Light

For the Paladin ability, see [Holy Light]. For the Pet Battle ability, see [Light].

"No one feels he deserves it... its grace, pure and simple... but the Light loves us anyway."

—Uther the Lightbringer to Arthas Menethil.

The Light is a force in the Warcraft universe summoned by willpower or faith in the ability to do so. It is also referred as Holy Light, light of Creation and Holy Light of Creation.

Creation of Universe

It is said that in the beginning there was Light and there was Void and in a time long ago, the two collided in the abyss of the Great Dark. As a result, infinite worlds spiraled out into the newly forming cosmos.

Background

Bottled Light.

Description

The Light manifests itself as a golden, shinning light. Is has also appeared as a glowing white, silver light.

Effects

On Living Beings

On Undead and Demons

Influences

Jewelcrafter Zanaz healing a draenei with the Light.

A blood elf priest casting the Light upon his orc ally to do a binding heal.

A human priest casting the Light-based defense known as [Power Word: Shield].

Identity of the Light

While most followers of the Holy Light do not worship any gods, the power apparently does come from some sapient being, or beings, or force, known simply as the "Light" for lack of a better description.^{[citation needed]} One source of the Light (though not the only one) is the race of beings known as the Naaru. During the draenei's exodus from Argus, Velen and his followers were imbued with Light-given knowledge and powers by this (otherwise unknown) race of incorporeal beings.

God, who was revered by the Clerics of Northshire Abbey during the First War^{[citation needed]}, appears to be synonymous with the "Light", and just another way of describing the source of the power, though it is likely connected to one of the Creation Myths. However, "God" has lost its usage since then, as most followers of Holy Light no longer believe in any deities.

Some Knights of the Silver Hand apparently believed that, "...after death, a mage's soul would be condemned to the same pit of darkness shared by the mythical demons of old. This no matter how pure their soul might have been otherwise." Essentially, damnation. Members of the church would sing the hymn Deo Gratias, "Thanks be to God". A leading paladin, Duncan Senturus, believed that tasks and paths were often chosen by a "higher power". He believed that evil things were ungodly and devilish.

The young High General Abbendis seems to believe that the Light is some kind of sapient entity with a will, which it expresses in ways that that are not meant to be understood. She writes that it calls to her in the  [The Path of Redemption] and  [The Diary of High General Abbendis], saying "Come to me...". She believes that it is able to take notice of believers' good deeds, works and prayers. She states that the force of its voice has clarity and sense of purpose. However, the entity that calls her may be something else far more sinister, as she discusses in her diary that it commands her to abandon the Scarlet Crusade to its doom, an act she believes is dishonorable.

Most references to God, and hell, heaven etc. references were not re-used or appear to have been retconned to mean other things, so in lore, the current (Holy) Light is represented as a philosophy rather than a theistic religion (with perhaps the exception of a few individuals). See Belief retcon.

History of worshipping The Light

Lordaeron was the home of the Church of the Light, influencing both Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas with its teachings. The Church birthed the Knights of the Silver Hand; but the Knights and the Holy Light were unable to stop the Scourge, as Lordaeron and the Knights fell underneath the decayed boots of the undead. The Church now has a new central location in Stormwind, but there is little in the form of organized study and worship of the Light on Kalimdor. The Draenei have also, apparently, followed the Light for over twenty-five thousand years, but little is known of how similar or different their practices may be to those of the Azerothian races.

Many remaining paladins who served the Silver Hand and now make their home in Kalimdor are attempting to form a new Church, but the going is slow. As the study of the Holy Light was more of a philosophical pursuit than a faith, the destroyed Church in Lordaeron resembled a library instead of a house of worship. Its texts were destroyed along with the Church, many of them burned, most of them buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. What with the wars, settling a new Alliance stronghold and dealing with frequent skirmishes, the remaining scholars and priests have found little time to work on transcribing old information into new books for initiates. Most young followers of the Holy Light learn by experience at the heel of a more experienced person instead of in libraries surrounded by texts.

Some self-appointed sages are taking up the mantle of rewriting the pontifications on the Holy Light, but there is no regulation or overseer. There are fresh looks at old ideas, as well as old ideas copied word for word by diligent old priests with perfect memories. As one would expect, sometimes these old scholars clash when someone realizes that the texts are beginning to contradict one another. This is the tension within the Church; younger priests feel the Third War gave the Holy Light a chance to renew itself just as the Alliance was renewing itself on Kalimdor, while others demand to keep the old traditions.

Secular citizens care little for the debates, but prefer that their rituals to remain the same. With everything around them changing, faith represents one of the few constants.

In War of the Ancients: The Sundering, when attempting to heal Korialstrasz that are being blasted by the Demon Soul, Alexstrasza uses a healing magic that sounds suspiciously like the Holy Light. It baths the Aspect in golden radiance and touches Malfurion and co. as a gentle warmth and eases their troubled minds. It matches the description and effects of the Holy Light. Their are possibility that the Light is some sort of an element that can be tapped, just like shamans and druids tapped the elements and natural forces.

Soldiers of The Light

• Anchorite
• Paladin
• Priest
• Templar
• Vindicator

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

God and Angels

It is possible that the clerics and some Knights of the Silver Hand found their basis of "God" from one of the creation myths of Azeroth, as well as knowledge of the "angels". Several references (including a reference in World of Warcraft within the in-game book " [Mythology of the Titans]") state that some in Azeroth believe that the universe was created by "a singular, all-powerful entity" (though several other creation myths are given as well).

Opposing Shadow

Though not explicitly stated it is probable that what is called "Shadow" magic by the inhabitants of Azeroth is itself a fundamental force directly opposed to the holy light, if this were true it would go a long way in explaining the fundamental building blocks of the Warcraft world as being based on a sort of dualism, meaning that the universe was created by the fusing of two diametrically opposed impersonal forces.

Trivia

The perspective of the practitioners of the Holy Light is closely linked to agathism in its philosophy, where the end result is good, even with the evil in between. It is also tied to holism, psychometrics (on oneself), humanistic psychology, transcendentalism, and theological overoptimism. The philosophy shows characteristics of real-world philosophies and religions, such as Transcendence, Pantheism, and the Society of Friends (Quakerism).