The land and i are one : Malfurion stormrage p1

Malfurion Stormrage was the first night elf druid, and initiated the mainstream use of druidism among the night elven people ten millenia ago under tutelage of the demigod Cenarius. Through Malfurion's guidance, the kaldorei managed to successfully halt the Burning Legion's first invasion of Azeroth during the War of the Ancients. In its aftermath, he became the greatest of the world's archdruids. Malfurion Stormrage is the twin brother of Illidan Stormrage, as well as the loving and beloved husband of the high priestess of Elune, Tyrande Whisperwind. Together, the two have represented the highest leadership of the night elves ever since the fall of Queen Azshara and her Highborne caste.
Malfurion is often referred to as shan'do, which means "Honored Instructor" in Darnassian. Connected deeply to the ebb and flow of all life on Azeroth and bearing ten thousand years of responsibility and experience, he is one of the most powerful and venerated mortals of the Warcraft universe.

Chris Metzen commented that Malfurion Stormrage is his personal favorite character in the Warcraft lore.


Main article: War of the Ancients
Malfurion was the most dedicated of Cenarius' disciples. In the ancient world before the Great Sundering, Malfurion was a respected scholar loyal to his admired Queen Azshara. He was among the first to notice the distance Azshara and her followers were keeping from their people, and he began to suspect that the powers granted by the Well of Eternity were not as pure as all had believed. Though he could not possibly fathom what was soon to come, Malfurion knew that the Kaldorei would be forever changed.
Azshara and her Highborne were interested in the Well and ordered them to find as much as possible about the well. As time passed, the Highborne learned how to draw power from the Well and manipulate its energies. Finally, Azshara's reckless use of magic drew the attention of Sargeras, Enemy of All Life and Lord of the Burning Legion. By opening a portal in Azshara's palace, Azshara's Highborne sorcerers, led by High Lord Counselor Xavius, let hordes of demons into Kalimdor, including the Legion's commanders - Archimonde, Mannoroth, and Hakkar the Houndmaster - enabling them to run rampant among the lands and striking down all who opposed them. The night elves desperately fought them back, but too many were falling to lend them aid. The Burning Legion was winning. The highborne also managed to cast a bigger portal over the Well of Eternity to start the summoning of Sargeras.

But from the ranks of the desperate Kaldorei rose Malfurion Stormrage. Convincing his twin brother, Illidan, to forsake the use of magic, Malfurion and his love, Tyrande Whisperwind, high priestess of Elune, quickly went to seek out the demigod Cenarius in the hopes that he might have reprieve for their beleaguered people.

Even with the help of Cenarius and Alexstrasza the Dragon Queen, Malfurion knew that his people could not stand up to the constant barrage of demonic invaders. Believing the Well of Eternity to be their gateway, Malfurion decided that it must be destroyed. Knowing that its destruction would render them mortal and without any magic, the night elves reluctantly agreed to storm Azshara's stronghold and bring an end to the invasion.

However, Illidan, spurred by his addiction to magic and his frustrated love for Tyrande, refused to give up his power, and left their resistance to warn the Highborne. Knowing that Illidan would quickly reach them, Malfurion attacked immediately to retain some surprise.

Azshara and her highborne were prepared for them, and her chaotic magics ripped Malfurion's forces to shreds. But it was the sight of Tyrande falling to the hands of Azshara's former Highborne, now transformed into satyrs that gave Malfurion the strength for one final strike.

Azshara's battle with Malfurion threw the portal out of its magical alignment, and the vortex grew unstable. Malfurion cast a spell to create a gigantic gale that would rip all the demons from the ground and send them on a one-way trip into the Well and to the Twisting Nether. The Well of Eternity then started to collapse on itself, pulling land, Azshara's palace and the ruined city of Zin-Azshari into itself. Although Sargeras knew that the portal was closing, he tried to do the unthinkable - step into the portal to recreate it and enter Azeroth. The portal finally collapsed and trapped Sargeras in it. The Well of Eternity exploded in a catastrophic eruption that left the world sundered forever.

However, Malfurion survived. Constructing crude rafts and sailing to what would become Kalimdor, Malfurion, Tyrande, and Cenarius agreed to lead their people to a new home.

To their horror, however, a lake atop Mount Hyjal had become fouled by the magical energies of the Well of Eternity, which they had hoped was gone forever. Illidan, who had sought to preserve the arcane magic he was addicted to, had taken seven vials of the Well's waters and poured three of them into the lake, creating a new Well of Eternity. Knowing that Illidan's addiction to magic would always be a threat to the safety of the world, Malfurion imprisoned his brother in the caverns below Hyjal; the Barrow Deeps. However, with the Sundering still fresh in their minds, Malfurion and the night elves dared not attempt to destroy the new Well.

Seeking the counsel of the Aspects, Malfurion requested the presence of Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu, returned from their hiding places, and they were shocked to hear of the new Well. All of them suspected that the Burning Legion would sniff out its energies once again and find Azeroth a second time.

Malfurion agreed, and they all decided to safeguard this Well. To this end, they created the World Tree, Nordrassil, which they pledged to use to protect the Well of Eternity and the night elves themselves. Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder, grew the tree herself from an enchanted acorn of G'Hanir. Nozdormu, the Timeless, placed an enchantment upon the tree: for as long as it stood, the night elves would never die of old age or sickness. Ysera, the Dreamer, linked Nordrassil to the Emerald Dream. Through the tree, she would slowly rebuild the world. However, to maintain the Emerald Dream, she needed consciousnesses to roam its eternal pathways. To sustain it, all the druids agreed to sleep for centuries at a time, despite the years they would lose, and be linked to the Emerald Dream forever.


Malfurion and Tyrande helped their people rebuild their society amongst the forests of Ashenvale surrounding Hyjal. Cenarius taught them the ways of the wood, and Malfurion grew considerably in power as he learned the art of the druid, and he became a great Archdruid, first among his people.

Though he dearly wished to remain with Tyrande, Malfurion and his druid kindred slept peacefully for many years until they were awakened by an attack by Dath'Remar and the Highborne survivors. He was quickly routed, but the druids refused to destroy them with so many lives already lost, so Malfurion decided that the Highborne were to be exiled. Dath'remar and his followers would later become the high elves. Though it pained his heart beyond belief, Malfurion left Tyrande to rejoin the Emerald Dream, settling into his long sleep in Stormrage Barrow Dens on the Moonglade Island.

At times, it is hinted that Malfurion and the other druids were asleep for all ten millenia between the War of the Ancients and the Third War, awakening only in times of great peril. However, most sources agree that there was a cycle, and that the druids would awaken every few centuries to interact with their wives, sisters, and daughters. This cycle could be easily interrupted if needed, but the druids must return to the Dream at the earliest opportunity. End of part 1