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Where is the Prison of N'Zoth?
publié
11/05/2019 à 07:52
par
perculia
With Azshara's Eternal Palace open for raid testing on the PTR, we've learned a bit more about the location of N'Zoth's prison and what it could mean for the future of Azeroth, but also uncover an intriguing contradiction.
Here be story spoilers!
The Prison in Chronicle
Following the war against the Black Empire and the violent death of Y'Shaarj, the titans opted to imprison the remaining Old Gods to avoid further damage to Azeroth. N'Zoth's prison was said to be deep underground, pre-Sundering before the Pangea-like supercontinent which made up Azeroth was split into multiple landmasses. Over the following millenia, the lands of Azeroth shift and break apart, causing the prison to eventually end up underwater.
As we highlighted back in our
Warbringers: Azshara analysis
from August 2018, overlaying all of the Chronicle maps appeared to place N'Zoth's prison between Kul Tiras and Zandalar. With both nations at war, it seemed to fit the narrative that N'Zoth would be located in the center of their quarrel. This excerpt from that earlier post provides detail:
Comparing the various maps in Warcraft, we can see that N'Zoth's prison is between the islands of Kul Tiras and Zandalar - very convenient for Battle for Azeroth to be highlighting these islands! We also can't forget that Azshara is directly meddling with both islands, taking the Kul Tiran fleet and encouraging Zul's rebellion.
Image credit to
Vorsa on Reddit
The Prison in Azshara's Eternal Palace
With
Azshara's Eternal Palace
open for testing yesterday, we were able to explore to the very end of the raid, encountering the final platform for the Azshara fight and the very titan-forged chains which bind N'Zoth, near identical to chains used to (unsuccessfully) bind the other Old Gods we've encountered.
The Eternal Palace entrance is located in Nazjatar, the new capital of the Naga which was built upon the drowned ruins of Zin-Azshari, the former capital of the Night Elf empire. Prior to the Chronicle series, "The Sundering of the World" stated that the city was built by the Naga at the bottom of the Maelstrom, the volatile remnants of the Well of Eternity left after its destruction in the Sundering. With the city rising to the surface in Patch 8.2: Rise of Azshara, we can presume that it remains close to the Maelstrom. Given the presence of the chains which bind N'Zoth inside Azshara's Eternal Palace, it would therefore stand to reason that N'Zoth's prison is within the Well of Eternity.
During the Azshara encounter, she reveals her plan all along was to lure us into helping free N'Zoth, using the Azerite from our necklaces to weaken the chains of the titan facility. With the Well of Eternity filled by volatile magic drawn from the blood of Azeroth itself, one can imagine how the power of our necklaces would be amplified near its presence.
Azshara: You see the truth now, don't you, heroes? Every move you've made has been according to my will.
Azshara: That lumbering dwarf believed you could save Azeroth by empowering your shiny little Heart. The gift of a sleeping titan.
Azshara: Yes, a titan's heart was exactly what was needed. Not to heal the world... but to shatter the prison of a god.
Azshara: The ritual nears completion. The Black Empire rises... and the world awaits its true queen.
N'Zoth's presence in the Well of Eternity could also explain his appearance to Azshara after the destruction of Zin-Azshari in
Warbringers: Azshara
, specifically the line "I have tasted your essence." Azshara frequently drew upon the magic of the Well of Eternity, which eventually helped lead to her demise, so it would be poetic if N'Zoth lurked beneath those very waters, influencing her all along.
As the night elf empire stretched across the world, Azshara spent more and more time in her palace at the Well of Eternity's shores. She obsessed over the lake and used Sharas'dal to manipulate its mysterious energies. Azshara dreamed of making the world into a paradise--her paradise. But it would only be possible if she and her Highborne servitors could harness the Well of Eternity's true potential. Their reckless experiments eventually sent arcane magic crashing through the Twisting Nether, the realm of demons. In time, the Burning Legion learned of the Well of Eternity and the world of Azeroth.
However, there are some gaps in this narrative as
Warbringers: Azshara
leaves out a driving force of her power -
Sharas'dal, sceptre des marées
. This weapon, imbued with the waters of the Well of Eternity, provided her great power throughout her reign, from enhancing her beauty to dramatically providing a temporary respite for her people from the crashing waves of the Sundering. The cinematic may be taking some creative license by leaving out this important weapon, so other details may also be embellished in order to create a stronger visual experience.
Curious Raid Details
Before we jump into the history of the Well of Eternity, here are some notable details from the raid:
Nazjatar, for the most part, is bathed in blue and purple tones, but, as we reach the
end of the raid
, we start seeing the color pink within the Queen's Court and red by Za'qul. In our
Warbringers: Azshara analysis
, we note that there are three distinct color palettes - the elven rosy pinks and purples echoed in Azshara's dress and barrier, the cool blues and silvers of the ocean, and the reds and golds of N'Zoth. A similar color scheme within the raid is likely not mere coincidence.
Near the Radiance of Azshara you can look down into the water, and seeing a blazing object below. We can't swim down to investigate it, but the color is quite striking; is this the actual heart of Azeroth? One of the stars in the Circle of Stars? The embodiment of radiance? It's incongruous and stands out among its surroundings.
The color in the raid, at the very end, gives way to near-darkness by N'Zoth's chains. This brings to mind the
Boîte à secret de Yogg-Saron
whispers:
The drowned god's heart is black ice.
"At the bottom of the ocean even light must die"
The fish know all the secrets. They know the cold. They know the dark.
As we gaze out onto N'Zoth's platform, the waters are held back by the shape of a dome, and the crashing waves form a pattern reminiscent of star constellations, which of course makes you think of the Circle of Stars.
History of Well
The Well of Eternity was created when Aman'Thul ripped Y'Shaarj out of Azeroth, causing a horrific loss of life that made the titans reconsider their tactics in the war against the Black Empire. Instead of causing further harm to Azeroth by destroying the other Old Gods outright, they would create elaborate underground prisons for them. Once the Old Gods were imprisoned, the titan-forged turned their attention to repairing Azeroth, though it's repeatedly emphasized in
Chronicle
that the wound left behind from Y'Shaarj was incredibly dangerous.
The keepers' most pressing concern was the horrific scar left behind when Aman'Thul had torn Y'Shaarj from the world's crust. A constant stream of volatile arcane energy bled from the colossal rift, lashing out across the world. The keepers knew that, if left unattended, these energies would consume Azeroth over time.
The keepers labored day and night, crafting magic wards sealed around the gaping wound to stanch the escaping lifeblood. Eventually, the tumultuous energies calmed and settled into balance. All that remained of the scar was an immense lake of scintillating energy that the keepers would call the "Well of Eternity." Thereafter, the power of this wondrous fount would be infused in the ailing world, helping life to take root and bloom across the globe
This is echoed in the description of the Well of Eternity in
Les Kaldorei et le Puits d'Eternité
.
The lake, which would later be called the Well of Eternity, was the true heart of the world's magic and natural power. Drawing its energies from the infinite Great Dark beyond the world, the Well acted as a mystical fount, sending its potent energies out across the world to nourish life in all its wondrous forms.
As sentient beings evolved on Azeroth, Freya created enclaves of nature in areas where the Well of Eternity energies were most prevalent - Un'Goro Crater, Sholazar Basin, and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. Ironically, these are also close by to the Old God prisons of C'Thun (Silithus), Yogg-Saron (Storm Peaks), and the Heart of Y'Shaarj (Vale of Eternal Blossoms). This too seems more than coincidence, and raises the question of a darker purpose to the Well of Eternity; all of these areas create new life, but also sustains the Old Gods imprisoned within.
Over time a group of reclusive trolls were drawn to the Well of Eternity, eventually evolving into the Kaldorei. They built a grand empire around the Well of Eternity, blessed by Cenarius and other Ancients, but some Night Elves were drawn to the volatile energy of the Well of Eternity, learning to harness its power and ultimately transforming Kaldorei Highborne society into one which pushed the boundaries of magic and intellect. During this time Queen Azshara began her reign at the height of innovation and magical exploration, and while she was adored by her people, she disdained them in turn, craving power and the eradication of all the world's imperfections.
Eventually, magical experimentation grew so widespread that it was felt within the Twisting Nether, drawing the attention of Sargeras. Seeking to use the magic of the Well of Eternity to bring the Burning Legion to Azeroth, Sargeras first tricked Azshara's councillor Xavius, and eventually pulled the majority of the Highborne, Illidan Stormrage, and even Queen Azshara herself into his service. Xavius helped Azshara communicate directly with Sargeras, stating of the Queen's wishes of cleansing Azeroth of what she considered to be lesser races, and Sargeras tricked Azshara into using the Well of Eternity as a gateway for the First Invasion of the Burning Legion, an event which became known as the War of the Ancients. During this war, the Well of Eternity was destabilized, causing a titanic explosion which sundered Azeroth forever and destroyed most of Kalimdor and the Kaldorei empire.
The remnants of the Well of Eternity became into the Maelstrom, a churning mass of chaotic energy between Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms which most of the world's inhabitants avoided until Deathwing burst through it causing the Cataclysm.
Reconciling Contradictions
Herein lies the issue - the Prison of N'Zoth cannot be both between Kul Tiras and Zandalar
and
within the Maelstrom. One of these sources has to be wrong, but there are several ways to interpret the discrepancy between what is presented in the
Chronicle
and Rise of Azshara.
It could be an honest continuity error, with the location changed to better fit the current narrative.
The Titan's information on the location of the prison could have been purposely misleading to deter its discovery.
The prison itself could have physically moved due to the passage of time, cataclysmic events such as the Sundering, or other outside influence.
Of these three interpretations, we'll examine several theories to support the last, as it seems most likely by far.
First, we know that N'Zoth is an incredibly large being - the Crucible of Storms was originally described as a "fragment of N'Zoth" in a Mamytwink interview from BlizzCon 2018. N'Zoth appears to be present underneath Stormsong Valley (near the originally speculated prison location from
Chronicle
) in Patch 8.1.5, but also imprisoned in Nazjatar in Patch 8.2 - a fair distance away. Perhaps a
part
of N'Zoth is imprisoned somewhere, but his full body is so much larger that it spreads beyond that location, like a vine that's grown beyond the supports that hold it.
Second, N'Zoth is also associated with corruption, ranging from the Emerald Nightmare to Neltharion the Earth-Warder, better known as Deathwing.
Il'gynoth
's whispers parallel several events in Patch 8.2, one of which referring to N'Zoth gaining strength: "From the earth, he draws strength. Our earth. Our strength." Instead of assuming that N'Zoth's prison was always underneath the Well of Eternity, perhaps N'Zoth was simply present, a small fragment that grew to reach the Well of Eternity and observe Azshara. We've seen Yogg-Saron extend his reach to corrupt the World Tree Vordrassil, so we shouldn't assume that N'Zoth's reach is also limited to his prison.
Third, N'Zoth's prison may have been in one location
before
the Sundering, but gradually shifted over time. Because it was in closest proximity to the Well of Eternity before it
exploded
(taking most of Kalimdor with it!), it's location could have radically shifted - either through the ground itself shifting like tectonic plates undergoing mass upheaval or the subsequent waters which now form the Great Sea where land once stood. This was the only prison that drowned during the Sundering - Silithus, Northrend, and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms all remained above-ground and further away from the explosive epicenter, so it stands to reason that they would be less affected. In
Warbringers: Azshara
this exposure to the water brings the Old God into contact with Queen Azshara as her empire slowly sinks to the bottom of the ocean, so barring any unlikely theories that what see in the cinematic isn't accurate, it would seem that events have brought N'Zoth closer to the Well than originally located.
Finally, a far-fetched crackpot theory implicates Azshara herself. Several times throughout
Battle for Azeroth
Azshara displays the ability to magically relocate and transport unlikely objects. In the events leading up to the expansion, she seizes control of the Kul Tiras fleet, moving it to an undisclosed location until Jaina returns it to Boralus using the Lord Admiral's Pendant. Then at the start of 8.2, we learn that Azshara has somehow stolen the Tidestone of Golganneth, using it to push back the waters of Nazjatar and set a devious trap for Alliance and Horde forces. We spent most of
Legion
protecting the Tidestone, so it's concerning how she was able to steal it out from under our noses and then use it to such effect. Perhaps Azshara has been somehow slowly been moving N'Zoth's prison this entire time, drawing it closer to the Maelstrom in order to enact her plan to weaken the chains which bind the Old God.
Nefarious Implications
N'Zoth's prison being located at the original Well of Eternity has some serious implications for Azeroth. The energies which made up the Well of Eternity are the very life-force on Azeroth itself, created by the death of Old God Y'Shaarj. Its magic allowed life on Azeroth to develop, eventually giving way to races such as the Trolls and Night Elves, who harnessed those magical energies to create awe-inspiring societies, but the Well of Eternity also had a dark side, driving megalomaniacal persons like Azshara to ruin in an unquenchable thirst for power. Perhaps power simply corrupts, or maybe this darker influence is a remnant of Y'Shaarj itself, the Old Gods black blood forever intermingled with Azeroth's own, which has truly frightening implications. Either way, it ultimately led to disaster by way of Sargeras and the Burning Legion, culminating in his massive sword Gorribal ripping the world apart, spilling Azeroth's life blood once more. It's a bit poetic to imagine Azshara's first taste of power on the shores of the Well of Eternity coming full circle to her final act using those same powers to free N'Zoth from his prison.
Since its formation, the Well of Eternity has represented a danger to Azeroth. The titan keepers valiantly tried to prevent the loss of those energies from damaging Azeroth further, the Night Elves harnessed it in the form of magic, and the coalesced blood is now used to power weapons of hereto unseen destruction. It's no surprise the words "wound" and "bleeding" used frequently in
Chronicle
to describe the well are so similar to those used to describe the Wound in the World caused by Sargeras. In
Battle for Azeroth
, Azeroth is dying, her lifeblood scattered around the world, which various factions try to collect for both good and evil. Now in Patch 8.2, we've unwittingly taken the blood caused by Azeroth's newest wound back to the site of the original one - the Well of Eternity.
Under Azshara's design, our Azerite not only strengthens N'Zoth, but creates a new threat to the "true heart of the world's magic and natural power." Azeroth is incredibly vulnerable and in dangerously close proximity to a newly freed Old God. In the
Priest Class Mount Quest
, we see the impact of the Void on a Titan Vault near the Maelstrom, so it's easy to imagine what havoc N'Zoth might do with direct access to the Maelstrom - a new wave of death and destruction, the return of the Black Empire, or both! Even the Titans may not be able to stop him, but even if they had a failsafe, it might not work out to our benefit - it wouldn't be the first time the Titans would rather destroy our world than let corruption claim it.
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