Introduction: One month ago*, a terrible explosion tore open the skies above northern Kalimdor. At that moment, the great ship Exodar plummeted from the heavens, and crashed upon the world of Azeroth. Having fled the ravaged world of Outland, the noble draenei used the dimension traveling Exodar to reach safe haven. Inspired by tales of the heroic alliance that stood against the might of the Burning Legion, the draenei have come to enlist aid in retaking their shattered homeland. Dedicated to preserving life and upholding the tenets of the Holy Light, the draenei hope to gather a new coalition of warriors to battle the Burning Legion and put a halt to its horrific Burning Crusade. Armed only with courage and their unshakeable faith in the Light, the draenei look forward to finding the alliance and ushering them towards the destiny that awaits beyond the skies of Azeroth.

*Not entirely accurate, but based on the linear timeline/game mechanic

Draenei (pronounced: DRAN-eye) Information

Affilation: Alliance
http://www.wowwiki.com/Alliance

The draenei are one of Warcraft's more unique contributions to the realm of fantasy fiction, the one player race without no real precedent in earlier fantasy worlds. These are not your typical elves, orcs and dwarves borrowed from Tolkien or Dungeons and Dragons; the draenei are tall, with hooves, tails, horns and even face-tendrils -- but they are noble and spiritual people, the last remnants of an ancient civilization of magic and beauty.

To begin thinking about what it must be like to live as a draenei, imagine how the human race might be many thousands of years into the future, maybe a quarter of a million years from now. Whatever technology those people might have would probably seem like magic to us. Our descendants might unravel the mysteries of biology to such a degree that they can halt the aging process and live as long as they want to. They may be able to tap on sources of power we haven't even imagined, and act with motivations and purposes we could scarcely understand.

The draenei as a people were once like this, 25,000 years before the setting of World of Warcraft. Even at that time, they were already ancient in their history and advanced far beyond what you and I might understand. Their world, called Argus, was a prosperous society full of great achievements and magical wonders, quite unlike anything we see today. They had a different name then, however -- they were called, the "eredar" -- a name which now upsets the draenei as a painful reminder of everything they have lost, the corruption, the betrayal and the near extermination of everything they have ever known and loved.

Beyond time

One of the first things to understand about being a draenei is how very ageless they are. Ever since those ancient days on Argus, they have lived without aging. This immortality, which some night elves desire so jealously, comes as a matter of course to the draenei -- so much so that they take it for granted. Other races might go for a long time without realizing the draenei are immortal, because it's not something they talk about very often -- it's just part of who and what they are. Just like we humans may someday use science to preserve human life indefinitely without fear of aging or disease, the "eredar" of millennia long gone had achieved this feat through mastery of magical arts, and agelessness has since become as natural and as common as breathing.

We just spoke about immortality and how hard it is to understand what being so ageless might be like in our last article in this series, but for draenei, I think our trouble in this regard can be eased quite a bit by understanding the special draenei sense of time. Draenei do not really count the years that pass them by, nore do they not celebrate birthdays. They don't even mark the passing of generations with family surnames -- each draenei only has a given name. And if you ask them how old they are, they'll probably say they don't know. You've heard the expression that "time flies when you're having fun," but with draenei you can imagine what if that saying were applied over the course of thousands of years? Draenei haven't been "having fun" all this time, of course, but they have been pursuing goals and activities that held great meaning for them. And as many older people will tell you, time just seems to go by faster the more of it you have, and little things (like, say... Tusedays) that mark the passage of time seem so much less important.

Also, to say that the draenei are a long-lived people doesn't mean that they aren't also passionate in one way or another, or youthful, or even completely ignorant about some things. There are, in fact, many things that humans and other denizens of Azeroth might know very much about, but of which draenei know very little at all. A typical draenei would be most willing to admit his ignorance with complete humility; after all, what's the point of pretending to know something you don't know? Isn't that a little... childish or immature?

Beyond darkness

If you're wondering why the draenei are so very very "nice" compared to certain other races, then you'll find the answer lies in the same place it usually does with such pleasant people: faith. The draenei have a very deep spiritual connection to the Holy Light, rather like the connection the tauren have to the Earthmother, or even a little like the infinite faith the gnomes have in science. Faith is one of the most powerful motivators in existence, and the faith of the draenei has been tested very severely over the course of many centuries spent on the brink of destruction, when faith was more or less all that sustained them.

You can trace the beginning of the draenei's abiding spirituality to their escape from the planet Argus: A corrupt god-like being of immense power named Sargeras had discovered this world in his journeys through the universe, and tempted three of its most prominent leaders, Kil'Jaeden, Archimonde, and Velen, with evil power beyond imagining. Kil'Jaeden and Archimonde accepted, becoming leaders of Sargeras' vast army of demons called the Burning Legion, but Velen had serious doubts about it, and received a vision about the evils that were to come from angel-like beings of Light called the "naaru." He helped the small group of eredar who would listen to him to escape the others with the help of naaru, thus entering into an eternal exile while the great glory and wonder of his home world was reduced to ruin under the demonic corruption. Over time, his people came to be known as "draenei," because draenei means "exiled ones" in the Eredar language.

During their exile of many millennia, the draenei learned a great deal from their naaru rescuers, and adopted the naaru way of life as their own. The naaru foretold that one day the draenei would be part of a great "Army of the Light" that could turn back the demonic tide, and the power of the Light gave them great strength in keeping hope and civilization alive until that day came, even when it seemed all hope was lost.

Beyond suffering

At last, the draenei found a world which the demons had not discovered, and settled there. They called it "Draenor," which means "Exiles' Refuge" in their language, and they believed it would be safe. Their relations with the native orcs were peaceful at first. The orcs even considered the spot where the draenei arrived on Draenor as a sacred and holy site, though they never truly realized it was an inter-dimensional vessel powered by a naaru.

But the eredar demons found the draenei in the end, and through their magic, twisted and corrupted orcish society. The full story of that corruption can be found in my article about the orcs, so for now suffice it to say that there was a horrible holocaust, in which the orcs committed genocide against the draenei. Many of those few who escaped still suffered terrible mutation under the pollution of the environment by the orcish warlocks using demonic magic. The orcs under demonic control shattered their world with this magic and then abandoned it, after which it became known as "Outland."

But those very few draenei who survived still did not lose faith. They stayed in hiding until the orcs had moved on through the Dark Portal into Azeroth, and other powers had come to take possession of Outland. When the opportunity came, Velen led his people to take back one section of another naaru vessel that had been taken over by some evil blood elves. The battle forced them to activate the vessel's ability to jump between worlds even though it was sabotaged, and they crash landed on Azeroth, on an island not far from the night elf homeland in Kalimdor. Since then, they've repurposed the shipwrecked vessel into a kind of city, called the Exodar, and are finally trying to set down roots again with the help of great heroes who are allied with them in their struggle against the demons.

"Not all who wander are lost."

Your draenei character would have been an adult when all these things happened. If he or she is especially old, it's possible to have have been born during the time of peaceful civilization on Argus before Sargeras came, or else during the long flight between worlds aboard the naaru vessel that rescued them. More likely, however, your character's parents would only have felt safe having a child after reaching Draenor and believing themselves safe from the demons. Growing up to adulthood would have taken some amount of time... maybe 20 years? Maybe 200? It probably doesn't really matter so much -- what matters are the experiences and lessons that defined your growth process, not the actual amount of time it took to get there.

Most of your character's family and friends were probably lost in the orcish genocide against your people, perhaps including his or her own children. Some of their loved ones, young and old, may have even sacrificed themselves in order to lead the orcs away from your true location and make them believe the draenei were entirely wiped out. Your character probably partook in the battle to retake the Exodar and escape to Azeroth, and is now trying to get used to life there, quite eager to join with the noble Alliance, whom the draenei know to have faith in the Holy Light and battle against the demonic Burning Legion.

Most of what the draenei were is now gone. Much of the glorious knowledge their people once mastered is lost, and most of their loved ones have been taken from them. But one thing remains: Faith, and hope. And, whether your character is angry and bitter or positive and forgiving, faith and hope are the two things that have made the draenei people what they are, and these two qualities are what they carry into the future.

For more information about draenei, you can check out WoWWiki's information about them, as well as Dramatis Personae's quick start -- but don't stop there. The Burning Crusade website has a nice introduction to them as well, but there's a lot of special depth in the short story called "Unbroken," especially in terms of how it was to be attacked by the orcs and mutated by their demonic energies. Also, be sure to listen to a beautiful and haunting piece of audio drama about the draenei which is perfect for understanding the spirit of their people in the face of horrible disaster.

Draenei Views

The Alliance

Dwarves: And it is perhaps the dwarves who best epitomise this at every level. While the dwarves weren’t the first race that the draenei encountered (that was humanity) nor the one they have the most dealings with (the night elves by sheer virtue of proximity) the dwarves are the race that most draenei come to trust. They are worshippers of the Light (mostly) giving them a point of common reference in their thinking. In addition to this, they stand firm and hard against demonic corruption within their own people – That there are no dwarvish warlocks is a major point in their favour. Your average dwarf may booze like there’s no tomorrow, they may be aggressive and violent, but they will never betray a friend, and lying goes against their code of honour. This shines as a beacon to the draenei that the dwarves do have a tightly defined sense of right and wrong, even if their sense of right and wrong is different to that of a draenei. In short, the draenei don’t believe they’ll be hurt by the dwarves, and thus they trust them.

"By the Light, we are blessed with a true ally in this place – An ally half our size, requiring twice as much living space, and four times as much drink. But an ally without peer, none the less.”

Gnomes: By contrast, the gnomes are a dreadful race to a draenei’s mind. Oh, certainly they mean well. No draenei would question this; gnomes are such an inherently friendly, forthright group of creatures that disliking them is difficult. But they really only seem to punish warlocks in order to please the dwarves. They are religious only to the slightest of degrees and show no sense of higher purpose. Their moral compass is so damn shaky it could be better used as a clock. A very unreliable, back and forth, fail at any moment sort of a clock. So do the draenei see the gnomes: Very unreliable, back and forth, fail at any moment sort of a race. They do mean well, but they have seen that well intentioned fall time and time again.

"Listen to me, little one. You call it ‘fel science’, or ‘dimensional analysis’. You call it harmless, or a valid field of inquiry. Well, I am a scholar. I have studied magic all my life, a life many times as long as your own. I call it ‘what killed my people’. Some books should not be opened.”

Humans: What a puzzlement the humans are! On one hand, they’re the most power-hungry, short-sighted, ferocious group of creatures the draenei have seen since coming to Azeroth. They’re a race who share not a little bit in common with a race they’re very familiar with: The orcs. And yet… the humans also share an incredible sense of higher purpose. The orcs were, the draenei know, an admirable race before they were corrupted. But were they ever this capable of incredible charity and kindness? Humans have a remarkable sense of empathy, perhaps moreso than the orcs can manage. The work of the Light, perhaps? For now, the draenei watch the humans with caution and hope.

"The humans have a phrase: Tabula Rasa, an old-tongue phrase meaning ‘clean slate’. I have never seen a race describe itself so perfectly.”

Night Elves: And then there are the Night Elves, a race whose many mistakes are countered by one unbelievably noble act: They sacrificed their immortality to defeat the Legion. This is a truly incredible feat, and it is one the draenei do know of by now. It amazes them. Unlike the humans and orcs who witnessed it, the draenei are immortal. They are perhaps the one race who can comprehend exactly what an incredibly fearful and terrible thing it was they had to do – They understand the fear of death that only one who is not built to die can hold. They understand the potential that was sacrificed. That one act washes away all else – It verifies the Night Elves as a race to be trusted.

"If they hate magic, then do not use magic around them. Take their words seriously, counter with your own. Argue, argue often, because you know they are the loyal opposition.”

The Horde

Blood Elves: There’s got to be a bit of smugness going around the draenei right now, surely. The Blood Elves were ruthless about the draenei and for no real reason; their sabotage of Tempest Keep may have been motivated by greed, but they then continued to attack the draenei even after the crash landing, which seems to be motivated by little more than spite. Yet now, of course, the draenei’s actions have lead to the salvation of the Sin’dorei. That’s a pretty heavy affair, and it’s one that surely has a few egos pumped up, in spite of the draenei’s usual humility. This has probably moved the blood elves back down to #2 on the draenei’s "least well-regarded race” list, but they’re far from trusted. Your average draenei will, when confronted with a blood elf, either attack first or wait depending upon the circumstances, but they’re not going to turn their back on them for one second.

"They have their chance. This is a foundation.”

Orcs & Trolls: Then there are the orcs. While the draenei can distinguish easily between an orc and troll physically, I’ve still put these two together as they still unlikely to distinguish between the two socially. How much does a draenei know about a troll’s mindset? Very little, which is why most draenei will simply assume the trolls follow the same line as the orcs – Bloodthirsty brutes but a second away from returning to their old ways. While most draenei have heard of (and approve of) Thrall, they don’t believe that he speaks for most orcs (which is actually true) and assume most will readily descend right back into their fel-touched fury if given the chance. (Which may be true, but we don’t know yet.)

"The orcs murdered our people many years ago. They murdered the humans years ago. They will murder more now. Their nature is regrettably set.”

Tauren: The Tauren would, if the draenei knew more about them, probably have as positive a reception as the dwarves. They are strong, noble, trustworthy and incorruptible. (Well, the Grimtotem aren’t, but anyway, the draenei don’t know about them and anyway anyway, what about the Dark Iron dwarves?) But they don’t. Sadly, your average draenei is likely to think of the tauren in the only comparison they know: By way of the Horde. And they know the blood elves as a corrupted race, the orcs as a corrupted race, the undead defined by their corruption. They see the tauren in the same light. A few (maybe some involved in the Argent Dawn, perhaps?) might see them more charitably, but this is rare.

"The largest of the Horde, and therefore the most dangerous. That is all we know.”

Undead: If corruption is the great vice for the draenei, what are they to make of a race defined by being aberrations of nature?The undead are the undead, and the difference between the Scourge and the Forsaken is slight – They simply don’t have enough history with them to think differently yet. Your average draenei is unlikely to see the difference between the two as being any larger than ‘The Forsaken are smarter and more deadly’.

"The only difference between the Scourge and the Forsaken I can see is that the Forsaken are smarter and more deadly.”

Viewing the Classes

Death Knight: One really has to wonder about draenei death knights. They’ve only been around a year and already they’ve fallen in battle. One would hope that the draenei would be forgiving and concerned about their fallen breathren (especially since, given the time frame, they’re the least likely race to have voluntarily become death knights) but considering the race’s paranoia and worry about the Broken it seems likely there may be a little body horror in seeing what the draenei have become.
Druid: There’s a great degree of respect that the draenei have for the druids – They’re naturally inclined to like any religious order that can oppose the fel forces. Given how readily they accepted shamanism and adopted it themselves, it’s not unreasonable to expect that a similar thing may well occur with the druids over time. Draenei druids? Why not?
Hunter : Draenei hunters are a hold-over from their time on Draenor, where they probably held two major roles – Food gatherer and scout. To the first, it would seem reasonable that there may actually be a slight religious element. I could definitely see a draenei hunter killing his prey in a very ritual way to cleanse the meat. The second is a result of their time being hunted. Draenei look to their hunters to be the first sign of danger.
Mage: The mage is an intensely respected person within draenei society. They are scholars but also expected to be leaders; there’s an element of technocracy in their society, it would seem. They are the ‘learned men’ of draenei society and the first people the draenei turn to when something unexplained occurs. Given the highly technological nature of their magical systems (such as the Exodar) it also seems there’s a pretty blurry line between magic and technology in their society (perhaps a nod to Arthur C. Clark) and I posit that more mages are engineers than any other class in draenei society.
Paladin: Paladins in the draenei belong to a society known as the Hand of Argus who hold the virtues of obedience, bravery, intelligence, and above all, honor. Some more introspective paladins may note that the name Argus is very similar to the word ‘argent’, meaning silver. The human paladins, of course, belong to the Silver Hand. In this, they see the subtle hand of the Naaru.
Priest: If the mage are the learned men of draenei society, then the priests are the wise men. While this is postulation only, it’s my feeling that the priests of the Holy Light amongst the draenei are less intellectually theological. Their theology is a more emotional one, attuned to the needs of their people. (The humans would be the contrast, with much of their theology discussing the nature of the Light.) Being so close to the Naaru, the mysteries of the Light are not so deep, and it is is how to use them that is more important. It seems unlikely that a draenei priest would be too dogmatic; the Light is more flexible than the humans and dwarves suppose. Pastoring is more important than preaching to them.
Rogue: The love of gold corrupts. A belief that the ends justify the means is a defence of corruption. A rogue’s method is one of sneakiness and trickery, not virtues the draenei hold to. The draenei do not, however, write them off completely. They accept that a rogue can in fact do less damage than a warrior; a rogue may kill one man to achieve the same effect a warrior would kill dozens for. This they respect. But they do not trust a rogue, and expect treachery from them.
Shaman: The shamanic traditions of the draenei are quite recent and as such they’re sort of the "respected radicals” of the society. Nobody really hopes their children will become a shaman at this point, but there’s also nothing wrong with it, and as noted before, anything that stands against the Burning Legion is worthwhile. Most look at shamans a little strangely, and socially they don’t yet have a strong role. This gives them freedom to be involved anywhere.
Warlocks: There are two types of warlock, to a draenei mind. Those who understand they serve demons, and those who believe they control them. The first are evil. The second are deluded.
Warrior: Warriors in the draenei are both needed and have had a hard life. Most of their enemies have corrupted and destroyed those they fight by their mere presence. As such, being a warrior, one of the front line troops, has been basically accepting suicide so that others might live. Draenei warriors are likely very grim, at least at heart. Some may disguise this with typical draenei joviality, but every one has had time to come to grips with the ideas of eternal exile, separation from everything they love, mutation, and death. A few may now just be beginning to realise they do not face this any more… and rejoice.