Plane

Planes, also known asdimensions,^[1]realms of existence^[2] or simplyrealms, are cosmic regions within theWarcraft universe, created by theFirst Ones.^[3] Besides reality and its physical realm, six cosmic forces form the universe. All these forces push and pull against one another in an unending tug of war, constantly vying for power over each other. If one fell, all worlds would fall into chaos.^[4][5] Existence within these planes is not a simple thing: it consists of layers upon layers of realities that can be traversed throughmagical means.^[6]

Themultiverse is a term used to refer toall the possible universes inWorld of Warcraft.^[7][8]

Great Dark Beyond[]

Main article:Great Dark Beyond

The Great Dark Beyond represents the mortal and the physical universe. It is an infinite living realm composed of innumerablestars,worlds,moons, andmortal civilizations.Azeroth is found in it, and it is merely one of the countless worlds drifting through vast reaches of the Great Dark.^[2][9]

The physical world is referred to as the material world or corporeal realm^[10] and is in contrast with the realm of spirits.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Twisting Nether[]

Main article:Twisting Nether

The Twisting Nether is the astral plane between worlds that lies in parallel with the Great Dark Beyond. The forces ofLight andVoid bleed together at its boundaries, engulfing the Twisting Nether in perpetual strife. Sometimes, the volatile energies that pervade the Nether intrude upon the physical universe, warping reality beyond measure.^[2]

Emerald Dream[]

Main article:Emerald Dream

TheEmerald Dream is an ethereal realm ofspirits and untamed nature that exists alongside Azeroth. Thetitanickeepers forged it to act as a map for the evolutionary path of Azeroth's flora and fauna. As life ebbs and flows across the physical world, the spiritual energies that stature the Dream keep pace with it.^[2]

Shadowlands[]

Main article:Shadowlands

The Shadowlands are nightmarish realms of decay, labyrinthine spiritual planes teeming with thesouls of the dead who have passed from the world of the living. They have existed ever sincemortal life arose in the physical universe.^[2] Its main realms areArdenweald,Bastion,Maldraxxus,Revendreth, and theMaw.

TheVeil is the border between the Shadowlands and the living world, and theIn-Between separates and surrounds the realms of the Shadowlands. TheRift is an alternate phase of the existence of the Maw.

Light and Void[]

Main articles:Light,Void

PureLight andShadow dwell in a realm outside the borders of reality, but shades of their presence are found in the physical universe as well as engulf the Twisting Nether in perpetual chaos. Light and Shadow are the most fundamental cosmic forces in existence predating the physical universe. Although contradictory in nature, they are bound together on a cosmic scale as one cannot exist without the other.^[15] TheVoid realm is visited inalternate Draenor and onArgus.

Pocket dimensions[]

Pocket dimensions^[16][17] (ordimensional pockets)^[18] seem to be little parts of a dimension secluded bymagic.

Elemental Plane[]

Main article:Elemental Plane

The Elemental Plane is the home of allelementals that were removed fromAzeroth when thetitan-forgedRa andHelya created four interlinked domains within a pocket dimension, imprisoning them millennia ago.^[19]

Wyrmrest sanctums[]

Main article:Chamber of Aspects

Each sanctum is a refuge out of time and space that are magical dimensions unto themselves. The sanctums' appearances are reflective of eachdragonflight.^[20]

Halls of Valor and Helheim[]

Main articles:Halls of Valor,Helheim

Helya called upon the same powers she had used to secure the Elemental Plane and sealed offOdyn's fortress—the Halls of Valor—with an impregnable, magical barrier. She then proceeded to create Helheim as an enchanted refuge for herself and the otherVal'kyr far below the Halls.^[21]

De Other Side[]

Main article:Other Side

De Other Side isBwonsamdi's pocket dimension in theShadowlands.

Other pocket dimensions[]

• A pocket universe was used byKrasus during theWar of the Ancients in order to ensure the future of theblue dragonflight. The mage tore an opening in reality and put a few viable dragon eggs into this "pocket universe". He then sealed the opening until a later time when he could surrender the eggs to someone trustworthy. It is noted thattime is significantly slower in the dimension.^[22]
• TheBattle for Mount Hyjal timeway in theCaverns of Time is described as happening in a "time pocket" separated from the world and history.^[23]
• Phantasm Zone is a prison dimension in the Twisting Nether in whichMagnus Manastorm is imprisoned.
• A spiritual realm^[24] is shown to existinside Frostmourne and as well asin the Blades of the Fallen Prince.
• The mages ofDalaran wove a type of pocket dimension aroundAmbermill, hiding it from the Forsaken. A Hordeadventurer eventually shattered the pocket dimension, bringing Ambermill back to reality.^[25][26][27]
• A pocket universe was created byChromie, abronze dragon in the guise of agnome, within a room in theinn ofRuins of Andorhal.
• Malfurion Stormrage banished theworgen to a pocket dimension of the Emerald Dream whereDaral'nir is located. From thereArugal summoned them.^[28]
• Thechrysalun chambers are draconic artifacts that have a pocket universe within themselves.^[29]
• Void Storage is accomplished by housing items in a pocket dimension.^[30]
• Mardum, the Shattered Abyss was formerly an impregnable pocket dimension within theTwisting Nether called "Mardum, the Plane of Banishment". It was a prison-world created by thetitanSargeras where he imprisoned all thedemons he defeated.^[31][32]
• Akazamzarak's Hat is a pocket dimension within the top hat of the goblin mageAkazamzarak.
• Prison of Ink is a location inside theBloodshed Compendium book thatinscription adventurers are sent to with the guidance of master blood scribeKronah.
•  [Portable Pocket Dimension] and [Warped Pocket Dimension]

Other realms[]

These realms exist but there is not much known about them:

• Quetz'lun's underworld is separate from the material world, created by the loa at the time of her death as a home for her and the cursed worshipers that killed her.^[33][34]
• Ny'alotha is an alternate world inhabited by theOld Gods and their minions. It is separated from the physical world by a thin veil.^[35]
• TheTwilight Realm is a plane used by members of theTwilight dragonflight.
• TheRealm of Y'Shaarj is a twisted version of Azeroth visited when fighting the tyrannicalWarchiefGarrosh Hellscream.
• AShadow Realm is visited by thearakkoa inalternate Draenor. It is related to theVoid.
• Thros, the realm of theDrust, is on the precipice of a lot of confluences and has a connection to theShadowlands as well as to theNightmare.^[36]
• Za'qul casts spells that move adventurers into a "Fear realm" or a "Delirium realm". These two realms are referred to as "insanity realms".^[37]

In the RPG[]

This section contains information from theWarcraft RPG which is considerednon-canon.

Main article:Plane (RPG)

Notes[]

• There have been references to the "Heavens" and "Hell". These are likelyflavor lore.
  • Heavens: It is said that archangels or guardians took up swords of light to defend the heavens.^[38][39]
    • It has also been said that theLight "burns eternal in Heaven" on a website for an official Blizzard paladin themed T-Shirt.^[40]
  • Hell:Warcraft I makes reference to Hell and Hades.^[41][42]
    • AsUther the Lightbringer died he toldArthas Menethil that "I dearly hope that there's a special place in hell waiting for you, Arthas."^[43] andSylvanas Windrunner when almost killing Arthas Menethil with a poison arrow told him to "Give my regards to hell".^[44]
    • The red dragonCaelestrasz wished to seeC'Thun "banished back to the hell from whence it came".
    • InA Found Memento: Raising a King,Genn Greymane call the Broken Shore where Varian Wrynn died "the very gates of Hell".
    • Hell could be referring to: theShadowlands as that's where souls of the dead travel to,Helheim where some of the spirits of the dishonorable spend eternity, theTwisting Nether as Warcraft I saysdaemons are hellspawn, theFirelands in theElemental Plane as there are creatures calledhell hounds from there and there is a quest called [35] Through the Gates of Hell with the goal of entering the Firelands.
• Murmur came from a dimension of the cosmos unfathomable to mortal minds.
• TheReliquary owns a "Grand Vault", the location of which is a closely-guarded secret. Some believe it is not even on this plane of existence.^[45]
• WhenGarrosh Hellscream hadTheramore Isle destroyed with amana bomb, itsarcane power caused anomalies of realities and dimensions ripped asunder. One could even glimpse other worlds.^[46]
• Thevoid revenants are a race of parasiticvoid-beings that tear holes through the planes of reality, consuming and absorbing the energies and beings within.^[47]
• Warp Shades partially tear an enemy into another dimension.
• Aluneth is a strange, fickle and powerful entity of purearcane energy hailing from another realm of existence that was brought to the Nexus when blue dragons at some point while manipulating the fabric of reality tapped into this other realm and made contact with the strange arcane entity.^[48]
• Frostshard Infernals come from an unknown plane.
• Consumers of souls inBrawler's Guilds are seen in an alternate dimension^[49] by wearing special goggles.

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.

• TheWizard's Sanctum Stormwind Portal Room could be its own pocket dimension, as it's entered from a portal atop the Wizard's Sanctum tower.
• Caverns of Time could be its own plane.
• TheEye of Eternity is the personal domain ofMalygos and as such may be its own plane.
• The Mind's Eye entered by portals open in the fight withYogg-Saron could be its own plane.
• There are five portals within theChamber of Aspects beneathWyrmrest Temple two of which are open and lead to theRuby Sanctum andObsidian Sanctum. They may be their own planes or unknown locations in the world.
• Bastion of Twilight entered through a portal above theTwilight Citadel could be in a separate plane.
• Dread Expanse is a location where theSha of Fear retreats to, it could be its own plane.
• TheNexus Vault is accessed by way of portal and has a specific otherworldly appearance so it may be its own plane. ButKalec says: "TheNexus Vault lies deep beneath the main spire. You will find its entrance in the lowest chamber of the spire's base." But this may only mean its former entrance was there.
• Realm of the Mage Hunter is the domain of the eredar lordBalaadur, however theArchive of the Tirisgarde mentions that Balaadur took Ebonchill when its owner got ripped into the Twisting Nether, so it's uncertain if Balaadur's realm is a place in the Twisting Nether or its own dimension. For comparison the [45] Between Worlds quest hasKruul's Twisting Netherlocation described as his realm.
• A Found Memento: Raising a King has Anduin Wrynn in a surprising vision see his father Varian Wrynn, it's unclear if this is a memory or perhaps a vision of Varian from some sort of afterlife.
• Forge of Aeons a place sacred to theArmy of the Light accessed by aLightforged beacon on theVindicaar may be its own plane.
• Telogrus Rift is described inUmbric's Notes - Dawnstar Spire as "teetering on the brink of the void itself" and that "it existed within a rift in the very fabric of reality", so it's unknown on what plane it's located.
• WhileInfestation of Madness in Nazjatar is alive and you're on the platform with it, the sky transforms to the same one that is in the tunnel inCaverns of Time. This could mean you enter or see a vision of a different plane, perhaps the void realm.
• Visions of N'Zoth could be on a separate plane.
• A version of theChamber of Heart thatWrathion has constructed as a place between places as a way to distance himself from the corruption of theHorrific Visions entered from the Chamber of Heart.^[50]
• Entering the mind of N'Zoth is done in theN'Zoth the Corruptor raid fight which could be its own plane.
• Chamber of the Sigil is entered by a portal in the quest [60] Into the Vault which could make it its own plane. As to [60] The Knowledge Keepers theVault of Secrets was built to store countless secrets and artifacts, so it could be larger than the Chamber of the Sigil or there could specific realms for different vault chambers. The Vault of Secrets could be similar toVoid Storage.

Planes for all the cosmic forces?[]

While the cosmology chart inWorld of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 shows the Emerald Dream as a counterpart to the Shadowlands, the book also asserts that the Emerald Dream is mostly an artificial phenomenon unique to Azeroth, even though the quest chain to get the [Swift Flight Form] hinted at a cosmic scale. The Shadowlands has been asserted to be thecosmic realm of Death, with theVeil being more akin to the Emerald Dream, and as such there could be additional cosmic-scale realms for the other cosmic forces.

There are some hints to that possibility:

•  [Expedition Report A37J - Part 1] written by a brokerAl'firim states that there are six forces and that there are six realms.
• Nathrezim were forged to be the ultimate infiltrators, they bore the influence of Death into the realms of Death's rivals as well as the worlds of the living.^[51]
• AStubborn Animate in theOssein Foundry mentions fighting "Emissaries of the Light, minions of the Void, meddlers from the Gardens of Life... all have fallen before me! Soon the very planes of reality will kneel to my greatness!"^[52] The "Gardens of Life" could be a name for a realm of the cosmic force of Life.
• Steve Danuser in interview statements indicate a possibility of planes for other cosmic forces:
  • Where do naaru go when they die?: “So that same rule that we established in Legion for a being of an influence goes back, if it’s killed in the mortal realm, or some other realm, it goes back to its home realm, it’s home plane if you will. That is true of demons and it’s true of other forces as well. So if Naaru are fighting in the mortal realm, for example, and a Naaru is struck down its essence would go back to the realm of Light and would be reconstituted there“.^[53]
  • "Remember that while the history of Azeroth is one part of our storyline, the universe that Azeroth inhabits is much much much older and places like the Shadowlands, or other realms that are on that cosmology chart, date back to the very beginnings of this universe".^[53]
  • There could be atitan homeworld or homeworlds as players have so far seen titan influence only on Azeroth expressions and onElunaria.^[54]
  • With the Void kind of like Shadowlands we have dipped our toes into pockets that are supposed to be Void or Void adjacent.^[55]

These sentiments indicate that there is anOrder plane separate from theGreat Dark Beyond, and aLife plane separate from the Emerald Dream. Additionally, it seems that the Light and Void as "planes" may not be so straightforward as well.

See also[]

• World-souls
• Alternate universes

References[]

v e Worlds of theWarcraft universe Planets,moons, and other locations Major Argusω Azerothω Blue Child White Lady Draenor † Pale Lady Outland Minor Chill's Reach Dreadscar Rift Elunaria Invasion Points Aurinor Bonich Cen'gar Naigtal Sangua Val Mardum Netherlight Temple Niskara Seat of the Pantheon Shadowgore Citadel Shattered Grove Telogrus † Telogrus Rift Unnamed locations Xandros Lore Centralis Fanlin'Deskor Fyzandi K'aresh Karkora Kerxan Nathreza Navane Nihilam Rancora Shar'gel Tarratus Unnamed worlds Xerrath † Xoroth Cosmicplanes Great Dark Beyond Light Other planes Pocket dimensions The Shadowlands (The Veil) Twisting Nether Void Alternate timelines Draenor Caverns of Time Film universe Azeroth Draenor Other alternate realms Worlds category

v e Majorislands,seas,continents and otherlocations of theworld ofAzeroth Continents Eastern Kingdoms Balor Channel Islands Zul'Dare Kalimdor Seething Shore Northrend Isle of Conquest Strand of the Ancients Pandaria Snowblossom The Great Sea Barren Atol Broken Isles Coral Sea Darkmoon Island Darkspear Islands Dragon Isles The Frozen Sea Kul Tiras Crestfall The Lost Isles The Maelstrom Nazjatar Ominous island South Seas Kezan Plunder Isle Tel'Abim Zandalar Third Fleet shipwrecks Uncharted Island Otherseas andislands The Forbidding Sea Island Expeditions The North Sea Exile's Reach The Lost Glacier Ogrezonia Skelton Isle The Veiled Sea The Wandering Isle Uncharted Isle Miscellaneous Avaloren Khaz Algar Uldaz Planes Elemental Plane Emerald Dream Ny'alotha Pocket dimensions Azeroth category

v e Warcraft cosmos Forces Light Void Life Death Order Disorder Magic Holy Moonlight Shadow Nature Solar Blood Necromantic Domination Arcane Fel Manifestations Naaru Void Lords andOld Gods Wild Gods Eternal Ones andundead Titans andKeepers Burning Legion Planes Light Void Emerald Dream Shadowlands Reality (Great Dark Beyond andTwisting Nether) Elements Earth Air Fire Water Spirit Decay