarven spy who attempted to disguise himself as an envoy from Ironforge, was eventually caught and discreetly executed. This incident was swept under the rug, but it left a sour taste in the mouths of those who were involved.

Night Elves
The kaldorei forced the high elves into exile over seven thousand years ago. Ever since, the high elves have harbored nothing but animosity for their distant cousins. Many blood elves view the kaldorei as hypocrites now that they have accepted Highborne back into their society.

Gnomes
Gnomes are usually seen as dangerous creatures. Like blood elves, gnomes possess an affinity with magic due to their expansive minds. While there has been little interaction between the two races, gnomes are usually viewed as pesky minions of the Alliance. For the most part, their incredible technology is respected far more than their magical prowess.

Draenei
There existed a bitter rivalry between blood elves and draenei since the events leading up to the Burning Crusade. The blood elves viewed them as zealots blinded by their radical devotion to the Light. During the Shattered Sun Offensive, the blood elves and draenei fought together to reclaim the Sunwell. Having put aside their differences to save Azeroth from destruction, the tension between the two races has diminished to some degree.

Worgen
To blood elves, worgen are monstrous aberrations. Although the two races have had little interaction with each other, it's safe to say that an average blood elf will treat worgen as savage beasts who need to be put down.

Orcs
The orcs were enemies of the blood elves at one point in time. It is possible that any blood elf over the age of thirty may have battled an orc in his lifetime. Orcs are often considered unintelligent and brutish by many blood elves, but their similar history has led to a mutual understanding that surpasses surface racism.

Trolls
The Amani trolls have been enemies of elves for centuries. Due to this extended conflict, many blood elves possess a hatred for the race. The Darkspear, however, have taken a stand against the Amani and offered crucial aid in the dismantling of the Amani Empire. Because of this, it's likely that a number of blood elves see the Darkspear as worthy allies.

Forsaken
The Forsaken were once the living population of Lordaeron. It's very likely that a blood elves may have known many Forsaken prior to their reanimation. The blood elves and Forsaken work closely with each other, but a significant number of blood elves are wary of the Banshee Queen's motives. Though she was once the Ranger General of Quel'Thalas, some fear that she will have the Forsaken turn on them the moment they are no longer convenient.

Tauren
To blood elves, tauren are noble creatures who share an appreciation of nature. Although their relationship with the tauren is rather new, the two races rarely have any conflicts with each other. The Sunwalkers have recently appeared as another faction of Horde paladins, but their methods differ drastically from the Blood Knights.

Goblins
On one hand, goblins are seen as cheap crooks who have no sense of honor. On the other hand, the two races have much in common. Like goblins, blood elves are hedonistic and rely on artificial creations for work or pleasure. A blood elf is usually not unwilling to do business with a goblin, but will remain extra careful with any questionable transaction.

Pandaren
Like the tauren, pandaren are a race generally respected by the blood elves in spite of their contrasting lifestyles. On Thunder Isle, the Shado-Pan and blood elves orchestrated an assault on the Thunder King's citadel, suggesting that the two races are capable of working together to accomplish incredible feats.

Death Knight
A majority of blood elven death knights were among the champions slain when Arthas invaded Quel'Thalas. Blood elven death knights no longer suffer from arcane withdrawal, but possess an even worse addiction. If a blood elf death knight does not inflict agony upon other creatures, he or she will begin to experience incredible pain.

Hunter
A Farstrider is the ideal model of a blood elf hunter, though not all hunters are Farstriders. Due to their agile form, a blood elf can wield a bow or rifle with deadly precision. Typically, an elven ranger will have a lynx or dragonhawk as a hunting companion. Elven rangers are renowned across the world for their unrivaled skill. The most famous blood elf hunters are the Windrunner sisters.

Mage
Blood elves are born gifted at anything arcane, making them natural mages. Blood elven magi go by a variety of titles depending on their expertise. A standard blood elf mage is a Magister (or Magistrix for women). There are also arcanists, nethermancers, astromancers, and scryers. Blood Mages are mages who have embraced destructive magics.

Monk
A few pandaren ambassadors have visited Quel'Thalas to teach blood elves the ways of the monk. It is a relatively new way of fighting, but has been adopted by the elves quite well due to their natural grace. The monk's fighting style is closely similar to Runemasters, who augment their martial skill with runic tattoos.

Paladin
A blood elf paladin is usually a Blood Knight, though it is possible for a blood elf to have at one point been a paladin of the Silver Hand. Paladins draw their power from the Sunwell, and use it against enemies of Silvermoon. The presence of paladins has been essential in containing the Scourge left remaining in the Ghostlands.

Priest
Blood elf priests can vary depending on their philosophy. Most blood elf priests draw their power from the Sunwell, and do not require prayer or worship in order to wield the Light as a destructive or healing force. On the other hand, some hold fast to their faith and practice the teachings of the Church of Holy Light. A few priests work as inquisitors for Sunfury Spire, carrying out the will of the Magisters.

Rogue
Blood elven rogues are often dispatched to carry out assassinations. An elven rogue may be a Farstrider who specializes in melee combat. There is a small faction of blood elf rogues known as the "Pathstalkers" who serve as couriers and spies. Although rogues were viewed as dishonorable in the past, they have become instrumental in modern society.

Warlock
Those elven magi who were not afraid to pursue a darker path became warlocks. Blood elf warlocks see demons as useful weapons to be harnessed and wielded no differently than how hunters use their pets. Some of the spells in a Blood Mage's arsenal closely resemble that of a warlock, which makes the two classes very similar. In Silvermoon, Warlocks seem to be allowed to walk around freely with their demons.

Warrior
Blood elf warriors usually come in the form of swordsmen. A few warriors, known as spell-breakers, learned to resist magic and became a valuable asset to the sin'dorei army. Typically an elven warrior relies on agility and grace to best an opponent. Favored weapons include scimitars, glaives, spears, and tower shields.

Blood Mage
Blood mages are elven magi whose passion for power has led them to study darker magic. A blood mage is somewhere between a fire mage and destruction warlock, possessing several abilities from both classes. The signature spell of a blood mage is the ability to summon a phoenix, a natural predator of the Firelands. Two blood mages work together in the Blasted Lands to study the demons in the area. Kael'thas was also considered a blood mage.

Demon Hunter
The process of becoming a demon hunter is long and painful, requiring tremendous determination and willpower. Many demon hunters do not survive the process. Among other rituals required to master this class, one must intentionally blind himself to develop spectral sight. Demon hunters were originally night elves who were made to counter the first demonic invasion of Azeroth. Millennia later, Illidan trained several blood elf demon hunters in Outland. Only a few of them survived.

Spell Breaker
A spell breaker is a front-line soldier who has trained himself to become immune to most curses and magical afflictions. The signature weapons of a spell breaker are a two-sided sword and an enormous tower shield. Most spell breakers followed Kael'thas in the exodus to Outland and perished in his service. The few spell breakers that remain are considered a relic of a past era, but it is possible that more are trained in the future.

Appendix: Eye Coloration
Some evidence supports the notion that all elves have a genetic eye color not unlike humans. However, this color is usually hidden behind a magical glow. Originally, high elves retained a blue glow as a result of the arcane energy flowing from the Sunwell. After the Sunwell was destroyed, the high elves turned to other substances such as fel crystals to sate their hunger. The energy they drew from these sources changed the glow from blue to green. According to a creative developer, fel magic is sort of like radiation, which effected even the most conservative high elves living in Quel'Thalas. Even if they didn't consume fel magic directly, their exposure to it would be no different than your exposure to smog in a dense city.

It is important to keep in mind that the color of the eye glow is a physiological trait and has no bearing on affiliation. An elf never exposed to fel energy may retain loyalty to Silvermoon and call himself a blood elf. However, this particular elf would most likely be ostracized by society and pressured into assimilating. Just as well, it is possible (though unlikely) for an elf with green-glowing eyes to belong to the Alliance. (See Valeera Sanguinar).

Faith and Philosophy
On the topic of blood elf faith, there isn't too much to go on. We know that some blood elves belong to the Church of Holy Light. Others take a more agnostic approach, viewing the Light as a philosophy rather than a religion. Nearly every blood elf may draw upon the holy energies of the Sunwell, regardless of their relationship with the Light.

During the Third War, high elf priests aided the Alliance in battling the Scourge threat in Lordaeron. These priests played an essential role as field medics, using the Light to cleanse corruption and treat wounds. Highly skilled priests managed to bolster the morale of soldiers, igniting their inner fire in battle.

It is a common misconception that blood elves worship the sun. Although the sun is revered as a symbol of power, there is no evidence to support the notion that blood elves (or even high elves) have ever viewed the sun as a deity like the night elves view and Elune. Although the 'Eternal Sun' is often referenced in speech, it is likely only used in a metaphorical context.

Contrasting High Elves and Blood Elves
At one point, all blood elves were high elves. When Kael'thas returned from Dalaran to lead the remnants of his people, he renamed them sin'dorei, meaning children of blood. This renaming took place before anyone had access to fel crystals so none of them would have had green eyes at this point. Those who refused to take up the name sin'dorei remained high elves. The political difference between high elves and blood elves is that high elves are neutral (such as some in Dalaran) or retain their old allegiance to the Alliance (such as Vereesa Windrunner). Blood elves, then, are elves who are loyal to Silvermoon. Although there are minor physiological changes between high elves and blood elves due to fel influence, the difference between their names are purely political.

High Elf History
If you are a beginner of blood elf role-play, it is recommend that you familiarize yourself with high elf lore. Knowledge of history prior to the Third War is just as important as recent history. It is likely that your blood elf is over ten years old and will have a recollection of life in Quel'Thalas before the Scourge invasion.

The Highborne, an echelon of night elves who first practiced magic, were originally from Kalimdor. Because the night elf leaders believed they jeopardized the lives of their people, they were sent into exile. Banished from their homes, the highborne sailed across the sea and landed in Tirisfal Glades. Something spooked the elves and drove them to abandon the region and continue northwards. Eventually, the highborne arrived at what is known today as Eversong Woods, where they founded Quel'Thalas and made Dath'remar Sunstrider their king.

Unbeknownst to the highborne, the Amani Empire had already settled in these forests and did not take kindly to the elves' intrusion. The Amani trolls waged war against the highborne, but the elves' superior magic kept them at bay. This struggle lasted for several years, but the Amani eventually figured out ways to compensate for their lack of magic. The highborne found themselves fighting a losing war. Knowing it was only a matter of time before Quel'Thalas fell, Anasterian Sunstrider sent emissaries to the human nation of Arathor for aid.

The humans of Arathor sent aid to Quel'Thalas in exchange for learning the ways of magic from the highborne. Together, the humans and elves utterly crushed the Amani Empire. Peaceful relations between Arathor and Quel'Thalas flourished, and several cities were built as a result. Among these cities were Dalaran, which would later become the magic capitol of the world. Here, elves and humans studied magic together and cultivated some of the finest magi in Azeroth. Humans would begin to call highborne high elves, which is still interchangeable.

Around the time of the Second War, the high elves reluctantly joined an alliance with six other nations to defeat the Orcish Horde to the south. The high elves were partially motivated by revenge due to an incursion where the orcs burned a significant portion of their forests and corrupted a sacred rune stone at Caer Darrow. The high elves participating in the campaign were led by Alleria Windrunner, and helped the Alliance push the Horde back through the Dark Portal. When it collapsed, Alleria and her followers were trapped in Outland. They have not been discovered since.

At the conclusion of the Second War, the high elves began to voice frustration towards the Alliance. They blamed the humans for their incompetence and held them responsible for allowing the orcs to travel as far north as Quel'Thalas. Despite attempts from King Terenus to placate Anasterian, the high elves disbanded from the Alliance. Several other nations followed suit. Although the humans and high elves were no longer official allies, many high elves remained friendly and cooperated with the humans in nations such as Lordaeron and Dalaran.

Lifespan
Since Blizzard has yet to reveal any official lore on aging, a majority of the ideas presented are based purely off speculation.

Compared to humans, elves are gifted with much longer lifespans. However, there is no evidence of delayed physical growth. A 5 year old elf would look just the same as a 5 year old human. An 18 year old elf would look the same as an 18 year old human. It's around the age of 21-25 that elves tend to stop aging in appearance.

Elves reach a social maturity much later than humans. While an elf may have already reached peak physical condition, he may not be accepted as a full adult until much later in life. Compared to the rest of the population, he may lack the experience to be considered mature until around the age of 110~.

There are a few sources to consider when determining the lifespan of an elf, but it is generally accepted that they can live to be thousands of years old. This may influenced by magic as a result of proximity to the Sunwell. Alternatively, it may simply be a residual trait inherited from their kaldorei roots.

Silvermoon
The capitol of Quel'Thalas for over 7,000 years, Silvermoon is an ancient, beautiful city. Yet beyond the crimson tapestries and glorious spires, Silvermoon harbors a dark ambiance. Your blood elf would feel more comfortable in Silvermoon than the other races, who would probably feel edgy and suspicious. The city is kept pristine, self-groomed with the enchanted brooms that continually sweep the streets. Arcane Patrollers are endlessly vigilant and will not hesitate to put down any threat to the city's peace.

Many role-players tend to behave in Silvermoon the same way they would behave in Orgrimmar. However, the environment of Silvermoon is quite contrary to other societies. Propaganda is constantly spread throughout the city, and most of the populace is conditioned to retain a strong sense of nationalism and racial pride. Sin'dorei banners are hung on every avenue, and any dis-consent is quickly silenced by Sunfury inquisitors. Your character would not have much space to speak freely, since one wrong word could cost him his head. That sense of caution should be a factor in how you role-play within the gates.