[Spoilers] Shen'drelar and Shal'dorei contrasting fortunes

[Mace]

The nightborne civilizaton is really at the level of grandeur I expected of pre-sundering Elves. They are much closer to what I expected the Shen'drelar highborne but never thought I'd see. Especially after seeing Vashj'ir I have been like aww blizz, when you going to show a pre-sundering Nelven civilization in it's glory? They described it as been amazing, and incredible, the likes heights of which no other civilization or time period on Azeroth has even come close too. Which made me think you mean Darnassus and Silvermoon are not even close? What must this be like. And then they showed this Night elves at the height of the great arcane golden age who instead of giving up magic, for 10k years (or 3k years if you were with Darth'remar) continued to practice it and research and study it. They delivered guys.

I notice a lot of people keep thinking of night elves as primitives because they "go natural", they view them as early caveman, and I sometimes think blizzard shows conflicting viewpoints on this. The narrative is clear that we are in a post apocalyptic world, but sometimes the design seems to paint the ancients as a less advanced version. This is not the case, they were the advanced ones and modern elvendom is still not recovered from that destruction, pales in significance is how Mordant Evenshade remarks of this era. HElves at least trying, Nelves, until Cataclysm just turned their back on all of that, likely in shame and grief, but also fear, believing that by not using magic they could stop the Legion's return, Illidan tried to warn them, prepare them but they locked him up (he did kill a number of Elves in a rage that did not help his case), it wasn't all bad though, it was good of them to focus on the needs of the world rather than the needs of their people, but it left them weaker for it agians the eventual return of the Legion. So when blizzard finally came to the first sign of pre-sundering Elven group, the highborne of Shen'drelar in Eldre'thalas, I was disappointed, I expected much more

Their Cities
The differnece between Suramar and Eldre'thalas is size and power. Suramar was the second largest Elven city behind Zin'Azshari, Capital of it's own region, I think it may have been the first capital before Zin'Azshari because the Main temple of Elune lies there (currently defiled as the legion entry point) where the High Priestess operated from. Tyrande was elevated to her leadership role there - she is from Suramar too btw. It also was able to form the night well. Not to mention the leading cutting edge centre of magical research in the outlying Nar'thalas where even blue dragons would research alongside Elves exploring the mysteries of the universe and the arcane - that is before the elves started getting a bit too cookoo (or at least that's what the quest implies)

Eldre Thalas on the other hand was a university city, where the queen's most cutting edge research was carried out in secret. Think of it as a community of scientist in a small City-like town, all hush hush. Talent from all round hand picked by the Queen to do the sort of wonders that kept her at the top, a secret and very elite magical centre of learning. It was much smaller, so had a lot less people, but the biggest difference was the power source. The shen'drelar used a demon they trapped as a power source, whiles the Shal'dorei had well source. They also rebelled against the Queen, Goldrinn I think fought alongside them at their gates and fell there, but they did repel the legion and survived the Sundering being that far out from the centre.

Development Intentions
Still I don't think blizzard really showed off the highborne much in Cataclysm, the sort of power and majesty displayed by the nightborne is much closer to the sort I was expecting from the Shen'drelar - afterall these were still practicing arcanists of 10k years+ familiar with all the hidden and secret knowledge lost to the Elves. Also classic dire maul quests reveal that the shen'drelar had been scrying on the rest of the world, but kept to themselves. I wonder if they observed the the high elves.. sadly blizzard didn't go into that detail.

Nightborne era are more of the reflection I expected them to be, but hey, that's 2016 engine compared to 2004 for you. And I think they were aiming for it to be more a spooky secret lost city kinda vibe, with dangers -- ( Indiana Jones style possibly) whereas they went for majesty and grandeur and developed image of the past still in glory for Suramar.

Reflections of Night ELves in WoW
Still I do want to see what and how the highborne are reacting to and helping out with the nightborne. I kinda feel blizzard have forgotten they have this group around. Even though I am aware their main function was to allow you to play an arcane wielding night elf, an ancient and powerful wizard. Not all night elves are tree huggers. I think most players get that impression cos the only nice light see them in is a the wonder magical nature capacity. When you see them as warriors and priestess' in their army they are always losing. But warrior, druid and priest - the non-magic wings are not the only ones. Blizzard wanted you to be able to play full competent mage more than capable, role play a night elf that's very much into his arcane and revels in the fullness of that legacy or a new student joining the stream of Elves wanting to learn from these Ancient kin. But the impact of their presence is not shown in a strong light, not one that matches the narrative well enough - I expected a much bigger ripple and showing of capability for their arrival closer to the level of the nightborne rather than weak and muddled.

Why do you think they didn't emphasize them much? Too much of an advantage to the NElves? Or suffered because NElf attention also suffers greatly in wow, at least before Legion anyhow. How do you think they will be reacting to the nightborne?

Role in Legion
Imo, it should have been Mordant Evenshade, the Highborne leader not Khadgar that detects the message for help from the Nightborne. It should have also been Mordant Evenshade who takes you to Azsuna to start questing. I do feel that NElves don't really shine much in Legion either, except for Val'sharah...they're not in the opening Broken Shore scenario with the rest of the alliance races... I can understand that though, given it's the legion and the broken Isles, and Suramar, they should have already been on the scene all over the isles.

But we see nothing of the main night elf group, except in Val'sharah where it's really a druid thing going on, not related to Night Elf involvement or role against the Legion. Further on Tyrande does show up, but again it's in helping her husband concerning the nightmare, an important task but one druid related rather than night elf related, and you accompany her alone, not the Night Elf armies or peoples. You do meet two Highborne mages in Azsuna giving you the a quest chain in Nar'thalas. It's a happy ending for a change

Conclusion
Overall, the silence makes me wonder if they simply forgot them, and didn't write in their involvement. I expected them to be all over Suramar too, but so far, not really. It's interesting that rather than use existing night elves for Suramar, they gave a model upgrade and provided the story of changed night elves. Still, why aren't the highborne the ones leading their people in the assistance of Suramar? Why is it the human mage and not the night elf highborne one? Probably forgotten

[Hardwing]

You did a great job showing us where Blizzard could make the story stronger. Given the potential of a Nightborn-Rebellion against the Legion, there could even be room for a kind of battle for their souls by Night- and Blood Elves, both wanting them to join their factions. If we win by destroying the Nightwell, they might even have no big choice at all... if Blizzard chooses to follow this path. I haven't seen Suramar myself yet, but it makes sense, that Blood- and Night-Elves are both just splinters of the original might of their original civilisation, both showing facets of it, but never the complete picture.

The NE story so far feels handled badly. I can see why they set Fandral Staghelm on the dark path, as it startet already in Vanilla. Still the way they handled Maiev in Wolfheart was beyond redemption though they may try in Legion. Her distrust for mages is well founded, but instead of using this to make her an interesting opponent to Tyrande, they made her a one-sided villian. What makes the story of Stormwind and Ironforge interesting in the clash of the different factions/worldviews Anduin/Varian and the council of the three hammers. In Darnassus you have the head of one religious order(Tyrande) co-ruling with her husband the head of another semi-religious order(Malfurion), giving order to the military lead by their adopted daughter(Shandris). The night elf highborne are pretty much cosmetic so far and would lorewise have to fight a lot to get into a place of power.

[Mace]

You did a great job showing us where Blizzard could make the story stronger. Given the potential of a Nightborn-Rebellion against the Legion, there could even be room for a kind of battle for their souls by Night- and Blood Elves, both wanting them to join their factions. If we win by destroying the Nightwell, they might even have no big choice at all... if Blizzard chooses to follow this path. I haven't seen Suramar myself yet, but it makes sense, that Blood- and Night-Elves are both just splinters of the original might of their original civilisation, both showing facets of it, but never the complete picture.

The NE story so far feels handled badly. I can see why they set Fandral Staghelm on the dark path, as it startet already in Vanilla. Still the way they handled Maiev in Wolfheart was beyond redemption though they may try in Legion. Her distrust for mages is well founded, but instead of using this to make her an interesting opponent to Tyrande, they made her a one-sided villian. What makes the story of Stormwind and Ironforge interesting in the clash of the different factions/worldviews Anduin/Varian and the council of the three hammers. In Darnassus you have the head of one religious order(Tyrande) co-ruling with her husband the head of another semi-religious order(Malfurion), giving order to the military lead by their adopted daughter(Shandris). The night elf highborne are pretty much cosmetic so far and would lorewise have to fight a lot to get into a place of power.

Yeah, I love it when they give these things, these oppositions. 100% the objection or keeping themselves away from arcane magic is not the best thing, but there are some powerful arguments against it, and this makes the discussion interesting, you have to have people who object and bring up objections to it cos it makes a discussion possible, and different things possible. For the night elves ofc sense would prevail in the majority, but you also want people to roleplay an arcane hating NElf, just like they wanted people to play an arcane loving NElf in cata.

In my mind the truth is in using the arcane ambitiously but cautiously, I don't see Priests dabbling arcane any more now than they did pre-sundering which is never if you read WotA, but they also didn't step in when Azshara's highborne got very reckless with their casting (largely a demon thing), and this would be different now. But you would have those who would errr much more on caution and they would have a voice, one that doens't win, but one that is there, they'd be motivated to continue to prove everything is fine without the arcane. But the truth magic is the Elves' legacy, and they do much better with it than without it both for themselves and the world they use to shape so beautifully and enhance.. arcane alongside druidic magic did far far more in 5,000 years pre-sundering than druidsm did with Kalimdor alone in 10k years after it. And whiles magic can cause devastating damage if mishandled (so can druidsm if corrupted), it's still a powerful tool that cannot be ignored.

People like Maiev will continue to argue and not put trust in the Elves' ability to handle magic, citing the litany of abuses by magic wielders, but the counter is stronger yet, though true, it's a question of character and heart not that magic in itself is corrupting, it is the power of Order afterall. It's really a fear vs faith argument, and the night elves have held on to fear and shame over the past for too long. When you see Suramar, you understand the past was glorious, it was no hwere near that bad, magic did a lot more good than bad, and the nighborne prove you can handle it very responsibly cos tha'ts exactly what Ellisandre and the Elves in the City did for 10,000 years, this would be a powerful reminder to the night elves who've made do with a lot less, and now are reminded or see that they can be so much more. But even in that is also warning, the Maiev characters would point out the dependence of the nightborne on the nightwell and how it's warped them causing them to be addicted and will point out look, magic users again, accepted the demons.

The defense's reply to this will again I think win the hearts of most Elves, but some would not partake clinging to Maiev type's out of fear. The defense would point out that Nightborne are not addicted to magic but depend on it, it's energy is now a necessity because they've had to feed on it to survive and not for a high. The night elves of Suramar like all Elves who fought Azshara realized the dangers of allowing the arcane to be like drug, use for necessities, even though it's power prolonged life and enhanced intelligence, actually the nightwell was a salvation not a curse, allowing them both to protect the city but survive when they ran out of food. The defense would point out , it's not a problem having magic as resource like food or water even though it is also a power, is it not energy? Does not food convert to energy to drive the body, why not magic? There is no harm in been changed by magic if it is necessary and it is good.. - but the use of the arcane is what creates such a horrible state like nightfallen and withers an elf... the defense responds - like food lack of it would starve you gaunt thin and jittery in a few short weeks, lack of water would kill you in a few days, so ofc if you cut off magic you now need, you will die, so like your food you have to know how to harvest your surroundings. There is no surviving if food and water are taken from you, magic is even an advantage here cos you can survive longer until it too runs out, so actually it's not all that bad

what about the case of the blood elves, feeding on mana and demons how disgusting, (embarassing moments for Blood elves) but the nightborne would respond like food, you need to gather or hunt your supplies , and water stockpile and ensure you have a constant flow, when you set out you have to learn to be able to use the magical ley lines and magical items to get mana, would you eat another person for food? Ofc not, nightborne do not feed off sentients for food, i think that was a blood elf thing when they were a bit crazy, it's not the fate of all magic users it is a choice. The High Elves testify to this, in their arcane withdrawal, they never and would never take from a person or feed off a demon, they found others sources to soothe an pure.

But it's disgusting and weak to be dependant like that. Defense: But not evil nor wrong. We had no choice but to use magic in this way, if we had other options we would continued normal use without needing to survive on the nightwell's magic.

They'd continue, there is an argument for either side, but however you cut it overall magic is a good thing, but it is also a dangerous thing, I think many night elves would accept it, like the pre-sundeirng, some would embrace it fully, but all would be respectful of it, handling it with care, and watching themselves, it requires due diligence and control, can't just glut on it without exercising , you get lazy, dependent and wasteful when you have that attitude with food, same with magic. Magic requires a disciplined mind and strong principles the Priest hood of Elune is all too willing to provide.

Night elves would insist that the training of new mages involve some priestly classes and training to learn discipline, this is how the night elves would ensure that they would exercise maximum control of their magic and able to focus hone it as a weapon while maintaing the discipline to not be lost in it. This is what the Light did for the High elves until the new blood elf society lost faith in the light and decided to let go of restraint, fueled by grief, anger and the hunger left by the sunwell's dissipation.

Magic is great but comes with a price, long life more power, but more dependancies and a degree of coldness. So effectively whiles the night elf society opens up and accepts magic, it's clear there are some who will refuse to, as a player you also can make a choice, you're free to play as magic supporting friendly Elf, or take the anti-magic view.

[Hardwing]

Silvermoon and Darnassus are hardly 'splinters'

Compared with the size and understanding of the former civilisation they are. It is not just that most of what was once their world is gone, both Elven nations chose to forget a lot of their former culture.

[Mace]

because they aren't night elves any more than blood elves are night elves. Literally no one cares that the Nightborne existed, not even Highborne night elves.

Silvermoon and Darnassus are hardly 'splinters'

I know, i'm commenting on them choosing to present it like that. They ddidn't have to make the night elves change, but they did.

on the one hand, i do like that night elves get a genuine sub-race, at least one players can identify with cos although high elves/blood elves are technically night elf sub-races, being playable and introduced first (WC2), players don't tend to view it that way. So until they invented nightborne, NElves had none.

We all know it could just as easily been night elves they used.. but I'm trying to think of reasons why they modified them. It is a cool story, I give them that, and interesting too, so could be totally story driven. I wonder if they didn't feel it appropriate to use the original NElf model because of the faction thing, you have to have noticed that blizzard appear to have really really struggled to do anything amazing in the story for night elves right. Their story has been one of constant loss, bare escape, constnat loss, impossibly hard vigil, magic loss, then immortality loss, then needing an alliance, then losing more in cataclysm.

they aint gained immortality back, they've not gained the well of eternity back for use, they've not rebuilt any of their civilziation, only one city , and that built after WC3, essentially 10k years after sundering. And so you would have thought hey, Suramar would have been night elven (not alliance - gosh players can't think of night elves outside alliance, that's also part of the problem I think , elves not having an identity outside the horde and the alliance) - but no they did not, instead they put another evolution of night elf, and though it's clear that they're night elf based, it's also cisible that you have high elf/blood elf similarities to them - so much so that players think they have more in common with the horde b/c blood elves (although that might be just the horde fan boys).

They can't see night elves as being magic wiedlers, although Suramar is exactly meant to show you how the night elves lived before the sundering, before they split up and fractured, some of them becoming high elves, some of them abstaining from magic, and some of them holing up in 2 cities, one left to become a ruin thanks to its prince, the other propsered hidden thanks to its leader.

It makes me wonder if there is a NElf issue, because I look at Legion and I'm only seeing the only real involvement of the alliance group is in Val'sharah - even though the dreamers and wardens are neutral , like the Cenarion circle. But this may partly be due to blizzard simply not having time to show all the connections.

How the story ends would be particularly crucial, night elves aren't even seen particiapting with the alliance opening campaign, all the other races are seen involved, but them, on the one hand this makes sense, only from the point of view that night elves should be in a far more neutral capacity for this expansion, they should be leading both the horde and alliance in the final push against the legion, they should be the ones, especially the highborne who knew all the Queen's secrets and had tons of ancient knoweldge locked up in Eldre'thalas with them while everything else was lost, should have been the one telling us about the PIllars of Creation because we don't make contact with the good nightborne till we start the Suarmar quest.

Yet instead it's Khadgar doing it, it should have been the highborne leader at least, Mordant Evenshade I feel to be starting you off with Azsuna and should have been the one deciphering the coded nightborne message calling for help. Instead Khadgar does that, it's like they're been squeezed out. It is the nightborne that are the NPC heroes of saving their city, as they orchestrate and co-ordinate the help, the heroes (us) I have no issue with that, and actually like that, but I expected our night elves to be in the thick of it, helping their ancient city out, a marvel returned to them, in need of help, allowing us to see some touching re-union and high action moments as they should be fired up to boot the legion out and help the nightborne free their people from the traitors.

I at least expected that the night elves would be at the heart of our successful final battle with the legion, they would be leading the horde and alliance, alongside the blood elves, high elves, highborne, nightborne even Cenarians in an extraordinary show of unity and leadership by the elves, since they're the ones that have lost so much against this foe and also feel partly responsible for their finding this world sooner than may have happened. (they now should know the legion would have eventually found Azeroth). They area also the ones that have the most to gain too, Sving Suramar is new hope for Elven kind, all of them, but most of all night elves who've been living in the sticks for 10k years, even giving up magic it now turns out though a safe thing to do, wasn't necessary because that didn't stop the Legion returning, nor would it have, it just took away a powerful tool. It's not as if they were tragedy free (satyr, old gods/Az'aqir) of trouble without it or of corruption (satyr again, nightmare corruptions).

So after constant loss in blizzard stories are we to get another absentee night elf moment, another 1-zone serious involvement? or worse another night elf based great gem i.e. Suramar nuked, more tragedy again, no chance of NElves rising, getting anything really good, just losing a great hope for their future but barely surviving after been saved by the horde and alliance and the kirin'tor. This is my concern.

despite playing most of the expansion, I still harbour some faint hope of an amazing end for the elves, but night elf involvement seems very subtle, they are still missing from major involvement in our factions' efforts, and on the ground, only Val'sharah zone involves them in the Tyrande chain and the Jarod chain. The Kirin'Tor, not the night elves, not the highborne and Khadgar as opposed to say Mordant Evenshade are the ones directing horde/alliance movements to night elven secrets and key locations, and I wonder if the night elves who were absent in the broken shore, would be again missing in the final legion push where shouldn't they be leading??

Why isn't Mordant Evenshade meeting the Elven Demon Hunters as they break out from the Warden's Vault then sending them on to Dalaran and be the one introducing them to the Kirin'Tor. I think he should have had that, Azsuna intro and Suramar intro.


The whiles it is a night elf expansion, it sure doesn't seem to do anything remarkable or great for current night elves. Should have been their shining moment in WoW's life time, almost like re-coming of age, a re-awakening.

- - - Updated - - -

Compared with the size and understanding of the former civilisation they are. It is not just that most of what was once their world is gone, both Elven nations chose to forget a lot of their former culture.

yeah.. spot on

[Gaidax]

Nightborne are a whole different type of beast from what Highborne were, they are different even physiologically (thus maybe the difference of models too).

Nightborne adapted to use Mana as their source of food basically, Highborne were magic attuned but not to that point.

I am pretty sure Highborne would look at Nightborne with pity, due to magic addiction and terrible withdrawal effect Nightborne suffer that Highborne do not.

[Mace]

Nightborne are a whole different type of beast from what Highborne were, they are different even physiologically (thus maybe the difference of models too).

Nightborne adapted to use Mana as their source of food basically, Highborne were magic attuned but not to that point.

I am pretty sure Highborne would look at Nightborne with pity, due to magic addiction and terrible withdrawal effect Nightborne suffer that Highborne do not.

You could be right you know, they could write it that way, keep a snubby stuffy out look, but they could easily not too. Nightborne are most like Highborne as opposed to other night elves or blood elves. And the nightborne are not magic addicted, it's magic dependent, the circumstance and how it happened I think would instead gain both sympathy, and admiration.

I think rather they'd actually become really tight. Highborne amongst the night elves are quite noble and uncorrupted, I think they are the ones that have played the largest role in changing the night elves view on magic, and I think they'd view the nightborne as their kin even moreso than the High Elves/Blood Elves which are more like descendants given the nightborne would, like the highborne and other night elves still be the same generation.

I'd also prefer them to be, the highborne are the one group amongst all the other elven groups that are most tied tot eh past, they didn't abstain from magic like the other night elves, nor try to change themselves as much as possible like the high elves. They are the ones that have been advocating the great benefits of arcanum and wanted to restore Eldre'thalas to that - sending us in to take out the fallen Prince. They understand the huge benefit form it and made the successful attempt at convincing the night elves concerning it too.

They would view Suramar as THE GREAT restart button for all the Elves, they would be the ones most keen to help the nightborne over throw the Legion, they'd be the ones connecting the societies too, it won't be hard for the night elves seeing that Suramar would have living relatives amongst the ancients, and the High Elves and Blood elves would be very attracted to the magical development - don't forget, younger Nelves and Helves and Belves would have never seen something like this and would be awestruck - even for Elves.

It would be easy to show the night elves what could have been done with magic should they have continued practicising it. The nightborne are a typical example of those highborne, a group that rejected Azshara, fought the legion, and kept on using their power for good.

I think they'd want to help the nightborne with the issue, but they'd also be the first to view it like they do.

1. First of all, being changed by magic is no big deal. It's not a bad thing either when it's natural. This is how Elves came to be from trolls afterall, and the sunwell affected the Highborne that became High Elves, and the Nightwell has similarly changed the Night Elves who became Nightborne.

2. It's ingenius to adapt to be able to use magic like food to survive. There really isn't anything innately disgusting or horrific at being sustained by magic, afterall, magic is energy right, this is exactly what food and water provide, the body converting it to energy, if you can find a way to use magic to create food in a way that allows you to be sustained - magic like food is not an un-natural substance either, it's a part of the planet through ley lines as much as rivers give water and plants produce fruit for food. The nightborne nor the high elves, nor the night elves did not resort to what the blood elves did and the demon hunters do - feed off the magic of other sentient beings - it's like eating one another to a nightborne, deplorable, or feed off demons. Good thing is that the blood elves don't do that any more even if desprate, the Demon Hunters do that with demons - still pretty disgusting to all Elves, but they don't do that off sentients. The Wretched do, and they are fully conscious, the withered are mindless though, mind completely lost.

3. It's not like the night Elves chose willingly to subsist on magic like that, they were forced into a corner, it was death or find a way. The highborne would not look down on the high elves for the sunwell and even their complacency with magic tot he point that they became addicted, something they didn't necessarily need. They won't look down on the nightborne who had no choice. The highborne would have done the same if they had the means as either of the high elves or nightborne, they never viewed magic quite so fearfully or dangerously as the night elves came to do after the sundering, believing more that the Elf must master it and make wiser choices.

We don't know if they would have been more careful about arcane addiction, but we know the high elves problem was that they got too confident and reliant on their sunwell not factoring living a life without it. You want to avoid being dependent like that, but ultimately it's a matter of adapating, learning to use magic from source.

I do find that the Elves have a problem that they'd not like to have. You want to be able to use magic, not have to rely on the power for survival, so I think they'll be trying to help the nightborne with that.

They are all about using magic for the benefit of their people, and this is exactly what the nightborne have done with Suramar, kept it going, and Suramar being alive with a power source, is exactly the launching pad for all the Elves to start rebuilding. Remember the night elves have not rebuilt anything for 10k years, Darnassus was the first sign of finally moving on from the Long Vigil. The High Elves built anew. Now with the nightborne, all the elves can get together and rebuild, I think they'd want that more than anything. The Highborne would be the chief motivators of this, and the nightborne would be keen too also.

I'm talking of nightborne post Gul'dan, once we help them drive the demons out. The highborne have been the biggest advocates of rebuilding arcanum, wanting to restore Dire Maul, they know the world and especially the Elves would need their power back for the coming struggles against Azshara, Old Gods and now the Legion.

The demon hunters, would not be a pleasant thing for Elves, but they would definitely be strong advocates on getting as much power as possible to launching and taking the fight to Argus. The Watchers, Wardens , Dreamers would be most concerned with keeping Azeroth protected and demon free, but they would now believe Illidan and now also realize that you can't sit back for this one, best defense here is an offense. They would contribute to the effort, although their primary focus would be Azeroth. The Highborne would be the ones primarily dirving re-building. Nightborne would be into all the above. I can see some just wanting to stay in the city, but many now wanting to venture out, explore the new world they thought lost, I can also see many keen on rebuilding Elvendom just like their highborne brothers. I can see many night elves also wanting that too, with magic they can do so much more for themselves and the world, druids would know that arcane+nature did far more for the forests of ancient kalimdor than nature alone --- they also know that corruption can come nature just as easily to arcane, even moreso thanks to the nightmare, just becuase it's dangerous doesn't mean you don't use it, you use it for ti's power for good.

The highborne would be quick to point out the Elves used magic for great good before the demons came, the problem coming because in ancient times they had no idea that magic could be dangerous to themselves, so they never guarded or watched the effect on themselves. Pre-demon, pre-sundering, magic was only a wondrous tool that coudln't possibly harm the elf that had mastered it in careful and skillful use. We find out that they had started noticing that like every substance that's good, no like everything that's good, whether food, civil power you have to regulate yourself and keep yourself in balance so you don't overdo past your limits.. over eating is dangerous, and food can become like a drug, causing you to be obese if you don't contorl yourself, they had started noticing this in ancient socieyt, Malfurion noticed this, other Highborne noticed this and had started raising concerns, guess who ignored them.. Queen Azshara and now we know why, she had either already been seduced by the demons or was already too far gone by then. This is the lesson the Elves learnt. It's not magic that's the problem the druids would know very well now, the highborne would skillfully argue with night elf leadership 10,000 years in the future.

Not everyone is a mage or a sorceror, not all would use the arcane although night elf priests and druids do use a measure of it anyway, i'm sure priests will conitnue in their discipline and druids in theirs, I'm sure they'd be careful and watching, taking safeguards that they didn't, but they'd all be keen to use this to speed up their recovery, to defeat their enemies. this is exactly what the night elves have been doing since Cata, furious training by the highborne to master magic to use to defeat their enemies. Elves are builders first though, creators not destroyers overall, they would welcome using magic like ancient civilziation did now they see what amazing benefit it could have and produce.

No one, not Night elf, not highborne, not high elf nor blood elf not nightborne would need to be told of the dangers of going out of balance, they've learnt this lesson bitterly and collectively and would know to avoid, but their view would be greatly in favor, because they need the power and they need the tools