Green dragonflight

The green dragonflight (or the Emerald Dragonflight)  consists of dragons with green scales. During the ordering of Azeroth, the titan Eonar charged Ysera and her flight with the protection of the natural world and the Emerald Dream, a pristine realm of nature and magic. Thus, green dragons have an affinity for animals and nature. Like the red dragonflight, green dragons are generally more approachable than those of other flights, primarily coming into conflict only with those who attempt to corrupt or destroy nature. They occasionally sought the help of druids to aid in this task.

Recently, the satyr Xavius used his dark magic to spread the corruption of the Emerald Nightmare throughout the Dream. This caused many green dragons, including Ysera's lieutenants and consort, to become rampaging agents of destruction known as Nightmare Dragons. The corruption was stemmed after the end of the war Against the Nightmare.

Xavius would eventually return and, empowered by the Old Gods, began corrupting the Emerald Dream once again. Many emerald dragons succumbed to N'Zoth's influence. Eventually, even Ysera herself was corrupted and needed to be slain, leaving the green dragonflight leaderless for a time. During the Fourth War, when the Heart of Azeroth needed the coalesced essences of the dragonflights to save the planet from N'Zoth, Merithra of the Dream stepped forward to lead the flight, and to defend Azeroth in her mother's place.

Their breath weapons can consist of a variety of nature-based attacks, including corrosive acid, noxious gas, and emerald-colored fire.

Member types
The green dragonflight includes the green dragons themselves as well as all other green dragonkin such as dragonspawn and drakonids.
 * Green dragon (mature)
 * Green wyrm
 * Green drake
 * Green whelp
 * Green dragonspawn
 * Green drakonid

Culture
''The enchanted, ethereal green dragons live only to serve the forces of nature and uphold the balance between mortal creatures and the ever-evolving world. The green dragonflight, ruled by the dreaming goddess, Ysera, holds a special love for the night elves and their druids. Though most green dragons live within the mystical dimension known as the Emerald Dream, a few of the graceful creatures still roam the shadowy paths of Ashenvale forest.''

Green dragons are creatures of the Emerald Dream, the ethereal dreamworld that all life is tied to. From there the green flight watches over nature, often assisted by the night elven druids. The dragons and druids work closely together within the dream where they can control the ebb and flow of nature and influence the evolutionary path it takes. Greens are, like the other flights, highly intelligent and always striving to learn more about the world they were entrusted to protect, fretting out the mysteries of creation and life - but keeping all such secrets hidden within the Emerald Dream. As a result, the greens are often the least interested about happenings in the mortal realm and must often have any major events brought to their attention by the dragons of other flights. Ysera and her dragonflight consider the real world to be just an illusion.

Dragons of the green flight are highly reclusive, and the most difficult to find on the mortal realm. The green dragonflight is a peaceful, meditative society and most greens spend their time in quiet contemplation and the study of dreams, interacting with creatures of myth and illusion. A surprisingly swift flight, they often move quickly, teleporting through the dream to wherever their thoughts lead. Time is meaningless inside the Dream and as a result, the green dragonflight is extremely long-lived. Ysera's consorts in particular almost never emerge and are effectively immortal.

Green dragonkin are sometimes referred to as Emerald, Jade or Veridian. When taking humanoid form, most green dragons prefer to transform into kaldorei, given their relationship with Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, though quel'dorei guises are also common.

Green dragons cry a lot right before they die, and their teardrops crystallize into green gemstones.

Nomenclature
Members of the green dragonflight occasionally have names ending in "us" for males, or "ra" for females. Sometimes terms relating to sleep and dreams find their way into their names as well.

Charge of the Dragonflights
Before the Titans departed Azeroth, they charged the greatest species of the world with the task of watching over it. In that age, there were many dragonflights, yet five flights, one of which was the green, held dominion over their brethren and were chosen to shepherd the budding world. The greatest members of the Pantheon imbued a portion of their power upon each of the flights' leaders. After blessing the red leader, Eonar also blessed Alexstrasza's younger sister, the lithe green dragon Ysera, with a portion of nature's influence. Ysera fell into an eternal trance, bound to the waking Dream of Creation. Known as the Dreamer, she would watch over the growing wilds of the world from her verdant realm, the Emerald Dream.

The time following this came to be known as the age of dragons when the civilization of dragonkind was at its peak.

War of the Ancients
When the night elves inadvertently called the Burning Legion to the world, the Aspect of the Earth, Neltharion, suggested creating a magical artifact to aid in the destruction of the demons. Ysera, showing only the briefest moments of doubt, gave much of her own essence toward the creation of this object, called the Dragon Soul.

When each dragon had contributed a portion of his or her essence to the artifact, Neltharion deemed it complete. The greens joined the other dragons in flight over the battle and the Black Aspect brought the Dragon Soul to bear against the Legion, with devastating effects on the demonic swarm — but only for a precious few moments. He then shocked his fellow aspects and turned the artifact against the terrified night elves as well, and finally his own brethren. The shocked dragons were helpless to resist the power of the Dragon Soul, for it contained a fraction of the essence of each — with the exception of Neltharion himself. All the dragonflights, save Neltharion's own, were paralyzed in midair until the timely intervention of Korialstrasz, a mate of the red dragonqueen, who had been absent from the initial use of the artifact. While Korialstrasz was no match for the Aspect of Earth, he did manage to interrupt Neltharion's concentration for a moment, freeing the other dragons from their paralysis and allowing them to act. Malygos, infuriated at the betrayal by his ally, struck first, but at a great price. As the blue dragonflight flew into formation to attack Neltharion, the mighty black wyrm unleashed the full fury of the Dragon Soul against them, and the power instantly slew nearly every one of them. As the other dragons turned to act, Neltharion retreated, leaving the blue dragonflight broken in his wake.

Wounded and shocked, Ysera and the other noble dragons were forced to abandon their mortal allies. The dragonflights secluded themselves, hoping to recover from the Dragon Soul's powers, but the damage to the draconic race had been done. The Kaldorei and their allies just barely managed to defeat the Legion, but at great cost. Azeroth was sundered.

Aftermath of the Sundering
Deathwing’s betrayal was so destructive that the five dragonflights never truly recovered. If that had not been enough, the ensuing war between the dragonflights decimated the species, and the greens were no exception. They would never again be seen in the same numbers as before. The age of dragons had passed.

To ensure Deathwing would never hold power over dragonkind again, Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu placed an enchantment upon the Demon Soul, so that no dragon could wield it, and hid the foul disc deep beneath the earth. The trio later visited the Night Elven survivors to present the devastated race a gift. Alexstrasza had planted a colossal tree within the new Well of Eternity that would come to be known as Nordrassil. Both Ysera and Nozdormu placed their blessings upon it. Ysera bound the tree to her realm, the Emerald Dream, along with the night elven males, now the druids of their race. As part of the pact, the druids agreed to sleep for centuries at a time so that their spirits could roam the infinite paths of the Emerald Dream alongside the green flight. Though the druids were grieved at the prospect of losing so many years of their lives to hibernation, they selflessly agreed to uphold their bargain with Ysera.

The greens, with the druids' help, maintained their posts through the long millennia that followed. Green dragonflight broods were stationed at several of the Great Trees, defending the portals to the Emerald Dream, where they remain to this day.

Loreth'Aran
One particular brood of Ysera's was closely allied with the night elves of the Azuremyst Isles, who were ruled by Prince Toreth. Ysera kindly allowed the night elves to ride her children into battle and they were known the Dragon Riders of Loreth'Aran. Ysera's benevolence raised the ire of Deathwing and he launched an attack against Wyrmscar Island where the dragonriders slept. The blacks, including Razormaw, a lieutenant of Deathwing, mercilessly slaughtered the Kaldorei. The greens rose up to protect their allies but were unsuccessful. Not one was spared, though many blacks, including Razormaw, also perished in the battle. The skeletons and spirits of the murdered greens still litter the small island.

War of the Shifting Sands
A thousand years before modern times, the green dragons lent their aid to the night elves and the bronze dragonflight during the War of the Shifting Sands. Led by Merithra of the Dream, child of Ysera, the greens fought the Silithid and their Qiraji masters furiously and ultimately helped push them back to their city where they were sealed away from the world. The dragons suffered few casualties but the progeny of Ysera, Merithra, was believed lost, having charged deep into Ahn'Qiraj during the final push. After the war, a shard of the Scepter of the Shifting Sands was entrusted to the green wyrm Eranikus by Anachronos the bronze.

Unbeknownst to her flight, Merithra, along with Caelestrasz and Arygos, was not dead, simply captured. The dark master of Ahn'Qiraj used the tortured dragons to power his new creations: Moam and the other Obsidian destroyers.

Temple of Atal'Hakkar
The exiled priests of the Gurubashi, servants of the blood god Hakkar the Soulflayer, had fled into the Swamp of Sorrows and erected the Temple of Atal'Hakkar, where they could prepare for his arrival into the physical world. The great dragon Aspect, Ysera, learned of the Atal'ai's plans and smashed the temple beneath the marshes. For a thousand years, the temple has been known as the Sunken Temple. The great emerald wyrm Eranikus, consort to Ysera, was dispatched to deal with the surviving Atal'ai priests, along with his brother Itharius, and a brood of green dragonkin to prevent the trolls from any more evil doings. To this day, the temple's drowned ruins are occupied by the green dragons, who prevent anyone from getting in or out.

Battle of Grim Batol
In the events leading up to the Second War, Deathwing led a powerful orc warlock named Nekros to the Dragon Soul — now renamed the Demon Soul. Nekros used the Demon Soul to force the red Dragon Aspect, Alexstrasza, into submission and forced the rest of the red dragonflight to serve him or risk the death of their queen. Korialstrasz, who escaped by faking his death sought the assistance of the other Aspects to free his queen. While deeply concerned, Ysera did not immediately act to save her sister. Korialstrasz had pleaded for assistance but had been turned down countless times by Ysera's consorts. Eventually, Korialstrasz found a way to speak with the Lady of the Dream directly and Ysera agreed to do what she could in assisting to free the Red Aspect. Ysera spoke with Malygos and Nozdormu and convinced them to act as well.

With the Aspects convinced, Korialstrasz waited until Nekros brought Alexstrasza and her eggs out of the fortress, just as Deathwing had desired. When Deathwing made his appearance, Ysera and the others arrived and proceeded to battle Deathwing in the sky near Grim Batol. Korialstrasz's human apprentice, Rhonin, defeated Nekros and used one of Deathwing's scales to destroy the Demon Soul. The destruction of the artifact released the ancient power that had been sealed inside for millennia, making the Aspects whole once more and allowing them to overpower Deathwing and force his retreat. This final battle was known as the Battle of Grim Batol.

Following the Battle of Grim Batol and the restoration of their power, Ysera and her agents continued to uphold the pact made with the titans to safeguard Azeroth, taking a somewhat more active role in the world, though their duties in the Emerald Dream continued to take precedence.

Emerald Nightmare
At some unknown point, a new threat appeared within the Emerald Dream. This threat, the Emerald Nightmare, is a region of corruption that travels and grows through the dreamscape, twisting and distorting the native flora and driving living creatures mad, including the green dragonkin. These victims became the mad slaves of the Old Gods. Ysera and her flight attempted to fight against this mysterious threat, alongside Malfurion and Cenarius while trying to avoid becoming its prey. Fortunately, the Nightmare did not, at least initially, approach the Eye of Ysera.

The Nightmare's influence continued to grow and even began seeping into Azeroth. Many members of the flight became inflicted, including a brood dispatched to the Sunken Temple led by the mighty green consort Eranikus. Not long after four of Ysera's most powerful lieutenants also fell to the Nightmare's sway and periodically invaded Azeroth through the portals found at the Great Trees. Two of these crazed dragons, Lethon and Emeriss, were put down by mortal heroes but their twisted spirits persisted in the Emerald Dream.

When the scepter shard held by Eranikus was needed the denizens of Azeroth discovered they would have to bring the green wyrm to Azeroth and cleanse him of his corruption. Remulos lured Eranikus to Moonglade and after a short battle against the dragon and an army of nightmare shades Tyrande Whisperwind arrived, and used the light of Elune to cleanse Ysera's consort and free him of the Old Gods' control.

The Nightmare
Shortly after the Lich King's defeat the situation with the Nightmare suddenly intensified. Beings of all races, dragon, and mortals alike, became the Unwaking, trapped in their own horrifying dreams. The green dragonflight inside the Emerald Dream was losing ground against the monstrosity and soon nearly the entirety of the dreamscape was consumed by nightmare. Not long after those who remained awake were forced to defend against their own slumbering comrades before being brought to the dream itself to fight in the War Against the Nightmare.

Eranikus, who had been hiding away from his love and his people ever since his redemption, was stumbled upon in Ashenvale by none other than the high priestess Tyrande and her companions. Although reluctant to assist them, he did so, showing them the way into the Emerald Dream to free Malfurion Stormrage, held by the Nightmare Lord Xavius. Despite being hindered by the twisted spirits of Lethon and Emeriss they manage to free the Archdruid, but only at the cost of Ysera becoming the Nightmare's newest prisoner. At the climax of the conflict, Eranikus sacrifices himself to save his queen while Malfurion and his allies defeat Xavius and manage to seal the Nightmare safely within the Rift of Aln.

Following the conflict's conclusion Ysera, along with her sister Alexstrasza, presided over Malfurion and Tyrande's marriage ceremony. Immediately after the two Aspects blessed the new world tree Teldrassil as they had done to Nordrassil ten thousand years before.

During the war against Deathwing, the green dragonflight and the others joined together in order to liberate the Wyrmrest Temple from the forces of Twilight's Hammer cult.

Legion
When Cenarius began to succumb to the Emerald Nightmare, Malfurion, Elothir, and Koda Steelclaw summoned Ysera to ask for her aid. Ysera believed that the only way to save the Forest Lord was with the Tears of Elune, and sent an adventurer to a nearby temple of Elune to retrieve them.

However, Xavius attacked the temple and stole the Tears of Elune before Malfurion could use them to save Cenarius from an affliction caused by the Nightmare. Without the Tears, Cenarius succumbed to corruption, and Malfurion pursued Xavius in his rage at the loss of his shan'do. Unfortunately, Xavius was not done taking from Malfurion: when Ysera and an adventurer located Xavius, he was able to corrupt the former Aspect herself, turning her into a dragon of Nightmare. Xavius and Ysera retreated with Malfurion held captive, followed by the adventurer and Tyrande Whisperwind.

A reunion with Tyrande was something Xavius had longed for many years. With Malfurion held captive, Xavius gave the High Priestess an ultimatum: she could pursue him and spend her husband's last moments at his side, or she could return to the Temple of Elune and protect it from Xavius's forces which would be led by Ysera. Mournful and distraught, Tyrande chose her goddess over her love, though the decision hurt her. At the temple, Ysera was put to rest, and with her last breath she stated that the nightmare had felt so real. As she fell, Tyrande gently told Ysera to sleep forever and dream no more.

More dragons fell to Xavius as well, and the four Dragons of Nightmare returned as a boss encounter within the Emerald Nightmare raid.

In World of Warcraft

 * The Great Trees, which hold portals to the fabled Emerald Dream, can be found at Bough Shadow in Ashenvale, Dream Bough in Feralas, Seradane in The Hinterlands, and Twilight Grove in Duskwood. All but the last are heavily guarded by hostile green dragonspawn and powerful drakes who mercilessly attack any who come near.


 * At the Temple of Atal'Hakkar the green brood sent by Ysera, under the leadership of Eranikus, have been taken by the nightmare's madness. Itharius escaped and can be found immediately outside the temple, searching for adventurers willing to fight his brother's shade.


 * Merithra, thought to have been lost during the War of the Shifting Sands, was recently found to be alive inside Ahn'Qiraj, as a slave of C'Thun, along with Caelestrasz and Arygos. Vethsera came to Ahn'Qiraj after sensing her trapped brethren within, but dares not travel into the temple from fear of falling under the old god's control.

Removed

 * Armies of green dragonspawn and the drake champion Somnus once patrolled the Sorrowmurk in the Swamp of Sorrows surrounding the Sunken Temple.
 * Four of Ysera's lieutenants fell prey to the Emerald Nightmare and became twisted and disfigured, having lost their sanity. The Dragons of Nightmare, consisting of Emeriss, Lethon, Taerar, and Ysondre, threatened the balance of nature, and appeared peridically on the mortal plane via the Great Trees in Ashenvale, Duskwood, Feralas, and the Hinterlands.
 * Eranikus, holder of the Green Scepter Shard, was brought to Azeroth during the effort to open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj. Adventurers had to travel to Moonglade to summon, engage, and then cleanse the green dragon in order to acquire his shard.

Wrath of the Lich King

 * Many members of the green flight, led by their ambassador Lord Itharius, can be found at Wyrmrest Temple in the Dragonblight as members of the Wyrmrest Accord, an alliance of the remaining dragonflights, defending the temple from the blue dragonflight's siege. In addition, the Scourge has laid siege to the surrounding dragonshrines in an effort to raise new variations of undead dragons. Due to a misunderstanding by Ysera the guardians at the Emerald Dragonshrine have become hostile to all outsiders. Nishera the Garden Keeper hopes to restore balance to the Dragonshrine so that it may defend itself against the Lich King.


 * A fifth Great Tree can be found in Crystalsong Forest in Northrend, but no portal can be seen and no green dragonkin guard it.


 * The green dragon Valithria Dreamwalker has been captured by the Scourge and is being used for their experiments inside the Frostwing Halls of Icecrown Citadel.

Cataclysm

 * In Darkshore the Twilight cultists have captured the green dragon Thessera. Malfurion seeks to have her set free so that she may assist in saving Darkshore from the aftermath of the Cataclysm.


 * Ysondre, once disfigured and driven mad by the Nightmare, has managed to partially overcome her corruption. She appears in Feralas, first asking for assistance in sealing the portal found in the Dream Bough, and later again to ask for assistance in slaying Taerar, the last remaining Dragon of Nightmare.


 * The green dragonflight, with the Great Aspect Ysera at the forefront, work alongside the Guardians of Hyjal to rebuff Ragnaros' attack on Mount Hyjal. The drake Aronus bears any willing adventurers to his mistress to join in the defense of the mountain. Alysra, a green dragon, betrays the defenders when she was tasked with guarding Fandral Staghelm, delivering him to Ragnaros instead. As a reward, she was transformed into Alysrazor, a powerful Fire hawk. The flight eventually regroups at the Gates of Sothann.

Culture
As a result of Ysera's charge, the greens can simultaneously see the landscape of Azeroth, and the corresponding dreamscape. This enchanted vision, known as dreamsight, allows green dragons to perceive their surroundings with perfect clarity despite their closed eyes. When they venture to the physical world, they act as though it is the illusion and the realm from which they hail is the only source of reality, often only appearing as an illusion in half ethereal forms, or not physically at all.

Other flights often call greens "brothers and sisters of Dream" in respect to the realm from which they hail. Many night elves form such a close bond with the green flight they become dragonsworn, though dragonsworn of other races are suspected.

History
Prior to the War of the Ancients the green dragons were numerous and co-existed peacefully with the other dragonflights, working together to safeguard their world. But this age would not last forever.

The Great Tree in Crystalsong Forest at some point had twelve green dragons guarding the portal there, nesting in the tree's branches and swooping down to intercept visitors.

Following the Battle of Mount Hyjal, green dragons were stationed at Hyjal Summit, where they, along with the reds, blues, and bronzes, guarded the World Tree from another attack by the remnants of the Burning Legion in Darkwhisper Gorge. In addition green and red dragons were sent to Sunwell Grove to investigate and safeguard the remains of the Sunwell.

With the new threat of the Emerald Nightmare, the tranquility of the Emerald Dream, and thus Azeroth, is at stake as everything the nightmare touches become wild and corrupt, including the green dragons and dragonkin themselves.

Speculation

 * With Ysera's death, it is unknown who takes up leadership of the flight. The most likely candidates are probably Ysera's own daughter Merithra or Lord Itharius.
 * On the other hand, Ysera is shown to still be in the Emerald Dream in spirit form at the end of the Emerald Nightmare raid, and given the green dragons spend so much time in the Dream as it is she could still be leading them.
 * While not outright stated it is implied that Merithra has taken up leadership of the Green Dragonflight.