The Arathi in The War Within: A Complete Overview
From Thoradin's Arathor empire to the crystal sun Beledar and the Order of Night, a full look at the Arathi tribe of The War Within.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- The Arathi trace back to Arathor, the first human empire, founded when the warlord Thoradin united the tribes of the Eastern Kingdoms.
- The Hallowfall Arathi are a splinter tribe that left long before Arathor fractured into the Seven Kingdoms, so they are not direct heirs of Stormwind's line.
- Guided by a vision of a falling star, they settled Hallowfall, a cavern in Khaz Algar lit by the crystal sun Beledar.
- Beledar invites comparison to Light's Heart from Legion, the sentience core of the naaru Xe'ra, though the two are distinct relics.
- The tribe is devoted to the Light but split from within by the Void cult known as the Order of Night.
- Anduin Wrynn, named for the last Eastern Kingdoms heir of Thoradin's line, spends part of his War Within arc among them.
Here is the full picture, from the founding of Arathor to the crystal that lights their underground home.
From Arathor to the Arathi: A Short History
Like all humans, the Arathi descend distantly from the vrykul. Their recorded story begins with Thoradin, the warlord who declared himself the first king of humanity and spent years uniting the scattered tribes of the Eastern Kingdoms into the empire of Arathor. That empire forged a lasting alliance with the high elves of Quel'Thalas, who taught a hundred humans to wield arcane magic in exchange for military aid, and together they shattered the Amani trolls in a single devastating campaign.
Arathor did not last forever. Over generations it broke apart into the Seven Kingdoms, and a member of Thoradin's line named Faldir sailed south to found Stormwind. The most famous heir of that bloodline was Anduin Lothar, the Lion of Azeroth, remembered as the last known descendant of Thoradin in the Eastern Kingdoms. That qualifier matters, because a different branch of the Arathi family had already left the continent entirely.
The Splinter Tribe of Hallowfall
According to Wowhead's exclusive BlizzCon 2023 interview with Senior Narrative Designer Anne Stickney and Associate Art Director Tina Wang, the Arathi we meet in The War Within diverged from the original empire long before Arathor split into the Seven Kingdoms. They are a separate, surviving branch, which is why the "last descendant of Thoradin" framing was always tied specifically to the Eastern Kingdoms.
Following a vision of a falling star, this splinter tribe of Arathi arrived in Hallowfall, a vast cavern deep beneath the surface of Khaz Algar. It is illuminated not by the sun but by an immense crystal, the very subject of their vision. The Arathi are unwavering in their devotion to the Light and the Sacred Flame, and their Light-powered airships carry them across the cavern to build and defend new settlements. Ever since their arrival, however, they have been effectively trapped, holding the line against sea-borne threats and against nerubians spilling out of neighboring Azj-Kahet.
If their corner of Khaz Algar sounds like somewhere you would rather see firsthand, you can explore Khaz Algar delve runs across the same underground zones.
Beledar, the Crystal Sun
The crystal at the center of Arathi faith is named Beledar, a shard of Azeroth's worldsoul lodged in the cavern ceiling. It provides light, warmth, and growth like a buried sun, and on a recurring cycle it shifts into a corrupting void state called Beledar's Shadow. Watching the crystal sun fade into darkness for stretches of time is one of the defining experiences of the zone.
It is hard not to compare Beledar to Light's Heart from the Legion expansion. Light's Heart was the sentience core of the naaru prime Xe'ra, and it played a crucial role in the resurrection of Illidan Stormrage. The two relics are genuinely distinct: Light's Heart held a naaru's consciousness, not the soul of any mortal. Even so, both arrived tied to a falling star, both share a crystalline form, and both channel the raw power of the Light. Given how much the naaru understand about that power, it would be no surprise if they hold real insight into what Beledar truly is.
Faith, Division, and Anduin Wrynn
Devotion this total invites schism, and the Arathi are no exception. Their most dangerous internal division is the Order of Night, a Void-worshipping cult working in league with Xal'atath to turn the tribe's sacred light against itself. The result is a people fighting enemies at the gates and traitors in the pews at the same time.
Into that tense setting walks Anduin Wrynn, who carries his own crisis of faith into Hallowfall. Named after Anduin Lothar, Thoradin's last Eastern Kingdoms heir, the young king has struggled to reconnect with the Light ever since the Jailer forced him to commit terrible acts in the Shadowlands. A people whose own sun has been touched by darkness make fitting company for a man questioning whether the Light still wants him. Whether the Arathi can offer Anduin guidance, or whether their shadowed crystal only deepens his doubt, is one of the quieter emotional threads the zone leaves open.
FAQ
Who were the Arathi before The War Within?
They descend from Arathor, the first human empire, founded by Thoradin in the Eastern Kingdoms. The Hallowfall Arathi are a splinter tribe that left the empire generations before it fractured into the Seven Kingdoms, so they developed apart from Stormwind and the other human nations.
Is Hallowfall the same place as "Harrowfall"?
Yes, "Harrowfall" is simply a common misspelling. The canonical zone name is Hallowfall, a subterranean cavern in Khaz Algar lit by the crystal Beledar. There is no separate zone called Harrowfall in World of Warcraft.
What is the crystal sun in Hallowfall?
It is Beledar, a colossal crystal embedded in the cavern ceiling that bathes Hallowfall in light. The Arathi see it as the fulfillment of their founding vision. It periodically darkens into a void state known as Beledar's Shadow.
How is Beledar like Light's Heart from Legion?
Both arrived tied to a falling star, share a crystalline appearance, and channel the Light. The key difference is what they are: Light's Heart was the sentience core of the naaru Xe'ra, while Beledar is a shard of Azeroth's worldsoul. Beledar never contained anyone's soul.
Why is Anduin Wrynn in Hallowfall?
Anduin spends part of his War Within arc among the Arathi while wrestling with his connection to the Light, which he has questioned ever since his time under the Jailer's control in the Shadowlands. The Light-devoted but shadow-touched Arathi make thematically apt company for that struggle.
Are the Arathi human or elf?
Both, in their ancestry. The Arathi people descend from the humans of Arathor and the high elves of Quel'Thalas. Modern Arathi no longer identify as either and simply call themselves Arathi.
What is the Order of Night?
The Order of Night is a Void-worshipping cult inside the Arathi, secretly allied with Xal'atath. It represents the tribe's most serious internal division, working to corrupt the Sacred Flame even as the Arathi defend their home from outside attackers.
Last reviewed 2026-06-24 against Patch 11.0.2 The War Within. Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.