Number of Old Gods

[Explorer]

Why not speculate about number and aspect of the Old Gods? Following my logic, there are 5 of them on Azeroth.
The first reason is - being a sort of parasites, each Old God needs space to feast, to drain some part of planet. It is known that some of the, like Yogg-Saron, have deeped their "roots" deep and far enough into the earth so that their deastruction would inflict irreversible damage to the planet.
My point is - perhaps, the landmasses are divided between them, like sort of domains, kingdoms? We almost have a compete shape here, look:
1. North - Northrend - Yogg'Saron.
2. South - Pandaria - Y'Sharaj.
3. West - Kalimdor - C'Thun.
4. East - Eastern Kingdoms - ???
5. Center - Maelstorm - N'Zoth.

So, is there any evidence of another Old God still missing? We'll see.
My second point of the topic is about their aspects. Look, what if the Titans gave blessings to the Aspects not randomly, but in order to coutnerbalance respective Old Gods' chaotic powers. That would mean:
1. Alextrasza - Aspect of Life vs Yogg'Saron - God of Death.
2. Netharion - Aspect of Earth (order, stability) vs C'Thun - God of Chaos.
3. Ysera - Aspect of Dream - vs N'Zoth - God of Nightmare.
4. Malygos - Aspect of Magic vs Y'Sharaj - God of Sins (magic is known to corrupt its users' souls, rendering them vulnerable to pride, envy, violence etc).
5. Nozdormu - Aspect of Time vs ??? - God of Fate (e.g)

I clearly understand that this theory is highly speculative, for it is never mentioned about this charge given to Aspects, just to secure this forces, not a word about struggling with Old Gods, we don't even know whether the Aspects where aware of the OG exsistence at the moment of their appointment. But, there's nothing that can firmly exclude this version, especially considering clear opposition between at least 3 Aspect - OG pairs. Malygos - Y'Sharaj is less clear, for there's no such firm opposition between magic and sins, and moreover Y'Sharaj was destroyed by the time...
Still, there's one hint about the existence of one more Old God in the Eastern Kingdoms, opposing Nozdormu. Those who've read War of the Ancients trilory might've noticed Nozdormu's remark that only one creature could interfere with timelines with force superior to his own, but its name is too dreaded even for him to be spoken.
My guess that his enemy is god of grim Fate, in opposition to time with multi-optional ways that gives us a free will, Fate seals us merely puppets with no will, so Nozdormu's work might've been to protect the world from inevitable Fate (which is Hour of Twilight), unless to the point he either surrenders to fate, or becoming ready for any means to prevent this fate to come to pass.
Indirect prove might be that just like behind Xavius and the Nightmare was N'Zoth, this unnamed god might be inspirator of Infinite Dragonflight.

So, here is my theory:
1. Yogg'Saron - god of Death in Northrend - vs Alextrasza, aspect of Life.
2. Y'Sharaj - god of Sins in Pandaria - vs Malygos, aspect of Magic.
3. C'Thun - god of Chaos in Kalimdor - vs Neltharion, aspect of Earth.
4. ??? - god of Fate in Eastern Kingdoms - vs Nozdormu, aspect of Time.
5. N'Zoth - god of Nightmare in Maelstorm - vs Ysera, aspect of Dream.

P.S. - if some of you guys has WC 3, you might find a custom campaign for it - "a Dwarven Campaign", or just a single maps it consists of - "Defenders of dwarvekind", "City of the seven mithril golems" and "Temple of the Old gods". Second map is devoted to a dwarf expedition, a dig site deep beneath the mountains of Khaz'Modan, where a long forgotten ancient city of dwarves resides - the Temple of the city was actually a prison of an Old god, like Ulduar, guarded by the said Mithril golems. The story is really interesting. I wish Blizzard would ever make a raid on its motives...

[Golden Yak]

5 is my preferred number for them - it's the number indicated by the earliest lore and it strikes a good balance for them. There might be more of them in other dimensions or hidden away on Azeroth, but I like to think there's just 5 really big ones. I definitely see them as counterparts to the Pantheon, governing different elements of existence (perhaps the ones from their own realm).

Here's my thoughts on the Old Gods 'dominions':

1 - C'Thun - God of Time
2 - Yogg-Saron - God of Death
3 - N'Zoth - God of Dreams
4 - Y'Shaarj - God of Hunger
5 - ??? - God of Life

C'Thun was the nemesis of the Bronze Dragonflight during the original qiraji war centuries ago, and they didn't join the fight against him until his forces attacked the Caverns of Time. It makes me speculate that maybe the bronze dragons never saw him coming - that somehow the Old God was mucking about with their ability to sense time. Maybe that single great eye of his can peer into the timeways just as they can. It raises some interesting questions about just which Old God brought about the Infinite Dragonflight and why. But those are my thoughts - C'Thun. Old God of Time.

Yogg-Saron is easy enough - he names himself as the God of Death. Whatever that entails - maybe he governs entrophy. His blood is the building material of choice for the Undead Scourge.

N'Zoth is the corrupter of the Emerald Dream, so yeah, making him God of Dreams seems like the obvious way to go. The kind of dreams you're thankful to wake up from.

Y'Shaarj's whispers and legends hint at a ravenous creature that devours everything - including things like love and hope. Even in death he's striving to feed on all the negativity generated by Garrosh's war so that he can be revived. All of the Sha are born from his various heads, but the god himself brings me to mind of an all-devouring avaricious creature, his seven heads consuming everything. God of Hunger, sez I.

And the final one - I suspect this one is the God of Life, and was personally responsible for the Curse of Flesh that infected the living stone races of Azeroth, turning them into flesh and blood creatures. I know what some of you will say - 'life is too nice and wonderful and good for an evil Old God to govern over!' 'Hah!' I reply - not a single living thing on this Earth doesn't survive by killing and devouring some other living thing, usually after a burst of frenzied battle to bring it down. You know what life includes - bot flies, angler fishes, parasitic wasps, and cancer. An Old God's influence might barely be noticed. Probably also this one is an Old Goddess (there's gotta be at least one).

[Explorer]

God of Hunger

I think it's pretty much accurate title for him! Indeed, his nature is devouring, but there's one thing I'm not sure of - not only does he devour love\courage\hope, but also transfers it to hatred\fear/despair. And btw, his most cunning weapon appears to be pride, as he even tricked Shaohao to be a "prideful wiseman", his puppet indeed.
How would that work with hunger? Why he not just consumes, but corrupts "+" to "-"? What aspect is this?

God of Life

I see your point of course, but, see, there was mentioned that the curse of flesh was the combined work of them.
I think some people don't quite understand why is this a curse exactly - because creatures like earthern and mogu became mortal, aging and flawed - they were vulnerable to negative emotions like envy, pride, fear, lust - and became to fight each other, grew savage, ruthless...This all sounds like a reference to biblical story of consuming the Apple of Eden, exact effects were applied to the humans.
So, curse of flesh appears to bear a combined touch of all Old gods - mortality (Yogg'Saron), aging (C'Thun\unnamed one), vulnerability (chaos, enthropy), negative emotions (N'Zoth).
How do you think, is there an aspect of Chaos among them? By Chaos I mean disorder, enthropy, simplification of all systems, dissipation, void? If I recall, Cho'Gall was calling chaos, and he was C'Thun's servant, no? And there should be an aspect standing against Earth (Order) that Neltharion\Khaz'Goroth represents, I suppose.
Btw, do you share a guess that the last one, whoever it may be, is somewhere in Eastern Kingdoms, possibly Khaz'Modan? Were there any ingame evidence of something strange there?

[Golden Yak]

I think it's pretty much accurate title for him! Indeed, his nature is devouring, but there's one thing I'm not sure of - not only does he devour love\courage\hope, but also transfers it to hatred\fear/despair.

How would that work with hunger? Why he not just consumes, but corrupts "+" to "-"? What aspect is this?

Well, anything that consumes also produces a waste product. The mantid described him as 'inhaling courage' and 'exhaling fear.' The manner in which he corrupts could be to 'devour' what is good, and through consuming and digesting it he produces a corruption of what he consumes.

And btw, his most cunning weapon appears to be pride, as he even tricked Shaohao to be a "prideful wiseman", his puppet indeed.

Y'Shaarj himself was 'dead' long before the events of 10,000 years ago - the Sha seem to be distinct from Y'Shaarj himself. It's not really clear how active Y'Shaarj was in causing the Sha to come about. The Sha too though seek to spread corruption and instill their specific emotion into others so they can 'feed' - many of them speak about devouring various emotions.

I see your point of course, but, see, there was mentioned that the curse of flesh was the combined work of them.

It could be a long shot yeah, but sometimes anything any specific Old God does is put under the blanket term of 'the Old Gods corruption.' The Old Gods were said to be behind the Cataclysm, but N'Zoth specifically was behind the rise of the faceless ones during it, and Deathwing. The Nightmare has been called the corruption of the Old Gods as well, but apparently it was created solely by N'Zoth.

Could be the same with the Curse - said to be from 'the Old Gods,' but perhaps created by a single one. I like the idea of the Curse containing all of the 'elements' of the seperate Old Gods and inflicting them upon the creations of the Titans, though.

How do you think, is there an aspect of Chaos among them?

I think all the Old Gods are creatures of Chaos, standing opposed to the Titans that I see as beings of Order. The Old Gods seem to revel in breaking down all things, causing havoc, and spreading corruption, but rather than destroying utterly (like the Burning Legion), they seem to want to rule forever. The various glimpses we've seen of a world under Old God rule (Azeroth's history, the End Times possible future) indicated that the world was teeming with corrupted, chaotic life under their dominion.

Btw, do you share a guess that the last one, whoever it may be, is somewhere in Eastern Kingdoms, possibly Khaz'Modan? Were there any ingame evidence of something strange there?

There's a few quests that indicate minerals similar to saronite are in the Eastern Kingdoms. I don't know where an Old God would be imprisoned there, but it could be underneath Ironforge or in some deep level of Uldaman we haven't seen yet. Maybe beneath the Twilight Highlands as well, under all the elementium that the Twilight Cult were crafting.

[Eazy]

1 - C'Thun - God of Time
2 - Yogg-Saron - God of Death
3 - N'Zoth - God of Dreams
4 - Y'Shaarj - God of Hunger
5 - ??? - God of Life

C'Thun is God of Chaos already.

I like your way of thinking, but I pressume that Aspect wouldn't stand a chance with Old Gods.

[Explorer]

Aspect wouldn't stand a chance with Old Gods

Sure, but quite capable of dealing with weakened\imprisoned Old gods, just strong enough not to let them break prisons and cut their indirect influence, perhaps?
Golden Yak, appreciate our dialogue a lot!

[Malkazam]

God of Life East - Eastern Kingdoms - ???

Maybe this is the strange thing under Undercity !

[Grubjuice]

there are an infinite number of old gods in the endless depths of the Great Dark Beyond, the old ones of azeroth are but insignificant larvae of such beings.

in all seriousness i don't think pattern matching between the dragon aspects and the old gods is epistemologically sound. (pattern matching in general is spurious)

[huth]

Maybe this is the strange thing under Undercity !

Nope. Whatever it is, it's not an Old God.

Overall, we don't really know if there's one in the Eastern Kingdoms at all, it might be on the other side of the planet.

[Beergod]

5 is my preferred number for them - it's the number indicated by the earliest lore and it strikes a good balance for them. There might be more of them in other dimensions or hidden away on Azeroth, but I like to think there's just 5 really big ones. I definitely see them as counterparts to the Pantheon, governing different elements of existence (perhaps the ones from their own realm).

Here's my thoughts on the Old Gods 'dominions':

1 - C'Thun - God of Time
2 - Yogg-Saron - God of Death
3 - N'Zoth - God of Dreams
4 - Y'Shaarj - God of Hunger
5 - ??? - God of Life

And to throw everyone off, the God of Life is the thing under Tirisfal seeing as death surrounds Tirisfal Glades. Even though the thing under Tirisfal is most likely not an old god.

[Hitei]

And to throw everyone off, the God of Life is the thing under Tirisfal seeing as death surrounds Tirisfal Glades. Even though the thing under Tirisfal is most likely not an old god.

People need to just forget about the Tirisfal thing.
Blizzard has already flat out stated that it's just a hook they are keeping around in case they come up with something there.
There's no point in speculating what is under Tirisfal when Blizzard themselves haven't decided what is under it yet.

[Marston]

Are we only talking about old gods on azeroth? I guess so, because otherwise, there are more then 5. I am pretty sure that was confirmed years ago that there are more old gods on other planets (like the "ancient and powerful evil" the arakkoa in Shadowmoon Valley want to summon).

But I am not so sure about there being only 5. By now, 5 are confirmed. "The three" mentioned during War of the Ancients. Most likely N'zoth, Yog'saron and the last unconfirmed one. C'thun was believed to be dead and Y'shaarj is dead, so those two are most likely not part of "The Three". And that would make 5.

Then again, for the Tirisfal thing, we got the confirmation that nothing is set in stone with that zone. Could be an old god, could be somethign completely different. Pygmy Heavy Metal Party with beer that was so strong that it's smell alone was enough to drive the elves nuts after some time. It's just a story hook, something is there, but even the devs don't know what it is exactly.

Then we still have "the other side of Azeroth". We don't know if anything is west of Kalimdor or east of the Eastern Kingdoms. We could get 10 more continents there no onw knows about. Maybe a giant old god who is as large as a whole continent. We don't know. "But there is a globe in Ulduar!" you may say. I say, that was 2 expansions ago. "But it shows a landmass that is Pandaria!" you say. Could be Undermine, could be Zandalar, could be another one of the many bigger islands in the south of which, by that time, whe know they existed there.

So, that being said, I am not sure if we only have 5 old gods on Azeroth. But we definitly have many more in the whole universe.

[TheAmazingFeedz]

I think the Old Gods power rival that of the Pantheon and not the Dragonflights. The Old Gods, in power, are miles ahead of any dragon ever seen on Azeroth, whereas the Pantheon are most likely similar in terms of power. That or the Titans empowered the Dragonflights just to watch over that certain Old god, in which it'll make sense.

[Beergod]

People need to just forget about the Tirisfal thing.
Blizzard has already flat out stated that it's just a hook they are keeping around in case they come up with something there.
There's no point in speculating what is under Tirisfal when Blizzard themselves haven't decided what is under it yet.

Always fun bringing it up. :-)

[Immitis]

theres tons of old gods. way more than 5.

[Deleted]

Considering we don't even know their origins, it may be that they're from some other planet or the nether itself.

There might just be an infinity of them...

[Zanito44]

Considering we don't even know their origins, it may be that they're from some other planet or the nether itself.

There might just be an infinity of them...

Well judging from a former Blizzard employee about what he said about them. They are in fact some strange anomaly that probably weren't supposed to come about in the beginning of the universe. That's is just speculation going off by his strange musings on how we could actually get rid of them by involving time travel and preventing a certain necrophotic cancer from forming as the universe came to be. Subsequent Old Gods would probably come from this origin.

Harbinger Skyriss did say that their numbers are about as countless as the stars. That might be an exaggeration but who knows.

[Stormgnoef]

Atm infinite with almost every raid boss these being old god corrupted

[Nemesiz]

Golden Yak.

I love you, best theories ever. Brolove <3

[Golden Yak]

And to throw everyone off, the God of Life is the thing under Tirisfal seeing as death surrounds Tirisfal Glades. Even though the thing under Tirisfal is most likely not an old god.

Well, recently its come out that Blizzard hasn't decided what's under Tirisfal, although earlier they said it wasn't an Old God but 'something horrible.'

They may change their minds and have it be an Old God after all, though I hope not. My vote would be corrupted Titan well, like a polluted version of Un'Goro or the Eternal Vale.

Considering we don't even know their origins, it may be that they're from some other planet or the nether itself.

There might just be an infinity of them...

Blizzard's word is that they come from their own 'realm' and must be summoned into the 'material plane', which is something we see happening in Shadowmoon Valley in Outland. So there are certainly more than the ones on Azeroth. I imagine they probably have their own entire universe - a realm distinct from the material realm and the Twisting Nether.

Golden Yak.

I love you, best theories ever. Brolove <3

Why thank you.