If anything, it is verifiable by the Warcraft Encyclopedia. Which notes that Tyrande is head of the Sisterhood of Elune, and the Sentinels, who, to this day, report directly to her, and carry out her commands. The implication that the Sisterhood of Elune being “The Highest Echelon of Priestesses the Serve the Goddess” is that such appointments can only be determined by Tyrande herself.
Furthermore, as much as Fandral was in a power struggle, I do not believe Tyrande ever was. Fandral never had any real authority, nor the degree of respect required to challenge Tyrande for leadership. We never actually see him contending with Tyrande in any significant way. He just has some salty voice lines. So I don’t think it is even fair to say there was a power struggle at all. Just one angry, leafy boi.
Let me give you some… friendly… advice. It is I who led us out of the darkness - NOT the Cenarion Circle in Moonglade - when all was lost for our race. Teldrassil gives us all new life! They would have you believe otherwise, and to believe their propaganda would be a fool’s task.
I’ll leave it to you to decide whether or not you’re a fool.
I like Fandral…. But he also didn’t do anything. He grew a big tree that was immediately corrupted, insisted on a power struggle that only he, himself took seriously, then went crazy and set everything on fire when things didn’t go his way.
Fandral was an interesting character for sure, he was also a bit pathetic.
Except there are clear restrictions and barriers of entry solely determined by gender.
I think aesthetically the night elves are meant to be pretty matriarchal - with their main military force having been primarily female and lead by the Sisterhood. It’s just kind of diminished somewhat throughout WoW, with the adding of male npcs to the sentinels and showing more and more druidic influence.
I think the intention is to be a matriarchal. I think the point of contention is based around decisions made for the sake of gameplay rather than the sake of world building.
The SIsterhood of Elune is exclusively female. There can be male Priests, sure… But the higher echelon of the Clergy are only women.
All we know is he clashed with Tyrande on certain matters.
Except said barriers are not there anymore/alot less than in the past. Add to that we have new portion of night elf society like Highbornes joining the fray.
Eh not really, I mean the best demon hunter and druid were males. One of the most legendary commanders the night elves had was Jarod. Purely from most important NPC it is a 50-50 split.
He disagreed with her, but never had the power or influence to actually contend with her on governance.
Yes they are. The Sisterhood of Elune is exclusively female. They is also the Governing body of Night Elf society and there is the cultural belief that women are superior to men in regards to piety.
we have two female leaders that we know of, Tyrande and Azshara. Azshara…I dont know a whole lot about pre-war of the ancients. Has power always been transferred to women before Azshara?
Tyrande, on the other hand, became the leader due to basically being the last one standing. There were 3 people at the end of the War of the Ancients who could have led, Tyrande, Jarod, and Malfurion. Jarod went into retirement soon after the war (which makes sense because he hated being anything more than a minor gaurd), Malfurion went to sleep. That left Tyrande.
“but of course Tyrande would lead after the war, NE are a matriarchal society!”
was it though?
The only two women in a position of power was Azshara and the High Priestess of Elune. Azshara didnt even DO any sort of governance, she sat in her room all day.
The High priestess is the cultural leader of the NE, sure, but the priestess of Elune…didnt do much in the War of the Ancients, nor did they have much influence. They were basically the Gob Squad of the NE.
On the other hand, the military, the nobles, the spellcasters, and scholars were all heavily dominated by males. I mean, most of the war of the ancient NE characters are males. You would figure in a matriarchal society the female characters would be leading the narrative.
It is not, as the Warcraft Encyclopedia makes no mention of them being privy to secrets.
Of not for other conversations going on as well, according to the Warcraft Encyclopedia, it was Tyrande who saw to it that the Sisterhood was reformed after the War of the Ancients:
Yet in spite of all their knowledge and experience, the priestesses had become somewhat aloof from the rest of night elf society.
Tyrande believed that this distance was partly to blame for the cataclysmic war, and she resolved that her order would take up the duty of directing the Sentinels. The high priestess of Elune became both the leader of the Sentinels and the head of night elf government. Never again would the Sisterhood fail to guide the night elf people.
So the Sisterhood’s authority after the Sundering seems to have come from Tyrande rather than their own.