Following the previews of gothic Revendreth and Venthyr, heavenly Bastion and Kyrians, majestic Oribos and its inhabitants, the developers from Activision Blizzard previewed another zone and its respective Covenant coming in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. Ardenweald is described as a domain of restoration, tended to by the mystic Night Fae. Within this eternal forest, massive dream trees draw in precious anima—the essence of souls that flows through the Shadowlands—to feed the spirits of nature awaiting rebirth into the cycle.
However, this lush afterlife paradise has suffered greatly from the mysterious anima drought plaguing the Shadowlands. Everything that grows here has begun to wither, and the cycle of reincarnation is in peril unless things change—and swiftly.
Ardenweald is inhabited by various species and races:
- Mischievous tricksters of the woods, the mercurial faeries of Ardenweald use a mix of theatrical talents and cunning to care for rejuvenating spirits. Faeries use song to soothe away the pain of the great, resting spirits and snatch up lesser creatures lured by their eerie melodies, grinding them up into poultices.
- The fierce and daring vorkai are the protectors and guardians of Ardenweald.
- Loyal, polite, and graceful, the sylvar are crafters and enchanters who create tools, foci, and magical objects to maintain the ebb and flow of existence in Ardenweald.
- Calm, patient, and enigmatic even to others in the Shadowlands, the tirnenn are slow to action as well as anger. They are the eldest of the Fae Court—quiet and thoughtful, and generally friendly unless you threaten their groves.
- With the drought weakening the guardians of Ardenweald, the ancient Drust have seized the opportunity to invade from their nightmarish realm of Thros.
- Leader of Ardenweald, the ethereal Winter Queen is charged with the sacred task of maintaining the great cycle of rebirth: restoring perished loa, Wild Gods, Ancients, and other nature spirits and returning them to the mortal plane.
- Spriggan are small, malicious creatures native to Ardenweald who live to create chaos. Some have heard the whispers of the death loa Mueh’zala, and gleefully carry out his plans.
- In addition to the native fae creatures that the forest calls forth to nurture the wildseeds, Ardenweald serves as an afterlife for mortal souls who shared a special bond with the natural cycle. Druids, hunters, and others who tended the land may be judged worthy of an eternity spent caring for the wilds.
If you choose to join the Night Fae Covanant, you’ll be rewarded with several cosmetic rewards including: a mount, a pet, Night Fae-forged armor, and back attachments that will capture the Night Fae’s attention.
