Hello everyone!
Cenarius is probably one of the more well known demi-gods or wildgods of Azeroth.
The Wild Gods are primal manifestations of life and nature.
Way back when, in the time where the keepers defeated the old gods and brought order the
planet, Keeper Freya wandered the world.
Ripping out the old god y'shaarj had created a massive wound from which volatile arcane
energy, life essence of the titan spirit slumbering within, lashing out across the world.
The keepers created the Well of Eternity to patch this wound too which Keeper Freya wandered
the world, searching for areas where the Well of Eternity's energies had coalesced.
These regions created optimal conditions for the development of new flora and fauna.
She shaped immense enclaves of nature at these places of power, molded life of astounding
diversity, seeding it around the world.
The sites where Freya had done her work were located at the polar extremes of the world.
This included regions that would later become known as Un'Goro crator, Sholazar Basin
and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
The greatest crreatures to emerge from these enclaves were colossal animals known as the
Wild Gods.
Freya adored and cared for these majestic beings as if they were here very own children.
She often wandered the physical world with the Wild Gods at her side, vibrant forest
and grasslands blooming in their footsteps.
Yet there was one place she and the Wild Gods frequented more than any other: a massive
forested peak called mount hyjal.
It was on the slopes of Hyjal that Freya bound the spirits of her beloved wild gods to the
emerald dream.
This is an ethereal realm of spirits and untamed nature that exists alongside the world of
Azeroth.
Some believe that Freya wove the Emerald Dream into being from nothing.
Others claim that this strange place had always existed in some form, a dream born from Azeroth's
slumbering world-soul.
It is said that Freya tapped into this realm and molded it as a way to commune with the
nascent titan.
What ever the truth, the spirits of the wild gods were now forever bound to the Dream,
wild gods like Aviana the mistress of Birds, Ursoc and Ursol, the colossal Bear Lords,
Goldrinn the Great Wolf and Malorne, the Honorable White Stag.
Legends say that Cenarius was born from the union between Malorne and Elune.
Into the brave hearts of her pure children, the Earthmother placed the love of the hunt.
For the creatures of the first dawn were savage and fierce.
They hid from the Earthmother, finding solace in the shadows and the wild places of the
land.
The Shu'halo hunted these beasts wherever they could be found and tamed them with the
Earthmother's blessing.
One great spirit eluded them, however.
Apa'ro (known as Malorne to the night elves), was a proud stag of snow white fur.
His antlers scraped the roof of the heavens and his mighty hooves stamped out the deep
places of the world.
The Shu'halo hunted Apa'ro to the corners of the dawning world - and closed in to snare
the proud stag.
Seeking to escape, the great stag leapt into the sky.
Yet, as his escape seemed assured, his mighty antlers tangled in the stars which held him
fast.
Though he kicked and struggled, Apa'ro could not loose himself from the heavens.
It was then that Mu'sha found him as she chased her brother, An'she, towards the dawn.
Mu'sha saw the mighty stag as he struggled and fell in love with him immediately.
The clever moon made a bargain with the great stag - she would set him free from the snare
of the stars if he would love her and end her loneliness.
Mu'sha loved Apa'ro and conceived a child by him.
The child, a demigod some would claim, was born in the shadowed forests of the night.
He would be called Cenarius, and walk the starry path between the waking world and the
kingdom of the heavens.
Now we're still uncertain as too what exactly Elune is, hopefully the next patch will give
us a bit more information and of course this is the tale of legends, who knows how Cenarius
truly came to be.
It's not the crazyest union they have in their family tree either.
From Cenarius were born 3 sons and 1 daughter.
Lunara, a dryad mostly known as hero within heroes of the storm.
Remulos, keeper of the grove who gifted Broll Bearmantle with his idol.
Ordanus, that can be found guarding Ashenvale and the oldest son, Zaetar who 's spirit
we can find in Maraudon.
Princess Theradras had been busy draining the lands now known as Desolace of life and
Zaetar showed up to investigate.
Her stolen life energies had quite an effect on the keeper and he quickyl grew enchanted
with her beauty.
She found Zaetar beautiful as well.
Despite knowing that it was against nature and despite the warnings of Remulos, Zaetar
became Theradras' mate, and from their forbidden union, the centaur were born...Centaur who
would quickly turn against their own father and murder him so yeah maybe the union between
Elune and Malorne isn't that crazy.
Having a moon as your mother is amazing, but Cenarius was lucky enough to also have a more
physical adoptive mother, the green dragon aspect Ysera, whos domain was the emerald
dream.
Unlike many of the other wild gods, Cenarius was more humanoid in apperance and also kept
a closer connection to the creatures that evolved on the world of Azeroth.
When the ancient mogu empire was at its height, an intelligent bovine race known as the yaungol
roamed the grassy plains of central kalimdor.
These burly creatures lived in harmony with nature, following the guidance of the wise
Cenarius.
The majestic half-stag, draped in a cloak of flowers and vines, often walked among the
nomadic yaungol.
He taught these creatures the secrets of the wild, and he delighted in watching them flourish.
Eventually the yaungol grew weary of sharing hunting grounds with nearby trolls and decided
to seek new lands.
Although their bloved demigod urged them to stay and make peace, they set out to the south.
The emperor of the mogu at the time, Qiang the Merciless, found these yaungol and ordered
his flesh-shapers to capture the nomads and transform them into even mightier and more
intelligent servants, while at the same time tempering their more savage instincts.
The yaungol suffered under the tyranny of mogu oppression for generations until they
rose up alongside the other slaves to overthrow their cruel masters.
Some of them stayed behind in the area, some moved further north while others settled in
the areas of central kalimdor and reunited with their ancient benefactor.
Returning to their ancestral hunting grounds allowed them to rediscover their old traditions.
Those who studied with cenarius learned the druidic magic of the natural world, while
others mastered the arts of wielding shamanic powers.
You might remember seeing the yaungol still in Pandaria, the Taunka in Northrend and the
ones that stuck with Cenarius would take the name 'tauren'.
But some of the trolls that pushed the yaungol to migrate to begin with found their way to
the well of eternity and under its influence the dark trolls evolved into a race known
as the Night Elves.
The trees, flowers and woodland creatures silently watched the nigh elves flourish,
whispering news of them to the wild gods of hyjal.
Among them, Cenarius took a keen interest in these newcomers.
The night elves would claim he was the son of the great white stag, malorne, and elune
herself.
Cenarius adored the night elves and believed they had the potential to become great caretakers
of nature.
He befriended the fledgling race and taught them about the natural world.
It was his hope that the night elves would strive to live in harmoy with the wilds and
for many centuries, they did.
The night elves also honed their ties with the surrounding woodlands and their myriad
inhabitants.
Cenarius guided them when necessary, pleased by the wisdom and benevolence that thrummed
in their hearts.
But in time, many of the night elves yearned for a different life.
T heir minds were focused on unlocking the secrets
of the well.
Focused on honing their magical arcane arts and with the rise of their queen Azshara,
they would step further and further away from their roots.
With growing unease, Cenarius watched as the night elf empire expanded.
Year by year, he became increasingly frustrated with the hubris and thoughtless actions of
the sorcerous higborne.
Their studies eventually lead them to making contact with Sargeras and a plan was formed
to bring the Burning Legion into their world.
For this they would use their magical found of power to create a massive gateway for the
Legion to come in.
It was around this time when a young night elf named Malfurion Stormrage was walking
the emerald dream and feared for what he sensed was going on at the palace.
Under the tutelage of cenarius, he had become the first mortal druid on azeroth.
Even his twin brother Illidan Stormrage tried to follow in his footsteps but the path of
nature was not for him, instead he found his calling with their more traditional ways of
magic.
Tyrande Whisperwind was their friend since chilhood but with age also came more mature
feelings, both twins loving her very much but ultimately Tyrande would give her heart
to Malfurion.
Cenarius explained that Malfurion's visions could mean many things.
No matter how they might look.
Time would prove that his sense of dread was all too real.
Not everyone was down with the plans of the queen of scouring the world and reform it
to perfection, her image of perfection, so a night elf resistance was formed.
The legions numbers and powers were so great that they alone would not be enough.
Even the highborne that stepped away from their queen joined them in battle.
Even the other races like tauren earthen and furbolgs, even the dragons and the other wild
gods were called to the war of the ancients.
It took Cenarius quite some time to convince his brethren to join, but when they did their
battle was mighty.
The forests trembled as these gargantuan beings marched down from the slopes of Hyjal.
Each of the wild gods possessed strength and power unlike anything the demons had yet faced.
With their aid they might stand a chance against the might of the Legion but the cost was horrific.
Thousands upon thousands of demons fell, but so, too, did many of azeroth's mighty defenders.
The legion's bloodletting warriors even overwhelmed a number of the wild gods.
One by one, these primordial creatures succumbed to the poisoned black blades and fel powers
wielded by the demons.
With each death, the forests atop Hyjal shivered, and the winds howled in sorrow.
With each death Cenarius was pushed harder to compensate for those they had lost.
Such was his fury that at last he became the prime focus of the Burning Legions onslaught.
The invisible hand of Archimonde guided the most powerful of demons toward the forest
lord.
More and more the fearsome warriors surrounded Malfurion's mentor until even Cenarius's
antlers could barely be seen.
Then...just as it seemed he, too, would fall, there was a flash of white.
A gargantuan, four legged form struck the swarm of demons head on.
A rack several times more massive than that of the forest lord threw fiery warriors by
the score from the faltering Cenarius.
Huge hooves crushed in hard skulls or caved in armored chests.
Teeth snapped off limbs or ripped open throats.
And only at last did the astounding creature come into focus.
There, towering over the weakened Cenarius, a magnificent pure white stag held the demons
at bay.
So much did his coat gleam that the minions of the Burnign Legion were half-blinded, making
them easy prey for the massive animal.
Again, and again, the stag used his antlers to clear the bloody field before him of foes.
Nothing, not even Infernals, could slow his efforts.
He cleared the Burning Legion not only from the area of the fallen forest lord, but even
from that of other defenders nearby.
With his gaze, the stag told the defenders to drag Cenarius back from the battle.
This they did even as a new wave of horror charged forward.
Yet, before the stag nothing long stood.
Row upon row of demons rushed up with weapons drawn, only to be torn to shreds moments later.
But if the Legion's blades could not bring down this new champion, the horde had other,
more sinister tools at their disposal.
From the sky there abruptly came black lightning, which burnt and baked the ground around the
stag.
In the lightning's wake erupted dark, green fires that scorched the pristine coat of the
demigod.
Charred earth rose up and forming clawed hands, seized the four legs tight.
Then the ranks of demons parted...and through the ominous gap strode Archimonde himself.
With each step toward the stag, Archimonde swelled in size until he stood as tall as
his adversary.
In constrast to his many warriors, the demonic commander remained stone-faced, almost analytical.
He held no weapon, but his clenched fists radiated the same monstrous fire that burned
around the stag.
The demigod shook, breaking away the earthly claws.
Then, with a challenging snort, the demigod lowered his antlers and met the archdemon.
Their collision was marked by thunder and a tremor that toppled fighters for some distance
around.
Demons and night elves alike fled the awesome fury of their duel.
Where the stag's hooves struck the harsh ground, sparks flew up into the heavens.
Archimonde's own feet dug deep, creating ravines and tossing up new hills taller than
his warriors.
Bloody scars traced the paths of the demons claws in the stag's hide.
Sharp, glistening dots from which burst green fire showed where antlers had pierced Archimonde's
seemingly impervious skin.
Demon and demigod wrestled and no other living creature dared come in their path.
Cenarius was gravely wounded but the defenders knew he would live.
A terribly cry came from the battlefield.
As they all turned toward its source, they witnessed Archimonde with one arm around the
giant stag's neck, his other hand twisting his foe's muzzle to the side.
Already the stag's head turned at an awful angle, hence the cry.
IT was already too late.
The demon, his expression still indifferent, tightened his hold further.
A tremendous cracking sound echoed trhrough the region, one that, for just a brief moment,
caused all other noises to cease.
And in archimonde's grip, Cenarius's valiant rescuer fell limp and lifeless.
With an almost flagrant detachment, the archdemon tossed aside his adversary as one might discard
a piece of refuse.
HE then wiped his hands and gazed at the stunned defenders.
Suddenly, creeping vines rushed up from the otherwise lifeless soil, seizing Archimonde's
limbs and squeezing tight.
Undaunted, Archimonde tore off one set of vines, but as he attempted to throw them away,they
instead wrapped around his wrist.
At the same time, others grew to take the place of those removed.
Malfurion stormrage stepped forward, facing the distant demon.
A static aura surrounded him and he constantly muttered over a small leaf similar to those
of the vines.
Archimondes expression never shifted, but his movements became more frantic.
The vines now covered three-quarters of his immense body and apperared all but certain
to drape the rest immininently.
Perhaps realizing this, the archdemon ceased his attempts to remove the strangling plants.
Instead, eyes narrowed, he freed his arms enough to bring his hands together.
And as Archimonde clasped his fingers...the Legion's terrifying commander vanished in
a blaze of green flame.
Malfurion felt like he had failed his shando when he most shouldn't have.
Malorne the white stag came to the rescue of his son, paying the price with his own
life.
Yet all the same Malfurion was able to force Archimonde to retreat, no small accomplishment
for the student of Cenarius.
When the dragons finally showed up, Ysera gazed upon the corpse of the white stag and
let out a wail – not a roar, but a very pitiful wail – and flew to where the giant
stag lay.
The demons still in the area fell victim to her immediate outrage.
Ysera snapped up severla, crushed others, and set the rest flying with a slap of one
massive wing.
When there was no one else upon which to vent her sorrows, she of the dreaming descended
next to the stag and rested her chin upon his broken head.
She was Cenarius' addoptive mother and held great love for Malorne.
Her body shook from what could only be sobs.
The others stepped back as she landed next to the unconscious cenarius.
With remarkable delicacy, Ysera took the forest lord into her forepaws.
'They will suffer such nightmares that whatever they have for hearts will explode.
I will bring upon them demons of their own, who will drive them mad until all they can
think about is death...but I will not permit them to wake long enough to achieve it...
With the aid of the dragons their united efforts were able to reverse the portal created and
send the legion back to where they came from.
This did not come without a great price though.
Not only the lives of so many, but their entire world would be changed forever with the sundering
of the land.
Illidan couldn't really deal with the loss of their well, their source of power.
He knew that the demons had a taste of Azeroth and would come back one day.
They would regret not being ready for it so with vials taken from the original well, he
decided to make a new one.
After just having fougth a massive war because of the original well, you might imagine that
the night elves weren't too happy about this.
Seeing no other recourse, the night elves decided to deal with Illidan once and for
all.
Ultimately, the decision was made to imprison the sorcerer.
Malfurion himself would see to enacting his punishment.
With the help of Cenarius, he chained Illidan deep within a barrow prison where he would
be kept underguard for the rest of his life which turned out to be quite long as the night
elves were rewarded by the dragons with immortality.
By planting the world tree Nordrassil over this newly created well, they hoped to contain
its powers preventing the Legion or anyone else from abusing its powers.
The blessings of the aspects gave them that immortality while Ysera's blessing bound
the night elf druids to the emerald dream.
Prior to this, Malfurion and his followers had wandered Ysera's realm, but doing so
required difficult meditation.
The new enchantment placed upon Nordrassil would allow these druids to journey into the
Dream whenever they so wished.
A great blessing as Malfurion would continue to spread the teachings of his shan'do and
the dream allowed them the heal world of the corruption left behind by the Legion.
They kept the balance of nature, often working together with Ysera and her green dragonflight,
slumbering decades at a time.
Yet the pursuit of druidism pushed some into territories they should not cross and not
even Malfurion was immune to these mistakes.
Druids can embody primal animalistic forms like bearform for example, but one form known
as the pack form was a little bit too wild to control.
A transformation known as the pack form send Malfurion so far that he even turned his fury
towards Cenarius.
One punch from the wildgod was enough to knock him out and thankfully he was able to regain
his senses with the aid of his teacher and the gred tree Daral'nir.
This isn't the first time Cenarius had to save him either.
When Malfurion walked the emerald dream to figure out what was going on at the palace,
he encountered protective spells and tried to undo them.
This caused him agonizing pain and before he knew it, he found himself in an emerald
void, caught within a storm of pure magic.
The elemental powers threatened to rip his dream form into a thousand pieces and scatter
them in every direction, but the call of Cenarius was able to bring him back.
When Malfurion faced off against the the advisor of Queen azshara for the first time, her advisor
Xavius, he was able to destroy the highborne with the mighty power of nature and azeroth
itself.
Their battle took place near the portal they had been working on and from deep within the
voice of Sargeras spoke to him.
You delay the invvitable, i will devour your world just as I have so many others.
Yet the druid was able to seal off that gateway, even he knew not forever but atleast buying
them some time yet the lord of the legion would still have him and tried to drag his
corporal spirit towards him.
Tyrande called to him and as the portal slowly but surely closed, he held on to her voice,
held on to her image in his mind.
She watched over his body and pleaded with Elune to bring him back.
Cenarius heard those pleads, both the spoken and unspoken ones.
While he was walking the emerald dream, seeking answers to their many terrible questions,
he found Malfurions spirit drifting in the Emerald Dream...but in a very dazed and much
confused state.
He didn't even know himself, much less cenarius but thankfully the demi-god was able to guide
his spirit back to his body and Malfurion was alright.
The same could not be said for Xavius though.
His spirit was taken by Sargeras who decided to give him a second chance, to transform
him into the first of the Satyr and carry out his plans.
Xavius would then go about transforming more of the highborn into being like himself.
Was even foolish enough to kidnap Tyrande, something which Malfurion could not appreciate.
He turned the satyr into a tree, an act that would play a massive role later down the line
but we'll get to that further in the story.
There were still pockets of these demons and satyr left behind even after shutting down
the gateway and they were such a problem for the night elves that some decided to embrace
that packform and fight back.
Despite their shando warning them not to go through with it.
Warning them about the unrealiable furioisy that the packform offers, some had so much
hatred burning in their hearts for the demons that they decided to do it anyways.
They even perform a ritual to try and control the packform, which backfired and made it
even worse.
The first of the worgen were created with the ability to spread their curse to others.
Not only did they strike out against their enemy, they also slaughtered their former
friends and allies.
It became such a problem, that Malfurion had no choice but to put them sleep and lock them
away within the Emerald Dream.
The worgen catastrophe forced malfurion to reflect on the state of druidism.
Without some form of regulation, he concluded that some would inevitably go too far in their
application of druidic power.
Malfurion and his followers therefore created the Cenarion Circle, a harmonious order that
would guide and keep watch over the world's druids and their practices.
They slumbered and learned much of the land, learned much from Cenarius while time in the
real world did not stand still.
Illidan, the betrayer, would be proven right and the Legion would come back to try and
claim azeroth again.
That part of the story we're going to save for next week so for now thank you very much
for watching everyone!
If you want more details on all the things we talked about today, then check out the
related wowhead article in the description down below.
Subscribe if you like my videos, leave a like if you enjoyed this one aaaaand until next
time guys....see ya!
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