Highlights

  • Alleria Windrunner, sister of Sylvanas, is a significant character in World of Warcraft's upcoming expansion, The War Within, due to her affiliation with the Void and her role as patroness of the ren'dorei.
  • Alleria and her husband Turalyon disappeared after the Second War and joined the rebellion against the Legion known as the Army of the Light on the world of Argus.
  • Alleria's mastery of the Void brings both power and potential danger, and she must find a way to control it to save Azeroth from the looming threat of the Void.

Alleria might not be World of Warcraft’s best-known Windrunner, but she’s about to become just as important as her banshee sister, Sylvanas. There are actually three Windrunner sisters, and as the firstborn, Alleria has always had a lot to live up to. WoW’s next expansion, The War Within, leads on from her previous actions and the consequences that seem to have finally caught up.

The high elf Ranger-Captain has become well-known for her affiliation with the Void, and her determination to quell the stigma associated with it. She believes that, although difficult to control, it can be used as a force for good alongside other powers like the Light or the elements. She is also the patroness of World of Warcraft's ren’dorei, a sub-race of elves who, like her, embraced the Void’s potential.

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Alleria Has Long Been One of World of Warcraft's Greatest Heroes

During the Second War, which took place lore-wise long before the events of World of Warcraft, Alleria Windrunner was a legend. She and her husband, the paladin Turalyon, fought valiantly against the Horde armies and turned the tides of battle. Not long after, they ventured deep into the orc homeworld to save Azeroth and countless more worlds from a brewing invasion on the other side.

However, when the Dark Portal was destroyed, they had no way to get back to Azeroth. Stranded in a world torn asunder by powerful magic gone awry, Alleria and Turalyon disappeared. That was the last Azeroth heard of the Ranger-Captain, her enormous statue in Stormwind commemorating a hero whose fate was unknown.

Turalyon and Alleria Disappeared From Warcraft for Many Years

It turned out that Alleria and Turalyon had joined an organized rebellion against the Legion known as the Army of the Light, and they met Azeroth’s heroes on the Legion’s homeworld of Argus. Time works differently in the Twisting Nether, so while it was only decades lore-wise, for Alleria it had been a thousand years of battling the Legion worlds away from home.

Turalyon himself kept stringently to his paladin teachings, his faith in the Light never wavering. Alleria, on the other hand, sought darker powers to battle the Burning Legion. Initially, it was accidental, but soon she began to seek out the Void, noting how potent a weapon it was against demons. Alleria sought guidance from an Ethereal called Locus-Walker, who taught her how to harness the Void without it eroding her sanity.

World of Warcraft's First Void Elf

WoW's eldest Windrunner sister embraced the darkness, an ambition that didn’t make her popular in the Army of the Light. The Naaru known as Xe’ra even imprisoned Alleria, but she remained firm in her conviction. On Argus, she helped players fight against a group of void-empowered Ethereals, a battle that culminated in facing down a void-corrupted Naaru called L’ura.

When the Naaru was slain, Alleria seized her moment and siphoned the potent void energy inside, magnifying her power tenfold. She momentarily shifted into void form, an incredibly strong yet volatile magical state that World of Warcraft’s shadow priests use. She did master this ability, or so she claimed, but the darkness bubbling beneath the surface of her demeanor was clear to all those who knew her.

Alleria Windrunner Could End Up Being Azeroth's Greatest Threat

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Alleria’s bond with Turalyon has remained strong despite the razor’s edge they walk. They can’t touch each other when either uses their respective magic, as the Void and the Light are antithetical and react violently. Despite this hurdle, they are still a staunch team. Alleria’s son, Arator, followed in his father’s footsteps to become a paladin, and the worry that she has caused a permanent schism in her own family is a constant one.

In recent times, as Azeroth's World Soul grows anxious at the looming threat of the Void, Alleria has a vital role to play. She needs to find the means to control the chaos inside her and be an example for the void elves in her charge. Time will tell whether she will save Azeroth or herald its doom, but either way, a new Windrunner is about to make her mark.