The First Ones are godlike beings[1] who shaped the cosmos, including the Titans, the Eternal Ones, the Void, and the Light.[2][3] Very little is known about them, but they are connected to other pantheons like the titan Pantheon and the Eternal Ones.[1] Even the denizens of the Shadowlands only have texts about them that are mostly speculation and half-truths.[4] Their architecture is known for its geometric patterns.[5] The First Ones were the architects of the Shadowlands, including Oribos[5][6] and Maldraxxus.[2] They placed a Shadowlands map[6] and the Great Vault in Oribos.[7] In addition, their spirit obelisks can be found throughout the afterlives, including some broken ones in the Maw. One of their waystones is located within the Maw, and another in Oribos. It was reawakened from dormancy by an adventurer, to the great surprise of the Jailer who had thought it impossible for a relic of the First Ones to respond to a mortal.[8] According to Tal-Inara, if the Jailer killed the Arbiter, it would mean the end of everything the First Ones made.[9]
The Jailer is searching for a secret that the First Ones sought to hide, calling it the "final prize".[10]
Pieces of a First Ones relic are said to have been hidden on Azeroth, according to Al'dalil.[11]
Notes and trivia
- The language used by developers for the First Ones seem to gesture to various metaphors common in Western theology, such as the "architects", "clockmaker", or "creators of everything we see". Opulence Ba'hare describes to certain structures made by the First Ones as with pattern and geometry, which is also an equal title to "architect" in various Abrahamic traditions, of God as "geometer" of the universe.
Gallery
The Eroded Waystone.
The Waystone to Oribos.
The Shadowlands Map.
The Great Vault.
Speculation
|
This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
|
- Elune is speculated to be a First One in the list of her possible identities. The reason for this is due to her relation to multiple cosmic forces and their cross-effects on other cosmic forces, such as the Titanic [Tear of Elune] (Order) re-activating the heart of Xe'ra (Light), is able to return a demon satyr (Chaos) back to their night elf form,[12] is the mother of Cenarius with the Wild God Malorne from within the Emerald Dream (Life), and seemingly took Ysera's soul to the Shadowlands (Death) and then purified the Tear of Elune of Nightmare corruption (Void), and has some control over elementals.[13][14][15] However, the Brokers speculate that Elune is a member of the pantheon of Life, paralleling her sister the Winter Queen being a member of the pantheon of Death.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b perculia 2020-07-09. Shadowlands Lore Interview with Lead Narrative Designer Steve Danuser - Elune, Sylvanas, Calia. Wowhead. Archived from the original on 2020-07-09.
- ^ a b The Art of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, pg. 99: The First Ones who shaped the cosmos knew they needed to protect the Shadowlands from external threats and beyond. Maldraxxus was their answer.
- ^ Bellular interviewing Morgan Day & Steve Danuser at 10:30, Steve Danuser: They were these mysterious and very powerful beings that sort of architect-ed the framework of the universe of which the Titans, the Pantheon of Death, pantheons of all these different influences are kind of the next layer down from the First Ones, these progenitors of the universe.
- ^ [60] The Hall of Tomes
- ^ a b Opulence Ba'hare#Quotes
- ^ a b [50] Tether to Home
- ^ [70] The Great Vault
- ^ [50] Stand as One
- ^ [50] Audience with the Arbiter
- ^ [Clearing the Fog]
- ^ [60] Things Best Kept Dark
- ^ [7-30] In the Hands of the Perverse
- ^ [5-30] Power Over the Tides
- ^ [Tablet of the Balancing Tides]
- ^ Sharas'dal had control over the tides after being filled with water from the Elune-associated Well of Eternity
- ^ Grimoire of the Shadowlands and Beyond
[60] 
[50] 
[7-30] 
