World of Warcraft

Before the coming of the Scourge in the Third War, Silvermoon City was the flourishing heart and capital of Quel’Thalas, the high elves’ magical kingdom. In this idyllic sanctuary, the elves were free to pursue their arcane studies. But this all changed when the undead invaded their land to claim the most sacred and precious possession of the high elven nation – the mystical energies of the Sunwell. By the time the death knight Prince Arthas and his army of the dead turned southward again, it is said that no one remained in Quel’Thalas – at least no one living.

Quel’Thalas’s king, Anasterian Sunstrider, was slain during the onslaught, leaving his son, Prince Kael’thas, who had been studying in the human lands to the south, as the rightful ruler. Kael rushed home to witness the damage done to his kingdom and reunited with his people, renaming them ‘blood elves’ in honour of those who had died defending their home. He left his new regent, Lor’themar Theron, in charge of Quel’Thalas, while he took the strongest elves to fight alongside the Alliance in Lordaeron, and later Illidan Stormrage on Outland.

The blood elves that remained behind with their regent sought to reclaim their land. Despondent and weakened by an addiction to magic that had become apparent after the destruction of the Sunwell, the elves made little progress with this until the return of Grand Magister Rommath from Outland. He shared with his people the radical new teachings advocated by Kael’thas (and, by extension, Illidan). This reinvigorated the blood elves and they began reclaiming and rebuilding with renewed strength and magical prowess.

Today, Silvermoon thrives again, a glorious beacon of magic and power. It is a truly beautiful city to explore. I have revisited it many times over the years to admire its tree-lined streets, ornate arches, floating urns, towering pinnacles, gilded balconies, and gushing waterfalls. The whole city seems to pulse and breathe; magical energy seeps from every corner. Walking around, you really get a feeling that the blood elves of this city are completely drunk on magic. That thirst for magic is always within them. Their cravings are unyielding. And this unquenchable thirst is a big part of blood elf mythos; even as a level 1 character, newly spawned on Sunstrider Isle, you’re introduced to it. Those who learn to control its power will thrive, whereas those who don’t are headed for misery. Each blood elf must master their insatiable hunger for magic before it can master them. It’s a delicate equilibrium that the blood elves need to maintain, walking the fine line between deficiency and overindulgence. Finding that common ground, finding the balance, is what gives them purpose.

Thanks to the teachings of Illidan Stormrage, blood elves are now mana drainers. They can siphon power from anything that contains arcane power, including mana crystals (both arcane and fel), artefacts, creatures such as the floating mana wyrms, and even mortals. In The Burning Crusade, this is illustrated by the blood elf racial ability, Mana Tap, which drains a small amount of mana from any target possessing some.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, not everything is right in the blood elves’ newly rebuilt capital. For a start, unbeknownst to the general public of Silvermoon, a great deal of demonic energy has been used to fully empower the city. Chained fel crystals, full to the brim with harnessed magic, now dot the city and power up various magical contrivances, including its many floating spires. In fact, the more you explore Silvermoon, the more you realise there is a dark underbelly of magical mystery here, waiting to burst…

To enter the city of Silvermoon, you must pass through the massive Shepherd’s Gate and walk beneath a huge statue of Kael’thas Sunstrider, the leader of the blood elves (or at least he is during the timeframe of The Burning Crusade, which is when I’m pretending my recent visit to the city takes place). It is called the Shepherd’s Gate because it was through here that Kael’thas returned to the city after the devastation caused by the Scourge invasion of his homeland. In fact, the mark of Kael’thas can be found all over Silvermoon – identical statues can be seen in the various gatehouses that connect the different districts.

However, it is worth noting that the Shepherd’s Gate was not originally the city’s main entrance. Remnants of that original entry can still be seen to the west, at the northern end of the grey, lifeless swath of corrupted earth known as the Dead Scar. Perhaps the entranceway now called the Shepherd’s Gate was once more of a side entrance into the eastern portion of the city, just like how there is another grand gateway into what would have been the western section (now the Ruins of Silvermoon). In any case, the Shepherd’s Gate is now the only practical way to enter the reclaimed part of the city.

Entering Silvermoon through the Shepherd’s Gate, you emerge into the Walk of Elders and get your first glimpse of this wondrous city. This is the central point of the capital, connecting its neighbouring districts to the north, east, and west. Gaze up at the tall alabaster buildings and you will see red stained-glass windows, beautiful balconies and archways, rich purple and red banners, and the occasional but omnipresent glowing Burning Crystal. The broad, sunlit avenue is lined with autumn-touched trees, magical ornaments, floating potted topiaries, and lights giving off a soft blue glow. Yet despite the bright, airy nature of the city, the interior of many shops, behind blood-red drapes, are dim, mysterious, and often a little seedy – especially those dealing with alchemy and arcane goods.

The Walk of Elders offers new players the first sighting of the Arcane Guardians – at least, ones under proper control and not prone to malfunction like those wandering the Ruins of Silvermoon (more on those later). If you played the Undead Campaign in Warcraft III, you may have noticed that the high elves used golems to protect the Sunwell. Well, the blood elves are continuing this practice by using golems to patrol the streets of their fair city – except these golems are more advanced (and shinier) than the original protectors of Silvermoon. These hulking ‘robotic’ constructs, powered by red mana crystals, not only act as defenders, peacekeepers, and maintenance workers, but they also urge the citizens of Silvermoon to remain law-abiding. They even remind everyone in the city of their leader and saviour, Prince Kael’thas, by reciting lines of carefully worded government slogans. This helps prevent the citizens from forgetting to whom they owe their absolute loyalty.

Just inside the gate, you will also see Gatewatcher Aendor and a couple of Silvermoon City Guards harassing a citizen, while an Arcane Guardian stands nearby. Why, exactly, the citizen is being harassed is not revealed – they simply say they don’t want to talk to the player to avoid getting in more trouble – but this little scene nicely illustrates the current blood elf society within Silvermoon. Basically, there is an awful lot of propaganda in the capital, and those who don’t comply with the ideas preached by the leadership get hurt.

There is an inn in the Walk of Elders called the Wayfarer’s Rest. Look inside and you will see sheer opulence – glorious ornate chairs, tables heaped with food, luxurious chandeliers, and lush fabrics. Yes, it may feel relaxing and comfortable, but with the somewhat seedy vibe, the dimmer atmosphere, and the translucent purple drapes, I can’t help but compare blood elf inns to brothels.

To the west of the Walk of Elders lies the Bazaar, a sprawling plaza that serves as the city’s central hub for trade. This is another beautiful section of the city, with towering buildings, golden-leaved trees, and a tall, elegant fountain. After the Scourge invasion during the Third War, the Bazaar became a safe place for the high elven survivors led by Lor’themar Theron. It was also here that the fallen king Anasterian Sunstrider was cremated, and where his son Prince Kael’thas renamed the high elf survivors as the sin’dorei – the blood elves.

At the south end of the Bazaar are two blood elf conspirators named Priest Ennas and Lyria Skystrider, who are leading a public forum arguing against the policies of the blood elven leadership, specifically their recent decision to break off their ties to the Alliance and join the Horde. They proclaim that Sylvanas Windrunner – former Ranger-General of Silvermoon, now the Banshee Queen of the Forsaken – is not the same elf they once knew; they also say that the orcs are ‘fair-weather friends’, that the magisters are traitors to Quel’Thalas, and that the elves’ excessive use of magic will destroy them all and everything they have struggled to build.

After the dissidents have been speaking for a few minutes, three magisters within the crowd summon Priest Kath’mar, who immediately casts a mind-control spell on Ennas and Lyria. Suddenly, their anti-magister rhetoric conspicuously changes tone, and they start to become extremely supportive of Silvermoon’s leadership. It seems that the blood elf government is enforcing what is borderline a totalitarian police state to better keep their people united.

Also of interest in the Bazaar is Keelen’s Trustworthy Tailoring shop, which conceals a leper gnome operation in the basement. Venture downstairs from its main lounge, and you will find several leper gnomes labouring away under the cruel lash of Keelan’s succubus, Sirigna’no, while those gnomes that refuse to obey are locked away in cages.

Like the Bazaar, the Royal Exchange, which can be found to the northeast of the Walk of Elders, is a hub for commerce. I’m not sure if this is ever officially established in the lore, or if it’s just a personal headcanon, but the Royal Exchange seems like it caters to a wealthier, more sophisticated clientele than the Bazaar does. The establishments here seem more upmarket, and I can imagine it being a favourite locale for Silvermoon’s elite, who wouldn’t dream of sullying their shoes by walking around the Bazaar. The Royal Exchange is certainly a verdant spot, with the flowering bushes and golden junipers commonly associated with Quel’Thalas. A twisting, glittering fountain can be found here, surrounded by domesticated cats and rabbits, while magically imbued brooms sweep the streets.

The headquarters of the Reliquary – a blood elf organisation dedicated to studying the past and, more importantly, acquiring powerful magical artefacts – can be found here in the Royal Exchange. The Reliquary is not really concerned with history or culture – that, in their opinion, is the realm of scholars and scribes. Instead, they primarily concern themselves with the present and the future. They discover and amass lost artefacts, wealth, and lore so that they cannot be used against the blood elves by other races.

Enter a building through some deep purple drapes and you’ll find yourself in the Hall of Respite, where two Burning Crystals hover ominously over rugs, cushions, and loungers. It seems to be a relaxation bar of sorts, where blood elves can draw energy from the crystals to satisfy their arcane addiction – at least for a while. Basically, it’s a drug den.

Deriving its name from the Farstriders, an elite group of blood elf rangers, Farstrider’s Square in the east of the city is a military district, serving as a training ground for Silvermoon’s most adept soldiers and archers. Here, armourers and trainers of different combat disciplines provide their services to those deemed worthy to aid the defence of Quel’Thalas and the preservation of blood elf society.

Opposite the Farstriders’ practice ground is the Hall of Blood, an intimidating building that is home to the Blood Knights. I’m not going to talk about Blood Knights too much now because I’ll be covering them in more detail in a later article, but they are essentially the blood elves’ version of paladins. Although the Farstriders and the Blood Knights have their respective headquarters in the same district, the two groups keep their distance, and there seems to be some animosity between them.

In the very north of Silvermoon is the Court of the Sun, a wide, majestic plaza that seems to act as the ceremonial heart of the city. This section of Silvermoon largely survived the destruction of Arthas’s assault, and here one can glimpse the elven glory of years past. An immense, lavish fountain splashes in the middle of the court, overshadowed by the looming grandeur of Sunfury Spire, a colossal falcon-tipped tower, from where House Sunstrider has ruled for generations. Lor’themar now governs from here, in consultation with Grand Magister Rommath and Ranger-General Halduron Brightwing. The Court of the Sun serves as both a courtyard for Sunfury Spire and a common area for visiting dignitaries to meet with blood elf royals and diplomats. A thick bridge with a crimson carpet paves the way to the royal palace, with two large rows of Silvermoon City Guardians standing vigil outside.

If you find yourself lost in a dark alley travelling south from the Court of the Sun, chances are you’ve stumbled into the shadowed underbelly of the city, Murder Row. It is here that Silvermoon’s otherwise gleaming, polished mask slips a little. While there isn’t much murder happening in this ominously named district, it certainly attracts shady characters and is a haven for patrons of dark magic and deception. Drunken elves lie passed out on the ground. This walkway is more shaded than other parts of Silvermoon, thanks to the narrow street and the long purple and red banners stretching from buildings on one side to the other. But look closer and you’ll see that it’s just as lavish as other parts of the city – still beautiful in its own way, albeit steeped in secrecy.

Some blood elves rely upon increasing amounts of arcane energy to get by and so turn to sources most honest elves shy away from. The shadowy inhabitants of Murder Row are always happy to help, for a price – although their methods of procurement and distribution are questionable, to say the least. Within a building called The Sanctum, an eerie collage of demonic crystals is kept out of sight of the general public and the Magisters. Here, warlocks drain their power effortlessly, surrounded by those of like-minded goals.

Present-day Silvermoon City is only the eastern half of the old city, which has been wholly reclaimed and largely rebuilt. The western quadrant, however, still lies mostly abandoned and in disrepair. This area is therefore known as the Ruins of Silvermoon. Shaded by giant trees and the towering, semi-ruined outer walls of Silvermoon City, it feels darker here, with fewer patches of sunlight. Though the buildings still stand, and in decent shape, nature has started to take hold; vines now creep up the walls, vegetation pokes through cracks in the stone-flagged floors, and there is a distinct air of neglect. The magic that suffuses most of Eversong Woods is largely missing here; magical brooms that elsewhere sweep the floors, unaided, lie forgotten; there are no floating spires and plant pots.

At first glance, the Ruins of Silvermoon look safe enough. But look closer and you’ll see enchanted Arcane Guardians still lumbering between the deteriorating palaces. This isn’t as bad as it sounds, however, for the automatons are in such poor condition these days that a competent fighter can easily destroy one.

Although mana draining is an efficient way for an elf to retain their strength, it is only a temporary respite from magic addiction. Within hours of consuming a mana crystal, the gnawing hunger for arcane magic will return. Furthermore, some desperate blood elves took the process too far, overusing the technique. This gave birth to the Wretched, a group of dishevelled, violent addicts willing to do anything for another arcane meal. Outcast from blood elf society, many of the Wretched can now be found skulking around in the shadowy corners of the Ruins of Silvermoon.

As far as the Ruins of Silvermoon are concerned, only the far southeastern corner has been restored. Called Falconwing Square, it is a bright, airy plaza. Surrounding a tall, elegant fountain in the centre are gilded benches, finely sculpted topiaries, and floating flowerpots. The inn, like those seen in Silvermoon proper, feels opulent, if slightly seedy.

Silvermoon City is a study in contrast, a place where beauty and horror live side by side, where the hopes for a bright future are often overshadowed by the dark memories of its tortured past. Most notably, it is physically divided, with the western side largely abandoned and left to ruin, contrasting with the eastern side, recently restored to its former grandeur. But, more interestingly, there are more subtle contrasts to be found, especially when you look closer at what’s going on in the city. Beyond the luscious avenues, behind the rich, billowing curtains, lie dark, gloomy interiors, and those who explore the other side of Silvermoon may find that the city’s beautiful façade serves only to hide its true, more sinister side.

In a way, the duality of the city – magnificent on the outside, with a lingering darkness within – reflects the blood elves themselves. They are trapped in a constant struggle with their hunger for magic, caught between mastering this desire and letting it master them, which, in my opinion, makes the blood elves one of the most interesting races in World of Warcraft.