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Malfurion Stormrage (or simply Furion Stormrage) is a Night Elf druid from the fictional Warcraft Universe. He first appeared in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.


Background

As described in Warcraft 3, Malfurion is the twin brother to Illidan Stormrage. Tyrande Whisperwind was a constant childhood companion to him, and has since become his lover. Malfurion is over 9,000 years old, as indicated by his involvement in both the first war against the Burning Legion and in the events of Warcraft 3.

Warcraft 3 depicts the demigod Cenarius teaching Malfurion the ways of druidism, a practice which, according to the lore of Azeroth (Blizzard's Warcraft world) was nearly unheard of in the time of the First Invasion. While there had been other students to the demigod, Malfurion was the first to be taught and still retain his original form. All others had changed to become forest spirits similar to Cenarius himself. Malfurion proved to be extraordinarily adept in the use of this new power, possibly due to his already benevolent nature, and quickly became a force to reckon with.

In sharp contrast to his brother, Malfurion displays a temperate disposition throughout the Warcraft games and literature. He consistently places the needs and welfare of others above his own and does not seek out power simply for its own sake. Even when roused to anger, he remains compassionate, especially in matters concerning those he cares for.

Malfurion Stormrage fought in the First Invasion of the Burning Legion and was instrumental in the eventual victory of the forces of Azeroth. He was responsible for the death of Lord Xavius (both as a Night Elf and then again when Xavius had been transformed into a satyr). With the help of his brother, Malfurion used the power of the Demon Soul to close the portal created within the Well of Eternity. This action prevented the Dark Titan, Sargeras, from entering into Azeroth. The energies released by this act inadvertently caused the Well's collapse. This, in turn, sank the ancient Night Elven capital Zin-Azshari to the bottom of the sea and split the continent of Kalimdor into two separate landmasses. When his brother, Illidan Stormrage, recreated the Well in a new location atop Mount Hyjal, he was discovered by a group of Night Elves surveying the summit. Illidan slew several of them before being detained and brought to trial. The ultimate judgement for his crimes was left to Malfurion, who spared Illidan a death sentence, instead having him imprisoned indefinitely. Maiev Shadowsong was assigned to be Illidan's jailor.

Sometime between then and the Second Invasion of the Burning Legion, Malfurion, now an Archdruid, entered the Emerald Dream along with several other druids, until he was awakened by Tyrande Whisperwind. He fought against the Burning Legion a second time and he performed the ritual that destroyed Archimonde and damaged the World Tree at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, thus severing the Night Elves' connection to it and taking away their immortality.

After the battle, Malfurion worked to restore Kalimdor to its original greatness but after receiving a message from Maiev he left for Lordaeron to face his brother Illidan, whom the Warden had been tracking. Once there, Malfurion sought to stop Illidan's plans by destroying the Eye of Sargeras. However upon learning that his love, Tyrande, was in danger, Illidan agreed to help Malfurion save her. After Tyrande had been saved Malfurion spared Illidan's life and Illidan chose to run to Outland to escape the demon lord Kil'jaeden (Kil'jaeden had tasked Illidan with destroying the Frozen Throne in which the Lich King resided, but Illidan was unsuccessful and thus wanted to flee so he could save himself from the demon's wrath).

World Of Warcraft

The Night Elves lamented at the loss of their cherished immortality. However, a few druids discovered that a new world tree can be planted to regain their connection to its magic, and reclaim their immortality. Malfurion strongly voiced his opinion against it saying that nature will never bless such a selfish creation. Malfurion Stormrage stands as both prophet and savior to his people and his word stood above all others. But to replenish his powers after the events of the Second Invasion of the Burning Legion, Malfurion returned to the spirit realm known as the Emerald Dream. Shortly before the beginning of the World of Warcraft timeline, something went wrong with Malfurion's dreamstate. As the timeline currently stands, he is trapped somewhere within the dream beyond the reach of the green dragons (the guardians of the Emerald Dream).

With Malfurion missing, Arch Druid Fandral Staghelm took over the leadership of the druids, convincing the Circle of Ancients in Darkshore that it was time for the elves to rebuild, and that it was time for them to regain their immortality. With the approval of the Circle, Staghelm and the most powerful druids grew Teldrassil, the new World Tree. However, this new World Tree was not given the blessing of the Aspects (Alexstrazsa, Ysera, and Nozdormu). Moreover, the creation of Teldrassil was motivated solely by the Night Elves' self-serving goal of regaining their immortality, rather than the benefit of Azeroth as a whole; this has caused the growth of Teldrassil to be fundamentally flawed and has allowed corruption to take root in the Tree itself. Thus, many of the remaining night elves- while still faithful to their new home- now search the world of Azeroth in hopes of finding their lost leader.

Recently, new light had been shed on the state of the Emerald Dream, now known as the Emerald Nightmare. Four dragons of Ysera's brood have entered Azeroth and stand guard at the four Great Trees. Upon the defeat of one of the mighty dragons, a nightmare-shrouded object was discovered and taken to Remulos, a Keeper of the Grove and son of the demigod Cenarius. When purified in the waters of Lake Elune'ara, a startling and unexpected vision of Malfurion appeared.

During their conversation, Malfurion revealed to Remulos that there was a terrible new evil seeking entry to Azeroth through the Emerald Dream. This ancient foe was causing the Nightmare that is slowly destroying the Green dragonflight. The druid also mentioned that Cenarius was with him, fighting alongside him against the growing threat, and that his brother Illidan had lost all vestiges of his sanity because of his defeat at Arthas' hands. As the vision faded, Malfurion asked that his love be sent to Tyrande, and promised that he would return.

Maiev Shadowsong is a fictional character in the Warcraft universe - a fictional universe in which a series of games and books are set. She was the leader of the Night Elf military division known as the Watchers.

Biography

War of the Ancients
After the War of Ancients around 9400 before common era, when the Well of Eternity was destroyed by the clash between the Burning Legion and the Night Elves and it was thought that the Demons will never return due to the destruction of the well, Malfurion Stormrage became the new Night Elf Archdruid. To his horror, however, his twin brother Illidan Stormrage, against his command, saved a few drops of the water of the Well, and emptied them into a previously tranquil lake in a depression atop Mt. Hyjal, thus creating a new Well of Eternity. Malfurion arrested Illidan and locked him in an underground prison in Felwood interconnected with the Barrow Dens, a hibernating place for Druids of the Claw. Maiev Shadowsong and her Watchers were appointed by Malfurion to guard the prison of Illidan, where he remained chained for about 10,000 years.

Reign of Chaos
It is not certain how long Illidan's imprisonment and Maiev's watch duty would have lasted had not the Burning Legion invaded Azeroth a second time in 613 CE. Tyrande Whisperwind, the Night Elf Priestess of the Moon, after waging a losing battle with the agents of the Burning Legion, ventured into the Barrow Deeps with Malfurion and a handful of escorts. Their initial objective was to awaken the Druids of the Claw from their hibernated slumber, but when Tyrande stumbled upon the entrance to Illidan's prison, she and her Sentinels in the group deserted Malfurion and his druids and dryads, defying his direct orders, and liberated Illidan, hoping to enlist his aid to defeat the Burning Legion. Tyrande and her followers were so desperate to get to Illidan that they ruthlessly massacred Maiev's Watchers, an act for which Maiev never forgave Tyrande.

Tyrande never encountered Maiev in the prison, however, at least not while on the way to Illidan's cell. It is unclear where she was at that time and why she could not personally prevent the liberation of Illidan.

After still power-hungry Illidan consumed the Skull of Gul'dan, becoming a half-demon himself, he was exiled from Night Elf lands by his brother Malfurion. Maiev, furious at Malfurion's foolishness of letting a convicted criminal loose, swore to track Illidan down at all costs.

Pursuit of Illidan
Illidan fled to the Night Elf fishing village of Nendis in Azshara, a coastal region to the east of Mt. Hyjal. He cast a powerful spell that awakened the Naga, serpentine sea creatures who were once Night Elves, but their addiction to arcane magic and the immense magical energies released when the original Well of Eternity buckled upon itself greatly deformed their bodies. The Naga began to plunder settlements in Azshara. Maiev, and her watchers, including the Huntress Naisha, defeated the Naga, and followed Illidan to the port of Nendis. Illidan sailed east, and Maiev and her watchers followed him.

The group landed in an archipelago that was littered with Night Elf ruins. Maiev recognized the ruins as those of Suramar, a great Night Elf city of culture and learning that was buried beneath the waves when the Well of Eternity collapsed. From an Orcish hermit stuck on one of the islands, Maiev learned that the islands were raised from the seafloor by powerful warlock Gul'dan nearly 25 years earlier. Maiev concluded that Illidan was heading to the Tomb of Sargeras to reclaim a powerful artifact, the Eye of Sargeras. The Watchers carefully infiltrated the Tomb, finding Illidan already in possession of the Eye. Upon encounter with the Night Elves, Illidan cast a spell that shook the ground violently, collapsing parts, eventually the entire Tomb onto the helpless Watchers. Maiev sprinted out of the Tomb, thus saving herself and living to tell the story.

Upon return to her base camp, she sent a runner back to the mainland to let Malfurion know that she needed urgent reinforcements. Fighting valiantly alongside her soldiers, she held Illidan's advances back until Malfurion's reinforcements arrived. The joint Night Elf force laid waste to Illidan's base of operations, but he managed to escape once again.

Maiev, Malfurion, and Tyrande chased Illidan to Lordaeron, landing in Silverpine Forest. Malfurion left Tyrande and Maiev temporarily to commune with the spirits of the troubled wood, and the two women took a small band of warriors with them in search of Illidan. They came upon a small village occupied by Blood Elves under the command of , the last survivor of the High Elven royal family. Kael explained to the Night Elves that he and his force were abandoning the hopeless situation in Silverpine and headed towards Dalaran, where a mystical disturbance had been noted. Tyrande offered to escort the Blood Elves, much to the impatient Maiev's chagrin.

The path through Silverpine saw countless raids from the Scourge, which were always repelled. But as the company reached Pyrewood Village, a large mass of Undead emerged without warning. Tyrande told Kael and Maiev to flee without her and positioned herself between them and the undead on a bridge over the Arevass River. Summoning the full powers of Elune, she called down waves of falling stars upon the hapless undead. At first it looked as if she was holding them off, but then the bridge itself collapsed and Tyrande was swept downriver.

Undaunted, Maiev and Kael continued to Dalaran, where Malfurion met them and revealed that Illidan was in the ruined city with a host of Naga, casting a spell to destroy Northrend that threatened the stability of Azeroth itself. Maiev lied to Malfurion and explained Tyrande's absence by saying that she had been killed by the undead, and reminding Malfurion that it was Illidan's fault that they'd even come to Lordaeron in the first place. Galvanized and enraged, Malfurion charged into the city with what forces he could muster, Maiev at his side, and they managed to interrupt Illidan's dread spell.

Malfurion ensnared the stunned and defenseless Illidan with enchanted roots while Maiev prepared to carry out his execution. Illidan protested that he had been trying to destroy the Lich King, the ruler of the Undead Scourge, but Malfurion told him that Tyrande was dead because of his actions. Kael interjected then and informed Malfurion that Tyrande was likely not dead, but merely swept downriver. The archdruid realized that Maiev had lied to him, ensnared her instead, and freed Illidan when his brother offered his services and his Naga forces in helping to find Tyrande.

Maiev immediately gave chase once she was able to, and came upon Malfurion, the rescued Tyrande, and Illidan himself as he prepared a portal through which to escape to Outland. Blinded by rage and brimming with the desire for vengeance, she and her Watchers charged in after him, ignoring Tyrande's pleas that Illidan was no longer a threat.

The Draenor Campaign
Maiev established a stronghold in Outland and spent days searching for Illidan amid the blasted landscape. She eventually encountered him in battle and managed to incapacitate him, locking him up in a cage which she began to lead back to her base. However, a group of Naga and Blood Elves under Kael and the Sea Witch Lady Vashj engaged her forces for control of the cage. The Kal'dorei and Sin'dorei clashed numerous times before the Blood Elves and Naga defeated the Night Elves decisively and freed Illidan. Defeated once again, Maiev and her followers retreated, planning their next chance to recapture Illidan.

That chance never came. After Illidan returned from his disastrous campaign at Icecrown, he was still too powerful and too elusive for Maiev to engage. Countless times she tried to capture him, but each attempt ended in more pitiful failure than the last as her once-loyal Watchers were killed or abandoned her.

Present
With the release of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, the mystery around this character was finally revealed. She was imprisoned by Illidan in the The Wardens Cage in Shadowmoon Valley, a new zone in the world of Outland. Details on why Blizzard "resurrected" her (after her death was stated in several RPG books) are still unclear. The first guild to slay Illidan has confirmed that Maiev arrives during the final stages of the raid, and is the one who delivers the final blow. After Illidan's death, Maiev expresses feelings of self-doubt ("I feel nothing...I am nothing"), for the hunt for Illidan had consumed her very being until the moment she finally killed him.

Jarod Shadowsong
It is revealed in the trilogy "Well of Eternity" that Maiev is in fact, Jarod Shadowsong's sister. Jarod becomes the high commander of the Night Elven armies and also helps mediate the relations with the "Earthens" (Dwarves), Tauren and Furbolgs. With the death of the original commander, Lord Ravencrest, and that of the foolish first successor, Desdel Stareye, Jarod took over, his natural leadership skills leading the Night Elf army along with the Tauren, Dwarves and Furbolgs to victory, being the first to competently and respectfully lead the combined forces of all the races. Maiev is assumed to have volunteered to become Illidan's warden after Illidan attempted to kill Jarod, who had confronted Illidan in the process of making the new Well of Eternity. In Warcraft III, one of the generic names for a Demon Hunter is Shadowsong .

King Terenas Menethil II is a fictional character in the Warcraft universe - a fictional universe in which a series of games and books are set.

King Terenas was the ruler of the Human Kingdom of Lordaeron in the Warcraft universe of games. He first appeared in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, and it was through his efforts that the Alliance between the Dwarves, Elves, and the Humans was forged. Suitably warned of the threat from the south by the Stormwind refugees, lead by Anduin Lothar (Note that at the release of Warcraft II, the Kingdom of Stormwind was named Azeroth), this Alliance turned to face the oncoming invasion of the Orcish Horde and their Ogre, Goblin and Forest Troll allies.

The Alliance was a success and the Orcish Horde was defeated and broken. Under Terenas' order, against wishes of other leaders such as the ruler of Stromgarde Thoras Trollbane, the surviving orcs were rounded up and placed into concentration camps. It was in one such camp that Aedelas Blackmoore schemed to lead a new army of Orcs against the Alliance through use of an Orc infant he found and named Thrall. He would teach this infant the strategy and intelligence of a human while employing its Orcish savagery to stir his fellow Orcs into a fury against the Alliance. This plan was to backfire spectacularly as the harsh methods Blackmoore employed only served to steel Thrall against him and when Thrall did come to stir the Orcs into fury, it was against the internment camps and Blackmoore.

In the following years, the Alliance faltered in its unity. The High Elves withdrew their support, claiming that the Alliance had failed to defend their lands. Increased tensions between the Human Kingdoms demanded more and more attention and diplomacy. The growing problem of the Orc escapees provided another source of consternation as did the whisperings of a mysterious plague spreading across the northlands. When an anonymous prophet came before him, preaching that his people's survival required an exodus from their hard-defended lands, Terenas made a fatal mistake when he dismissed the prophet's warnings out of hand as rambling prophecy. He was not to know that this hooded vagrant was in fact the infamous Medivh, returned from the dead with the intent to prevent the damage he had set into motion years previously.

Sending his son Arthas Menethil, a young Paladin in the Order of the Silver Hand, to investigate the spread of the mysterious plague was to be a terminal mistake. For while Arthas fought against the agents of this plague of Undeath with redoubtable determination, it was this obsession which would drive the Prince into the hands of the Lich King. He followed the leader of the Undead forces, the Dreadlord Mal'Ganis, to the frozen continent of Northrend. With the aid of a band of dwarves under the command of Muradin Bronzebeard, Arthas came to realise that his only hope of defeating the forces arrayed against his Kingdom was to seek out a powerful runeblade named Frostmourne. While Muradin warned of caution, Arthas pledged to pay any price to rid the world of the threat posed by Mal'Ganis and seized the blade, in doing so, causing in the death of Muradin. Arthas killed Mal'Ganis but not before learning that the entire campaign was orchestrated by the Lich King in order to secure Arthas' service to Ner'zhul after stealing his soul. The Lich King communicated to Arthas through the blade, driving away whatever remained of his sanity. Upon returning to Lordaeron, under the rain of rose petals showered upon him by a loving populace, Arthas sought out his father and after a moments' seeming obeisance, rose up and impaled Terenas upon Frostmourne.

Although we do not see it, in the course of the Scourge campaign of Warcraft III, we learn that King Terenas' ashes were placed in an enchanted urn. Visiting the Throne Room in the Ruins of Lordaeron in the game World of Warcraft, it is possible to see Terenas' blood stain the floor near to where his bloodied crown fell. Also, behind the Throne Room is a small shrine dedicated to his memory which, perhaps strangely, the new Forsaken residents of the ruins have left intact. A well known Easter-Egg in game is that if the player increases the volume of the music played in the throne room in World of Warcraft, the final dialogue of Arthas and his father can be heard endlessly replaying.

Physically, King Terenas was a hearty man in late middle age during the Second War, who had fought many campaigns for his kingdom. By the time of Warcraft III however, the succession of years of warfare and political struggle had taken their toll and while still an imposing figure, the shadow of age was apparent upon his countenance. In the final dialogue between Arthas and Uther in the Scourge campaign, Uther reveals that Terenas had ruled Lordaeron for seventy years.