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For the ship, see The Sunstrider.
Shrine of Dath'Remar

The shrine to Dath'Remar Sunstrider, memorializing the founding of the Sunstrider dynasty

House of Sunstrider[1] (or the House Sunstrider[2] and the Sunstrider dynasty)[3][4] was the traditional royal family of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Five members of the dynasty came into power in Quel'Thalas: Dath'Remar Sunstrider, two unnamed monarchs, Anasterian Sunstrider, and Kael'thas Sunstrider, respectively.[5] The Sunstriders reigned in Quel'Thalas for almost 7,000 years,[6] aided by a group of the seven highest lords in the kingdom, known as the Convocation of Silvermoon; although the Convocation became the official ruling body, the Sunstriders maintained a modicum of political power as the royal House.[7]

Family tree[]

 
 
 
 
 
 
Dath'Remar †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two generations †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lyandra †
 
 
Anasterian †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nallorath ?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kael'thas †
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

History[]

Sunstrider is a Darnassian term that means "he who walks the day".[7][8] Such a name was an oddity among the nocturne, moon-worshipping kaldorei, and it was chosen by the family's progenitors to symbolize their penchant for delving into the unknown, for breaking expectations and throwing caution to the wind in their search for greatness.[9] The Sunstriders served the throne of the Kaldorei Empire as Highborne for twenty generations up until the War of the Ancients,[10] where current head Dath'Remar instead chose to rebuke the Burning Legion, as such carrying on his family's tradition of boldness with pride.[9]

Anasterian Hearthstone

Anasterian, High King of Quel'Thalas, wielding the Sunstrider family blade Felo'melorn.

Dath'Remar was born a member of the wealthy and powerful Highborne. He was a wise elf, but was obsessed with the Highborne's magical way of life, and resented the restrictions placed upon his kind by the night elf government following the War of the Ancients. He and the Highborne were eventually banished from Kalimdor by Malfurion Stormrage for their refusal to forsake magic. Dath'Remar led his people across the newly-formed Great Sea to the land that would one day be Lordaeron, founding the new Kingdom of Quel'Thalas to the north, where he established his royal bloodline and renamed his people the high elves. He created the Sunwell using a stolen vial of the Well of Eternity and erected the elven capital of Silvermoon. Dath'Remar's weapon was called Felo'melorn, an ancient rune-inscribed sword which would also be wielded by both of his known descendants. During his reign, the armor Lu'minellia was also crafted.[11] Dath'Remar stepped down as leader after establishing his empire. He believed, and proclaimed, that Quel'Thalas would come to dwarf the night elves' civilization and stand as a monument for the ages. The Sunwell was named in Dath'Remar's honor, in recognition of the Highborne leader's bold quest to reignite their culture.[12]

Anasterian Sunstrider, the great-grandson of Dath'Remar,[11] ruled Quel'Thalas for roughly 2,800 years. This period encompassed the bloody Troll Wars, in which Anasterian dealt the elves' hated Amani neighbors a heavy blow; and Anasterian also ruled during the Second and Third Wars, facing the Old Horde and the Scourge. Although uninterested in the humans' war, he joined the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War when his own kingdom was threatened but withdrew from the Alliance following the war's conclusion. Anasterian was killed during the invasion of Quel'Thalas by the Scourge in the Third War, along with the Convocation and a staggering 90% of his people. He was slain in a heated duel with Arthas Menethil, the man who would become the Lich King. Anasterian's son and successor decreed that Anasterian would always be remembered as the last king of the high elves.[11]

Kael'thas statue

A monument to Prince Kael'thas Susntrider, last of the Sunstriders.

Kael'thas Sunstrider, Anasterian's only son, took up the mantle of leadership in his father's place after the crushing Third War. Although he felt lost without his beloved father, Kael resolved to do all he could for his shattered kingdom and its beleaguered people and promised to make his father's memory proud. As the last of the Sunstriders, Kael carried a heavy burden and took on sole leadership of the Sunstriders' remaining subjects without the destroyed Convocation of Silvermoon, which he never restored. Kael'thas renamed the high elves the "blood elves" in honor of their fallen king and brethren and named Lor'themar Theron his steward while he left Quel'Thalas for Lordaeron and then Outland, seeking to bring his people deliverance and claim vengeance for the destruction of their kingdom. Kael'thas was hailed as a true champion of the blood elf people, and a proud defender of their race's ancient lineage.

Downfall[]

The last of the Sunstriders faced many challenges after leaving his homeland, coming to reside in Tempest Keep, a spacial fortress in Netherstorm. Damningly, the prince fell prey to Kil'jaeden the Deceiver's influences while sojourning on Outland, covertly shifting his allegiance from Illidan Stormrage's forces to the Burning Legion, in return for the promise of his people's salvation.[13] After the fall of Tempest Keep, he returned to the Isle of Quel'Danas, the seat of the Sunwell, to further the plans he had struck with Kil'jaeden.

In the Legion's shadow, Kael'thas's decisions made him many enemies, but the most furious opposition ironically came from his own people.[13] His own kingdom eventually branded him a traitor after the prince returned in order to summon forth his master, and the people of Quel'Thalas were shaken by his actions.

Kael'thas was eventually killed and buried on Quel'Danas, the same place as his father.

Legacy[]

Felo'melorn

Felo'melorn as an Artifact.

Kael'thas' death brought an unhappy end to the Sunstrider dynasty, casting a bitter pall over the blood elves left behind.[4] His statues remain standing in Silvermoon City, which has inspired mockery from both the Alliance and Horde.[14]

Kael was succeeded by his regent, Lor'themar Theron, who has continued to style himself as the "regent lord" in the wake of House Sunstrider's downfall. This is in part due to Kael'thas officially decreeing that King Anasterian would be the last king of Quel'Thalas,[15] but also because Lor'themar does not wish to start his own dynasty.[16]

Dath'Remar continues to be honored in Quel'Thalas, and aspiring blood elf adventurers are encouraged to pay their respects to the founder of their kingdom - all who prosper in Quel'Thalas do so thanks to him.[17] Anasterian is remembered as one of the blood elves' greatest heroes, and they are known to charge into battle with his name upon their lips.[18] The Monument to the Fallen, erected during the Battle for Quel'Danas, quickly took on additional significance for the sin'dorei, as it was on Quel'Danas that Anasterian made his heroic last stand against Arthas.[19]

The Sunstriders' family blade, Felo'melorn, was eventually recovered by a fire-favoring mage of distinction.

Known members[]

Name Spouse Notes Status
IconSmall Dath'Remar High King Dath'Remar Unknown Leader of the highborne during the War of the Ancients. Deceased
IconSmall Anasterian King Anasterian Unknown The last high king of Quel'Thalas, reigning for nearly three millennia. Deceased
IconSmall Kael'thas Prince Kael'thas N/A Prince of Quel'Thalas and the last of the Sunstrider line, Lord of the Blood Elves, and Sun King Deceased

Others[]

  • IconSmall HighElf Male Prince Nallorath — A royal who held the title of prince roughly 2,600 years before the First War, although he is never specifically called a Sunstrider. Where he fits into the dynasty is unclear, as Kael'thas was stated to be not only the last of the Sunstriders,[20] but also Anasterian's only son.[11] Looking at the timeline, had Nallorath survived to see the First War, he would have been almost of an age with the elderly Anasterian.
  • IconSmall BloodElfDeathKnight Female Lyandra Sunstrider — She is a distant relative of Anasterian and has no right on the throne of Silvermoon. She led a search for the lost blade, Inv sword 1h artifactfelomelorn d 01 [Felo'melorn], but fell in Icecrown. She is reborn as a servant of the Lich King until the new leader of Tirisgarde reclaims the sword and kills her.[21]

In the RPG[]

Icon-RPG This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

The Sunstriders ruled Quel'Thalas from the Sunstrider Palace.[22]

Notes and trivia[]

See also[]

References[]

 
  1. ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 147
  2. ^ a b Lady Liadrin says: I see it clearly now. I renounce my loyalties to House Sunstrider and its false prince.
  3. ^ World of Warcraft: Game Manual
  4. ^ a b Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 146
  5. ^ Blood of the Highborne, confirming Anasterian was the great-grandson of Dath'Remar
  6. ^ World of Warcraft: Official Blood Elf Race Page ... For nearly 7,000 years, high elven society...
  7. ^ a b The Founding of Quel'Thalas
  8. ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Darnassian
  9. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 118
  10. ^ The Sundering, chapter 10
  11. ^ a b c d e Blood of the Highborne
  12. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 121
  13. ^ a b The Burning Crusade Townhall/The Isle of Quel'Danas
  14. ^ Tae'thelan Bloodwatcher gossip text
  15. ^ In the Shadow of the Sun
  16. ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 144 - 145
  17. ^ H IconSmall BloodElf MaleIconSmall BloodElf Female [1-10] The Shrine of Dath'Remar
  18. ^ Blood elf (playable) - Quotes
  19. ^ H IconSmall BloodElf MaleIconSmall BloodElf Female [50-70] A People Shattered
  20. ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Blood Elves
  21. ^ N Mage [10-45] The Frozen Flame
  22. ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 114
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