The forces of the Old Gods are a vaguely united "faction" of all the entities and organizations that serve the Old Gods. This page is an attempt to list them. In recent times its members either serve the Old Gods directly, or just ally with Deathwing, to achieve their own objectives with the support of the Old Gods.
Although they suffered a crushing defeat long ago, and the Old Gods along with most of their minions had been imprisoned, the Old Gods' activities on Azeroth have been steadily increasing, culminating in the Cataclysm, when they launched a major offensive in an attempt to expand their influence and eventually reshape Azeroth to their wishes. As the Old Gods are behind most of the plots in Warcraft one way or another, this list of forces under their "control" is expansive.
Membership
Major Members
Old Gods' creatures and creations
The old gods have spawned and favoured many creatures throughout the ages for their servitude:
Faceless - Mysterious monsters related and often employed as soldiers by the Old Gods.[2]- Forgotten One - Iso'rath, Shu'ma, Go'rath, Maw of Destruction and Soggoth the Slitherer are thought to be forgotten ones.
- Merciless ones - Aquatic parasitic aberrations that appear with other servants.[3]
Twilight's Hammer
The Twilight's Hammer Cult is a former orcish clan of the planet Draenor that has turned into a destructive cult hell-bent on reshaping the world of Azeroth. Originally based in Silithus, in the midst of the cataclysm they have been found recruiting members of both the Alliance and the Horde with doomsayers proclaiming the imminent destruction of the world itself and promising its members glory and power. Other than the Horde and Alliance they have influenced weaker or desperate factions, including the almost extinct sand trolls and the rebellious dark iron dwarves. Led by Cho'gall and the Twilight Council, they attempt to claim the Twilight Highlands for the Old Gods who they believe to be the world's true masters, and eventually all of Azeroth itself.[4] More recently with the fall of Cho'gall at the hands of Azeroth's champions Archbishop Benedictus, now dubbing himself the "Twilight Father", has risen to guide the remains of the cult.
- Led by The Twilight Council.
- The Cult has many members of different races, many of them traitors of their own nations:
- Mortal betrayers from Alliance and Horde.
- Ogre - Many are attracted by the promises of power of Cho'gall.
- Gronn - While many were enslaved some joined the cult, notably Skullcrusher the Mountain.[6]
- Dark Iron - Some decided to stay loyal the Twilight Hammer and Ragnaros.
- Sand trolls - Allied with the Twilight's Hammer in a desperate attempt[7]
- Vrykul - Seen as members of the Twilight Elite that serve under Warmaster Blackhorn.
- Ascendant - Various mortals have joined the cult, attracted by the promise to ascend and "reborn" as elemental ascendants.[8] The Ascendant Council judged which mortal where worthy of Elemental Ascension.[8].
- Elemental - Many elementals are under servitude of the Twilight Hammer.
- Bound elementals - Many have been found enslaved by Twilight's Hammer members.
Deathwing Dragonkin
Neltharion the Earthwarder[9] was corrupted during the War of the Ancients into the service of the Old Gods with his dragonflight and renamed himself Deathwing.[10]However he suffered wounds too great in the events of the Day of the Dragon and had to retreat into Deepholm to heal himself[11], where he beat the stone dragons into submission to serve him.[12] In his absence, his mate Sintharia and their children Onyxia and Nefarian took over his dragonflight. With the Cataclysm, Deathwing and his flight returned and resurrected Sinestra and Nefarian as undead, the latter which resurrected his sister Onyxia. Reinforced by Sinestra's creation the Twilight Dragonflight, they allied with the elemental lords Ragnaros of the Firelands and Al'akir of the Skywall, and together with the Twilight's Hammer they work to bring the Hour of Twilight.[8]
Many other dragonkin have been corrupted and changed by the old gods.
- Led by Deathwing.
- Black dragon - Along with their aspect, many dragons fell to the madness of the Old Gods.
- Chromatic dragon - Chromatic dragonflight, an experimental dragonflight intended to rule all others, created by Nefarian.
- Twilight dragon Twilight dragonflight - A very deadly dragonflight intended to destroy all life on Azeroth, created by Sintharia.
Infinite Dragonflight
Infinite dragon - The meddlesome force focused on destroying the true timeway. They are helping the Old Gods to bring about the Hour of Twilight,[13] though their reasons for doing so are not entirely clear.
- Led by Murozond.
- Aedelas Blackmoore from alternate timeline, agent of Infinite Dragonflight and the Twilight Father.
The Dark Horde
The Dark Horde is a renegade group of various races, that reject the leadership of the Horde, they are stronger in the Burning Steppes and seems to be originally aligned to the Burning Legion until fall under mental manipulation of Nefarian.[14] The Dark Horde, bringing war against both the Alliance and the Horde was defeated, but some forces appears to exist yet.
- Led by Warchief Rend Blackhand and controlled by Nefarian.[14]
- Orcs - Many clans believe that Rend Blackhand is the true warchief and follow his command:
- Forest trolls - Some trolls remember the aid given to them by the Old Horde and remain with what they believe it's true Horde:
- Ogres - Some Ogre clans decided to stay united under the Dark Horde:
- Goblins - The Dark Horde employs various Goblin mercenaries.
- Dragons - The Dark Horde has corrupted Dragons of all dragonflights.
- Demons - Many orcs in the Dark Horde summon imps, felhounds, and felguards.[15]
Yogg-saron's forces
Ulduar is where the old god Yogg-Saron was sealed, but it wasn't strong enough to stop his influence from spreading over the milleniums, corrupting the Prime-designate Loken[16], the other Titanic watchers (Frejya, Hodir, Mimiron and Thorim)[17][18], and other titanic constructs, like giants[19] and mechagnomes and their creations[20]. With control over the Forge of Wills, the corrupted Loken started creating a new army like many other's of the titan's creation's (earthen, giants and vrykul) but made of iron instead of stone and empowered by runes.[21]. However the Explorers' League together with the Kirin Tor and the Horde mounted an offensive against Yogg-Saron's forces and managed to kill him and save the corrupted watchers, except for Loken which was killed earlier by heroes in the Halls of Lightning, and with the death of the Prime designate, Algalon the observer came to Azeroth to judge its corruption in order to re-originate it.
- The Yogg-saron's Faceless ones.
- The corrupted titanic creations of Ulduar:
- Led by the corrupt Prime designate Loken until his death at the hands of adventurers.[16]
- Once titanic watchers like Thorim, Freya, Hodir and Mimiron were secondary leaders of the Ulduar's corrupted ones until been freed by the adventurers.[23][24]
- Hodir's many Winter servants in The Halls of Winter.
- The corrupted nature guardians that serves Freya in The Conservatory of Life.
- The Mechagnomes that have been enslaved into the Old God's service trough Mimiron.[25]
- The Mechangnomes have created many Clockwork constructs.
- The enigmatic mechagnomes have adopted Gelbin Mekkatorque's invention, the Mechanostrider.
- Fire giants like Fjorn, Volkhan and Ignis that forged a lot of constructs for the Iron Army.[19][26][22]
- The Iron Army
- Commanded by the Assembly of Iron, composed by Stormcaller Brundir,Runemaster Molgeim and Steelbreaker.
- The Iron dwarves are part of this army.[27]
- Iron giants are the largest combatants of the Iron ones.[19]
- Iron golems are massive constructs into the armada.[28]
- Iron vrykuls are a kind titanic creation like the other that make their part for the armada.[27]
- A Plated proto-drake, which the only known is Razorscale made from the former brood-mother Veranus.[22]
- The Iron dwarves are capable of bending the stone giants to their will by the use of runes, turning them into Runed Giants.
- The remnants of the world tree Vordrassil, which houses the city Grizzlemaw, is under yogg-saron influence together with its inhabitants, the polar furbolg, leaving them as corrupted aggressive savage beasts.[29]
The Empire of Ahn'Qiraj
Ahn'Qiraj is a fortress city in southern silithus, and it's the home of the qiraji a race descended from the aqir, that were shaped by C'thun, from the silithid. They first threatened the world with the War of the Shifting Sands, where they were sealed inside their own fortress city.[30] They tried a new offensive but utterly failed against the Might of Kalimdor, ending with the death of the Twin Emperors, rulers of the qiraji, and with them their master C'thun.[31] Cho'gall and the Twilight Hammer took over Ahn'Qiraj while he mutated, and tried using C'thun's corpse to corrupt the Med'an the soon-to-be Guardian.[32]
- The Qiraji emperors, Vek'lor and Vek'nilash are the rulers of the qiraji.[33]
- The insectoids of the city-Kingdom of Ahn'Qiraj found in the southern part of Silithus.[30]
- Qiraji prophets are a type of qiraji who command powerful mental abilities.[34]
- The Qiraji have built and enslaved many constructs for war.
- The Qiraji have many Silithid servants of 15 castes grouped into 12 hives.[38]
The Empire of Nazjatar
In the end of the War of the Ancients, after the Shattering happened, Queen Azshara and the Highborne tried their best to keep the waters at bay, but struck a pact with a mysterious power that turned them into the reptile Naga.[39] Now as underwater inhabitants in a sunken city they worked their way into shaping a underwater empire, enslaving many aquatic races like murlocs, and taming many beasts like tube wyrms, couatl, dragon turles and snap dragons, with Azshara leading them and against beings like Leviroth and the Kvaldir.[40]
- Ruled by the Empress of Nazjtar, Queen of the Naga, Queen Azshara.[41]
- The former highborne that served the queen were turned into Naga by a mysterious force, belived to be the Old God N'Zoth.
- Naga sea witches are revered powerful spellcasters of the naga.[42]
- Naga lords are red male naga warriors with shells and other sea creatures fused to their bodies.
- The naga have enslaved many races:
The Emerald Nightmare
The emerald nightmare is an infection of corruption in the emerald dream, a realm designed as the titans plans for Azeroth, sparked by the Old God N'Zoth[47]. It turns makes sleeping people into "Unwaking" and turned some of Ysera's noble brood into shadows of their former selves.[48] It's led by the Nightmare Lord Xavius, the first satyr, but was beaten back to the Rift of Aln by Malfurion. however the Nightmare still influences Azeroth, as shown by the regrowth in Southern Barrens during the Cataclysm.[48]
- Led by the Nightmare Lord Xavius, first of the satyrs.[48]
- The Nightmare has corrupted various beings in the dream.
- The Dragons of Nightmare, the corrupted members of Ysera's Brood, original guardians of Ysera's Dream's entrances, started once to work for the Nightmare until all been beheaded by the Cenarion Circle allies, exept one that have been purified and uncorrupted.[48]
- Xavius still has satyr followers, including the mysterious Shadow satyr.[48]
The Firelands minions of Ragnaros
Ragnaros allied with Deathwing when he was promised to burn Azeroth together with his minions, without Therazane or Neptulon interference, he decided to start with the world tree of Nordrassil with the support of the Twilight Hammer[8], prompting the druids of the Cenarion Circle and the Ancient Guardians to oppose him, he was beaten back to the Firelands by Cenarius, Hamuul and Malfurion[49], and after some days of preparations, the druids are prepared to invade the Firelands and kill Ragnaros forever.[50]
- Ragnaros, ruler of the Firelands has agreed to ally with Deathwing.
- The second in command of Ragnaros minions is the Majordomo of the Firelands, formerly this position was occupied by Executus, now it's occupied by the former Archdruid of Darnassus Fandral Staghelm.[8]
- Fire elementals are the servants of Ragnaros, shaped in various forms.[51][52]
- Flamewakers are living fire elementals.
- Fire Revenants are the main infantry of Ragnaros army.
- Lava elementals are a conglomerate of both fire and earth elementals.
- Molten giants are the brutal and cunning front-line defenders of Ragnaros' army.
- At least one Fire hawk converted from a Green Dragon.
- Many Night elf druids have betrayed the Cenarion Circle in Hyjal and joined Ragnaros. Using his power conjointly with of nature they called themselves the Druid of the Flame, group led by Fandral and Leyara.
The Skywall minions of Al'akir
Free from the imprisonment of the Skywall, Al'akir and his air elementals joined forces with Deathwing in a attempt to obtain the re-origination device the titans left in Uldum. To fight the Tol'vir, his ancient enemies, he called the support of the Conclave of the Winds and Skywall's many denizens.[53]
- Al'akir, ruler of the Skywall has agreed to work with Deathwing.
- Conclave of Wind are four Djinn that serve directly under Al'akir.[8]
- Air Elementals are the servants of Al'akir, shaped into various forms.[54][55]
- The Djinni are the nobles of the air elemental hierarchy.
- The Lightning revenant are the main infantry.
- Some mortal tribes have served with Al'akir.
Beyond Azeroth
More old gods exist beyond the five of azeroth, but it takes significant power to summon them[37], and their influence can be seen, mostly in the Outlands.
- The Sethekk and the Dark Conclave Arakkoa serve a mysterious master, and the latter group, magically augmented by Gul'dan's curse, attempt to summon their master, which they call it a ancient and powerful evil. He looks similar to C'thun, another old god, and when the hidden mob name is revealed, he's called a Summoned Old God.[37]
- The Black Blood of Draenor are oozes and the oozes of azeroth have been various times associated with the old gods, and it's very similar in name to Black Blood of Yogg-Saron, a ore made from the blood of the Old god Yogg-Saron.[58]
- Harbinger Skyriss is a servant of the old gods, a qiraji prophet much like Prophet Skeram of Ahn'qiraj, is imprisoned in the Arcatraz of Tempest Keep. According to A'dal, he seeks to usher his masters' vision of conquering all of the worlds in the universe.[59]
Former allies
- Neptulon's water servants:
- Abyssal Maw is their realm.
- Elemental Lord is Neptulon.
- Neptulon was attacked by the naga backed by the old god's faceless ones, in a attempt to conquer his realm, and after a confrontation with Lady Nazjar and Ozumat he was beaten back to the Abyssal Maw, the heroes attempted to rescue him[60], but ultimately failed as Neptulon was quickly taken away by Ozumat.[61]
- Therazane's earth followers:
- Elemental Lord is Therazane.
- Deepholm is their realm.
- Therazane however hasn't liked the old gods plans for Deepholm her prison, after Deathwing broke the world pillar, endangering her plane and Azeroth[62], and a invasion by the twilight hammer[63], she and her kin made a temporary alliance with the earthen ring to solve those problems[64], that the old gods indirectly caused. After the pillar is rebuilt she requests the Hero for help her rebuild Deepholm, damaged by the old gods' forces.[65]
Silithid led by a Qiraji Prophet
Notable Leaders
Known Old Gods
Secondary Leaders
Status of the factions
Template:Construction
Known major factions
| Faction | Azeroth pre-shaping | Ordering of Azeroth | Post-Titanic Azeroth and War of the Ancients | Post-WotA and Before Dark Portal | After Dark Portal and Before WoW | World of Warcraft | Cataclysm | Future | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yogg-Saron's forces | Already Existed; fighting against N'Zoth's forces | Joined in the Old God link, defeated and imprisoned | Still imprisoned seeking freedom | Expanding their influence, boosted by Loken's betrayal | - | - | - | Defeated | |
| N'Zoth's forces | Already Existed; fighting against C'Thun's forces and Yogg-Saron's forces | Joined in the Old God link, defeated and imprisoned | Still imprisoned seeking freedom; helps to corrupt Neltharion | Expanding their influence, boosted by the Empire of Nazjatar | - | - | - | - | Healthy |
| C'Thun's forces | Already Existed; fighting against N'Zoth's forces | Joined in the Old God link, defeated and heavy weakened | Trying to recover | Partially recovered, but sealed into the Scarab wall | - | - | - | - | Defeated |
Affiliated members
| Faction | Titanic Shaping of Azeroth | Post-Titanic Azeroth until War of the Ancients | Post-WotA and Before Dark Portal | After Dark Portal and Before WoW | World of Warcraft | Cataclysm | Unknown Future | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Dragonflight | Created | Joined in N'Zoth's forces | - | - | - | - | - | Uncorrupted |
| Empire of Nazjatar | - | - | Created and joined in N'Zoth's forces | - | - | - | - | Weakened |
| Emerald Nightmare | - | - | - | - | Created | - | - | Pacified |
| Kingdom of Ahn'Qiraj | - | Created and joined C'Thun's forces | - | Imprisioned | Defeated and Destroyed | - | - | Fallen Kingdom |
| Twilight's Hammer | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Destroyed |
| Iron Army | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Uncorrupted |
| Infinite Dragonflight | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Unknown |
| Deepholm | - | - | - | - | - | Defected | - | Healthy |
| Firelands | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Defeated |
| Skywall | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Defeated |
| Abyssal Maw | - | - | - | - | - | Defected | - | Healthy |
Speculation
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This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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Capital?
It can be argued that the Old Gods' prisons are the capitals of their forces. They are:
- Chamber of C'Thun, Ahn'Qiraj (formerly) - C'Thun's location
- Prison of Yogg-Saron, Ulduar (formerly) - Yogg-Saron's location
- The Rift of Aln and the Rift of N'Zoth - N'Zoth's location
- Presumed other locations of other Old Gods.
References
- ^ Karsh Steelbender Quotes
- ^ Quest:Proof of Demise: Herald Volazj
- ^ Mindbender Ghur'sha
- ^ The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm
- ^ Quest:Ogres & Ettins
- ^ Quest:Skullcrusher the Mountain
- ^ Quest:Water They Up To?
- ^ a b c d e f Encounter Journal Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "EJ" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "EJ" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "EJ" defined multiple times with different content - ^ The History of Warcraft - Chapter I: Mythos, pg 4
- ^ The History of Warcraft - Chapter I: Mythos, pg 6
- ^ Dungeon: Stonecore
- ^ Quest:Don't. Stop. Moving.
- ^ Golden, Christie. Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects.
- ^ a b Blackrock Spire
- ^ Burning demon mobs in Blackrock Spire
- ^ a b Dungeons - Ulduar
- ^ Quest:The Reckoning (Storm Peaks)
- ^ Quest:Fate of the Titans
- ^ a b c Quest:Mending Fences
- ^ Quest:Slaves of the Stormforged
- ^ http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=25626575587&sid=1
- ^ a b c Ulduar Bosstiary Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bosstiary" defined multiple times with different content - ^ Quest:The Reckoning (Storm Peaks)
- ^ Quest:Fate of the Titans
- ^ Quest:Slaves of the Stormforged
- ^ Quest:Diametrically Opposed
- ^ a b Brann's comments when Sjonnir The Ironshaper is slain Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "BRANN" defined multiple times with different content - ^ Quest:Facing the Storm
- ^ Quest:Ursoc, the Bear God
- ^ a b Prophecy of C'Thun
- ^ Quest:C'Thun's Legacy
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Comic, Hard Choices
- ^ Twin Emperors
- ^
[Staff of the Qiraji Prophets]
- ^ Monsters of Ahn'Qiraj - Anubisath
- ^ Monsters of Ahn'Qiraj - Obsidian Destroyer
- ^ a b c Ask CDev 1
- ^ Quest:The Calling
- ^ Warcraft Encyclopedia: Naga
- ^ Quest:The Emissary
- ^ The History of Warcraft - Chapter I: Mythos, pg 7
- ^ Naga sea witch unit
- ^ Quest:Slave Labor
- ^ Quest:Atrocities
- ^ Lady Naz'jar fight in Throne of Tides
- ^ Naga faction in Warcraft III
- ^ Blizzcon 2010 - WoW Quests and Lore Panel
- ^ a b c d e World of Warcraft: Stormrage
- ^ Quest:The Firelord
- ^ 4.2 preview
- ^ Firelands (instance)
- ^ Molten Front
- ^ Raid: Throne of the Four Winds
- ^ Vortex Pinnacle
- ^ Throne of the Four Winds
- ^ Quest:Go Blow that Horn
- ^ Quest:Traitors!
- ^ Quest:... and a Batch of Ooze
- ^ Quest:Harbinger of Doom
- ^ Dungeon: Throne of the Tides
- ^ Ozumat fight in Throne of Tides
- ^ Quest:Deepholm, Realm of Earth
- ^ Diamant the Patient in Deepholm
- ^ Quest:Audience with the Stonemother
- ^ Quest:The Stone Throne