Aviana was formerly a mere raven of the wild. One day Elune summoned the raven to her for a special delivery. The raven sent the message of Elune to Cenarius. Doing her job well for years, Elune asked the raven to serve as messenger to other deities and eternals. Each deity would greet and reward Aviana with special gifts required to complete her tasks. These gifts evolved the raven, and she became an equal to the deities.
Among the abilities she gained was to shapeshift into any form. Aviana grew curious of the Night Elves, and joined the temple of Elune shapeshifted as a Night Elf. When Azshara and her servants delved deeper into the Well of Eternity’s magic, Aviana could sense the corruption of the reckless use of its magics, and fled back to Elune.
During the War of the Ancients, Aviana would serve as tactical spy of Cenarius who sent her to watch over the Demons of the Burning Legion, and as messenger. When humans or Night Elves were in danger, Aviana would take the form of a soldier or friendly shape to help other elves get away from Doomguards and Felhunters that were tracking and chasing them. Her duties were vital to save many lives.
Aviana is known to many races including trolls, elves, tauren, and dwarves. She takes the form of any of those races and poses as one of them to spy from within. She usually watches from above and afar, as her main duties are to be a messenger or to gather info for Cenarius and Elune. Aviana prefers to attack from out of sight high above casting magical spells to neutralize her enemies. When in a female form, she ranges with her bow and in raven form, she will claw and beak her way out before attempting to escape.
Aviana lives in G’hanir, the Mother Tree – the biggest tree of Azeroth atop the biggest peak-- which has the seeds of all tree species of Azeroth. The tree is a realm high in the sky above the clouds, where all the spirits of birds and winged creatures from all climates and zones of Azeroth are gathered after their death. Even the spirits of dragons inhabit G’hanir as the afterlife place. The demigoddess Aviana is the guardian of G’hanir.
G’hanir is apart from the real world, more akin to the Emerald Dream, but separate from both. It is a realm of its own. Aviana’s true form looks humanoid. Pale ivory face, and feathers for hair. Her arms and hands are decorated with feathers, while her legs end in taloned small and delicate feet. Among her magical abilities, Aviana creates spells on feathers. When she gives someone a feather, she grants the individual the ability to fly. Another enchanted feather may make an individual become light of weight.
Aviana is patron of the Druids of the Talons, who venerate her. She grants them the ability to shapeshift into ravens. In this form, Druids of the Talon can gather information and deliver messages. Aviana can hide in the shadows with shadowmeld. No spell or flame-based spell can negate her ability, unless it is a daylight based enchantment. When Aviana is shapeshifted, no one can see her true form unless using a spell of true seeing.
Aviana died during the War of the Ancients, when a large group of demons attacked her. The Doomguard surrounded her and pierced her body with their spears. As the blood spilled from her dying body, the demons that came in contact with it became infested with it's blessed powers and perished alongside her. When Aviana died, her realm tree G'hanir died with her. Alexstrasza still held an acorn from G'hanir. When the War of the Ancients ended, Illidan had created a new Well of Eternity by releasing 3 vials of water from the original well into the lake at Mount Hyjal. Alexstrasza planted the acorn from G'hanir -- the Mother Tree, into the lake of Mount Hyjal, hoping to create a new World Tree, to replace the lost G'hanir. The New Tree was named Nordrassil.