Wowpedia

We have moved to Warcraft Wiki. Click here for information and the new URL.

READ MORE

Wowpedia
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
Wowpedia
Wowpedia
274,795
pages
English

Changes: Wisp

Back to page | (Difference between pages)
Sign in to edit
 
mNo edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
[[File:Yogg-Saron Dungeon Companion.jpg|thumb|Yogg-Saron, one of the five Old Gods]]
−
[[File:Archimonde'sEnd.JPG|right|The destruction of Archimonde by a multitude of wisps.]]
  
  +
"''In the time before time, when [[Azeroth (world)|the world]] was still in its infancy, a battle between a [[Titan]] and a being of unimaginable evil and power raged on [[Silithus|this very soil]]. The prophecy is unclear about whether or not the Titan was vanquished ... but it illustrates that a Titan fell.''"
  +
:—''[[Geologist Larksbane]]''
   
  +
The '''Old Gods''' (a.k.a. the '''Old Whisperings'''<ref name="Waking">{{quest|Waking Legends}}: ''"Ysera's noble brood has fallen victim to the old whisperings."''</ref>, the '''Elder Gods''', or the '''Old Lords'''<ref>{{quest|The Master's Glaive}}: ''"That cult worships the old, old lords of the earth. Lords defeated long ago."''</ref>) are mysterious, godlike and greatly malefic entities which ruled in tyranny over the infant [[Warcraft universe|Universe]] before they were sequestered within the primordial world of [[Azeroth]] by the [[Titans|Titanic]] [[Pantheon]].
−
'''Wisps''' are [[fey]] nature [[spirit]]s who build [[night elf]] structures and gather resources. Wisps have the power to detonate, causing a backlash of mana, and can become [[Ancients]]. Several thousand of them, known as the [[Ancestral Spirit]]s, gathered at the call of the [[Horn of Cenarius]] to [[Nordrassil]] to destroy [[Archimonde]].
  
   
−
== Description ==
 +
==History==
  +
===Ordering of Azeroth===
−
Wisps are ancient spirits of nature that inhabit the forestlands of Kalimdor. Legends say that Wisps are actually the disembodied spirits of deceased night elves, but these rumors have yet to be proven. The wisps act in unison with the night elves and serve to strengthen the demigod-like trees known as the Ancients. Beckoned by the night elves, Wisps are capable of animating various trees and expanding themselves into rough-hewn structures of living wood and stone.<ref name="Warcraft III — manual 119">''[[Warcraft III]] — manual'', pg. 119</ref>
  
  +
Before the titans came to Azeroth, the malign Old Gods - colossal beings of elemental fury - ruled the world and the savage elementals that dwelt upon it, a bloody chaos of which even the demon Lords of the [[Burning Legion]] could not imagine.<ref name="TS 157">''[[The Sundering]]'', 157</ref><ref>''[[Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', 155</ref>
   
  +
Along the journey of the [[Titan]]s they came upon Azeroth. As the Titans made their way across the primordial landscape, they encountered a number of the hostile elemental beings. These elementals vowed to drive the Titans in the name of their masters back and keep their world inviolate from the invaders' metallic touch. The Pantheon, disturbed by the Old Gods' penchant for evil, waged war upon the elementals and their dark masters. The Old Gods' armies were led by the most powerful elemental lieutenants: [[Ragnaros the Firelord]], [[Therazane the Stonemother]], [[Al'Akir the Windlord]], and [[Neptulon the Tidehunter]]. Their chaotic forces raged across the face of the world and clashed with the colossal Titans. Though the elementals were powerful beyond mortal comprehension, their combined forces could not stop the mighty Titans. One by one, the elemental lords fell, and their forces dispersed.<ref>[[The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth]]</ref> A battle between a titan and the Old God [[C'Thun]] raged in [[Silithus]]. The titan fell and it was thought that C'Thun had also fallen - but he survived unnoticed by the titans.<ref name=prophecy>[[The Prophecy of C'Thun]]</ref>
−
Wisps are mysterious “forest spirits” of unknown origin. Wisps are forest spirits that heal ancients and keep the forest clean and pure. They are dedicated to the well-being of night elf forests. They are connected to the forest on a supernatural level rivaling that of Cenarius’ children; indeed, many believe that wisps often evolve into mighty ancient protectors and other creatures. Wisps play a major role in night elf life by creating and repairing their wooden structures. In addition to healing living wood with their mere touch they can detonate themselves to banish or kill summoned monsters (such as any outsider, elemental, or several kinds of undead). Wisps show little intelligence, free will or self-interest. They appear to exist purely to serve the will of the night elves. Whether this is reality or whether they serve the night elf leadership out of some personal agenda or sense of duty is unclear at this time. A tremendous number of wisps were destroyed at the end of the Third War in Malfurion’s gamble to destroy Archimonde. As a result, they are nowhere near as numerous as before the Third War, but nevertheless they play an integral part in the lives of all night elves. Some human scholars think that wisps are the souls of deceased night elves, but these claims have yet to be proven, and are met with near mockery among the night elves. The glowing ball of light hovers a few feet off the ground. Within the eldritch glow, inside can be seen the translucent features of an elven face.
  
   
  +
The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods' citadels and casted the remaining ones down into eternal imprisonment deep beneath the earth, the place of their confinement hidden from all and their powers bound until the end of time.<ref name="TS 157">''[[The Sundering]]'', 157</ref><ref>''[[Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', 155</ref> [[Yogg-Saron]] was sealed away within the depths of [[Ulduar]] in the far northern reaches of the infant world, and had six watchers assigned to it which served as wardens for its near eternal imprisonment Without the Old Gods' power to keep their raging spirits bound to the physical world, the elementals were banished to an [[Elemental Plane|abyssal plane]], where they would contend with one another for all eternity. With the elementals' departure, nature calmed, and the world settled into a peaceful harmony. The Titans saw that the threat was contained and set to work.<ref>[[The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth]]</ref>
−
[[File:AncestralGuardian.jpg|thumb|An Ancestral Guardian from WCIII.]]
  
   
  +
During that time the [[Curse of Flesh]] has been created by the Old Gods to "facilitate assimilation". The Curse of Flesh affected many [[titan]]ic creations<ref>History on common [[tol'vir]] [[archaeology]] artifacts</ref>, notably the [[dwarf|dwarves]]. The curse changed the structure and appearance of these races from their original stony/metallic forms into the fleshy forms we know of today.<ref name="ToA">[[Tribunal_of_Ages#Quotes|Quotes from Tribunal of Ages]]</ref> The [[titan]]s attempted to remove the curse (and the Old Gods), but found that the Old God infestation had grown too severe to remove without completely destroying Azeroth. Instead they bound the Old Gods within Azeroth.<ref name="ToA"/>
−
Wisps avoid combat and will flee when attacked if they can. Instead, they follow night elf orders, which usually means they act as support troops, healing ancients and repairing night elf structures. They detonate if ordered to do so, or if they cannot flee. If pressed, they slam into mortal foes or detonate themselves to destroy or banish outsiders or undead. A wisp may sacrifice itself to seed an ancient. It takes decades for the ancient to grow to maturity and centuries before it reaches its full potential. Wisps have the ability to safely extract wood from a tree without damaging or harming the plant. This is a slow process, but over the course of a day, a single wisp can produce about 20 pounds of lumber from a large tree. Wisps have the capability to mold wood into nearly any form. A wisp can change the shape of up to a 5-foot cube of wood, shifting the wood’s dimensions at will. This potent ability allows wisps to swiftly create structures for the night elves. A wisp can sacrifice itself. Creatures within 30 feet suffer the simultaneous effects of the spell's banishment, [[dispel]] [[magic]], and mana burn. A wisp may heal an ancient, plant or wooden structure. The wisp must touch the plant or structure, to heal it.<ref name="Alliance Player's Guide 216">''[[Alliance Player's Guide]]'', pg. 216</ref> <ref name="Manual of Monsters 108">''[[Manual of Monsters]]'', pg. 108</ref>
  
   
  +
===Whispers===
−
[[File:Wisp.jpg|thumb]]
  
  +
Since the dawn of life on [[Azeroth]], the imprisoned and sleeping Old Gods have been whispering to the subconsciousness of mortal and [[Eternal|eternal]] beings alike, subverting their thoughts and feelings, and sometimes driving them to great malice, complete insanity, or both.<ref>{{ref web |url= http://worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter1.html#3 |title= The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth |accessdate=2007-12-06}}</ref><ref>{{ref web |url= http://worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter2.html#12 |title= The Founding of Quel'Thalas |accessdate=2007-12-06}}</ref><ref>{{ref book |author= Knaak, Richard A. |authorlink= Richard A. Knaak |title= [[The Sundering]]
  +
|isbn= 978-0-7434-2898-9 }}</ref>
   
  +
The [[night elves]] [[Malfurion Stormrage]] and [[Varo'then]] momentarily heard the Whisperings when they held the [[Demon Soul]] in their grasp. Malfurion has since stated that "[[Green dragonflight|Ysera's noble brood]] has [[The Nightmare|fallen victim]] to the Old Whisperings", as well.<ref name="Waking" />
−
== In ''World of Warcraft'' ==
  
−
===Wisp form===
  
⚫
[[File:Wisp TCG.jpg|thumb|Wisp art from the TCG.]]
  
   
  +
The most striking historic account of the Old Whisperings however is found within the ancient scrolls of lore of the [[Tauren]] tribes, kept at [[Elder Rise]] in their capital city of [[Thunder Bluff]]. The legend of creation of the formerly nomadic Tauren makes direct reference to the Whisperings, stating that the first incidents of Tauren having committed acts of deceit, murder or warfare were because some among their early brethren "''harkened to the dark whispers from deep beneath the world.''"<ref>[[Sorrow of the Earthmother]]: ''"As the children of the earth roamed the fields of dawn, they hearkened to dark whispers from the deep beneath the world."''</ref>
−
{{main|Wisp Spirit}}
  
   
  +
===Recent history===
−
A wisp is a special [[ghost]] form available to [[Night elf|night elves]] based on a racial ability that allows faster travel when [[Death|dead]] to get to their [[corpse]]. A wisp looks like a misty, glowing ball of light, with a vaguely discernible [[night elf]] face, that floats some distance above the ground.
  
  +
The [[Blackfathom Deeps]] in Ashenvale was once, long ago, a temple to Elune. The Great Sundering ruined the temple and left it submerged in water and buried under rock. Corruption from the Old Gods seeped up and tainted the sacred moonwell.<ref name="DF 164">''[[Dark Factions]]'', 164</ref> One may be in the Blackfathom Deeps.<ref>''[[Lands of Mystery]]'', 8</ref><ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', 169</ref> ''Hints that old gods lie in or under the Blackfathom Deeps. Not to be confused with Aku'mai who was only influenced by the powers of the Old Gods.''
   
  +
According to [[Malfurion Stormrage]], one of the Old Gods is behind the [[Emerald Nightmare|Nightmare]] corrupting the [[Emerald Dream]]. Although the Nightmare Lord in the dream turned out to be the Satyr Lord [[Xavius]], it is suspected that he was working for higher powers. This seems to be confirmed in ''[[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]]''.<ref>[[N'Zoth]]</ref>
−
=== Non-combat pet ===
  
−
[[File:Spirit of Summer.jpg|thumb|[[Spirit of Summer]]]]
  
−
{{main|Spirit of Summer}}
  
   
  +
[[File:Master's Glaive.jpg|thumb|The [[Master's Glaive]] contains the remains of a [[forgotten one]].]]
−
During the [[Midsummer Fire Festival]] in 2006, players could complete the quest [[Midsummer Fire Festival#A Light in Dark Places|A Light in Dark Places]], which rewarded the player with a [[Captured Flame]]. The Flame could be used to activate a non combat pet called [[Spirit of Summer]] — which had the appearance of a red wisp. It is likely an [[elemental sprite]].
  
   
  +
==Number==
−
The [[Midsummer Fire Festival]] reocurred in 2007, and the same quest was required to get the [[Spirit of Summer]]. It should be noted that a reasonably well-geared level 70 player (preferably pure DPS or a high-armor healer i.e. Shaman or Paladin) was able to solo through the four instances to get the pet, provided that they had the keys to open the instances.
  
  +
Depending on the source, three, four, or five Old Gods lie imprisoned. Some of these sources seem to imply that these numbers were the limit to the number of Old Gods. The roleplaying game seems to imply that there were more than five Old Gods, including those imprisoned or killed.
  +
*The [[Warcraft III]] manual states that five Old Gods were chained beneath the world.<ref>[[Warcraft III]] manual, page 79</ref>
  +
*The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods' citadels and chained the five evil gods far beneath the surface of the world.<ref>[http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter1.html;jsessionid=CC38110A35EC80C14861CBF1CB4598BD.app05_06#3 History of Azeroth]</ref><ref>[http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/?id=agm01338p ''Warcraft'' Lore FAQ 1]</ref>
  +
*According to the ''[[War of the Ancients Trilogy]]'', there are three Old Gods still living, imprisoned and chained by the Titans deep beneath the surface of Azeroth. There may be more however, these three are indicated to have formed some sort of alliance in order to escape their imprisonment.<ref name="TS 157" />
  +
*According to "[[The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth]]", four Old Gods were imprisoned beneath the world. This could perhaps be reconciled with the War of the Ancients trilogy if it were taken to include the fallen C'Thun in the count of the imprisoned Gods. This is however unlikely as C'thun was believed dead and not imprisoned. Note that the version of this chapter presented in the story section of the official site does not reference the number of Old Gods.<ref>http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter1.html#3</ref>
  +
*"There are more Old Gods than just the ones trapped on Azeroth. It takes a lot for them to become manifested on a physical plane, however."<ref>{{ref web|url=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=25626575587&sid=1|title=World of Warcraft Forums - Ask CDev #1 Answers|accessdate=2010-06-30}}</ref>
   
  +
In the [[Burning Crusade]] expansion, a group of [[Arakkoa]] known as the [[Dark Conclave]] attempted to summon an entity described as an "[[Summoned Old God|ancient and powerful evil]]" into [[Outland]]. It is nearly identical in appearance to the first named Old God, [[C'Thun]].
−
[[File:Wisp.gif|thumb|The Wisp from Warcraft III.]]
  
   
−
=== List ===
 +
===Named===
  +
====C'Thun====
−
*[[Ancient Wisp]]
  
  +
{{Main|C'Thun}}
−
*[[Forest Wisp]]
  
  ⚫
[[File:Cthun-p2.jpg|thumb|C'Thun, the first named Old God.]]
−
*[[Night Elf Wisp]]
  
  +
C'Thun was the first of the three Old Gods to be named, having received this name from its creations; the [[Qiraji]]. C'Thun was struck down in the region known as [[Silithus]] during the dawning of the world, in a battle which is said to also have resulted in the "falling" of a [[Titan]]. C'Thun was believed to have been slain permanently by the Titans, but the Old God resurfaced over the course of history as the driving force behind the Qiraji. It is trapped deep beneath the ruined temples of [[Ahn'Qiraj]], where it has exerted its will for thousands of years over its Qiraji avatars, who in turn command the [[Silithid]] swarm.
−
*[[Shen'dralar Wisp]]
  
−
*[[Wisp (NPC)]]
  
   
  +
C'Thun is the final boss in the [[Temple of Ahn'Qiraj]].
−
===Ship guides===
  
−
A wisp can be found each elven ship to help guide the vessel to its destination and also search for lost souls.
  
   
−
===April Fool's===
 +
====Yogg-Saron====
  +
{{Main|Yogg-Saron}}
−
{{main|Wisp (April Fool's)}}
  
  +
[[File:Yoggsaron.jpg|thumb|Yogg-Saron, "the lucid dream".]]
  +
Described by the demigod [[Ursoc]] as "''the beast with a thousand maws''", Yogg-Saron was the second Old God to be explicitly named such. The dire entity refers to itself in ways as "''the lucid dream''", "'''''the''' god of death''" or "''the '''true face''' of death''", and appears to secrete a substance named [[Saronite]] across [[Northrend]] which is capable of driving any that have been exposed to it to murderous insanity. [[Slinkin the Demo-gnome]] discovered shortly before his demise that a mysterious connection seemed to exist between the Old God Yogg-Saron and the [[undead]] [[Scourge]]. In his final note, he claimed to have overheard some of the undead uttering the name "Yogg-Saron" with a tone of tremendous hatred and contempt, which was usually followed by outbursts of rage from other undead. Yet, the Scourge appeared to be mining for Saronite on an industrial scale.
   
  +
Yogg-Saron's underground prison extends through much of east-central Northrend; his influence has been felt directly in the [[Grizzly Hills]] ([[Vordrassil]], the Grizzlemaw Furbolgs and Ursoc), [[Dragonblight]] ([[Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom]], with [[faceless one]]s and a sect of the [[Twilight's Hammer]] dedicated to Yogg-Saron) and the [[Storm Peaks]] ([[Ulduar]], and the corrupted Titanic guardian [[Loken]]). The Old God is located within [[Prison of Yogg-Saron|his prison]] deep inside Ulduar, and is the final boss of the raid instance, much as [[C'Thun]] was the final boss in [[Ahn'Qiraj]].
−
In late March 2006, wisps were announced to be the new race for the [[Alliance]] in the upcoming expansion, ''[[World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]''. The announcement, however, was an April Fool's joke. The ''real'' new Alliance race was eventually announced as the [[draenei]].
  
   
  +
====N'Zoth====
−
== Patches and hotfixes ==
  
  +
{{Main|N'Zoth}}
−
* {{Patch 2.3.0|comment=Wisps were added to the elven ships.}}
  
  +
The third Old God to be named, [[N'Zoth]], was confirmed during Blizzcon 2010 to be the source of the [[Emerald Nightmare]], which has twisted large segments of the [[Emerald Dream]] along with its corresponding regions in the waking world. N'Zoth makes several indirect appearances in [[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]] during quest chains in the [[Vashj'ir]] zone, and the story implies it to be the driving force behind the [[naga]] and the faceless ones. During Blizzcon 2010's Quests and Lore panel, [[Chris Metzen]] also mentioned that N'Zoth may be the one "signing [[Deathwing]]'s checks", adding the remark that this Old God is "a real problem".
   
−
== See also ==
 +
==Mortal worship==
  +
Large groups of the [[Twilight's Hammer]] have been observed to settle at or near sites where they believe the Old Gods or their minions are sealed away; many await C'Thun's awakening in [[Silithus]], while others appear to serve [[Ragnaros]] in the [[Blackrock Depths]] alongside the [[Dark Iron dwarves]].<ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', 169</ref> The largest concentrations of the Twilight's Hammer however are located at [[Grim Batol]] and within the [[Bastion of Twilight]], in a region of the [[Eastern Kingdoms]] that is now referred to as the [[Twilight Highlands]].
−
* [[Will-o'-wisp]]
  
  +
  +
==Quotes==
  +
:''See also: [[C'thun#The Whispers of C'Thun|The Whispers of C'Thun]] and [[Yogg-Saron#The Whispers of Yogg-Saron|The Whispers of Yogg-Saron]]''
  +
  +
===Whispers to Neltharion===
  +
{{Main|Deathwing}}
  +
  +
*"The [[night elf|night elves]] will destroy the world..."
  +
*"[[Well of Eternity|The Well]] is out of control..."
  +
*"No one can be trusted... they want your secrets, your power..."
  +
*"[[Malygos]] would take what is yours..."
  +
*"[[Alexstrasza]] seeks dominion over you..."
  +
*"They are no better than [[Burning Legion|the demons]]..."
  +
*"They must be dealt with like the demons..."
  +
  +
===Whispers to Azshara===
  +
{{Main|Queen Azshara}}
  +
  +
*"There is [[Naga|a way]]... there is a way..."
  +
*"You will become more than you ever were... more than you ever were..."
  +
*"We can help... we can help..."
  +
*"You will be more than you have ever been... and when the time comes, for what we grant you... you will serve us well..."
  +
  +
==Inspiration==
  +
The names and overall nature of the Old Gods are an homage to the various group of deities from the Cthulhu Mythos in the works of [[wikipedia:H.P. Lovecraft|H.P. Lovecraft]] (first stage), [[wikipedia:Brian Lumley|Brian Lumley]] (third stage), and the ''Call of Cthulhu'' RPG.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZXXbyhXlF4&feature=related Blizzcon 2010: Art Panel HD Part 2]</ref> C'Thun appears to be based on Cthulhu and Yogg-Saron appears to be based on the [[wikipedia:Outer God|Outer God]] [[wikipedia:Yog-Sothoth|Yog-Sothoth]]. Furthermore, the story which concerns the Titans' imprisoning of the Old Gods is an inspiration from the story [[wikipedia:August Derleth|August Derleth]] proposed as the ancient outcome of the war between the Elder Gods (represented in the [[Titans]]) and the Outer Gods (represented in the Old Gods). Interestingly, the origin of the Titans is alien to Azeroth, while the Old Gods are native to it, swapping the names and some facts. An alternative name of the Old Gods is the Elder Gods.
  +
  +
==Fan art==
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:OldGods.png|Fan art - Full body of C'thun.
  +
File:Oldgod2.jpg|Fan art - Full body of C'thun.
  +
File:Yogg-Saron Blizzard com.jpg|Fan art of Yogg-Saron.
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
==See also==
  +
*[[The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth]]
  +
*[[Tribunal_of_Ages#Quotes|Tribunal of Ages]]
  +
*[[Prophecy of C'Thun]]
  +
*[[Lorgalis_Manuscript#Contains|Lorgalis Manuscript]]
  +
*[[Aqir]]
  +
*[[Naga]]
  +
*[[Twilight's Hammer]]
  +
*[[Elemental Lieutenants]]
   
 
==References==
  
==References==
 
{{reflist}}
  
{{reflist}}
   
  +
{{eternals}}
−
{{Warcraft III units}}
  
  +
{{Old Gods}}
  +
{{religions}}
   
  +
[[fr:Dieux Très Anciens]]
−
<!-- The wisp category is a subcategory of Fey and Critters and therefore placing those other categories here would be redundant -->
  
−
<!-- Do not use the Mobs, Creatures or Uncategorized creatures parent categories since the Wisps category is a subcategory of all three -->
  
−
[[Category:Wisps| ]]
  

Revision as of 20:56, 4 May 2011

Yogg-Saron Dungeon Companion

Yogg-Saron, one of the five Old Gods

"In the time before time, when the world was still in its infancy, a battle between a Titan and a being of unimaginable evil and power raged on this very soil. The prophecy is unclear about whether or not the Titan was vanquished ... but it illustrates that a Titan fell."

—Geologist Larksbane

The Old Gods (a.k.a. the Old Whisperings[1], the Elder Gods, or the Old Lords[2]) are mysterious, godlike and greatly malefic entities which ruled in tyranny over the infant Universe before they were sequestered within the primordial world of Azeroth by the Titanic Pantheon.

History

Ordering of Azeroth

Before the titans came to Azeroth, the malign Old Gods - colossal beings of elemental fury - ruled the world and the savage elementals that dwelt upon it, a bloody chaos of which even the demon Lords of the Burning Legion could not imagine.[3][4]

Along the journey of the Titans they came upon Azeroth. As the Titans made their way across the primordial landscape, they encountered a number of the hostile elemental beings. These elementals vowed to drive the Titans in the name of their masters back and keep their world inviolate from the invaders' metallic touch. The Pantheon, disturbed by the Old Gods' penchant for evil, waged war upon the elementals and their dark masters. The Old Gods' armies were led by the most powerful elemental lieutenants: Ragnaros the Firelord, Therazane the Stonemother, Al'Akir the Windlord, and Neptulon the Tidehunter. Their chaotic forces raged across the face of the world and clashed with the colossal Titans. Though the elementals were powerful beyond mortal comprehension, their combined forces could not stop the mighty Titans. One by one, the elemental lords fell, and their forces dispersed.[5] A battle between a titan and the Old God C'Thun raged in Silithus. The titan fell and it was thought that C'Thun had also fallen - but he survived unnoticed by the titans.[6]

The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods' citadels and casted the remaining ones down into eternal imprisonment deep beneath the earth, the place of their confinement hidden from all and their powers bound until the end of time.[3][7] Yogg-Saron was sealed away within the depths of Ulduar in the far northern reaches of the infant world, and had six watchers assigned to it which served as wardens for its near eternal imprisonment Without the Old Gods' power to keep their raging spirits bound to the physical world, the elementals were banished to an abyssal plane, where they would contend with one another for all eternity. With the elementals' departure, nature calmed, and the world settled into a peaceful harmony. The Titans saw that the threat was contained and set to work.[8]

During that time the Curse of Flesh has been created by the Old Gods to "facilitate assimilation". The Curse of Flesh affected many titanic creations[9], notably the dwarves. The curse changed the structure and appearance of these races from their original stony/metallic forms into the fleshy forms we know of today.[10] The titans attempted to remove the curse (and the Old Gods), but found that the Old God infestation had grown too severe to remove without completely destroying Azeroth. Instead they bound the Old Gods within Azeroth.[10]

Whispers

Since the dawn of life on Azeroth, the imprisoned and sleeping Old Gods have been whispering to the subconsciousness of mortal and eternal beings alike, subverting their thoughts and feelings, and sometimes driving them to great malice, complete insanity, or both.[11][12][13]

The night elves Malfurion Stormrage and Varo'then momentarily heard the Whisperings when they held the Demon Soul in their grasp. Malfurion has since stated that "Ysera's noble brood has fallen victim to the Old Whisperings", as well.[1]

The most striking historic account of the Old Whisperings however is found within the ancient scrolls of lore of the Tauren tribes, kept at Elder Rise in their capital city of Thunder Bluff. The legend of creation of the formerly nomadic Tauren makes direct reference to the Whisperings, stating that the first incidents of Tauren having committed acts of deceit, murder or warfare were because some among their early brethren "harkened to the dark whispers from deep beneath the world."[14]

Recent history

The Blackfathom Deeps in Ashenvale was once, long ago, a temple to Elune. The Great Sundering ruined the temple and left it submerged in water and buried under rock. Corruption from the Old Gods seeped up and tainted the sacred moonwell.[15] One may be in the Blackfathom Deeps.[16][17] Hints that old gods lie in or under the Blackfathom Deeps. Not to be confused with Aku'mai who was only influenced by the powers of the Old Gods.

According to Malfurion Stormrage, one of the Old Gods is behind the Nightmare corrupting the Emerald Dream. Although the Nightmare Lord in the dream turned out to be the Satyr Lord Xavius, it is suspected that he was working for higher powers. This seems to be confirmed in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.[18]

Master's Glaive

The Master's Glaive contains the remains of a forgotten one.

Number

Depending on the source, three, four, or five Old Gods lie imprisoned. Some of these sources seem to imply that these numbers were the limit to the number of Old Gods. The roleplaying game seems to imply that there were more than five Old Gods, including those imprisoned or killed.

  • The Warcraft III manual states that five Old Gods were chained beneath the world.[19]
  • The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods' citadels and chained the five evil gods far beneath the surface of the world.[20][21]
  • According to the War of the Ancients Trilogy, there are three Old Gods still living, imprisoned and chained by the Titans deep beneath the surface of Azeroth. There may be more however, these three are indicated to have formed some sort of alliance in order to escape their imprisonment.[3]
  • According to "The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth", four Old Gods were imprisoned beneath the world. This could perhaps be reconciled with the War of the Ancients trilogy if it were taken to include the fallen C'Thun in the count of the imprisoned Gods. This is however unlikely as C'thun was believed dead and not imprisoned. Note that the version of this chapter presented in the story section of the official site does not reference the number of Old Gods.[22]
  • "There are more Old Gods than just the ones trapped on Azeroth. It takes a lot for them to become manifested on a physical plane, however."[23]

In the Burning Crusade expansion, a group of Arakkoa known as the Dark Conclave attempted to summon an entity described as an "ancient and powerful evil" into Outland. It is nearly identical in appearance to the first named Old God, C'Thun.

Named

C'Thun

Main article: C'Thun
Cthun-p2

C'Thun, the first named Old God.

C'Thun was the first of the three Old Gods to be named, having received this name from its creations; the Qiraji. C'Thun was struck down in the region known as Silithus during the dawning of the world, in a battle which is said to also have resulted in the "falling" of a Titan. C'Thun was believed to have been slain permanently by the Titans, but the Old God resurfaced over the course of history as the driving force behind the Qiraji. It is trapped deep beneath the ruined temples of Ahn'Qiraj, where it has exerted its will for thousands of years over its Qiraji avatars, who in turn command the Silithid swarm.

C'Thun is the final boss in the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj.

Yogg-Saron

Main article: Yogg-Saron
Yoggsaron

Yogg-Saron, "the lucid dream".

Described by the demigod Ursoc as "the beast with a thousand maws", Yogg-Saron was the second Old God to be explicitly named such. The dire entity refers to itself in ways as "the lucid dream", "the god of death" or "the true face of death", and appears to secrete a substance named Saronite across Northrend which is capable of driving any that have been exposed to it to murderous insanity. Slinkin the Demo-gnome discovered shortly before his demise that a mysterious connection seemed to exist between the Old God Yogg-Saron and the undead Scourge. In his final note, he claimed to have overheard some of the undead uttering the name "Yogg-Saron" with a tone of tremendous hatred and contempt, which was usually followed by outbursts of rage from other undead. Yet, the Scourge appeared to be mining for Saronite on an industrial scale.

Yogg-Saron's underground prison extends through much of east-central Northrend; his influence has been felt directly in the Grizzly Hills (Vordrassil, the Grizzlemaw Furbolgs and Ursoc), Dragonblight (Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom, with faceless ones and a sect of the Twilight's Hammer dedicated to Yogg-Saron) and the Storm Peaks (Ulduar, and the corrupted Titanic guardian Loken). The Old God is located within his prison deep inside Ulduar, and is the final boss of the raid instance, much as C'Thun was the final boss in Ahn'Qiraj.

N'Zoth

Main article: N'Zoth

The third Old God to be named, N'Zoth, was confirmed during Blizzcon 2010 to be the source of the Emerald Nightmare, which has twisted large segments of the Emerald Dream along with its corresponding regions in the waking world. N'Zoth makes several indirect appearances in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm during quest chains in the Vashj'ir zone, and the story implies it to be the driving force behind the naga and the faceless ones. During Blizzcon 2010's Quests and Lore panel, Chris Metzen also mentioned that N'Zoth may be the one "signing Deathwing's checks", adding the remark that this Old God is "a real problem".

Mortal worship

Large groups of the Twilight's Hammer have been observed to settle at or near sites where they believe the Old Gods or their minions are sealed away; many await C'Thun's awakening in Silithus, while others appear to serve Ragnaros in the Blackrock Depths alongside the Dark Iron dwarves.[24] The largest concentrations of the Twilight's Hammer however are located at Grim Batol and within the Bastion of Twilight, in a region of the Eastern Kingdoms that is now referred to as the Twilight Highlands.

Quotes

See also: The Whispers of C'Thun and The Whispers of Yogg-Saron

Whispers to Neltharion

Main article: Deathwing
  • "The night elves will destroy the world..."
  • "The Well is out of control..."
  • "No one can be trusted... they want your secrets, your power..."
  • "Malygos would take what is yours..."
  • "Alexstrasza seeks dominion over you..."
  • "They are no better than the demons..."
  • "They must be dealt with like the demons..."

Whispers to Azshara

Main article: Queen Azshara
  • "There is a way... there is a way..."
  • "You will become more than you ever were... more than you ever were..."
  • "We can help... we can help..."
  • "You will be more than you have ever been... and when the time comes, for what we grant you... you will serve us well..."

Inspiration

The names and overall nature of the Old Gods are an homage to the various group of deities from the Cthulhu Mythos in the works of H.P. Lovecraft (first stage), Brian Lumley (third stage), and the Call of Cthulhu RPG.[25] C'Thun appears to be based on Cthulhu and Yogg-Saron appears to be based on the Outer God Yog-Sothoth. Furthermore, the story which concerns the Titans' imprisoning of the Old Gods is an inspiration from the story August Derleth proposed as the ancient outcome of the war between the Elder Gods (represented in the Titans) and the Outer Gods (represented in the Old Gods). Interestingly, the origin of the Titans is alien to Azeroth, while the Old Gods are native to it, swapping the names and some facts. An alternative name of the Old Gods is the Elder Gods.

Fan art

  • Fan art - Full body of C'thun.

    Fan art - Full body of C'thun.

  • Fan art - Full body of C'thun.

    Fan art - Full body of C'thun.

  • Fan art of Yogg-Saron.

    Fan art of Yogg-Saron.

See also

References

 
  1. ^ a b Waking Legends: "Ysera's noble brood has fallen victim to the old whisperings."
  2. ^ The Master's Glaive: "That cult worships the old, old lords of the earth. Lords defeated long ago."
  3. ^ a b c The Sundering, 157
  4. ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 155
  5. ^ The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth
  6. ^ The Prophecy of C'Thun
  7. ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 155
  8. ^ The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth
  9. ^ History on common tol'vir archaeology artifacts
  10. ^ a b Quotes from Tribunal of Ages
  11. ^ The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  12. ^ The Founding of Quel'Thalas. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  13. ^ Knaak, Richard A.. The Sundering. ISBN 978-0-7434-2898-9. 
  14. ^ Sorrow of the Earthmother: "As the children of the earth roamed the fields of dawn, they hearkened to dark whispers from the deep beneath the world."
  15. ^ Dark Factions, 164
  16. ^ Lands of Mystery, 8
  17. ^ Horde Player's Guide, 169
  18. ^ N'Zoth
  19. ^ Warcraft III manual, page 79
  20. ^ History of Azeroth
  21. ^ Warcraft Lore FAQ 1
  22. ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter1.html#3
  23. ^ World of Warcraft Forums - Ask CDev #1 Answers. Retrieved on 2010-06-30.
  24. ^ Horde Player's Guide, 169
  25. ^ Blizzcon 2010: Art Panel HD Part 2
Nature and Holy sapient species
Wild Gods
Elemental
Nature
Angelic
This is a sub-template of Sapient Species
Old Gods
Characters
Races
Territories
Groups
Religions and beliefs
Light
Shadow
Disorder
Life
Death
Elements
Loa
Other
Icon-RPG
Français
Community content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms