Queen Azshara is Back -- Right Now.

[Wolfchild]

Where is she?

Awaiting us to light the final torch, and reawaken the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom.

- - - Updated - - -

There are four world trees that we know of, apart from the smaller ones in the Nightmare.

Nordrassil (the one on Hyjal)
Teldrassil (night elf home)
Andrassil (broken one in the Grizzly Hills). Renamed to Vordrassil after it broke.
Shaladrassil (Val'sharah)

All of these world trees were used to suppress some form of corruption from the old gods/evil, With Nordrassil being the famous one which tried to suppress the second Well of Eternity

The first Well of Eternity was what caused the Great Sundering due to Queen Azshara using its powers to aid her masters and formed the Maelstrom.

The five torches when thought of through the eyes of the "evil" Old Gods are the five distinct corruption points that their presence was felt the most, with the Maelstrom being the most prevalent one in Azeroth. To them those beacons of corruption are like fireflies in the dark for the old gods.

This is what I think is important. We need to see those prophetic whispers through the eyes of the Old Gods.

These five "torches", where their presence and power is most felt, when these five points of corruption are activated, then...

"Five keys to open the way. Five torches to light our path"

Some of those torches have already been opened.

I believe patch 8.2 will of course introduce Queen Azshara, and I think it is likely that quests will involve us going to all five spots, using the keys,eventually leading us into the maelstrom. The last "torch" is the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom where Queen Azhara awaits to free N'zoth.

"To find him, drown yourself in a circle of stars." We can see the circle of Stars when looking up from Deepholm.

"The king of diamonds has been made a pawn." Muradin is a pawn because he gives us the Heart of Azeroth which he helps us empower it with Azerite, essentially giving us the final key to open up the Maelstrom and release the full corruption upon Azeroth.

The Maelstrom itself will be Patch 8.3, with whole new Zone/continent, possibly where the Black Empire itself is rebuilding thanks to the help of Queen Azhara.

My two cents...

[Shinrael]

Azshara has certainly been confirmed to be a new threat, long hidden since ancient times, finally emerging.

Could it be Azshara, not Sylvannas, lights up Teldrassil? I mean, it's the perfect crime for her -- she gets a war for free. The lighting of Teldrassil is also thought to be the first of five 'torches' which will herald the coming of N'Zoth.

Did Sylvannas really intend to occupy Darnassus or even think she could keep it while the nightelven army remains undefeated?

So better question - why would Azshara want to wipe out the Horde? It makes sense why the battle at Undercity is so dire and dire actions are taken. It makes sense why the Zandalari are the Horde's salvation...

I think it could be that we've given Sylvannas too much credit. She got greedy with the Azerite, thought she had the initiative and got burned, a blunder into an unforseen betrayal that has now both shifted the balance of power and awoken the full ire of the Alliance.

I thought this was an obvious potential turn out of the events? I mean, if Sylvanas really isn't as evil as the fanbase is making her to be (According to Blizzard) then what else is left there but to have someone else start the fire and make it seem like Sylvanas did it. Or burning the tree isn't really evil because the Night Elves as part of the Alliance are enemies to the Horde and it should be a normal thing.

[Wolfchild]

Aren't there 5 World Trees?

There are currently 4 that we know of.

Nordrassil (the one on Hyjal)
Teldrassil (night elf home)
Andrassil (broken one in the Grizzly Hills). Renamed to Vordrassil after it broke.
Shaladrassil (Val'sharah)

But like my posts says. They are simply vessels used to suppress the corruption that lies beneath.

The "fifth torch" is the Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom.

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I thought this was an obvious potential turn out of the events? I mean, if Sylvanas really isn't as evil as the fanbase is making her to be (According to Blizzard) then what else is left there but to have someone else start the fire and make it seem like Sylvanas did it. Or burning the tree isn't really evil because the Night Elves as part of the Alliance are enemies to the Horde and it should be a normal thing.

I think the Old Gods work through manipulation. I think Queen Azshara used an agent carefully placed to manipulate both sides in some manner.

The scenarios depicting both Anduin and Sylvanas reacting to the energies of Azerite, when first discovered, was that agent.

A force to point the way for both sides towards the burning of the world trees essentially releasing the corrupting forces that lay underneath them in some manner.

When Muradin asks you to absorb the Azerite power in the Haert of Azeroth chamber, you are essentially absorbing a corrupting force from that titan facility. But that action is a double edged sword. Yes you are helping Azeroth heal itself, but you are helping Queen Azhara as well, to assemble the necessary material N'zoth will need to light the final torch beneath the maelstrom.

[thilicen]

On the horde side of things, after handing in the quest, I'd say Sylvanas is a bit too much "Oops" instead of the "WTF" you'd expect from someone who has no idea what just happened.

Azshara makes sense by all means, just can't see this being anything other than a horde thing, even if it's just a massive fuck-up.

[Auxis]

What are the other torches then?

Well, there are 5 confirmed World Trees. Torches might not literally mean setting them on fire. Nordrassil's power was destroyed in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Teldrassil will be burnt down, Andrassil was rotted by Yoggy, Shaladrassil was corrupted by the Nightmare, and the W. Tree that Il'gynoth infested is gonzos.

If the old gods/void are trying to do something with the Dream/Azeroth, destroying the things that connect the 2 worlds is surely a go-to plan.

[Wolfchild]

On the horde side of things, after handing in the quest, I'd say Sylvanas is a bit too much "Oops" instead of the "WTF" you'd expect from someone who has no idea what just happened.

Azshara makes sense by all means, just can't see this being anything other than a horde thing, even if it's just a massive fuck-up.

I still think it is Sylvanas that lights up Teldrassil.

Indirectly though, it is the Azerite that directed her actions. I believe Azeroth itself is already corrupted by the old gods, presenting duplicitous energies of the light and the void, which both Anduin and Sylvanas were affected by.

The scenarios showing both Anduin and Sylvanas reacting to the raw Azerite was the stepping stone towards their current and future actions.

We are not fully aware of what Azerite essentially does. That will be revealed I think by patch 8.3 or even later depending how Blizzard plays it.

I think Azshara is a major player in corrupting Azeroth the sleeping giant within the planet.

Sargeras essentially released that corrupting force within the surface, causing this current Bipolar reactions from Sylvanas and Anduin into succumbing to this corruption.

It is no wonder that Azerite itself has properties of "The Light" and "The Void" within it, essentially driving the titan of Azeroth to go mad like Sargeras himself did.

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Well, there are 5 confirmed World Trees. Torches might not literally mean setting them on fire. Nordrassil's power was destroyed in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Teldrassil will be burnt down, Andrassil was rotted by Yoggy, Shaladrassil was corrupted by the Nightmare, and the W. Tree that Il'gynoth infested is gonzos.

If the old gods/void are trying to do something with the Dream/Azeroth, destroying the things that connect the 2 worlds is surely a go-to plan.

There are 4 world trees.

With Voldrassil being broken.

[Shinrael]

There are 4 world trees.

With Voldrassil being broken.

Interestingly enough he named 5. Might wanna read that post :P

[Wolfchild]

Interestingly enough he named 5. Might wanna read that post :P

Nordrassil's power was destroyed in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Teldrassil will be burnt down, Andrassil was rotted by Yoggy, Shaladrassil was corrupted by the Nightmare, and the W. Tree that Il'gynoth infested is gonzos.

Shaladrassil and the "W. Tree that Il'gynoth infested is gonzos" are essentially the same thing.

Shaladrassil is in the real world. while the one where Il'gynoth was in is the reflection in the nightmare.

So essentially the nightmare would have 4 other world trees as a nightmare reflection.

Il'gynoth resided with the reflection in the nightmare. Which was why he was embedded within it within the nightmare....

There are still 4 world trees in reality.

[GrinnersGrin]

could be accurate, 3 have allready been light on fire, quelthalas and exodar could be the last 2.

I was thinking the last 2 were Dazar'alor (SP?) and Boralus in their raid and dungeon respectively.

[Skulltaker]

Did Sylvannas really intend to occupy Darnassus or even think she could keep it while the nightelven army remains undefeated?

Sylvanas intends to occupy the city with the citizens remaining there. She assumes that the Alliance wouldn't dare try to retake the city while she uses Night Elves as... well, elven shields.

What are the other torches then?

There is the assumption that other world trees were/are the torches.

Nordrassil got burned by Archimonde in WC3.

The player burns the sapling of Vordrassil, the regrown Andrassil, during the events of Wrath of the Lich King.

Someone burns Teldrassil.

Il'gynoth might be some kind of corrupted World Tree, in the Emerald Nightmare Raid. There is the possibility that a World Tree was planted inside the equivalent of Un'Goro in the Emerald Dream.

The tree in Val'Sharah is a corrupted World Tree, Shaladrassil.

With Tel'Drassil being destroyed, all five tres suffered some form of destruction.

[Morbidius]

It does sound like the blizzard MO because right now theres 3 possible directions i can see:
1: Sylvanas is just fantasy pol pot and the horde is again just the bad guys and its garrosh 2.0
2: Its old gods directly influencing her and may tie back to the theories from some of the order hall and sidequest stuff hinting that yogg saron took a dive and has been manipulating all undead for years.
3: Its Azshara and this is the naga/south seas expansion people wanted masquerading for the .0 period as a horde vs alliance experience like a reverse pandaria and our mogu/sha twist is coming at the second act not the first turning into horde vs alliance like the pandaren campaign.

Personally i have no love for sylvanas. she spent most of the games life being a brat in the undercity singing when given an amulet. In cata she became a sociopath going "but muh smouldering generic painrage" and that was about it. Could she just be new garrosh? sure. But that makes me hope blizzard isn't coping out with a mind control deal again.
Given they way legion worked and general vibes that -if wrath was wc3 part 2, legion was pandaria part 2- then this is cataclysm part 2 i think Azshara might be a boss in a raid but not die in that raid. I think we are getting naga stuff but the only issue is how do they get around the people that, while its the same controls as flying, go into a screeching shitfit about underwater stuff?
The natural reaction therefore is another 'post launch zone' like argus but its the nightmare city rising from the depths and the horde vs alliance as, like the geniuses they are, weakened from infighting and dundundun all seems lost and its up to 10 people to run into an instance for loot to save the day!


Or its genn doing a false flag. Which is possible but considering how the night elves saved them in gilneas he owes them more for his people than he owes sylvanas for killing his son and his entire character is "shouldering my peoples burden", its even one of his lines when you click on him, so while i could see a writer like golden wanting to use that i dont think genn himself would stoop to that when in his mind he is already 100% on the "lets nuke the bastards from orbit with the vindicaar" side and everyone knows it. From his perspective why would he need to convince people the forsaken are a threat. To his thinking it should be as evident as water is wet.

Could you please give more info about Old Gods` influence on undead? Which class campaign point at this?

[Deleted]

But isn't she from the Water tribe and not from the Fire nation?

[Kieldon]

Even if she burns the tree, Sylvanas is the one giving orders to capture it and kill Malfurion. That alone is a reason for war.

[Skulltaker]

There are currently 4 that we know of.

Nordrassil (the one on Hyjal)
Teldrassil (night elf home)
Andrassil (broken one in the Grizzly Hills). Renamed to Vordrassil after it broke.
Shaladrassil (Val'sharah)

Il'gynoth resides in an unnamed World Tree that only exists in the Emerald Dream.

[trm90]

But why is the Emerald Dream's Tree in Un'Goro? That's something I never fully understood about Il'gynoth.

[Alanar]

Awaiting us to light the final torch, and reawaken the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom.

- - - Updated - - -

There are four world trees that we know of, apart from the smaller ones in the Nightmare.

Nordrassil (the one on Hyjal)
Teldrassil (night elf home)
Andrassil (broken one in the Grizzly Hills). Renamed to Vordrassil after it broke.
Shaladrassil (Val'sharah)

All of these world trees were used to suppress some form of corruption from the old gods/evil, With Nordrassil being the famous one which tried to suppress the second Well of Eternity

The first Well of Eternity was what caused the Great Sundering due to Queen Azshara using its powers to aid her masters and formed the Maelstrom.

The five torches when thought of through the eyes of the "evil" Old Gods are the five distinct corruption points that their presence was felt the most, with the Maelstrom being the most prevalent one in Azeroth. To them those beacons of corruption are like fireflies in the dark for the old gods.

This is what I think is important. We need to see those prophetic whispers through the eyes of the Old Gods.

These five "torches", where their presence and power is most felt, when these five points of corruption are activated, then...

"Five keys to open the way. Five torches to light our path"

Some of those torches have already been opened.

I believe patch 8.2 will of course introduce Queen Azshara, and I think it is likely that quests will involve us going to all five spots, using the keys,eventually leading us into the maelstrom. The last "torch" is the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom where Queen Azhara awaits to free N'zoth.

"To find him, drown yourself in a circle of stars." We can see the circle of Stars when looking up from Deepholm.

"The king of diamonds has been made a pawn." Muradin is a pawn because he gives us the Heart of Azeroth which he helps us empower it with Azerite, essentially giving us the final key to open up the Maelstrom and release the full corruption upon Azeroth.

The Maelstrom itself will be Patch 8.3, with whole new Zone/continent, possibly where the Black Empire itself is rebuilding thanks to the help of Queen Azhara.

My two cents...

I think this is absolutely plausible. The world trees are the keys, thry have been azeroth wards for sll the time we know.. and they are all getting destroyed. Is this realy the plan all along?

I also have a feeling it will play out were N zoth will eat or drain Azshara when he will be released.
She will be like: 'yes come to me master'
N'zoth: 'You have served me well little queen..'
N'zoth slowly emerges from the dephts and moves hes tentacles towards the queen.
Azshara yells:'YES MY LOVE ALL WILL MAKE SENSE NOW!
N'zoth: ' It.. doess...(echo)
N'zoth reach out to Azshara, grabbing her and slowely pulls hes tentacles crawling in every eye, mouth etc( this could look realy nasty thl)
Azshara yells:'WHAT?.. YOU PROMISED.. AAAARCHSLURPSLURP.( idk or maybe she escapes, but she lose nzoth powers and lives??

Idk I like your idea tho I am just rambling

[kamuimac]

Azshara has certainly been confirmed to be a new threat, long hidden since ancient times, finally emerging.

Could it be Azshara, not Sylvannas, lights up Teldrassil? I mean, it's the perfect crime for her -- she gets a war for free. The lighting of Teldrassil is also thought to be the first of five 'torches' which will herald the coming of N'Zoth.

Did Sylvannas really intend to occupy Darnassus or even think she could keep it while the nightelven army remains undefeated?

So better question - why would Azshara want to wipe out the Horde? It makes sense why the battle at Undercity is so dire and dire actions are taken. It makes sense why the Zandalari are the Horde's salvation...

I think it could be that we've given Sylvannas too much credit. She got greedy with the Azerite, thought she had the initiative and got burned, a blunder into an unforseen betrayal that has now both shifted the balance of power and awoken the full ire of the Alliance.

if Sylvanas really wanted to start a war regardless of costs she would simply kill Anduin when she had a chance a it would be devastating blow to allience.

but she didnt.

so ofc something else is going on behind scenes.

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Could you please give more info about Old Gods` influence on undead? Which class campaign point at this?

there are many players currently working behind scenes and pushing direckly to war. old gods , azhara , light , void is coming now that legion is not stopping them - you can pick and choose.

[Demona3]

Whichever 5 events happen, we won't know until Khadgar comes back from his "studies" or whatever the hell it is that he is doing when he left us in the desert of Silithus. "The Lord of Ravens will turn the key".

[Morbidius]

Awaiting us to light the final torch, and reawaken the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom.

- - - Updated - - -

There are four world trees that we know of, apart from the smaller ones in the Nightmare.

Nordrassil (the one on Hyjal)
Teldrassil (night elf home)
Andrassil (broken one in the Grizzly Hills). Renamed to Vordrassil after it broke.
Shaladrassil (Val'sharah)

All of these world trees were used to suppress some form of corruption from the old gods/evil, With Nordrassil being the famous one which tried to suppress the second Well of Eternity

The first Well of Eternity was what caused the Great Sundering due to Queen Azshara using its powers to aid her masters and formed the Maelstrom.

The five torches when thought of through the eyes of the "evil" Old Gods are the five distinct corruption points that their presence was felt the most, with the Maelstrom being the most prevalent one in Azeroth. To them those beacons of corruption are like fireflies in the dark for the old gods.

This is what I think is important. We need to see those prophetic whispers through the eyes of the Old Gods.

These five "torches", where their presence and power is most felt, when these five points of corruption are activated, then...

"Five keys to open the way. Five torches to light our path"

Some of those torches have already been opened.

I believe patch 8.2 will of course introduce Queen Azshara, and I think it is likely that quests will involve us going to all five spots, using the keys,eventually leading us into the maelstrom. The last "torch" is the original Well of Eternity beneath the Maelstrom where Queen Azhara awaits to free N'zoth.

"To find him, drown yourself in a circle of stars." We can see the circle of Stars when looking up from Deepholm.

"The king of diamonds has been made a pawn." Muradin is a pawn because he gives us the Heart of Azeroth which he helps us empower it with Azerite, essentially giving us the final key to open up the Maelstrom and release the full corruption upon Azeroth.

The Maelstrom itself will be Patch 8.3, with whole new Zone/continent, possibly where the Black Empire itself is rebuilding thanks to the help of Queen Azhara.

My two cents...

Concerning your assuarance that events will take place in Deepholm/Maelstorm. It seems more possible, that N'zoth prison will be between Broken Isles, Kul'Tiras and Zandalar. Appart from heavy influence of N'zoth around this locations, there were some direct clues, like:
- the description of Mindflayer Kaahrj in the Violet Hold: "... ensared as it lapsed into a catatonic state after the defeat of Yogg-Saron. Since Dalaran arrived at the Broken Isles, the monstrosity has mysteriously awakened...";
- whisper of Xal'atath in Azsuna: "The Legion burrows deep here. If they burrow deeper, they may not like what they find.";
- some BfA relative content (if you just look on the map you will see, that BfA locations with old god's related content - Nazmir and Drustvar border with the ocean region where I expect N'zoth prison to be).

Concerning: "Five keys to open the way. Five torches to light our path". It seems to me that we have to split this prophecy in two parts as it is written. Keys are the pillars of creation. Who told us to find them and to bring them together? Magni, who is: "The king of diamonds has been made a pawn". By fulfilling his words we, possibly, using titans' creation artifacts helpend N'zoth to get rid of his prison.
What is five torhes? World trees doesn't seem to fit as there are only four of them in Azeroth. Characters like Jaina, Sylvanas, Genn Greymane, who will "burn" during the war could be those torches. But to me it seems more possible that war events, like The Burning of Teldrassil and Battle for Undercity are torches, which will mark the reign of N'zoth.

[Hitei]

Concerning your assuarance that events will take place in Deepholm/Maelstorm. It seems more possible, that N'zoth prison will be between Broken Isles, Kul'Tiras and Zandalar. Appart from heavy influence of N'zoth around this locations, there were some direct clues, like:
- the description of Mindflayer Kaahrj in the Violet Hold: "... ensared as it lapsed into a catatonic state after the defeat of Yogg-Saron. Since Dalaran arrived at the Broken Isles, the monstrosity has mysteriously awakened...";
- whisper of Xal'atath in Azsuna: "The Legion burrows deep here. If they burrow deeper, they may not like what they find.";
- some BfA relative content (if you just look on the map you will see, that BfA locations with old god's related content - Nazmir and Drustvar border with the ocean region where I expect N'zoth prison to be).

Concerning: "Five keys to open the way. Five torches to light our path". It seems to me that we have to split this prophecy in two parts as it is written. Keys are the pillars of creation. Who told us to find them and to bring them together? Magni, who is: "The king of diamonds has been made a pawn". By fulfilling his words we, possibly, using titans' creation artifacts helpend N'zoth to get rid of his prison.
What is five torhes? World trees doesn't seem to fit as there are only four of them in Azeroth. Characters like Jaina, Sylvanas, Genn Greymane, who will "burn" during the war could be those torches. But to me it seems more possible that war events, like The Burning of Teldrassil and Battle for Undercity are torches, which will mark the reign of N'zoth.

I mean, we don't need "clues" when we know exactly where N'zoth's prison canonically is.