The Cosmic Forces are the potent magics and mighty beings that shape the Warcraft universe.
| Name | Magic | Pantheon | Plane | Lesser powers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Holy | Unknown | Unnamed plane | Naaru |
| Void | Shadow | Unknown | Unnamed plane | Old Gods |
| Life | Nature | Pantheon of Life | "Realms of Life" | Wild Gods |
| Death | Necromantic | Pantheon of Death | Shadowlands | Undead |
| Order | Arcane | Pantheon of Order | Unnamed plane | Keepers |
| Disorder | Fel | Unknown | Twisting Nether | Burning Legion |
The First Ones & the brokers' account[]
From the perspective of the brokers in the Shadowlands.
The First Ones are enigmatic godlike beings who shaped the cosmos and the fabric of all realities. They conceived and put in place the six governing cosmic forces of reality, as well as the pantheons that embody them and the realms that they inhabit. According to the broker Al'firim's interpretations of the First Ones' writings, the cosmos began with six forces (or possibly a different number) existing in opposition to each other until they came together (or were brought together) and gave form to a design. Each "architect" gave a portion of themselves, and thus "the pattern was drawn". With a framework in place, all things in the universe came to be, like a fungus growing upon the frame. The six forces were now in balance, and others arose from their intersections—a simple structure growing infinitely more complex.The brokers believe that the First Ones made the endless cycle of Life and Death the central part of their creation.
| Name | Zereth |
|---|---|
| Death | Zereth Mortis |
| Order | Zereth Ordus |
The Elements[]
The elements of fire, air, earth, and water serve as the basic building blocks of all matter in the physical universe. Shamanic cultures have long sought to live in harmony with, or assert dominion over, the elements. To do so, they call upon the primordial forces of Spirit and Decay. Those who seek to bring balance to the elements rely on Spirit (sometimes referred to as the “fifth element” by shaman, or “chi” by monks). This life-giving force interconnects and binds all things in existence as one. Decay is the tool of shaman seeking to subjugate and weaponize the elements themselves.
Elemental duality[]
Many shamanistic cultures have discovered that the elements can influence a variety of emotional states. For this reason, mortals often associate the elements with different feelings, both positive and negative.
| Element | Positive Trait | Negative Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Air | Cunning | Madness |
| Earth | Stability | Stubbornness |
| Fire | Passion | Fury |
| Water | Tranquility | Indecisiveness |
| Decay | Efficiency | Ruthlessness |
| Spirit | Bravery | Naivete |