Greatfather Winter is a spirit from Ardenweald

Lore Story Forum
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I know no one gives much thought to holiday lore in this game, but hear me out here. Check out these passages:

https://wow.gamepedia.com/The_Feast_of_Winter_Veil

The dwarves and tauren especially look to the legend of the coming Winter Veil - the blanketing of the land in snow, thus heralding a time of renewal - as a time for celebration.

In his wake was the blanketing of the land in snow, and thus it is said that Greatfater Winter would cast his wintry veil over the land. Though parts of Azeroth may lie in snow, it gives the land time for rebirth and renewal.

Greatfather Winter’s legend is that he spreads winter across Azeroth, and under the ice and snow the land renews and rebirths. You know what else is associated with both rebirth and snow? Ardenweald. And it’s not just that they’re led by the Winter Queen, the whole zone is supposed to be autumn/winter:

If the Emerald Dream represents spring and summer, Ardenweald represents autumn and winter in the cycle.

And Greatfather Winter isn’t just a myth, he’s a real being. You remember those Warcraft Legends anthology comics released back during Wrath? One of them was a Winter Veil story that ended with Greatfather Winter actually observing people all over the world celebrating. This is what he looked like:
https://i.imgur.com/26zKfvo.jpg

so tl;dr, my headcanon/theory is that Greatfather Winter comes from Ardenweald due to their shared connection of both winter and rebirth.

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Interesting. If he is some sort of creature of Ardenweald… like some spirit or Wild God or Loa… I wonder why he is more tied to Dwarves and Tauren than Trolls or Night Elves. I guess the Tauren were friendly with Cenarius, and they are also cool with the Wild Gods.

Dwarves though…

I know this is not some serious plotpoint, and I imagine Greathfather Winter was introduced before Ardenweald was even conceived. Still. I wonder where the Dwarven connection to Ardenweald could be. Perhaps they just believe in him because he has a tangible effect of producing snow?

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The little book you get during the holiday quests say other races have legends about him too, not just the dwarves and tauren, for whatever that’s worth.

The dwarven inclination toward him in particular might possibly be them associating him with whatever legends of Hodir their Earthen ancestors passed down, or maybe as simple as them living in a snowy climate.

Either way, of course Ardenweald wasn’t even the beginning of a thought when the Winter Veil lore was written and none of this is canon. I like the idea though.

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I support this headcanon.

https://xkcd.com/1401/
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Based. I believe it.

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