Moon Goddess

Biodata

Appearance and True Form

Elune’s true form is the larger of Azeroth’s two moons. Its surface is her skin, supported by countless bones, with enormous tentacles concealed within 369 507.

• Her moon-sized body has an enormous mouth capable of consuming those transported into it 547.
• A mountain-sized worm identifying itself as Elune transformed into a city-sized moth; Archimonde regarded the worm as an avatar of the goddess 541 543.
• Her projected hand over Outland was transparent, with ten fingers, sharp nails, and a ring on each finger 1777.
• Her original race remains unconfirmed. The Orc origin of her Primordial Emissary led N'Zoth to infer that Elune was also an Orc, but this was not proof of her own origins 1029 1030.

History

The Temple of the Moon

Tyrande rose through the Temple of the Moon while helping Malfurion keep Illidan under control with Elune’s secret authorization. Tyrande later told Illidan that the goddess valued him as a potential opponent to Queen Azshara and that they intended to control him with the Tear of Elune 468 475.

Elune sent Tyrande a secret oracle identifying the Orc Broxigar Saurfang as her envoy. Tyrande healed and protected him with the goddess’s power, even after he severely injured her 468 470.

On Mount Hyjal, Elune’s power suppressed the Well of Eternity’s magic within resisting Night Elves. Nearly half the assembled Night Elves were slaughtered during the suppression, and Elune rewarded some who voiced support for her and Tyrande with moonlight power 505 506.

Conflict with Azshara

When Elune drew close to Azeroth, Azshara’s mages investigated the moon. Robbie discovered its living structure, and the mages concluded that the moon itself was Elune’s body 506 507.

Elune fought Azshara using tentacles, nature magic, and the Moon Goddess Veil. Although the veil resisted magical attacks, Azshara defeated her with nonmagical machines that Elune had overlooked 551 553 554.

Later Influence

Following Gul'dan’s death, Tyrande’s prayers went unanswered. Tyrande believed the goddess was confused, while Malfurion speculated that Elune might be reconsidering her support for the Orcs 419 423 424.

Elune later directed an emissary to persuade Tyrande that the Night Elves faced a racial crisis. When Tyrande’s loyalty subsequently weakened, Elune set her and Maiev against each other, promising the chief priesthood to whoever stopped Illidan in Dalaran 700 801.

Elune continued to intervene on behalf of the Orcs. She moved the moon to create a massive tide against Kul Tiras’s fleet, and later projected power across space to Outland when Thrall and Vol'jin were imprisoned. Robbie escaped with a fragment of her projected hand after several attackers damaged it 840 1776 1777.

Personality and Worship

Elune’s oracles are normally precise and emotionless, revealing little of her thoughts. She is not omniscient or omnipotent, and Tyrande understood her silence after Gul'dan’s death as a sign of confusion 423 468.

Elune manipulates followers by exploiting their desires and rivalries. Knowing Tyrande’s loyalty had weakened, she used Maiev’s ambition for the chief priesthood to draw Tyrande back into service 801.

Faith in Elune became deeply rooted among the Night Elves over ten thousand years. The goddess had also proclaimed an approaching end of the world and a descending divine kingdom in which only the chosen would be saved 476 748.

Abilities and Skills

Moonlight and Blessings

Elune channels power through moonlight, granting followers magical strength and intervening at a distance.

• Her blessing altered the magic within Agamaggan, lifted his body into the air, and enabled Moonfire beams that destroyed Aegwynn’s portals 369.
• Her radiance healed Broxigar’s wounds through Tyrande and later restored Tyrande’s severed arm and lost eye 469 471 472.
• Her power exposed hidden Faceless Ones and a disguised Voidwalker during a sweep of Moonglade 972.
• Prayer does not guarantee an answer, and Tyrande understood Elune’s power to be limited to places reached by moonlight 473 504.

Barriers and the Moon Goddess Veil

Elune can create powerful protective shields.

• A silver barrier blocked Illidan’s attack on Tyrande and Broxigar; additional power reinforced it after his first strike cracked it 470.
• The Moon Goddess Veil protected vines growing from her moon-body and absorbed Shadowflame to nourish them 553.
• Elune said Arcane, shadow, and Holy Light could nourish the vines, while Fel could not. She also identified Death as capable of harming her 553.
• Azshara’s nonmagical machines defeated the veil; Robbie guessed that they used particle weapons 554.

Nature, Corruption, and Consumption

• Elune transformed her moon’s tentacles into rapidly growing vines and sent one deep beneath Azeroth 553.
• She teleported Satyrs into her moon’s mouth and consumed them. By eating Fel-infused Night Elves, she learned to use Fel herself 547.
• Archimonde gained a power of corruption from Elune that substantially increased his strength 791.

Oracles and Divine Manifestations

• Elune communicates through oracles; a particularly secret one used a complex series of symbols understood only by her priests 468.
• Her projected hand crossed the vast distance to Outland without using the Dark Portal. It killed Kael'thas, Vashj, and Gruul during the confrontation at Coilfang Reservoir 1776 1777.
• Azeroth’s Titan defenses restrict how much of her power can descend, and her true form cannot pass through the defenses in the stars 573 617.

Items and Symbols

• Tear of Elune — Held in the right hand of her Temple of the Moon statue and described as a symbol of her descent into the world. Tyrande intended to use it to control Illidan 468 475.
• Statues of Elune — Objects of worship through which her presence or voice can manifest; one in Moonglade shone with milky-white light while Remulos prayed 468 961.

Relationships

• Tyrande Whisperwind — Elune’s chief priestess and longtime agent. Tyrande’s authority depended on her ability to receive Elune’s oracles, though their relationship later became strained 423 801.
• Malfurion — Worked with Tyrande under Elune’s authorization to control Illidan and interpreted the goddess’s silence after Gul'dan’s death 424 468.
• Illidan — An important part of Elune’s plans and, according to Tyrande, a potential opponent to Azshara. He came to regard Elune as an evil deity after learning of the scheme to control him 475 476.
• Broxigar Saurfang — An Orc named in Elune’s oracle as her envoy; Tyrande was ordered to help him 468.
• Maiev Shadowsong — A Temple of the Moon priestess whom Elune later set in competition with Tyrande for the chief priesthood 470 801.
• Queen Azshara — Elune’s opponent, whose mages uncovered the moon’s true nature and whose nonmagical weapons defeated her 507 554.
• Robbie — Investigated Elune’s true form and stole a fragment of her projected power to understand how to defeat her 507 1777.
• Archimonde — Made a secret deal with Elune and received power from her, though he remained wary of her intentions 791 792.
• Thrall and the Orcs — Elune repeatedly supported the Orcs. Arthas regarded them as her weakness and planned to threaten them to force her to act 424 852.