Warcraft/Characters/The Old Gods

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


The Old Gods are the Warcraft universe's resident Eldritch Abominations and servants of the cosmic force known as The Void. Their exact origins and purposes are unknown, but they have acted as a corrupting influence upon the works of the Titans since the birth of Azeroth. Titan history discovered in Storm Peaks and Ulduar reveal that the Old Gods apparently came to Azeroth not long after its creation and began altering the Titans' creatures with something called the Curse of Flesh. Upon discovering this, the Titans waged war on the Old Gods, eventually imprisoning several of them within Azeroth itself. To prevent the Old Gods from returning, they created the Dragon Aspects and charged them with protecting the world.

There were originally five Old Gods. At least one of them was killed in the backstory, and another has been defeated in the current storyline of World of Warcraft. It is said that the reason the Titans did not utterly destroy them was that doing so would unmake Azeroth. How this relates to the players' ability to defeat them is uncertain.

However, the influence of the Old Gods has been felt throughout Azeroth's history, manifesting itself originally in the assault of the Qiraji, an insectoid race living deep beneath the sands of Silithus, discovered to be caused by C'thun. Other influences of the Old Gods include the corruption of Neltharion, Dragon Aspect of the Black Dragonflight; the gradual corruption of the Emerald Dream by an entity known only as the Nightmare; the whispers of madness afflicting the lands of Northrend from a being known as Yogg-Saron, which is confined deep within Ulduar; and possibly the infiltration of the timeways by the Infinite Dragonflight. There is also a race of creatures called Faceless Ones, which seem to consider themselves prophets or harbingers of the Old Gods.

The Old Gods' efforts seem directed largely at the destruction of the Dragonflights, as those are their principal foes. Unlike the Burning Legion, they avoid direct confrontation, preferring the slow whispers of madness and the tempting of mortals and immortals alike into acts of self-destruction.

Tropes associated with the Old Gods include:

  • Ascended Extra: These guys were initially just briefly mentioned in the Warcraft III manual, and have been gradually getting more and more spotlight and have focus than the Burning Legion.
  • Body Motifs: C'thun (eyes) and Yogg-Saron (mouths). N'Zoth's appearance has yet to be revealed.
  • The Corrupter: By far their preferred tactic.
  • Cosmic Horror Story: The concept of the Old Gods draws heavily on this genre, although Warcraft in general is too idealistic to fall entirely within it.
  • The Dark Side: They are great forces of corruption, and have corrupted many previously-good characters.
  • Eldritch Abomination: The Old Gods typically take on these sorts of forms when they deign to become visible to mortals. It's implied that they are in fact physical beings, since it's possible (in theory) for mortals to attack and even kill them.
  • Eldritch Location: Many places under their influence become this. In addition, the city called Ny'alotha, mentioned by the Puzzle Box of Yogg-Saron, seems to be associated with them. It has not appeared in game, but according to the box, it is hidden by a forest, might be sunken and was a scene of unnumbered crimes. Popular theory is that this city is Nazjatar.
  • The End of the World as We Know It: Their ultimate goal, which according to prophecy will be realized with an event called the Hour of Twilight, In which all life on Azeroth (including Deathwing) is destroyed, except for the Twilight Dragonflight.
  • Go Mad from the Revelation: Tends to happen to anyone who spends too much time listening to the whispers of madness emanating from the Old Gods in their places of power.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: Three of the remaining Old Gods are said to be sealed in some manner within Azeroth itself by the work of the Titans.
  • Shout-Out: To the entire Cthulhu Mythos.

C'thun

"You. Will. Die."

C'thun is the first Old God to be officially named within the Warcraft story. After the defeat of the Old Gods by the Titans, C'thun was imprisoned beneath Azeroth, in what would later become the continent of Kalimdor. Although greatly weakened, it embarked on a program to dominate the Qiraji, an insectoid race living beneath the southern desert sands.

Ten thousand years prior to the events of the Warcraft series, the Qiraji nearly overwhelmed the forces of Kalimdor in what became known as the War of the Shifting Sands, and were barely driven back by the combined might of the Bronze Dragonflight and the Night Elves under Archdruid Fandral Staghelm. In the present time, the Qiraji renewed their attack, but the heroes of Azeroth descended deep into the ancient Temple of Ahn'Qiraj to reveal their true master, the Old God itself. Still dramatically weakened since the confrontation with the Titans, C'thun's physical form was slain and the threat of the Qiraji was removed.

C'thun's initial physical form is that of an enormous eyeball. Destroying the eye reveals a gaping mouth walled by smaller eyes. It does battle with tentacles that emerge from the ground around it, some of which are capable of swallowing enemies whole. Its stomach is highly poisonous and contains additional tentacles that can be destroyed to render the main body vulnerable to attack.

Tropes associated with C'thun include all of those associated with the Old Gods, plus:


Yogg-Saron

"MADNESS WILL CONSUME YOU!"

Yogg-Saron, also known as the God of Death, is the second of the Old Gods to be officially named within the Warcraft story. It resides beneath the snows of Northrend, and its malicious influence can be felt throughout the continent. The Titan fortress of Ulduar was constructed for the sole purpose of containing it.

Yogg-Saron is particularly noted for the whispers of madness that emanate from the deep places of Northrend. Any being that listens to these whispers for too long is invariably driven insane. This influence seems to be felt most strongly around the ore known as Saronite, which is mined exclusively in Northrend and is highly prized by the Scourge in the manufacture of weapons and armor.

Tropes associated with Yogg-Saron include all of those associated with the Old Gods, plus:

  • Brainwashed and Crazy: Not Yogg-Saron himself, but a large number of his followers inside Ulduar. Many of them are Titan constructs sent to keep him under control, only to fall victim to his influence.
  • Combat Tentacles: Spawns a ton of these. In fact, you can go through Ulduar solo at level 100 (20 levels above the level the content was made for) and wipe the floor with every other boss, and have trouble with Yogg-Saron due to getting picked up and throttled by his tentacles.
  • Compelling Voice: There's a reason why it's so easy for him to brainwash everything.
  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Justified by the assistance of the near-divine Watchers. The ultimate challenge is defeating him without their help, difficult even for raids well beyond the Ulduar content level.
  • Evil Laugh
  • Eyeless Face: His eyes are actually smaller, gaping mouths, complete with teeth.
  • Green Rocks: Saronite ore is not only used in making all kinds of powerful weapons and armor, but seems to be composed of about 20% pure insanity.
  • Large Ham: C'thun was content to deadpan out a "Death is close" and call it a day. Yogg's encounter one-ups him with grandiose threats, hissed Black Speech, and an absolutely fantastic Evil Laugh, which you can listen to here now!
  • More Teeth Than the Osmond Family
  • Revision: In the boss encounter, players are treated to visions of key elements from Warcraft's history, revealing that Yogg-Saron was behind them.
  • Shout-Out: To Yog-Sothoth of Lovecraftian lore, to the point of being described as "a thousand gibbering mouths".
  • Trick Boss: Throughout the Ulduar dungeon, players hear the voice of "Sara" screaming for help against the monsters plaguing her. The first part of the boss encounter is against said monsters, but defeating them near her (which damages anyone nearby) causes her to transform into the real deal.


N'Zoth

N'Zoth is the Old God that is responsible for corrupting Deathwing and for creating the Nightmare that infests the Emerald Dream. N'Zoth is imprisoned inside the Rift, a massive chasm in the seafloor beneath the Maelstrom. The Nightmare has entrapped such eminent personalities as the Green Aspect, Ysera, as well as the Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage.

  • Bigger Bad: During the Cataclysm expansion. He was stated to be "the one signing Deathwing's checks" by the developers, but he doesn't actually make an appearance.
  • Evil Versus Evil: According to the lore, it seems that some of his lieutenants fought against C'thun and Yogg-Saron's minions. Apparently, he's not on good terms with his brethren, but why remains to be seen.
  • The Man Behind the Man: To Deathwing, more or less. Also likely to Xavius during his time as the Nightmare Lord, considering that he's the one who created the Nightmare in the first place.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: Despite being a driving force in Cataclysm and the master of Deathwing himself, he doesn't make an appearance in the game proper. Some speculated that he would appear as the main antagonist of the next expansion, but this has been proven false since Mists of Pandaria will focus on the Horde vs. Alliance conflict. He'll more than likely show up at some point though, being such an important character.
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