Throughout the journey to Kalimondor, Silmalorë kept thinking about the night elves. He knew his influence over them was nothing new. Since they were still in the womb, the roots of his tree had seeped into the soil where they grew, subtly shaping their cultural and spiritual direction. The intervention was indirect, but strong enough to give rise to two conflicting religious beliefs within night elf society. Records of this conflict are scattered across their city libraries, written in ancient manuscripts and magical journals guarded by elven librarians.
Time seemed to rewind, returning to the primitive era when the night elves had just begun building villages around the Well of Eternity. Silmalorë, who at the time was meditating and forging rings of power in Angband, finally found a race that matched his aesthetic ideals. He observed them from afar, and for the first time in countless ages, he felt able to speak clearly. The shortness of breath that had plagued him began to ease, and he was bored enough to finally act.
That day, the wind blew fiercely. The surface of the Well of Eternity churned under gusts from the north. A large number of night elf sorcerers gathered at the lake as usual, seated in their positions, absorbing the eternal magic radiating from the sacred waters. They had no idea that this day would mark a turning point in their history.
The once-clear sky suddenly dimmed. Thunder rolled, thick clouds rose high, and the lake began to surge violently. A beam of golden energy pierced the dark clouds and shot directly into the Well of Eternity. Soon after, sacred power transmitting subconscious information began to condense, forming a massive eye of energy in the sky. The eye stretched sharply, scanning the petrified night elves along the shore. The sorcerers felt limitless power flowing into them, unaware of its origin.
Silmalorë attempted to mimic the majestic appearance of the Valar Manwë. He began speaking nonsense that sounded like revelation, delivering his first miracle to these primitive night elves. He declared himself Silmalorë, Eternal God of Magic, Supreme Titan of the Pantheon. He proclaimed that all night elves who drew power from the Well of Eternity must believe in him. Otherwise, divine punishment and wrath would descend, and the magic of the Well would be sealed forever.
To deepen the impression and reinforce the manipulation, Silmalorë channeled his sacred power while chanting Ilúvatar's song-magic. The surrounding life energy surged, and he collectively suppressed the spiritual power of all sorcerers at the lake's edge. The magical fluctuations from the Well of Eternity were temporarily blocked, leaving the sorcerers cut off from their source of power.
Silmalorë's hand summoned lightning. The bolts struck sky and earth, terrifying the night elves. They had lived around the Well of Eternity for hundreds of years. The Well was not just a source of power—it was part of their identity. Losing access to it was an unacceptable threat.
The elven sorcerers immediately knelt to the ground. They begged for their abilities to be restored and pledged eternal service to the God of Magic. From this moment, the first group of believers was born. These sorcerers would become the ancestors of the high elves, and they began spreading a new doctrine that fused magic with spiritual devotion.
Silmalorë felt his experiment in becoming an old wizard's staff—like a priest from his previous life—was beginning to show results. He began learning how to be a deceiver, crafting divine narratives to control intelligent beings.
The sorcerers named their denomination the Eye of Ra. The Eye of Truth, Protection, Health, Healing, Power, Dominion, Immortality, and Spirituality. A sharp golden eye was embroidered on their robes, resembling the ancient Egyptian symbol he had seen in his previous life. Sharp rays of energy radiated around the eye, symbolizing the divine magical power they worshipped.
All night elf sorcerers who wished to ascend to higher levels had to become followers of the Eye of Ra. Only then could they earn the right to draw energy closer to the Well of Eternity. A small group of god-chosen individuals—favored by the divine—were lucky enough to communicate directly with Silmalorë, though the communication was one-sided and only occurred when he was bored in Angband. He granted them a bit of golden power, which could be used to absorb mysterious energy more efficiently, and also served as a one-time salvation weapon.
The high elves craved power. They were obsessed with their god's strength, relishing the sensation of manipulating divine energy even if only briefly. Their belief became increasingly religious, hoping the gods would choose them again and grant new power.
Silmalorë successfully monopolized the faith and loyalty of the high elves. But he also discovered another sect rising rapidly: the Moon Temple, led by moon priestesses. Silmalorë began to suspect that Elune in the Warcraft world wasn't willing to be outshone.
All moon priestesses were female night elves. They worshipped and served the moon goddess Elune, and gained unique powers from Azeroth's two moons. Silmalorë did not interfere or suppress them, because he found something intriguing. The moon goddess Elune, according to his observations, might be a manifestation of Azeroth itself.
Though Silmalorë remained uncertain, it felt like two distinct gods in his perception. This closely resembled theories from Warcraft fans, so Silmalorë couldn't yet confirm it.
Even though Azeroth lacked self-awareness, she was still a Titan deity. Silmalorë's tree-body, which had merged with Azeroth, began to show instinctive reactions. He felt vibrations he couldn't explain, as if there were subconscious communication between himself and the planet.
Through the deeply devout prayers of the female moon priestesses, Azeroth's power began to project through the two moons orbiting the planet. The spiritual energy radiating from the planet's body merged with the moonlight and was ultimately granted to those with the most faithful hearts. From this, the title "moon god" emerged, and the name Elune became the honorific used by the moon priestesses to refer to the entity they worshipped.
The moon priestesses were known for their gentleness and deep compassion. They weren't as arrogant as the high elves, and they were also different from the common class of Night Elves. They lived among the people, helping fellow Night Elves in need, offering comfort, healing, and protection. But their gentleness didn't mean weakness. The most devout moon priestesses had mastered a terrifying spell called falling star, a moonlight magic used for large-scale collective assassination. This spell could summon a rain of light from the sky and obliterate enemy lines in an instant.
Queen Azshara had invited them many times to join her royal guard. She wanted their power under her command. But the moon priestesses refused. They preferred to live among the people, carrying out their spiritual duties without political interference. They weren't interested in power, and chose the path of service instead.
"Noble, but foolish."
That was the high elves' judgment of the moon priestesses. The phrase reflected the deep divide between two belief systems growing within Night Elf society. One group pursued power and high-level magic, while the other chose devotion and balance.
Meanwhile, Silmalorë discovered another sect beginning to grow: the druids.
Druids embraced the concept of protecting and empowering nature. They were an environmentally devoted group uninterested in power or domination. Their supreme leader was Cenarius, the forest god who lived in the mountains and deepest woods of Azeroth. Cenarius often traveled to Valinor and Middle-earth to study how to create Ents and Entwives. He taught his disciples how to harness nature's power without damaging it.
The wild god pantheon that guided the druids wasn't large—only about a dozen. They were the planet's first native inhabitants and beloved by Azeroth itself. Each wild god had a unique domain and character, and they had been blessed by Azeroth to govern specific aspects of the world.
Cenarius himself was a direct creation of Azeroth, formed in an unconscious state. According to official lore, he was the son of Elune, the moon goddess, and Malorne, the white stag god. The tauren had myths recounting Cenarius's conception. Elune gave birth to Cenarius but handed him over to Malorne because Cenarius was more a creature of the mortal world and couldn't live with her. When Cenarius's birth sent ripples through the Emerald Dream, Ysera was immediately drawn to him. She guided Cenarius into the Dream, taught him many secrets, and became a kind of adoptive mother.
The affection between Ysera and Cenarius was so deep that many ancient races of Azeroth believed they were mother and son. Malorne knew he couldn't raise his son properly, and Ysera took Cenarius as her own. Cenarius grew to love the dense forests of Ysera's verdant realm. He was often found wandering the boundless dream world, watching over Azeroth and its creatures, or simply contemplating their future. He even once sailed to Valinor and Middle-earth.
As a demigod, Cenarius grew into a powerful and intelligent being—a fusion of sky and earth. He inherited nature's strength from his father, Malorne, and would have many children in the future. His daughters became forest elves, and his sons wise Forest Guardians, including Remulos, Ordanus, and Zaetar. According to Night Elf legend, the centaur were Cenarius's illegitimate children, though in truth they were descendants of Zaetar and Princess Theradras, making Cenarius their grandfather. Brann Bronzebeard even claimed that the magnataur were also descendants of Cenarius. Cenarius himself professed kinship with the Night Elves, though he never explained the details.
The prototype of Cenarius was Malorne, a great and graceful white stag who ran across the lands of Azeroth every day. His body was made of white moonlight, and he was a direct creation from the subconscious mind of Azeroth. His beauty symbolized the planet's own personality preferences.
Cenarius mimicked Malorne's characteristics. He had the lower body of a male stag, the upper body of a humanoid, and a pair of slender curved antlers growing from his forehead. He was granted the ability to merge with nature, becoming a forest guardian and a revered forest god.
Besides Cenarius, there was also the fire-boar god Agammagan, along with his descendant race. The wild bear god Usol and his brother Uzok—two massive bears, strong and brave. Usol was a natural shaman-priest, while Uzok was a fierce warrior. Their descendant race became known as bear monsters.
Avenna, mother of the flying spirits, was a bird goddess who lived atop the highest mountain in Azeroth, on a branch of the mother tree Garnier. She was loving and kind. The wolf god Goldling, a giant snow-white wolf, liked to walk alone in the wilderness and howl at the moon. The turtle god Turtola, a colossal turtle who lived in the oceans of Azeroth, led his ethnic group in a peaceful and unchallenged life.
These demi-gods were collectively known as the wild gods, and they were beloved by Azeroth.
Now, Cenarius had entered the world and settled in the forest closest to the Night Elf city. He searched for druid candidates, taught them carefully, and prepared them to become guardians of nature.
Silmalorë didn't care or interfere with this sect. The druids were similar to the moon priestesses. They followed principles that were harmless and neutral. As long as they didn't disrupt the balance of power, Silmalorë allowed them to grow.
Cenarius eventually found two Night Elf candidates who caught his attention. They were twin brothers: Malfurion Stormrage and Illidan Stormrage. Their potential was no less than that of a talented female priestess named Tyrande, who had just been recruited by the Moon Temple. The three of them grew up together, knowing each other since childhood.
For Silmalorë, this was a perfect opportunity to begin communicating with the Moon Temple.