Farstriders


 * "We are rangers sworn to defend our people from enemies both near and far."
 * — Lieutenant Dawnrunner

The Farstriders are a blood elven group primarily based around Quel'Thalas, the bulk of its membership of ranger origins. They are led by the Ranger-general of Silvermoon, Halduron Brightwing.

Once a group comprised solely of high elves, many of the Farstriders who survived the Scourge's invasion of Quel'Thalas have become blood elves. Based in Silvermoon City, the organization is considered part of the blood elf government, but its members have never been a formal military. The army that currently defends Quel'Thalas is a separate entity from the Farstriders, whose small numbers would in any case make it impossible for them to wage war. The Farstriders have several lodges scattered across Quel'Thalas.

History and organization
The blood elf Farstriders are an elite group of rangers. Although every member is a ranger, a rare few do take on roguish pursuits. The organization can trace its roots back to the Troll Wars, when a loosely affiliated band of high elf warriors occasionally worked together to defend Quel'Thalas. Roughly five hundred years ago, a group of similarly dedicated fighters formed and officially took on the name "Farstriders". Their mandate was to protect Quel'Thalas far beyond its actual borders and look after high elf interests all over Azeroth. The commander of the Farstriders was given a unique title: Ranger-general of Silvermoon.

Over time the Farstriders' focus has evolved. Once, Farstriders traveled far and wide. These days, most stay within Quel'thalas's borders, maintaining the peace and fighting off the Scourge and Zul'Aman. While the occasional band ventures into the Eastern Plaguelands or Hinterlands, they don't go far from home anymore.

Membership
Farstriders are all blood elves. Furthermore, every one is a ranger of some sort. While the rare Farstrider may focus on roguish pursuits, the faction is entirely combat-related, and even their rogues are deadly with a bow. Or without, for that matter. Joining the Farstriders is no mean task. You must go through an extensive trial period, testing your archery skills as well as your survival and stealth skills. No Farstrider is truly a greenhorn, though. To become a Farstrider, a character must have excellent stealth and survival skills and at least some training as a ranger. A newly inducted ranger receives extensive training in guerilla tactics, as well as lessons in anatomy. Senior members are killing machines. They can put an arrow through a goblin’s heart at 500 paces and not even break a sweat. Most senior Farstriders have killed more beasts than any soldier in the blood elf military. They make Defias assassins look like babies.

Farstrider beliefs and practices
The Farstriders have long been considered valiant and honorable elves who regarded the law with deep respect and faith. Indeed, they have long been considered the epitome of selfless dedication.

Since the Scourge's bloody rampage through Quel'Thalas, the Farstriders have lost some of their optimism. Even so, they are nobly maintaining their role as protectors of blood elf society. Perhaps due to their ties to the land, these rangers tend to be spiritually, mentally, and physically healthier than many other blood elves.

They see their mission as a broad one: to seek out and eradicate evil. Their primary focus is on Quel'Thalas itself, but they also occasionally venture abroad, carrying out surgical strikes where they feel their efforts will have the greatest effect.

The Farstriders strongly disapprove of the actions of the Blood Knights. While many applauded the ascension of Silvermoon's own sect of paladins, it is known that several Farstriders view the Blood Knights with disdain. Friction between the two groups has been seen within Silvermoon City, with each group tending to look down upon the other. Blood elves are known for their grudges. Of all the blood elves, Farstriders carried a deep resentment towards the Horde. They went out of their way to slay trolls, even those of the Horde. They hate the undead as well, they didn't like the fact that the Horde let the Forsaken into their ranks. They have had little experience with tauren, and don't have much quarrel with them but see them as bestial brutes. Despite the fact that blood elves and undead do not get well together, Sylvanas offered assistance to the blood elves despite the feelings of the Farstriders, leading to the blood elves joining the Horde.

Farstrider military tactics
Farstriders use similar tactics to other elven regiments, preferring bows. A good Farstrider is never seen in battle. The blood elf rangers prefer to hide among camouflage and in trees, sniping with their longbows.

Farstriders are independent of Silvermoon’s military forces. Rather, Farstriders are structured more like a mercenary group. While individual Farstriders bear military designations, the bands are independent. Most Farstrider bands include from 3 to 5 members, and answer only to the ranger-general.

Farstriders prefer guerilla tactics to frontal assaults. They always attack from cover, using trees and rocks to cover their traces while sniping at enemies. A Farstrider band splits up just before the attack, surrounding the enemy forces. Once in position, the lead ranger gives a birdcall to ready the others. Then all rangers bombard their enemies with arrows. They hamper fleeing targets with spells such as entangle. When discovered, a ranger retreats to a more strategic location and renews his assault. The Farstriders hunt and exterminate any enemies that escape the spells and arrows. Farstriders are quick, expert and ruthless.

Formation
The Farstriders were initially comprised of little more than a group of high elven warriors, who loosely fought together during the Troll Wars to keep Quel'Thalas safe. Roughly 500 years ago, a group of similarly dedicated fighters formed and officially took on the name "Farstriders." Their mandate was to protect Quel'Thalas far beyond its actual borders and look after high elf interests all over Azeroth. The commander of the Farstriders was given a unique title: Ranger-general of Silvermoon.

Second War
During the Second War, the Farstriders were led by the formidable Ranger General Sylvanas Windrunner. As the forces of the Amani and the Old Horde enroached upon northern Eversong, the Farstriders sortied to push back the invaders. Notable Farstrider commanders such as Sylvanas' second-in-command, Lor'themar Theron, and the talented ranger Halduron Brightwing were part of the conflict, and the Farstriders were instrumental in holding off the Amani until the Amani's subdued red dragon allies began to lay waste to the forests. Quel'Thalas' high king, Anasterian Sunstrider, officially joined the Alliance of Lordaeron at this point.

During this time, Sylvanas inducted an unlikely apprentice into the Farstriders' ranks - the human ranger, Nathanos Marris. Sylvanas took what was considered an almost inordinate amount of pride in her talented disciple, as noted by several of her comrades, though a number of the other Farstriders did not take too kindly to the presence of a human in their ranks. Quel'Thalas' scion Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider himself demanded Sylvanas dismiss him, though Sylvanas persisted in his training. Regardless, Nathanos proved himself a valuable ally, and was the first and last human to achieve the rank of Ranger Lord and be trained with the Farstriders.

Some time after the conflict was over, Anasterian cited poor leadership on the humans' end that led to unnecessary violence in the elven homeland as an excuse to leave the Alliance. Thus, the nation of Quel'Thalas and the Farstriders went back into their isolation from the wider world. The Farstriders saw little action during this time; the odd Amani war-party aside, Quel'Thalas enjoyed a peaceful end to the Second War.

Third War
The Farstriders were the first to learn of the fall of Lordaeron, wrought on by the twisted Prince Arthas and his undead hordes. Farstrider scouts informed Ranger General Sylvanas of the approaching death knight, and Sylvanas led a raid of rangers herself to meet him. Arthas' rampage was met with the Farstriders' strong opposition all throughout his invasion of Quel'Thalas, though slowly but surely he managed to push through the elfgates and pierce the elven homeland's defenses due to treachery in the upper echelons.

The Farstriders launched a large-scale Dragonhawk attack on the invaders, though after some initial success their valiant beasts were largely fought off by the Scourge's stone gargoyles.

Sylvanas herself fell before Silvermoon after single combat with the scion of Lordaeron, and the Farstriders fought a desperate battle for survival without her leadership. Lor'themar Theron and his rangers fought on the Isle of Quel'Danas to reach the Sunwell in time, though what Lor'themar observed was only the annihilated and twisted site of their former fount of power.

With Sylvanas' demise, a void was left, and the Farstriders were left without a leader. They chose Halduron Brightwing as their new leader, as he was both a skilled ranger and a talented leader.

The Ghostlands


Lor'themar and Halduron led the Farstriders in doing battle with the Scourge all over Quel'Thalas, with varying success. They picked up the track of Dar'Khan Drathir himself,and launched an ambush on the great traitor; though were met with a raid of high elven skeletons blocking their path. The Farstriders ultimately joined forces with Kalecgos and his companions, and were victorious in the final battle against Dar'Khan on the Isle of Quel'Danas.

Reclaiming Quel'Thalas
With the immediate threat dealt with, though the Scourge still in strong numbers in Quel'Thalas, the Farstriders continued their battle against the undead. They were relieved by Grand Magister Rommath and his magisters - who quickly went about using the radical new teachings advocated by Illidan Stormrage and Kael'thas to expel the invaders and reclaim much of Quel'Thalas with stunning efficiency. Silvermoon City itself was rebuilt "almost overnight," and the blood elves' fortune was seemingly looking far better.

However, the teachings Rommath brought back to Quel'Thalas caused some friction within the Farstriders - Renthar Hawkspear and his rangers openly opposed them, an act that led the newly-named Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas Lor'themar Theron to banish them south.

Quel'Thalas also looked to finding allies around this time, and the Farstriders were initially of a dubious mind regarding their alliance with the Horde. They also opposed the creation of the Blood Knight order.

Burning Crusade


Today the Farstriders do not usually range far from home. Instead, they fight to reclaim and control the southern section of Quel'Thalas, which has been heavily afflicted by the plague: the southernmost areas have fallen into Scourge possession. The Farstriders are also fighting to hold onto Eversong Woods, which is being threatened by the Amani trolls of Zul'Aman, to the east of Quel'Thalas.

The Farstriders hold the Ghostlands via their numerous holdings throughout Eversong Woods with the unlikely assistance of the Forsaken; primarily concerned with dealing with the Amani trolls still holding out within Quel'Thalas from the Farstrider Retreat. They would also take the fight into the Ghostlands, from their main base in the Farstrider Enclave.

Post Quel'Danas
After the dramatic events surrounding the treacherous Prince Kael'thas and the Burning Legion, the Sunwell has been restored to its people. Around this time, a number of the Sunfury forces returned home to serve their people, and the Farstriders have been less stretched with protecting Quel'Thalas' borders as a result.

Cataclysm
The Farstriders form an unlikely alliance with the Darkspear tribe and Silver Covenant against the new troll empire brewing in Zul'Aman, and a regiment of Farstrider Troll hunters are found on its outskirts. With most of the Farstriders away on duty, Halduron calls upon support from another unlikely source -- Vereesa Windrunner and her own rangers, who eagerly travel to Quel'Thalas to assist their homeland.

Farstrider relations
Though initially icy in relation to their prospective alliance with the Horde, the Farstriders seem capable of putting racial prejudice aside when needed -- gladly working with the Darkspear tride, and Halduron Brightwing himself seems highly respectful to his Horde allies. Their feud with the Blood Knights is well known, though the Farstriders also seem at odds with several of the Magisters. This is perhaps fueled by the various allusions given to Grand Magister Rommath and Halduron Brightwing not seeing eye-to-eye on many matters. With the Sunwell restored and the Blood Knights now taking their power directly from it, the rifts between Silvermoon's military organizations may yet improve.

Ranks
The Farstriders have a ranking system by title, and it appears to possess a fairly straightforward command hierarchy.


 * Ranger-general of Silvermoon - also abbreviated as the "Ranger General of Quel'Thalas" and simply "Ranger General." The leader of the Farstriders and Quel'Thalas' military commander.
 * Known Ranger Generals are Halduron Brightwing and his predeccesor, Sylvanas Windrunner.
 * Ranger Lord - a high ranking title granted to rangers of incredible prowess.
 * Known Ranger Lords are Nathanos Marris and Renthar Hawkspear.
 * Ranger Captain - a position of high authority in the Farstriders.
 * Known Ranger Captains are Ranger Captain Venn'ren, and Ranger Captain Areiel; the latter of which retains her title even as a dark ranger of the Forsaken.
 * Captain - a rank of authority.
 * Lieutenant - a Farstrider lieutenant.
 * Farstrider - a number of rangers bear the title of "Farstrider" itself.
 * Ranger - an entry-level rank.

Uniform and equipment
Unsurprisingly, the Farstriders tend to use mostly blood elven crafted designs for their outfits, and usually wield bows, crossbows, swords or polearms. Unlike the Blood Knights, they do not usually display any particular preference for their colour code, and are typically seen in varying attire. Halduron himself sports a mostly blue outfit.

Relation to dark rangers
The dark rangers of the Forsaken were once high elven Farstriders, who fell during the Scourge invasion of Quel'Thalas. After Sylvanas Windrunner regained her body, she was horrified to see that the natural world no longer respond to her. As such, she began to dabble in necromancy, and combined the expert skills she had gleamed from her days as a Farstrider with the dark power open to her via necromancy. As such, the dark rangers were born.

Visually, the dark rangers do not appear to have forgotten their roots. Their outfits are a darker take on the typical Farstrider uniform, and Sylvanas herself sports the exact same outfit she had worn in life - albeit with a darker and more aggressive twist.

Other Farstriders
Though the term 'Farstrider' refers to the blood elven organization, remnants of the original ranger corps that did not become sin'dorei can be found outside of Quel'Thalas.

High elf rangers
The few high elves who join the Farstriders often succumb to blood elf ways and declare themselves sin’dorei. Thus, all Farstriders are blood elf rangers.

As such, the high elves no longer possess an official Farstrider organization, though a small number of high elven rangers are still seen in residence at their elven lodges. Farstrider Lodge in Loch Modan, an Alliance territory, has since become a dwarven hunting lodge since the conversion from quel'dorei to sin'dorei, and Quel'Lithien Lodge was where the banished rangers under Renthar Hawkspear took up residence, though they were later turned into Wretched.

Night elf Farstriders
Farstriders is also a name given to a small night elf organization based in Ashenvale. They were the only unified night elf presence dwelling in Ashenvale, before the Third War, as a reclusive group of rangers. The Farstriders use the terrain and other inhabitants to train in their specialized skills. They hold a difference of opinion regarding strangers in Ashenvale. Some believe that their duty is to welcome and protect travelers, as long as they show no threat to the forest. Others see any strangers as unwelcome interlopers who must be “escorted” to the southern border. Still, whatever their opinion on Ashenvale, the Farstriders bow to the wishes of the ancients and the sentinels. They lived in the Farstrider Camp. Outraged Farstriders prevented orcs that mined Goldcrease Mine from taking the gold.