Ancients are a species of giant, sentient demigod treants in the Warcraft franchise; starting in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos , and continuing throughout World of Warcraft .
They are divided into areas of specialty through which they have dedicated their immortal lives to honing to perfection, rooting their legs into the ground when stationary and uprooting them again to migrate to a new rooting location. They exists even on Draenor or the bottom of the ocean. Known ancient categories:
- Treant - The lowest form, and not really considered an ancient. But is somehow connected to the ancients f.ex. a druid can change from a Treant to a Tree of Life.
- Tree of Life - Saplings of the World Tree Nordrassil. These ancients play a role in the night elves' mysterious immortality which vanes with the decrease in the population of these ancients. Most of which has withdrawn into forests to plant their saplings following the third war's devastation.
- Tree of Ages - A more fully grown tree of life, and followed the same behavior as their predecessors.
- Tree of Eternity - A fully matured tree of ages. Much more powerful but has done as their predecessors have, leaving night elves without their boundless power.
- Ancient of War - Powerful defenders of nature and the night elves, these ancients use their might boughs and roots to crush and stomp enemies to death.
- Ancient of Lore - Wise and astute guardians of wisdom, knowledge and lore.
- Ancient of Wind - Guardians of fauna and shepherds of Hippogryphs. These lumbering half-tree half-creatures have close ties to the druids of the claw.
- Ancient protector - These guardians of nature are much like the ancients of war, but has a singular objective. They spend most their time rooted but when they are called upon in an hour of need; they are the most fleetfooted of the ancients.
- Ancient of Wonders - Custodians of valuables and antiquities, these ancients serve as a bank, a storehouse and a trader for night elves in need.
- Ancient of the Arcane - These ancients are grown from arcane crystals, and may have something to do with the study of the Arcane returning to the night elves.
- Draenor Ancient - These primal ancients have been seen around Draenor and appears to be far less intelligent, attacking any that cuts too much lumber in Draenor.
- Coral Ancient - These coral ancients have been sighted in the sunken city of Nazjatar, though their function is unknown.