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=Species Compendium: Cosmozoa= IC Introduction We Azerothians have known that we were not alone in the universe as far back as 10,000 years ago when our world was invaded by the now defeated Burning Legion and in the past couple of decades we have come to share our planet with alien species and even go on to visit other worlds ourselves sometimes by only short visits and other times we spend such a lengthy amount of time as to do extensive exploration of these realms. Along the way, scholars and adventurers have documented a diverse range of species vastly expanding our knowledge of the diversity of life the universe holds and the various ways it can take shape, but between our constant conflict whether with each other or by threats from beyond we have never taken the time to correctly consolidate and catalog this extensive diversity making our knowledge fragmented and scattered. Sponsored by the Cenarion Circle I have endeavored to create a comprehensive compendium of every species of fauna recorded. After beginning this endeavor I realized the massive scale of what I was attempting and that too many species would be newly discovered before I could publish a first edition thus creating a never-ending cycle where I would never complete the task at hand. Thus, my publishers (The Cenarion Circle) and I have decided to break the compendium up into 11 volumes each covering a broad classification of organism. Volume One, which you hold right now, is the flagship of this massive undertaking, documenting the most alien of fauna, that which are tied to the six great cosmological forces that shape our universe: Light(Holy), Shadow(Void), Arcane, Fel, Death, and Life along with the even greater enigmas I have dubbed as the category: Celestial. While the most arcane to us, over one hundred species of cosmos fauna are described and recorded making this still a lengthy and arduous endeavor. Before I conclude this rambling introduction, I would like to thank the Council of the Black Harvest, Illidari, Kirin Tor, and Conclave for granting me access to their resources on Fel, Arcane, and Shadow species for without them this first volume would not be as expansive as it has grown to be. Also do be sure to be on the lookout for the second volume on elemental fauna and I hope you, whether you call yourself Alliance, Horde, or otherwise, enjoy this resource.

Total Species Diversity: 167

=Setup= Each species is divided up into six categories.
 * Name is self-explanatory.
 * Appearances is a visual depiction of that species.
 * Status is a short description of their status as a species.
 * Unique Features is a brief description of any notable facts, behaviors, or traits that the species is known to exhibit.
 * Location is where the species can be found. Some species appear in numerous zones, so I simplify this down to just mean "". If you'd like to find all species within a particular zone, the sorting feature doesn't work too well. I suggest using Ctrl+F and searching that way.
 * Sources include all the resources I used to gather this information. NPCs are NPCs found in-game. Quests are specific quests that involve additional lore for the species. Other includes any other mentions, such as in-game books, published novels or visual depictions.

=Please Note!= '''Please do not make major edits to this page. Minor corrections are accepted and appreciated.'''

This list is the first entry in what will be the most complete species list ever created for WoW. Please keep in mind, I am one person. I miss things, I get some things wrong, and I'm not omniscient. This is why I've listed sources. Check for yourself if you're wishing to use anything here for roleplay or serious lore discussions. If you find anything incorrect, or discover a new type of species (or argue against me on what I decided was a species or wasn’t a species) that is not on this list, please let me know and I will do what I can to add it in or at least hear you out.
 * You can send in-game mail to Zanzulu on Horde-side Wyrmrest Accord.
 * You can leave a post on my talk page, found here.
 * You can add my Discord and send me a direct message here: Forgotten Goat#2933

'''Please do not make major edits to this page. Minor corrections are accepted and appreciated.'''

=(Preemptive) FAQ=

How Do You Choose What to Add?
That’s a complicated question. Even in real life, there is no clear cut definition of what defines a species, I have been introduced to 35 species concepts alone (Though only 3 have any weight) during my time as a biology student in university. Typically, if it’s a breed (variant of a domesticated animal) it is not a species, of course sometimes blizzard will call something a breed but it is also mentioned being seen in the wild so that means its a species. Typically, if it occurs in the wild, is distinct in range from similarly named mobs and doesn’t typically have prefixes that might be attributed to being a simple descriptor I consider it a species.

Why Do Some Species Have Red Sources?
A lot of the newer NPCs, such as the mobs in a new expansion, have not yet been added to Wowpedia. Please keep in mind that the majority of content created on this website is done by a small team of volunteers; none of which are being paid, and there is a lot of work to do. In the meantime, please use Wowhead for your sources if the ones here appear in red text.

How Can I Roleplay Knowing These?
You can either say your character did their own research into these species and studied them on their own, or, I will be progressing and RPing that my character, a forest troll named Grazz’bek, has published this guide in book form and is written by me from his point of view (Meaning it is in character in writing form). You are more than welcome to say your character has purchased this book, I just ask the courtesy of mentioning that Grazz’bek is the author. :)

=Special Thanks and Mention= The former (as of now) WoW player known as “Cannibal” is owed his due thanks for giving me the format for this guide. While I helped him with my background in zoology to form the categories, this was originally his undertaking before he quit the game. Having been involved in the process I requested that I be allowed finish it when he made the announcement he was leaving the game making sure that both his work and mine saw more than the light of a google doc. Hope you return to Azeroth one day, Beans ^_^

Thanks to Petopia and WarcraftPets.com for giving me permission to use some of their images. Certain models and skins do not show up properly in model viewer and I am able to use their facsimile images from their site to keep in line with the image format

=Magizoan= Arcane fauna

Total Species Diversity:29

Arcane wyrm
Arcane Wyrms are a little-known and rare form of Arcane creature. Currently only three species are stated to exist with two of which located in the northern continent of Northrend. Arcane Wyrms have iridescent translucent scales that grant them their bright ethereal coloration. Peculiarly, the hollow, spiral fangs of Arcane Wyrms have been discovered to contain venom despite no reports of any humanoid suffering envenomation from wyrm bites.

Arcane Wyrms are almost exclusively endemic to the frigid continent of Northrend near hotspots of Arcane energy. Additionally, one species has been discovered in the Abyssal Depths and there have been have reports of individuals seeing Arcane Wyrms as far south as Silithus.

Arcane Wyrms feed on magic energies which can coalesce into a collectable essence when killed.

Total Species Diversity: 3

Back to the species list.

Magehunter
I must admit I find myself hesitant to call these anything but one species. These blue rune-enchanted hounds look similar to darkhounds and some people group them with the darkhounds, but I hypothesize the similarities being mere convergent evolution and the magehunters have their ties closer to the Arcane as a cosmic force. If that is true I hypothesize the magehunters seen during the Nexus War were summoned by the Blue Dragonflight and their allied mages instead of enchanting and fleshcrafting local canid species.

All Magehunter species have been seen in Northrend.

Total Species Diversity: 5

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Mana wyrm
Mana Wyrms, while enigmatic are typically innocuous, if not provoked, serpentine creatures often found wherever there is a concentration of arcane energy. These beasts flit around consuming the stray pockets of arcane energy that coalesce at these locations. Typically as long as these creatures are well-nourished they will leave well enough alone and avoid confrontation.

Mana Wyrms are cosmologically widespread hinting at extraplanetary origins. Species are known from Azeroth, Argus (even originally rather widespread and diverse there), and Outland and are found almost exclusively in locations rich with either latent or residual arcane energy. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing Mana Wyrms around what was once Theramore. It is more than likely their absence from Northrend is due to their niche already being held by the larger arcane wyrms.

Their actual biology is extremely hard to study. One cannot dissect them as upon death their body dissipates into an arcane core leaving nothing but scales, teeth, the occasional eye, as well as residual mana and presumably half digested magic essences. Granted, the fact that tangible body parts can be collected at all indicates these creatures being something akin to a creature of flesh.

Total Species Diversity: 21

Back to the species list.

=Astrozoan= Astrozoans (Celestial biota) may mark among the most enigmatic of known lifeforms. All known species bear the silhouettes of creatures seen upon titan visited worlds. Whether these organisms are merely the blueprint lifeforms to the biological creatures we see on Azeroth and other worlds or are simply created by astro-sapients (Constellars and Titans) as pet (no pun intended) projects has yet to be determined, as such their origins remain almost completely unknown.

Total Species Diversity: 6

Celestial dragon
Just like every other species of astrozoan, if they can even be considered fauna, there is next to no information on these enigmatic creatures. All we know is they look like Cloud Serpents with constellation bodies. Texts on the individual celestial dragon known as Elegon suggest them forming as a result of the coalescing of potent energies, but what sparks this remains unknown.

Total Species Diversity: 2

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Celestial Quilen
Only known individuals look like a constellation given the form of a quilen pup. If the hypothesis that celestial fauna are “blueprint” organisms holds true, then the Quilen could have possibly not even been designed by the Mogu but shaped in the likeness of this species.

Only found within the Mogu’shan Vaults.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Celestial rabbit
Rabbits with bodies of constellations. The fact that the appearance of the creature is only known from Algalon the Observer granting one to adventurers who defeat him in pet battling, as well as having one individual on his team, lends evidence to the theory that these and possibly other astrozoans are living constellations granted life by the Constellars.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Celestial Riverbeast
Like the aforementioned celestial species. Celestial Riverbeasts are exactly as they sound.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Celestial steed
Another, so far, monotypic taxon that actually shows some difference from other astrozoan taxa in this differs in some aspect from the creature we azerothians are familiar with. The Celestial Steed has functional wings that allow it to fly, something no equine known on Azeroth possesses.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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=Demonic= A demon can be defined as any organism whose biology features extensive saturation with fel energy. Demonic species are hypothesized to come from two independent origins, depending on the organism being observed. The first point of origin for a demon is its species being native to the Twisting Nether itself and thus saw extensive exposure to fel energies from an early stage in its evolution, most demons encountered under the service of the Burning Legion are assumed to have come from this distinct origin. The second most notable origin of a demon is when an organism native to the plane known as the Great Dark Beyond is exposed to extensive levels of fel energy causing nigh irreversible alteration to its original biology. All demon species exhibit extremely high levels of aggression and are exclusively carnivorous or “magivorous” (the consumption of magic, energy, and metaphysical entities such as souls)

With the Burning Legion’s defeat most invading demon species (Felbats, Felhounds, Felstalkers, Fel beasts, Void Hounds, etc.) should be presumed extirpated or be near to it, but all these species likely remain abundant in the Twisting Nether.

Total Species Diversity: 122

Bilescourge
Odd bat-like demons so far found almost exclusively on Argus suggesting they were originally Argussian fauna heavily mutated by the fel energies that consumed the world when it became the Legion’s main stronghold. These creatures are carnivorous often feeding on the Legions’ victims and then even the corpses of the Legion themselves upon the arrival of the Army of the Light. Bilescourge have a two-stage life cycle beginning life as a worm-like larva and later becoming the freakish bat-like monsters of their adulthood. Additionally, long time spent underground causes bilescourge to lose pigmentation as is seen in the Fossorial Bilescourge species.

Bilescourge so far have been found solely on Argus with the exception of the Sinuous Devourer that was encountered on the fungal world of Naigtal.

In their larval stages, bile larva behave much the same as maggots do with their burrowing tendencies and ability to spit acid at potential predators. In addition, the spikes on the dorsal side of its body and the corrosive blood and saliva in its body serve as further anti-predator defense strategies unique to the group. Adults have more predatory adaptations having retained their corrosive saliva to spit at targets but subsequently take to stinging their prey leaving it in a mind-numbing state while they drain the target’s blood.

Total Species Diversity: 5

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Dreadsteed
Equine-like demons from the world of Xoroth. Skilled warlocks learn to summon these demons as personal mounts.

Dreadsteeds are native to the (formerly) Legion held world of Xoroth.

Total Species Diversity: 2

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Fel Basilisk
Basilisk-like demons of unremarkable intelligence seen in Legion conquered worlds or areas. An important note that not all fel-afflicted basilisks are actual Fel Basilisks. How does one tell the difference usually? Grab a hunter and see if they can tame the basilisk, if they can’t then it’s a Fel Basilisk.

Many fel basilisks have an acidic bite that can eat away at mortal flesh and like normal basilisks, fel basilisks have a magical gaze that can stun, petrify, or slow their prey and thus must be met with caution.

Fel Basilisks typically occur as remaining fauna of Legion conquered worlds but sometimes the Legion brings the beasts with them to worlds that give them a hard time.

Their spines contain large amounts of fel magic residue causing them to be warm to the touch long after the creature has died.

Total Species Diversity: 3

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Felbat
Abhorrent gargoyle-like demons that were first encountered by Azerothian forces during the Burning Legion’s third invasion. These demons have rapid breeding cycles and magic sensing that is described by scholars as something akin to thermovision suggesting they actively hunt by seeking objects with high concentrations of magic. Young fel bats, called pups, look more akin to Azerothian ones with four limbs connected by a patagium but at some point early on in their development they grow their third pair of limbs and the previous forelimbs become proper wings. It is also during this early stage of life that they can be captured and trained to be used as mounts. Fel bats can be grouped into three broad categories: spitters, screamers, and slashers which are distinguished by their preferred method of attacks, these strategies are not mutually exclusive nor shown to be monophyletic however and thus the grouping is used merely for convenience.

Native to the Twisting Nether and Legion-infested worlds, but on Azeroth have mostly been encountered in the Broken Isles.

Total Species Diversity: 27

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Fel Beast
Large core hound-like demons that could occasionally be found under the Legion’s employ, but nowhere near as often as the smaller felstalkers and felhounds.

Most species no doubt wander the Twisting Nether but were encountered on Legion controlled areas such as the Broken Shore and Outland.

Much like the core hounds they resemble, fel beasts can breathe felfire from their twin heads.

Total Species Diversity: 7

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Felhound
Felhounds are medium to large-sized demonic creatures, capable of sniffing out and feeding on magic itself, and tearing their victims to shreds. Though generally lupine in form, felhounds appear as though an insane god had created them out of the depths of his madness. Their eyeless face is bony, forming a long, savage jaw covered in rows of tall, sharp teeth. They have low-set horns protruding from their shoulders, curled down and forward for charging their foes. Their scaly, tough hides are accented by a crest of whiplike, leathery tentacles, with two prominent ones pointing forward and ending in sucker mouths to drain spellcasters of their mana. Felhounds propel themselves towards enemies with massive, claw-like hooves. Although primarily sustaining themselves on magic, and able to procreate solely through this method, they're capable of consuming flesh and defecating as well, though even their oddly-shaped digestive tract has its limits, as they appear to be unable to digest bone.

Felhounds are originally from the depths of the Twisting Nether, but can be found in most locations where the Legion have invaded.

Felhound mouths are commonly laced with magic including that of shadow and disease

Felhounds are filled with corruptive felblood.

Total Species Diversity: 14

(This was not my work but Beans’ and even though I do things a little differently from this I am keeping it as is)

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Felstalker
A branch of the felhound lineage that grew to specialize more on eating flesh and thus evolved to have a more pack hunting cursorial lifestyle even developing a primitive form of typical pack communication seen among Azerothian and Draenorian canines. With the increased specialization on pack hunting behaviors and decrease on the vampiric feasting on magical energies of other creatures felstalkers have dropped much of the predatory tactics employed by their felhound cousins and have opted for more mundane physical attacks from teeth and claws. However, many felstalkers do share mouths filled with dark and diseased magics much like certain felhounds suggesting an ancestry rooted in the magical bite felhound lineages.

Felstalkers are native to the Twisting Nether.

Many felstalker species possess a howl or cry that calls upon shadow magic to wash over their foes, which I’ve taken to simply calling “shadowhowls”.

Total Species Diversity: 23

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Antoran Hounds
Felhounds or Felstalkers reshaped in the image and power of Sargeras’ personal hound, Goremaw the Devourer with F'harg and Shatug later on replacing Goremaw as his prized pets. Antoran Hounds differ from the original two they were modeled after in their smaller size and possession of wings. They can either be imbued with shadow or flame.

Total Species Diversity: 2

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Felsaber
Strange demonic felines(?) created by Illidan for his Illidari forces. They could be fel-corrupted nightsabers or possibly just a fel species that Illidan independently created in the likeness of the kaldorei’s famous companions.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Felsteed
Formerly a species of horse that roamed the “plains” of Desolace, but were later twisted by the fel magics of the Shadow Council to become what they are today.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Fel Wolf
Wolves that have been corrupted by fel magic.

Fel Wolves have been found on Draenor and, on one occasion, the Broken Isles.

Total Species Diversity: 3

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Spider demon
An enigmatic sort of demon whose origins and nature remain, and likely now will remain an enigma. Two unrelated types of spider demon exist. One type are typical spiders that have been fel corrupted, typically taking on an appearance similar to fire spiders but green (Though there are natively demonic exceptions). The other type are mostly associated with the Aranasi (and might even be a stage in the Aranasi life cycle) and appear more fleshy with hardened exoskeleton along the tarsals and metatarsals as well as on the back of the abdomen. These make up the majority of the spider demon species (albeit the status on all of these as species can be debated).

Spider demons are hypothesized to have come from Rancora, though had been encountered in parts of Azeroth during the Legion's third invasion.

Like typical spiders, spider demons carry venom which often comes with added fel potency..

Total Species Diversity: 14

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Vilefiend
Fiends are aberrant demons infused with acidic blood that can be seen coursing beneath their metallic spine. Fiends feature extensive hardening of flesh into metal throughout their body including two blade-like growths. One sprouting from three points on the skull’s nasal, frontal, and parietal bones and the second starting from the fusion of the mandibles and with a second attachment within the flesh between the mandibles. Aside from that, The metallification of their body can be seen along their spines continuing into armored plates along their vulnerable underside and shoulders. Lastly, their forelegs below the elbow, hind legs, and tail all feature this bodily metallic plating. Fiends also utilize both digitigrade (hind limbs) and knuckle-walking locomotion which they are able to move at astonishing speeds with even if nonsensical. Their last notable case on their outward physical anatomy is their odd case of heterodonty wherein the top dentition are all sharpened for tearing flesh but the lower dentition is more blunt like a human canine.

Vilefiends were first and solely encountered upon Argus, following the Burning Legion's defeat and the defeat of Argus’ World-soul the current status of these demons is unknown beyond the few broken as mounts by Azerothian adventurers.

The acidic blood they are filled with becomes unstable upon death and can erupt into a pool around its corpse. In addition, the acid within them is highly combustible and can gather in their mouths to burn whatever they bite.

Total Species Diversity: 8

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Void Hound
Giant two-headed demonic monstrosities with numerous eyestalks that roam the trackless wastes of the Twisting Nether like ravenous beasts. Void Hounds are a bit of a misgnomer in name as they are (aside from two extraneous occurrences) typically known to be associated with the Void and only with the Fel and the Burning Legion.

Void Hounds are native to the Twisting Nether. but have been encountered (outside of specific named individuals) in Outland and Draenor

Void Hounds are commonly known to create additional eyes from their flesh that can detach from their bodies and attack their foe  as well as unleash a number of different breath attacks.

Total Species Diversity: 5

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=Kenozoa= The Void, by its very nature as that of nonexistence, should be the last possible cosmic force that could support biota in any sense, but in recent years especially after the discovery of Telogrus Rift, Azerothian scholars have found that the Void can in fact support the evolution of life and we have since discovered several life forms that could be deemed native void biota. I dare say (while it may be treasonous of me) that with the Void Elves bringing to the forefront a never before successfully managed concerted effort of study on the Void and its properties these scant few recorded species we have are a mere tip on the zoological iceberg.

Total Species Diversity: 10

Eyeball Jellyfish
Physical description.

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Shadow Serpent
Physical description.

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Void Jelly
Believed to be a species of jellyfish around Darkshore that was corrupted by Void energies. Nothing else is really known about this enigmatic cnidarian.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Voidstalker
A hypothesized offshoot of the Warpstalker. Warpstalkers have been confirmed to have independently evolved at least twice so this could be a possible third evolution in relation with the Void

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Voidstrider
A species of hawkstrider that has been infused with shadow by the Ren'dorei. I admit to being uneasy about the ethics of such a thing.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Voidtalon
Originally a species of pyroavian that was corrupted by the Dark Star. The Shadowmoon Clan tried to tame these cursed avians and when they proved too strong-willed they were then slaughtered to near extinction by Ner'zhul.

Total Species Diversity: 1

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Void Wolf
Wolves presumably infused with shadow energies.

Void Wolves have only ever reliably been seen on Draenor.

Total Species Diversity: 2

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Void wyrm
An offshoot of the Mana Wyrm lineage that has adapted to feed off the very energies of nonexistence. These Void Wyrms are little different from their relatives aside from noted differences commonly associated with the Void.

Void Wyrms have been found on as varied places as Argus, Telogrus Rift, and Azeroth

Total Species Diversity: 4

Back to the species list. =Necrozoa=

Darkhound
“Demonic” hounds with thick fur on their lower legs as well as a bushy mane along their neck in addition to three horns running alongside both sides of the lower jaw between the angular and condyloid processes and two additional horns growing from the skull parietal. Rarely found in the wild and almost exclusively found in places where nature has fallen out of balance. Despite commonly referred to as being demonic, only one darkhound species has ever been seen in the company of the now defunct Burning Legion but them being demonic in origin is the leading hypothesis so under the demon species section they go!

Darkhounds can be found in the Blackrock Depths, Tirisfal Glades, Eastern Plaguelands, and Karazhan.

Total Species Diversity: 8

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Helhound
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Mawrat
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Mawroach
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Tauralus
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=Sources=