Darnassus

Darnassus is the capital of the night elves, built in the upper branches of the World Tree Teldrassil off Kalimdor's northwestern coast. High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind rules from the Temple of the Moon, and Arch Druid Fandral Staghelm leads the druids from the Cenarion Enclave. With its pale stone, purple trees and quiet lakes, it is the calmest of the capitals and also the most out of the way.

Layout

Darnassus fills the western end of Teldrassil's crown. A long lake runs through the middle of the city, and the districts are spread around it:

• The Temple of the Moon is the center of the worship of Elune and home of Tyrande and the priests. A fountain with a statue of Elune stands in its main hall.
• The Cenarion Enclave is a group of tree-houses where Fandral Staghelm and the druids live, along with the druid trainer Mathrengyl Bearwalker.
• The Warrior's Terrace holds the warrior trainers and Sentinel officers.
• The Craftsmen's Terrace holds most of the profession trainers.
• The Tradesmen's Terrace holds the bank, the auction house and many vendors.
• The Temple Gardens surround the Temple of the Moon.

There is no flight master inside the city. A glowing portal near the entrance carries travelers down to Rut'theran Village on the shore.

History

The night elves lost their immortality at the end of the Third War, when they spent the power of the first World Tree, Nordrassil, to destroy Archimonde. Fandral Staghelm, who led the druids while Malfurion Stormrage slept in the Emerald Dream, convinced the night elves to grow a new World Tree. The druids planted Teldrassil off the coast of Darkshore and built Darnassus in its branches.

Two leaders share the city. Tyrande is the High Priestess of Elune and commands the Sentinel army. Fandral speaks for the druids of the Cenarion Circle, and the two do not always agree. Teldrassil was planted without the blessing of the Dragon Aspects, and the corruption spreading through its forests suggests that something is wrong with it.

In the original game, the night elves had only recently joined the Alliance, and Darnassus is far from the other Alliance capitals. Getting to Stormwind or Ironforge means a portal, a boat and a long journey across the sea.

Notable NPCs

• Tyrande Whisperwind, High Priestess of Elune, in the Temple of the Moon.
• Arch Druid Fandral Staghelm, in the Cenarion Enclave.
• Priestess A'moora, a priestess of the temple.
• Mathrengyl Bearwalker, druid trainer, and Jocaste, hunter trainer.
• Thyn'tel Bladeweaver on the Warrior's Terrace.
• Rellian Greenspyre, who studies the sickness in the tree.
• Innkeeper Saelienne, the innkeeper.
• Raedon Duskstriker, who takes cloth donations for reputation with Darnassus.
• Nessa Shadowsong, the fishing supplier in Rut'theran Village below.

Quests

Darnassus has about 25 quests in our database, many of them the start or end of chains elsewhere.

• Tears of the Moon: young night elves visit Priestess A'moora in The Temple of the Moon, then bring her silk from the spider Lady Sathrah in Tears of the Moon and place it at the temple fountain in Sathrah's Sacrifice.
• Fandral's message: Grove of the Ancients sends players to Onu in the Grove of the Ancients in Darkshore.
• Tumors: Rellian Greenspyre wants mossy tumors from Teldrassil's sick timberlings in Tumors.
• Velinde Starsong: Thyn'tel Bladeweaver investigates a missing priestess in Velinde Starsong and Velinde's Effects, a chain that reaches as far as Duskwood.
• Reception from Tyrande: the Stonetalon sabotage chain ends with a meeting with Tyrande in Reception from Tyrande.
• The Cenarion Circle: level 50 to 55 players help Fandral with Un'Goro research in Assisting Arch Druid Staghelm and Morrowgrain Research, and are sent to Silithus in The New Frontier and The New Frontier.
• Ahn'Qiraj: in a later patch, Tyrande sends heroes to Keeper Remulos in Moonglade in [[forever:quest:8734]], part of the questline leading to the Opening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj.

Getting there

• Portal: from Rut'theran Village, step into the portal to arrive at the city's entrance.
• By boat: Rut'theran Village has a ship to Auberdine in Darkshore. From Auberdine, ships go to Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands.
• By hippogryph: Vesprystus in Rut'theran Village flies to Auberdine and other Alliance points.

Later history

In Battle for Azeroth (2018), Sylvanas Windrunner ordered Teldrassil burned, destroying Darnassus. Classic-era servers show the city as it was before the fire.

Sources

• Darnassus, Warcraft Wiki
• Temple of the Moon, Warcraft Wiki
• Cenarion Enclave, Warcraft Wiki