Elven Religion analytics

[gurutikka]

Why did Blood Elves turn their back on their true ancestral Troll religion, the Loa? Why do they now worship a Human religion called the Light?

[Highlord Hanibuhl]

Why did Blood Elves turn their back on their true ancestral Troll religion, the Loa? Why do they now worship a Human religion called the Light?

Before they became blood elves, they were all secluded dark trolls, who found the well of eternity, which granted them even greater powers. They began serving the well and it's power, because it was much stronger.

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Night_elf

[Aucald]

The Kaldorei also discovered a few Titan complexes and installations that showed them new revelations and truths, according to "Chronicle Vol. 1." There are items in Legion such as the Crumbling Ceremonial Vestments that show a transitional state where the Elves still believed in the Loa and in Elune as well, before Elune became dominant. It's likely that the High Elves took the belief in Elune with them to the Eastern Kingdoms, but exposure to the Human Church of the Light altered their beliefs as a less theological basis for the Light allowed for better integration of the social importance they placed on the Arcane. Basically put, there was a slow and steady drift from the polytheistic leanings of the ancient Troll faith to a more monotheist belief in Elune, and then into a form of non-theistic spiritual philosophy that became the High/Blood Elven faith in the Light itself.

[Friendlyimmolation]

Not to mention that the light of the sunwell is more of the center of blood elven “religion” it’s not as much light worship as the humans have.

[Hellspawn]

The Kaldorei also discovered a few Titan complexes and installations that showed them new revelations and truths, according to "Chronicle Vol. 1." There are items in Legion such as the Crumbling Ceremonial Vestments that show a transitional state where the Elves still believed in the Loa and in Elune as well, before Elune became dominant. It's likely that the High Elves took the belief in Elune with them to the Eastern Kingdoms, but exposure to the Human Church of the Light altered their beliefs as a less theological basis for the Light allowed for better integration of the social importance they placed on the Arcane. Basically put, there was a slow and steady drift from the polytheistic leanings of the ancient Troll faith to a more monotheist belief in Elune, and then into a form of non-theistic spiritual philosophy that became the High/Blood Elven faith in the Light itself.

High Elfs got rid of beliving into Elune right after they sailed over to the Eastern Kingdoms. Exposure to humans is a very recent thing, I think they belived into the sun instead of the moon, but not sure about that.

[Aucald]

High Elfs got rid of beliving into Elune right after they sailed over to the Eastern Kingdoms. Exposure to humans is a very recent thing, I think they belived into the sun instead of the moon, but not sure about that.

I think it's doubtful worship of Elune was dropped so quickly - there are, after all, monuments and structures that hearken back to the Night Elves' worship of Elune in Quel'Thalas. Elune and her church were likely no longer organs of the state, though; with the Magisters taking their place due to the High Elven focus on the Arcane. Over time the religion likely dissolved into a mystery cult, and then ceased to be at all. It's also possible that Humans and High Elves pioneered the more modern philosophy of the Light relatively concurrently.

[Aeula]

Blood Elven religion is probably closer to Draenei than Human.

Ultimately it’s all about the Sunwell which sustains and empowers them. There are no Loa to worship even if they cared to since the Amani enslaved them.

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

What an interesting fucking thread. I've never thought about all this, and I didn't know most of it either....

[Hellspawn]

https://wow.gamepedia.com/High_elf
None knew what lay beyond the Maelstrom, but they eventually found the Eastern Kingdoms and formed their own magical realm. They abandoned the concepts of Elune and nocturnal activity, embracing the sun instead.

[Techno-Druid]

Can you give us some examples?

I mean considering how fast some Kaldorei dropped Elune because of the burning, the idea that the Highborne who were never as religious to begin with would abandon the goddess over their exile seems far more likely.

An entire demographic of people doesn't just spontaneously abandon a religion. Even during the Reconquista and for a time after in Spain, there were cryptic Jews and Muslims, pretending to be Catholics in public while practicing Judaism/Islam in private.

[Aucald]

Can you give us some examples?

I mean considering how fast some Kaldorei dropped Elune because of the burning, the idea that the Highborne who were never as religious to begin with would abandon the goddess over their exile seems far more likely.

The Sanctum of the Moon, the Key of the Three Moons, the Moongates, their attendant mooncrystals, and Silvermoon itself hearken back to the legacy of reverence for Elune and the moons of Azeroth.

Religions are not dropped idly - they often form the very bedrock of what people think and feel. Not to mention that many Highborne considered their mastery of the Arcane as the gift of Elune, so it doesn't scan they'd just abandon that due to their exile from Kalimdor.

[Soon-TM]

Not to mention that the light of the sunwell is more of the center of blood elven “religion” it’s not as much light worship as the humans have.

Indeed. That's where the "The Eternal Sun guides us" quote from BE NPCs comes from.

[vertigo12]

Why did Blood Elves turn their back on their true ancestral Troll religion, the Loa? Why do they now worship a Human religion called the Light?

They acknowledge Elune but never worship her.Same with Azshara.

- - - Updated - - -

Indeed. That's where the "The Eternal Sun guides us" quote from BE NPCs comes from.

It's not because they are sun worshippers but rather it was a direct reference to Anasterian Sunstrider, they who walk the light of days. A transition of being associated to night creatures and distinction between Darnassian Kal'dorei.

I don't see this as a discussion of analytics. I don't see precise data nor any tables or values.

[Maljinwo]

Elune was probably considered a Loa until the Kaldorei transitioned to full-time worship of the Moon.
The Lun'alai are seen as weird after all

[Irian]

I mean yeah, technically blood elves may be extremely loosely tied back to trolls, but they've had many thousands of years now between then and current times to culturally change. It's like asking why we don't worship the same gods as our caveman ancestors.

Blood elves as a whole don't really seem very religious in general. There are obviously the priests, but aside from them their praise of the sun and the light seem to be more direct than abstract. They praise the sunwell which is a tangible thing for them.

[Soon-TM]

I mean yeah, technically blood elves may be extremely loosely tied back to trolls, but they've had many thousands of years now between then and current times to culturally change. It's like asking why we don't worship the same gods as our caveman ancestors.

Blood elves as a whole don't really seem very religious in general. There are obviously the priests, but aside from them their praise of the sun and the light seem to be more direct than abstract. They praise the sunwell which is a tangible thing for them.

Well, the Sunwell is a potent source of arcane AND holy energy, so there is at least some reason to worship it. It would be interesting to know how the Sunwell actually came into existence.

[vertigo12]

I still don't get why is this an analytics discussion instead of analysis.

More dataz plox!

[Friendlyimmolation]

Well, the Sunwell is a potent source of arcane AND holy energy, so there is at least some reason to worship it. It would be interesting to know how the Sunwell actually came into existence.

Dathremar Sunstrider created it with a vial of the well off eternity along with the convergence of a bunch of ley-lines.

[Techno-Druid]

Were the Highbourne reverent though?

Some likely had to be, considering its place in the Kaldorei Empire, with her being the one to educate them about the Well, the Titans and Kalimdor.

[ravenmoon]

Can you give us some examples?

I mean considering how fast some Kaldorei dropped Elune because of the burning, the idea that the Highborne who were never as religious to begin with would abandon the goddess over their exile seems far more likely.

I wouldnt take the night elves losing faith after the burning of Teldrassil as any hard and fast rule that it is an easy thing, even for highborne.

The blood elves lost faith in the light after the scourge attack, but over the years have largely restored it.

People sometimes lose faith in difficult or catastrophic times, but usually return or find it again, youd need a much longer period of demonstrated abandoning of faith to safely reach the conclusion those might elves are permanently or actually totally lost their faith.

Newr in mind the 1st invasion of the Legion was a far greater genocide catastrophe than the War of Thorns, and I'm sure a few lost faith, but under Tyrande, the order ended up leading the race.

If anything the War of Thorns may spawn a faction like the demon hunters, believing in power largely to enact vengeance on evil doers who massacred their people.

But Warcraft today is nothing like it was in wc3, we likely will hear nothing more of this. They utterly failed to give the night elves the destiny restoring and identity restoring g change the Legions final defeat alongside Illidan's vindication, Suramar's return and the curling and understanding or arcane addiction would yield... a sequence 9f events that should revitalised the night elves and restored their original destiny and mandate before it was interrupted by 'life dedicated to stopping the legion's...none of that was explored and it is a sequence of events that should totally redefine a race.. they just skipped over it all and went straight into a second genocide...as 8f the nelves hadn't been victim enough in the 1st invasion, then WC3 losses, then Cataclysm again to both the disaster and the horde and had consecutively failed to rekindle their release and lore novel calibre of excellence in game.

Sadly there seems to be penchant for destroying elves, whether the scourge or pegion, and no effort at all to build them up or progress them positively in a way that matches their lore very well.