Veil

For the arakkoa settlements, see List of arakkoa towns.

Shadowlands game — The Veil as seen by a player in Howling Fjord.

The Veil^[1] (or the Realm of Shadows and spirit world)^[2] is the border between the Shadowlands and the living world.^[3]

The Veil can be seen as a shadowy version of the physical world, and can be routinely visited as a spirit when player characters die and release from their corpse, unless they are in a zone in the Shadowlands.

Description

The Veil is a greyscale realm where souls of the departed linger until they are gathered by a kyrian to be brought to the Shadowlands.^[4] Kyrian Watchers known as Spirit Healers dwell in the Veil and appear to those who die to peer into the soul's inner self and evaluate whether they are ready to be dead. If the Watchers deem the soul ready, they will call forth a kyrian Bearer to come and bring their soul to Oribos^[5] in the Shadowlands. If they aren't ready, the Watchers return them to life.^[6] The Kyrian ferrying souls across the veil into the Shadowlands also ensures a steady supply of anima for all the realms.^[7]

The Spirit of Tony Two-Tusk describes the Veil as "all grey and dark, swirling clouds".^[8] While Uuna was in the Veil, she described it as dark and she was unable to see anything, though she could hear people interacting with her in the physical world. From within the Shadowlands, she could see the light of the naaru A'dal who was in the physical world, but it was so bright that it scared her. The moonlight at Lake Falathim allowed her to see a friend in the physical world.

Sometimes, the spirits roam the Veil without resting. It can be because their resting place wasn't complete, because of a battle in their resting place^[9] or because of the corruption of their resting place.^[10] To bring eternal peace to the souls, it is needed to destroy the source of corruption^[11] or by making a ceremony with items such as [Tuskarr Ritual Object].^[12]

There are various ways for the living to enter the Veil. For example, the [Murkweed] plant's toxins are so potent that it even fools the spirit, allowing one to temporarily enter.^[13] Inhaling certain incences are also capable of allowing passage to the Veil.^[14] It can also be seen with some devices^[15] and potions^[16] while being alive. Many not-dead mortals who visit the Veil do not return.^[17]

Time is perceived differently in the Veil. Salanar the Horseman, who inhabits the realm,^[18] mentioned that only a few days had passed for him between the war against the Lich King and the third invasion of the Burning Legion when it was really years in the living world.^[19]

While within the Veil, visions of past events may be seen.^[20]^[21]^[22]

Appearances

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content related to the original World of Warcraft.

In World of Warcraft, the Veil can be seen when a character dies. They can be resurrected by a Spirit Healer (or by finding the corpse of their physical body, though this may be just a game mechanic).

The Burning Crusade

This section concerns content related to The Burning Crusade.

Shirrak the Dead Watcher, an otherworldly being, haunted both the spirit and physical worlds. A Draenei Spirit asked the adventurers to kill it.^[23]

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Shadowy Agmar's Hammer — Agmar's Hammer seen in the world of shadows in [15-30] The Power to Destroy quest.

Lady Alistra summons Shadow Constructs, Forgotten Servants and a Cenarion Scout from the Realm of Shadows to train her Disciples of the Unholy. It's unknown how the Scout came there, but after wondering shortly Lady Alistra kills her too.
Salanar the Horseman's dark riders kill captured horses and raise them as Acherus Deathchargers there, while death knight initiates are given the task to enter the Realm of Shadows and to defeat the horsemen and take the deathchargers for themselves, a task in which is said few of the initiates succeed. There are Shadowy Tormentors when initiates go to the realm for their deathcharger.
The Lich King gained sway over the spirit world. An Alliance champion encounters the Lich King with Val'kyr Soulclaimers while seeing visions of the past in the Veil using the [Incense Burner].^[20] In another vision in the spirit world in Nifflevar the origins of the humans from vrykul is discovered.^[24]
The blue dragonflight and their minions attacked the Coldrock Quarry, killing the Kaskala tuskarr shaman and craftsmen working there. The violence threw the spirit world into utter chaos and Elder Atkanok was unable to guide the ancestors home unless he had help in finding a way to soothe the spirits of the murdered. Thus, Alliance and Horde adventurers assisted him in freeing the spirits of the murdered tuskarr. As they did so, the upheaval in the spirit world was beginning to calm.^[25]
Shadowy Tormentors inhabit this dimension, and emerge from it to torment death knights such as Koltira Deathweaver. The Lich King originally kept them at bay, but after the Knights of the Ebon Blade left his service, the tormentors are now loose upon them. He even appears in the World of the Dead, as he calls it, riding a frost wyrm during [15-30] The Power to Destroy.
An adventurer temporarily separated their spirit from their body to question ghosts at the Forgotten Shore.^[13]
In Drakil'jin Ruins in Grizzly Hills, a corruption filled Drakkari spirits with great angst and prevented them from entering eternal rest. Kraz had an adventurer with the goal of setting the spirits to rest enter the other side by using a gong.^[26]^[27]
Upon the death of Arthas Menethil, the kyrians Devos and Uther the Lightbringer came to Icecrown Citadel in the Veil to take his soul.^[28]

The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

Thrall's soul entered into the world of spirit during a vision quest in order to reconnect with the elements. In it, he was transformed into a spirit wolf and Aggra, in the same form, led him through the swirling mist. The vision quest consisted of witnessing several important past events of his life with the involvement of the elements.^[29]

Cataclysm

Wasn't It Obvious — Azuregos and Anara in the spirit world.

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

Thoralius the Wise sent a hero into the Deadmines to see a vision of Edwin VanCleef's death inside the spirit world.^[22]
Azuregos hid in the Veil, together with the spirit healer Anara.
High Prophet Barim sends players into the spirit world where they fight Harbinger of Darkness and Soul Fragments.^[30]
In a cave in the Gullet in the Twilight Highlands, Uchek gets a Horde adventurer in a trance that put's them in the spirit realm where they cleanse three shrines and destroy any evil spirits in the area with [The Light of Souls].^[31]
Jin'do survived as a shade, weak and broken, in the spirit world.^[32] Jin'do found a way back into the world and enslaved Hakkar the Soulflayer.^[33] During the battle with Jin'do, players enter the Veil.

Mists of Pandaria

This section concerns content related to Mists of Pandaria.

Tortured Spirits in the Jade Forest became trapped in the physical world, being unable to move to the next. Ren Whitepaw sent adventurers to put them to rest.^[34]
Mogu tortured the spirits of pandaren in the spirit world at the Golden Stair in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms where adventurers entered the spirit world through spirit vortexes to free Captive Pandaren Spirits^[35] before the Vale was destroyed. Twisted Tormentors wandered in the spirit world there.
During the battle with Gara'jal the Spiritbinder in Mogu'shan Vaults, adventurers were sent to the spirit world via his Spirit Totems.
Spirit Flayers are undead trolls in the Throne of Thunder phased into the spirit world, unable to be harmed from the mortal plane.
In the Cavern of Lost Spirits on the Timeless Isle, an adventurer helps Zarhym a floating skull find his body by entering the spirit world while avoiding Timeless Spirits that could kick them out of the spirit world.

Warlords of Draenor

This section concerns content related to Warlords of Draenor.

The Shadow Gate — Shadow Gate used by Borgal Doomfist to get to the spirit realm.

The SI:7 rogue Owynn Graddock, shadow hunter Bwu'ja and the commanders of the Alliance and Horde entered the spirit realm by the Shadow Gate in order to stop the Bloodmaul chieftain Borgal Doomfist using the [Soulgrinder] on orcish and draenei spirits.^[36] In the spirit realm, there are Phantasmic Watchers, Umbral Lurkers and orc and draenei Crazed Souls.
An adventurer enters the spirit realm with [Elixir of Memories] and destroys the memory of Arumel in Talador.^[37]
Golmash Hellscream died in a brutal combat and entered the spirit world in unrest, as it is with many who die like that.^[38]

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Salanar the Horseman was in the Realm of Shadows. Ebon Blade death knights sent for him encountered fal'dorei Shadowstalker Arachnar there. Salanar noted that while years had passed in the regular world, for him in the Realm of Shadows, it had been mere days since he had helped the Deathlord claim their own deathcharger.^[39]^[40]
- Salanar the Horseman requires the Shadow Reins used by an ancient Dark Rider obtained by defeating Dark Rider Ghrave in the Realm of Shadows.^[41]
The corrupted soul of High Priestess Dejahna is fought in the The Desolate Host encounter in the Tomb of Sargeras when champions enter the spirit realm.
In the battle with Argus the Unmaker, Argus slays the adventurers battling him. Eonar is able to bring them back from the Veil multiple times with her power. Hungering Souls attack the heroes' spirits while within the Veil.

Exile's Reach

This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

A shaman on Exile's Reach is sent by a Ghost Wolf to the spirit world by burning 4 Veil Blossoms in a campfire to free 3 captured ghost wolf packmates trapped by necrotic energies of the island.^[42]

Battle for Azeroth

Where He Died - Orgrimmar — Spirit of Vol'jin and a Horde adventurer traveled through Orgrimmar in the Veil.

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

Centuries ago, Summoner Mepjila cursed the followers of Kimbul to constantly relive their battle with her naga forces as spirits for eternity. Kimbul sends an adventurer into the Veil with a [Spirit Mask] to slay Mepjila's spirit and free his followers from her curse.^[43]
Gorak Tul was causing a rift in the spirit world.^[44]
During the Alliance's fight with Rastakhan during the Battle of Dazar'alor, Bwonsamdi opened gates to the Veil.
Vol'jin's spirit and a Horde adventurer traveled through Orgrimmar in the Veil as Vol'jin relived the day of his death and realized it was not the loa who told him to make Sylvanas Windrunner warchief.^[45] Shades appeared in various locations during the questline.
A tauren champion investigates unrest within the spirit realm and crosses over into it at Sun Rock Retreat in a ritual with [Spiritwalker's Hallowed Vessel].^[46] Later attacks by spirits on Bloodhoof Village and Thunder Bluff were stopped.^[47]^[48] The tauren champion battles Necrofiends, Malicious Spirits, and a Malevolent Spirit. The tauren champion encounters a Ancient Kodo in the spirit realm. Spirits of Cairne and Tamaala appeared in Thunder Bluff and reminded Baine of the tauren way, after which they returned to the spirit world.

Shadowlands