The Old Gods are a constant theme in World of Warcraft. With Dragonflight, they are resurfacing. So far only subtly, but the signs are becoming clearer.
World of Warcraft is full of enemies and mysteries. Yet few are as enduring and mysterious adversaries as the Old Gods. They have appeared since Classic, and their influence can be felt in almost every expansion. Whether in Classic, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, or Battle for Azeroth, the Old Gods have always been present, either directly or through their servants.
Old Gods belong to the cosmic force of the Void, and they primarily aim to completely corrupt the planet Azeroth to transform the slumbering Titan into a creature of the Void. Like all beings of the Void, Old Gods do not perceive a single, guaranteed future that will come to pass, but rather the infinite paths and possibilities that could be.
This ensures that Old Gods and their servants always have interesting whispers. Many of these resemble prophecies, but it is often difficult to discern which will truly come to pass and which are intended to lead us astray.
Therefore, there have always been heated discussions and wild theories about the Old Gods in the past – theories that often proved true many years later.
Superficially, the Old Gods seem to have little to do with Dragonflight, but those who delve deeper into the subject inevitably conclude that the Old Gods will play a significant role again sooner or later.
We want to present to you the current prevailing theories and most exciting hints about the Old Gods.
What exactly are the Old Gods?
In short: The Old Gods are servants of the “Void Lords.” They are the leaders of the cosmic force of the Void (just as the Titans are the leaders of the cosmic force of “Order”). Since the Void Lords currently cannot act themselves, they cast the Old Gods haphazardly into the cosmos, who then descended on numerous planets. A handful of them landed on Azeroth and became firmly rooted in the planet’s crust.
The Old Gods are tasked with corrupting the planet and the Titan soul that lies dormant within, so that Azeroth ultimately awakens as a “Titan of the Void” and serves the Void Lords to devour the entire universe.
Four of the Old Gods are known:
- C’Thun (Ahn’Qiraj)
- Yogg-Saron (Ulduar)
- Y’Shaarj (Pandaria)
- N’Zoth (Naz’jatar)
A fifth Old God is likely, but currently unknown (more on that later).
Old Gods are in direct conflict with the Titans and their servants. They have been imprisoned for many millennia, yet they are also significantly involved in the development of the races on Azeroth. The existence of humans and other “Living” beings is primarily due to the “Curse of Flesh” of the Old Gods – before that, all life on Azeroth consisted of stone or elemental forces.
N’Zoth was even responsible for the corruption of Neltharion, who later became “Deathwing”.
The Signs of the Old Gods in Dragonflight
That the Old Gods still exert their influence and are not entirely contained can be observed at several locations in Dragonflight.
Quests with Whispers
One indication is that Dragonflight has several quest lines revolving around relics that are connected with whispers – once in the plains of Ohn’ahra and another time in the Azure Span.
Especially the quest line in the plains of Ohn’ahra is interesting, as the relic “The Black Locus” manipulates the Dracthyr there. The site was an important stronghold for the Black Dragons, of which we know that their leader Neltharion ultimately succumbed to the whispers of the Old Gods. Callers have even an extra step in this quest line to protect themselves from the whispers.
Even as players, you feel the urge to want to keep the object, as the description clearly states: “The speckling of this stone looks like mist in the night sky and draws you in. You should keep it.”
It is rare for Blizzard to be so explicit about what your character feels or how he should act regarding objects. This has been almost exclusively the case when you were directly confronted with the influence of Old Gods.
Therefore, it is astonishing that a very similar object is found in the Azure Span. During the quest “What the Guardian Knows,” players find a “Whispering Fragment,” whose description says: “The fragment fills your mind with many compliments. You are quite awesome, aren’t you?”
The hero and some NPCs then feel the urge to collect more of these fragments, further intensifying the whispers, as later the text of the fragments reads:
“The whispers of the fragments grow louder the more you collect. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to listen to them a little.”
The quest line ultimately ends with a Blood Elf completely succumbing to the whispers and sacrificing her own soul to the strange artifact “Valthrux” – just like many creatures before. It is never fully explained what Valthrux actually was, only that “it” has already devoured many souls.
Insights into the Black Empire
The most apparent sign is the journey into the “Black Empire” during the main campaign of Thaldraszus. With the help of the bronze dragons, we travel far back in time and arrive in the Black Empire. During this, the character is flooded with whispers from the Old Gods. Most of these have been in the game for a long time. Sentences from Yogg-Saron and C’thun. However, some sentences are completely new. So N’Zoth speaks during this time:
- “I … know you. What you were. What you will be.”
- “You will follow him to the deep places. The dark waters flow with his awakening.”
- “With many eyes they will see again. They will drink and be empowered.”
- “Deeper, deeper his roots will reach. Welcome our embrace.”
- “Their dreams sing beneath the surface. Our dreams. Our song.”
Steve Danuser, the story chief of Dragonflight, revealed a few weeks ago in a lore interview that he personally and deliberately placed the new sentences from N’Zoth there. It is therefore not simply a “cool quest with a look into the past” – but the intentional placement of new hints regarding the Old Gods.
Tentacles and Eyes in the Sea
Many saw this as a clear sign: West of Ohn’ahra, a shipwreck can be found that has a small treasure of gold. Many tentacles surrounded it, as they are known from N’Zoth. The “typical” orange eye that is often associated with N’Zoth can also be found there.
Subsequently (with patch 10.0.5), Blizzard removed the tentacles and eye from there and instead placed Easter eggs on the treasure. For some, this is a clear indication that it was always intended as an Easter egg – others find this all the more suspicious.
Just looking at these three hints should make it clear that the influence of the Old Gods still has an impact – and that perhaps N’Zoth is not as dead as many thought at the end of Battle for Azeroth.
N’Zoth – Dead or not?
N’Zoth was historically the weakest of the Old Gods and could be defeated during the time of Battle for Azeroth, as he died at the end of patch 8.3 – at least that’s what many thought. The video of his defeat stirred great controversy at the time, as it felt “not right” to many. The story revolving around a great titan laser beam piercing through N’Zoth and destroying him, coupled with a rather “undignified” cutscene, caused a great outcry.
Even back then, the thought was: That can’t really have happened?
Heroes executed N’Zoth’s plan
There are now many hints that this never really happened, but that we fell for the Old God’s tricks.
For during “Battle for Azeroth”, the “Hero” danced pretty much directly to the Old God’s tune. Not only did we bring him important artifacts and helped free the entity “Xal’atath” from her dagger, but we were also directly corrupted by N’Zoth. Many players still bear the Mark of N’Zoth.
A whole raid, the “Siege of the Storms” exists solely to test us in N’Zoth’s eyes to see if we are worthy of his task. In the end, he returns to us the “empty” dagger Xal’atath, which Horde players in loyal allegiance present to Sylvanas. Only through this can Queen Azshara ultimately pull us into the depths of Naz’jatar (patch 8.2). An event that ultimately leads to the liberation of N’Zoth from his prison.
Months later, Furorion uses the dagger to destroy N’Zoth’s shell during the attack. In the cinematic, it becomes pretty clear that the dagger “sucks” something out of the shell – it could be the essence of the Old God. It is also suspicious that the dagger then completely disappears from the scene and is never mentioned again. It is not explained what exactly the dagger did or where it is now.
The “final battle” against N’Zoth then occurs in a dreamlike illusion. It is impossible to say whether we truly fought against N’Zoth or merely against a vision that the Old God showed us. Since N’Zoth knew every step we would take in advance and even guided us, it appears more than questionable that we really defeated the Old God there.
N’Zoth knows the true path
Another puzzle piece in this riddle was provided by Blizzard with the journey into the time of the Black Empire with the bronze dragons in Thaldraszus. For N’Zoth clearly states that he recognizes us: “I … know you. What you were. What you will be.”
A “disadvantage” of the Void is that it can perceive all possibilities simultaneously. This means that Old Gods never truly know which future will actually come to pass and must constantly adjust their plans.
However, we as players have changed this circumstance. For when we traveled with Chromie into the time of the Black Empire, we inadvertently revealed to N’Zoth which future would come to pass. He recognized us. Thus, we confirmed thousands of years ago which future would come to fruition, allowing N’Zoth to plan accordingly.
This only makes it even more likely that we will encounter N’Zoth again in the foreseeable future and find that he is not dead, but that we unwittingly helped him gain the exact power he desired.
The Fifth Old God and Avaloren
In the early stories of World of Warcraft, it was always said that there were a total of five Old Gods that descended upon Azeroth:
Later, Blizzard released the grand lore compendium “Warcraft Chronicles”. Here, the number of Old Gods was set at four. It was assumed that Blizzard had simply conducted a “retcon,” changing a previously established fact afterward. This led to the assumption that one would know all the Old Gods.
Several months later, however, Blizzard explained that the Chronicles are not “irrefutable knowledge” but are written “from the Titans’ perspective.” This received much criticism at the time, as lore fans saw it only as an excuse for Blizzard to change the story even more afterward.
This circumstance has since taken on much greater implications. For Blizzard has slowly sprinkled individual hints that the Titans may not actually be as “good” as we always thought.
In the revamped Uldaman dungeon, new books could be found, revealing that Odyn – one of the highest servants of the Titans – had mandated that the Black Empire should retrospectively be represented as the “Age of Terror.” The truth should never be made accessible to mortals. Odyn speaks here of “accomplishments of the Black Empire” that mortals should never know about so that they do not “be diverted from the right path.”
And this is exactly in line with the Titans’ mindset. For Titans are cosmic beings of Order. They see a path and want that exactly this path occurs. And anyone who stands in the way must be eliminated.
With patch 10.0.7, Blizzard then directs attention to some new story details. A new book comes into play, titled “The Old Gods and the Order of Azeroth (Commented).” This is a commented version of a book that has existed since Classic.
What is interesting is that this book explicitly mentions five Old Gods. While some suspect that Blizzard simply “forgot” to adjust this in-game book in its re-release, many do not believe this is an error. For it is quite conspicuous that Blizzard specifically brings back this book with this exact information.
This is where “Avaloren” comes into play. Avaloren is an island or continent on Azeroth that is currently inaccessible. Historically, Avaloren is said to be “west of Kalimdor,” as ships that traveled there never returned.
Avaloren is mentioned in the Uldaman books. It is said to be full of “Heretics” who have defied the rules of the Titans and their servants. In Odyn’s eyes, “heretics” are all who do not fully submit to the will of the Titans. These could be followers of the Old Gods. Multiple times, Odyn attempted to attack Avaloren with an expedition, but (at least) three times he failed and ultimately had to give up. The protective mechanisms were too strong.
As Odyn emphasizes in other texts that knowledge of Old Gods and the accomplishments of the Black Empire should be kept secret from mortals (meaning us), he very likely changed the historical narrative. From five Old Gods, he simply reduced it to four. He never mentioned Avaloren again and that there is a high probability that the fifth Old God is either located or still imprisoned there.
It is only a matter of time before we discover Avaloren and uncover the truth about the fifth Old God and the “accomplishments of the Black Empire.”
Iridikron’s Hunger and Dark Pacts
The first chapter of Dragonflight ends in the raid “Vault of the Incarnations,” where Khadgar, Kalecgos, and the heroes of Azeroth defeat the primal incarnation Raszageth. But even though the Storm-Eater dies, she still manages to free her three siblings, whom we must face in the future.
Especially Iridikron, the primordial incarnation of Earth, is repeatedly brought into focus here. Not only is “Iridikron’s Hunger” something the dragon aspects fear, but also his longing for war. Alexstrasza reveals in one quest that none of the incarnations “welcomed war as much as Iridikron” and that he “entered into pacts that he even kept secret from his siblings.”
What could these pacts be? After all, the number of great powers on Azeroth during the time of the incarnations was drastically limited. Unless Blizzard conjures up a completely new power, the answer can only be: The Old Gods.
This would also fit excellently historically. For just as Neltharion (later known as Deathwing) was linked to the element of Earth and thus connected to the very ground of the planet, Iridikron seems much more willing to harness this power than Neltharion, who only used it in absolute emergencies.
It is already clear that with patch 10.1, there will be a journey into an underground area, which is already known from datamining and hints. It would be very surprising if not further hints about the Old Gods could be found there.
Final Opinion
It is probably hard to hide that I really enjoy the stories surrounding the Old Gods. Even though there is constant criticism that Blizzard never brings the plot to a conclusion and always only makes vague hints, I find that very aspect fascinating about the Old Gods. They still have a large part of “mystique,” a pinch of horror, and countless secrets that may one day be answered, or perhaps never.
For me, they have always been one of the most intriguing story aspects of World of Warcraft, and I love how Blizzard keeps inserting new puzzle pieces that slowly come together into a larger whole, without trivializing the story of the Old Gods.
However, it is also clear that Blizzard has planned the threat from the Old Gods very long-term. They could appear in the next major patch or might take several expansions to show up. It is only certain that they will come when they are ready to put their plans into action (and when WoW runs out of villains again).
A small request: I would ask you to share your thoughts on this article in the comments. Such extensive articles on individual topics and story elements of World of Warcraft require a lot of research and working time. If you enjoy extensive articles of this kind, also on other story themes in WoW, like the extensive lies of the Titans or the story of dragons, feel free to share this article and let me know your opinion in the comments.
Finally, I want to emphasize that all the theories about Old Gods and discoveries such as in datamining do not originate from me. This article often references findings from Wowhead or YouTubers like Bellular. Relevant sources are linked there.
