Doing a bit of belf posting since today’s topic is Sylvanas, the recent novel. I’m still chewing my way through it, but so far it’s a decent read.
We’ve covered Woundwood already; a tree native to Quel’Thalas. I might add that in its raw, powdered form, Woundwood leaves are better not ingested. The numbing effect will leave a person salivating uncontrollably and barely being able to formulate coherent words.
Then we have the Battle of the Seven Arrows, a battle against the Amani trolls in which Lireesa Windrunner earned no small amount of renown among her kinsmen. There aren’t any more details known to me at this point, but I’ll make an edit if someone else chimes in with something before I do - if indeed more information surfaces.
It might be an obvious distinction to anyone but me, but Ranger and Farstrider are not interchangeable terms. All Farstriders are Rangers, but not all Rangers are Farstriders. The latter is the elite most pick from among the former.
Kael’thas Sunstrider spent years away from Quel’Thalas at a time, pouring a lot of time into Dalaran. He did mingle with the upper echelons of society when at home however, and having him attend a soirée was no small feather in the cap of its host.
Alleria Windrunner’s initial test of worthiness as Ranger-General was intentionally difficult. She was tasked to hunt to an infamously large sunpaw lynx by the name of “Mauler”, rumoured to have a taste for elven flesh. She was allowed only a single arrow to make the kill, and a deadline of dusk the same day.
She did not make the one-arrow-kill, and her test was interrupted by Sylvanas who - out of concern and curiosity - had followed Alleria and Mauler’s tracks in Eversong. She killed the lynx to save Alleria, though later learned that the kill itself hadn’t been the true test, so much as a means to gauge Alleria’s strengths and weaknesses in a situation of genuine peril.
As another note on High Elves, it seems truly dark hair is a bit of a rarity. Sylvanas observes a large gathering early in the book, and notes a particular elf with bluish-black hair standing out in a proverbial sea of blonde and silver hair.
Further additions:
King Anasterian Sunstrider had no shortage of advisors eager to tell him precisely what he wanted to hear, but he treasured those with the courage to speak plain truths to him instead. This is in part why he was regarded as a wise king by Sylvanas’ father - who himself was such an advisor - as well as the general population.
Anasterian’s court was held in low regard by Sylvanas, who could not stand their frippery and frivolity - qualities embodied in one Lord Saltheril in particular. As an asides, this particular nobleman is a questgiver in Eversong to this day.
Such as thing as artist’s quarters were established by the royal family, in which a formal apprenticeship might be offered to gifted individuals. Such would eventually grant the title of Royal Musician, for example.
Once a year, a celebration called “The Remembrance” was held in Quel’Thalas, marking the anniversary of the final battle of the Troll Wars. Anasterian himself played a central role in the battle, and it was said that he and Felo’melorn had slain so many trolls that their blood rose against the walls of Zul’aman.
The modern day lyrics of Lament of the Highborne were written to commemorate the casualties of the battles some three millenia ago, although the tune is around ten thousand years old. It’s intentionally somber, whereas the event itself is more of a formal celebration.
A small nugget of personal lore to Sylvanas is that Dark’han Drathir seemed quite smitten with her, but his attention gave her the creeps. She thought he looked at her like one would a delicious meal, rather than someone to whom there was an attraction. The polar opposite being the future Grand-Magister, Rommath, who, while more pleasant than Dark’khan, was too cold and serious around her for her liking.
Sylvanas was also familiar with a certain Priestess Liadrin, and while she did enjoy her company, she found her gentle demeanour somewhat trying of her patience.
So back to The Remembrance celebration. In the case of nobility at least, it involved full-length ballgowns for the Windrunner sisters and their mother, and a stately crimson-gold attire for the dad. Nobility from around the realm convened at the Court of the Sun, then got in line for formal greetings and socializing. Suitors, nobles currying favour with other nobles, those sorts of things. Live music from the royal musicians accompanied the evening, as well as drinks and other light refreshments. With that and the dancing, it seems to have been a ball in all but name.
I feel that I should mention the frequent mentions of politics. For a kingdom, it seems as though a great number of matters were debated and settled between the politicians in Quel’Thalas. This is mentioned by Sylvanas’ father, Kael’thas Sunstrider, and and mentioned in passing by Sylvanas herself as well - all in all it seems to be reliably true.
(Whether this is still the case is anyone’s guess, though with Lor’themar’s distaste for politics I would not be surprised if he delegated political matters whenever his own involvement wasn’t strictly required.)
It is mentioned that there were a number of cousins to the Windrunners “of one variety or another,” though none are mentioned by name at this point. Will edit later on if that changes.
Lirath Windrunner earned no small amount of fame at court. He moved to Silvermoon to apprentice as a musician, and was gifted with a number of string instruments, the flute, and above all else, a singing voice which frequently moved people to great emotion.
(tl;dr Lirath rolled Bard where other Windrunners rolled Rangers.)
Halduron Brightwing shares a Farstrider trick with some of his peers, imaginatively named “Feeble Old Man”. Wrapped in an old tattered cloak, head covered, leaning over and leaning on his spear as though it was a walking stick, Amani trolls think they’ve spotted an easy kill - only for hidden Farstriders in the trees to take out half of them before they reach him. By Halduron’s own account, no troll had the wits to survive the trick.
For a time, the Farstriders did not live up to their name. They did not venture into the world and seek out distant enemies of the kingdom, but instead focused mainly on domestic threats such as the remaining Amani.
This changed when Alleria Windrunner rejected the mantle of Ranger-General however, with Lireesa Windrunner formally declaring that she be tasked with venturing into Azeroth with a handful of Farstriders, and Sylvanas being named heir to the mantle of Ranger-General in her stead. In private, this was spurred on by Alleria’s desire to safeguard more than elves exclusively, and a desire to experience the world at large. Meanwhile Sylvanas was arguably the better shot of the two, and while she cherished being a Farstrider, she yearned for greater challenges.
More to be added.
posting is cool and all, I don’t think it belongs in this thread.