Long before recorded history, Azeroth was dominated by the Black Empire, a vast civilization ruled by the Old Gods and their minions. During this era, the surface of the planet was largely hostile, shaped by elemental chaos and the will of the Old Gods. The earliest known sentient beings on Azeroth — such as the aqir (precursors to qiraji and nerubians), faceless ones, and other aberrant creatures — served this regime.
Following the defeat and imprisonment of the Old Gods by the Titans, Azeroth entered a prolonged age of stabilization. Titan constructs and their descendants (including the mechagnomes, earthen, and vrykul) maintained order. Over millennia, many of these constructs underwent the Curse of Flesh, gradually becoming mortal races such as gnomes, dwarves, and humans. These developments unfolded largely independent of the events surrounding the Well of Eternity, but they set the stage for later mortal civilizations.
At the heart of ancient Kalimdor lay the Well of Eternity, a colossal lake formed from residual Titan energies. It radiated immense arcane power and profoundly altered life around it. Among the most affected were the proto-night elves, who evolved into the Kaldorei (Night Elves), a tall, long-lived race with violet-hued skin and a natural affinity for magic.
The Kaldorei built a sophisticated civilization centered on the Well. Arcane study became the foundation of their culture, governance, and technological advancement. Over time, Kaldorei society stratified, with the Highborne — an elite caste of arcane practitioners — holding significant political and social power. Religious devotion to Elune, a moon deity of uncertain cosmic origin, also played a central role in Night Elf life.
While the Well granted prosperity, it also acted as a beacon in the Twisting Nether. The increasing use of arcane magic drew the attention of Sargeras, the fallen Titan, and his demonic Burning Legion.
The War of the Ancients marked one of the most catastrophic conflicts in Azeroth’s history. Manipulated by Sargeras, Queen Azshara and the Highborne attempted to use the Well of Eternity to summon the Burning Legion into the world. This act triggered a global war involving the Kaldorei resistance, demonic forces, and eventually the dragonflights.
The conflict devastated Kalimdor. Key Night Elf leaders, including Malfurion Stormrage, Illidan Stormrage, and Tyrande Whisperwind, emerged during this period. Ultimately, the resistance succeeded in disrupting the Legion’s invasion. However, the destabilization of the Well of Eternity made its destruction unavoidable.
The collapse of the Well of Eternity resulted in the Great Sundering, a planet-altering cataclysm. The original supercontinent of Kalimdor was torn apart, forming the modern continents of Kalimdor, the Eastern Kingdoms, Northrend, and other landmasses. Massive tsunamis, earthquakes, and magical shockwaves reshaped Azeroth’s geography and climate.
In the aftermath, the Night Elves outlawed the use of arcane magic, blaming it for the Legion’s return and the near-destruction of the world. Druidism, taught by the demigod Cenarius, became the dominant spiritual and cultural path of Kaldorei society. To safeguard their people, the dragonflights blessed the World Tree Nordrassil, granting the Night Elves functional immortality as long as it stood.
Not all Highborne accepted the prohibition of arcane magic. Persistent defiance led to their exile from Night Elf lands. These exiles eventually settled in the northeastern regions of the Eastern Kingdoms, where they founded the kingdom of Quel’Thalas.
There, they created the Sunwell, a new arcane font derived from a vial of the original Well of Eternity. Over generations, exposure to the Sunwell altered them physically and culturally, giving rise to the High Elves (Quel’dorei). Their society retained arcane traditions but adopted different political structures and alliances, particularly with early human kingdoms.
The Great Sundering permanently altered Azeroth’s magical balance, ecology, and geopolitical development. It fragmented civilizations, isolated continents, and ensured that future conflicts would arise in a world shaped by ancient mistakes. The lingering presence of imprisoned Old Gods, the survival of Legion-aligned artifacts, and the persistence of arcane power sources ensured that the consequences of this prehistoric era continued to influence events well into the age of World of Warcraft Classic.