Elemental art

Different types of elementals.

This page lists cards with card art depicting elementals.

For the Elemental minion type, see Elemental. For plant-based beings that are often considered elementals, see Plant art.

Lore[edit | edit source]

This section uses content from the Warcraft Wiki.

Elementals are manifestations of volatile energy - elemental spirits that have attained raw physical form with the spirit remaining as the core.

The exact origin of these innately chaotic entities is unknown, though some have been accidentally created when bits of magic seeped into coals, over the course of a few decades manifesting in a small elemental being of immense fortitude. Other elementals have been created by mogu sorcerers who prefer more solid companions over beastly familiars. Other elementals (albeit fel-corrupted ones) have been born solely from demonic magic. Elemental cores seem to retain some semi-sentient properties after being defeated.

Elementals are an incredibly varied group; Some are bound to distant realms known as the Elemental Planes and are usually servants of the powerful Elemental Lords that rule over each plane. Others are native to the world of Azeroth, bound to the state of their surroundings as representations of the elemental spirits. Still others appear independent from any greater master, acting as individual beings. The elemental forces are ageless and unchanging.

Background

Elementals are chaotic by nature and once raged freely on primordial Azeroth until the Old Gods arrived and enslaved them. As servants of the Old Gods, the elementals were later defeated by titanic forces and banished to a specially crafted prison known as the Elemental Plane. Although most elementals remain in the Elemental Plane, they can be summoned to Azeroth by those who seek to use their power.

Over the millennia, some intelligent creatures of Azeroth have found ways to summon elementals and bind them to their service. Human mages are fond of summoning or creating Water Elementals for their brute force and imposing size. Ragnaros was summoned into the material plane by the Dark Iron dwarves three centuries ago, residing in the Molten Core until he was killed and banished to his home realm. Some shamans have demonstrated the ability to summon and control elementals. The Twilight's Hammer has used magical cages to create and control bound elementals

Of the four lords, only two remained under the control of the Old Gods: Ragnaros of fire and Al'Akir of air. Following the Cataclysm, these two sent their armies to attack Azeroth. Ragnaros laid siege to Mount Hyjal, seeking to destroy Nordrassil, but his armies were driven back by the Guardians of Hyjal, and he himself was killed. Al'akir attacked Uldum, joining with the Neferset tribe to destroy the other Tol'vir, and was also killed. While Therazane of earth and Neptulon of water were no longer in service of the Old Gods, their realms became battlefields following the Cataclysm, as servants of Deathwing invaded Deepholm and the naga invaded the Abyssal Maw. While the Earthen Ring was successful in fighting off the former, Ozumat captured Neptulon, who is now presumably under naga control.