Proverb: The Vials of Eternity
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Heartbourne on Monday, July 27, 2009 - 17 Comments Tags: Lore, cataclysm, lore, proverb, war of the ancients
Heartbourne on Monday, July 27, 2009 - 17 Comments Tags: Lore, cataclysm, lore, proverb, war of the ancients
Proverb is a column discussing the lore of Warcraft. It is spoiler heavy for all Warcraft games, novels, and other media. Comment on this post or send a tweet to @heartbourne and let us know what you would like to see in future columns!
One of the lore-richest eras in Warcraft history is the War of the Ancients, in large part due to the trilogy by Richard A. Knaak. I confess that I have only read the first book in the trilogy, but I am working on the rest.
The War of the Ancients took place about 10,000 years ago. In short, a sect of night elf sorcerers, called Highborne, wielded arcane energy using the power of a body of water called the Well of Eternity to summon the Burning Legion into the Azeroth, and a great war ensued. The origin of the well is unclear; some sources claim that the Titans created the well when they were shaping Azeroth, but this conflicts with some of the implications in the War of the Ancients trilogy. In any case, it was a endless fount of magical energies that attracted the interests of demons and sorcerers alike. When the war between mortals and demons came to the Well at the Battle of Zin'Azshari, Illidan Stormrage filled seven vials with waters from the well. When the night elves were able to seal off the demonic portal at the Well, a great cataclysm occurred, called The Great Sundering of the world (also referred to as The Cataclysm, which is why most people are certain that this will be the theme of the next WoW expansion). The single continent of Kalimdor shattered into several land masses, and the Well of Eternity became a swirling vortex in the center of the Great Sea known as the Maelstrom.
Illidan created a second Well of Eternity on the top of Mount Hyjal using three vials from the original Well. The night elves condemned the creation of a second Well, as reckless use of the first one nearly destroyed Azeroth. Illidan was condemned to confinement, and was not released until about 10,000 years later, during the Third War. At some point, he gave one of the vials to the Highborne, which ended up in the hands of Dath'Remar Sunstrider. Dath'Remar and the Highborne were exiled, and fled to the east. They washed up in Tirisfal and founded the new high elven nation of Quel'thalas. There, they built the wondrous city of Silvermoon and used Dath'Remar's vial to create the Sunwell.
I suppose his jailers didn't think to search his body, as he seems to have retained the remaining 3 vials during his imprisonment. Soridormi later claims in the Burning Crusade that they were thought to be lost, but it doesn't seem like they looked very hard. Upon his release and exile from Kalimdor, and his defeat at the hands of Arthas, Illidan fled to Outland with with new lieutenants, Kael'thas Sunstrider and Lady Vashj. Kael'thas became the second in the Sunstrider dynasty to posses a vial, though players in The Burning Crusade recover this vial and the one held by Lady Vashj and give them to Soridormi, who uses them to create the portal in the Caverns of Time that goes to the Battle of Mount Hyjal. The vials were not consumed, and Soridormi retains these two vials.
The final vial is not quite accounted for, as Illidan should have been the possessor. Illidan was killed by players at the Temple of Karabor (Black Temple), and his vial was not mentioned. It is unclear if he really held the vial at the time of his death or if he chose another person to claim it, or if he even lost it. It is possible that someone else claimed the vial after his death. If the next expansion really is Maelstrom based, I predict we will see the three remaining vials again. With Nozdormu's possible insanity and his possible role of leader of the Infinite Dragonflight, Soridormi may play a major role. I bet Nozdormu will eventually need to be defeated, and with the theme of the former site of the first Well of Eternity, maybe we will see the current Hyjal open to players and Azshara may have some nefarious scheme with the vials.
Thanks for the comments on the last post! I always learn a lot from our readers, so keep helping me learn about the history of Warcraft. Let me know what you want to see in future editions of Proverb, and if you like more speculation or my recounting of the lore.
 |
| The Great Sundering |
One of the lore-richest eras in Warcraft history is the War of the Ancients, in large part due to the trilogy by Richard A. Knaak. I confess that I have only read the first book in the trilogy, but I am working on the rest.
The War of the Ancients took place about 10,000 years ago. In short, a sect of night elf sorcerers, called Highborne, wielded arcane energy using the power of a body of water called the Well of Eternity to summon the Burning Legion into the Azeroth, and a great war ensued. The origin of the well is unclear; some sources claim that the Titans created the well when they were shaping Azeroth, but this conflicts with some of the implications in the War of the Ancients trilogy. In any case, it was a endless fount of magical energies that attracted the interests of demons and sorcerers alike. When the war between mortals and demons came to the Well at the Battle of Zin'Azshari, Illidan Stormrage filled seven vials with waters from the well. When the night elves were able to seal off the demonic portal at the Well, a great cataclysm occurred, called The Great Sundering of the world (also referred to as The Cataclysm, which is why most people are certain that this will be the theme of the next WoW expansion). The single continent of Kalimdor shattered into several land masses, and the Well of Eternity became a swirling vortex in the center of the Great Sea known as the Maelstrom.
Illidan created a second Well of Eternity on the top of Mount Hyjal using three vials from the original Well. The night elves condemned the creation of a second Well, as reckless use of the first one nearly destroyed Azeroth. Illidan was condemned to confinement, and was not released until about 10,000 years later, during the Third War. At some point, he gave one of the vials to the Highborne, which ended up in the hands of Dath'Remar Sunstrider. Dath'Remar and the Highborne were exiled, and fled to the east. They washed up in Tirisfal and founded the new high elven nation of Quel'thalas. There, they built the wondrous city of Silvermoon and used Dath'Remar's vial to create the Sunwell.
I suppose his jailers didn't think to search his body, as he seems to have retained the remaining 3 vials during his imprisonment. Soridormi later claims in the Burning Crusade that they were thought to be lost, but it doesn't seem like they looked very hard. Upon his release and exile from Kalimdor, and his defeat at the hands of Arthas, Illidan fled to Outland with with new lieutenants, Kael'thas Sunstrider and Lady Vashj. Kael'thas became the second in the Sunstrider dynasty to posses a vial, though players in The Burning Crusade recover this vial and the one held by Lady Vashj and give them to Soridormi, who uses them to create the portal in the Caverns of Time that goes to the Battle of Mount Hyjal. The vials were not consumed, and Soridormi retains these two vials.
The final vial is not quite accounted for, as Illidan should have been the possessor. Illidan was killed by players at the Temple of Karabor (Black Temple), and his vial was not mentioned. It is unclear if he really held the vial at the time of his death or if he chose another person to claim it, or if he even lost it. It is possible that someone else claimed the vial after his death. If the next expansion really is Maelstrom based, I predict we will see the three remaining vials again. With Nozdormu's possible insanity and his possible role of leader of the Infinite Dragonflight, Soridormi may play a major role. I bet Nozdormu will eventually need to be defeated, and with the theme of the former site of the first Well of Eternity, maybe we will see the current Hyjal open to players and Azshara may have some nefarious scheme with the vials.
Thanks for the comments on the last post! I always learn a lot from our readers, so keep helping me learn about the history of Warcraft. Let me know what you want to see in future editions of Proverb, and if you like more speculation or my recounting of the lore.
Reader Comments (17)
I really like the posts about lore. I never played any of the Warcraft games before WoW therefore many of the quest objectives seem arbitrary to me.
It's nice to have some sort of a background as to why group A is at war with group B but they both hate group C. lol
Anyway, I hope you continue with this theme in your upcoming posts.
Cheers!
My only negative about Nozodormu being the leader of the Infinite Dragon Flight is you see him in Dragonblight fighting them off. Chromie even says she was wondering where he went off to.
I think the Infinite Dragon Flight was made by the Black Dragon flight's last mate... >.> Shoot, my cousin has those books, but she delved into making other dragons through mixing various forms of magic and all the dragon flights together. That's actually where the Neatherdrakes came from in Outland. She created them, or had a hand in their creation.
Nozdormu may be the leader of the infinite dragonflight, even if he fought them at Dragonblight. The reason for this is because he know what will happen to him, and he "supposely" don't want to change the future, but, perhaps he changed his mind and is desperately trying to change who will he become. Or, the infinite dragonflight could be created by the blood elf orphan, in the future, since she says that she will own a dragon when she grows up...maybe we will see this kid in the next expansion?
@Hatell: That's not how I understood the Dragonblight quest at all.
(Spoilers ahead)
What happens is that Chromie gives you an enchanted hourglass that will summon a future you to help drive off the Infinite Dragonflight and reveal their leader. You use the hourglass, and then you and future-you fight off some waves of Infinite agents, and at the end Nozodormu appears above the battlefield. When you return to Chromie, he says something like "Strange that it didn't work, but at least we know the bossman is still alive - he's been missing for a while." The more obvious conclusion is, of course, that the hourglass worked as advertised, and that the boss of the Infinites is Nozodormu.
I think it is likely that the blood elf orphan Salandria who is the leader, or at least the creator, of the Infinite Dragonflight. Its possible she might in the future corrupt or control Norzdormu and make him help create the flight. But that's just speculation on my part. All I have to back it up is that the little elf did say she was going to be more powerful than the mages of Dalaran (see her coin in the wishing well whein you fish it up) and that she wanted to have a real dragon someday.
Anyway, the new expansion sounds cool, but we'll just have to wait until Blizz gives us real inside info.
@Heartbourne, The Highborne did land in Tirisfal, but did not settle there. The elves felt a dark presence in the glade, so they headed north to Eversong Woods, where they then created Quel'thalas.
If your Interested in Warcraft lore, then I recomend checking out the WoW website. It has lore from the creation of azerothand the titans all the way up to the 3rd war (Righ before WoW). Worth a read through if you have nothing else to do.
is it me or is blizz trying to kill off all the aspects?
malygos-pwned by me
ysera- gets corrupted by the emarald nightmeare and gets pwnd - by me
deathwing-well hes just bad ass and he will probaly pwn me but good guilds will pwn him
nozodormu- inftantite leader might be pwnd by me maybe not
alexxtraza (sorry for spelling)- the last good dragon left woot!
Bare that thought in mind!
@elsey
thats exacly what i was thinking i was allso thinking if we are going to get to kill black wing,nozdormuand help ysera with the emerald nighmare or if we are going to get to kill am at allhow about unlocking the other 2 planets
On the subject of Salandria, don't forget the little draenei kid also nearly gets attacked by the guards when you go to visit the Caverns of Time. Zaladormu only stopping them because they can't punish for 'things she might do or fail to do in the future'.
Maybe the Infinite Dragonflight is of a result of the Horde and Alliance getting their acts together and working together ;).
If the two kids and Nozdormu are involved maybe this gives a general idea of when the next expansion will be. With Wrath coming out so soon after Hallow's End (where the Forsaken split off from the Scourge), maybe events will be tied into Children's Week meaning it will be released May-June.
While this would be kinda cool I doubt it will happen as having a pre-Christmas release is alot more profitable to Blizzard than a Summer release. Just something that came into my mind is all ;).
Nozdormu could be the leader of the Infinite Dragonflight, cause hell when he was charged with protecting Time he was shown how he would die. maybe causeing trouble is a kindof mid-life crisis. plus not even his main Mate/consort knows what he's up to, the only lore i remember with him in it was when Krasus, Rhonin and others free'd Alextrasza from the Orcs and destroyed the Demon Soul from Deathwing with teh help of Malygos and Ysera..... as for the next expansion being about the Maelstrom, the main villian would be Queen Azshara, leader of the Highbourne/Naga. the Well of Eternity may be destroyd but that doesnt mean its gone, in War of the Anicents Rhonin noted his magic was more powerful with a connection to it, plus what if the center of the Maelstrom is the remains of the Well itself, and Azshara is trying to open the portal to Lord Sargaras again.....plus a its been 3-4 years since Arthas became the Lich King, so the kids from Childrens Week, wouldnt grow up that fast in a expansion unless Nozdormu or the Bronze made a mistake and the world fastforwarded somehow...
@ Staffan
Chormie says that they wanted to reveal infinite dragonflight leader,after you do the quest she says the plan failed what means that the hourglass didnt reveal infinite dragonflight leader but that their bossman (bossman of the bronze dragonflight or whatever) is alive and that he has been missing.Therefore i dont think Nozdormu is the infinte dragonflight leader.
this post made me realize thaat the infinite dragon flight coul from any time they could be from any time could be from thirty years from now when the 2 kids are grown ups infinite dragon flight has great knowladge of teh future the whole reason they are trying to mess up the time line my other theory is they dont realize what they are doing look at what tey have been mattling with stop thralls ascape froom durnholde which would mean he never became the warchief of orcs it was he who rescued the darkspear trolls and recrueded tehm into the horde would dfenitly weaken the horde opening of the black portal that would stop the rise of horde all togather the culling of stratholome was a major part in arthases tranformation in to the lich king maybe they believe they are doing good which i wouldent disagree with te gae would sure be diffrent if they succeded
once again i find my self spending teh whole day reading though the lore if nozdormu does go crazy what about his heir he has proved not as allusive as his father
First of all: Great post, Project Lore needed some more Lore.
Now.. About the next expansion, i honestly think it is either draogn or old world related.. Dragons at the moment are a bit silent. Malygos is insane.. Ysera is all sleepy.. Alexstrasza is fighting.. Neltharion is being a real sisy.. And then there's Nodzurmu being relatively mysterious. Soemthing is gonna happen, you can almost feel it comming at one point.. They're letting us wait and be distracted by other things before they launch us with some raid/instance involving loads of lore.. Yeah, not a detailed thoery. The other theory is the one that lately has become rather famous.. Blizz said Gilneas was going to be dealt with soon.. TM.. And yeah it fits nicely in, they'll take advantage of the old world again.. They're making transport and lvling more smooth in 3.2.. It fits lorewise, but as a roleplayer i can't see myself roleplaying as a walking wolf.. I don't see the excitement in it.. I would say that the whole Maelstrom theory or the Emeral Dream thing would work better, but we haven't heard of the Emeral Dream since early Icecrown where you was to heal some plagued paladin.. And the Maelstrom? Sure, aquatic mounts, longer breathing, fits right in.. But how will it work? Gonna fight Naga and crabs, oh no, here comes the dreaded dolphin of doom..
Maybe i'm speaking the truth, maybe i like a good speculation.. Maybe Blizz is fooling us, with those guys it's hard to figure out their plans.. With Starcraft 2, Diablo 3 and the mysterious MMO.. This BlizzCon is gonna bring us some tasty gaming goodness. Yes, this has probably said before, i don't know much lore, i'm just trying to say this comment to those who.. Bother to read such a long comment..
-Lorcán
i am said that i wont be able to aatend this years blizzcon and the fact that all this goodies will be reaveled just makes even more said so i hope PL will post about some of those goodies
i don't think norz is the leader if u ready on wowwiki it says deathwings mate made them with the demon solo and netherwing drake so i think we will be seeing deathwing in the near future or maybe the next expansion is use travaling back in time to the 1st and 2nd wars fightin back the guys u never know !!
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