Neptulon


 * Rising out of the water above you is a massive humanoid figure shaped from the very liquid itself. The form shifts and changes, but the underlying shape remains the same — a colossal figure that vaguely resembles a humanoid, with swirling blue-green colors whirling within. Only the eyes, a pair of glowing yellow spots in the amorphous head, remain islands of stability.

Neptulon the Tidehunter reigns supreme in his domain, the deep ocean. Users of boats and other such water-crossing utilities risk his wrath; entering his domain without express permission is paramount to doom. He revels in taking those whom feel invulnerable, especially Therazane's rocky beaches and the flames of Ragnaros, when given the chance. He rules over all water, whether it be the sea, the ocean, river or lake. All water elementals worship him, as do all creatures that use water or the cold for their abilities. It is said that when an intelligent creature drowns, his or her soul will pass through his realm on the way to its end. It is supposed that he keeps those souls which amuse and interest him, but Neptulon only laughs at such suppositions.

Elemental Lord
The Old Gods' armies were led by the powerful Elemental Lords: Ragnaros the Firelord, Therazane the Stonemother, Al'Akir the Windlord, and Neptulon the Tidehunter, who is the strongest of them all. 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.

The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods' citadels and chained the four elemental gods far beneath the surface of the world. 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.

Stone of the Tides and Fall of Gurubashi
According to a book, "The Stone of the Tides", the Gurubashi trolls had access to a powerful artifact, which allowed them to gain control over the water based magic. As later told in the book "The Fall of Gurubashi", Neptulon (referred to there as Neptulos) sent his mighty krakken to destroy the troll nation. It is unknown whether there is connection between the two stories.

It is also unknown how exactly Neptulon came to appear on Azeroth, thousands of years after the battle with the Titans. Perhaps a backstory of this event is similar to that of summoning Ragnaros to aid with war (seeing as the event occurred when Gurubashi were preparing for some kind of invasion). This would mean that Neptulon is still present somewhere under the waters of the Great Sea.

Aspect of Neptulon
An is provided for the quest, given by Duke Hydraxis in Azshara.

Maws
If you kill Maws during the Scepter of the Shifting Sands quest-line, a world-wide emote is heard: "Emote"

Skar'this the Heretic
After completing the Serpentshrine Cavern attunement quest, if you return to Heroic Slave Pens the dialogue of this NPC is as follows:

''They fear my words. They make an example out of me. A mockery of the one true god, Neptulon.

''

''Retribution comesss, mortal. The glorious hand of the Tidehunter will one day sweep through the non-believers like a scythe against a new harvest.

Jack Adams
In the quest Jack Like's his Drink at Scalawag Point, after getting Jack Adams drunk he might say "Sweet Neptulon, that was one drink too many."

Cataclysm
Neptulon makes his first appearance during the Quest:Defending the Rift quest for both factions where he and his minions battle the naga who are attempting to invade his domain through the Abyssal Breach. He clashes with Lady Naz'jar and appears to gain the upper hand over the sea witch until Ozumat is called and attacks the Tide Hunter. Neptulon retreats into his realm, pursued by the vast naga forces where the fight continues on the elemental plane.

Throne of the Tides
Neptulon appears in the Throne of the Tides, where he must be defended from waves of faceless enemies. Ozumat returns and, upon defeat, steals Neptulon away and quickly flees. The Tide Hunter's fate is unknown, but is likely to be revealed in the future when the Abyssal Maw dungeon is released.

Skills and abilities
"Neptulon prefers to toy with his prey, dragging it under the water only to let it briefly escape. Sometimes he will maroon a hapless victim on some lonely island and torture it with tidal waves and swirling whirlpools. He always attempts to identify those who cannot survive long underwater, dragging them away to deal with other opponents later. He loves to douse flame whenever he can and harbors a particular hatred of fire elementals."

Neptulon is most dangerous in the water, and even more so when his foe also touches water. If he or his opponent are land-bound, then he is weakened in his attacks. This spells destruction for most ships that cross his path. He can easily overturn even large craft of up to 600 feet in length, and stop massive vessels of up to 1,100 feet. Even those ocean-going behemoths that stretch to 2,400 feet can be slowed to half speed.

Drench
Neptulon's touch can extinguish most flames of non-magical origin, save those of large wildfires. He has the ability to dispel even magical fires, but those are many times more difficult to drench.

Frost storm
Neptulon has the ability to form into a massive swirling storm of freezing water, drawn from the very deepest part of the oceans and chilled by his elemental power. The storm is a 300 foot churning sphere of water that moves as he wills, at his swim speed, even extending out of the water into the air or onto the nearby ground (although at least half the sphere must always be in the water). Within the storm, he threatens all adjacent squares out to a distance of 25 feet from the affected zone and can make an infinite number of attacks of opportunity per round. This ability lasts for up to ten minutes, although he can end it at will. In addition to his normal attacks from that range, Neptulon may also perform any of the following abilities at will:
 * Block of Ice
 * Neptulon has the ability to immobilize 30 foot spherical area of solid water, and anything in it, which then deals frost damage to any victims within. Targets can attempt to escape the area, but only if they have the mental ability to do so. The block of ice rises toward the surface of the water very quickly. Once the occupants of the ice fortress have left the area of the frost storm, the ice will melt, eventually freeing them.


 * Chilling Touch
 * Within a frost storm, Neptulon can move much more quickly than normal. Furthermore, all creatures within the storm that have no immunity to the biting cold will very likely be slowed. Certain fire spells can cancel the slowness, but they must be maintained until the victim leaves the storm.


 * Crushing Pressure
 * Within the storm area, Neptulon can increase the water pressure to such levels that all within will be injured, whether friend or foe. Whatever they do, they will still take damage, save for Neptulon. Creatures trapped within a block of ice, ironically, are immune.


 * Ice Crystals
 * Neptulon can use razor-sharp crystals of ice that can strike individuals at the impressive range of 500 feet from the edge of the storm, even outside the sphere. Ice crystals affect a 30 foot radius when striking.


 * Slam Attack
 * Any creature within the storm, or within 100 feet of it, can be subject to a water-based slam attack from Neptulon himself.

Vortex
When underwater, Neptulon can transform himself into a vortex once every 10 minutes; he can maintain this form for a very long time. He is 5 feet wide at the base, 50 feet wide at the top, and up to 80 feet tall. He controls his exact height however, which at minimum must be 10 feet tall.

Even the largest of creatures may be caught in the vortex, and they can even take damage. Those who come into contact with the vortex will have difficulty in stopping themselves from being picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful currents, and even more difficulty in surviving. A creature that can swim is usually allowed to go free from the vortex, but they too, will have difficulty in living through this ordeal.

Neptulon enjoys leaving any creatures within the vortex where he wants, depositing them wherever the vortex happens to be. Typically he does this in fairly harmful surroundings, such as natural vents, in deep water, or near other dangerous creatures.

If the vortex's base touches the ocean floor, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on Neptulon and has a diameter equal to half the vortex's height. The cloud obscures all vision beyond five feet. Creatures five feet away have some concealment, while those farther away are completely concealed from those within or on the other side of the cloud. Those spellcasters caught in the cloud will have to concentrate hard to cast a spell.

Speculation
Neptulon could be the mysterious force directly responsible for transformations of the naga, the insidious influence behind Queen Azshara, the recent invasions of murlocs, and other underwater events, including the beached sea creatures at Darkshore and the presence of the Twilight Hammer at Blackfathom Deeps. It is known that the Old Gods were involved in the naga transformation, and Neptulon may have been a conduit for the change. However, even if this theory has any bit of truth, the naga sooner or later turned on Neptulon, and now an army of Naga and Faceless Ones, presumably acting on behalf of the Old Gods, wage war against Neptulon over the domain of water.

It is possible that Neptulon will become an ally for the Horde and Alliance similar to Duke Hydraxis considering he is greatest enemy of Ragnaros.

Myth

 * Neptune, the Roman god of the waters is probably the source of his name.