From a dev interview: "The Shadowlands is specifically made for mortal beings."

[Vakna]

"The Shadowlands is specifically made for mortal beings. Demons souls do not go there."

Then why do the Wild Gods and other spirits of nature go there?

I feel like they are tripping over their own feet with new lore before they even get a chance to release it.

[tripleh]

Stopped paying attention to new lore when they decided to retcon things. It's not worth following or buying the books they produce anymore. They don't like to explain things yet create holes in the lore/story.

[Chonar]

Well, we obviously need a new word for "souls of natural or titanic origin", cause 'mortals' doesn't include all of those.

I suggest 'titural'.

Yes.

Titural souls go to the Shadowlands.

[Wyrt]

So, do night elves go there or not? Because they were previously immortal. Or did the Shadowlands suddenly start accepting night elves after the Third War?

What about draenei who are seemingly immortal? Do they go there? Or is that why draenei souls had to hang out in Auchindoun?

Why do souls from Titan construct races like humans and souls from natural races like blood elves end up in the same afterlife? Did the Curse of Flesh also bestow humans with souls, or did the Titans create souls for them?

What about demons who die in the Nether like Kil'jaeden? And how does it work with mortal races that become demons? And why didn't this affect Kael'thas who was as fel infused by the time of his death as demon hunters are?

[derpkitteh]

i think it means anything from the universe of the great dark.

everything from within the great dark arose from elementals, they eventually evolved into flesh and blood creatures like trolls. immortal beings are often made immortal by outside forces, like overwhelming arcane energy, light, whatever(not all, but some). so they're "mortal" in the sense that there's a lack of a better word for "being from the layer of reality that azeroth is in".

i just wonder if this means that elementals from other worlds go to the shadowlands if they happen to die, since they wouldn't be bound to the elemental planes helya created.

[Chonar]

So, do night elves go there or not? Because they were previously immortal. Or did the Shadowlands suddenly start accepting night elves after the Third War?

What about draenei who are seemingly immortal? Do they go there? Or is that why draenei souls had to hang out in Auchindoun?

Why do souls from Titan construct races like humans and souls from natural races like blood elves end up in the same afterlife? Did the Curse of Flesh also bestow humans with souls, or did the Titans create souls for them?

What about demons who die in the Nether like Kil'jaeden? And how does it work with mortal races that become demons? And why didn't this affect Kael'thas who was as fel infused by the time of his death as demon hunters are?

Well, that all depends on your definition of immortal. Because there are two.

"Cannot die."
and
"Stops aging after reaching adulthood, and cannot die from old age."

Draenei are the latter, and Nelves used to be.

[Wyrt]

Well, that all depends on your definition of immortal. Because there are two.

"Cannot die."
and
"Does not age, or stops aging at a certain moment, and cannot die from old age."

Draenei are the latter, and Nelves used to be.

Immortal has pretty much always been "cannot die from old age" in WoW. We've killed plenty of immortal things like old gods, titans, demons, etc.

I don't think there's anything in WoW that is truly immortal in the "can not die" way. It's either "doesn't die from age" or "can die, but is reborn."

[Nevcairiel]

I think you are totally overthinking the "mortal" aspect. Obviously an "immortal" wild god can die, or why would he need a place to go to on death anyway? So is he immortal, or mortal? He died, afterall.

Beings with an infinite natural lifespan are often referred to as "immortal", but when it comes down to it, they die like anyone else (ie. by a sword, or the likes).
If you have an immortal soul, are you "mortal" or "immortal"?

The entire concept of "mortal" vs "immortal" is flawed in a world that has resurrection and actual tangible (immortal) souls. Spirit Healers are apparently canon now, since they are from the Shadowlands, and they can resurrect players. Other beings in the Shadowlands help to resurrect Wild Gods. Are they so different then?

What you should've taken away from the Dev comment was that demons don't go there, they have their own Twisting Nether to go to, thats all.

[Shinrael]

Well, we obviously need a new word for "souls of natural or titanic origin", cause 'mortals' doesn't include all of those.

I suggest 'titural'.

Yes.

Titural souls go to the Shadowlands.

i think it means anything from the universe of the great dark.

everything from within the great dark arose from elementals, they eventually evolved into flesh and blood creatures like trolls. immortal beings are often made immortal by outside forces, like overwhelming arcane energy, light, whatever(not all, but some). so they're "mortal" in the sense that there's a lack of a better word for "being from the layer of reality that azeroth is in".

i just wonder if this means that elementals from other worlds go to the shadowlands if they happen to die, since they wouldn't be bound to the elemental planes helya created.

Hmm, I think Azeroth's "mortals" represent Life, not the titans. We stopped representing the Titans when the Curse of Flesh hit us. We are not Order/Arcane. And as you say forces such as Arcane/Fel/Light/Void can make us immortal because that is kinda their thing... Life and Death are meant to recycle things. And that is why we cannot be "immortals". And that is why Cenarius goes to the Shadowlands. He represents Life. Shadowlands is the place where Life representatives go when they die. I think that is what they wanted to say.

And yes I know Kael'thas was very much into Arcane/Fel and Uther is all about the Light, but in their essences, they are still mortal beings in a shell of flesh. They aren't made up of Fel the way Demons are. Their blood is Fel.

[Jaggler]

"The Shadowlands is specifically made for mortal beings. Demons souls do not go there."

Then why do the Wild Gods and other spirits of nature go there?

I feel like they are tripping over their own feet with new lore before they even get a chance to release it.

They go there to be reborn. To be reborn they need to die first, making them mortal.

[Wyrt]

And yes I know Kael'thas was very much into Arcane/Fel and Uther is all about the Light, but in their essences, they are still mortal beings in a shell of flesh. They aren't made up of Fel the way Demons are. Their blood is Fel.

The dungeon journal for Kael'thas says: "Kael'thas is a brilliant tactician, a powerful warrior, and his veins burn with limitless fel magic." Sounds very similar to demon hunters, who we know function the same way as demons.

[Shinrael]

The dungeon journal for Kael'thas says: "Kael'thas is a brilliant tactician, a powerful warrior, and his veins burn with limitless fel magic." Sounds very similar to demon hunters, who we know function the same way as demons.

"Their blood is Fel", while factually true for Demons, was meant more as an abstract comparison. Not as an argument. My argument remains: "in their essences, they are still mortal beings in a shell of flesh". Demon Hunters asborb Demons into themselves. So they somewhat "merge" with that Force and become a part of it. But I guess it is more complicated than that - it probably comes down to your *origin* UNLESS you have been completely transformed by a different force? For example, Lightforging. Pre-lightforging, Lothraxion would be a Demon and return to the Twisting Nether, but after being Lightforged, his entire essence is converted to Light so I guess if he dies he will go to.... well we don't know what happens with dead Light beings (we know they can turn Void, but is it 100% guaranteed if they die or does it only happen upon being "twisted" by some bad guy).

Also let us not forget that there are always exceptions to the rule. Kael'thas might be one? He seems to be a very prominent character in the next expansion so all we need to do is wait and see his story. No need to be hateful and call names and so on. If you truly are a Lore fan you will be able to connect the dots and see that Blizzard has been very carefully building their story up to this moment - there might be some small holes that they haven't filled yet but it's nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be. The Lore is better than ever now.

[styil]

What do Demon Hunters do in the Shadowlands?

[Vakna]

They go there to be reborn. To be reborn they need to die first, making them mortal.

There is a difference between immortal and invincible. We have killed many immortal creatures. Night Elves were immortal during the 1st & 2nd Invasion of the Burning Legion, they still died.

- - - Updated - - -

I think you are totally overthinking the "mortal" aspect. Obviously an "immortal" wild god can die, or why would he need a place to go to on death anyway? So is he immortal, or mortal? He died, afterall.

Beings with an infinite natural lifespan are often referred to as "immortal", but when it comes down to it, they die like anyone else (ie. by a sword, or the likes).
If you have an immortal soul, are you "mortal" or "immortal"?

The entire concept of "mortal" vs "immortal" is flawed in a world that has resurrection and actual tangible (immortal) souls. Spirit Healers are apparently canon now, since they are from the Shadowlands, and they can resurrect players. Other beings in the Shadowlands help to resurrect Wild Gods. Are they so different then?

What you should've taken away from the Dev comment was that demons don't go there, they have their own Twisting Nether to go to, thats all.

I think what really happened was the Dev didn't think before he spoke, and what he actually meant was "all beings that originate from the plane of Reality go to the Shadowlands, unless otherwise transformed/infused by another realm's energy (demon hunters)", this excludes demons and void entities.

[The Butt Witch]

Mortal = can be killed
Not dying of old age and diseases, doesn't make one immortal.

[Wilian]

Stopped paying attention to new lore when they decided to retcon things. It's not worth following or buying the books they produce anymore. They don't like to explain things yet create holes in the lore/story.

So way back in WC3?

[Vakna]

Mortal = can be killed
Not dying of old age and diseases, doesn't make one immortal.

According to that definition nothing in the Warcraft universe is immortal, which is clearly not the case. It is VERY specifically described in the game that the Night Elves gave up their immortality to defeat the Legion's 2nd invasion. In addition, we are constantly referred to as mortals by enemies in a condescending way as though they are immortal and think mortals are worthless, we then proceed to kill them.

Immortal in WoW clearly means you don't die from age related causes.

[Wyrt]

Mortal = can be killed
Not dying of old age and diseases, doesn't make one immortal.

Then nothing is immortal in WoW so the distinction is meaningless. Everything can be killed.

[SirKickBan]

"The Shadowlands is specifically made for mortal beings. Demons souls do not go there."

Then why do the Wild Gods and other spirits of nature go there?

I feel like they are tripping over their own feet with new lore before they even get a chance to release it.

..I mean. -This is a realm of death that's existed since before life existed, apparently. It feels like we're already well off the rails.

[Jaggler]

..I mean. -This is a realm of death that's existed since before life existed, apparently. It feels like we're already well off the rails.

Where did you get that from?