Lore Focus: Unraveling the Mystery of Xal'atath, the Harbinger

A lot has been said about Xal'atath lately, who will play a major role inThe War Within. First introduced in Legion as part of the Priest Order Hall campaign, she has proven to be incredibly popular. But what if you still don't know who Xal'atath is, and at this point, you're too afraid to ask? We're here to help.Who is Xal'atath? Or should the question be, what is Xal'atath?

Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire

Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire was introduced during Legion as the Shadow Priest Order Hall artifact. One of this blade's major features was that it would whisper to the player, but rather than simply reciting a few stables, Xal'atath's whispers were extensive and detailed - often offering unique commentary on specific locations or characters.

According to the Word of the Conclave, there are several theories about how the blade came to be made. One claims that it is the remains of a forgotten Old God who was consumed by its kin in the early days of the Black Empire. Another theory states it is made from the claw of Y'Shaarj, the most powerful and wicked of the Old Gods.

Either way, what is known for sure is that Xal'atath is more than just a blade - in fact, the physical blade was a prison for the entity bound within. During Battle for Azeroth, this entity finally escaped... but more on that later.

The blade has had many mortal "owners" since the Black Empire fell - reportedly always leaving death and chaos in its wake. Mortals who possessed the blade often found themselves guided by its whispers - often to their own ruin.

• Xal'atath's History

It was Xal'atath who convinced an ancient tribe of trolls to make blood sacrifices in order to awaken Kith'ix, a servant of the Old Gods who had remained dormant since nearly dying in a battle against Keeper Tyr. Kith'ix killed the trolls who had awakened it, and was a terrible threat for many years, until it was finally killed by the Amani tribe.

Later, Xal'atath was the prize possession of the dwarf sorceress Modgud, wife to Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan, who doomed the Dark Iron clan to their enslavement at the hands of Ragnaros. During a battle with the Wildhammer clan, Modgud reached for the blade to find it had disappeared.

With one mighty blow of his hammer, Khardros mortally wounded Modgud and secured victory for the Wildhammers. It is said that as the sorceress lay dying, she repeated one phrase over and over again: 'You promised...'

At some point around the First War, Xal'atath found its way into the hands of the invading orcs, who used the blade in their dark rituals. Later, it was studied by Natalie Seline, a human bishop of the Church of Light. Drawn in by its whispers, Natalie learned how to use shadow magic, and became the first to bring Shadow priests to human society. Natalie was eventually assassinated by conspirators, but not before hiding her spirit in the Void. Natalie was eventually resurrected during the Priest Order Hall campaign.

By the time of Legion, the blade was in the hands of the Twilight's Hammer cult, who used it to attempt to resurrect Zakajz the Corruptor. Like Kith'ix, Zakajz was a servant of the Old Gods who had faced Keeper Tyr. Tyr sacrificed himself to kill the two C'Thraxxi, and while Kith'ix survived, Zakajz died with him.

Thanks to information provided by Moira Thaurissan, Queen of the Dark Iron and Shadow Priestess herself, player characters were able to discover the conspiracy and were sent to the Tomb of Tyr to retrieve the blade. On encountering the player, Xal'atath switched sides, calling her previous owner weak and devouring his soul. The blade also convinced the player to allow it to devour the essence of Zakajz as well, arguing that this alone would prevent the creature from ever being resurrected in the future.

Xal'atath stayed with the player character throughout Legion, but canonically eventually disappeared, later reappearing during the events of Battle for Azeroth, where the entity within would finally orchestrate its release from the physical blade.

Xal'atath's Release

By Battle for Azeroth, Xal'atath had fallen into the possession of Collector Kojo, a Tortollan who had happened upon it near a naga altar in Stormsong Valley. Kojo had no interest in using the blade himself, but enlisted players to help figure out what role it had meant to play in the naga's plans. Xal'atath told the player that the naga were after powerful relics. During their investigations, players discovered a high elf named Inanis attempting to harness the power of a Void stone. After players killed the high elf, Xal'atath drew on the power of the Void Stone to possess Inanis' body.

Xal'atath continued to help the player recover the relics before the naga could get to them, but once obtaining all three, used them to put its true plans into motion.

Xal'atath had made a deal with N'Zoth. In exchange for the player and the blade, N'Zoth released Xal'atath, finally granting the entity within the blade its freedom.

From this point on, Xal'atath the entity and Xal'atath the blade were now two separate things. Xal'atath the entity left through a void portal. The blade, meanwhile, was taken back to Sylvanas by Horde players.

The Blade and N'Zoth

Strangely, N'Zoth didn't do much to hold onto the things he had gained from the bargain. He "blessed" players with the Gift of N'Zoth - a debuff that places an eye-of-N'Zoth crown on the player's head and reads, "You are special in the eyes of N'Zoth. He sees all." This debuff could be easily cleansed in an optional follow-up quest. The blade, meanwhile, was picked up by Horde, who took it to Sylvanas. Nathanos Blightcaller used it to help part the seas over Nazjatar, and eventually delivered it to Queen Azshara, who claimed she intended to use it against N'Zoth. Azshara gave the blade to Wrathion, who used it against the Old God, eventually stabbing N'Zoth's carapace. Afterwards, the blade once again disappeared, and hasn't been seen since.

One popular theory that I subscribe to is that N'Zoth, knowing he was destined to die at our hands, meant for the blade to be used in the fight against him, so that he could transfer his soul within - what may have been a prison for Xal'atath could now be a safe place for N'Zoth to hide in. It's worth noting that the hidden artifact appearance for the Xal'atath artifact is called the Claw of N'Zoth, which has flavor text that reads, "Eyes blinking. Flesh pulsing. It is very much still alive."

Xal'atath the Harbinger

Now freed from her prison, Xal'atath the entity was not seen or heard from again until Dragonflight. Though we didn't know it at the time, Xal'atath was first mentioned in 10.0.7 - in the lore book A Song of the Depths, a naga text that referred to a mysterious "Harbinger" who the naga seem to believe will help bring about the return of their Queen Azshara.

Later, during the Dawn of the Infinite dungeon, Iridikron was seen siphoning Galakrond's essence into a vessel - a powerful Void-aligned relic that resembles the Heart of Azeroth. Though initially Chromie helped players stop Iridikron, she finally chose to reverse time and save Nozdormu from becoming Murozond instead - allowing Iridikron to escape through a void portal, alongside a figure that greatly resembled Xal'atath's high elf form.

Iridikron also spoke about the Harbinger, claiming they would use the relic to pry the soul of Azeroth from the Titan's grasp. This scene led to widespread speculation that Xal'atath was the Harbinger, speculation that was confirmed during Blizzcon. In promotional images, Xal'atath can be shown holding the same relic we watched Iridikron escape with.

Xal'atath In The War Within

Xal'atath has been confirmed a major antagonist in The War Within, World of Warcraft's next expansion. She has new allies with the nerubians, who she's convinced to follow her, and is planning to bring about the rise of a new dark legacy. Freed long ago from the black blade that once bound her, she is now the Harbinger of a new era of the Void’s dark machinations. Her message is clear. The Black Empire has fallen. The Old Gods are dead and their ancient blood runs deep within the cracks of the world. We, the heroes of Azeroth destroyed them and the Harbinger watched all along. While the Black Empire has failed, Xal’atath seeks to set in motion the rise of a new dark legacy — one that knows our strengths and will seek to test them against a terrible power, the nerubians of Azj-Kahet.

Xal’atath has conscripted the nerubian queen, Ansurek, and offered her people a new future in which they would rise from their isolation and become a mighty kingdom once again. We will not find the nerubian soldiers of the Lich King here, but a mighty stronghold of nerubians as they once were—deadly survivors of the mythic wars that have played out again and again over thousands of years.

In return for their loyalty, Xal’atath has granted the nerubians the means of a dark evolution that will turn the nerubians into a new kind of ferocious and terrifying soldiers.

The void elf Alleria Windrunner, meanwhile, will be helping to lead the resistance against Xal'atath, and will have a unique rivalry with her.

Alleria Windrunner: Her journey will be central to the events and themes of the War Within. She, as a void hunter, must use all of her capabilities to hunt down Xal’atath while being torn between her own nature and the maddening call of the Void to which she is attuned. Along this adventure she will have a unique rivalry with Xal’atath whose twists and turns will come to define the nature of this new conflict.

Xal'atath's Whispers

We already mentioned Xal'atath's many whispers, a complete list of which can be found on the Warcraft Wiki. We want to go over some of the more relevant ones.

First, the whispers that react to Alleria. Xal'atath is impressed by the Void elf,

This one shows promise. The whispers lure her toward her fate.

When Alleria absorbs the dark naaru L'ura's power, Xal'atath is especially pleased.

The caterpillar has become the butterfly. She is all but ours now.

But who IS Xal'atath? Because, even now, it's important to separate Xal'atath the entity from the vessel she inhabits. In appearance, Xal'atath looks like a Void Elf, but that is because she's still inhabiting the body of the high elf Inanis.

In reality, Xal'atath is a powerful creature of the Void. Her Legion whispers, which refer both to her "masters" and her "brethren", suggests to us at least that Xal'atath is, indeed, an Old God who was betrayed and imprisoned by the others.

I long for the day our masters can truly pass into this realm. You have only seen fragments, shadows; the faintest of echoes. Ask the Ethereals what one of these manifestations are capable of.

The Ethereal home world was destroyed by the Void Lord Dimensius the All-Devouring. The Void Lords are the beings of pure Shadow who rule over the Void.

It was thought his kind (Harbaron) was incorruptible. A lesson for my brothers I suppose.

Harbaron is a boss from the Maw of Souls, who ferries souls to Helya's realm. There are hints that he's a constellar. Since Old Gods' purpose is to corrupt, Xal'atath's comment could be read that her brothers should take the lesson and try corrupt other constellars.

We may face some of my brethren in this conflict... a prospect that delights me. Their power will be mine! They will pay for what was done to me long ago.

More than anything else, this whisper suggests Xal'atath has a reason to hold a grudge against her "brethren". But there's one more whisper about brethren that we'd like to mention, one that highlights the relationship between the Light and the Void.

I know the naaru consider us horrors to be resisted. We do not share this view. They are merely beloved brethren that lost the true path. They will return to their masters... in time.

This one is strange... Naaru are known to be able to become transformed into dark naaru, creatures of the void, and can even become void gods - who are not to be confused with Void Lords. They can also be turned back into naaru, aligned with the Light. But from Xal'atath's perspective, it's the Light naaru who have turned away from their true forms and purpose.

We expect to learn a great deal more about the Light and the Void in The War Within. Hopefully, along with learning more about everyone's favorite "Knaifu", we will also learn a little more about how these two cosmological forces relate to each other.

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