The lore of the Netherbane stretches all the way back to the War of the Ancients, when three brothers fought against the Burning Legion's first invasion. Far be it from me to neglect that which history as made known.

Below is a basic timeline--a framework for the larger events that have shaped the Netherbane and its children from the beginning.

~Lorekeeper Faeroh Moonreign

(( Blue highlights indicate official Blizzard lore events, red highlights indicate unofficial lore I personally use--they should be considered non-canon to both official Blizzard lore and Netherbane lore--and black text is standard canon Netherbane lore. ))

• | | ~25,000 Pre-First War: The Draenei Exile
  The fallen titan, Sargeras, approaches the leaders of the eredar race and offers them power in exchange for service to his army, the Burning Legion. Two of the three leaders, Archimonde and Kil'jaeden, agree to what Sargeras offers. The third, Velen, foresees the corruption of his race and refuses the offer. He takes a portion of the eredar into exile from their world of Argus, fleeing with the aide of the mysterious energy-being known as K'ure. These exiles rename themselves draenei, which means "exiled ones." Kil'jaeden does not take this lightly, and begins a millenia-long hunt for Velen and his followers.
  
  K'ure reveals himself to be a naaru, a race of powerful beings deeply in tune with the Light, and pledges himself to helping the wayward draenei.
  
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• | | ~10,000 Pre-First War: War of the Ancients
  The night elven upper class, known as the highborne, open a portal into the Twisting Nether using the first Well of Eternity, which is an immense magical font of power in the center of the continent. They make contact with the fallen titan, Sargeras, whom they believe to be a god. Sargeras uses this to his advantage, sending his Burning Legion through the portal to invade Azeroth for the first time, which begins the War of the Ancients.
  
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• | | Tharion's Cowardice
  During the invasion, many night elven cities are attacked and destroyed. A young scholar named Tharion flees from his home, leaving his father and brother to defend their city against a felguard commander named Zevash. Tharion flees in fear, leaving his family behind to face the demons alone. Tharion hides in the Ashenvale forest, evading demons and avoiding the war.
  
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• | | The Nightbane Brothers
  While this happens, three Moon Guard mages named Eraelan, Eraelor, and Eraelus Nightbane join the fight against the onslaught of demons. An ered'ruin doomguard named Sraath invades the minds of the brothers while they sleep on the rear lines of battle, offering them power in exchange for betraying their people. Only Eraelus responds, sneaking into the nearby woods to meet face to face with his potential benefactor. Eraelan and Eraelor follow their brother, not wishing to believe that the eldest of the three would be so easily swayed. They discover him in the presence of the demon, but are quickly noticed by the doomguard, who immediately suspects betrayal and assaults the three. The brothers defend themselves as one and drive Sraath back to the the Buring Legion's ranks.
  
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• | | The Betrayer and Nordrassil
  A young druid, Malfurion Stormrage, and his twin brother, the sorceror Illidan Stormrage, fight against the Burning Legion's advance. Illidan appears to betray his people and his brother by turning to the side of Queen Azshara, leader of the highborne and newly turned ally to Sargeras himself. In direct communication with the fallen titan, Illidan is "gifted" with his spectral vision, the process of which burns out his natural eyes.
  
  Malfurion creates a desperate plan to destroy the Well of Eternity, which is the source of night elven magic, and collapse the portal. Illidan returns, claiming his betrayal was a mere ruse to get him into the palace, and proceeds to help his brother in the plan. They succeed and the Well of Eternity is destroyed, but not before Illidan saves some of the waters by sealing them into magical vials. The resulting implosion of the Well sunders the continent of kalimdor, splitting it in two and causing the palace of Queen Azshara to sink beneath the waves. Above where the Well of Eternity once stood now exists the ever-churning Maelstrom.
  
  After the war, Illidan Stormrage uses vials of captured water from the first Well of Eternity to empower a small lake atop the sacred mountiain of Hyjal. This forms into the second Well of Eternity. His brother, Malfurion, shocked at his brother's defiance and blind devotion to the power that almost destroyed them all, sentences his brother to imprisonment below the earth and assigns Maiev Shadowsong to be his eternal Warden.
  
  The three remaining dragon aspects who still maintain a grip on their sanity help Malfurion plant a tree to mask the energies of this new Well. They place it above the new magical waters and magically bless this tree, which is named Nordrassil, or "Crown of the Heavens."
  
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• | | Tharion's Exile
  Tharion returns amongst the survivors of the night elven people, having kept himself hidden throughout most of the war. His father and brother, who survived as well, do not welcome him back warmly. Tharion, ashamed of his cowardice, retreats into the depths of Ashenvale forest once again, learning how to survive on his own.
  
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• | | Eraelan After the War
  Eraelan also leaves the survivors, choosing to return to the ruins of the war and study what remains of the Burning Legion and its agents.
  
  Eraelor and Eraelus stay to help rebuild night elven society.
  
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• | | ~9,800 Pre-First War: Storm of Shadows
  (( Spoiler Warning -- Storm of Shadows will be a future tale posted here on the Netherbane site. It's script has been written, and preliminary production is underway. If you do not wish to spoil this, you should skip the red text of this particular entry. ))
  Eraelus Nightbane is a part of a growing number of night elven cults who seek to bring the Burning Legion back to Azeroth. These cults, made up mostly of highborne who left the palace of Zin'Azshari, feel that the demons would reward allies who allowed them entry into the world from which they were barred a few hundred years passed. Since the Sundering, only minor demonic entities have been capable of being summoned to the world.
  
  During one summoning, Eraelus's cult succeeds in bringing the doomguard, Sraath, back to Azeroth. Sraath, recognizing Eraelus, goes on a murderous rampage, killing most of the ritualists and escaping deeper into Ashenvale and the surrounding forests. Eraelus survives this purge along with a small handful of other cultists, who are now forced to stop the demon they brought into this world.
  
  Knowing they need greater skill in order to defeat the doomguard commander, two of the surviving cultists seek out Illidan's prison. Killing the Watchers who guard the sorceror, the cultists are able to free the Stormrage brother. They explain the situation and Illidan agrees to help, thankful to be free of his imprisonment and eager to wield his magic once again.
  
  Eraelus continues to follow Sraath's bloody trail, and eventually meets up with Eraelan, who was returning from his centuries-long exploration of the sites of the War. Eraelan was changed, however, having blinded himself in a grotesque similarity to Illidan's own multilated eyes, and having regained an entirely different form of vision. Eraelan eagerly agrees to help his brother hunt the rampaging demon.
  
  As the group pursues Sraath, they discovered that the doomguard had been successful in summoning two more demons: the doomguard commander, Azzinoth, and the eredar warlock, Kaazpar. In addition, they learn that Maiev Shadowsong was told of Illidan's breakout and now pursues them with a vengeance. The group encounters Azzinoth first, who had been left behind to slow their pursuit. Illidan is successful in slaying the demon, and takes the beast's warglaives for himself as trophies. Second is Sraath, who is wounded but survives by fleeing from the group.
  
  The night elf highborne survivors living amongst their brethren in Astranaar unleash a powerful arcane storm over the Ashenvale forest in defiance of the ban on arcane magic, completely oblivious to the demon hunt happening just outside their city. Kaazpar uses the power of this storm to cause a chain of portals to open throughout the forest, letting hundreds of lesser demons back into Azeroth. There is much death as the night elves once again take up arms against a demonic invasion.
  
  The bloody battle ends with many casualties after Malfurion, Tyrande, and Maiev Shadowsong arrive to assist. Most of the victory is laid on the shoulders of Illidan, who combined his new weapons with his sorcery to deadly effect, and the highborne, who turned their magics from fueling the storm of defiance towards eradicating the demons coming through the portals.
  
  Seeing his brother's efforts, Malfurion forgave Illidan the escape, but has Maiev return him to his prison to finish out his punishment for the re-creation of the Well. Illidan reluctantly agrees.
  
  Also seeing how the highborne turned their efforts towards defense of their people after the discovery of their mistake, Malfurion tempered his judgement of them as well.
  
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• | | Malfurion's Decree
  Malfurion Stormrage, unable to sentence so many of his people to death for the magical storm unleashed in defiance of the law, forces the responsible highborne into exile.
  
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• | | Nightbane Brothers Part Ways
  Eraelus, unable to abide by the ban on arcane magic, chooses to travel with the highborne across the sea. Eraelor, disgusted by his eldest brother's choice to not give up the addicting magic, gladly watches him go. Eraelan, seeing Eraelor's intolerance, retreats once again into the forests of Ashenvale to pursue his new path.
  
  Eraelus takes upon a new last name, calling himself Eraelus Soulbane, a name that is passed down to his descendents in the modern era. Eraelan also changes, taking upon the name Eraelan Netherbane to indicate his pursuit. Only Eraelor retains the original family name of Nightbane.
  
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• | | Highborne Exile
  The highborne make their way across the great sea and find what will eventually be known as Lordaeron. After years of struggle, they create their magical kingdom of Quel'thalas to the north. Using a stolen vial of water from the Well of Eternity, Dath'remar Sunstrider creates the Sunwell. The highborne lose their night elven coloring.
  
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• | | ~9,700 Pre-First War: The Netherbane Camp
  Eraelan, having honed his demon hunting skills on many of the remaining demons lurking throughout Ashenvale forest, chooses to teach his methods to other willing night elves. He finds a remote area and sets up a camp. As the whispers and rumors of his desire to teach spread, Eraelan begins to gather a small handful of students beneath him.
  
  One of Eraelan's most prominent students, Elaia Shaillan, stumbles across a disheveled night elf man in the forests who calls himself "just Tharion." She invites him back to the camp and introduces him to Eraelan, who offers the man a place to stay. Tharion, having long ago left his previous life behind, agrees to step onto the path of the demon hunter.
  
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• | | ~5,500 Pre-First War: Thelnin's Folly
  Elaia Shaillan falls in love with a fellow student by the name of Thelnin. Thelnin, as a student of Eraelan Netherbane, does not excel. He is the weakest student, but he believes that his desire to walk the path of the demon hunter is noble enough to carry him through the training.
  
  Eraelan does not hide his disgust for Thelnin, usually making his opinion of the young trainee known without remorse. Thelnin, however, stays determined to better his skills. And with Elaia's help, he believes that it is just a matter of time and effort before he can earn his shan'do's respect.
  
  Eraelan, believing that Thelnin is a detriment to Elaia's progress, sends the young initiate into the heart of the ruins known as The Legion's Hand. Hidden amongst the forested foothills of Mount Hyjal, the Legion's Hand is home to a powerful felguard who survived the War of the Ancients named Zevash.
  
  Zevash is far too powerful an opponent for Thelnin to face alone, but he chooses to so anyway, trusting that his shan'do would not have chosen Zevash if he did not believe that Thelnin was capable of defeating him. Thelnin, unfortunately, is mistaken.
  
  Elaia is crushed by Thelnin's death. The other students, Tharion included, recognize for the first time the harsh truth about the demon hunter path: failure of any sort leads to death.
  
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• | | ~4,690 Pre-First War: Tharion's Binding
  Eraelan Netherbane leads Tharion into the foothills of Hyjal, back to The Legion's Hand. It is here that Tharion discovers his next major test as a demon hunter--to defeat the same creature that killed Thelnin centuries ago. Eraelan reveals to Tharion that Zevash is still more powerful. Therefore he must first find a suitably powerful demon to bind to himself.
  
  Tharion tracks a particularly raging infernal within the Legion's Hand and successfully defeats the beast. Eraelan acts quickly and binds the creature's essence into his student, bolstering Tharion's power but forever tainting his soul. After this, Tharion seeks out and challenges the felguard, who reveals himself to be the same felguard from whom Tharion ran during the war. The same felguard who killed his mother.
  
  In a fit of rage, Tharion calls forth his newly achieved abilities and destroys Zevash before falling unconscious. Eraelan, impressed by his pupil, takes Zevash's weapon for later use.
  
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• | | ~4,500 Pre-First War: The Greyseer Born
  Elaia, whose personality darkened the day that Thelnin died, and who was further hardened when Tharion "stole" her chance of vengeance against the demon Zevash, began to surpass all other students in the camp. She became harder and stronger than any other, and she was able to bind herself to multiple demons, gaining the strength from each.
  
  But while she was ascending as a demon hunter, she was also descending into a personal madness from which no one could save her. Exactly 1000 years after Thelnin's death Elaia finally broke. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, she slaughters at least half of the unbound students within the Netherbane camp before fleeing into Ashenvale.
  
  Tharion, Eraelan's second most promising student, is sent to hunt Elaia, a task he takes with a heavy heart. Understanding the danger she poses, Tharion reluctantly agrees to the hunt. Tharion quickly succeeds in slaying Elaia, but not before she regains a measure of lucidity about her actions, a fact which makes her execution that much more difficult. Wishing her a proper burial, Tharion reverently brings back the broken body of the woman who had started him on the path of the demon hunter over five millenia ago.
  
  Unknown to Tharion, however, Eraelan secretly captures Elaia's waning soul and stores it in a magical crystal formed from the blood of slain demons. He performs a ritual upon her dead body to preserve it, believing he could somehow use her even after death.
  
  Understanding the value of having a student who was capable of hunting down his failures, Eraelan secretly shapes Tharion's training towards hunting rogue demon hunters in addition to the Burning Legion. Tharion accepts the new responsibilities coldly, understanding the necessity of the matter. It is upon this acceptance that Eraelan Netherbane gifts Tharion with the last name of Greyseer, to mark his distinct outlook upon the colors of motivation.
  
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• | | ~4,497 Pre-First War: Sraath Returns
  The doomguard known as Sraath returns his attention to Azeroth. Sraath, now much more powerful than before, reaches across the Twisting Nether and whispers to Eraelan as he sleeps, much like was done during their first encounter. Eraelan, wary of the doomguard's approach, still agrees to listen.
  
  Sraath offers Eraelan a measure of power unlike the demon hunter could ever comprehend. Intrigued by what he could do with such power, and secretly intending to see how he could use it against the Legion itself, Eraelan agrees to help Sraath gain a foothold once again on Azeroth. He offers up the preserved body and soul of the late Elaia, Eraelan's strongest student to date. Sraath agrees and sends minions to take the crystal containing her soul as well as her magically preserved body.
  
  Sraath then offers Eraelan information regarding how to shape mortal flesh, an ability that Eraelan practices in ritual secrecy. To this day many of the results of Eraelan's flesh-crafting experiments have not been found. Some believe he was able to banish them to the Twisting Nether. Others believe it is only a matter of time before their secrets are unleashed from wherever it is they hide.
  
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• | | ~3,336 Pre-First War: Eraelan's Betrayal
  It is many centuries later that Eraelan comes to believe himself beyond Sraath's tutelage, and begins to execute his plans to banish the demon back into the Twisting Nether. Tharion and a few of the other well-trained demon hunter students are used, sent against Sraath's growing power base to the south of Ashenvale forest.
  
  This war is never known to those outside of demon hunting circles, but to those of Netherbane's teachings, it is brutal. Many of Eraelan's best students are killed during the resulting fights, and even Tharion is severely weakened--having his grasp on his fel energies shattered. However, Eraelan succeeds in banishing the doom lord from Azeroth once again. Sraath vows vengeance against Eraelan and all things tainted with the name "Netherbane." (( Back to top ))
  
  
  
• | | ~1 Pre-First War: Rise of the Horde
  The peaceful draenei, who had years ago found their way to the world they eventually named Draenor are slaughtered by the demon-tainted orcish horde. The draenei holy temple of Karabor is taken by the Horde and rechristened the Black Temple. Gul'dan, with Medivh's help, opens the first Dark Portal between Azeroth and Draenor. Orcs beging to invade Azeroth.
  
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• | | First War: Orcs and Humans
  The orcs raze Stormwind City and destroy much of that kingdom. The Guardian Medivh is killed by his apprentice Khadgar and his friend, Anduin Lothar. King Llane of Stormwind is assassinated by Garona Half-orcen.
  
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• | | ~6 Post First War: Tides of Darkness
  Orcs give chase to refugees fleeing north to the kingdom of Lordaeron. Second War begins.
  
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• | | ~8 Post First War: Through the Dark Portal
  A band of heroes cross through the Dark Portal onto the world of Draenor. Ner'zhul opens multiple portals on that world, which shatters the realm into what is now known as Outland.
  
  Back on Azeroth, the red dragon queen, Alexstrazsa, is freed by Rhonin and Krasus.
  
  Thrall escapes his enslavement and becomes Warchief of the new Horde.
  
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• | | ~20 Post First War: Reign of Chaos
  The Guardian, Medivh, returns, cleansed from the taint of the Legion lord, Sargeras. He warns each of the faction leaders of the coming storm, but has limited success. The orcish warchief, Thrall, is one of the few to heed Medivh's warning and takes his orcs across the Great Sea to the forgotten land of kalimdor.
  
  Meanwhile, the Lich King, Ner'zhul, begins to spread his plague across northern Lordaeron. Prince Arthas Menethil, fighting the encroaching plague, takes up arms against the growing undead army. But the madness of war becomes too much for him, and he eventually falls prey to the runeblade, Frostmourne, becoming a death knight of the Lich King himself. After returning to Lordaeron and slaying his father, Arthas then slaughters his way to the kingdom of Quel'thalas, and uses the high elven font of power, the Sunwell, to resurrect Kel'thuzad, a former necromaner now turned lich. The kingdoms of Lordaeron and Quel'thalas lay in ruins.
  
  Arthas then moves to the magical kingdom of Dalaran, where he uses the Book of Medivh to open a portal for the demon lord, Archimonde. With Arthas's help, the Burning Legion invades Azeroth in force a second time. They quickly move across the sea to kalimdor, seeking out the power of the second Well of Eternity.
  
  Malfurion Stormrage is awakened from his long druidic slumber to defend his lands. Tyrande Whisperwind, high priestess of the night elven people, also frees Malfurion's brother, Illidan Stormrage, from his imprisonment by killing the Watchers who keep him guarded. It is believed that Illidan's skills as a demon hunter would be necessary in the upcoming battles. Illidan is then lead to Felwood, where he seeks out the Skull of Gul'dan to gain more power against his demonic adversaries.
  
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• | | Tharion's Atonement
  As the Third War's intensity increases on kalimdor, Tharion Greyseer and the other fully bound students of Eraelan Netherbane set out to fight the invading Burning Legion. They meet with other demon hunters from different mentors, but regardless of the source of their abilities, they all fight with an intensity unseen during the 10,000 year seclusion of the night elven people.
  
  Tharion, envigorated by the chance to fight true Burning Legion demons as opposed to the weakened stragglers that still skulked about Ashenvale, met his adversaries on the front lines. He unleashed all the skills that he was taught, but came to the frightening realization that these demons were of a truly different breed than the ones he had preyed upon during training.
  
  He discovered how savage the Burning Legion was, and Tharion's survival skills were put to the test at every turn. In the end, however, Tharion emerged victorious each time, if not battered from the combat.
  
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• | | The Sacrifice of Nordrassil
  An uneasy truce between the Horde and the surviving Alliance of Lordaeron is formed to battle the powerful demons. The Burning Legion is defeated at the huge battle of Mount Hyjal as Archimonde is destroyed by the World Tree, Nordrassil, as it unleashes its power in a grand sacrifice.
  
  The human survivors of Lordaeron settle on the coast of the land known as the Barrens, in a city called Theramore. The orcs build their home in a land Thrall names Durotar, in honor of his father, Durotan. The night elves, having lost their immortality due to the sacrifice of Nordrassil, begin rebuilding their lands and their forests. The Third War ends.
  
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• | | Eraelan's Disappearance
  Upon the end of the Third War, Tharion returns to Netherbane's camp, only to find it completely destroyed and his shan'do missing. Gathering up what few important items still remained in the camp's ruins, Tharion sets off to find out what happened to his mentor.
  
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• | | ~21 Post First War: The Frozen Throne
  The demon lord, Kil'jaeden, instructs Illidan to assault the Lich King in Northrend. Illidan, exiled from his people for drinking from the Skull of Gul'dan, agrees. He raises the Naga from their slumber beneath the waves and attempts to cast a powerful spell against Icecrown, the fortress of the Lich King in Northrend. He is confronted by his brother, Malfurion, once again. Afraid Illidan is up to no good, Malfurion interrupts his brother's spell, which causes the assault on Icecrown to fail.
  
  Illidan, afraid of the consequences of his failure, flees to Outland. The pitlord, Magtheridon, current ruler of the Black Temple, is defeated and chained beneath Hellfire Citadel, and Illidan takes his place atop the Black Temple. The demonlord, Kil'jaeden, confronts Illidan and commands him to strike Icecrown again. Not wanting to incur the wrath of the current leader of the Burning Legion, Illidan agrees and returns to Azeroth, traveling to Northrend personally.
  
  The death knight, Arthas, rushes to the aide of his master and defends the Lich King at the base of Icecrown Glacier, severely wounding Illidan in one-on-one combat. Arthas then ascends Icecrown, shatters the Frozen Throne, and don's Ner'zhul's armor, fusing himself with the orc's transformed spirit and becoming the new Lich King.
  
  Illidan retreats to the Black Temple and begins his descent into madness, hiding from the demons he knows will come.
  
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• | | ~22 Post First War: Crown of the Earth
  Malfurion Stormrage returns to slumber in the Emerald Dream to honor the pact with the green dragon matron, Ysera. He once again leaves Tyrande Whisperwind in charge of the night elven people, and a druid named Fandral Staghelm takes over the Cenarion Circle to become Archdruid in Malfurion's place.
  
  In an attempt to regain their immortality, Archdruid Staghelm plants another seed just off the coast of Darkshore and, with the help of the Cenarion Circle, helps it to grow to immense proportions. He names this tree Teldrassil or "Crown of the Earth." He has the new night elven capital city of Darnassus built upon the great boughs of this new world tree.
  
  Fandral attempts to get the dragonflights to bless Teldrassil as they did the now-sacrificed Nordrassil, but they refuse. Because of this refusal, Teldrassil begins a slow descent into corruption.
  
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• | | ~23 Post First War: The Sunwell
  (( Spoiler Warning -- This section covers the events of The Sunwell Trilogy manga by Richard Knaack and (artist). If you do not wish to spoil the ending of this trilogy, then do not expand this blue entry. ))
  In the remains of the human kingdom of Lordaeron, a blue dragon named Kalecgos is sent on a mission to discover the source of a strange magical power. He encounters the young human woman, Anveena, and the two immediately become hunted by Dar'khan Drathir, the elf responsible for allowing Arthas passage into Quel'thalas.
  
  The two are able to escape from Dar'khan, and eventually discover the truth--Anveena is the surviving essence of the destroyed Sunwell, and is the key to reigniting the powers of the high elven source of magic.
  
  With help from the remaining blood elf leadership in the ruins of Quel'thalas, Kalecgos and Anveena defeat the traitor, Dar'khan. Anveena is hidden away in the forests, guarded from those who would seek to use her for darker purposes.
  
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• | | ~25 Post First War: Age of Heroes
  A new breed of heroes step forward from the ashes of the third war, fighting against the growing threats on all fronts. Old hatreds spark anew, and new ones begin to crumble the foundati0n of the uneasy peace.
  
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• | | Vyrella
  Tharion hears that Teldrassil is quickly becoming the hub for young night elves to train and develop their skills. Believing that he may be able to find information regarding his search for Eraelan's fate, he travels to Teldrassil.
  
  It is atop the massive tree that Tharion meets Vyrella, a young huntress training to become a warden--replacements for those who died during the Third War and the aftermath. The two of them begin to travel together, one showing the other the merits and detriments to their specific paths, Tharion displaying his skills of survival, and Vyrella gloating over her superior aim with her bow.
  
  It is not long before the two vow themselves to each other.
  
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• | | Felborne
  Tharion's demonic binding begins to weaken his mind. He starts to fall to the corruption of the fel energies, hearing voices in his head. He is unable to tell whether these voices are real or imagined. Vyrella tries to assist, but she knows little about demon hunter training and thus is powerless. As Tharion's condition degenerates, Vyrella vanishes, leaving Tharion to handle the fel corruption alone.
  
  Unable to handle the screaming madness in his mind, Tharion feels compelled towards the center of Duskwood, one of the few ancient shrines leftover from before the Sundering. It is here that Tharion collapses into unconsciousness.
  
  How much time passed is unknown, but it was at least four days before Tharion returned once more. He told the tale of seeing his mentor, Eraelan Netherbane, in a realm far from this world. Tharion also spoke of a "re-binding" ritual that quelled the maddening voices in his head. Finally, Tharion also revealed his new weapon, a glowing sword known as Felborne.
  
  What is known only by Eraelan, however, is that the blade is from Zevash, dating back to Tharion's first post-binding hunt. Eraelan used the blade in Tharion's re-binding ritual, pulling the demonic essence out of the demon hunter and placing it into the weapon itself. This infusion of fel energy paired with the lingering essence of the terrible felguard from the war created a new demonic consciousness within the blade. Eraelan had dubbed this consciousness "Felborne" to reflect the corrupted nature of the entity's genesis.
  
  Tharion is shocked to discover that Felborne is able to exert a measure of its will upon others, manifesting a cold whispering voice in the minds of those willing to listen.
  
  
  
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• | | Rook Gyrmantle. Revelation of the Ashen.
  Tharion encounters a kaldorei woman who is well practiced in rune magic. She calls herself "Rook," and seeks Tharion's help in tracking down a betrayer to her cause. Rook and Tharion never quite become allies, but essentially agree to not become enemies. They assist each other when it is mutually beneficial.
  
  Tharion entreats Eraelor Nightbane, Eraelan's youngest brother, to assist Rook in seeking out the identity of a druid who betrayer her. Eraelor reveals his participation in a group known as The Ashen, a sect of the Cenarion Circle focused on keeping watch on night elves who stray from the path of Cenarius or Elune. Eraelor agrees to help.
  
  The revelations brought on by the information given by The Ashen allow Rook to seek out Wintermar, the runeblade responsible for her troubles. Instead of destroying the weapon, Rook takes it as her own, believing to have found a way to avoid the corrupting influence of the weapon.
  
  She was wrong.
  
  Tharion was able to track Rook down in the deep snows of Dun Morogh. While it was obvious that Rook still held a measure of her own will, her corruption was becoming evident. She told him to kill her, and upon Tharion's hesitation, Rook struck. The battle between the two was fierce but swift, with Felborne prevailing over Wintermar.
  
  Surprised at his sadness at Rook's death, Tharion buried her in the snows and further hid Wintermar away somewhere in the world. To this day only Tharion knows the location of the runeblade.
  
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• | | Xythael
  Xythael, a stray kaldorei priestess who was discovered by Tharion and Vyrella months previously, begins to hunt closely with the Greyseer. She claims possession of a demon, and her fragile mental state earns Tharion's sympathy. The two form a bond strengthened by their mutual fight against demonic corruption. It is not long before the bond transcends that of a mere hunting companion.
  
  During an encounter on the steps of the Stormwind Cathedral of the Light, Xythael reveals her true nature to Tharion--she is an eredar spirit possessing the body of a night elf priestess. No trace of the original priestess remains, claims the demon. Tharion reveals that he suspected as much, but stayed his hand due to the fact that Xythael never posed a threat to him purposefully. Xythael further reveals that her mission was to hunt Tharion, but had unexpectedly developed feelings for the demon hunter. It is suspected that not ALL traces of the original priestess, who was named Arkale Nithradia, had been obliterated, and that the emotions came from a merging of the Xythael entity and Arkale's original soul.
  
  Tharion agrees not to hunt Xythael, and the two continue to fight side by side against the forces of the Burning Legion.
  
  
  
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• | | Elithe Lightstroke and Zymeth's Deception
  As Tharion continues his hunts in the Eastern Kingdoms, he meets a human demon hunter named Elithe Lightstroke. Elithe, physically weakened from a lifetime of sickness, was unable to follow the more martial path traditional to demon hunters. Instead, Elithe chose to develop his skills as a spellcaster.
  
  Elithe speaks to Tharion about his patron, an eredar from the Twisting Nether known as Zymeth. Leader of the "House of Gis," Zymeth was said to be fighting against the Burning Legion as well. Elithe, believing the demon to be a strong ally, gave his loyalties willingly to Zymeth and the House of Gis.
  
  Elithe requests the assistance of Tharion and Xythael in a ritual to summon Zymeth to the world. The two reluctantly agree, with Tharion's agreement being on the condition that Zymeth be destroyed if he proves a threat. Elithe, assured of the demon's altruism, accepts Tharion's condition.
  
  As the ritual commences, Tharion's fears are justified. Elithe is knocked unconscious and Zymeth enters the world and bears down on Tharion and Xythael. The two fight back against the eredar, who boasts about the success of his deception. After an intense battle, Zymeth is killed and his spirit trapped inside a staff, which is given back to Elithe for safe-keeping. Elithe, crushed at the revelation, keep close watch over the staff, swearing to not be so easily fooled again.
  
  
  
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• | | Daeloth
  Tharion retreats to kalimdor to recoup from the battle with Zymeth, and Xythael remains in Stormwind, curious about the House of Gis and their true motives. During an investigation, Xythael feels a presence watching her every move. She travels to kalimdor to meet with Tharion once again, uncertain of who or what pursued.
  
  Tharion, who holds a sacred place of meditation near the waterfall from Teldrassil, knows nothing about Xythael's return. But in the peace of his meditation he is suddenly smothered by an overwhelming mass of fel energy. As Tharion breaks from his meditation, he discovers a massive pit lord barreling its way through the trees towards him. Tharion is defly able to evade the crippling attacks from the huge demon, but does not get away unscathed. The demon, who appears to be merely toying with the demon hunter, names himself Daeloth. A warning is given, and the pit lord then vanishes, leaving its stench--and a beaten Greyseer--in its wake.
  
  Xythael is shocked to learn of the attack, and warns Tharion that this 'Daeloth' was also perhaps the entity which had been watching her in Stormwind. The two suddenly realize that a greater threat has appeared in the world, and it was specifically targeting them.
  
  As the weeks pass, the pair encounter Daeloth repeatedly. They discover his ability to take the form of a night elf, which makes avoiding the demon even more difficult. During this time they discover that Daeloth was sent by Sraath to Azeroth to hunt Xythael for her failure to perform her task of killing the Greyseer. Tharion approaches one of his few allies within the Cenarion Circle, a rebellious druid named Faeroh Moonreign. Faeroh agrees to assist the Greyseer and Xythael against this new threat.
  
  Eventually, the group is able to lure Daeloth to a confrontation once more atop Teldrassil, where Faeroh is able to exert a better control over the elements of nature. During the battle, Tharion gains the upper hand by unlocking the power hidden deep within Felborne and severs Daeloth's arm. The demon, wounded heavily by the encounter, retreats into hiding for months. Faeroh Moonreign retrieves Daeloth's weapon, a heavy axe, and locks it away so the pit lord cannot retrieve it.
  
  
  
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• | | Eraelan's Return. Elaia's Resurrection
  It is only a few weeks after Daeloth's defeat that Tharion encounters a ghostly image of his mentor, Eraelan Netherbane, deep within the forests of kalimdor. The image warns him that Daeloth was but a mere distraction, that the true threat is Sraath, attempting to seek vengeance against Eraelan and anything related to the Netherbane that betrayed him millenia ago.
  
  Eraelan further reveals that it was Sraath that took him during the Third War, having sent Daeloth through during the Legion's invasion to destroy Netherbane's camp before Grom's Warsong clan engulfed it in their rabid attempt to gather lumber. He claims that Sraath had him bound to a prison within the Twisting Nether, but that he was able to escape shortly after giving Felborne to Tharion.
  
  Eraelan admits to being on Azeroth once again, deep in hiding to protect himself from Sraath's rampage. He then tells Tharion than an old acquaintance will return once more to threaten everything, and that the Greyseer should prepare himself and his allies. Then, as quickly as he appeared, Eraelan vanishes.
  
  Tharion takes the warning to heart and passes it along to those close to him. But it is soon revealed that the threat has already arrived. Tharion is dumbstruck when he realizes that it is Elaia, the young kaldorei woman he killed millenia ago during training. Sraath had taken her preserved soul and body and twisted them both to his needs. Elaia was now a hunter of hunters under Sraath's wing, and she was hunting everyone attached to Eraelan and Tharion alike.
  
  
  
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• | | Xythael's Madness
  Xythael, who becomes the target of the brunt of Elaia's psychological attacks over the succeeding weeks, begins to hover at the edge of sanity. Desperate to find a way to defeat the former demon hunter, Xythael tracks down Daeloth, who was still wounded from the previous encounter which cost him his arm.
  
  Daeloth agrees to help Xythael under one condition: bring Eraelan Netherbane out of hiding and return him to Sraath. In her madness, Xythael agrees to the pit lord's demand. She is able to find and lure Eraelan Netherbane from his place of hiding. It is too late when he realizes the trap. Daeloth strikes, consuming the body and soul of Tharion's former mentor. The infusion of power allows Daeloth to magically regenerate his arm.
  
  Before departing into the world, Daeloth reveals to Xythael that three hidden dreadlords in the guise of humans keep Elaia's soul bound to Azeroth. They are required, since the nature of her very persistence defies conventional reality. Daeloth tells Xythael the names of the three and where they had been sent.
  
  Appeased by the exchange, Xythael begins her hunt of these dreadlords.
  
  
  
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• | | Walkabout. Felborne Sundered.
  Xythael succeeds in her hunts, defeating the most powerful of the three dreadlords that keep Elaia bound to the world. But her bloodlust is no longer so easily satiated, and she disappears into the wilds with madness in her eyes.
  
  Tharion encounters Elaia one final time at the House of Gathering. Unbeknownst to him, she has been severely weakened, her soul no longer anchored steadily to the churning currents that stream between the veil of worlds. They fight for the second time, and Tharion is the easy victor. Unfortunately, in her death throes, the magic binding Elaia to Azeroth bursts. Tharion's link to Felborne is broken, and the sudden silence brings Tharion to his knees.
  
  Unable to cope with the drastic change, Tharion leaves Teldrassil and goes "walkabout." He travels the depths of kalimdor in meditation, to find a way to cope with the lack of Felborne's presence in his mind.
  
  
  
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• | | The Netherbane School
  After nearly a month spent wandering the forests of Ashenvale and Darkshore, Tharion returns from his self-imposed walkabout and reforms his allies under the banner of the Netherbane school of demon hunting. He chooses to teach others who wish to walk the path in order to prevent a repeat of the events with Elaia and Daeloth, and he names the methods after his mentor as a reminder of how far Eraelan went, and how far the Netherbane itself should never go.
  
  Tharion also learns of Xythael's madness and disappearance, and Daeloth's return to power. Thus, he begins to actively seek out those folk who approached him in the past about walking the path of the demon hunter, and the Netherbane school as it is known today is officially formed.
  
  It is during the succeeding months that a young kaldorei demonslayer known as Fethas Ravenmoon requests to be taught by Tharion. She, along with Rutarin Firestar, Taldarion Duskmantle, and Elishtar Fangblade, form the earliest of the Netherbane students.
  
  
  
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• | | Sraath the Reborn
  Sraath, tired of his minions failing, devises a plan to re-enter Azeroth himself. Since his resurrection, he gained the ability to create fragments of his soul and place those fragments into lesser vessels. This allows him to have fully loyal minions who can travel to places where Sraath cannot yet enter. He creates four of these "Sraathi" entities and sends them to Azeroth to prepare a ritual of summoning.
  
  Tharion and the Netherbane learn of these entities and begin their hunts. The students, however, are inexperienced, and they are unable to stop to summoning ritual. Sraath--once known as Sraath the Eclipse, now known as Sraath the Reborn--returns yet again to the world of Azeroth.
  
  
  
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• | | Daeloth Strikes Back
  As Sraath returns to the world, Daeloth finds his old master and returns to him. Sraath, disappointed by Daeloth's multiple failures, but pleased that he subdued Eraelan Netherbane, sends Daeloth out to prove himself once again. He tasks the pit lord with retrieving his ancient axe, which Faeroh Moonreign placed on display at the new Netherbane Site of Lessons deep within Ashenvale forest. Daeloth happily agrees, and Sraath infuses his minion with a newfound strength.
  
  Daeloth arrives at the Site of Lessons and finds only Taldarion Duskmantle there, meditating. The young student is defiant in the face of the greater foe as Daeloth attacks. Taldarion is brought to the brink of death, and Daeloth pins him to the stone wall where the pit lord's axe once hung as a sign to the Greyseer.
  
  Taldarion is rescued and nursed back to health as Fethas vows to kill the pit lord in any way she can.
  
  
  
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• | | Sraath Defeated. Daeloth Bound
  Weeks later the preparations are completed. Taldarion has recovered from his injuries and goes into meditation to reflect on his defeat and how to learn from it. Tharion assists Fethas in designing a trap for Daeloth. Tharion chooses to confront Sraath directly, and Fethas chooses to lure Daeloth into the trap herself.
  
  Sraath proves to be more powerful than Tharion expected, and the battle is harsh and bloody. Sraath's ancient weapon, Starsunder, shatters Felborne easily. Tharion, beaten, is only able to recover a small fragment of the blade before falling unconscious. Luckily, Taldarion sensed the danger and appears to pull Tharion away from the rampaging demon before the deathblow is dealt. Sraath, in his anger, draws all his power back unto himself and retreats to his old lair somewhere in southern kalimdor.
  
  Meanwhile, Fethas battles Daeloth at the foot of mount Hyjal, in the forests of Darkshore. The pit lord is exceedingly strong for her as well, but she is able to lure him into the trap created by her and Tharion. As Daeloth steps into the binding circle, Sraath draws all his power back unto himself, leaving the pit lord a relatively weakened husk unexpectedly. Fethas deals the killing blow to the weakened demon and binds his soul to her own. She collapses amidst the circle, unable to fully contain the raging soul of the demon.
  
  The recovery is long for all involved. Tharion spends months after healing seeking out the remaining shards of Felborne, but finds few. Fethas, meanwhile, does her best to quell the rampaging pit lord now bound into her spirit.
  
  
  
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• | | Birth of the Shatterhoof Tribe
  As Sraath retreats to his ancient lair in southern kalimdor, he encounters an isolated tribe of tauren known as the Sunderhoof tribe. Taking a disguise similar to the tauren, Sraath approaches the tribe and begins to exert his will over the chieftain, eventually leading the entire tribe into a ritual that binds them to the doom lord.
  
  Renaming themselves the "Shatterhoof" tribe, these "fel tauren" are fully loyal to Sraath, and they act as his eyes and ears in other parts of the world.
  
  
  
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• | | ~26 Post First War: The Burning Crusade
  Draenei refugees, lead by the Prophet Velen, crash on the world of Azeroth in the satellite structure of the Tempest Keep known as The Exodar. Draenei make Azeroth their new home. The Dark Portal is re-opened and the Burning Legion attempts another invasion, this time from the shattered world of Outland. Brave adventurers from all races cross over onto the remains of Draenor to stop the Legion's deadly Burning Crusade.
  
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• | | Fethas's Duality. Birth of Shatterbound.
  Still struggling to contain the demonic spirit within her soul, Fethas begins to show signs of a split personality. She was successful in keeping Daeloth's influence out of her everyday persona, but discovered rather quickly that the demon's influence exerted itself over her when she angered. Tharion, recognizing this, inscribed runic tattoos upon her body in an attempt to separate the demon's influence from Fethas herself.
  
  Taldarion, meanwhile, completes his meditations regarding his defeat at the hands of Daeloth and learns finally that he needs to accept the multiple bindings that lurk within him. Because of this revelation, Tharion gives Taldarion the new name of Shatterbound, to reflect his understanding that he must unify the demons churning within him before he can regain his footing as a demon hunter.
  
  
  
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• | | Gamahn Ashvine. Jadilith Ravenmoon.
  It is shortly after Daeloth's binding that Fethas's older brother, Jadilith Ravenmoon, appears once more after being lost since the Third War. He claims to be working for a "Druid of the Flame" known as Gamahn Ashvine. Gamahn himself speaks as if he knows both Fethas and Jadilith quite well, and the unnerving truth about his involvement in Fethas's past is revealed.
  
  Gamahn tells Fethas that she is the result of an experiment, the child of two kaldorei parents with whom Gamahn worked to develop a warrior against the Burning Legion. Gamahn reveals that he experimented with Eraelan Netherbane sporadically, trying to find a way to alleviate the aversion to fel magics that most night elves had. Fethas and Jadilith were one of the many results of this research.
  
  The revelation pushed Fethas over the edge, and she willfully gave in to Daeloth's rage as she killed Gamahn. Jadilith fled into the wilds once more.
  
  It was not long after that Eraelor appeared and told Fethas that Gamahn Ashvine was dubbed "dangerous" by The Ashen, and they had been working against him and his efforts. Fethas's actions were considered a little too direct for their tastes, but they did not punish her. Afterall, Gamahn's death was one less person they needed to keep watch over.
  
  
  
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• | | Eraelan Netherbane's Immortality
  Unknown to either Fethas or Tharion at the time, Eraelan Netherbane's spirit persisted even after being consumed by Daeloth. What Eraelan did not fully reveal to anyone was how much 'soulcrafting' he learned from Sraath prior to Netherbane's betrayal. Because of this, Eraelan's soul remained intact even after Daeloth was bound to Fethas.
  
  Sraath, still lurking somewhere in southern kalimdor, discovered this as well after one of his Shatterhoof minions did battle with Fethas. The information was communicated to the doom lord, who began to orchestrate a plan to remove Eraelan's soul and destroy it once and for all.
  
  An emissary is sent north, disguised as Tharion, to meet Fethas in an attempt to lure her into a trap. It succeeds, as Fethas is captured by Sraath's minions and a ritual is performed in an attempt to remove Eraelan's spirit from her. The ritual leaves her scarred and battered, but the extraction is successful as Eraelan's spirit is trapped within a specially crafted crystal. Tharion finds Fethas and proceeds to eliminate the demons still remaining.
  
  Jadilith Ravenmoon, having wandered since leaving the employ of the mad druid, Gamahn Ashvine, is captured by Sraath's minions by chance. Hearing about the recent capture and ritual of his sister, Jadilith steals the crystal and escapes, seeking out Fethas after he does so. She and Tharion bring Jadilith to safety from Sraath's minions, and Fethas is charged with keeping the crystal with Eraelan's soul safe.
  
  
  
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• | | Eraelan's Resurrection
  Tharion discusses options for disposal of the crystal with his allies, and a human named Calithos suggests locking it away in The Vault, a place of null magic where terrible beings of great power. Fethas meets a man who claims to have access to the Vault, and she gives him the crystal in an attempt to rid the world of Eraelan Netherbane.
  
  Unfortunately, the man's intentions were deceptive, and he takes the crystal for his own purposes. It is believed that Eraelan strikes a deal with this man, and is provided with a fresh body in which to inhabit. Thus, Eraelan Netherbane is reborn into the world fully once again.
  
  
  
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