Cerellean Whiteclaw

Cerellean Whiteclaw is among a handful of Auberdine survivors you are tasked with rescuing for the quest. Unfortunately out of himself and three others the player retrieves, he is the only one to not succumb to his injuries. After he recovers, he wants Anaya Dawnrunner's spirit freed, and gives adventurers the quest.

Volcor, who was also rescued with Cerellean, dies and leaves behind his bear companion Grimclaw. At first, Grimclaw takes to following Cerellean around, but later decided to associate himself permanently as his companion. Cerellean finds that the bear's presence is more comforting than he would have first thought.

Background


Before the Cataclysm, Cerellean Whiteclaw was located on the Auberdine docks, just outside the inn, in the night elven zone of Darkshore.

Prior to the War of the Ancients, 10,000 years ago, Cerellean Whiteclaw maintained a personal relationship with another night elf, Anaya Dawnrunner. However, during the war, Anaya's home city of Ameth'Aran was left in ruins. Amongst the dead was Anaya.

With much sorrow, Cerellean followed Malfurion Stormrage into hibernation, but his dreams were haunted by Anaya's spirit. When he awoke he wandered Auberdine in a daze. Cerellean found himself on the old site of Ameth'Aran, where he witnessed the spirit of Anaya haunting the ruins.

Cerellean sought to have Anaya's spirit destroyed, but he found himself too emotionally attached to her to do it himself. Once Anaya's spirit was freed, her ghost visited Cerellean briefly, to reiterate her love for him, to quell his doubts, and to express her confidence that they would be truly reunited in their afterlife.

During his brief interaction with the ghost of Anaya Dawnrunner, Cerellean Whiteclaw claimed that fate would have to be cruel to keep their meeting short after "a thousand years apart". However, due to the chronological difference between the War of the Ancients and World of Warcraft, this would have been more like ten thousand years apart.