Wildfire Riders

The Willow

Long ago, when the Kal'dorei race was still young and had just been granted their immortality by the Dragon Aspects, there was a Druid named Felfaren. While most druids went into Ysera's realm to learn the ways of nature, some worked on the outside as well, preserving nature there. While most of the trees on Azeroth today came from one common ancestor, Nordrassil, the great World Tree, there were a few select trees that did not come from its mighty branches. The Willow is one of them.

Now, although the Children of Elune were granted immortality, they were not without illness or death. Felfaren, although a great druid who upheld nature's ways without falter, became ill. He knew he was to die, so he called all the Kal'dorei who had children, both infants and those nearly on the verge of adulthood, to gather in the Moonglade on the shores of Lake Elune'ara.

"I am not long for our lovely forests, and illness has taken hold of me. But from death comes life anew, as all of us know the cycles of nature." He went about the crowd, blessing each child with some of his own power. As he blessed more and more, he looked visibly weaker and weaker. Upon blessing the last child in the crowd, he went to the edge of the lake. " I pass on a bit of myself so that our youth may grow strong and protect our ways." As the disease took hold of him, a gentle glow enveloped the druid, becoming brighter and brighter until the crowd could no longer see his figure. Where the druid was on the shores of Lake Elune'ara, now stood a large tree with branches draped downwards like the protective arms of a parent.

In the common tongue, this tree is known as a willow and grows near water. The Kal'dorei name refers to the Guardian of Youth and new life. It is said that any child taken to a willow will be given Felfaren's Blessing so that they may grow strong and uphold the ways of their people. The original Willow in the tale still stands by the edge of Lake Elune'ara, and is still visited by new parents and their children who know the tale.

The Ash

In the days of Old, before the Burning Legion first came to Azeroth, there was a Sentinel of the guard, brave and true to Elune. The Children of the Stars saw little war, but still valued skilled fighters. Many of these skilled fighters were granted blessed weapons by the demigods, and even some received blessed arms from the Goddess herself.

This sentinel's name was Than'shala, a strong wielder of the spear. She was a champion of the great hunts that were often carried out in the Goddess's name. One dusky morning after a successful hunt, in a small clearing, she came upon a gorgeous shield made of the finest wood and masterful workmanship. She picked it up, admiring the craftsmanship. Upon the shield was engraved the image of Nordrassil. The Goddess's voice came to Than'shala. "It is made from the wood of the world tree. Take this, and defend your people with it in the coming struggles."

"Coming struggles? I am grateful your gift Goddess, but... how am I to defend my people with a piece of wood?" Night elves had not begun crafting shields at this point, only other weapons.

"This is a shield, and shall become a symbol of strength."

Than'shala took the Goddess's gift and formed the first battalion of shield sentinels. Through training, they soon found the effectiveness of a shield in combat.

In the Burning Legion's first invasion, Than'shala and her battalion defended their city from demon attacks. In one of the final attacks on the city, Than'shala threw her shield at the invading commander, delivering a lethal blow and shattering the shield, sending the Legion's army into disarray. Although the shield was broken, the Kal'dorei were victorious. Than'shala left the splintered pieces of the shield where they were, and the next night a magnificent tree had grown. The body of the Legion commander was gone, cleansed by the purity of the World Tree's wood.

This tree looked much like the World Tree, and would come to be known in the common tongue as the Ash. The Ash is a symbol of strength and purpose. While the exact location of the original Ash is unknown, and possibly long gone after the sundering, the Ash tree can be found throughout the world today.