1. The Cosmic Forces

Light and Shadow
    Light and Shadow are the two most fundamental forces in nature. Though opposite in essence, they are bound within the same cosmic realm, coexisting in balance. Pure Light and pure Shadow exist beyond the physical plane, yet traces of them can be found within the material universe. Light manifests as holy magic, while Shadow—also known as the Void—takes the form of shadow magic.

Life and Death
    The powers of Life and Death govern nearly every living being in the physical universe. Life energy—commonly known as nature magic—drives growth and renewal. Death, on the other hand, manifests as necromantic magic, standing against Life. It is an unstoppable force that breeds despair in mortal hearts, pushing all things toward decay and eventual oblivion.

Order and Disorder
    The forces of Order and Disorder determine the development of societies across the cosmos. Order most commonly manifests as arcane magic—an unstable energy that requires great precision and focus to control. Disorder appears as fel magic, a destructive and highly addictive energy that feeds on the life force of other beings.

The Elements
    Fire, Air, Earth, and Water are the four fundamental elements that compose the material universe. Shamanic cultures have long sought harmony with these elements, learning to channel their power. To achieve this, they call upon the forces of Spirit and Decay. Shamans who strive for balance rely on Spirit—sometimes called the Fifth Element or “Chi” by monks—a life-giving force that unites all things. Decay, by contrast, is used to subdue the elements and turn them into weapons.

The Duality of the Elements
    Many shamanic traditions recognize that the elements can evoke a wide range of emotions. Mortals often connect with the elements through these emotions, transmitting either positive or negative energy.

2. The Realms Beyond

The Great Dark Beyond
    The Great Dark Beyond represents the physical universe — an endless realm of life made up of countless stars, worlds, and mortal civilizations. Azeroth — the world of Warcraft — is but one of the many planets drifting through this vast, shadowed expanse.

The Twisting Nether
    The Twisting Nether is a dimensional plane that runs parallel to the Great Dark Beyond. At its edges, the forces of Light and Void clash violently, creating ceaseless chaos. The unstable magic that fills the Nether sometimes bleeds into the material world, producing unpredictable and catastrophic effects on reality itself.

The Emerald Dream
    The Emerald Dream is an ethereal realm that exists alongside Azeroth, infused with the essence of untamed nature and inhabited by spirits. It was shaped by powerful beings known as the Keepers to serve as a living blueprint for Azeroth’s evolutionary path of flora and fauna. The two realms are closely connected — as life energy rises and wanes in the physical world, so too does the spirit energy within the Dream.

    Though deeply intertwined with the mortal world, the Emerald Dream remains alien and elusive to most mortals. Some individuals, through the use of druidic magic, can enter the Dream while in slumber. Their thoughts can shape and influence this lush spiritual plane to some extent, yet their marks upon it are fleeting. Within the Dream, time and distance lose all meaning — the soul moves like the wind through ever-shifting primordial forests, where what seems solid one moment may dissolve the next, and what appears eternal may change in the blink of an eye.

The Shadowlands
    Like the Emerald Dream, the Shadowlands are also closely tied to Azeroth — yet where the Dream represents life, the Shadowlands embody death. It is a realm of corruption and nightmares, a labyrinthine plane of souls filled with the countless spirits of the dead.

    The true origins of the Shadowlands are unknown, but they have existed since the very first spark of mortal life appeared in the material universe. Many believe that when a mortal dies, their soul is drawn into this dark domain, to remain there for eternity. Yet, there are some who still hope that their spirits might ascend to a brighter place — rather than wither away in the cold, desolate expanse of the Shadowlands.

3. The Beings of the Universe

Void Lords
    The Void Lords are massive entities composed of pure shadow energy. Their cruelty and malice are beyond mortal comprehension. Driven by endless hunger, they relentlessly consume all matter and energy in the material universe. In their natural state, they exist outside of reality, and only the most powerful among them can briefly manifest in the physical world. To remain there, they must devour vast amounts of matter and energy.

The Naaru
    The Naaru are benevolent beings of holy energy, representing the purest embodiment of Light within the dark Void. They are devoted to bringing peace and hope to mortal civilizations and to dispelling the consuming darkness of the Void.

The Titans
    The Titans are godlike giants formed from the primordial matter of creation. Like walking worlds, they wander through the vast cosmos, radiating the raw power of creation itself. With their immense strength, they search for and awaken others of their kind—Titans who still slumber in distant corners of the Great Dark Beyond.

The Burning Legion
    The Burning Legion is the most destructive force within the Great Dark Beyond. Created by the fallen Titan Sargeras, this immense army of demons seeks to eradicate all existence. They travel from world to world, using fel magic to annihilate everything in their path. No one knows how many worlds they have conquered or how many civilizations they have erased.

    The demons of the Legion possess indomitable will, and their souls are bound to the Twisting Nether. When killed in the physical world, they return to the Nether and regain form. To destroy a demon completely, one must slay its soul within the Twisting Nether itself or in a place heavily infused with fel energy.

The Old Gods
    The Old Gods are the physical embodiments of the Void—nightmares made flesh, covered in decaying tissue and writhing tentacles. These malevolent entities serve the Void Lords, spreading despair and death wherever they go.

The Wild Gods
    The Wild Gods embody life and nature. They exist in both realms—their bodies dwell in the physical world of Azeroth, while their souls are bound to the Emerald Dream. Many take the form of massive animals such as wolves, bears, tigers, or birds.

The Elemental Spirits
    The Elemental Spirits are the primal manifestations of fire, earth, air, and water—the first sentient beings to arise in the newborn universe. Each elemental varies in form, temperament, and strength according to its elemental essence.

    The existence of a fifth element—Spirit—also affects their nature. In worlds abundant with spiritual energy, elementals tend to be gentle and harmonious. In worlds where spirit is scarce, they become aggressive and devastatingly destructive.

The Undead
    The Undead were once ordinary mortals, now trapped between life and death. They draw power from the necromantic energies that flow throughout the universe. Most are driven by vengeance and hatred, destroying everything that reminds them of what they have forever lost—life itself.